I looked at Windsor and saw a visible shimmer around him. It wasn't just light; it was a palpable energy, a purple fire licking at the edges of his form. — What's that purple dust around Windsor? — I asked, shaking my legs.
Windsor yelped, a sound like a startled cat, and jumped back, his body jerking as if he'd been splashed with ice water. — What?! Where?! — His voice was a shaky whisper, laced with confusion and a hint of fear.
My mother chuckled, a warm, melodic sound that she tried to suppress by covering her mouth with her hand. — That's his aura, sweetheart... — she explained, her eyes twinkling.
— Everyone with a core has one, though some, like me and other masters, know how to veil it. Windsor, bless his heart, seems to be broadcasting his for all to see... — A smile played on her lips as she looked at Windsor, but a tiny vein pulsed in her forehead, betraying a hint of exasperation.
My mother... She was a force of nature. The most beautiful, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen—okay, the twenty most beautiful women in the world are more beautiful than her, but she's my favorite—and my protector, my confidante, my teacher. I didn't understand, but everything she did was to protect me. Everything I did, everything I was, was because of her love, her unwavering support. She loved me with all her heart. She'd moved mountains for me, quite literally, I suspected.
…
A year had passed since I'd met and rescued Hera II from kidnappers, a harrowing journey that had taken us across the breadth of the Greek empire and finally deposited Hera II safely in the province of the gods. And then, without any midwife or assistance, my mother had given birth to my little sister.
So much had changed. We now found ourselves on the Asu continent, Jinhan was already an independent kingdom, we were in Kyoto province, living in the seaside city of Sehal. Jinhan was in Zhoungyuan, but some idiots decided to rule over there, and Ming allowed it. I don't know who was worse, Ming or the stupid who had the idea of ruling part of the Central Plains...
We were biding our time, waiting for the treacherous Veil of Storms that shrouded the island to dissipate.
My mother, her loose hair cascading down her back, clad in a flowing white dress and a brown cape that shimmered like spun gold, stood on the balcony, cradling my baby sister in her arms. Her gaze was fixed on the horizon, on the restless sea. — It's time! — she murmured, her voice carrying a note of quiet determination. Her vision was extraordinary, she was gifted. She saw the Veil from miles away.
...
Later, in the backyard, she watched me training with Windsor. — He grows stronger every day, — she whispered, her voice filled with a miture of pride and something else... a deep, underlying concer. — He's almost ready to face the island... — Her eyes were distant, lost in thought.
Windsor, dressed in a black gi with a white cape, halted our sparring session, placing his hands on his knees and sighing heavily. — Little Master, — he said, his voice tinged with frustration, — You're a remarkable martial artist for your age, yet... you still haven't started cultivating. It's... unusual...
My mother, who had been playfully interacting with my baby sister, interjected. — He's not even eight years old yet, let him grow up! With time, he'll get there... — she said, tickling the baby, her voice reassuring.
My sister, Allana Treadway. I don't know if it was because I'm half Amazon, but she captivated me from the first time—Amazons are inexplicably attracted to people who share the same blood. She had our father's fair skin, our mother's amber eyes, and light brown hair that seemed to catch and amplify the sunlight. A chubby, perpetually smiling baby. Too bad she grew up to be such a pain... (It's kind of a joke... mostly)
…
Hours later, a soft knock echoed on my second-floor bedroom door. — Dinner is ready, Little Master... — Windsor's voice called from the hallway
I was sitting on the floor, cross-legged, wearing black pants and a golden robe, attempting to cultivate, tried to sense Qi. — Okay, okay, Windsor! I'm coming! — I replied, my eyes still closed.
I heard his footsteps recede down the stairs. He would find my mother in the living room, her gaze once again drawn to the turbulent sea. — Madam, — Windsor would say, bowing slightly, — dinner is served...
My mother, her face etched with worry, replied with a low voice. — He's still trying to cultivate...
Windsor offered a comforting, if somewhat unconvincing reply. — Yes, and at his age, with some of his peers at the academy already cultivating, he must feel pressured... — He rubbed his hand across his chin.
My mother ran her hand over her face, then placed it on her chin. — We cannot leave before this issue is resolved!
— Aren't you a princess of the Amazons, madam? — he asked, the question hanging heavy in the air. — Wouldn't that make Arthur a prince as well...?
It was a logic assumption in most of the world, but not with the Amazons. Men? Absolutely not!
My mother's eyes would flash, and the vein in her forehead throbbed again. — Do you think I don't know that? — she snapped, her voice laced with frustration.
— You don't understand! It's not about the queen of the Amazons, it's about the Amazons themselves. For centuries, every male child born to them has been... eliminated, by tradition, by order of the queen. If I show up with Arthur, a son, a man, what do you think will happen to him, especially if they discover he hasn't even cultivated? He needs to at least reach the Qi Condensation Realm to have any chance of survival. — she grunted with a furrowed brow and a voice tight with fear and desperation.
Just then, Allana, whom she was holding, began to make a fuss, her small body wringgled in protest against our mother's tight grip. The hard edge in my mother's expression melted away, replaced by a soft, loving smile. — Oh, forgive mommy, my little princess... — she cooed, her voice full of tenderness. — Mommy's so sorry, forgive me. — she showered Allana with kisses as she did with me.
The sight of my mother and Allana together was... everything. It was a snapshot of pure love, a moment I desperately wanted to freeze in time, to protect.
Fact, Allana's birth had brought a measure of peace to my mother, a sense of relief for Windsor. For me things didn't change much, she continued to be as clingy as always.
But something bothered her, her eyebrows were together. A shadow lingering in her eyes, a deep-seated anxiety that she couldn't conceal. Windsor saw the concern in her eyes. — Madam, — he called gently. — He's special. He'll find his way. I feel it. This week...
I walked down the stairs in black trousers and tunic, a blue cape, my shoulder-length hair tied back with a ribbon. — Aren't we going to eat? — I asked, running my hand along the smooth, polished banister.
Hearing my voice, my mother turned towards the dining table. She moved the main chair and took a seat. — Come, dear... — said, her voice firm but gentle. — Sit down! — ordered, putting her hand on the kuaizi.
Windsor, dressed in black trousers and a tunic, his hair tied back neatly, stood behind my mother, a picture of quiet servitude. He bowed slightly. — Bon appétit, Master and Madam Treadway. — with one hand behind his back and the other in front.
Putting a piece of meat in her mouth, Allana grabbed it and promptly shoved it into her own mouth. My mother smiled with a vein twitching in her forehead. — Allana, you just ate! — she exclaimed, and then turned her gaze to me, her eyes widening slightly. — Arthur, what's wrong?
Her hair was loose and wavy, a strand tucked behind her ear. Her naturally organized and thick eyebrows were slightly raised in concern. She wore a comfortable, light blue dress and a white cape covered her dress. It was a very normal outfit for a queen, she had no jewelry. But her soft hair, her smooth skin, the faint scent of grapes that always clung to her... those remained unchanged, even without servants to assist her.
Sitting down beside her, my brow furrowed, my lips pressed together. — I... — I began, my voice trembling slightly, — I don't have any friends at the academy. Everyone makes fun... Because I don't have a core and I can't use Qi, and... and because I'm a foreigner... — I clenched my fists, hands on my knees.
With tears welling up in my eyes, I looked at her. — Mo... Mommy... — I whispered, my voice cracking. — Why... Why am I not normal? W-Why...?
My mother would gently cup my little face in her hands, wiping my tears wiping away my tears with her thumbs. She then gently tilted my chin up, so I was looking directly into her eyes.
— Son, — she started, her voice filled with love and strength. — You will never be normal. I am not normal. Your father was not normal. Your little sister is not normal. In our family, there is no such thing as 'normal'. It's good that you're different, it's a sign that you'll do great things. — She looked at me with a slight bright smile and her dilated eyes fixed on mine, passing love and affection.
— Don't cry because you're different. This is a reason of joy... And remember what I said? When you cry, my pain increases... — she said, rubbing her hand on my face with a smile.
— Now eat because I know those are tears of hunger! — She said, giggling.
She was right, I wasn't normal. The coming times would show that I was truly different.