The Familiars of the Lost Witch (ONC 2024)

9. Teen

In his dreams he was still a little boy, not older than three, trying to follow his fathers footsteps across the garden, bumping into him and laughing. As he fell over and wanted to cry, his mother would humm a melody and stroke his hear. Even in his dreams he couldn't see their faces, their voices sounded far away, he could just feel their warmth. A warmth he still longed for.

He remembered the sadness he felt, when his father left them, when it seemed like he hadn't existed at all, erased from his mothers memories. His father only lived in his own memories, hardly more than a shadow, but still alive.

He remembered how he became a stranger in his own home, witnessing his mother founding a new family with a different man. How nice she would be to him and how it hurt her every time she saw him and remembered she had a son. She was so happy when she forgot him. So he left like his father.

The last happy memory he had of his family, was the warmth of the little hand that grabed his finger, a memory burned inside of his heart. Her first smile, laugh, cry, they were so precious. Even after he had left everything behind, he would still come just to look through the window and witness her first words, steps, everything. He was happy, when she was.

But then misfortune hit the happy family, the mother that forgot her first husband and son, the second, believed to be first, husband and their child. They were poor, their only resource food and money that was left by a kind stranger on their doorstep. But even he couldn't help them against the illness.

Only the child survived. There was no other known family, so she was sent to an orphanage. One of many children that had lost their parents through war and illnesses.

Even though she wouldn't remember him, he would always care for her, leaving everything he could get his fingers on and didn't need for his own survival on the doorsteps of the orphanage in the hope she would get some of it. Only on her birthday he would leave a little present in her window with her name on it.

She once called him his "guardian angel", he had overheard and it had put a sad smile on his face. She would never really know him, his curse would prevent her from remembering him. Oh how he wished to talk to her about their parents, ask if she remembered them.

He dreamed about a future together, how he would weave flowers in her hair and laugh together. How they would eat sweet desserts until they were full, play and sleep and read together.

He woke with a bittersweet taste in his mouth, his dream still lingering on his mind. What a silly dream. He was cursed and if they didn't find the witch he would stay cursed forever till his death.

Normally he wouldn't allow himself to think like that, but Asha's questions seemed to have reminded him of his fate. He had also never told anyone about his sister, even though they wouldn't remember anything after he turned his back on them.

Asha would remember, but he still told her. It had just came out like he didn't even intend to, but for some reason it felt like a weight hat lifted off of his shoulders.

He took a deep breath, realising in the first light of the day that he was the only one awake. Kyrell and Asha still slept side by side. He was glad they couldn't see his watery eyes, another remnant of his dream, and wiped his face with his sleeve.

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wordcount:
chapter: 627 words
in total: 10.972 words

Sad backstory unlocked, now you know more about his tragic life. :'D

And just know, I have thought everything through with his curse, it's not random! ;D