The flying Paladin

Chapter 20

Read with Caution: heavy topics are discussed here. 

"Wait wait wait," Pidge said, staring at me in shock. "Hold the fuck up. What did you just say?!"

"My sister has--"

"No before that."

"My sister kidnapped me?"

"Yeah that one." she said before placing her hands together and inhaling deeply. "How the fuck."

"Yeah man, I'm super confused," Hunk said. "Why would your sister kidnap you? And if she's your sister, then doesn't she have wings too?"

"It's....complicated.." I said looking away from him. I didn't really want them to know about all this. Stupid Allura with her stupid bonding exercises. 

"Elaborate."

"Pidge I really don't wanna--"

"The whole truth."

I sigh. "My sister, Camilla, is not my full sister. She's my half sister. When mi mama was twenty she was taken advantage of when she was drunk at a party. Mama never knew who the father was but she refused to get rid of Camilla."

"Oh.....so she doesn't have the trait?" Pidge asked.

"Yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck. "I don't really get it, because, you know, genetics are confusing. But what I do know is, in order for someone to be born with the wings trait, it has to have the genetic code on both sides of the family tree. For instance, mi mama y papa both have wings. So all of my siblings have the trait too. All except Camilla."

"Why did you guys keep her?" Pidge asked. Shiro sent a heavy glare her way. "What? It's a legit question. Most people don't want to keep the baby from a raping. It's a traumatic memory and every time they see the kid...they just get reminded of it." 

"I understand what you mean but.." I said looking away from them. "Mama loved Camilla. It wasn't Camilla's fault that she was made, ya know. It's not fair to punish a baby for something that was out of their control."

"We understand Lance," Shiro said kindly. "Please, continue."

"It was obvious that Camilla wasn't fully related to us," I continued, looking into my lap. "Everyone had tan skin, brown hair and a mixture of blue and brown eyes. Camilla was pale, she had redish hair and brown eyes. She didn't exactly fit in with Cuba. Which probably meant Camilla's father was a foreigner.

"Camilla was the oldest of seven and I always looked up to her. She was so nice, always helping mama around the house and reading bed-time stories to the younger kids. But I was also jealous." 

"Jealous?" Hunk inquired. "Why would you be jealous of her?" 

"She was allowed outside." I shrugged. "She didn't have to hide. And that's all I ever wanted."

"But, I don't understand," Pidge said. "You were able to hide yourself when you were at the Garrison. And here. Why couldn't you when you were at home?"

"I was little. I didn't understand the dangers. I thought that I was special. And I loved my wings. They were so pretty," I laughed at how foolish I was. "I didn't want to hide them."

"Oh."

"Well, if it's any consolation, I think your wings are beautiful." Keith said. I smiled and stretched my wings to their full length. 

"They are, aren't they?" I mused, looking at them as they glittered against the artificial castle lights. "She thought so too."

"Camilla?"