The Masked Stranger

Chapter 14

Jade's P.O.V

"Excuse me, did you just say father?" I ask Apollo.

"Yes, but he isn't a witch, or rather a warlock, he's kind of, umm...I...uh...I don't know how to explain it, so I'll let him explain, when we get there," he says.

"Get whe-" In an instant, I'm cut off, due to the ground swallowing us as we go into yet another portal. Man, I'm really sick of all these portals. Next thing I know we're standing in the middle of a ballroom, then all of a sudden guards are pointing spears at us.

"Jade, don't move," Apollo tells me quietly.

"Do you really think I'm that stupid," I whisper.

"Uh..."

"You know what, don't answer that," I whisper again. Suddenly a man has the guards spread apart as he walks closer to us.

"Who are you, and why are you in my castle?" The man asks us. Next thing I know Apollo is kneeling and bowing his head to the man.

"Your majesty, it is I Apollo," Suddenly the man gains a happy face and lifts up Apollo and spins him around the room.

"Apollo, good to see you old friend," the man says after setting Apollo down. Then the man turns towards me.

"Apollo, who is this?" The man asks, pointing to me.

"Your highness, you'd think you'd recognize your own daughter."

“Wait, is that, is she really?” The man asks.

“Yes, that’s really her, it’s really Violetta. But she goes by Jade,” Apollo tells the man, and before I knew what was going on the man came up to me and hugged me practically squeezing the life out of me. He squeezed so hard I thought I felt a rib pop out of place. He didn’t let go, he stayed hugging me for a couple minutes and I swore I felt teardrops land on my shoulder. When he finally pulled back I took in a large breath.

“That’s gonna hurt in the morning.” I whispered while rubbing my ribs.

“I...I can’t believe it, my baby, my daughter has finally come home,” he says. Wait, did he just say daughter. He’s my father.

“Woah, hold up. D...d...Did you just say daughter,” I stopped and looked at Apollo, he just nodded his head at me.

“Holy crap, y...you’re m..m..my father?” I ask the man. Well now that I’m getting a good look at him I can see that we have similar jawlines and hair colors.

“Yes, come with me, we have a lot to talk about,” he says as his smile slowly fades.

Apollo and I followed him down a brightly candle lit corridor, stopping once we reached a huge wooden door. The man claiming to be my father pulled out a key, and slowly unlocked the wooden door. He went in first then quickly motioned for me and Apollo to do the same. We both walked into the room, as the man closed the door. I noticed the room had stone walls and large wooden bookshelves and a dark oak desk. The man sat at the desk then motioned for Apollo and I to sit down as well.

“Hold on, before we start talking, can you at least tell me your name?” I asked the man.

“Oh right, how rude of me, my name is Lawrence, King Lawrence of Kovailia, I’m your father,” He tells me.

“Yeah yeah, I think we’ve established that you're my sperm doner, can we please just continue. I came here, because I want to know the whole story of what happened, and of why it all happened, you know, figuring out why you didn’t raise me.” I demand.

“Right, where do you want me to start?” He asked me.

“Start with why you guys had to send me away,” I told him.

“Okay, when you were born, my kingdom was at war, so was the kingdom your mother was a part of. Her kingdom was at war with witch hunters, My kingdom was at war with another kingdom to the north east, Matriz. So to keep you guys safe from all the harm here, your mother took you to the country of Dorvailia, but at the time we didn’t know that they were struggling with witch hunters who had sailed across the sea to attack witches in the area, and by the time we found out it was already too late all the other Dorvailian witches in that country had been slain. You and your mother were all that was left of them, or that was until your mother got captured by them, they killed her. So I did the only thing I could, I had to send you to another world for your own protection. I even sent Apollo to watch over you and protect you from other supernatural beings. I couldn’t raise you here, there was just so much war going on. I feared that if you stayed here you would surely parish. So we found some witches from a nearby kingdom, and they bound your powers, at least until you turn eighteen. Then I had to say goodbye to you. That’s really all there is to the story,” He explained. I saw a tear leave his left eye and stream down his cheek.

“Wait, so you did it to protect me?” I asked him

“Well if I hadn’t you probably would have died as well, and that wasn't a risk I was willing to take,” He says softly.

“So you just thought I’d be better off on earth?”

“Yes I did and you were.”

“Are you kidding me, you think I’m safer there. Are you stupid or just blind. Do you not know what’s happened to me? First off I grew up in an abusive household, lost my brother. Not only did I go through that but in the last two months I have been kidn*pped twice, almost got murdered by some freakshows, discovered my dead parents bodies, and watched another person get killed right in front of me. Meanwhile you think I’m somehow safer there. Just exactly what level of stupidity have you reached.”

“Wait all that has happened to you I’m sorry I didn’t know.”

“How did you not know?”

“Well only Apollo knew where you were and I knew that if anybody found out it would be bad so I told him not to contact me until you were ready to come back.”He replied with glassy eyes.

“Look, I just have one question left. Can you both teach me how to fight whatever or whoever is after me, and how to control my powers, once they come?” I ask them both

“We can only teach you how to fight, as for your powers there’s a witch you need to see about that. I’m afraid I can only teach you basic spells, you'll still need the help of other witches and fairies.” Apollo tells me.

“As for who’s after you it’s likely witch hunters who want you and all witches extinct.” Lawrence mentions.

“Okay so, when do we start?” I ask.

“Now,” My father replies.

“Wait Apollo if you were sent to watch over me how come I never saw you?” I tilted my head to one side a bit.

“Well I had to stay on the move since witch hunters don’t just attack witches they attack their familiars too and that’s because it is a familiars job to protect and guide a witch and I failed to protect your mother in the end so I was not going to fail to protect you and that meant staying alive to do my job. By the way, just because you never noticed me doesn’t mean I wasn’t there. I saw you many times through crystal balls, the window of that diner you went to often with your friends when you were out and about at night or sleeping. I kept an eye on you as your mother and your father instructed me.” I saw a slightly sad yet nostalgic look in Apollo’s eyes as he spoke.

“Well thanks for protecting me. Even if I didn’t notice.” I said awkwardly.

“No thanks is required just doing my job, however your gratitude is appreciated.” He said with a slight nod at the end.