Brooke's Priority
Chapter 29's

Fanita Cassius volunteered to participate in an expedition to the Kingdom of Kirkuz.

“I want to see snow,” Fanita said to me before she closed her bedroom door.

We split up before sunrise. I told them to wash themselves immediately so that the smell of alcohol we drank did not spread and I avoided the problem of drinking underage liquor. I didn't expect that before we split Fanita said she'd come north. And when I asked him why, that was the answer.

When the sun had risen, I walked out of the room and passed Grace who was walking towards my room. Fanita looks behind Grace. She's wearing a dress.

“Wah...,” my mouth holds up. “Surprising,” my word.

During my time at the academy, I never saw Fanita dressed like a woman. Not that I didn't consider her a girl, but it was strange to see her turn into a beauty (i felt inferior). Fanita's hair was almost as long as Grace's.

It must have been hard to take care of hair that long.

I glanced at my short hair at the window reflections. I intentionally did not lengthen it and cut it regularly.

“Your charismatic side is gone,” I laughed a little. “Not look annoying anymore.”

Fanita turned her face away from me and said, “Stop commenting while I'm still patient.”

I nodded immediately. How I got along with him remains a difficult mystery. Grace tells the origin of the dress that Fanita was wearing. My mother gave it to me. Then I took them to the park.

There, Haley had set up archery equipment. Bow, arrow and target board. Relying on Haley for shopping is the right thing to do.

“You will practice archery?” grace asked confusedly.

He must have thought we had come to visit to take a break from the saturating activities at the academy.

Last night, I made a deal with Fanita.

“I want to teach you archery, Grace. Archery is fun,” I said sweet-ass.

Fanita looked at me with her annoying look while taking the bow and giving it to Grace. “Starting today I'll teach you.”

“Can you be gentle a little,” I whispered to Fanita. “Do not be fierce, okay?”

I'm worried about Grace. For the sake of my fourth priority, I did not find another qualified teacher other than Fanita. He will soon graduate from the academy and have some free time, I also plead with him because he has a kind nature. Grace's Puppy eyes won't move Fanita's heart.

“Be quiet, Brooke,” order Fanita.

Fanita pulls Grace's left hand and pairs the arm guard and pulls Grace's right palm and pairs the finger tab. Fanita wore it too after putting it on Grace then put on a chest guard.

“The fun of archery is that you can do it while wearing a dress.”

Fanita shoots an arrow and hits the yellow circle located at the innermost part of the target board.

I clapped my hands unconsciously. “I want to try it.”

Fanita's pissed at me. “It's not your turn. Stay away.”

I walked in lethargy and stood beside Haley. Haley also seemed amazed at Fanita's archery abilities.

“Wait..” Grace turned her head towards me and Fanita took turns. “I have to learn archery?”

Me, Fanita and Haley nodded in unison.

“You used to say you were afraid if you couldn't control your emotions, right?” my many. “You can get your emotions out through your shots. If something pisses you off, take it out with an arrow. Hows it? I've been struggling to think about this, you know.”

“Truly reasons,” comments Fanita.

My original plan when I came home was to persuade Grace with that bad excuse.

As we were about to reach an agreement, Fanita asked the reason why she had to help Grace learn archery. I gave her a reasonable reasoning by saying Grace could be hurt just as much as I was sick from the poison intended for Lucas. We agreed on the condition that I tell honestly the reason why I chose Gordon Fichser (to the point of endangering myself to go north) as Shaeviro's replacement instead of choosing another trusted person to side with my family.

“Brooke, I don't know if this is necessary. Dad also.”

Grace still looks at me doubtfully. “Not about permissions. I just don't like dangerous things.”

I took a long breath. Grace must be forced.

“See this.” Fanita scratched the sharp end of the arrow into her palm.

Grace and I were shocked to see the blood on Fanita's hands.

“Your hand is bleeding,” Grace panics and holds Fanita's hand, using part of her dress to hold the blood flowing. Meanwhile, I asked Haley to take the bandage.

“You are not afraid of blood,” Fanita stares coldly at Grace. “You just don't want to get out of the comfort you're feeling right now.”

“I..”

“Someone can die because of you.”

I decided to shut up and look.

“Mati?” said Grace. “I didn't...,” Grace didn't finish her speech. He looked down at the blood on Fanita's hand.

“You don't like dangerous things? In this world no one likes dangerous things.” Fanita said in a high voice. “In this world, I also do not want to raise a sword. If I CAN I don't want to do it.”

I saw Fanita pull Grace's shoulder and make her flinch in shock.

“You know that someone can die because of you. You're not afraid of blood, so what's your problem? Damn it.”

I'm sure I've asked Fanita not to say words like fuck, jerk or******** to Grace. It didn't matter if he yelled at me (i just replied to him) but it sounded really rude when it was said to Grace.

Not long after, Grace shed tears. “I dare not. I dare not face the outside world. I'm comfortable with my life.”

Fanita then removed her grip on Grace's shoulder and let her fall on the grassy ground.

Grace was crying while covering her eyes.

We listened to the sound of that cry.

“Comfortable feeling can make you lost. People must have ambition. Otherwise, he won't walk anywhere.” Fanita looked at me with a more friendly look. “You know what Brooke ambition is?”

My ambitions?

I never thought about that word.

“Brooke's ambition is you and Lucas. Always around the two of you.”

I smile. I didn't really understand the meaning of the word, but what I've done up to now is centered on both of the names that Fanita mentioned. Everything on my list is a manifestation of Brooke's desire to save his family.

Ninth priority. Discover what is my personal ambition.

I added it to my list. Brooke's life is my life and Brooke's life is my life. In addition to saving my new life, I also had to start thinking about my own desires.

I saw Fanita walking up to pick up a bow and a new arrow. She then walked back to Grace's place and forced her to stand up. Fanita handed the two things over and Grace looked at her with a wet face. As I expected, Fanita showed no mercy on her face. If I were there, I would have immediately comforted Grace.

I was made to think whether the Brooke Effect affected my feelings for Grace as well. Moreover, we (Brooke) are twin brothers.

“You will start archery today,” Fanita's voice sounds like an edict. “I will continue to teach you until you find courage, remove your fear and get out of your excessive comfort.”

Grace stared fixed the bow in her hand.

“Suppose this is the only way to save Brooke.”

That day, we spent time learning archery. My arrows always miss. Fanita hit me on the back of the head because I kept praising her for saying cool things and touching my heart. The puffy-faced Grace wiped her own tears and started shooting according to Fanita's direction. I hugged him a few times because he cried again when shooting. Haley wrapped the bandage on Fanita's hand and smiled sweetly at her. I accidentally saw Fanita's reddened face and involuntarily laughed out loud. We grabbed each other's hair and Grace separated us. That day, the three of us started to smile gently and looked at each other with lighter hearts.

*****