Tadow
07-06-2018, 06:48 PM
What would his life have been like if he'd had an upbringing like Serene's? If he'd grown up surrounded by the scent of plants instead of blood? Malleus reckoned he'd be a very different man. He was glad, though, that he'd had the upbringing he'd gotten. At times it had been very, very hard, but it had shaped him in ways that were beneficial. He was a strong man, a capable one, and without a doubt, he'd have been a weak one had he been raised by someone else. His musings screeched to a halt as Serene unexpectedly kissed him on the cheek. The gesture was so surprising that his immediate reaction was to blush furiously. The scars she'd so tenderly touched flamed a deep crimson. Malleus was at a loss at what to say. Her words then reached his ears and Malleus' gaze hit the ground as he was forced to contemplate the emotion behind them and the tender gesture that accompanied them. She couldn't fathom his childhood, could she? Her second statement brought his gaze up. His expression unreadable, he searched Serene's face as he considered his reply. Obviously he disagreed. He had many painful memories, but the pain he'd felt had served a purpose. They were as useful and as integral to his life as growing pains. They signaled growth. Malleus shook his head and replied softly, "How I grew up made me the man I am today. I wouldn't change a thing." With one exception. It was unfortunate, really, that Serene somehow managed to find that very thing. His mother. He sighed and looked away. "You have to understand, my father is a very hard man. His devotion to The Fallen God is all consuming. He let nothing get between him and the mission. Love included." His father had not loved his mother. She'd spent her time among them as a captive kept for one purpose. From day one Malleus had been taught that she was inferior, that she was unworthy of his affection. That hadn't kept him from loving her, though. Finally his gaze came back. "My mother is dead," he said softly. "My father was afraid she was making us weak, that she was a distraction, so he made sure she wouldn't be a problem anymore." So much for their happy herb hunting trip. |