Her words were like a slap to the face. She didn’t care. She didn’t care that all he wanted was company and comfort. Though, he hadn’t necessarily shown that very well, whatsoever. It hurt to realize that, to realize that he had mistreated a woman, and one that had shown him mostly kindness since they’d met.
“Mercy have me. I have become the thing I hate most,”he whispered, shaking his head and sighing.
He glanced up at Valiel when she spoke again, then nodded. Taking a deep breath, he considered how to start.
“I was… Goliathans are a militant species. The entire species be one massive army, constantly training, constantly fighting. They are also a primary member of the Forest Council, a group of the most prominent species of Forestfolk on the island where I am from. War be a near constant in the forests, and brutality be prized among most. Those who attempt to change that… are made pariahs. I am among those,”he began.
De’Tearion paused for a moment as his mind drifted to memories of Agatha. He took another deep breath.
“My sister, my twin, Agatha, was leucistic. Her skin was almost completely white, like the clouds. Leucistic Goliathans are extremely rare, and are murdered while young to… ‘maintain the pure bloodlines’. Our mother protected her from that, before I was even aware of it. Yet, she died while we were both still young.”
De’Tearion reached up and took off his amulet, holding it out for Valiel to see.
“Agatha forged this amulet from our mother’s ashes. Our father, the Chancellor, leader of the entire species of Goliathans, cared not. And, when I realized that Agatha was being attacked, ridiculed and beaten senseless, I vowed to become Agatha’s protector. And, I became just as much a target as Agatha… for merely protecting my only sibling.
“Our father did nothing, except to eventually disown me in every way except name. Then, at the brink of the worst war the forests had seen in centuries, he died and I was made Chancellor. Had I been able to forsake that title and survive long enough to escape with Agatha, I would have done such. For everyone disrespected me, showed cruelty when my worthless father had done nothing of merit! And, that be without mentioning how much more willing my ‘Brethren’ were to attacking, both, me and dear Agatha. My own second-in-command tried to strangle me in my sleep, merely because he wanted to get to Agatha. If only I had killed that bastard then…”
Tears were already streaming from De’Tearion’s eyes, and, though he tried to compose himself, it didn’t work. He cradled his amulet in shaking hands, holding it against his chest.
“I ruled over those bastards for an entire millennium, spiting them at every opportunity for the countless wrongs they have done me, and especially Agatha. I broke many traditions, many laws, to protect her, and yet they called my actions, my loyalty to her, dishonor. Then, as a particular war came to a close, Agatha was wounded by a Goliathan blade wielded by a human hand. Goliathan weapons are soaked in a poison that deliberately has no cure. And, I was forced to watch Agatha wither away… until… until she…”
De’Tearion doubled over, barely containing a wail. He stayed like that for a moment, almost crumpling to his knees. But, he stubbornly composed himself just enough so he could finish his tale, and straightened.
“Agatha died in my arms. My little Agatha… and no one acknowledged it. Goliathans always, always, wail as one when a Goliathan dies, even having a ceremony of wails after a battle. No one wailed for Agatha, except me. The next night, I abdicated and exiled myself from the Forestfolk society. I vowed to avenge Agatha, and I kept to that, even when I barely remembered my own name.
“Near the end of my search for vengeance, I met a human princess named Mileena. She was the first person to treat me with kindness in centuries, and, even after I tried to eat her several times, she still treated me kindly. I fell for her, scraping my way out of the maelstrom of my mind, and earning my way to being by her side. Yet… I discovered that her father, the king, had held the blade that killed Agatha. In my rage, I murdered him in the throne room, in front of Mileena. She… cast me out, and I fled the island. I have regretted that moment ever since. Now, all I have left be Agatha’s amulet, which she gave me upon her death.”
De’Tearion gazed down at the amulet, tenderly caressing it. After a long moment, he turned back to Valiel.
“Now, you know the bulk of my tale. Yet, I wish to add one last thing. When you mentioned how little I had eaten last night, I gave you a vague answer, which had been rude, at best. ‘Tis true that my appetite has faded considerably over time, yet ‘tis also true that I am starving. ‘Tis also the third time I have starved myself, and I will admit that I nearly died in those two previous moments. You are the reason why I have avoided such outcome this time. You saved me from more than a troll, yet also from my own neglect. Also, to apologize for my… extremely foolish attempt to lie, something I am loathe to do, about why I healed you, I will answer honestly your question. I healed you, because, in my wounded state, I thought you were Mileena. That also be why I recognized you not after you healed me, because I had still thought it had been Mileena that I healed.”
He watched Valiel, a bit wary, considering how much he had just revealed about himself, but mostly resigned to whatever she decided was her next move. If Valiel decided to leave, then so be it. De’Tearion wouldn’t force her to stay.
(This became a bit longer than I was initially expecting, lmao!)
