Serene’s POV
My grandmother’s rosy cheeks turned white at my words. She wasn’t expecting to ask sothing like that but I needed to know why they kept this a secret from and snatched away years of brotherly love I could have.
"How did you find out, Serene?" She asked quietly maintaining a serious expression.
"So you did know, why did you keep this a secret from ? I had a right to know that I have a brother." My words depicted the pain I felt at their decision and she took a deep breath before stating:
"It was your father’s decision my dear. I wanted to tell you on so many occasions. But he forbade everyone from telling you and I couldn’t go against his wishes."
"Then I guess I will have to ask him, why he wanted to deprive of my brother for my entire life." I felt sad and angry at the sa ti, my grandmother patted my hand.
"Your father had a very complicated love life before getting married, try to understand his view when you talk to him. Go easy on him for this subject holds heartaches for him." I never knew my father loved soone besides my mother but I guess I had been blind all my life. He lost both won in his life, no wonder he was so possessive of and was ready to burn the world down to keep safe.
"I will, I just want the truth. No more lies grandma."
I told her.
"I agree you deserve the truth." I was relieved that she was now on the sa page as .
Then grandma went on to ask about what had happened when the barrier broke and I gave her all the details. She listened attentively, her expressions changing with every detail I provided. She was feeling overwheld by the ti I finished.
"Oh! My brave girl," she hugged , tears brimming in her eyes. We sat there for a while before I asked:
"Where is Zian?"
"He must have been sent to borders since he has healing powers and would be assisting his unit. His powers will co in handy with wounded." My heart sank again. I wished he was here but I knew he had to fulfill his duties.
There was a knock on the door it opened a few seconds later and my father stepped in. He looked tired as if he had been carrying the burdens of the entire Realm on his shoulders.
"Serene, how are you feeling?" He inquired, stepping closer to .
"Better, Ayara said I can be back to normal in a few days. How is the situation outside?"
"Good, the situation is contained for now and we are handling anything erging from Dark Realm. We have also fortified the spell around the castle so nothing can barge in that easily. You needn’t worry about that, concentrate on healing yourself." He sat beside and wrapped his arm around my shoulders as if trying to comfort and himself.
"I will father," I replied leaning toward him. Grandma got up and said: "I will go make so potions, we will be needing them in the coming days. You two should catch up." My father nodded.
"See you, grandma," I spoke behind her. Once Grandma was gone I cleared my throat and mustered up all the courage I had to finally face my father and ask him the burning questions.
"Father..." I spoke ekly.
"Yes, Serene." He asked looking at .
"Why didn’t you tell about Kilamin? Why keep his true identity a secret from ?" There was a pain in my voice and I was sure he felt it for his facial expression changed to a surprised one, he wanted to say sothing but no sound escaped him for a while as he collected himself from the shock of knowing and finally said:
"You know? Did Kilamin tell you?"
"No, the enemy did, the one that resides in the Dark Realm, even she knew the secret which I didn’t." There was so much disappointnt that I felt.
"I didn’t want you to be tainted or judged by my past. Enough people had done that already, I didn’t want people to hurt you with the fact that you had a brother who was an illegitimate child. I wasn’t married to Kilamin’s mother when we had him." He placed his hand on my face as if trying to reassure . I could see his shoulders were slumped and he carried a defeated look.
"And you thought I would care about that. I don’t, I would have welcod him with open arms. I wanted a sibling more than anything in the world and knowing I had one all along but was kept from gnaws at my heart." My chest felt burdened for I wanted to understand his reasons.
"Oh! Serene my child I just wanted to protect you from the harsh truths. Hurting you was not my intent and Kilamin agreed with the decision. He just wanted to protect you by remaining in the shadows. Be there for you, I couldn’t have asked for a better son and sotis I think I don’t deserve him." My father was choking on emotions and I could see lines of worry appearing on his face.
"We don’t deserve him," I added with a sniffle and continued: "Why didn’t you marry Kilamin’s mother? Why you married mom instead?"
He sighed before continuing: "Kilamin’s mother was the love of my life. She ca here as a novice during a tournant we held in "Fairy Enchantnt Institute" I was a novice myself at that ti and your grandfather was the King. We got close and before we knew it we were in love. The fact that our ancestors were best friends, strengthened our love even more. And soon we beca inseparable." He had a forlorn look in his eyes as he reminisced and continued:
"I occasionally visited her in Haxum Realm and she would visit . But her family was not very accepting of , they wanted her to marry a warlock and keep their bloodline pure. They didn’t want our union and she wasn’t ready to go against her family or lose them. Alexis Drugh had recently beco king of the Haxum Realm and he wasn’t very fond of our kind, he was also her second cousin from her mother’s side. So they didn’t want to offend him and refused our marriage. We continued to et in secret but once she got pregnant with Kilamin and her family discovered what we had done, they put her on house arrest. No matter how much I begged they didn’t let see or et her after that."
My heart was breaking listening to my father’s tale, I had never known how much he had suffered. He was almost choking on his words but continued to tell what happened.
"I never saw her again after that, if she had agreed to be with , no one would have been able to stop . But she was afraid of losing her family and I respected her decision. She died soon after giving birth to Kilamin and I wasn’t even inford of his birth or her death. I can’t imagine how heartbroken she must have been, how alone she must have felt. I sensed sothing snap inside when she died. It took a lot of persuasions to even allow to visit Haxum Realm. When I got there she was already gone leaving behind Kilamin. They didn’t let take him. That was the darkest day of my life."
Father stopped to take a breath and steady himself, for I could feel his deep emotions. I hugged him closer as he rested his chin on top of my head.
"Your grandfather wanted to get married and ascend as King for his health was failing. Three years after her death I gave in to their wishes and got married, also finally ascended the throne. You were born two years later and your grandfather passed away too. That was the year Marinine’s mother and Kilamin’s grandmother also fell ill, I don’t know what happened but she had a change of heart. She called and handed Kilamin over. I guess she knew no one would care for him after her death and he will feel abandoned. She died soon after and I brought Kilamin here." He glanced toward his eyes shimring with sentints they held.
"Your mother wasn’t pleased and wanted his identity to be kept secret and made promise that he would never ascend the throne, you will. I needed to keep Kilamin close and safe and so we agreed and made his identity secret. No one knew who he was except us elders. Kilamin was extrely intelligent and sharp, he understood everything from the beginning. Hardly questioned and mostly accepted my decisions. He was fond of you, and I could see the love he held for you like an elder brother. Always watching over you from a distance, he understood your mother didn’t fancy him so he kept his distance."
I felt overwheld by his words and said: "Mother was wrong, I wish she had accepted him."
"It’s not easy to accept your husband’s illegitimate child but she tried in her own way. She wasn’t an to him but she also couldn’t bring herself to accept him. I didn’t bla her though she shouldn’t have to go through this heartbreak." His words held anguish and it pained to think how everyone had suffered because of circumstances beyond their control.
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