Phayu's gift

Chapter 3

Rain doesn't remember his father, Narong. He had been a baby when the alpha had died in a hunting accident. Rain would sometimes have dreams about him and in his dreams, he was kind and loved Rain very much. At least he knows who his father is, Rain's mother is a complete mystery to him. The only thing Rain knows is that his mother was an omega, he has no clue beyond that.

Rain's mother had disappeared shortly after giving birth to him according to his cousins who liked to taunt Rain that even his own mother didn't want him. Neither they nor his uncle Niran would tell him the omega's name. Rain has no idea what they looked like or even what their primary gender had been. The few times uncle Niran had even mentioned Rain's mother it was just as "that omega".

When Rain had been small, he used to fantasize that his mother would come take him away, but as he grew older, he began to believe his cousins and stopped having those fantasies.

He knows almost nothing about his parents, therefore when the rumors begin he can't even say if they are true or not.

No one can prove where the rumors started, but Rain is pretty sure his uncle and cousins must be behind them. Once they start spreading throughout the city they become like a hundred wildfires, impossible to put out.

None of the rumors attack Rain directly, they all involve his parents. The first one to begin circulating is that Rain's father was a drunkard and the real reason the family lost their fortune and reputation. His brother, Niran, was merely a victim of circumstances.

Then it gets out that Rain's father was a philanderer that slept with many omegas and no one is sure who Rain's mother actually was. That Rain was left with Narong in a basket with a note.

Finally, a rumor spreads that Rain's mother was an omega who worked in P'Pakin's house of ill repute and that was why P'Pakin had taken him in. There is even talk that Rain's father might not have been his father at all, after all if Rain's mother had been a prostitute, then his father could have been anyone.

The more narrow-minded town's people start calling Rain a prostitute offspring behind his back, although no one quite dares to say it to his face because they fear P'Pakin and his family.

It's not even the name calling that bothers Rain. Even if his mother had been a prostitute, so what? Rain has met many omegas who once worked for P'Pakin and he would be proud to have any of them as family. What bothers Rain is the rumors remind him of how little he actually knows about his parents.

Rain is staring out the window watching the rain fall without really seeing it. The book he was supposed to be reading is lying to the side, forgotten. He normally enjoys reading in Sky's room because Sky's window has a beautiful view of the gardens, but today the rain just makes everything look gloomy.

"If you sigh any louder, I will be forced to throw something." Sky says looking up from his own book. "What's wrong?"

"You've heard what the people are saying?" Rain says, "About my parents?"

Sky nods without saying anything. He remembers the woman from yesterday who he'd given a tongue lashing for talking about Rain.

"Does it bother you?" Sky asks.

"Not exactly, it's just stupid talk. I've been called worse growing up by my cousins. It's just between the rumors and the fact I'm supposed to get married to P'Phayu, it makes me want to know more about my parents." Rain says.

Sky nods, understanding this. He has no idea who his own father is, if P'Pakin hadn't taken him in when his mother died Sky would have been completely alone.

"Why don't you ask P'Pakin or P'Phayu to look into them for you?" Sky says.

Rain is suddenly excited. That had never occurred to him, maybe the mystery of who his parents were will finally be solved. He throws himself over Sky hugging him, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." He chants.