This story expands on a drabble I wrote for my roleplaying blog, SuperGalacticSoldier. Even as a child, Bojack resembled his war-lord father, and none of the children he grew up with would let him forget it.

"Just An Ogre's Son"

The boy had been minding his business by the tall, white gol'ehi. He had nestled with a book—one written on fighting, of course—beneath one of the older trees, which had begun to shed silver flower petals in anticipation of uuram.

Bojack had learned quickly, in his short life, that if he kept his nose out of other people's businesses, then they would leave him alone. At least, that was how the world was supposed to work. Provoke no one, and no one should provoke you.

But a boy named Hackuj had grown into the cusp of adolescence, and he was trying to discover what worked best in the world. For some reason, and to the grown-ups' mortification, Hackuj ignored the lessons on compassion that all children in the temple estate were taught. He felt that teasing other children gave him a sense of superiority, and no child's pain gave him more pride than Bojack Hogue's.

"Whatcha doin', ogre's son?"

Bojack flinched and frowned. He gazed up at the aquamarine child, whom was flanked by three other boys and a girl.

"Leave me alone, Hackuj," said Bojack, cracking the spine of his book. "My mom says I need to be alone for a while."

The child scoffed and paced behind him.

"Why'd'you even try t' hide it?" asked Hackuj as he looked at the book. "You're just gonna grow up to be like your dad. Ogre."

Bojack lept to his feet and scowled. He could not afford to dive into fisticuffs with this kid again, as much as he deserved a good beating. His mama depended on him being a good child, free from hateful actions.

But when he turned and began to walk away, the other children tightened the circle around him. They had every intention of getting Bojack—and subsequently his mother—into trouble.

"I'm asking you to let me go," he said.

" 'I'm asking you to let me go,' " Hackuj mocked with his tongue sticking out. "Pfbt! Stupid ogre's son. You're gonna grow up to be like him, an' then everyone's gonna wanna beat you up, jus' like all the grown-ups wanna do."

Electricity danced on Bojack's hands, and his curly orange mane bristled. The lead child smiled, giving the rest permission to push him.

"You're just an ogre's son!" one of the boys shouted.

Bojack stiffened, whipped around, and shouted, "No! I'm not!"

Another boy shoved him, but he refused to stumble. Then the girl pushed him, and his feet faltered. The children grinned like selfish pups, hungry for an unnecessary treat. They bumped into the little half-Heraa boy, one after the other. They skipped around him and pointed, chanting, "Ogre's son! Ogre's son! Bojack is an ogre's son!"

Bojack trembled, his face wrinkling with suppressed rage. He was not an ogre's son! He was not, he was not, he was not—

"Hackuj!"

The children ceased their derision and dispersed. They cowered before the approaching high priestess, her eyes flickering with fire.

"Mistress Yawrakai..."

The teal woman tilted her head and sneered, like a lion who refused to be placated. Another priest had arrived at the sound of her angry roar. He shook his head and tutted, well-aware of who had started this ordeal.

Seizing Bojack by one of his hands, Yawrakai dragged him from the center of the circle; and though he should not have feared her, his blood had gone cold at the fear of potential punishment.

"Brother Shinsetz," she commanded of the priest, "take these children to their parents, and let them know exactly how they sinned."

"Yes, High Priestess."

Yawrakai shot another bitter glance Hackuj. That little fool had the ignorance to assume that only Bojack's father—loathsome beast that he indeed was—was the only of his parents capable of ferocity. But oh! The high priestess had a fire in her heart, like the core of their planet, and just as she was renowned for being kind, she could also inflict dread with a single glare.

This dread had filled Bojack's tiny heart, and as she pulled him beneath one of the pergolas to the temple, he was on the brink of tears.

"Mama!" he whimpered. "Please! I didn't do anything!"

Yawrakai sighed and stroked his hair. "I know, my mih'likah. I know."

Bojack sniffed and clung to his mother's sleeves. "Mama, I'm not an ogre's son. I'm not!"

Then he clung to his mother's leg, hidden behind her robe, and he begged, "Mama, please!", as though if he begged her enough, she had the god-like power to make his wish come true.

But the moment her sad eyes met his, the boy knew that she was mortal. She could not change who his father was. His nausea rose again, and he bit his bottom lip hard enough to screech.

"Oh, my Bo!" Tucking a sleeve over one of her hands, she knelt and dabbed his wounded lip. Mustering as much of a smile as she could, his mother cooed, "You can't help who your father is. You just can't. I couldn't."

She paused, mulling over what would be appropriate to tell a boy of his age. "You know I can't tell you much right now because you're still much too young. But yes, dear heart, he is a very mean man. But you are a very sweet boy. You're a very handsome, well-behaved, little boy, and that's why you've never seen your papa. You don't need to. I want you to grow up to be better than he is."

The little boy looked straight into his mother's eyes, looking for signs of lying. "Really?"

Yawrakai smiled. "Of course!" Then she hugged him and cooed, "Of course, my mih'likah. You're my mih'likah, and you will never be an ogre to me."

Author Annotations

gol'ehi (Heraa speech, a species of tree resembling Populus alba)

uuram (Heraa speech, resembles a rainy, cold autumn on earth)

Yawrakai Hogue (from Jp yawarakai "soft, tender" and hogo "care, protection")

Hackuj (from Jp. hakujou "heartless, cruel")

Shinsetz (from Jp. shinsetsu "kindness, gentleness")

mih'likah (Heraa speech, "angel")