A fantasy short story set in Tybraes. Early in Khes Adaia’s youth she learned the hard lesson of how people perceived her. From this, and guidance from her mother, Lihaan, she shaped her perception of herself and who she wanted to be. This story gives a tender look into the lessons between mentor and trainee, and mother and daughter. A sage, well-trained Nelenr monk passes on wisdom and skills to a youth struggling with who she is. That monk just happens to be her mother.
Content Warning: prejudice
Excerpt:
Lihaan studied her a long, quiet moment, the silence of which made Khes shift in discomfort. When, finally, she spoke, her voice was soft with concern. “Why are the Jasuuk to be so hated? Why do you hate them so? Have you ever known a Jasuuk? Perhaps you should not reject this part of yourself so fervidly.”
“They are vaherathiet—betrayers! They help to enslave us. Is that not reason enough to hate them?”
“That is not all Jasuuk who help the slavers, and it is not only Jasuuk. And the betrayal you speak of cost them as dearly as it cost us all. Some believe that it was not their betrayal, but the Shae who betrayed the trust of the Jasuuk, who took advantage of their hospitality and abused their naïvete.” Lihaan studied her daughter closely as she spoke. “After all, if they had betrayed us all, would they not have benefited, and yet, they too were enslaved and lost the Cattedrale.”
Khes flexed her fingers and inclined her head in her discomfort with such notions. Her voice was taut as she murmured, “You should never let Venerate Boann hear you speak this way. It is not the history she teaches.”
Leaning forward, Lihaan smirked as she whispered, “It is not impossible for Venerate Boann to be wrong.”
Stretching her fingers down to touch the grass, Khes avoided looking at her mother as she quietly challenged, “You only defend them because you fell in love with one of them.”