My face gave away my confusion, and she smiled for me to sit and wait.
Something was off.
But I did sit.
What was going on? Why was Aunty so odd? I watched her by the stove and waited. She turned with the oats, leaving my bread and fruits alone. I stood to gather them and she waved me down. She sat at the table with me, still saying nothing.
“Did you want to talk about yesterday?” I asked.
Her eyes bulged, but she still remained quiet.
“The letter? The seal? You knew it.”
Again,nothing.
“Are you just going to ignore me?” I wasn’t an angry person, but my temper was beginning to flare. Why was she acting like this?
Aunty began serving the oats, taking care to slop some into my bowl strongly. It splashed onto my dress. “Aunty,” I said, sliding back. “What’s going on?”
“Eat up child,” she said. Her eyes darted quickly away from me and then back to the bowl.
“No, we need to talk about yesterday,” I said. “We need to talk about the letter and seal that you recognized.”
“You need to eat, child.”
“You need to tell me the truth.” I pushed the bowl away, and as hungry as I was, I had to make a statement.
“I would like you to go to the market for me, please?”
“What?” I stared at Aunty in incredulity, why was she being so odd? “I need you to tell me the truth.”
She stood then, went back to the stove, and took a small list she’d been writing. “Oscar is already expecting you.” She handed it to me.
“I am not a child, I am a grown woman. I have come of age. I’ve–I’ve learned things.” My mind flashed with everything I’d read throughout the night. The truth of my parents. The prophecy. Where my mother was waiting…Jebra. “I know about my parents.”
Aunt Teetee’s face flashed fear and turned white, then an instant later, was red and angry. “Don’t you mention any of that!” she spat. “Never utter those words again.”
“I know they were royalty. I know that Lady Skol killed my father and–”
She dove towards me, clamping a hand over my mouth, pressing herself against my body. “Quiet silly girl,” she hissed. “Do not–”
“Let me go.” I struggled free of her grip, wriggling from her arms and away. “Have you always kept this from me? Have you always–”
“Shhh!” she hissed. She stood tall, rising like a serpent of the sands. Anger was in her eyes. She moved forward. “Don’t you dare speak of those traitors!”
“Traitors?” My heart broke.Traitors?
Aunty lunged again and I jumped away. She’d gone mad. Had all of my life been a lie? Everything I’d thought I’d ever known? She lunged again for me and I dodged.
I couldn’t be here with her.
I turned and ran away from her and out the house. Who was this woman? Had I gone to my room she probably would’ve burned incense of Rylewort and Lillydaff. I would have been asleep in minutes. Only to awake with no letter, no pendant, and no more truth.
I sprinted with tears in my eyes. Unsure where I was heading or when I would stop. People were in my way and carts in abundance. The guards watched me and spoke in low tones, the Inspectors enquired me with their eyes and only saw guilt.
But in Outer Lassig, a crying running girl was the norm for some of the brutish men that roamed.
I collapsed in an alleyway and finally allowed myself to cry. I was exhausted and the tears and sobs pulled at me. I wiped tears away only for others to replace them. What had happened? How had my life changed so quickly? I felt my pockets for my letter and pendant.
