His mother answered William's words in a trembling voice, "William, you said it yourself, the reason why I didn't want to tell you. That day, when I spoke to your father for the last time, it was he who wanted us to go and never look back. He didn't want you to know what happened. He understood, if you ever find out, when you grow up you will try to take revenge. He didn't want that to happen."
"He didn't want me to avenge his death?" William said quietly. "Then can I be called a devoted son?"
"You think your devotion is measured by revenge?"
William looked at his mother's face, confused.
"Your devotion is measured by your love for us," continued his mother. "If you love your father as well as your mother, then fulfill our request: don't look back."
"But … what happened?"
"Your father didn't want you to know."
William shook his head, disgruntled. "Mother, you are the wisest person in the world, and I believe so is my father. But how can I learn wisdom from you as well as from my father, if I'm not allowed to know your life experiences? Or knowing your happiness and suffering? You told me not to look back, but … why should I do it when I don't know what wisdom lies in it? How can I believe in all kinds of rules and restrictions, if I don't know what troubles might happen to me in the future?"
Her mother closed her eyes again, this time longer. Her tears flowed. "Looks like I really can't hold this from you. One day you'll find out too, and I don't want you to know from anyone else. I will tell you everything I know, as long as you promise not to disobey your father's orders, not to return to his country, for any reason. Don't go there. Just take a lesson from this story, and forget the rest. Your life is still wide open in front of you. Can you promise?"
William immediately knelt. "Mother, I am an ignorant child if I make you cry like this! I promise to follow your advice as well as my father's. Don't worry."
"Then I will start with the story of my life before I met your father. I never told him this. I had already decided when I married him, all of my past was not important anymore. What matters was my next life with your father. I made the same choice when I separated from your father. The most important thing for us is your life, William. You must understand this."
"Yes, Mother."
"My real name is Ailene, and I come from the land of Tavarin, far to the south."
She told her story. In the city of Tavar, the capital of the Tavarin Kingdom, she was the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Her life was easy and her future was secure, especially if she married the son of the king of Tavarin. Unfortunately, her father had an enemy, another merchant who then incited the royal family to destroy him. At that time Ailene hoped for her future husband to protect her family. But it turned out the prince betrayed. The prince sent soldiers to arrest them and confiscated all their wealth. Ailene and her father managed to escape, but all their relatives were killed.
They crossed the woods and fled to the land of Alton in the north. They went into hiding, then started life as small traders. They went around selling and buying merchandise to towns and villages around Alton. They dared not move too far near the country of Tavarin in the south or the Elniri dominion in the east, so they ventured to the cities further north. Unfortunately, when they were in the northern village, Hualeg's men came to attack and the father was killed along with the villagers.
"That's when your father came to help. He's a Hualeg too, but he's different. He freed me from the hands of those people. Your father's name is Vilnar, and he's the most perfect man I've ever seen in my life. Strong, brave, honorable. No one compares to him."
The mother smiled as she said each of those words. She told how she married Vilnar and lived happily on the banks of the river Ordelahr, far from her husband's home in the north. In the same house, Ailene gave birth to William.
"Vahnar was the name your father gave you when you were born, but I changed it to William once we both lived in Ortleg when you were two years old, just as I changed my name at the time to Elise. I didn't mean to ignore the name your father gave you. I only did it to protect us from the pursuit of your father's enemies. I chose the name William, because it's a common name in the south, and I like it."
Vahnar? That name filled William with curiosity. He wanted to ask what that name meant, but then didn't do it and let his mother continue the story.
However, the next part of the story was told by his mother in a more sad tone. His mother told how the three of them had gone to Hualeg, to his father's hometown, a few months after William was born. There they experienced a series of sad events. William's grandfather and his eldest uncle died, while his father became embroiled in a dispute with his two other brothers.
Not wanting to prolong the feud, his father chose to take William and his mother away again from Hualeg. But while boating on the river his father's enemy caught up. His father told the two to go south alone while he confronted the men. They split up. Since then his mother never saw his father again.
"So, is that it? That's all you know? Didn't you see what happened after you two separated?" William asked curiously. "Mother, maybe he isn't dead!"
Her mother shook her head. "Your father is dead. Otherwise, he would have caught up with us. That was his promise to me, and I always believed in his every word. I rowed south for days until I finally arrived at our old house by the river. There I waited with you. Days. Weeks. Months. Until finally I had to accept the fact that he was gone, and we both had to start our new lives without him. I then carried you away, and arrived at Ortleg."
William tried to understand it. But his eyes were fixed. "Who do you think were the people who attacked Father? My uncle?"
His mother looked back at him. Cautiously she replied, "Listen, son, it doesn't matter anymore."
"How could it be?" William asked quietly. "Of course it matters ..."
"Then you don't understand why I told you this story!" His mother looked away, all her sadness mixed with annoyance.
Seeing her, William caught his breath. Quickly he knelt.
"I'm sorry, Mother. I won't ask again." He gripped his mother's fingers tightly. "Believe me, you don't have to worry. I understand that there are more important things than bringing up the past. It's just … I guess I still need some time to admit, that knowing my father's killer isn't something important."