I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night as I spent most of the night either delivering meat to the camp, Raha purchased a bunch of it from me, or preserving some for later. I didn’t get the chance to find out much about the large group of people camped out near our house, beyond the fact that they were primarily construction workers and in the employ of Raha. Apparently he was building a villa near our place so that he could visit whenever he wanted and stay in style. I didn’t have much time for my new prisoners beyond letting them use the bathroom and getting them feed with some hastily prepared Lehmakin steaks. By the time I finished taking care of business I was exhausted. I carefully crawled into bed which my little brother was currently sharing with me. Tomorrow I’d need to work out a different arrangement, but tonight I was too tired to care.
When I woke up the next morning, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping and everything was perfect… just kidding. I woke up to the sound of chopping, it was still relatively dark in my room as only the dim light of false dawn penetrated the shutters on my window. I wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but I knew I needed to get up and get to work. I quietly got out of bed, leaving my little brother to his fitful sleep and made my way to the prisoner’s room. I figure if I am going to be tired they should be too.
I woke them from their sleep on the floor and indicated that they should follow me. I took them to the bathroom, allowing them to do their business then we made our way to the kitchen. I took out the ingredients to make an omelet, along with all of the cooking implements required then presented them to my prisoners. Both just stared seeming to not understand what I wanted from them. I cracked an egg into the bowl I prepared then handed the other egg to the boy. Understanding seemed to dawn on him as he walked to my side of the counter and cracked the egg on the bowl just as I had done.
Well I say just as I had done, but he was a little off. His first couple of attempts at cracking open the egg were too feeble, resulting in nothing happening to the egg. Unfortunately he seemed to get frustrated and instead of gradually increasing the power of his attempts he went with full force. The egg didn’t just crack, it shattered, resulting in half the egg on the counter and half the shell in the bowl. It became obvious to me at that point that the boy had never done any cooking. I presented him with a rag and had him clean up his mess. Meanwhile I focused on using a bit of eggshell to fish out the shattered remains of the egg from the mixing bowl. Once my task was finished I handed the boy another egg.
This time I held on to his hand and showed him how much pressure was necessary to crack an egg. Then I showed him how to add it without getting egg everywhere. Once the eggs were in the bowl I started cutting up some meat into small cubes. I sent the boy back around the counter and indicated that the old man should come and help. He walked around the counter and I presented him with the knife I’d been using to cut the meat, indicating that he should finish what I had started.
He took the knife and started cutting into the meat, not like a chef would, or like a hunter, but instead he cut like someone used to knife fights would. Now you are probably asking yourself how I could tell the difference and the answer is simple, it’s in the grip and the stroke, a chef will hold a blade by the handle sometimes, but just as often they will hold a knife by the blade, their goal is quick efficient strokes. A hunter will typically cut with quick strokes designed to get through the entirety of the meat in one cut. His grip on the knife will be solid, with no give in the grip so that it can’t slip out of his hand. A knifeman on the other hand has a much more delicate grip. They aim for soft spots and if they hit bone they don’t try to drive through, instead they pull back. I might not be conveying it properly, but each profession uses a knife differently and it shows in their grip. By the way the old man was holding the knife I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he had killed a number of people with a blade.
The other part of the test was to determine whether or not the old man was stupid. I went back to work whisking the eggs together all the while the old man was chopping up meat into rather neat little cubes. Say what you will about how the man held a knife, he certainly knew his was around one. When enough meat had been cut up I stopped him and handed him some vegetables to slice, then I put the meat on a frying pan and started cooking. All the while I pretended to ignore the potential hostile with a knife at my back. He worked his way through the vegetables and then I took the knife back from him. After cooking the meat I lightly seared the vegetables before making some omelets for everyone.
By the time I was done cooking the whole family was up and eating. While Dad and everyone else dug in to the food I’d prepared I questioned them about what had been going on in my absence. “So, why in the world is Raha here with a giant group of people, I heard something about him building a villa, but beyond that I’m confused…”
Mom smiled and said, “Well you know your father and Raha have been friends since they were children and despite our banishment, Raha stood by us, he even bought the land that we built our farm on. What we didn’t know is that he recently bought the land surrounding our farm. Apparently he thought for years that we would eventually give up and move into town to be around him more. Since we haven’t done that yet, nor do we plan to, he caved and decided to build a place near us so that visiting will be easier.”
I looked at my mom, then my dad, and said, “You’re telling me that Raha is building a home out here just so he can hang out with you guys more often? That’s insane, why doesn’t he just stay here with us? Why go to the expense of building a house out here?”
Dad shook his head and said, “Because the little fool has more money than he knows what to do with and he said if he was going to be out in the boonies he would make sure to have all of the amenities he was used to. I’d say he was being a snob, but frankly that’s just how Raha thinks, money doesn’t really matter to him, he will pay any price to have things exactly how he wants them.”
I gave my parents a puzzled look and said, “If Raha is so bad with money, how did he become the head of a merchant house?”
Dad laughed, “You know he is heir to the Onni clan right?”
I replied, “Well sure dad, but what does that have to do with anything?”
Mom and Dad both smiled while looking at me with pity then Dad said, “I guess this is our fault since we haven’t really explained to you the politics of our land… The Onni clan is the leading clan of the Vuohians, they have a seat on the council of races and are the wealthiest single family in our entire country. If Raha wanted to he could buy a dozen trading companies and still have enough money left over to build a villa out of pure gold.”
I looked at them and I was stunned, “Why in the world would such an important person be friends with the two of you? I mean no offense, but he has so much money, and you two are just farmers, living on the land that he apparently bought for you…”
My dad sighed and said, “I think it’s about time you found out a little about our family history. Frankly I’m surprised we were able to keep this from you for so long, but with all the Susi around it is bound to come out eventually and we would rather it come from us. Your mother was a maid for the Jalo clan, her father was the head chef and her mother was a doctor we had on retainer. She ended up working in the main house with her dad. She had a simple life until of course she met me. She was one of the few people I could interact with where I didn’t have to worry about unintentionally offending them or making the clan look bad because I misspoke. She was one of the few people and the only woman I ever really felt comfortable around. This desire to be around her naturally blossomed into something more as I got older. It was awkward at first, but eventually I realized that I never wanted to be without her. Unfortunately a match between myself and a maid wasn’t something my family would find acceptable, a mistress maybe, but for a wife, never. I might have been able to eventually wear people down but we were discovered too soon. The other issue of course was the color of her fur, it is such a beautiful and pure white, but far too many people would find it unacceptable for me to marry a white Susi.”
I interjected because I was confused, “What do you mean the color of her fur made her unacceptable?”
This time Mom spoke, “Among the Susi many look down upon those with pure white fur, they call us Saastuti meaning Sun Cursed. There is an old legend that Father Sun stripped a fallen hero of his color as a mark of his displeasure. Nowadays many of our people believe that the Sun Cursed should never marry, that we should never have children. We are typically looked down upon and discriminated against. When your father proposed to me he knew that he was risking everything to be with me. Frankly I almost said no, and should have said no, but I was selfish, I wanted to be happy so I agreed to the marriage and Aatto had to fight to remain the heir of the clan.”
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I interjected once again, “Wait… heir to the clan?”
Dad chimed in again, “Yes son, heir to the clan, my name and title before my banishment was Aatto Jalo, heir to the Jalo clan, my father Perinne was the clan head and held a seat on the council of races. We were the most important and powerful Susi clan in the country. I was supposed to take over for my Dad when he eventually stepped down. But I fell in love and love made me reckless and hasty. My brothers found out about Nolatta and I and they acted before I could gather enough support to keep my position. I could go in to the political maneuverings that led to my banishment, but it basically came down to my younger brothers playing on the bigotry of old men. When it was announced that we were not welcome in Jalo lands, Raha stood up for me and welcomed us into Onni territory. He found a place for us and gave us the money to start our farm, and well… you know the rest of the story.”
I stared at my parents, mouth agape and tried to process everything… it took a while. “So, just to make sure I have everything straight, Dad was the heir to a powerful clan before you two were banished. And Raha stood up to the Jalo clan and offered you a safe haven?”
My mother nodded, “Yes that is basically correct.”
I raised an eyebrow, “So does all of that mean that I am also banished from Jalo lands, or am I able to go there?”
It was apparently my dad’s turn to respond because he chimed in, “Actually you are technically still a member of the clan, our people do not punish the children of those who transgress against custom and culture. While your mother and I are clanless you and your brother are potential heirs to the Jalo clan. Of course you cannot claim such until you have been presented to the council and been recognized by them. But you are more than welcome to travel to and through Jalo lands.”
“Oh, okay, cool. Is there any way that I could get the banishment lifted from the two of you?” I asked.
Dad sighed, “It says good things about you that you would try to get our banishment lifted, but it is impossible. We were banished by the council with the approval of the clan head, only they are capable of lifting the banishment, and they never would. They will however recognize you as an heir of the clan should you wish to present yourself as such. Not everyone on the council wished me banished and there are enough member who remember me fondly that you should have no problem claiming the title of an heir.”
I looked directly into my father’s eyes and said, “You say I would have no problem receiving recognition, but what of Auttaa? He is white just like Mom, what sort of reception could he expect to receive?”
Dad winced and I had the answer to my question, I spoke up again before he could say anything else, “I suspected as much. The council couldn’t accept my mother and wouldn’t accept my brother, why would I ever bother to allow them to have any power over me? They sound like a bunch of bigots.”
Dad sighed, “You are right that the council isn’t very accepting of differences, but the council has helped to guide our Jalo to great heights, they may have had a problem with your mother, but in general they are wise leaders who have done their best to keep our clan strong.”
I looked Dad in the eyes, taking note of how they just begged me not to dismiss the council and asked, “Dad, you keep saying our clan, but they kicked you out, why do you still have so much loyalty to a group that did their best to ruin you?”
He smiled wryly, “Because I was born as the heir to the Jalo clan, I was raised to consider its’ interests as more important than my own. I deserved to be banished, not because I married your mother, but because I put my love of her ahead of the interests of the clan. In many ways I failed them and they were right to replace me. While I am not sure if I want you to pick up the mantle of heir to the clan, I also do not want you to dismiss the possibility. You are my son and it is your birthright.”
I nodded my head, acknowledging the statement and his sentiment, then I looked at Mom. She sat next to Dad, holding his hand in silent support, but I could see in her eyes that while she was supporting my father there was something she was holding back. So I asked her, “Okay, so Dad has mixed feelings about me claiming this birthright, what about you Mom? You look like you have something to say…”
She exchanged a glance with Dad, and a lot of meaning seemed to be conveyed to him with that look. He nodded as if to acquiesce to whatever the look meant then she said, “Well my son, personally I want you to take up the mantle of heir, not only because it would give you the resources to accomplish all of your goals, but also for a more personal reason. The council didn’t want me to be your father’s mate because they looked down upon me, they felt I couldn’t give him strong children, they thought there was something wrong with me. Frankly I want you to go and prove them wrong. You are the strongest mage our people have ever seen outside of legends, and while you can’t stack up to the upper echelons of the Vuohians, or the slower growing races your physical power more than makes up for that. In my eyes you are proof that what your father and I did was the right thing, and as heir you would be a constant reminder to the council that they made a mistake.”
I gave my mom a horrified look, “Oh my god Mom, that is the most selfish thing I have ever heard, you aren’t concerned about the welfare of the clan, you don’t care about the potential danger I could face, you just want to show the council that they were acting like a bunch of bigoted assholes… I love it.” I gave her my biggest grin.
She shook her head and said, “Of course I am worried about how people will react to you, but Swift your father and I have known for a long time that your aren’t an ordinary cub, you are special. Frankly you’re too smart for your own good. If you had been an ordinary child we wouldn’t encourage you to do this as it would be too dangerous. But you aren’t an ordinary child and living on this farm for the rest of your life would only make you unhappy. That’s why your father and I agreed to you building the fish farm, we both know you would eventually want to leave and so having money of your own would make that a lot easier. I know there will be dangers in the capitol but I think you will be more than capable of taking them on, when you are ready of course.”
I scrunched up my face, puzzled by exactly what she meant when Dad chimed in, “You look confused Son, simply put, we don’t expect you to leave and claim your birthright right away. And if you don’t want to ever claim it, that would be fine with me, but we both know that eventually you will want something more than this farm can offer you. That’s why we’ve done our best to prepare you for the life you will eventually lead. Of course we have obviously been remiss in explaining the politics of our country so that’s something we will start on in the near future. At the same time I don’t expect you to leave for a couple more years so we have time to fill any gaps in your education.”
I looked at my two parents, surprised at just how much the two of them had hid from me. I mean sure, I knew they were more than simple farmers, but heir to a clan and political refugees… “Uhm… can I have some time to process all of this, I think I need to reevaluate some of the plans I had for my life. I also need to get started on training these two regardless of what I eventually decide. I think I’ll take these tow and go scare some more fish into the fish farm, although first I think I’ll do my morning training and force them to tag along. It would be a good idea to figure out what their limits are, and how far I can push them.”
Dad nodded, “Sure Son, take as much time as you need, we aren’t in any rush, we just didn’t want you to get blindsided by this information. If you want to talk some more, we will be with Raha, discussing exactly what he plans on building and where. Also, with all of these people here to help with the construction there is a good opportunity to make some money, so you might want to think about what you can offer them while you are training with the two barbarians.”
I nodded and said, “Okay Dad, I’ll mull it over along with a few other things.” Then I pointed at the two humans and indicated that they should follow me.
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AN: Sorry this took so long to get out, I got stuck on the whole revealing his parent's past thing... I rewrote it a couple of times but I'm still not exactly happy with it, so if you guys have any suggestions on how I can improve it, let me know. I'd especially like to know what isn't working about it. If I get some good suggestions I will probably rewrite it. Having said that, I'd also like to know who suspected the link to the Jalo clan, I tried to leave hints throughout the story so let me know if this seems to come out of left field or if it explains a lot. Hope you guys are having fun with the story and hopefully the next chapter comes out a little faster since there aren't any big reveals I need to worry about doing justice to.