Chapter 6
Kahu couldn't have said anything that would make an impact with the same size.
Eyolf looked surprised, and confused. Are was just shocked. Tama was surprised, and
curious.
"You know my father?"
"I am not sure. I just think I know him."
"Who is he?"
"I might tell you later, little nephew. Right now I want a word with Lord Are,
in private." She stressed the word 'lord', a word she never used to describe Are. Are
saw Eyolf's questioning look, asking if it was okay.
"I trust Kahu, Eyolf. You and the boy can go."
"We'll be back when you need us, Lord." With those words, Eyolf left the room, taking
Tama with him.
"Are, what did you do?"
"Kahu, that was years ago."
"Are, what did you do?"
"I had a mission in the mountains. My last mission, before Dad – well, nevermind.
My last mission. I met a wonderful girl, Emiko. And, well, the boy is the result. How
did you guess he is my son?"
"His skin is light, lighter than usual for the Mountain People, so either his father
or his mother must have come from here. He told me that he didn't know who his father
was. He is small, just like you. Your mission in the mountains. The eagle blood
usually runs in the family, from father to son and from mother to daughter. If you add
those
things up, it is only logical that you are his father. Why didn't you tell me?"
"We made a deal. A deal you insisted on, if I am correct."
"You are. But I can't ignore my nephew."
"Kahu, I promise I'll tell him. But you can't tell anyone. Especially not Niall,
or his wife."
"I won't, brother, I swear. You know I hate him."
"I still want to know why."
Kahu sighed. "He is my whole brother, a son of two
shapeshifters. But he is not a shapeshifter. I am. He
hates me for that, and if he hates me, I can't like him."
"I suppose you're right."
"He will accept me on Skye manor, but only because I am family."
"And Eyolf?"
"Niall won't know. Eyolf can take his wolf form, cat form, or hawk form."
"You will lie?"
"Yes."
"As your older –"
"Don't you dare use that trick on me! You may be older, you may be my brother,
but you can't tell me what to do, just because we have the same father."
"How did you know I'd do that?"
"Niall. He always used that trick on me. Can I ask Eyolf and Tama in?"
"Almost. There are just two more things."
"Yes?"
"You can't tell Tama that I am his father. I want to do that myself."
"Okay. But if he doesn't know by the next full moon, I am going to tell him."
The next full moon was a week away. "Fine."
"And the second thing?"
"Patience, little sister." Kahu looked as if she was ready to attack him
and the only reason she had not done so yet, was because she was assessing
the risks. Which was exactly what she was doing. Are saw it too.
"Be careful, Kahu. Whatever you say, whatever deals we might have made,
you are my little sister. I care for you."
"Half-sister. And by the way, you're becoming a second Dad."
"Don't you dare say that! I am different! I didn't know Emiko was pregnant
when I left. Besides, Dad cheated on his wife. I'm not married."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember that girl I sent to get you out of your bed?"
"Merla? Yes."
"She's our half-sister. One of them, because there must be more, knowing Dad."
"Who else knows about that?"
"No one. And it has to stay that way."
"I agree, Dad."
"Kahu…"
"Silent, brother, or they might hear you," Kahu said, grinning.
"Just shut up and let them in."
"Of course, darling brother," Kahu answered, opening the door and calling for
Eyolf and Tama to come back. She let her thoughts float through her mind.
Thoughts about Are, her brother, and how impossibly irritating it was to
have him for a brother. A brother who had the power to send to anywhere.
It was almost as bad as having a brother who was the heir to your home.
Kahu hated Niall, her only full sibling. They were supposed to feel close,
but they didn't. Niall had never forgiven Kahu for being able to shift shapes.
Kahu sighed silently, before walking to Eyolf and standing next to him.
"Kahu and Eyolf, thank you for bringing in the boy. The first time I sent you
to Skye manor, I wanted to know whether you could work together or not. This
time, I want you to bring Lord Skye a letter. This letter." He motioned to the
letter. "You can be back in two weeks, one if you hurry."
"Okay." Kahu took the letter of Are's desk and walked out of the room, sunken in
her own thoughts. Eyolf looked at Are, asking if he should go after her.
"Yes. Go. And make sure she won't do anything too dangerous."
"Why?"
"She's my best spy. I don't want to loose her. Go!"
"Yes, Lord." After Eyolf had left the room, Are looked at Tama.
"And now you, Tama."
"Why did you send her away? She might have been able to tell me who my father was."
"She will be back. And, little boy, you don't want to go against me."
"Kahu did."
"She is a fully trained warrior, you aren't. Speaking about training, you will start
today. I'll bring you to a room. That will be your new home."
"And – and my mother?" Tama was only ten years old, and the thought of leaving
his former home, was devastating.
"You can visit her. But you will live here. That's the way it goes."
"Okay."
"And before I forget, you need a new name."
"Why?"
"To protect Em – your mother."
"You know her?"
"Just choose a new name, boy. I might tell you later."
"But –"
"No. Pick a name."
"But what should I pick?"
"What is the Mountain word for eagle?"
"In a name? Washi."
"Then pick that name."
Tama's face clouded: his worst bully was named Washi. But Tama saw the logic in
it; it would be easy to remember he was named for his animal.
"Okay. I'll be Washi."
"That's a good boy. Now, come with me."
Are brought Tama to a room that looked just like Kahu's, but this room was empty.
And in the boy's wing of the Academy.
"This is where you will live. I am picking you up in one hour for training."
"Are you training me?"
"You will address me with Lord, Lord Are, or sir."
"I am sorry. Are you training me, sir?"
"Yes. Make yourself at home. Meet your neighbours. I will come by in one hour."
"Okay."
And Are walked back to his rooms, smiling at the thought of his son, but
wondering how to tell him. Tama's mind was busy with thinking. Thinking
about his mother, his former home, his aunt and who his father might be.
He had never seen anyone who looked like Kahu before. And, of course, he
thought about his new home.
Eyolf looked surprised, and confused. Are was just shocked. Tama was surprised, and
curious.
"You know my father?"
"I am not sure. I just think I know him."
"Who is he?"
"I might tell you later, little nephew. Right now I want a word with Lord Are,
in private." She stressed the word 'lord', a word she never used to describe Are. Are
saw Eyolf's questioning look, asking if it was okay.
"I trust Kahu, Eyolf. You and the boy can go."
"We'll be back when you need us, Lord." With those words, Eyolf left the room, taking
Tama with him.
"Are, what did you do?"
"Kahu, that was years ago."
"Are, what did you do?"
"I had a mission in the mountains. My last mission, before Dad – well, nevermind.
My last mission. I met a wonderful girl, Emiko. And, well, the boy is the result. How
did you guess he is my son?"
"His skin is light, lighter than usual for the Mountain People, so either his father
or his mother must have come from here. He told me that he didn't know who his father
was. He is small, just like you. Your mission in the mountains. The eagle blood
usually runs in the family, from father to son and from mother to daughter. If you add
those
things up, it is only logical that you are his father. Why didn't you tell me?"
"We made a deal. A deal you insisted on, if I am correct."
"You are. But I can't ignore my nephew."
"Kahu, I promise I'll tell him. But you can't tell anyone. Especially not Niall,
or his wife."
"I won't, brother, I swear. You know I hate him."
"I still want to know why."
Kahu sighed. "He is my whole brother, a son of two
shapeshifters. But he is not a shapeshifter. I am. He
hates me for that, and if he hates me, I can't like him."
"I suppose you're right."
"He will accept me on Skye manor, but only because I am family."
"And Eyolf?"
"Niall won't know. Eyolf can take his wolf form, cat form, or hawk form."
"You will lie?"
"Yes."
"As your older –"
"Don't you dare use that trick on me! You may be older, you may be my brother,
but you can't tell me what to do, just because we have the same father."
"How did you know I'd do that?"
"Niall. He always used that trick on me. Can I ask Eyolf and Tama in?"
"Almost. There are just two more things."
"Yes?"
"You can't tell Tama that I am his father. I want to do that myself."
"Okay. But if he doesn't know by the next full moon, I am going to tell him."
The next full moon was a week away. "Fine."
"And the second thing?"
"Patience, little sister." Kahu looked as if she was ready to attack him
and the only reason she had not done so yet, was because she was assessing
the risks. Which was exactly what she was doing. Are saw it too.
"Be careful, Kahu. Whatever you say, whatever deals we might have made,
you are my little sister. I care for you."
"Half-sister. And by the way, you're becoming a second Dad."
"Don't you dare say that! I am different! I didn't know Emiko was pregnant
when I left. Besides, Dad cheated on his wife. I'm not married."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember that girl I sent to get you out of your bed?"
"Merla? Yes."
"She's our half-sister. One of them, because there must be more, knowing Dad."
"Who else knows about that?"
"No one. And it has to stay that way."
"I agree, Dad."
"Kahu…"
"Silent, brother, or they might hear you," Kahu said, grinning.
"Just shut up and let them in."
"Of course, darling brother," Kahu answered, opening the door and calling for
Eyolf and Tama to come back. She let her thoughts float through her mind.
Thoughts about Are, her brother, and how impossibly irritating it was to
have him for a brother. A brother who had the power to send to anywhere.
It was almost as bad as having a brother who was the heir to your home.
Kahu hated Niall, her only full sibling. They were supposed to feel close,
but they didn't. Niall had never forgiven Kahu for being able to shift shapes.
Kahu sighed silently, before walking to Eyolf and standing next to him.
"Kahu and Eyolf, thank you for bringing in the boy. The first time I sent you
to Skye manor, I wanted to know whether you could work together or not. This
time, I want you to bring Lord Skye a letter. This letter." He motioned to the
letter. "You can be back in two weeks, one if you hurry."
"Okay." Kahu took the letter of Are's desk and walked out of the room, sunken in
her own thoughts. Eyolf looked at Are, asking if he should go after her.
"Yes. Go. And make sure she won't do anything too dangerous."
"Why?"
"She's my best spy. I don't want to loose her. Go!"
"Yes, Lord." After Eyolf had left the room, Are looked at Tama.
"And now you, Tama."
"Why did you send her away? She might have been able to tell me who my father was."
"She will be back. And, little boy, you don't want to go against me."
"Kahu did."
"She is a fully trained warrior, you aren't. Speaking about training, you will start
today. I'll bring you to a room. That will be your new home."
"And – and my mother?" Tama was only ten years old, and the thought of leaving
his former home, was devastating.
"You can visit her. But you will live here. That's the way it goes."
"Okay."
"And before I forget, you need a new name."
"Why?"
"To protect Em – your mother."
"You know her?"
"Just choose a new name, boy. I might tell you later."
"But –"
"No. Pick a name."
"But what should I pick?"
"What is the Mountain word for eagle?"
"In a name? Washi."
"Then pick that name."
Tama's face clouded: his worst bully was named Washi. But Tama saw the logic in
it; it would be easy to remember he was named for his animal.
"Okay. I'll be Washi."
"That's a good boy. Now, come with me."
Are brought Tama to a room that looked just like Kahu's, but this room was empty.
And in the boy's wing of the Academy.
"This is where you will live. I am picking you up in one hour for training."
"Are you training me?"
"You will address me with Lord, Lord Are, or sir."
"I am sorry. Are you training me, sir?"
"Yes. Make yourself at home. Meet your neighbours. I will come by in one hour."
"Okay."
And Are walked back to his rooms, smiling at the thought of his son, but
wondering how to tell him. Tama's mind was busy with thinking. Thinking
about his mother, his former home, his aunt and who his father might be.
He had never seen anyone who looked like Kahu before. And, of course, he
thought about his new home.
No comments:
Post a Comment