It was already late in the afternoon, although the weather had started to clear outside, but the rain that had been pouring down Gussin's town had not stopped. The sound of thunder and the gust of wind that blew the leaves and small branches on the streets, was now starting to no longer be heard.
'Today's rain is so durable'. That was the word that had just crossed Kenley's mind. The man stared lazily at the burning stove, devouring some of the firewood that was still there. He did not expect, even though when he traveled to this city yesterday, the weather on the road still looked very sunny. Usually, when it rains like this the man can only spend his time lying in his room. With a thick blanket wrapped around his body at that time. He kept thinking about being able to travel far to get just a little information, at least the names of the two people who were very important to him.
It brought back memories from a very long time ago. He intended to think nothing of it now. But no matter how hard he tried to forget, the memory still appeared. The man chuckled softly as he looked away.
He got up from where he was walking towards the window, then looked out the window at the rain. Outside, the front yard of Kinan's house looks very wet. Even the puddle, which is still raining, seems to be getting higher and almost touching the guardrail of his house.
But what if he asked Kinan's mother about it, Stupid. He whispered in his heart. He didn't even know her this morning. Feeling cornered, the man turned his body, then leaned his body against the wall, then slumped to the floor. He felt so desperate. No one is born into this world without their parents, right?
He held back the tears that were just about to escape from his eyes. He was really feeling lost at this point. Kenley lowered his head and stared at the floor blankly. Inadvertently his eyes glanced at the silver cross necklace that hung around his neck. Since the necklace was worn several years ago, until now he has never taken it off. Then another memory appeared in his mind.
His brain couldn't stop thinking about something that happened to him in the past. But if he didn't think about it, it felt very strange.
'Why are you guys hiding something from me?! You must be hiding something.' He said to himself, remembering the people in the church who had cared for him as a child.
'I didn't think I would be able to escape from there.' He thought as he smiled bitterly. The one thing that allowed him to draw conclusions was none other than thinking that the world was really unfair to him.
This time he couldn't hold back his tears anymore. Everything spilled on the floor. He never thought he could feel so weak. Dryzell would definitely hate that if he saw anyone being a crybaby in his guild he would definitely beat him up without mercy. Even
Fyerith was beaten badly by Dryzell after being caught crying because he just fell down the stairs at that time. He still remembers how he treated the physical wound that had happened to the blonde boy.
But he didn't care anymore and spilled all his mixed feelings here. The sound of her sobs sounded faint, along with the sound of the rain outside which was not as loud as before.
"There's no need to cry like that." Someone said surprising him suddenly who came to him. "The Kenley I knew was a bad boy who used to tease people at church." When the sentence appeared, the man immediately wiped his tears again. The person, wearing his trademark smile, then crouched down beside him. Wiping his eyes, the man frowned. He was surprised because the one who said that just now was Kinan's mother who seemed to just want to take something that became distracted, maybe because she heard her sobs earlier.
"Kenley, you must be very surprised. I used to be a therapist at the Azyrra church. And I'm the one who always takes care of you when you are injured or sick. Do you remember me?" Say it again. Kenley was getting more and more confused by what his ears had just digested, until finally his mind turned back.
After thinking far enough, he opened his mouth in disbelief. His eyes widened when he managed to remember a woman who was squatting beside him.
"S-So you're Freda's aunt?!" Kenley said trying to guess the figure. Kinan's Mother nodded then. "Oh my-" Kenley could barely say anything other than being shocked. "I can't believe this." He said again. Feelings of happiness, sadness, regret, all swirled in Kenley's chest.
The man knew Freda very well, he was the one who had much more care for the boy fifteen years ago. It was a very long time since he no longer lived his church life.
"Auntie, I..I'm sorry for-" His words were cut off because the woman had cut him off. "Auntie knows how you are feeling right now, neither I nor the church dwellers are very sorry for not being able to take good care of you at that time." The woman said regretfully.
Aunt Freda took a deep breath before finally exhaling heavily. "Maybe it's about time auntie told you something important." She said again.
"What's important?" Kenley asked confused.
"Auntie isn't sure if you'll forgive me after this. Because I used to mean that when you grow up, I'll tell you about your parents." She said.
"Auntie knows about my parents?! Why didn't you tell me first?!" The man said subconsciously raising his voice slightly. "Because you were very young, that's why when you were six years old, I don't think you need to know about things like that first. Because a child your age should just spend time playing, happy, that's your world first." Obviously. Aunt Freda took a deep breath before finally continuing.
"Before you were born, your mother used to be a nun at the Azyrra church, just like your aunt. Auntie was very familiar with that figure. You have a face that looks like her, that's why since this morning when you and Kinan arrived at this house, Aunt seemed to be struck by memories of the past. then which auntie almost forgot." Obviously the woman then gently stroked Kenley's head.
The man beside him, was no longer a naughty boy whom he often scolded for his behavior. But for him, Kenley as an adult and Kenley as a child, Kenley is still Kenley. It was because she saw his face that the woman remembered him again.
"I'm sorry," She said again.
"Your mother's name is Myrth Roses. She is a beautiful nun there. Her devotion to God brings her closer to God. She had a son before you were born, I don't think the child's age is too far from yours." Said Kinan's Mother
Who would have thought the magic that always made his chest tight had now overflowed and exploded, making him happy. Plus there was a reality he didn't expect. He has a sister
Kenley lowered his head in tears of emotion. He felt grateful that his little wish had finally come true. Now he already knows the name of his mother, even he also knows that he has an older brother. His feelings were very difficult for him to express right now.
"And who is my father?" Kenley asked then.
Aunt Freda didn't rush to answer. She bit her lower lip, trying to find an opening in her mind to cover it up. It wasn't that he intended to lie to Kenley. But a child who has grown up nearby, is no longer a child who only spends his time playing first. At his age, it's time for Kenley to know it all, he thought.
He silently prayed to God for the man's heart to be given strength.
"Aunt Freda?" Kenley interrupted his thoughts. The woman closed her eyes for a moment before finally answering Kenley's next question that had been caught by her ear.
"Oh yes. I'm sorry."
"Auntie knows that too, right? My father's name." Kenley said repeating the same question. Kinan's mother nodded then.
"Before you were born, your mother already had a husband and was blessed with a son, namely your brother. And after one week of welcoming your brother's birth, when she left your mother's husband no longer returned or delivered a message. It made her feel broken, but God gave her strength, because only by counting the days her first child will be born. After a month or two your mother's first child was born. There was a strange man who tried to approach her. He was captivated by her beautiful face, until finally a big sin occurred." Aunt Freda stopped to tell the part which she thought would be painful for the Man, but Kenley still remained silent listening to Aunt Freda's explanation with a serious face.
"The man she didn't recognize had tarnished your mother's chastity, so she had to bear her second child, namely you."
Kenley was wide-eyed, his eyes rounded perfectly, his ears seemed to have just picked up something that didn't make sense and it felt vague, but sounded real. He then stood up while shaking his head weakly.
"No way, no way!" he shouted.
"Auntie must be making up stories right?! I couldn't have been born that way! I'm not an illegitimate child, Auntie!" The young man's sobs broke out again. This time she wept loudly, hoping that God could hear her sorrow. His chest was like being pierced by a thousand spears after hearing the bitter truth that had been digested in his brain.
He didn't think that it would be like this. If he knew from the start that he would get such a bitter answer, he would prefer to remain silent without doing much less tracing a path in search of important information that he unexpectedly would destroy.
He had his back to Aunt Freda hiding his tear-stained face from the figure. His mind was now blank and his hands were shaking. Aunt Freda looked at him with pity. He had expected it to be like this long ago.
A Kenley who is now crying in front of him, he looks like a little Kenley who fell and cried because his knees were bleeding. But this time was different, Kenley was devastated by his explanation, Kenley was devastated by his parents, and Kenley was devastated by his destiny.
"You're not an illegitimate child, Kenley Rhys. In fact to us you are a Amazing Grace that God has blessed." Aunt Freda said.
His ears could no longer pick up on anything she said. His mind suddenly went blank. "It's not your mother's fault. It's the men out there who have tainted her. I told you your mother is a good woman and diligent in worship." He continued as he rubbed Kenley's shoulder and tried to calm the man.
Kenley intended to dodge but it was too late. Aunt Freda's warm touch began to feel on her shoulder. It was very strange for him to be able to feel the warmth of love from her again since he was a child.
"What's that person's name, Auntie?" He asked. "I remembers your father's name is Cline Rhys. That's why your last name is Rhys." Answered Aunt Freda. Again Kenley shook his head weakly.
"No, don't call that bad person with the word father. Moreover, to think that person is my father, I can't accept him in my life." Him eyes were now red from crying. Anger and sadness now filled his chest.
"I understands how you feel right now, But no matter how hard you reject him, Fate, he is still your father. You must be able to accept it." Aunt Freda kept calming the twenty-three year old man.
"I told you I-" His words were cut off. He was feeling depressed. The man tried to pretend that he had never heard of it.
"I'm sorry, thanks for the information, Aunt Freda." He continued as he rushed to leave the woman.
****
It is late. The dark clouds that had surrounded Gusiin's sky this afternoon, have now been replaced by a clear night sky with stars that adorn the sky. But the moon is not visible tonight, Or maybe its light is blocked by a swarm of gray clouds from the east.
Kenley spent the night shutting himself up in the empty room Aunt Freda had given him. Eldred and Terrence chose to rest in an empty room near the main room.
Kenley opened the bedroom window, letting the cool night breeze fill the empty room. The air was quite cold as the wind blew against his body. But he didn't care anymore and focused on nothing but the statements he had heard from a nanny until he was eleven years old. All his curiosity about all his family background has now been answered. But who would have thought that the reality made him feel like he wanted to continue to reject the fate that had been his way of life.
He didn't know what to do. His throat felt dry since he had cried earlier. Deep in his heart, he longed to be able to meet them, but everything was obviously very complicated. Even if he couldn't meet them someday, at least hearing the news that they were fine had made him feel at ease.
But unfortunately that feeling slowly made him no longer care. He must be able to accept destiny and be able to walk on it as a dirty robber who lives with people who also have the same fate as him. Cline Rhys, Kenley Rhys. It really disgusted him.
Who had given his last name Rhys? "I hate them!" He clenched his fists while pounding hard on the wall in front of him, making his hands look bruised and bloody. His body was completely numb.
I HAVE NO PARENTS. NEVER!
He tried to throw back his memory of what Aunt Freda had told him. He wanted so badly to act as if it never happened, so that the memories of his background, and that of his family would quickly fade from his mind. He still could not accept this very heavy fate for him.
This cold air, made him miss the Guild. It was the only place where he felt truly comfortable. Kenley collapsed onto the simple bed there. He pulled the blanket up, covered his entire body with the thick blanket, hoping there would be no more tomorrow for him. He didn't want to confuse his thoughts any further, so Kenley closed his eyes to sleep.
****
End of AMAZING GRACE : Beginners