I always loved the wind, loved the feeling of flying. I loved the smell of clean air and the way it blew my hair back from my face, and how free I felt when I looked down at the floor that was so far beneath me.
It was a particular tree I loved to climb and sit in. The sycamore tree sat on the top of a hill that overlooked the forest and mountains in the distance. I climbed it to the top, where I sat on a sturdy branch and watched and felt and dreamed. I felt peace up there. If you came up here early enough, you could see the sun rise over the mountains. Mist and streams of golden light over the mountains was beautiful to watch.
It wasn't far from my home, a small cabin on the edge of the forest near the lake. The sun shone on the blue lake, which continued down a river and disappeared under the trees. I had followed that once, it went on for a long time. I had to turn back when Father could no longer walk. I suspected it winded past the mountain, maybe the river came from the top. Maybe there was a beautiful waterfall.
My attention snapped from the daze it found it'self in, to hear the sound of my father's voice calling up from me down below. I peered down, holding a small branch tightly as I hung off the tree to see past the branches. I saw the dark silhouette of my father down below, his voice loud and clear. He called for me to come down, a playfulness in his voice. I shouted back down to him, began climbing down swiftly.
I found my way down the tree quickly, knowing each path by heart. I jumped and slid through each branch until I fell to the floor. I jumped to the ground, the grass tickling my bare feet. I straightened my legs as I stood, flicking my long hair over my head.
I stood in front of my father, his smile making a smile spread across my face. He was only slightly taller than me, but he slumped with old age. His silver hair shone in the sun that shone down through the cracks of the leaves, but his eyes were full of light and youth. He laughed as he noticed the absence of shoes on my feet, I never really like wearing them. "That's it! He exclaimed. "I've given up trying to get you to wear shoes."
I laughed, throwing my head back slightly. "You gave up twenty years ago, father, you just like saying you didn't for the sake of your pride." I retorted, playfulness in my voice. But the light in his eyes faded, his smile faded. He looked away from me, his eyes focusing on the ground. I looked him over, his sudden change of attitude changed. "Father," I started. "What's wrong?"
He looked away, as if in shame. "It's been so long." He started. It was a moment before he linked eyes with me again. "I should have told you long ago."
"Father," I started shrugging and letting out a long sigh. "If this is about that woman today-"
"It is!" The words came out of his mouth forcefully, his eyes meeting mine again. Anger flashed through them, but it quickly returned to sadness. I didn't understand what was wrong. He breathed heavily, his eyes again not meeting mine. "It's been like this all your life, Arson. You shouldn't have to live like this!"
Silence came over us, a heavy silence. I could feel it pushing my shoulders down, but I was strong. I looked him over, he still refused to meet my eyes. When he spoke, his voice weight heavy, full of grief. "I should have told you," He started. My brows furrowed in confusion, I didn't know what he was talking about. He met my eyes. "I should have told you years ago when you first stopped growing... When you were young and you bleed blue blood."
"Father," I started again, but he stopped me.
"There was no reason to hide it,"
"Hide what?"
"How could you still not know?"
"Father!" I shouted, stopping his mumbling. He met my eyes, beginning to fill with tears. "I know there is something wrong with me, I know that. But you need to spit it out," I breathed. When he didn't speak; "Please tell me what's wrong with me." I begged.
He swallowed. He nodded. I helped him sit down on the soft grass, then I joined him. Under the tree, we were shielded from the sun. The leaves brushed together in a song, the birds the harmony. Father breathed in heavily, I watched him intensely. Maybe now was the time I learned something about me I had questioned all my life.
"When I was young, there was a big storm. There were strong winds, heavy rain, and thundering skies. I remember looking out the window, I lived alone at this point. The skies were being painted in blinding light, the trees swaying in the wind. I felt at slight peace as if the risk of the storm was exhilarating. Then, somewhere, there was a difference. When the sky was once again painted white, I saw something in the sky. Then, the sky flashed again and I saw what it was. It was a woman, falling from the sky. At first, I didn't believe it, but over the loud sounds of the storm, I could hear a woman screaming.
"And I don't know what came over me, but I found myself running out of my house and into the storm to find this apparent woman I apparently say falling from the sky. I was going mental. I was being stupid. And in the storm, I was somehow led to her." He smiled a second as if re-living his dearest memory. I wondered where this was going. "When I found her," He continued. "She was lying unconscious in the middle of a clearing. I could see that her arm was broken, and she was badly bruised and pale, even in the night."
Somehow, I could see this story coming together.
He smiled. "I took her into my home, and when the morning came the storm had cleared. She woke up, I didn't leave the house until then. She was the most beautiful women I had ever seen. Her name was Asterin, and I fell in love immediately. She had long golden hair, golden hair that matched her striking gold eyes." He turned to me and smiled. Now I finally knew where I got my eyes from, I had golden eyes. "She was beautiful,
"When she walked, it was with such strong elegance. But, she showed no sign of being hurt. I was amazed, but she asked to stay a while. She was completely healed except, although she tried to hide it, her arm was still a little bit sore. I let her stay of course, and she ended up staying for months.
"Then she had to leave, but not before she told me what she was. But she had to leave, and I was heartbroken." I started to become sour. He continued speaking; "It was when a woman came knocking on my door two months later with golden eyes and holding a small child, was when I learned what happened to her."
He looked over at me, my golden eyes. I still had unanswered questions. "Father, I honestly don't care to my mother." He shook, starting at me wide-eyed. Hurt flashed in his eyes. "She left me, I have no emotional connection to her," He slouched, sad. "But you have to tell me, and tell me now, what she was so I can know what's wrong with me."
He breathed. "Your mother was an Iornteeth witch,"
My heart began beating, my eyes widened.
He looked me dead in the eye, "And you are a half witch."
I shouldn't believe this, I thought to myself. But something in this settled right. Something added up, something in me. "Are you telling the truth, father?"
"Of course," He said, his voice pressing.
I believed him.
"Why tell me now?" I asked him. "What happened to me today happens all the time, what was different?"
He breathed in. "I don't know," He started. "I guess it was just hearing it, and now I'm getting old-"
"Father," I stopped him quickly. "You're not dying." I knew I was lying, he was getting old. He tried to hide it, but I had seen him coughing a lot. He didn't walk to the village anymore, hardly ever really held the axe.
But he sighed but didn't say anything.
I feared for him. He was getting old, I couldn't deny that to myself. I had always thought about it, and I think he did too. What would happen when he grew old a died, while I was still here, to live forever without him? Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I wouldn't grow old.
I didn't sleep that night. I stayed awake, laying on the bed and staring at the empty abyss of my ceiling. Thoughts clouded my mind. Thoughts that deprived me of sleep. But one thing rung in my ears;
I was a witch
I was a witch
I was a witch