It had been a week since father had left and his words echoed in Braydon's mind. He remembered the look his father had in his eyes...

Braydon followed his father to a more private, empty room. There, after shutting the door, they both took a seat.

Braydon wasn't sure why his father had requested a private audience with him, but he was sure he had an idea.

"Son, let me be blunt with you," his father said, "I'm getting old and I'm going to pass soon. That's a given."

He raised a hand, quieting Braydon's protests before that could even get out of his mouth.

"Ah ah ah. Let me speak, my son. I'm getting old and you will soon be the man of the family. You will take over the family business and be the man of the house soon. I simply would like to inform you that that time may come sooner than expected. Son, I'm not sure if I'll make it for much longer after this trip. Don't worry, your sisters have enough money for a proper dowry and your brothers will easily find work," he began.

"But," he continued, "Much responsibility will soon fall down to you, but I know you can handle it. I did not, however, just wish to speak with you regarding my soon coming death. I came here to tell you that I may not come home from this trip. If I don't, I need you, as the oldest, to come in my place to retrieve our family riches. Bring one of your brothers and set of for this task if I have not returned after a week has passed, for that means I either fell ill... or have died."

The two stared at each other before Braydon finally responded, "I understand"

His father nodded at him before they both walked out of the door, his father with a weight lifted from his shoulders and Braydon with that same weight on his own shoulders.

Now, a week had passed and Braydon was following his father's instructions. He was walking to the stables to get a horse prepared for the trip. Then, he would retrieve one of his brothers to bring along with him. Finally, he would do what his father was meant to, come home successful, and tell the rest of his family the news regarding their father. Yes, that's exactly what he planned to do. He would take care of his family and take the burden of becoming the man of the family. He had to. As the oldest in the family, it was his responsibility to do such... as much as he didn't want to.

He didn't want to have to always think of the well-being of his family before all else. He didn't want to have to take both his father's and mother's place in taking care of the family. He didn't want any of this responsibility thrown on him, but he would endure for his siblings. He would endure. He had to.

He was snapped back to the present as he heard his sister's voice, "What are you doing, Braydon"

"Rosala! You frightened me. I was simply... going for a ride," he said guiltily.

"At this hour, brother," she raised a delicate eyebrow, catching his lie, "Your ability to improvise an excuse is still as bad as ever"

Braydon sighed. Rosala had always been very perceptive. She had also been more like an older sibling to them than even Braydon had ever been-even tough she was the youngest. She had been everyone's rock when mother had died, and he was sure she would be the same way when they received the news of father's death. Mother's death didn't even seem to affect her, although, if you listened hard enough, you could hear muffled sobs coming from her room for many nights.

"Well? Any time this year, please, Braydon," Rosala teased, getting slightly impatient.

Braydon knew Rosala was trustworthy and nothing like her sisters who if told a secret would gossip about it until the whole town knew, and that was a large factor of why he told her the truth this time.

"FatherisabouttodieandhewantedmetotakehisplaceasmanofthefamilyandgetourrichesbackmyselfsonowI'mdoingjustthat," he finished in a single breath, hoping he would not have to repeat the terrible truth again.

"What?" Rosala said, confused.

Braydon explained the situation with Rosala nodding and saying nothing. A look of realization seemed to pass over her face as he spoke, like as though pieces of a puzzle were falling into place in her head.

"Well, I'm coming with you." Rosala said after hearing his explanation.

"What? No way! I told father I would bring one of my brothers," Braydon explained, shocked by his normally timid and shy sister's sudden boldness.

"And this matters why?" she asked rhetorically, "My gender doesn't change my ability to perform. Perhaps you've forgotten that I am as able with a sword as you"

Braydon was stumped. Every counter argument his sister used made total sense, but he still could not even fathom the idea of bringing his youngest, innocent, fragile sister along to do a task so mundane but painful such as the extremely long ride ahead of him. Due to this, he continued arguing.

"But...you're-you are the youngest of the family!" he tried, hoping that she would not have a counter to his baseless argument.

"And that matters why? I'm unable to see why my age matters in this scenario when I can ride as well as you, fight better than our brother, and act much older than all my siblings often enough. Remember who was the first person to offer a shoulder to cry on for everyone." She cast Braydon a meaningful glance as they both recalled the time he had spent crying his heart out to her, telling her how sad he was about mother's death.

After a moment of Braydon pondering if it would truly be so terrible to allow Rosala to accompany him, he finally yielded.

"Yes!" She squealed as he told her she could come. They both got on their respective horses before setting of at a steady pace down the road that would lead to their destination. For a while, they simply chatted with each other and Braydon reflected on the good judgement he had used to allow Rosala to ride with him, for surely, he thought, it would have been a much more boring and melancholy ride had one of his brothers come with him.

He sighed. He just realized how long this ride really was. After a few minutes of making good speed, they heard a sound coming from a little off.

Rosala's eyes widened as she spoke, "That sounded like..."

"Father's horse," he finished for her.