Brother?!
It was a word Lucian hated to hear. Every time someone called him brother, they said it with distaste. It reminded him of his hateful brothers.
But today when Roshan called him brother, he detected no distaste in his tone. It was rather playful and for a short moment, Roshan felt like a brother.
Lucian shook his head in denial of his feelings. Why would Roshan feel like a brother? That man was annoying. Still, Lucian had to admit there was a sincerity in Roshan's eyes that made him feel cared for. Like an older brother caring for his younger one.
He shook his head again. Maybe he was being like this because he had always wished to be treated like a younger brother by his older ones. Brothers who showed him nothing but contempt.
He sighed frustrated.
"Is everything alright?" Hazel spoke next to him in a sleepy tone. She had her eyes closed in the darkness and was almost falling asleep.
"Yes. Everything is alright." He whispered.
She mumbled something and then fell asleep. Lucian studied her face in the darkness. He could still not believe that he was going to be a father. Of course, he was happy but he was also fearful. Now with witches and demons chasing him, he was afraid they would hurt Hazel and his child. That's why he finally decided to speak to his parents.
No, he wouldn't forgive them, but he was going to use them to protect his family. He was also going to work on learning his powers and becoming stronger.
Hazel turned back and forth next to him. She seemed to be having a bad dream. Lucian pulled her into his arms and eventually she calmed down and he fell asleep as well.
As usual, Lucian woke up early in the morning. Hazel was still asleep. Putting on some clothes he walked out to the garden. He loved early mornings when the sun hadn't risen completely yet, and the sky was painted with different shades of pink and orange. He liked the cold morning breeze and the sounds of birds singing. It was strange, he was drawn to the darkness yet enjoyed the colors of an early morning.
But who had come to disturb this peaceful moment?
"Your mother likes early mornings. She says it's the birth of a new day. After a long time of darkness, you can finally see the light. That's what she felt when she gave birth to you. That she finally saw the light and therefore she named you Lucian, meaning light."
Light? It was his mother who named him?
Lucian turned to his father. "I don't appreciate you coming here." He said.
"I thought you wanted to use me?"
Lucian clenched his jaw. "You owe me that at least. Don't you think?"
"I owe you more than that and I am here to give."
Then why didn't you appear earlier? Why didn't you give earlier? When I needed to.
"You can hate me all you want. I am not here to seek forgiveness." His father spoke. "I am here to be useful. I want to help you."
The thing was that Lucian wanted his father to seek forgiveness or at least explain himself. He didn't want to hate. He was tired of hating.
"Lucian." His father's tone softened which surprised him. "No explanation is good enough and I am not deserving of your forgiveness. I told you I wanted you dead. You are alive because of your mother."
Something felt strange. It was the feeling in which his father spoke. Lucian knew this feeling. He knew the familiar look in his father's eyes. He had seen that look a million times before, when he looked himself in the mirror.
