Fountains of Fire

II

When I was just a child throwing the usual temper tantrums when things didn't go my way, my eyes seemed to develop a crimson mist. The only person that saw what my father referred to as just a light trick, was Halia. He was the one who gave me the teasing, but affectionate nickname of little Lea. Up until I learned to control my anger at the age of fourteen, Halia claimed I shouldn't hide my gift, and that I should proclaim how I was Blessed by Lea of the Light.

My father despised the nickname. So much so that Halia believed I might have gotten my angered flame directly from him, and not Lea. We would often see my father hit my mother, or scream in rage over the smallest of things. He believed Lea of the Light to be a demon rather than a goddess. A curse more than a blessing or gift. When King Wren officially decreed any religion devoted to goddesses to be banned, my father was joyful and immediately thought that any debatable gifts I had received from Lea were automatically revoked.

Ever since he was a boy, my father strayed towards the more progressive side of politics and religious aspects. He was seen as a traitor until the King passed away of a rare and sudden illness, and Wren took the throne. They shared beliefs that goddesses were demons sent from other continents. Wards to keep us away from conquering their lands.

I never agreed with either of them, so I was fit more along the followers of the old ways, even though I was anything but. Even after growing up and being called a traitor, turned towards me and did the same. I believed in the great goddesses that founded this land and its glories. He believed that, thousands of years ago, the royal family founded and formed all of Faegon. Both my father and the current King were never truly able to explain their reasonings and sources behind this belief, therefore I couldn't process it let alone learn its ways.

Halia was torn between the two. He never fully agreed with either side, but would always be there for me.

"I'll keep you from the darkness." he would say when things were rough with father and I.

My first mistake was that I believed him.