FREAK

29. FALLEN

CHAWARIN POV

the moment ayberk asked me to come with him, the entire family all filed out and into the wide garden outside where the event will take place. as ayberk pulled me away and into a room, i was surprised to see the two out of the big three in front of me. ayberks uncle alexander and his mom, ethan. ethan doesnt look like himself right now. he looks a bit pale and deshiveled. its as if he constantly been haunted by something.

"hello, rin. im sorry for this uncalled for meeting away from the rest but i think we need to tie some loose ends here." alexander motioned at ethan.

"yeah, maybe. im already tired of all of this. i just really need some closure otherwise, me and ayberk will drift apart for sure and i dont want that for my son. ive lived my whole life deprived of any parent figure and i dont intend for that to my son as well." i replied. since weve all come down to this, i might as well speak my mind out. all the fluffiness i felt earlier, evaporated all of a sudden.

"rin.. i..." ethan started.

"no, i have to let this one out first and im sorry in advance for being too rude and straightforward but MY family is on the line here. its not just being a part of your family and the responsibilities that came with it. i know its not supposed to be all about me but its about my son and im so traumatized by what happened, i dont trust people anymore. i know that you have your share of worries and dilemma as well... finishing the mission and all that but sir, have you ever considered your grandsons safety when you chose to let us be in the dark and deprived us the opportunity to prepare myself for the coming threat and protect my son in my stomach somehow in the process? sir, youve got sons as well. your own flesh and blood. if you were in my shoes that very moment when that dagger hovered over my stomach and on my son, what would you feel? i was so devastated and was ready to call everything quits and just pray that theyll take care of my son one way or the other and not be with me in the afterlife. these past few months already have been a torture for me everytime i recall that moment whenever i see my sons sleeping face. if i could, i could cry a river over my sons peaceful presence sir. i dont know if you had ever felt alone or helpless amongst all the crude and cruel world like my own before ayberk found me but if you did, i know you would never had done what you nonchalantly brushed off as nothing but a passing notion and justified it as caring and concern on my part. i love your son dearly, sir ethan, but if its like this whenever theres a conflict and if ayberk has to choose again between us and his duties, its better off that well part right here, right now before the light on my sons eyes get snuffed out because of another plot we never knew about." i said tears flowed out of my stinging eyes. after i did, i felt like the weight of the world left my shoulders but i stand firm on what i said.

"given... given that this mission was a long standing one and we almost lost all hope to... to rescue the captives in that cave, im sorry to say but at that time it was just like what you had accused of me, rin. im so ashamed right now that i made that decision entirely focused on others when i should be protecting our own. im sorry, rin." ethan approached me and i was not ready for what he did after. he grabbed both of my hands and knelt before me. the emperor. the king of all kings of the supernaturals. knelt to someone like me. me who was never meant to be alive the moment my parents abused me and deprived me of how wonderful life should be. me who was thrown out like garbage because of some stupid belief. me who had already gave up and drifted through just to survive the streets.

"rin im so sorry. you were never meant to be part of that mission in the first place. ayberk pleaded me over and over again but that cults target was you all along. it can never be done without you, rin, and you knowing about the mission will only just compromise the strategy i laid out. im not justifying my actions rin. im not trying to clear my name here and never intended to. its all my fault, rin. my fault. ayberk did all he could to make all kinds of plans but in the end it boils down to you being in the dark to avoid suspicion on their part."