Chapter 32: Guilt

For two years, Fae had spent her time at the Du’Aiw’nor Tribe for training. She had learned to fight with the warriors of the Tribe and figured out she was quite skilled with handling daggers. While she became skilled with a bow and a short sword as well, the sleek daggers were still her favorite type of weapon.

She had often spent weeks with a hunting party, tracking down a nearby herd. Learn how to select the best animal, without damaging the herd itself. She learned how to read nature, tracks on the ground. While she knew most of this from her lessons at home, she became more skilled, more detailed. Next to keeping track, she was able to find out how many creatures they were training and at what pace they were moving. 

Months passed by, until suddenly two years had passed. And to the young girl's mind, that seemed to be long enough ...

With graceful steps and agility, Fae climbed up the ladder that would lead towards her Aunt’s house. The house she had spent the last two years. She had never seen it as her new home. She couldn’t … Her heart was still at her parents Tribe. Yet maybe her aunt was part of the reason as well. While she had cared for her, helped her where needed, Fae knew that her aunt didn’t love her. She could not fully say she disliked her … It was like she was wary of her. Like she expected something bad to happen for being around her. She was never short on anything, but the distant feeling resided. Never a hug, never a pat on the shoulder or a slight praise...

 When she entered the hut, she saw her aunt sitting at the far wall, sewing some clothing.

“Aunt May …” Fae tried to get her aunt's attention. The only answer she received was a soft hum. Fae figured that was the best she was gonna get. 

“The elders allowed me to leave tomorrow.”

The answer she received was nothing more than a soft ‘ow’. A short reaction, as expected.

“I want to thank you for allowing me to stay here. I … I give you my promise that I will find those who killed my mother and family.”

“Good luck.” Again short answer. It still didn’t surprised Fae at all. So she just gave a nod and went further into the house to find her stuff and to find her bed. She didn’t see how May put down the clothing she was working on, releasing a sigh that rolled over her lips and showed that small hint of sadness. She started to wonder if she had to stop that girl, for she knew that if she went on her quest, that she would find sorrow and pain. May was perfectly aware of who was responsible for her sister’s death. A fact that she hadn’t shared with her niece. 

But as quick as that thought had arrived, as quick she shook it from her head and went further with her work until it was time for her to go to sleep.

The next morning, May walked down the path to the main gate, holding an old looking letter in her hand. A letter she already had for a rough fifteen years. A letter from her sister, a last call out towards her after she had shared her secret, who the real father of Fae was and how it had endangered her entire tribe. May had never returned an answer. She wanted nothing to do with what kind of mess her sister had created for herself or the danger she had placed upon her Tribe. But seeing how everything had turned out, May thought that it was Fae’s right to know why her Tribe was attacked. This letter could maybe withhold her from her quest and give her a safe life.

“Where is Fae?” May asked when she passed by the guards. 

“She left at dawn. Didn’t she say her goodbye?”

A slight sliver of guilt ran through her body, while her eyes fell on the letter in her hand. 

“Ah yes. I just had … never mind.”

May’Kalyn turned around, still with the letter in her hand. She started to wonder if she shouldn’t have given it sooner. Or maybe it was better that she didn’t know? 

Whispering a soft ‘thank you’ towards the guards, she turned around to go back home. Once home, she placed the letter back in a small box, where it has been for the past fifteen years. Upon closing, she thought that Fae, if she would succeed in her quest, would find the truth by herself eventually. It was better this way. She was gone and so was the looming danger ...