[2 Years after part 4]
I barely was able to dodge the plate thrown at me. I had no idea what made Duncan go into such a rage, all I said was that me and Toby are going to be gone for a few day’s. As we had to Leakytown to meet the new duke (Sadly Greybeard had passed away a month back, now his grandson was in charge) and make some agreements. (With Toby being my heir, I wanted to get him some experience in diplomacy) Duncan finally stops throwing plates as he look at me and speaks.
“WEAWWY! WEABIN’ AGAIN, AN’ DIS TIME WIFF HIM! DON"T 'OU CAWE ABOUT DIS FAMIWY, DON"T 'OU CAWE ABOUT DUNCAN!”
He has never acted like this before! So what that I leave from time to time, I’m very busy! And what the hell does he mean by “Don’t you care about me” I speak looking at him with a stern look.
"‘Ou am actin’ su inappwopwiatewy! I hab my duties, an’ souw tweated 'ou nu diffewent fwom anyone ewse!
I could see tears start rolling down Duncan’s eyes as he put’s a hoove on his face and speaks.
“Buh 'ou hab, 'ou hab Daddeh! my fiwst ebah memowies, Duncan wecognized that ‘ou tweated Toby an’ Nawmi diffewentwy. ‘ou see Toby as am pwecious “Heiw” an’ Nawmi as dah “Pewfect Babbeh” Duncan nu can eben wecaww ‘ou sayin’ once that 'ou wewe pwoud of me, ow that ‘ou wanted to do somethin’ just wiff fwuffy awone! nu 'ou see!”
How dare a son disrespect his father like this! I could see everyone else starting to come downstairs or come as Duncan spoke. Looking at him with a stern rage I speak without thinking.
“Maybe if 'ou nu did act wike a constant embawwassment to dis famiwy things wouwd be diffewent! Nao head to am woom, NAO!”
I shouldn’t have said that… There’s a shock around the room as Duncan looks at me, with wide eyes and a open jaw. finally after a few seconds of silence Duncan’s face contorts into one of pure rage as he runs at me yelling.
“I HATE 'OU!”
I had 0 time to react to Duncan’s running, as he pushed me down started punching me over and over. I could hear Monica screaming as It took the combined effort of Toby and Willy just to make him stop, And as I started regaining my composure Narmi helped me get back up and I could feel my mouth bleeding with me having a broken tooth. Finally I look at Duncan’s sobbing face, and order Toby and Willy to let him go. And speak clearing my mouth of blood and looking down in shame.
“Am sowwy… Am sowwy Souw wasn’t dewe fo’ 'ou, when 'ou needed me. Son ‘ou nee’ to undewstand I hab awways been pwoud of 'ou it’s just-”
Duncan interrupts me speaking in a stern voice.
“Fuck 'ou.”
Suddenly Duncan begins speed walking to a closet opening it and started grabbing something. Monica speaks.
“Duncan pwease! am fathah made mistake fwuffy’s sowwy!”
Duncan doesn’t even look at her as I see that he had grabbed an already full bag and began to head to the door. he looks at all of us and speaks.
“Fake apowogy isn’t goin’ to make up fo’ what ‘ou did to me Daddeh. Su I’ww gib ‘ou what ‘ou awways secwetwy wanted, am weabin’ fo’ gud. Mewwin, Jay, Wiwwy an’ Mummah, fank ‘ou fo’ tweatin’ me wiff wub an’ kindness, I hope dah west of am wibe am fiwwed wiff happiness.”
I could hear shouting with Monica looking at me speaking.
“DO SOMETHIN!”
I begin to crawl over as Duncan opened the door, heading halfway out before turning and speaking.
"Nu fowwow ow send someone to find me. Bye
And with that Duncan heads outside closing the door. and as I fall to the ground looking at it. Their is a shocked silence, as I realize what I have done.
[7 Years later-Mid spring]
Once I finished watering my garden I grab my cane and begin to head back inside. Once there I see that the decorations for the celebrations are already done. (Both Toby and Narmi are coming home today for their birthday) I turn to see a sleeping Merlin and Jay, with me guessing that it was them who finished the decorations. But I couldn’t help but feel a little sad. Both of them were in there 20s and looking I see that Merlin’s coat and mane were now a bit more greyish white than I remember, with him having deep wrinkles under his eyes. And Jay to has wrinkles to but still has a bit of color left. And it’s to just them as well, me, Monica, and Willy all now have coats and manes that are a lot less colorful. I sit down as I see Monica heading in looking at the decorations as speaking.
“dah decowations am done! did 'ou do aww of dis Souw?”
I speak.
“Mewwin an’ Jay did it.”
Monica looks a bit sad as she speaks.
“Dey shouwdn’t, dey nee’ to west.”
I nod as Monica notices a little somber but hopeful expression of my face, speaking.
“Duncan’s not goin’ to come Souw.”
I speak.
“Souw knows it’s just I think back to that moment wot, an’ think to mysewf on how I couwd hab made him stay an’ not weabe.”
Monica comes up and kisses my check speaking with a light smile.
"c’mon dewe’s stiww nummies we nee’ to pwepawe, we nu wan’ ouw newest GwandChiwdwen to be hungwy when dey see us fo’ dah fiwst time.
Once we almost finished the last of the rat stew, we heard a knock on the door and I went over to see who came first. Opening the door with a large smile I see Narmi and Ruby at the door with there two adult (adopted) children Valk and Tay. (Valk was a Pegasus stallion with a black coat and dark red mane, And Tay was a earthie mare with a dark blue coat and gold hair) Narmi speaks.
“It’s su gud to see ‘ou Daddeh! How has Mewwin an’ Jay been? an’ mummah an’ wiwwy too!”
Than as they walk inside Ruby speaks.
“It’s nice to meet 'ou again duke!”
I nod as Valk approches me raising his right hoove speaking.
“Hewwo Gwandpa! how about a hoobebump!”
I give Valk a hoove bunk as Tay speaks looking around.
“It’s feews su gud to be 'way fwom dah Fawm!”
Hearing the word farm I realize I didn’t ask Narmi about it (Narmi and Ruby run a farming company in New Junction) I look at her and speak.
“how’s dah fawm Nawmi hab ‘ou got ebewythin’ pwaneted yet!”
Narmi looks at me as she starts heading into the dining room speaking.
"othah den a fawmhand gettin’ his hoobe injuwed things am goin’ weww! Nawmi awweady has sebewaw owdews pwaced.
We all head into the dining room where Monica welcomes and gives them all a hug, before Merlin who was now awake speaks looking at Narmi and his Great Grandchildren.
“Su gud to see 'ou aww! Whewe’s Toby?”
Narmi gives Merlin a hug as she speaks.
“'Ou know him, he awways wate.”
For the next hour we all talked, speaking about what we did over the year and Generally just having a good time, than it came. Several knocks on the door I speak.
“That must be them, Toby an’ Candy! Souw nu can wait to see fwuffy’s new Gwandchiwdwen fo’ dah fiwst time!”
It must have been such a long wagon ride for them with Toby and Candy (Toby’s wife, she was a earthie with a yellowish green coat and light brown mane) living in Stablelot. And also Toby working in Velvet’s court must be so stressful! I open the door again with a smile and see both of them and for the first time my newest Grandchildren. There were 2 sleeping fillies in their arms, one was a green unicorn, and the other a neutral purple earthie. Candy speaks.
“Gud to see ‘ou Duke Souw, awen’t dey su pwecious! dah gween one’s name am Jane, an’ dah puwpwe one’s name am Nephi”
I hug both of the fillies with them waking just a tiny bit and Toby smiles looking at me as we speak.
“It’s been stwessfuw daddeh buh stiww weww wowff it! say am Nawmi hewe yet?”
I nod and we all head into the dining room where Monica runs up instantly to the fillies and give’s them a hug and Willy speaks looking at the foals.
“Su cute! am happy fo’ ‘ou Toby!
Toby speaks.
“Fank 'ou Wiwwy!”
Now Jay is awake and Candy brings the fillies to meet their great Grandfathers. After awhile Monica finally put’s the entire feast on the table and she speaks as each of us is given a plate.
"Happy biwthday to Nawmi, Toby… An’ Duncan. May dah feast begi-”
The entire room goes quiet as we all hear… There is a knock at the door. Feeling a sense of confusion across the entire room, I get up and speak.
"One minute, pwobabwy just some guawd wantin’ to teww me somethin. Be wite back!
Walking over to the door I felt annoyed (I told the guard that I was going to be busy today!) Once I get to the door I hesitate for a second before breathing and opening it, seeing something that left me in complete shock, I speak.
“Du- Du- Duncan?”
It was him… I couldn’t believe it… He wore long Anuian Robes, with him having several Anuian necklaces, and what surprised me the most about his appearance was his face scars and nearly covered prosthetic front hooves. And he wasn’t alone either their was a mare besides him, with her being a Pegasus with a whitish beige coat and a black mane and also wearing the same robes he did. And then there was also the fact… They had 12 children all of the different ages as well. Finally after a few seconds Duncan takes a deep breath and speaks.
“Fathah…”
Again their is more silence until finally I decide just to go in and hug Duncan crying as I do. Duncan hugs me back and Once I stop Duncan speaks.
“It’s been such a wong time since Duncan seen 'ou…”
Wiping my eyes I speak.
“Who dah mawe besides ‘ou an’ aww these…”
Duncan and the mare give a light chuckle than Duncan speaks.
"Dis am Sami my wife, an’ these 12 bwessings am ouw Chiwdwen. Am Gwandchiwdwen. "
Sami speaks.
“Bwessings indeed! am quite dah city to!”
I speak.
“Duncan what happened to am hoobes, why am ‘ou weawin’ those wobes?”
Duncan speaks as I start to let them all in.
“Duncan wants to expwain what happened to 'ou aww.”
Than just before Duncan enters he looks at his oldest son, who was a unicorn with a light grey coat and a blond mane, who was also wearing the same Anuian robes as Duncan and Sami (If I had to guess he looked around 5 years old) And speaks.
“Mewwin jw can 'ou get dah extwa nummies.”
Merlin Jr! Duncan looks at me and speaks.
“Duncan guessed ‘ou nu did make enough fo’ an extwa 14 peopwe su we made extwa.”
Duncan steps inside and just as he does I could hear footsteps coming from the dining room and Monica’s voice.
“Souw what’s takin’ su wong?”
Monica turns and sees all of us and with a gasp drops the drink she was holding, Duncan speaks.
“Mummah Duncan’s home.”
I could describe the next 30 minutes as chaotic, messy but also heartfelt. Firstly the dining room was now completely packed with me barely able to move! But everyone Seeing Duncan for the first time in years was very emotional (When Merlin learned Duncan named his son after him, I swear it was the first time in forever that I’d seen him opened his eyes completely) There was also the question of what Duncan had been doing when he left and finally he told us. Once he left Duncan decided to try looking for work at the fighters guild. And so he did training and fighting for them, that was until a few months later during a bandit attack. During the fight Duncan received multiple wounds and when he was down a bandit went and sawed off his front hooves, only escaping when he played dead. After that he was kicked out of the fighters guild (Not for the sawed off hooves, but they considered playing dead cowardice) Now homeless and having no front hooves he was lucky that a passing that caravan offered to take him to where they were going that being Breadbasket. And getting there Duncan lived in the slums of the city, saying that he was completely broken living as a beggar for months.
The day his life started to turn around was when he ran into traveling Anuian missionaries and seeing hearing their message he asked if he could join them and they agreed. That day forth Duncan said he became a monk and completely renounced his past of hatred and violence and declared himself a pacifist. And also he stated that was when he met Sami another monk, and being with her made him realize that he was worthy of love, and they developed a relationship. Duncan after a year of learning and getting his life back on track climbed the ranks of Anuism to the point where when The Temple of Halice was complete Duncan was selected to be it’s priest and he moved in with Sami where they stayed until hearing that one of the fluffies in Velvet’s court was a StrongWing and was leaving to head home for their birthday. And right at that point Duncan decided that he healed enough and wanted to reconcile so he, Sami and their family left heading here. Now after hearing Duncan’s tale the food they brought had been reheated and brought to the table. Now all of us were eating with talk and laughter filling the room and I being sat next to Monica and my children look out at the dozens of family members and think to myself. My Mother and Siblings wherever they are, would they think I’ve done good even though I made so many mistakes throughout my life? I think for a second before looking across the room at my entire family, now I have the answer. So with a deep breath and a smile I take a bite of my food, joining the rest of my family in talk and laughter. And for the moment we were happy. The End
What begins must ultimately end. Writing this story has been such an honor and now that it is finished, I know I will have such great memories writing my first ever story. I give a deep thanks for everyone who’s given my writings a chance. And as always course constructive criticism is appreciated. For what happens next I’ll say this, for the next month I might post a few pieces of art now and again. But for my next writing project it might be months away, bit I will say this. This is not the end of the Last Hope universe, and make sure to mark the date for the 100th anniversary celebration of Velvet’s coronation! May you have a good day!