Chapter 33: A Prank Goes Wrong

When the Conjurer took me into custody, I no longer had the willpower to fight back. The way you looked at me ... In many ways, I was a harsh father, perhaps even harsher than my own father was to me. I had to be in order to make sure that you grew up with the necessary strength to rule the Lurranna Clan. You feared me, but I don’t think you ever truly hated me. I think in part, you understood what I was trying to do ... what I was trying to make you. You knew that you were meant to be the future of the Lurranna Clan. But seeing the look in your eyes after your mother died, only then did I realize the truth. There would be no Lurranna Clan. We no longer had a future. All my plans and efforts had been a waste. I had made my son loathe me for no reason at all, because you suffered my abuse for your mother’s sake, not mine ... and I had taken even that from you.

Ryan regaled Hannah with his adventures of last year. She listened attentively for the majority of the tale, but just when he came to the part where Éclair got kidnapped, she stopped him with an unwanted question.

“Do you honestly expect me to believe that you kissed her on accident?” asked Hannah, wrinkling her nose.

Ryan spread out his hands in chagrin. “I’m uncoordinated, okay! Plus, I got the luck of a slapstick-prone cartoon character! If I was a Dwarf, they’d probably call me Clumsy! I don’t know how these things happen to me ... they just do, alright!”

Hannah sputtered, choking a little on her drink as she giggled furiously. “If it was anyone else, I’d doubt the validity of that story, but for you, it makes perfect sense. Though when I asked you to keep close to the girl, I didn’t mean that close.”

Ryan crossed his arms, pouting slightly. “I tried to tell her it was an accident, but she still slugged me pretty good. It’s like she enjoys causing me pain ... both physical and emotional.”

“Aww. My little moron’s growing up,” said Hannah mockingly as she pinched his cheeks. “Already chasing after girls. You started younger than your dad did. That man was a cold fish well into his thirties. Between his rivalry with the other students and his obsession to impress his mentors, I don’t think he even realized girls existed until he became a Third.”

“Thirties,” repeated Ryan. “But my dad wasn’t that old, was he? I mean, he didn’t even look older than forty.”

Hannah seemed to hesitate, as if she’d said something she wasn’t supposed to. “Ryan, how much did your father tell you about his time at the Ministry of Fire?”

Ryan shrugged. “Hardly anything, actually.”

Hannah scowled, brushing back a lose strand of her long blonde hair in annoyance. “I suppose that’s just like that man. He could be so oblivious sometimes. He’d never tell me anything unless I asked him for specific details. Still, I’d thought he’d share a little bit more with his own son.”

Ryan shuffled his feet absently, realizing that it was more than just a simple matter of his dad forgetting to fill him in. He knew his dad purposefully kept things from him about the Ministry. Both his parents did.

“Dad was a lot older than I thought he was, wasn’t he? I guess I probably should’ve figured that out by now. A lot of Elementals are older than they look. Even you.”

Hannah cleared her throat uncomfortably, leaning back against the snack table. “Well, I’m not an Elemental anymore, but you’re not wrong. You, yourself, will probably have a considerable lifespan being both an Elemental and part Saurian.”

Ryan grew quiet for a moment, at a loss for words at where the conversation went.

Hannah brought Ryan’s head up to face her, and she smiled at him gently. “Have breakfast with me tomorrow. We’ll meet at the café on the third level. You can finish telling me about all the mayhem you’ve cooked up in my absence. And in return, I can tell you stories about your father. Maybe shed some light about his life.”

Ryan instantly brightened up. Finally, someone who wanted to talk about his father. “Really, Auntie Hannah? You’d do that for me?”

Before Hannah could answer, someone stepped between the two of them and gave Ryan a big hug. It was one of the nerds from the Reject Squad. “Our fearless leader has returned!”

All at once, Ryan was bombarded by a myriad of acquaintances that he’d met during the second phase of the exam. They all crowded around him, clapping him on the shoulder and shaking his hand. Their unrestrained exuberance baffled Ryan, leaving him in stupefaction at the onslaught. There was even the freckle-faced girl that had kissed him. Though she had come with another date, she still smiled alluringly at him and winked.

“We all passed the preliminaries,” said Phil from the Reject Squad. “Can you believe it? Although we’d never have gotten this far if not for you.”

Ryan was overwhelmed by their unabashed praise, and he felt his cheeks going purple in embarrassment. “Guys ... I ... Really, it wasn’t that big of a deal!”

“Not that big of a deal!” Phil exclaimed. “Bloody hell, man! Don’t you know that you’re a legend now?!”

“You’re the big kahuna!” said another as others joined in.

“The main man!”

“The head honcho!”

“The big cheese! Though not the smelly kind, of course.”

“I think he’s a little smelly.”

“It’s true,” said the freckle-faced girl, though Ryan still couldn’t remember her name despite the fact that she kissed him once. “You’re a big deal now. Everyone’s talking about you. In the history of the wargames, no one’s ever thought about forming alliances and using turncoats to spy on their own teammates.”

Though the other candidates regarded him with obvious admiration, Ryan still felt like he was being cornered. He turned to Hannah for support, but she just nodded smilingly, mouthing the words, “We’ll talk later.” Then she subtly made her way towards the exit, leaving Ryan alone with his newly made sycophants.

What in the universe is wrong with Rachel?! Is this payback for what happened during the preliminaries?

Éclair finally had a date with the childhood crush, and she couldn’t even enjoy herself thanks to Rachel’s meddling. What’s worse, Leon had inadvertently made it clear that he came with her out of obligation, not out of genuine affection.

“Can I get you anything? A drink, perhaps?” asked Leon politely.

Éclair knew that he was just trying to be nice, but her wounded pride would have none of it. “Don’t put yourself out on my account. Even if I’m parched of thirst, you shouldn’t feel guilty. After all, I’m just a silly girl who needs an escort to a dance out of necessity, not because she’s actually worthy of attention. So now that your duty in that regard is fulfilled, what does it matter if I go thirsty? Nothing in the tradition dictates that you must keep me hydrated.”

Leon winced. “So, I’m in that much trouble, am I?”

Éclair puffed slightly, turning away and suddenly feeling very ashamed as she held herself above the waist of her gown. “It’s not your fault, Leon. Even in defeat, my stepsister has a way of ruining things for me.”

“Have I ruined things as well, though?”

Éclair bit her lip, refusing to face him. She was finding it increasingly difficult to stay angry at Leon. Given the emotional roller coaster she’d just been in with Rachel, and Grafael shortly after that, it was just too exhausting to stay angry.

“I don’t know. I ... I don’t think I should be here. There’s just too much on my mind right now. Too many things going on, vying for my attention. I’m sorry, Leon, but this was a mistake. I should be going.”

As Éclair turned to leave, Leon urgently took her by the wrist. She looked at him in surprise. He never acted this forward before.

Leon’s face appeared calm, but underneath his pristine features was a trace amount of anxiety. “Éclair. I know I have wronged you, and I apologize, but I would be inconsolable if we were to leave things off like this. So before you go, would you honor me with a dance?”

Éclair paused, then found herself smiling almost involuntarily. “Is that a requirement of your obligatory tradition?”

Leon shook his head. “No. But if I brought the most sought-after girl in the Fire Ministry to a party, and neglected to dance with her, most would rightfully condemn me as a fool.”

Éclair chuckled. “So, it’s a matter of your image that is at stake?”

“Sometimes, image is all a man has. But it would taste a lie to say that you don’t belong in that image with me,” said Leon slowly, regarding her intensely with those deep, dark eyes of his.

Éclair found herself once again entranced by those eyes, her indignation dissolving against them. Hundreds of girls sauntering around them gazed at Leon longingly, but he was only looking at her. Nothing else seemed to matter to him, and in that moment, nothing else mattered to her. Everything faded before the all-consuming night that lay in Leon’s captivating stare. He called her the most sought-after girl in the Ministry. Could he truly mean such a brazen statement?

Éclair took Leon’s hand in her own, and he led her to the dance floor. Leon Lurranna with me, Éclair Hamashe. One, the last of the most powerful Elemental family that ever lived, and one, the heir to an Empire. Could there be a better match than this?

“And that’s when I jumped in the air and totally punched that Goblin in the face!” Ryan accentuated his story by punching the air dramatically, earning a round of gasps from the listeners.

Ryan beamed, his audience eating up his every word. The mingling is working! Thomas was right! Tell ‘em a few stories, and they’re practically eating out of my hand. Guess that kid earned his training session.

“Was this before or after he stabbed you in the shoulder?” asked one of the nerds from the Reject Squad.

“After,” said Ryan offhandedly.

“And was this before or after he kicked you in the head?” asked another.

“Uh ... After,” answered Ryan hesitantly.

“And was this before or after he slammed you to the ground,” asked the chubby one.

“After.”

“And was this before or after your Saurian friend had to save you from being impaled in the eyes?” asked their leader.

“After,” replied Ryan dejectedly, sensing a pattern.

They seem to be focusing on the wrong things, Ryan thought to himself.

The big ginger-head boy who had come as the freckle-faced girl’s date scratched his head with a finger, squinting slightly as if in deep thought. “So, you spent most of the fight getting your butt kicked, and only managed to get one hit on the guy towards the end.”

All of Ryan’s former smugness vanished instantly. “Well, it doesn’t sound as cool when you put it that way.”

“I think the takeaway is that he won in the end, and against a Goblin Assassin no less,” chipped in the freckle-faced girl.

“Um,” said Ryan ashamedly.

“That is how it ended, right boss?” asked Phil in confusion.

“Pish! That’s totally how it ended ... more or less,” said Ryan, mumbling under his breath. Then he added quietly, “I mean, Leon did come in and help at the end, but I totally softened Galzar up first.”

Another gasp resounded among the group. “Leon? You don’t mean Leon Lurranna, do you?” asked the ginger-head boy.

“Yeah, what about it?”

“Well, aside from being the most dreamy boy in the entire Ministry,” said the girl, fanning herself slightly, and earning a glare from her partner. “He’s also the last known surviving member of the Lurranna Clan, an infamous group of Mystics that conquered many of the Forbidden Galaxies, and even tried to stage a coup against the Ministries a few years back.”

“I ... did not know that,” said Ryan, raising a finger.

Or at least I didn’t know all of that, thought Ryan, thinking of all the rumors he’d occasionally catch in murmurs over the months concerning Leon.

“So what’s he like? Is he as scary as they say?” asked one of the Reject Squad, tapping his fingers nervously.

Ryan waved a dismissive hand. “Nah, not really. Bit of a prick actually, but he’s not all bad.”

“I heard he hates Elementals, and is secretly plotting our downfall to get revenge for what happened to his family,” said Phil.

Ryan sniffed, not liking how this conversation was going, even if it was about bashing Leon. “If that’s the case, he’s doing a pretty shabby job of it considering that he did help stop the war between the Ministries last year.”

The Reject Squad member looked away ashamedly. “I ... I’m sorry. I know he’s your teammate. I shouldn’t make assumptions like that just because of his family...” The boy trailed off, tempting Ryan to pry further.

But then, the ginger-head boy chimed in. “I guess it’s true that you can’t judge people based only on what you hear about them. After all, I heard you were a cocky slacker who got by mostly on luck rather than real skill.”

Ryan chuckled nervously. “Yeah, that’s ... that’s totally not accurate at all,” he said with a slight degree of uncertainty, taking a loud sip of punch.

“Speak of the devil, and the devil will appear,” said the girl softly as she turned away, staring at something in the center of the ballroom.

Ryan followed her gaze and was unhappy to find Leon leading a dazzling Éclair to the dance floor. They looked perfect together. Compared to everyone else, they seemed like two demigods amongst mortals. Leon’s perfectly tailored black coat and chiseled features wonderfully complemented Éclair’s sparkling blue dress and eloquent figure. It’s as if they were made for each other. Éclair’s shining, silver-gray hair bobbed so close to Leon’s pitch-black hair. Two sides of the same coin; one light, the other dark, yet both in perfect harmony.

Ryan grimaced, envy bubbling up inside him. He wanted to look away, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Even if she was in the arms of another man, Éclair was just too magnificent. He could look at her all night and almost be perfectly content with just that.

Leon took Éclair around the waist, bringing her in close. And then they began to dance. All heads in the dancing hall swiveled in their direction enviously. They almost seemed to give off a tangible aura of light and dark as they glided across the dance floor with ease. Their movements were smooth and so intricate that it went beyond superhuman. As they danced, disks of pink crystal rose off from the floor, floating up to the ceiling. Éclair and Leon stepped upon one of the floating platforms without breaking stride. Somehow, their steps remained perfectly fluid as they stepped from platform to platform, each one floating above the heads of the other participants.

“Even if he was once a Mystic,” said the freckle-faced girl in wonderment. “I gotta admit, I’d kill to be in those arms right now.”

Instead of getting jealous, the ginger boy just continued staring up at the pair, his focus on Éclair. In fact, every male in the room seemed to zero in on Éclair, and every female zoned in on Leon. Even the other members of the Reject Squad seemed mesmerized by the Fire Minister’s stepdaughter. Ryan couldn’t blame them. Despite being her teammate and more familiar with her than most, he was probably no different than anybody else in this room. He was just another fan who dreamed of getting closer to something that was far too beautiful for him. Always reaching, never touching.

“What I wouldn’t give to have her look at me like that,” said one of the members of the Reject Squad.

“Yeah,” said the ginger-head boy in a daze. “I know what you mean.”

Ryan smiled at his fellow admirers. He wasn’t sure if knowing that everyone seemed to be in love with Éclair made him feel better or worse, but at least he wouldn’t get too lonely. After all, misery loves company.

The ginger-head’s comment earned him a punch on the shoulder by his supposed date. “Don’t forget who agreed to come with you after you practically begged me to be your date,” she whispered furiously.

“Oh, please,” scoffed the boy. “You were drooling over that pretty boy just five seconds ago!”

“That’s different,” she protested. “I can drool over other boys, but you can’t drool over other girls.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so!” screeched the freckle-faced girl. “Besides, she’s not that pretty anyway.”

“Are you bloomin’ joking?” said Phil. “The girl’s so gorgeous, I want to claw my eyes out, and all of yours for daring to look at her!”

Everyone, including Ryan, backed away from the somewhat disturbed nerd.

“Creepy statement notwithstanding,” said Ryan, hoping to turn their attention away from the poor boy who now seemed uncomfortable. “He does have a point.”

The freckle-faced girl pursed her lips at Ryan. “I suppose you’re another fan of little miss perfect, too.”

Ryan shrugged.

The Reject Squad Leader snapped his fingers. “That’s right! She’s part of your squad, too! What’s it like to be on the same squad as a goddess!”

“Oh, it’s not that big of a deal,” said Ryan dismissively.

“I actually heard that you helped rescue her from that nobleman, Gregory!”

The chubby one pushed past his companions to speak up all the while stuffing beanie weenies in his mouth, and it seemed he had a few sticking out of his pockets. “Just like a fairytale. Ryan, you saved a princess locked away in a tower by an evil wizard. Or corrupt politician, I guess. Though pretty much the same thing.”

“Really, guys, it’s not that big of a deal,” said Ryan, flushing slightly as unfamiliar praise was thrust upon him yet again.

“Just tell us what she’s like! Please!”

“Alright, alright! If that’ll shut you up,” Ryan said in slight annoyance. He struggled to find the right way to put his feelings into words. “It’s like ... oh man, this is going to be sappy. It’s like standing outside the gates to heaven. You can peek in and see all the amazing stuff that’s going on in there, but you can never walk in yourself ... if that makes any sense.”

“Surprisingly, it actually does, and that’s saying a lot considering it came from you,” said a new voice.

Ryan spun to see Explosion Logan standing behind him. Instinctively, Ryan raised his fists, ready for a fight.

Explosion Logan held up his palms in a nonthreatening stance. “Relax, rookie. I come in peace.” Logan wore a well-tailored red tuxedo much brighter than Ryan’s maroon one. His hair had been combed back, unlike Ryan’s which still lay in a tattered mess. “We’d cause a bit of a ruckus if we went at it now. Plus, I just got this suit back from the tailors.”

Ryan lowered his fists, though the Reject Squad cowered behind him. “Okay,” said Ryan in confusion. “Didn’t see that coming.”

“Well, Logan,” said the freckle-faced girl coyly. “You seem to be taking your loss pretty well. I was kinda under the impression that you hated this scaly kid.”

“Do you even remember my name?” asked Ryan.

“Did you ever even know mine?” she said back.

Logan spoke up, thankfully saving Ryan from having to respond. “So I lost a fight. Big deal. Only a novice like you would go to pieces after losing a battle,” said Logan with a shrug, responding to Ryan’s earlier question.

He even sounds like he means it, too, thought Ryan, almost feeling a twinge of respect for Logan now.

“Besides,” said Logan as he came closer. “It’s not like it set me back that much. I showed enough initiative during the earlier portion of the exam to warrant my advancement. Although, a lot of my friends from my team didn’t make it past the second phase thanks to those turncoats behind you.”

“Oh! Hey there, Logan,” said the leader of the Reject Squad, chuckling nervously while cringing behind Ryan and pushing him forward as if to keep the bully at bay. “You’re looking a lot better, I see. Good for you.”

The nerd leader then leaned in to whisper in Ryan’s ear urgently. “If he attacks us, you can take him, can’t you? You can just blow up his face again like last time, right?”

“Actually, that only works once,” whispered Ryan in return.

The nerd gulped.

Logan grimaced, his posture going tense as if he were in physical pain. “In any case, I came to apolo – apologi-”

“Apologize?” said Ryan quizzically. “That’s a lot more mature of you than I thought you’d be capable of. Though not unwarranted given your over-the-top aggression, borderline racism, and the douchebag attitude you’ve had with me since we met.”

“Make amends,” finished Logan as if he hadn’t heard Ryan. He crossed his arms with one of his patented self-satisfied smirks that somehow seemed more friendly than vindictive. “I’ve come to make amends. Though, since it’s you, even that is painful enough. I mean, let’s be honest, you don’t exactly make it easy to be humble. Your ego’s so big that people naturally gravitate toward you with the instinct to either suck up to you or smack you down.”

“Fair point,” said Ryan with a thoughtful nod. “What’s also fair is that you’ve been kind of a jerk to me before you even took the time to get to know me. And my ego’s not that big. It’s ... it’s a perfectly normal-sized ego.”

“Well, come on, rookie. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only guy who’s made snap judgments of another person based on what I’ve heard.”

Ryan felt a lump in his throat. Logan’s words reminded him of the time that he attacked Tork because of Hamma’s lies.

Logan seemed to notice Ryan’s reaction, and his features softened. “I didn’t mean that as a dis ... just making conversation. In any case, I still don’t know if I like you. I’m pretty sure that Eramar has been giving you special attention because of his friendship with your father. But recent events have made it clear that you’ve earned that attention, more or less. That explosive technique you used to beat me was a stroke of genius, as hard as it is for me to admit.”

Ryan stepped up closer to Logan who stood his ground resolutely. He gave the young First a hard look, and Logan didn’t flinch under his gaze. Ryan then slowly brought his hand forward. “So, we square, or what?”

Logan took his hand and smiled. “Of course. Besides, I was always taught that failure is the best teacher. The fact that you beat me once just gives me an opportunity to grow. I really hope we get paired up in the finals. I’ve been working on a few new moves that I’m pretty sure will leave you stumped if we go at it again.”

Ryan grinned, the prospect of the challenge exciting his Saurian blood. “Bring it, bub.”

“Aww, bromance,” said the freckle-faced girl. As the music changed tempo to something more intimate, she suddenly snapped her fingers in amazement. “Oh, this is our song. Great seeing you again. Good luck on the exams, unless you’re up against me, ‘cause then you won’t have a chance.”

She dragged the ginger-head boy to the dance floor as a stunned expression played across his portly face. The music had changed to a slower rhythm as couples paired off, each one finding their own solitary platform to dance on as it floated into the air. Éclair and Leon no longer darted from platform to platform, and instead settled for a single one as they swayed back and forth. Though not as intricate as their dance number from earlier, their slower movements still appeared graceful.

“We’d better find dance partners too, sir,” said Phil. “Unless you’d rather us stay to back you up against the...” He trailed off as he shot an accusatory glance at Logan.

When did these guys start calling me ‘sir’? Better question, when did I start accepting it?

Ryan shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, men. Go have fun.”

Phil made the ’I’m watching you’ gesture as he pointed with two fingers at his eyes and then pointed them at Logan.

Logan sniffed with a grin, and then he leaned forward suddenly, saying, “Boo!”

The nerds flinched back and scurried away, causing Logan to chuckle softly.

As they left, Ryan heard one of them say, “You really think we can find girls to dance with?”

“The boss seems to think so,” said the other optimistically.

“When did he become our boss?”

As Ryan watched them go, his eyes drifted towards Éclair and Leon again. Her head was nuzzled into his chest, and he had both his arms wrapped around her waist.

“You know, I misjudged you in more than one way,” said Logan beside him.

Ryan hadn’t realized that Explosion Logan had remained behind. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that I had another reason why I kinda hated you before we even met,” said Logan hesitantly. It was only then that Ryan realized that Logan was watching Éclair as well, longing clearly etched onto his face. “I thought ... well, I thought you had hooked up with the Minister’s ward. You two always seemed so friendly with each other, and you only came to the Ministry a little over a year ago. I’ve had a crush on her for years, but never worked up the nerve to even talk to her. Worse still, when I finally do talk to her, all I can do is pick a fight because she came to your rescue. It’s a bit sobering.”

Ryan turned to Logan, his respect for his former rival building. “I know exactly how you feel, bub. Funny thing is, as much as I can’t stand your guts, I think I may be one of the few who can say that.”

“It can’t be as bad for you. I mean, at least you’re friends with her.”

Ryan laughed bitterly. “Yeah. Friends. Which means that all I’ll ever amount to is a plush doll in her eyes. She thinks I’m adorable and safe, but that’s all I’ll ever be to her. I get a taste of happiness just being near her, but it only makes it more apparent what I’m missing out on. All it does is remind me that I’ll never be him.” Ryan gestured towards Leon angrily.

“Hey, that can’t be so bad. After all, a girl snuggles up with her dolls every now and then.”

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Why am I even talking about this with you? I’m pretty sure that I hated you two minutes ago.”

Logan cocked his head. “They say love and hate are two sides of the same coin.”

“Okay, now you’re just making it weird, bro.”

As he turned to face Logan, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Rachel was out on the balcony leaning over the rail with her back to the dancing floor. He couldn’t see her face, but he did see something shiny dropping from her chin. Rachel was crying.

Ryan put a hand to his head. That’s right! I’ve got a date, and I totally forgot about her! Poor Rachel! Even if we don’t like each other like that, I should still be attending to her instead of drooling over Éclair!

“So, I ... uh ... Good talk. Weird, but good. I gotta go now ... and ... be sensitive, I guess.”

As Ryan put some distance between them, he heard Logan call out, “Give her some beanie weenies! Beanie weenies can cheer up anyone!”

Ryan pointedly tried to ignore him, but then stopped and considered the suggestion. Without saying a word, he went back to the snack table to grab as many beanie weenies as he could carry.

Éclair was in bliss. Leon and her hair swayed back and forth to the gentle rhythms of the music. He was so close to her, holding her so tenderly. He’d always been kind to her, but had kept a respectful distance. That was no longer the case.

“We seem to be gathering an entourage of spectators,” he said softly into her ear.

Éclair peeked out, noticing the sideways glances that many of the other couples on other floating platforms gave them. What was that about?

“I suspect they disapprove of the scandalous nature of a Mystic dancing with the Fire Minister’s ward.”

Éclair huffed into Leon’s shoulder. “You’re not a Mystic. You shouldn’t be blamed for what your family did long ago.”

“You think that matters to them. Mystic or not, I’m just as bad as one in their eyes.”

As Éclair observed the onlookers, careful not to catch their eyes, she noticed that Leon wasn’t the only one they were looking at. Éclair earned a few glares herself, especially from the other girls. Éclair trailed her hand up Leon’s arm, and then she gently pushed the platform to ascend higher, away from the onlookers. The platforms were designed to respond to thoughts. She wouldn’t have known what to do if not for the balls she went to while she was a young royal. Her mother always dragged her to galas and parties full of people she didn’t know. It always annoyed her, though she felt grateful for parties now. However, the added heights made things slightly uncomfortable. If not for the fact that a fall from this height would hardly even faze her durable Elemental body, she might’ve been more concerned.

“I don’t think you’re the only one they’re glaring at. I’ve noticed that a lot of girls seem particularly put off by your attention to me. I do believe they’re jealous.”

Leon sniffed. “They only think they’re jealous. Many young girls of the Ministry regard me as an exotic oddity. I’m something pretty and interesting to look at. They don’t really know me, and I doubt they have any true desire to change that fact. As for the men, now they have a more legitimate reason to hate me other than my heritage. Even if your true parentage is unknown, most men here would kill for your affections. You’re nothing but a prize to them. They’ve objectified you without bothering to understand you. They’re fools, the lot of them.”