The Broken Flame

The next morning came and Celina got up with the sunrise, as she usually did. However, after getting dressed and going downstairs, she was surprised to see that Brine wasn’t in his bed. That was strange, as he usually got up when she came down from her room. This worried her for only a moment, before some sounds from the throne room caught her ears.

Celina made her way across the bridge and into the throne room, and sure enough, there was Brine at one of the crafting tables. She could smell something cooking in the furnace and that was different. She was usually the one to make breakfast. 

Brine took a cloth into his hands and removed the fish he had been baking from the furnace. It looked to be done and he was proud of that. It had been a long time since he had cooked for others and he thought he was a little rusty.

“What’cha making, Brine? It certainly smells nice.”

The Demi-God turned his head to see Celina standing a couple blocks away, watching him. He chuckled. “Why, thank you. It’s some salmon I caught this morning when I woke up. It’s still fresh, so I figured I might as well make us something.”

“You went out and caught fish this morning,” Celina asked, almost concerned someone had seen him.

“Yes, but I went down to a part of the river where no houses were nearby. I… I didn’t want to betray your trust by scaring anyone.”

Celina smiled. “Well, thank you. That’s really nice of you.” 

Brine flashed her a charming little grin. “It’s no trouble.” He moved the fish to a nearby crafting table and pulled out an axe to slice it. “Would you mind grabbing some carrots? I was also going to make some stew.”

Celina nodded and did as he asked, working with the Nether Prince to make some rabbit stew. When that was done, the queen poured the stew into some small bowls and helped Brine plate the fish.

“Perfect,” he spoke, his voice echoing more audible. He looked over his shoulder after hearing a small murmuring noise. “Seems like Steve is awake.”

“Yeah, he--wait, you called him Steve.”

“Yes?”

“You usually call him Steven.” She gazed up at him, seeing him turn away. “You really have changed, huh?”

“I’m sorry, I--”

Celina held up a hand. “No, no, no, it’s not a bad thing. It just… surprised me.”

*****

Steve’s eyes fluttered open as he pushed himself to sit up, and he moved and hand to rub his eyes. He slept hard last night, considering his sleep had been abruptly interrupted by a certain Demi-God.

Speak of the devil…

“Good morning, Steve.”

A familiar echoing voice made him turn to see Herobrine standing by his bedside, holding a plate with some food. It looked like a fish, salmon probably, and well prepared at that. There was also a small bowl on the plate.

The miner’s eyes moved from the food to the Lord of the Mobs, seeing him… smiling? And it wasn’t a malicious or wicked grin. No, he looked genuinely… content. Steve gaped for a second.

“Are you hungry?”

Steve blinked. “Huh? Oh, um… yeah.” The nervousness could be clearly heard in his tone. He looked back and forth between the food and the Demi-God, unsure if this was a trick or not.

Brine seemed to catch his look. “I’m not trying to trick you if that’s what you’re thinking, Steve.”

Steve looked at him with a brow raised. This was… weird. Considering what had happened only last night, this was really strange to him. “Um… that’s… kinda a big meal for me to eat in bed.”

Herobrine blinked before sighing a bit. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Let me set this on the table and I’ll help you to it.”

Steve watched the man do just that, seeing him smile at Celina on his way to the table. That sight just baffled him. Celina had been so angry after the being had given him nightmares, and Steve could have sworn he heard the queen yelling at the Nether Prince in his sleep. But he was so out of it and so tired, he wasn’t sure.

Brine moved back to Steve and offered a hand to him, gesturing to him to try and stand. Steve hesitated and kept his hands on his lap. 

“Steve, it’s alright. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise you.”

It was only now that the miner noticed how… soft and gentle the look in the being’s eyes was. And… wait. “Did you call me Steve?”

“Yes. That’s your preferred name, isn’t it?”

“You’ve always called me Steven.”

“I know.” He chuckled. “But… things have changed. Do you want help getting to the table?”

Steve found himself nodding and, oddly enough, taking Herobrine’s hand. The being then put Steve’s arm across his shoulders. “Lean on me, okay?”

The miner nodded, taking slow steps as he thought about what was happening. It seemed very out of character for Herobrine to be so… calm, and to help him like this. He seemed content and… not angry at him for any reason. It was strange, he was very calm. “What is up with him,” he thought. 

Brine helped Steve sit at the table, before walking around to the other side and sitting next to Celina. He had set a plate of fish for her and himself and started eating once he was comfortable.

Steve watched Herobrine. The man was doing the same as Celina and even turned to look at her. “How did I do,” he asked the girl.

Celina giggled. “You did a really good job, I like it! Where did you learn how to cook fish?”

“One of the chefs in the Oakdred castle. He was the best one they had there, and he taught me everything I knew about making fish.”

Celina could sense she was being stared at and she looked to see Steve, who was looking at her with shock. “What’s wrong, Steve?”

Steve shook his head. “What do you mean?”

“You’re staring at Brine and I.”

“Brine?”

“Yes, that’s me,” Brine responded. He saw Steve look at him with surprise and laughed. 

Steve furrowed his brows in confusion. “But… I thought… why…”

Celina smiled softly. “Brine and I talked last night, Steve. After you fell asleep, we talked for a while and… I said some things I didn’t mean. We talked after that and… Brine’s changed for the better. He realized what he did was wrong and he apologized to me. Which reminds me! Brine, do you have something you want to say to Steve?”

“Of course.” The Demi-God turned to the miner, carefully setting his fork down and putting his hands on the table, one on the other. “Steven… I’m sorry for what I did last night. I shouldn’t have given you nightmares the way I did. You didn’t deserve nightmares like that. I was going against the promise I made and I should have thought before I did it. I truly didn’t mean to frighten you and cause you such pain. You don’t have to forgive me, but I figured I should apologize.”

Steve saw true sincerity on his face, and it surprised him. Herobrine truly looked like he was asking the miner to forgive him for driving a wedge in their trust. And the fact that he was being so genuine was… nice. He smiled, despite how strange this still was to him. “I can forgive you. Thank you… for apologizing, Herobrine.”

The being smiled. “Please, call me Brine.”

“Okay. Thank you, Brine.”

Brine smiled. “Did you try the food yet?”

Steve took his fork and took off a piece of his fish. “...This is really good! Did you make this?”

“I did. I caught it fresh this morning.”

“Dude, this is fantastic!” Steve smiled as he took off another piece of fish and put it into his mouth. He smiled up at Brine. “Who knew you could cook something so good?”

Celina chuckled, but then thought of something. “Brine?”

Brine looked to the queen. “Yes?”

“Would you be… open to telling Steve your story later?”

Brine’s face dropped and he went pale for a second. However, he thought about it. Steve wasn’t one to just tell secrets to everyone. He knew this, he knew he could trust the miner. The Nether Prince sighed and nodded. “I… I can do that.” He looked to Steve. “Let’s wait until you have a little more energy though, it might drain someone who isn’t at full vitality yet.”

Steve raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

“Steve… I’m going to tell you my story later. It’s intense and doesn’t have a happy ending. I don’t want you to pass out while I tell it to you. I’m going to share my memories with you.”

Steve felt a pang in his chest. “Brine… you don’t have to do that. I’m sure you just telling me will be fine. If you--” 

“No… it’s fine. You deserve to know why I am the way I am.” He smiled, but Steve could see some sadness beneath it. He didn’t know what the man had been through, but he had a feeling that it wasn’t good.

*****

Steve felt Brine remove his hands from his head as the last memory faded into white, then back into black. He could only gape at the Nether Prince with tears streaming down his face. His newfound friend seemed to be doing worse, hiccupping and trying to get his breaths in ragged gasps as he cried. 

Steve couldn’t believe it. All of it. He wanted so much to think Brine didn’t have to go through all this, but in his heart, he knew it all to be true. The being had gone through so much, lost everything he held near and dear to him and he couldn’t help but feel sorrow towards the white eyed man. He never would have guessed or known.

Celina had sat and watched the two, and now that it was over, she leaned over and hugged Brine tightly. He was whimpering and crying out, holding onto Celina like his life depended on it.

Steve softly shook his head. “Brine… I’m so sorry. I… I had no idea. You lost so much. You lost everything and… they betrayed you and turned on you as if you had never helped them at all.”

Brine whimpered out, “I know. And it still makes me angry. They turned on me and were blinded by their quick judgement. It still hurts… to know that the people who once trusted me could turn on me so easily. And… I have never forgotten my family. I’ve never forgotten their last words to me and I will never forget everything they meant to me.” 

Steve nodded solemnly, wiping away his own tears. He scooted over to hold onto Brine alongside Celina, and the being sobbed as he wrapped one arm around the miner, the other around the queen. He held onto them as the whispered reassuring words to him, and eventually, the Demi-God’s sobs slowed into small sniffles. When he managed to stop his cries, Steve put a hand on his shoulder. “Brine, are you okay?”

A slow nod. “I’m… tired, now. I’m very weak. That takes a lot of my willpower to do.”

Steve nodded in understanding. “Brine… I’m so sorry for what you lost. I never would have thought you had lost everything like that, and I don’t blame you for the path you took after everything. I wouldn’t trust humans either if I had been in your place.” He looked at the floor. “I’m so sorry, Brine. No one deserves something like what you went through.”

Steve managed to give Herobrine a smile. “Brine, trust me when I say: you will always have a place here. We won’t hurt you like those people did. You’re safe here.”

Celina nodded. “And I promise you: one day, I will get my people to trust you. You will always have a place here with me and Steve.” She hugged him gently. “You deserve to have a place where you can come for safety, and I will let my home be that place.” Her voice lowered to a gentle whisper. “You deserve sanctuary. Let this be that safe place.”

Brine smiled and nodded, keeping his arms around Celina and Steve. They stayed there for a while, before Steve declared that it was getting late and they should probably head to bed. The sun had set long ago, so Celina and Brine agreed and decided to head to bed. As Steve, Brine, and Celina went to their respective beds, the night seemed to envelope them in a warm comfort, a feeling of belonging. And it was wonderful.