THE EASTERN EMPIRE
MILES AWAY FROM WHITE MOUNTAIN PACK
Riaz’s Point Of View
Breathing heavily, I set under a palm tree on the beach. I took off the hoodie of my cloak and reached for the bottle of water in my backpack. Like a thirsty camel, I gulped it down thirstily. I’ve been journeying for a whole week. I didn’t know what I was thinking when I left the pack.
Maybe I just couldn’t take it. It was hard walking and seeing him. He rejected me. I was no longer a brother nor a friend to him. I was just Riaz. I thought, maybe I should pretend like I was not affected. Maybe I should act as I’ve always done but I couldn’t. Even if I could, my pretense would fall the moment I see him with a woman so I decided it was best to leave. I wouldn’t be able to bear the heartache so I left. I had nowhere to go. I didn’t know where I came from. No friends from outside so I just kept walking. I kept walking until I got to this beach.
Gosh, why is the sun so harsh over here? It’s scorching hot and I feel like my insides are being set on fire. I looked around where I was but I couldn’t find anyone. This place is deserted but there is a lone hut at a distance.
“Maybe I’ll find someone there,”
I closed the lid of my water bottle and used the tree trunk as support as I stood. I had to squint my eyes to prevent the sun from hurting my eyes. My eyes are quite sensitive. I dragged my feet tiredly through the hot sand as I approached the hut. There was thin smoke escaping from the chimney.
About ten minutes later, I got to the hut. I knocked on the door but I got no reply.
Is no one home? Maybe their not nearby.
Just as I raised my hand to knock again, slowly, the door swung open inwardly. Revealing a very old woman. She had tangled grey hair and very wrinkled skin.
“Who might you be?” She asked in a frail voice.
“Um… good afternoon, ma’am. If you don’t mind, can I crash here? The sun is too much and…”
“Ah…” She breathed, stepping closer as she stared intensely at me. “A witch’s child,” she said smilingly, revealing her almost empty dentition. She seemed more amused than excited. I eyed her like she was crazy. I hope she’s not one creepy old woman.
“What is a witch’s child doing out here alone? Your kind don’t do well in hot weather,” she said and I nodded.
“I’m… I’m on a journey,” I said out of breath. She kissed her teeth and shook her head. “You seem lost if you ask me.”
“Um…”
Yes. Yes, I am lost.
“Come in,” she told me and my heart danced in joy. She left the door ajar for me to enter and I stepped in. I shuddered as a wave of coldness hit my skin the moment I stepped in. I felt relaxed and I could finally breathe well. I don’t know what kind of witch my mother was but I certainly know she could die in a hot place but dwell in ice. That’s why I prefer winter to summer.
“You shouldn’t be walking in such a condition, child,” she said as she passed me a cup. I collected it with a brisk bow and looked into it. Iced coffee. I gulped it down in a go.
“Thank you,”
“Sit,” I sat on an old leather chair and took a sip of the coffee. Gosh! It’s so good.
“So why didn’t you leave home prepared? You should have a pack of ice with you or something,”
“I kinda… ran away from home so..”
She raised her grey brows shadily and cackled. “I see.”
“And it wouldn’t be a problem if I had ice powers but sadly, I don’t,” I said in disappointment.
She smiled. “You don’t need that to be special, child.” She said and I smiled.
“So why did you run away from home?”
My face fell as she asked that question. “It’s a long story,”
“I don’t think it is.”
“I… I’d rather not talk about it,” I said with finality. I don’t want to appear rude but I’d hate it if she kept asking me why I left home.
She hummed. “So you ran away from home and now, you’re on a journey.” She said and I nodded.
“And how far are you from your destination?”
I sighed. “I’m pretty far. I don’t even know where I’m going, to be honest. All my life, I’ve always lived for others. I’ve shaped my personality to please every single person I’ve met in my life. I only know my name. I don’t know who I really am so I just… I just wanna discover myself.”
She chuckled. “What of your family?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know them. I only remember my mother, vaguely, but I still remember the song she used to sing to me.”
“Can you sing it?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know the lyrics, only the tune.”
She nodded. “Either way,”
I nodded and began to hum the melody to the song. As I hummed, memories of my mother came flooding into my head. Her beautiful smile and her warm hug. Her scent which was lavender. She would cry when I hurt myself and laugh when I laugh. She was everything. My first love.
I concluded the song and opened my eyes, only to see the old woman staring at me in a trance. Her eyes were watery and her lips quivered like she was trying so hard not to cry.
“Ma’am?” I called.
She sniffled. “You have a such beautiful voice, my child,” she said and I smiled.
“I recognize that melody.” She said and my ears perked up in excitement. That means she must know my origins.
“Really?”
She nodded. “But that song is not from here. It’s from the Red Orleans.” She said and I tilted my head in confusion. I’d never heard that name before.
“Red Orleans? Where’s that? Is it a country? How do I get there?”
“That’s the thing, child. There is no direction. It is believed that if you’re wanted there, you’d find your way there yourself.”
I frowned. What the hell is that supposed to mean? “That does not make any sense.”
She laughed in amusement. “Wow, I can’t believe this. You sound just like her.”
“Huh?”
“That was the same thing someone told me.”
“Who?”
“A bright and beautiful young woman. She had sparkling blue eyes like yours and she made the same comment when I told her how to get to Red Orleans.”
I adjusted my seat. “You talk as if she’s gone.”
She shook her head sadly. “I haven’t heard from her for a long time.”
“So you conclude she’s gone? You should look for her. Isn’t that the right thing to do?”
“Look at me. I can barely move. I’m in here all day and night.”
I looked at her feet and realized she was on crutches. Why didn’t I see this earlier? Gosh, me and my mouth.
“Oh,” I mouthed in realization and she sighed. “I’m sorry,” I said and she shook her head.
“If I could go out to find her, I would have.” She said regretfully. I went to her and took her hands in mine. She had guilt in her eyes and I could tell she blamed herself for whatever happened to the woman.
“I’m sure she understands. And besides, if she’s really alive and not visiting you, it’s not your fault! With the way you explained it, she seems like a daughter to you so why would a daughter discard her mother?”
She chuckled. “You have a weird way of comforting someone.”
“I’ve been told that lots of times. But my way works all the time.”
She nodded. “I do feel a little bit better.” She said and I smiled smugly. I let her hand go and went to sit back down.
“Did you have a family from where you’re coming from?” She asked and I smiled.
“Yes, I did. My alpha is the warmest and kindest person on earth. Even my soon-to-be luna is an angel!” I said and she chuckled.
“That’s good to hear. You can stay here till tomorrow so you can set out on your journey,” she said and I nodded. I left home. I don’t have anyone to call family now. Maybe it is time to trace back my origin. Who exactly am I? Who are the ones who birthed me? How did I end up on the grounds of White Mountain Pack?
No matter how much I try to remember, I just can’t recollect my memories. My memories didn’t matter back then because I took Ace as my life. There was no one and nothing more important than he was. All that mattered was what Ace thought of me. Did he like my dress? What did he think of my dress today? Has Ace eaten? Is Ace back from the mission? These questions were always in my head. I forgot about myself. About the Riaz I once was.
Now is the time to discover me. It is time to know where Riaz came from. What his life was before he met Ace. His real origins. His parents. Did he have any friends? Or anyone he had feelings for? What’s the name of his coven?
“What’s your name, child?” She asked.
“Riaz,” I replied and she smiled.
“You can call me Granny Namo.”
“Okay.”
She provided me with a warm blanket which I covered my body with in the night. She served me roasted potatoes for dinner before I retired to bed. I woke up the next day very early in the morning. Even the cock hadn’t crowed.
Granny Namo was not in when I woke up. I sat up and yawned sleepily. I got off the bed and exited the hut. She was standing by a fire lit in front of the hut, staring into the distance as she hummed the melody of my song. When she noticed my presence, she turned to me.
“You’re up,” she said and I nodded.
I approached her and stopped in front of her.
“Here,” she said as she passed me a bag.
“What’s this?”
“I packed you a few things you might need. If you go empty-handed, you might die,” She said and I smiled appreciatively.
“Thank you,”
“It’s the least I can do.” She faced the sea. “You should set out early. You have a long journey ahead of you.”
She took my hand and squeezed it assuringly. “Be careful, child. The journey to that place isn’t going to be smooth.” She said and I nodded.
“You told me I’d find my way there myself. How do I know I’m treading the right path?” I asked and she smiled.
“You’d know. Your spirit would tell you.”
I nodded and she pulled me into a hug. She squeezed me warmly. For a split second, I felt some kind of familiarity towards her. “Be careful, Riaz.”
I nodded against her shoulder. “I will,” I said and she sniffled. Why is she crying? Is she just emotional or there’s something else to it?
I let her go and said, “once I accomplish my mission, I’ll come back here to visit.”
“That is a promise.”
I nodded and stretched out my pinky. “I promise,” I said and she intertwined her pinky with mine.
“I’ll be expecting you.” She said and I nodded. I strapped the backpack to my back and began to walk away. I turned to wave at her one last time before proceeding to leave. My heartbeat increased with every step I took. For some reason, I fear. I fear what is waiting for me on the other side. I paused in my tracks and looked back to see if Granny Namo was still there and she was. She waved at me and mouthed good luck. I smiled at her and waved back. I adjusted my backpack and braced myself for the journey ahead of me.
Red Orleans, here I come.