The Years that Went by

Julian grew up between iron blades and burning metals. When he was a baby, his father made him little wood swords for him to swerve around. Reynard’s heart swelled every time he heard his son’s cheerful giggles.

When Julian was five, he had grown used to the old wood blades. They were a part of his arm. So Reynard started making small swords for his boy. And his whole body shone with pride as he watched his son.

By the time Julian reached the age of twelve, he was the best swordsman in the village. And Reynard was the proudest of fathers. But twelve was a difficult age, because it was recruiting age. Two state guards dressed in purple uniforms knocked on their door on a sunny morning. And then Julian went off to be molded into a soldier, destined to fight in that infernal never-ending war his mother had disappeared into. She had enlisted when Julian was barely two, and she never looked back. Now, ten years later, Reynard was about to lose his adored son in the same fashion.

And so Julian enlisted, not without hesitation. He changed burning metals for sore muscles and the iron blades remained, only they were not cause for cheerful giggles anymore. He trained day and night. He dueled with Luna every morning and every evening. She was one of the best trainees in the Academy. She came from a big city where she had needed to fight for her life. Her parents had left her on the streets and the army had seemed like a reasonably good option. She was kind and spicy and fierce. She had become his best friend there, and the only person who could win against him with a sword.

Years went by and Julian became an adult. He wasn’t the scrawny boy he used to be, but a muscular young man. Luna had also grown into a beautiful strong woman. And they were married now. They were about to be parents, so they had decided to go back to Julian’s hometown. The war wasn’t over, and it had shaped them.

Reynard still lived between iron blades and burning metals. He now had and apprentice, because time had caught up to him and stolen his sight. The old man still mourned his late wife, still felt his heart swell when he remembered his son’s cheerful giggles. He was still proud, but his son was gone. The letters had never stopped coming, but he would never know what Julian looked like now. He would never see how much his jaw line resembled his own. Reynard was terrified he might never see his boy again. And although he had reason to be afraid, Julian’s voice was always inside his head, in the promise of his last words. “I’ll come back, dad. I will come back home, I promise.” If only Reynard could see, if only he could touch his face one more time.

And years had gone by and everything was the same. Julian and Luna walked into the village and the smell of his memories hit Julian; the dirt, the trees, the horses, fresh bread. He took Luna’s hand and squeezed. He wanted to introduce her to everyone, he wanted to make this her home, their family’s home. He wanted to meet his father.

Julian knocked on his childhood home door and held his breath. Luna smiled comfortingly at him. The door opened to reveal a young boy Julian didn’t recognize. He stood there, speechless, then a voice came from within. It wasn’t exactly the thunderous melody Julian remembered, it seemed faded, but it was the voice that had comforted him on the nights when the darkness was too scary. It was the voice that had soothed his tears whenever he fell as a kid. “I came back.” The words were out of his mouth husky, and shaky, and dry. The boy looked at him, took him in and run back inside.

Julian and Luna went inside. He looked around, and memories and smells and scents and tastes flooded him. He stood there, with Luna’s hand in his. Suddenly the sound of footsteps made him open his eyes and there was Reynard, blinded and wrinkled, but still his father. Because years had gone by and not everyone was the same.

Reynard placed his hands on the stranger’s face. He breathed his scent of dirt, and soap and a small trace of blood. There was something familiar about him, but he couldn’t grasp what it was. “Father?” His voice was husky and low. “Julian?” And then tears were running down both their faces and they had their arms around each other. Luna finally met Reynard, and Reynard learnt all about his future grandson. And the room was filled again with cheerful giggles and Reynard’s heart swelled with pride.

Because indeed, years had gone by, but some things would never change.