Chapter 48: Side Story 6 – Memories of a Hidden Past

"When I found out the truth about my uncle, it was many, many years after the fact. By then all the involved parties were long gone, yet circumstances somehow aligned and allowed me to learn the truth firsthand.

 

All my life, the stories I had been told was that my uncle Caelleach used to compete for mother's affection with my father, and mother's choosing of father had turned that attraction into hatred, which was what had driven him to join the separatist faction that had loathed any kind of necromancy and death magic.

 

He soon rose to become their figurehead, and it was with a heavy heart that grandfather had negotiated a compromise that would have allowed him - and everyone else in his faction of vocal minorities - to depart on fully provisioned ships, to seek out a new land for them to call their own.

 

The truth, as I've come to learn it, was far more complex, as it turned out that my uncle had donned a mask, and played a role, to sacrifice his own happiness for the sake of the nation's stability. Later events proved what might have happened had he not done what he did, and yet, the fate that befell him in the end, still pained my heart to even think of.

 

Though it also answered the question on why my older brother Faerghus' light affinity manifested so strangely." - Diary of Aideen deVreys, the Silver Maiden, circa 1 FP.

Fiachna Mansion, La Fiachna, Theocracy of Vitalica, third day of the second week of the seventh month, year 3 VA.

 

"Must you really do this, Caelleach?"

 

The question was voiced by Aoife as she lay naked on the large bed, with the Fiachna brothers lying on either side of her. On the surface, and in public, everyone - even Theodin - thought that the brothers were vying for her attention, whereas in truth, they had dithered.

 

Both of the twins cared for each other too much to hurt the other's feelings to truly make a move for her affections, as they knew that their happiness would come coupled with their sibling's sadness. At least, until Aoife had enough with their dithering and indecision and dragged them both straight to her bed with a mischievous smirk.

 

They had since kept their unusual relationship into their own little secret, and the brothers pretended to vie for her affections in public while she in turn pretended that she could not decide. What Caelleach had just told her and Ciarran just now, however, might change their situation permanently.

 

"I don't think there's a better option… unless we wish to risk a civil war not long after gaining our own independence," said Caelleach with some melancholy in his voice. He had kept his long hair in a ponytail and groomed a thin moustache, in contrast to Ciarran's shorter hair and rough stubble, which made the siblings easier to differentiate. "If it came to that… they would have targeted you, since you never hid your affinity, and many other innocents merely because they were born with death affinity, and I refuse to let that happen."

 

"But what do you plan to do by yourself there, brother?" Asked Ciarran, his voice almost pleading as he did not wish for his brother to go through with his seemingly mad idea. Of the two, Caelleach was always the smarter, while Ciarran tended to rely more on his muscles.

 

"I am father's son. They would likely see value in making me their leader, or at least their figurehead. From that position, I aim to guide their opinions, not towards escalation, but towards reconciliation and peace," he said with conviction in his voice as his brother and their lover looked at him with sad eyes. "Failing that, I would lead their opinions towards separation, sell them the idea of finding a new home to truly call their own."

 

"But what about you then, should you actually do that?" Aoife asked with worry.

 

"I would likely never return from such a journey," stated Caelleach with some melancholy. Because of that, brother, I entrust Aoife to you. Please take care of her well… for me."

 

"Brother!" Protested Ciarran at that, but he soon found himself unable to say anything else to add to his protest.

 

"And Aoife, please take care of Ciarran for me," Caelleach added with a sad smile as he looked at Aoife - the woman both he and his brother loved dearly - in the eye. "They would likely buy my charade more if I act the jilted lover, so just make it official that you'd be with Ciarran… and not me."

 

"I love you, you know?" Said Aoife as she stifled a sob.

 

"So do I," came Caelleach's reply.

 

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Caelleach put his plan - with his father's reluctant approval - into play the next week. Their former relationship, they kept as their mutual secret, and even Theodin had thought that his son came up with the plan to help channel his sadness elsewhere.

 

That some of the populace hated death magic beyond rational thought… Was sadly unavoidable. Too many of them had suffered so many indignities under Antemeia and Junora that for them, reconciliation with necromancers was something they'd rather die than accept.

 

These members of the vocal minority were beyond pleased to have Caelleach join their ranks, and before long he had become their leader, not just a mere figurehead. Sadly, despite his efforts, he could only enact his second plan with the group, and it was with reluctance that his father finally agreed.

 

With a heavy heart, Aoife relayed the news to her master, who agreed to help, and thus several ships, stocked with provisions enough to last the group for a whole year, were prepared at the Ptolodeccan harbor.

 

On the day the separatists departed, Caelleach said his farewell to his father, while outwardly ignoring Aoife and Ciarran. It was only after he walked away that he gave them a sad, resigned, yet determined look, and they both bid him farewell quietly, with sadness in their hearts.

 

That was the last time either of them ever saw Caelleach Fiachna.

 

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Fiachna Mansion, La Fiachna, Theocracy of Vitalica, fourth day of the first week of the eleventh month, year 4 VA.

 

"He is born, my lord. Congratulations, for you have a healthy son." stated the midwife matter of factly to the room of nervous men. Theodin and Ciarran both jumped up from the chair where they waited nervously at the announcement. "You may enter, but please allow her time to rest, and do not tarry overlong."

 

They both entered to find a tired, but happy Aoife on the bed, as she cradled a newborn infant gently in her hands. Theodin's eyes brightened at the sight of his first grandchild, while Ciarran hovered over the bed like the nervous man he is.

 

Soon after Theodin left them alone to give them some privacy, Ciarran leaned closer to Aoife, and whispered very quietly into her ear, to ensure that the conversation would not be overheard.

 

"Have you checked?" He whispered, nervous, yet happy at the same time.

 

"See for yourself," replied Aoife as she gently laid a small crystal on the infant's forehead. The crystal was an affinity crystal tuned for newborns, which absorbs ambient mana and showed the newborn child's affinity.

 

It shone a light red color, the sign of a fire affinity. Aoife herself possessed a death affinity, whereas Ciarran was a life major light affinity. On the other hand, Caelleach… was a fire major light affinity.

 

"We will name him Faerghus then, as we had decided," Ciarran said while he smiled with some melancholy, as he thought of his twin brother, departed for eight months now, and unaware of the life he had sired into this world.

 

"What will you do about his affinity? People will ask questions."

 

"There are ways, they would be more prone to believing that he manifested the light affinity by some miracle if I sell it well enough. Leave it to me."

 

"I will… my love."

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