title: Father
fandom: Myst Series
genre: General
rating: G
story type: One-shot
pairing: none.
author's note: I wrote this on a whim, late at night. Heck, most of my stuff is written late at night. There 's probably going to be some canon errors and stuff. Someone pointed out to me that Saavedro was never an Elder in Narayan but I kinda forgot that while writing this fic, so errm just assume that he was an Elder before his Exile.
disclaimer: Me owns nothing except for the plot. And maybe Elder Shenren.
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I never knew my father personally. All I knew about him was from the point of view of others. Mother told me that Father had left many years ago to protect us. Protect us from what, Mother would never eleborate on but from her reactions to my questions, I guessed that I had touched sensitive matter and never asked again.
Almost everyone who knew our family never failed to remind me about what a wonderful person my father was. The Elders constantly told me about how my father was one of the youngest to be elected an Elder in the history of our people. Others often spoke fondly of times they had spent with my father and had shown a great desire to meet the man again. Father had apparently gained some sort of idol status within the younger Narayani. It was not uncommon to hear the youngsters proudly declaring that they wanted to be "just like Saavedro" when they grew up. I could never understand what was it that Father did that gained him that idol status but never asked. It seemed to be one of those "you'll understand when you're older" topics.
I first realized that Father was absent when I was about four years old. I had spent the night at a friend's house and had noted that there was a man around. Being the curious child I was, I asked my friend about the man and was told he was her father. Having spent about just my entire, but short, life without a father, I found this concept of 'Father' strange. It was only after numerous askings that Mother finally relented and told me that Father had gone away from some time and would only be back when he was finished with whatever it was that he was doing.
For most of my childhood, I accepted that answer and constantly told myself that Father was away and busy and that he would return when he was finished.
Mother finally told me the truth when I was nearing my 22nd year. She called to me softly and told me that I was finally old enough. Old enough to know the truth. Over course of the considerably-one-sided conversation, I learned about Atrus and his Linking books. And about the civil war that nearly destroyed Narayan. And of the curuelty and greed of Sirrus and Achenar. And of how Father had followed them all those years ago in an attempt to get them to right the wrong they had done.
Mother was just finishing up the tale when we heard a loud rapping of the front door knocker. I rushed up to recieve our guests and was greeted by the worried face of Elder Shenren. Mother stood behind me, a worried look on face. The Elders never came to "disturb" the rest of the people unless in times of great danger.
Elder Shenren requested we follow him to the glide ship dock and all we could do was obey. My mind was filled with a thousand questions as we walked a respectably distance behind Elder Shenren.
When we arrived at the dock, there was considerable chaos. The watchman, who had been stationed there after the incidents with Sirrus and Achenar, had gone running to the Elders with news that the glide ship was heading towards the Lattice tree.
Everyone watched with awe and a slight fear as the glide ship glided to a stop and a haggard man stepped out. The man's eyes scanned the crowd, as if searching for a familiar face. His eyes kept wondering back to Mother and I.
"Saavedro? Is that you" I heard Mother whisper. The man looked at her with longing in his eyes.
"Tamra, it's me. I'm back." The man replied to Mother's whisper. I was stunned. Was that man my long lost father? Was he finally back after 20 years?
"Father?" I asked in a half-whisper.
The man turned to me and nodded. He then gestured to us to come forward and embraced the three of us. I could not help but smile. Father was finally home and I was still young enough to learn what was it like to have a father.