Post by Cat on Jun 8, 2007 8:15:43 GMT -6
Is there anybody there?
Jacob Lohansha Mackenzie looked down at the deserted homestead. It had been 15 years since he and his sisters had been scattered by what his adoptive parents referred to as “the unfortunate incident”. What a euphemism for the tragedy, he thought. It was typical of his parents to avoid talking of unpleasant issues. I wasn’t until his mother had died that he could pry any information at all out of his father.
He remembered the day the scattering of the family occurred as clearly as if it had been the day before. All that his mother, his real mother, would tell him was that his father was dead and they had to leave. Only they were all leaving to separate homes. He was going to live with his father’s sister Mary Lohansha Mackenzie in Cantha. No matter how much he yelled they would not tell him where his sisters were going.
He thought back over what he told Miriar and Reili that night. They were so young; would they even remember his promise to them? No matter, a promise was a promise. Ariele was a newborn at the time. He made no promise to her. She was the one his mother had kept; he couldn’t help but resent that as a child. Looking back with an adult perspective, he no longer resented her; she was as much a victim as the rest of them.
After Mary Mackenzie died, Jacob confronted Matthew, his adoptive father. He demanded to know where his sisters were. Matthew finally gave in and told him that Miriar went to live with his father’s sister Angelique in Kryta, Reilli went to live with the Luxon branch of the Lohansha family on the border of Luxon and Kurzick territory, and confirmed what he already knew -that Ariele had gone with their mother to Elona. He claimed that there had been no contact between any of the family since they were separated. Jacob had no reason to doubt him.
So here he was, back at the beginning. Looking at the homestead brought back so many childhood memories. He thought of his father and how he loved the land; then of his mother, beautiful and spoiled and vain. Would he find the answers he looked for in the deserted home of his youth? There was only one way to find out.
Jacob Lohansha Mackenzie looked down at the deserted homestead. It had been 15 years since he and his sisters had been scattered by what his adoptive parents referred to as “the unfortunate incident”. What a euphemism for the tragedy, he thought. It was typical of his parents to avoid talking of unpleasant issues. I wasn’t until his mother had died that he could pry any information at all out of his father.
He remembered the day the scattering of the family occurred as clearly as if it had been the day before. All that his mother, his real mother, would tell him was that his father was dead and they had to leave. Only they were all leaving to separate homes. He was going to live with his father’s sister Mary Lohansha Mackenzie in Cantha. No matter how much he yelled they would not tell him where his sisters were going.
He thought back over what he told Miriar and Reili that night. They were so young; would they even remember his promise to them? No matter, a promise was a promise. Ariele was a newborn at the time. He made no promise to her. She was the one his mother had kept; he couldn’t help but resent that as a child. Looking back with an adult perspective, he no longer resented her; she was as much a victim as the rest of them.
After Mary Mackenzie died, Jacob confronted Matthew, his adoptive father. He demanded to know where his sisters were. Matthew finally gave in and told him that Miriar went to live with his father’s sister Angelique in Kryta, Reilli went to live with the Luxon branch of the Lohansha family on the border of Luxon and Kurzick territory, and confirmed what he already knew -that Ariele had gone with their mother to Elona. He claimed that there had been no contact between any of the family since they were separated. Jacob had no reason to doubt him.
So here he was, back at the beginning. Looking at the homestead brought back so many childhood memories. He thought of his father and how he loved the land; then of his mother, beautiful and spoiled and vain. Would he find the answers he looked for in the deserted home of his youth? There was only one way to find out.
