Four
1485 Words
"A tale for another day?" Thaddeus frowned. He wanted to know everything.
"Yes. Well, discuss the rest some other time." Magnus stood up from his squatting position. He could see Thaddeus's enthusiasm.
However, he was afraid that his little brain wouldn't be able to process it all. He didn't want to overwhelm him with adult matters.
"But why? Thaddeus's eyes shone. "Why can't you tell me the tale today?
"Thad, leave the complicated stuff.... "
"For adults? Thaddeus cut in. "Why, Father? Why can't you tell me all there is to know about mother's death?"
"I'll tell you, Son, but in due time."
"Please, Father," Thaddeus pleaded.
Magnus was tongue-tied. He didn't know what to say or where to begin. As much as he wanted to tell his son all about his powers and why he was wanted by so many people and how all these led to his mother's death, he couldn't tell him.
He was afraid of his rage.
Thaddeus always does things on impulse. He would definitely attack the Luna Queen if he finds out about her involvement in his mother's death.
"Father, tell me." Thaddeus squatted before him. He took his father's hand and pleaded. "I want to know all there is to know about mother's death.
Magnus nodded with a heavy sigh. He knew he could no longer keep the secret. "Okay, Son, I'll tell you."
"Really?" Thaddeus beamed with excitement. "Let's get on with it then."
"Let's talk about it tomorrow."
"What? Tomorrow? Thaddeus's eyes shone with disappointment.
"Go, get some rest. You have to train and master your powers tomorrow."
"But father..... "
"Good night, Thad," Magnus got up from the dining table and went straight to his room.
"Father," Thaddeus called after him, but Magnus didn't respond. He hung his head and returned to his room.
Thaddeus knew that the topic must have torn open his wounds.
He stood up slowly and also went to his room. He slumped on the bed and laid on his back. His eyes looked at the roof as he reminisced about his time with his mother.
"I want to know what happened to you, Mother." Thaddeus propped his head with his hand and fixated his gaze on the roof as if expecting his mother to walk out of it.
However, after staring for several hours, nothing happened. He closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep but he couldn't. He was tossing and turning on the bed.
Thaddeus closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep, but his mind couldn't sleep. It was conjuring images of his mother and by the time he opened his eyes again, it was dawn already.
He jumped off the bed excitedly. He rushed to the bathroom to take a quick bath and get a change of clothes. He scurried out of the room to go wake his father but found him in the doorway.
"Ready?" Magnus smiled. The pain from the previous day was gone.
"Yes, Father." Thaddeus beamed.
"Good, let's have breakfast."
"Okay." Thaddeus nodded.
The duo marched to the dining room and had breakfast silently. They didn't speak to each other until they were done.
"Let's go."
Magnus drove the car and stopped at the highway and they completed the rest of the journey with their legs.
"First, you need to know about your mother's family," Magnus began as soon as they arrived at the forest.
"What about them?"
"Your great grandfather, Taria, had two sons. Keita and Kurt. He loved his sons very much, but as time went on, he discovered that Kurt had evil in him, so Taria took back his powers.
In his quest to get back his powers, Kurt discovered Taria's weakness and killed him with the help of an old witch after which he sought out Keita to kill him too."
"Why would anyone want to kill their brother? Thaddeus's young heart couldn't understand why anyone would be evil enough to want to kill their kin.
"Hunger for power can make people turn against each other," Magnus explained.
"That's bad," Thaddeus stated as he listened on.
"It's bad indeed. Because, due to Kurt's wicked heart, Taria cursed the lineage on his deathbed. Hence, none of his sons could father a male child. To prevent the evil that happened to him from repeating itself."
Thaddeus was nodding his head as he listened to all his father had to say. He was taking it all in with his entire concentration focused on Magnus.
They were both sitting under a palm tree where they received the heat of sunlight to refresh themselves.
"Keita left the kingdom of Makalay and settled himself somewhere in the east. He had three daughters. Thelma, Rhema, and Sahara." Magnus continued.
"Keita raised his daughters in solitude and hid the powers of his last daughter as she also seemed to possess unusual powers. However, despite being very careful, his other daughters somehow found out about Sahara and wanted to have her killed. So, Keita came to me and gave me his favorite daughter so I could protect her."
"So, Grandfather Keita, gave mother to you? Thaddeus asked.
"Yes. Though at that time, Keita's Makalay kingdom and my Malary kingdom were sworn enemies, Keita forgot his enmity to save your mother's life and that was how we were joined and became a couple."
"Then why did you two separate? And mother's death? What happened? Thaddeus couldn't hold back the series of questions that were building up in his mind."
"First, Thad, you have to promise to let things go. Please, my dear, do not seek revenge."
"I won't," Thaddeus replied half-heartedly. His eyes fluttered innocently, convincing Magnus that he would do as asked.
"Good," Magnus continued.
"Your mother couldn't conceive despite several attempts, so we sought Kayla's help. She is the only witch of the first order and she helped your mother conceive after thirty years of trying."
"Oh, my ....." Thaddeus gasped. "I've always known that Kayla isn't the feeble old woman she portrays herself to be," Thaddeus commented.
"Yes Thad, Kayla is a powerful witch with immeasurable powers. She is a witch of the first order."
"Wow! So it was thanks to her that I was born?"
"Yes. She did a lot to help your mother conceive and avert the curse, as you already know."
"Yes, but then what happened next? Who attached mother that day?" Thaddeus queried. He wanted to know who the woman that killed his mother was.
"Well, Kayla, had told your mother to live and raise you in solitude because you are the only male child that will be born in their generation."
"What? The only male child? "Why?
"Because Keita also cursed his children that whoever holds evil in her heart would never give birth."
"Huh?" Thaddeus was astonished.
The tale was indeed overwhelming. But he was anxiously waiting for the part that led to his mother's death.
"Your mother gave birth and this was news that wasn't supposed to go around, especially after Kayla discovered that you were the chosen one. She asked your mother to travel to the other side of the world where no one can find her, so she could raise you there."
"How did mother die then? Since you followed all the rules laid out by Kayla, mother should still be alive, shouldn't she? Thaddeus threw a barrage of questions at Magnus.
"Besides, you mentioned some elder and the luna queen who was involved in her death, right?"
Thaddeus was getting impatient. He wanted Magnus to go straight to the point.
"Thad, I'll tell you all this but you have to promise to let it all go. I let go of the pain and thirst for revenge... I let it all go just to keep you safe."
"Okay, Father. I won't seek revenge." Thaddeus did all he could to avoid making a promise that he wouldn't fulfill.
"After Keita's death, Kurt became the elder in the Makalay kingdom and he ruled the kingdom for a long time until he got news of your birth. The only one who threatened his place on the throne. He sought out your mother to kill her but she humbled herself. She disposed of her pride and offered her heart, which is a taboo to the WereLion clan."
"So....? Thaddeus asked impatiently.
"The elder took the heart and swallowed it. She was a powerful WereLion after Keita and Kurt had to regain his lost powers after Taria took his powers. So he replenished himself with Sahara's powers."
"So you mean this elder has my mother's heart in him?
"Yes," Magnus sadly concurred.
"Did this cause her death?"
"Partly," Magnus sighed. The visit to the past was clawing at his heart. A pain he's worked so hard to bury has resurfaced.
He was hurting badly.
"Then who killed her?" Thaddeus queried impatiently.
"She died at the hands of Rhema, the luna queen."
- Writer
