The Dry Lands ✔️ [TSS#1][BXB]

XI

Pic~Bow

*

I watched with fearful eyes as the man made his way over to me. His strides long and full of confidence. I stayed in my kneeling position because I felt that if I moved to get up, it would be a wrong move on my part.

When I noticed him directly above me, my breathing laboured in fear as I waited impatiently for him to say something, or do something-I couldn't help but notice how his nose was a lot like mine (or it was before Malakei almost broke it.) Now it was a purple and red mess to go along with my cut up face. A dark purple bruise and cut under my left eye also.

All of a sudden the man is sinking down to his knees. His eyes searching as his hand reaches out to touch my skin. I want to flinch back but something stops me and I tilt my head at the man curiously. My ears coming away from the sides of my head now, twitching in confusion as I look at the bearded and sad-eyed man before me.

His eyes widen at my ears and I frown at this, immediately flattening them again.

"No, no." He rushes out, his hands coming out in front of him as he tries to assure me.

"I won't hurt you, there is no need to be afraid."

At that, I allow my ears to slowly peak out from my head until they are almost sticking out in curiosity at the tips. The man looks at me with a sad smile before his hand is moving up to run through my hair. I can see the tears building in his eyes. His angry and powerful features now diminishing as he looks into my eyes.

"Moi momche..."

Raen speaks from above me and the man's eyes fly to him as he listens to what he has to say. My ears twitch as Raen says my name among his words and I have the impression that he is telling this man about me and what my name is. I watch as the man has a sad smile on his face before he looks down at me with tearful eyes.

"Keylin..Do you know who I am?" The man asks hopeful only to frown sadly when I shake my head slowly, his face falling at that and he looks as though he wants nothing more than to hug me or even curl up in a corner. There's something about this man though but I just can't place what it is.

"Keylin, my name is Maekin."

The man takes a breath as he runs his hand through my hair, the other now cradling the uninjured side of my face as he looks down at me. Tears now falling from his eyes.

"I am your father Keylin. Your bashta."

I didn't know what to say. All I could do was let my mouth fall open in shock. The memories of me at such a young age being told that my father was dead. That he was a scum of Gonora. A Dry Lander that raped my mother...

None of it seemed true. The man before me was a powerful figure that looked down at me like he has just been reunited with a part of him he thought he would never see. Thinking that he would never meet his son because he didn't care.

This man sent his loyal although brutal men, to High Peaks to bring him back his son that he has never met until now. Looking at his tear stricken face, I believe that he didn't know I even existed until recently.

Suddenly the killing of elves makes sense. A form of twisted payback for keeping me from my father. Whether it was ordered to do or done on purpose by the Dry Landers as revenge...I wouldn't know. My heart felt heavy. I felt sad.