Sympathies
My heart leaped out in fear, pain,and sympathy all at once as he confessed his deed to me. I knew he didn't have to answer me and what information he gave me was more of a warning and less of a lesson. I see why he was so upset now about talking about his daughter.
" Did you have other children?" I asked to see if this was a lesson he learned.
" No what's the point . I never reached out to breed again. " He confirmed.
I understood his reluctance. He had a mark on his partner and child. That alone was a lesson in itself. I'm sure if he had to do it again and chose opposite of his original choice he would be here having this conversation with me right now .
" You would be correct on that thought little one." He blurted out. I shot my eyes at him I didn't even feel him invade my mind.
" Of she was a baby when." I asked trying to know where to step and where to not. " How do I look like her?" She said embracing the answer.
" She has your same black with a red tint in her hair. Your warm brown eyes and olive skin color. I imagined if she was able to love she would be your age. You two ." He paused .
" What was her name?" I asked now curious.
" Lena." He sighed. " I held her only once. I didn't know that the first time would also be the last time I held her. I knew my partner wouldn't let me hurt the baby unless she died first. She put up a good fight . " He whispered now in shame trying to give her honor in her death. A death he caused.
" Like my name. Lena and Melina." I pointed out as the similarities in the name.
" No . Don't do that. Don't say that name. " He said now forced.
" Why?" I said not understanding in the error of saying a name.
" Because you'll summon the dead envoking them. I want her to rest in peace . Please don't invoke her." He pleaded as his eyes were serious and wide.
I felt bad feeling his reluctance to remember the dead. I saw the hunter and the danger in front of me. But I also saw the cracks in his shell. Broken shattered and bleeding . My powers felt stronger as I reached out to soothe him. He picked up on it as well.
" Your medicine is weakening. I can feel your energy more now." He pointed out.
" It's time for my dose then." I said bitterly remembering the bitter taste in how my house parents snuck it in my food and watched me eat it like a hawk. The taste of the crush pills made a chalky taste. The flavor of food would evaporated and all I would taste was the medicine.
" Find a way not to take it. It's overlapsed one hour and I can feel your strength once more. This medicine that you say you are on. It's suppressing your feelings. If you can't feel anything your good as dead. " He explained .
" Maybe I like the numb." I Retorted.
Remembering the nights of cries and feet shuffling in the night. The creeks and sounds of the house echoing as my father chose his victim . The sounds of my mother laughter as she stumbled in after a night of partying and running into things. The sound of shot glasses clinking as my mother toasted me over cake and tequila. The muffled whispers in the night. The secrets I kept in my heart and constantly invaded my sober thoughts.
" If you can't feel your magick is useless. Your powers are raw and new. Your feelings are the triggers . This numbness you like is suppressing your powers. You will die if you ever meet another like me. This medicine is preventing you from defending yourself." He said as he was trying to reach the little girl.
" Why should I trust you. You did try to kill me. " I said now feeling the energy build inside of me. The tingling sensation burned like electricity at my fingers and toes. Even the tip of my nose. It was like I had fire burning through my veins. The pain was more comforting than painful. My eyes looked around as I saw the small thing layer ripple in front of me. The thin layer bounced off the light as it picked up the surrounding colors in its waves. I stared in confusion.
" What is that do you see that?" I asked aloud.
" Your shield is back. Yes I tried to kill you. This is true. But I'm a hunter I know destorting a witches focus through medication is poisonous to your kind. This medicine is slowly poisoning you. It's a method we use to make our job easier. This drug will be your downfall. Stop taking it if you want to live." He said as he touched the shield as it shocked him and he yanked his hand back in reaction.
" Does that hurt?" I asked curious at what I witnessed.
" Yes and no. If I was a lower ranking house I would be blasted off my balance. But I am a sinachell. So it stings but it's tolerable. " He said moving away from the energy now spewing from the edges .
" What is a sinachell.?" I asked confused from the strange word.
" A high ranking military mind. We are trained for special details . In the hunter order the hunter inherited their mother's ranks. " He explained.
" I always thought boys were more important. My father always wanted a son. He got four daughters." I said feeling unwanted now. Remembering him watching baseball and wrestling while eating chewing dip as he spit it in an empty plastic bottle. Memories filled her head how much she wanted her father to love her.
She remembered going to him sitting in the dark room watching a game. She was curious about the bottle and asked if she could have a drink. She didn't know the contents in the bottle just say the dark liquid inside it. Her father feeling bothered by his daughter interrupting his game nodded his head and said go ahead. When she drank the liquid realization of the bitter taste followed by the pain in her stomach as all her father did was laugh at the naive little girl in front of him.
" No. The ranks run through the blood. And since the woman gives birth it was the only guarantee that the rank was properly placed. You know we aren't so different. You and I . The blood is also passed on by the mother. That's why there is always a witch Queen over the centuries instead of a noted witch king. " He explained to the small girl now growing curious at this revelation.