I sank into a chair in Lira's home, anxiously awaiting the answers to all the questions racing through my mind, answers that could potentially reshape my understanding of everything around me. Lira is taking a deep breath, her eyes revealing a mixture of sympathy and reluctance- I feel like I should be more nervous about what she is going to tell me.
"First Leigh, I want to apologize for not reaching out to you any sooner. I didn't want to risk coming to you and making anyone suspicious of you or my relationship with Ja. Know that your brother is still your brother regardless the truths I am about to tell you, and that he would have told you himself, but wanted to wait till you understood the gravity of the situation and knew how to handle it... but with that young knight coming to town it is only a matter of time before eyes are on Pa, and eventually on you."
I knew something was wrong with how Pa was acting with the arrival of both that kid and how he behaved afterwards.
"Tell me Lira, I can take it I promise, and thank you for your kind words about my brother I know he meant a lot to you and I will remember all you said about him don't worry."
"Good, now let me tell the story from start to finish, and know that I do not know much more than what I am about to tell you, but here it goes. You were born in the capital, Leigh. Your true parents, however, are unknown to us. It was a time of chaos, immediately after the fall of Giliad, and many children were left orphaned so we do not know their names or how high up they might have been. You were found by a kind woman who took you in and cared for you. She lived on the outskirts of the capital, in a small village, away from the prying eyes of the king- and was only in the capital that day to visit family."
I... what? I was born in the capital — a place I have only dreamed of reaching, is this why Cal'i eyed me so closely? Why does that make Ma and Pa hate me so much?
"I can see you thinking, but again let me finish Leigh. It was normal to visit the capital in that time, people were free to come and go as they wished in the time of peace. After your first adoptive mother found you, she kept your past hidden from you to protect you, and wanted to raise you with love... but she feared that the king might discover the presence of a child from the capital if she was too close and knew that she held to much- so she gave you away. She gave you to the only person she truly knew at the capital at the time, her brother. That's Pa, Leigh."
"Who is she? Where is she now?"
I can't help yelling at her. I need to know what is going on, things keep spiraling more and more out of control.
"I'm sorry, Leigh. She was murdered when you were very young, the knights found out those who had moved the children who fled in The Fall and so Pa took you to Euclidicies. He needed to make sure that his family was safe. No where close was safe due to both the political turmoil that the king unleashed upon the capital and the hunt for all the children who might wield great power from their lineage."
I don't get it, if I was the cause of so much death and chaos in their lives... why keep me? Is this why they hate me? I have to ask Pa about her and about all of this and still Pa is a good enough smith for the capital? How does he tie into this, why not just give me up and stay in the capital to live a fruitful life? And most of all why not tell me?
"They kept you for a few reasons, but one of the big ones was it was Pa's sisters last wishes that they keep you and protect you with their lives. Given this it is unclear to us if Pa's sister was truly your mother- or what they claim she was, simply the unlucky one to find you in all the chaos."
"And Ja'el? How did he know this? Did they tell him?"
"Ja'el may not be your direct blood brother, but he's been your protector from the start. Your mother chose Ja'el's family, and when she did she told them the truth about your past, so they asked Ja to step up and grow strong to look after you. They needed a son who could get them back to the capital area in a safe way that wouldn't draw any suspicion. Most of all know that your mother wanted to ensure that you grew up strong and capable, ready for the challenges that lay ahead."
"Why didn't Ja'el tell me?"
"Ma and Pa made him promise not to tell you the truth until you were old enough to know you had to lay low and not make a success out of your life. They feared that if you knew, you might become a target or that you'd be driven to seek answers that could jeopardize your safety. Or, the worst case scenario, you would live up to the standards of a kid from the capital and mark them as traitors to the crown in the process. Ja'el has been looking out for you all this time, even if it meant keeping secrets, but he wanted you to know how strong you are so that you can leave this place and make a name for yourself."
Leigh took a moment to absorb the weight of the revelations. He felt a mix of gratitude and a lingering sense of betrayal, but he knew that his adoptive family had tried to protect him in their own way.
Wow. Ja'el... I knew he would never betray me, but what do I do now? How do I grow strong enough to live up to my brothers wishes? And wait, she mentioned there were other reasons for Pa leaving the capital didn't she?
"And Pa? Why does he make weapons for the capital? Why did that young knight choose him? Didn't you say there was another reason he had to leave?"
"Pa was once a renowned smith in the capital. However, he had to leave when the king discovered that he had forged a weapon deemed too dangerous and unethical by city standards. The weapon had powers that the king feared, and Pa had been preparing to flee to the outskirts to escape the king's wrath. It's yet another reason your mother placed you with him, regardless of his attitude he is strong. He brought you with him, and that's when he joined moved his family to Euclidicies."
"Cai'l chose him because he knew Pa's reputation, and he needed a weapon forged by someone skilled but not affiliated directly with the capital. The secrecy surrounding your family's past added an extra layer of protection for the young knight as Pa had to change his last-name when they moved so there are no ties back to the capital. As to why he needs this secrecy or how he knows part of Pa's secret? I don't know, and that makes him dangerous. Stay away from that one Leigh. Please."
I just nodded, trying to connect the dots. The pieces of the puzzle are slowly falling into place, but I still don't know exactly where I fit or what the picture holds. I need time to process and understand it all. One thing I do know, I am going to become strong for Ja's sake. For all he went through for me and for how much he believes in me. To find the answers to what this village can't tell me I need to grow and learn beyond these boarders. I need out, and to get out I will become the strongest. I will win the culling. And come face to face with whatever horrors the capital throws my way.
"Leigh... you need to be strong for what lies ahead. I know you want to follow Ja's path but the hunt is not just about survival; it's about reclaiming your identity and confronting the challenges that come with it. Your beast will match your mental state, you can only take down what you can overcome. Your strength will be your shield, and your determination, your weapon. You need to grow a lot more before you can head out on your own to claim a beast for yourself."
She's right. I have a lot of work to do before I get started with my own hunt. I need to wait at least a few years till I'm strong like Ja, luckily I can follow in his footsteps like Lira said- I can use the forge as a training ground just like he did.
"I won't let anyone control my life anymore. I'll find out everything, the truth about my mother and who my father might be, the truth about Pa's disappearance from the capital, and anything to do with my life. I want to take it back. I need to take it back."
Lira smiled down at me, a glimmer of pride in her eyes. I'm glad my brother had her, he must have relied on her brightness to get through all of this.
"That's the spirit, Leigh. You have allies, and you're not alone in this journey. Now, let's focus on preparing for the hunt. You have the strength within you; it's time to find it."
...