"Better not to talk about these things, girl. Is there any more of that cherl about? How about we both have a mug and talk about what we’re going to do about this leaking roof."
"We fixed the roof last spring. Tell me. I don’t think even Miro knows. Tell me about my parents."
He sighed. "It’s not a happy tale. Another time, Ella."
"Please." Ella held her breath.
Brandon put down his mug. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts.
"Your parents were good people, Ella. Your father, he was a soldier. Well-born and educated, trained as an officer, but a soldier nonetheless." He wet his lips. "Your mother was the daughter of a minor lord. Your father was fifteen years her senior, but they were married, and you and Miro were the result."
Ella held her breath, willing Brandon to continue. He paused again for a long moment. His eyes were half-shut, and she thought he may have fallen asleep, but he suddenly opened them again.
"I fought with your father, nearly twenty years ago — not long after you were born. I was his sergeant, in the war they now call the Western Rebellion. We just called it the war.
"It started when the Halrana High Lord, Peragion Telmarran, gave his daughter to the Emperor in marriage. Xenovere had a reputation for dark deeds — still does — but Peragion was eager to curry favour with the Emperor and see Halaran grow under his reign.
"Our last Emperor, Xenovere IV, was a man of peace, dedicated to preserving the balance of the houses under a fair essence agreement. Xenovere V is different. He is a ruthless, cruel man.
"A year after the marriage, High Lord Peragion stopped receiving word from his daughter. When he enquired about her, the Emperor initially lied to him. The truth was that he had beaten her in a sudden rage. She died."
Ella put her hand to her mouth. "That’s horrible."
Brandon shrugged. "The truth came out. Peragion couldn’t forgive himself. Our High Lord, Serosa, answered our ally’s call and we went to war against the Emperor."
"What happened to my father? What about my mother?" Ella tried to conjure an image but there was nothing. She felt remote from it, like she was hearing about someone in a history class.
Brandon took another sip of cherl and swallowed before continuing. "The war was long and bitter, and Serosa and Peragion would never have surrendered. But back in Sarostar a lord named Tessolar had managed to convince the other lords the war was futile, and it was better to surrender sooner while we still had some strength.
"Serosa was betrayed by Tessolar, and both he and Peragion were captured. Tessolar made himself High Lord of Altura and immediately initiated peace talks. The Emperor demanded a group of Alturan and Halrana officers as a bond before negotiations could begin."
Ella felt a shiver run up her spine. She almost wanted him to stop.
"The officers were captured at Mornhaven, in eastern Halaran; part of the negotiations. Your father was one of them. Your mother heard about your father and she came to try to free him. She was unable to. I won’t tell you what happened, but he was killed by the Emperor’s executioner, Moragon, along with many other brave men. Tessolar still proceeded with negotiations. Your mother… she became ill. She died of grief."
"Was I there?" Ella said in a small voice.
"Yes, my dear, you were there. You were just a baby. Miro was a tiny boy. I’m sorry, my little one; it was so hard on the both of you; Miro especially. He still has those nightmares."
"He’s in pain. I can see it in him."
"So can I, lass. So can I."
The intensity of the rain grew. Puddles grew into pools. Ripples collided into each other with each drop that fell.
"You were a sergeant?" Ella couldn’t picture the aged figure before her holding a sword or facing armies in battle.
Brandon smiled. "An old sergeant, even then. Hard to picture? Brandon Goodwin was my name. Old Brandon, they call me now." He sighed, and Ella could hear the rattling in his chest.
"The way they say it now the Rebellion was a lost cause. Tessolar came to power amid growing fear of the outcome of the war and worry about the Emperor’s retribution if we lost. Tessolar helped to end it quickly, and now they praise him for a peace-maker."
Brandon coughed, and when he resumed his voice was hoarse. "That’s not how I remember it. Not at all. We were so close to having all of the houses united against the Emperor. So close! Serosa kept saying that all we needed was one decisive battle. And it all came to nothing. The Emperor punished us, killed our soldiers, rationed our essence, and now Altura is a shadow of her former self."
Brandon’s mind was obviously living those days, nearly twenty years ago. His lips smacked on dry gums and he fell silent. Fearing he’d fallen asleep, Ella rose and used what was left of the hot water and the last teaspoon of cherl to make a mug, taking it quickly over.
"Here, Uncle. Please, tell me more about my mother?"