LOREN
While the summoner didn’t know exactly what was going on with Peter, it couldn’t be good. Indeed, the other man’s reaction to Loren’s tangent seemed abnormal, somehow, as if Peter hadn’t wanted to deter the tale with his words. The longer they spent together, the more the summoner realized how different they were. After all, if they actually were similar, he would have some hint what was going on in the other man’s mind, and Loren would at least have some idea what to say.
As it stood, all he could do was continue talking, and hope it was what Peter wanted to hear. If not, well, at least the summoner could tell the other man about their now shared family; seeing as no one had chosen to enlighten Peter, at the end of this, Loren wouldn’t be surprised if the other man rejected this dark heritage. Indeed, if the summoner felt he had a choice in the matter, he would’ve left it behind long ago. As it stood, he felt shackled to it, both because of the few relatives he had remaining and because the one time he’d left, it had resulted in disaster for everyone.
So, curling his fingers around his now lukewarm mug, Loren continued the story without missing a beat. ”Words and scars both. But that wasn’t the worst of it. You see, because they valued power and obedience before all else, the head of the family was chosen because they were the strongest in the most destructive of magics, the person that could do the most damage to others. The one that could keep everyone else in line. That meant constant struggling for power, and the cruelest, most ruthless, rose to the top.” Pausing to take a sip of his tea—and to let it all sink in for Peter—the summoner peered at the other man over the top of the mug. ”But even that wasn’t the most horrifying part of it.” No, that had come after they’d managed to establish themselves and grow the family, and had realized the full scope of the oath.
As it stood, all he could do was continue talking, and hope it was what Peter wanted to hear. If not, well, at least the summoner could tell the other man about their now shared family; seeing as no one had chosen to enlighten Peter, at the end of this, Loren wouldn’t be surprised if the other man rejected this dark heritage. Indeed, if the summoner felt he had a choice in the matter, he would’ve left it behind long ago. As it stood, he felt shackled to it, both because of the few relatives he had remaining and because the one time he’d left, it had resulted in disaster for everyone.
So, curling his fingers around his now lukewarm mug, Loren continued the story without missing a beat. ”Words and scars both. But that wasn’t the worst of it. You see, because they valued power and obedience before all else, the head of the family was chosen because they were the strongest in the most destructive of magics, the person that could do the most damage to others. The one that could keep everyone else in line. That meant constant struggling for power, and the cruelest, most ruthless, rose to the top.” Pausing to take a sip of his tea—and to let it all sink in for Peter—the summoner peered at the other man over the top of the mug. ”But even that wasn’t the most horrifying part of it.” No, that had come after they’d managed to establish themselves and grow the family, and had realized the full scope of the oath.
But don’t be weary if it’s broken
Families are like that—
they’re split up and always torn.
