Asher the Insane

70 - The Queen's Journey Part 02 - The Children

Baohu Ta wasn't a delicate father to both his biological son Wangguo and his adopted daughter Aini.

And even if Aini knew and rejected him as her actual father, they both accepted the roles of father and daughter. He still loved her just as much as if she were his own.

He didn't mind knowing that her real father was the Emperor and that one day she had to take up the throne.

Just as both her mother and father were, she was the only heir of their family and that meant that the heavy responsibility of the future of the empire would be placed upon her shoulders.

Ta was aware that the first lesson in life he would have to impart to Aini was humility.

"Just because we were born into something doesn't mean we have to take it for granted."

This lecture was also extended to his son, who was a descended from the distinguished line of the Baohu family, who often were famous artisans and, usually, remarkable warriors.

As any member of the family, he had automatically received the unique family skill of [Chosen Tool]

When a member of the Baohu family reached puberty, they had to, per tradition, permanently choose a tool to assign the skill to.

Everything a descendant of the Baohu family saw potential in, they could turn into that tool.

Hammers, scissors, wrenches, axes, why even forks and spoons, though because of their family's specialty, for most it was a weapon, a sharp sword, a flowing bow, a fierce spear.

Ta's tool was an enchanted guandao that his own father, Ta the Elder, had crafted for him, enchanted by old family magic, so that its blade would never dull and its grip would never wear down, engraved with his family's motto.

"Faith through struggle." A saying that could be traced back to their lineage since the reign of the fifth emperor, Diwu Rencheng.

Unlike most of the Baohu family, Ta the Elder did not use a weapon, instead a forging hammer, and thanks to his impeccable and unrivaled talent, he was renowned throughout the empire. Gaining enough fame for him to be hired to be the personal smith of the royal courts. Forging all the personal and ceremonial armor and weapons, the royals and other high-ranking members of the courts demanded of him.

Wangguo, with his fiery personality, always had a predisposition toward being a warrior.

He went with a dao, a single-edged saber typical of old Alaranian culture.

After making his decision, Ta started to forge his son a sword, just like his father had done for him and even though he was not as talented as his father before him, if he were still alive, he'd still be proud of the quality of the newly forged sword.

Ta knew that his son's specialty was speed, so the enchantment he gave the blade was one that made it as light as air.

Aini, on the other hand, was not a natural warrior; rather, only under distress and continued insistence did Ta persuade her to pick up a weapon.

She reluctantly forced herself to learn much of what the clan, made up of brilliant warriors, considered to be the most fundamental of battle and self-defense techniques.

She was more of an intellectual, who preferred to employ her cunning over her, mostly lacking, physical prowess.

Even the children's intrinsic abilities revealed who they were.

Wangguo's [Paced Tempo] gradually sped up throughout any disagreement--it wasn't even necessary for the quarrel to be tied to battle.

And Aini's [Relative Ease] was a highly useful supporting style skill. Everyone she had regarded as an ally had a speedier rate of recovery and toughness--not enough to ensure that they would evade and survive lethal wounds, but enough to be noticeable.

The children had grown up as if they were brother and sister, but soon they were told that they weren't of the same blood. Baohu did not want to keep the truth from them and as soon as they fully understood the importance of both of their identities, he told them.

Even though their personalities were fundamental opposites, they quickly became best friends, despite all the struggles that followed with children, scrapped knees and hurt feelings.