Caleb; P1

((for a story with my friend, actually, but I haven't posted anything on this blog in a while so I figured I'd share it. Sorry if it sucks.))

Two brothers sat in silence across a round table in a tiny dinning room. Neither talked, but neither looked away from the other as though watching their movement for the moment they might strike. They had finished eating long ago, and the table was clean of all plates and silverware. No, there was no tension. There was no hatred, animosity, or any of those bad feelings that sometimes can occur between siblings. The only reason why they were like this was because their conversation had ended, and neither one of them knew what to say next.

It had been a very long time since Caleb McAllister had seen his older brother. It had been years, in fact. Though for some reason, it wasn't awkward at all to see him again. His brother had remained the same since he last saw him; still hard-working, still liked to show off, still picked on Caleb, married, settled down in a rather large city in the woods, living in a small house. Nothing had changed for Aven McAllister. Even his looks remained the same;  bushy black hair kept neatly braided in Elven fashion, dressed immaculately, a young face surprisingly full of experience, a contagious smile. Bright brown eyes full of expression and a yearning for wisdom. Despite their harmless banter, Caleb looked up to his elder of nearly ten years.

It was beginning to grow dark. As the sunlight dimmed, the Elven flames in Aven's house slowly began to turn themselves on. They served as small lights dotted against the wall like torches, creamy purple in color and completely soundless. Caleb took his eyes off Aven and watched them dance, wondering how much his brother must have paid a priest to set them up. They were a luxury that poor farmhands like Caleb couldn't afford.

"I can see you checking out my faerie flames." Aven spoke, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Oh- I guess. They're, ah... very nice." Caleb returned his gaze to his brother, slightly surprised by the sudden intrusion.

"I know." Aven grinned smugly. "It doesn't actually cost much. You should try to convince mom and dad. I'd help out, you know."

"I'll tell them, but," Caleb shifted in his chair, "They won't want to waste a single coin. You know how they are."

"I don't really blame 'em." The elder McAllister shrugged helplessly, "Just forget it, I guess." He took a breath in, and before it grew quiet again his mood changed. "So tell me more about this.. woman of yours. Kai, was her name? You haven't said much, little brother. I'm quite disappointed, actually." The elder man raised both eyebrows in curiosity.

"What do you want to know?" Caleb let out a hopeless laugh, watching the way his brother looked at him.

"Well everything, naturally. How you guys met. Who she is, exactly." Aven raised a hand in the air as if to put emphasis on the short list. "And what's all this about... She's marrying someone else?"

"It's... complicated." Caleb sighed, his shoulders dropping. "Do you remember why Mom, Dad, and I moved away?" He looked up at him from across the table.

"Well, yeah." Aven dropped his hands into his lap and shrugged, as though it should be obvious. "Mom and Dad lost the farm, and you needed to find a way to support them. You ended up getting hired by the human rich man and all of you had to move to his town."

"Yes, Solomon Adwell. Well, Kai is his daughter." Caleb paused, knowing he would have to let that sink in. Aven stared at him blinking as though he didn't understand, but as Caleb opened his mouth to explain again he laughed wildly.  "It's not funny, Aven!" Caleb accused, pointing a finger at him.

"Yes, it is!" Aven spoke between laughter. "That is so like you. Fall in love with your human boss's human daughter. I almost want to say I can't believe it, but I can."

"Stop it, Aven." Caleb crossed his arms, annoyed by this. "I won't tell you any more if you don't stop."

"Okay, okay." Aven wiped his eyes, forcing himself to calm down but still giggling. "I shouldn't laugh. I'm sorry. Tell me more. How you met."

"Fine." Caleb released his tension. "Well, it was my first day of work. I showed up at her father's house with Sera and the caravan all ready, just to say I was leaving and to get another horse, and she was there. She really wanted to come with me, so she...did." Caleb shrugged, obviously not wanting to admit that he so easily allowed her to run away from home, despite the obvious consequences. Aven, of course, picked up on this right away but let it go. The story was far too interesting to interrupt again. "So we traveled and traded, like I was supposed to. I had no experience trading though, and trading was Kai's lifestyle. She was actually able to teach me a lot."

"I'm so surprised." Aven smiled sarcastically. For now, Caleb ignored it.

To be continued when I actually write the rest