Something Peculiar

12

It was impossible. I wanted to correct her. There must be some mistake. Nothing as stunning and elegant as that could spawn me. I was awkward and impulsive. Her hair was like silk, and as it had been pointed out to me before, my hair was like a Brillo pad. I couldn't be related to her.

"Ah. I see she did not," Hye-kyo said. "From your bewildered expression, I take it you don't even believe me. but let me assure you, there is no mistaking who you are. I personally chose the Kim family for you and delivered you to them myself. Lisa is the best tracker we have, so there is no way you could be anyone else but my daughter."

"I'm sorry," I stumbled out an apology. "I didn't mean to question you. I just..."

"I understand. You're still used to normal human way of being. That will all change soon," Hye-kyo promised. "Did Lisa explain anything to you about Trylle?"

"Not really," I admitted carefully, afraid that I might get her in trouble.

"I'm certain you have many questions, but let me explain everything to you, and if you still have questions, you can ask me when I'm done." Hye-kyo had a coldness to her voice, and I doubted I'd ever be able to question her on anything.

"Trylle are, to the layman a troll, but that term is antiquated and demeaning, and as you can tell, it doesn't do us justice at all." Hye-kyo gestured to the expanse of the room, with all its grace and luxury, and I nodded. "We are beings closely related to humans, but more in tune with ourselves. We have abilities, intelligence, and beauty that far surpass that of humans. There are two important distinctions to our lifestyle as Trylle that separate us from the humans," Hye-kyo continued. "We want to live a quiet life communing with the earth and ourselves. We work to strengthen our abilities and use them to better our lives, to protect ourselves and the things around us. We devote our entire lives to this. Förening exists only to preserve and enhance the Trylle way of life. The other distinction is how we maintain this lifestyle. although it isn't that different really." She looked thoughtfully out the window. "Human children have their boarding schools, but they prepare them for a life of servitude. That's not what we what. We want a life of complete and total freedom. That is why we have changelings. Changelings are a practice that dates back hundreds, maybe thousands of years." Hye-kyo looked at me graveyard, and I gulped back the growing nausea in my belly.

"Originally, we were more forest dwellers, less ... industrialized than you see now. Our children were prone to starvation and medical problems, and we did not have an adequate educational system. So. we'd leave our babies in place of human children could offer, then when they were old enough, they would come back to us. That practice evolved because we evolved. Changelings were healthier, more educated, and wealthier than the Trylle counterparts that stayed behind," Hye-kyo said. "Eventually, every child born became a changeling. Now we could easily match the benefits of the human population, but to what end? In order to maintain that level, we'd have to leave the solace of the compound and spend our lives doing menial jobs. We leave our children with the most sophisticated, wealthiest human families. The changelings live a childhood that is the best think world has to offer, and then return with an inheritance from their host families that infuses our society with cash. That, of course, isn't the only goal, but it is a large part of how we can live like this. The money you obtain from your host family will be how you will be able to live the rest of your life."

"Wait. I'm sorry. I know I'm not supposed to interrupt, but..." I licked my lips and shook my head. "I just had to clarify a few points."

"By all means," Hye-kyo said, hut venom dripped from her voice.

"When I was a baby, you gave me.to strangers to raise me so I could have a good education, a good childhood, and I would bring money back. Is that right?"