Chapter 6
As the story ended there were cheers from the young people at the table, and Bathsheba looked happy. The waitress came over to speak to them and the people at the table were eager to talk about the story.
�Would you like anything more?� the waitress asked.
�How about a round of Natonitos for the group?� Natonito said.
�Sounds good to me,� Daniel said with a grin.
�What is in a Natonito again?� Delia asked.
�One shot of Kalua, one shot of Bailey�s Irish Cream, and one shot of root beer,� Natonito replied. �My favorite alcoholic beverage.�
�Alright,� the waitress said. �Heather Van Larken is singing now. Would you care to listen for a bit?�
�Sure, let�s see how she sounds like,� Natonito said.
�Seven stars are in the sky, six and six go equal, five�s the rambeau in his boat, four score�s an acre, three�s a driver, two�s the lily of the day, dressed in scarlet and green-o, and the one, the one, that�s left alone, it no longer shall be alone. And the one, the one, that�s left alone, it no longer shall be alone,� Heather sang.
�A beautiful song,� Natonito said. �It brings tears to my eye.�
�And mine too,� Bathsheba sang. �It is an old, melancholy folk song.�
�What do you think about the story now, kids,� Natonito said.
�It had a wonderfully happy ending for you,� Cherie said. �Who knew that is why we went off to Bravia, as prisoners of the rebels, and who knew that the reason why my family has been exterminated is because of jealousy over a family feud. The ending was a little sad for me.�
�We are not sore winners,� said Henry.
�No one wins a feud,� Daniel said. �It only destroys both, for that which cannot work together is weaker when it works alone.�
�Yes, the young man is right,� Bathsheba said. �And yet I cannot help but wonder that things could have been a little better had my family gone with you into the Cantina and seen me. Maybe they would have recognized me-that would have made our relationship better. Still, one cannot grouse over the past. What�s done is done.�
�Yes,� Delia said. �That is how I live my life. Though I regret many mistakes that I have done, there is nothing I can do about them now. All I can do is try to move on and learn from my mistakes and not repeat them.�
�That is a wise way to live life,� Natonito said. �After all, we all make mistakes, and we should not beat ourselves up over them. After all, God is merciful and forgives us.�
�Yes,� Daniel said. �It was an excellent story about Bravian independence. It was amazing what kind of work went on behind the scenes. Freedom is won by soldiers and common folk and preserved and endangered by lawyers and politicians. Thus it is always a rich man�s war and a poor man�s fight, and a rich man�s victory and a poor man�s struggle.�
�Do not look at life so darkly,� Natonito said. �You will not be poor forever.�
�True,� Daniel said. �Still, it is all too evident in my life that I travel in circles where I am the only, or one of the few, people without noble birth. I was not born with that creature comfort that allows one the luxury of having space to recover from mistakes. I have little room for error in my life, and so I view life as a dark struggle where others have what I must live without. And no matter where I end up, I can never forget who I am and where I came from.�
�I will grant you that much,� Natonito said. �Still, this should be a night of celebration. It told this story because it pieces together our lives quite nicely. We are connected in ways that we often do not understand. And now that Cherie and Henry are going to marry, they need to know where their families fit into the story, because this is going to be a stressful week.�
�Why do you say that?� Henry said. �After all, Cherie and I love each other.�
�Yes, that is true,� Natonito said. �Your love for each other is not in doubt. But Cherie is now Duchess Longbert. The land of her family will be in her control, and will go to the second son, if there is one, or to the second daughter if there is no second son. Your houses are not to unite. There must always be a house of Longbert, and now the greatest feud of Bravian history must end. I do not know if your father is ready to let the feud die.�
�Why would Henry�s father want the fight to go on?� Cherie asked, puzzled.
�We are going to find out that soon,� Natonito said.
[ Chapter 5 ]
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