[a/n: story is ahead by 15 chapters on the other side (link in bio). There will be no updates here until I am 20 chapters ahead.]
(Ellion's POV)
"I'm not going to leave." I said, "Not until I find out the truth."
"What truth is that?" She scowled, "What do you want me to tell you?!"
She walked past me, standing a few feet away from me with her back turned to me.
"Who really are you?" I asked her, "What happened between you and Old Lyonel?"
She glanced back at me, "What are you talking about?"
"I remember now." I said, "Years ago, when he was drunk. He spoke of a woman and the way he did so, it is as if that woman was like a daughter or sister to him. Her name was Elayna, or so I think. Then, here we are, years later."
She turned to face me, "Lyonel is dead."
"Yea." I said with a nod, "He is. He's been dead for a while now."
She had a frown in her face, "And you've been alone since then?"
I nodded again, "That's right." I said, "But that never bothered me. Old Lyonel taught me everything I had to know to survive. After I avenged him, I swore on his soul that I would never be a slave to anyone's oppression. I swore on his soul that I would be truly free. And that is what I meant to do, I-.....Hm, I don't know why I am telling you this."
She let out a sigh and looked down, "Ellion, I don't want you here." She said, "You shouldn't be here. Please, I beg you....please, leave."
There was a hint of desperation in her tone, something familiar as well. I didn't know what it was, I couldn't put my finger on it. Her body language, everything about this woman, it was screaming shame and regret.
"What is it about me that you don't like?" I asked, "At the Masked Party-"
"Don't speak about that!!" She cut me off, giving me a scowl, "Whatever you do...do NOT remind me of that!"
I frowned, "What?"
Her voice was shaky, and I noticed that her hands were also trembling.
There was something clearly wrong with her. Mentioning the Masked Party and the fact that I fucked her and the other girls, it clearly bothered her. I don't remember doing anything wrong; everyone was having a good time back then.
So what was the problem?
She was breathing heavily, looking at me with an angry expression, mixed with sadness and shame.
"Leave." She said, "Please, leave."
I looked at her for a couple of seconds, "Alright." I said, "If that's what you want."
"And don't come back to this establishment." She said as I turned around, "I forbid it."
"Tch, as if you're in any position to forbid anything of me." I said as I walked towards the door, "What are you, my mother?"
She didn't respond, but with my observation haki, I noticed that her breath hitched and her heartbeat got faster.
I was already at the door when I stopped and froze, feeling the blood drain from my face as I widened my eyes slightly.
I then spun around to look at her, seeing that she had a serious frown on her face, "Wait." I said, "You-"
"Shut up!" She shouted, "D-Don't say it!"
"Elayna....." I said, stumbling back and hitting the doorframe, "No...that cannot be...."
There were tears in her eyes, forming almost immediately, "I'm telling you to leave, Ellion." She said, "Please...."
The familiar feeling that I got when I looked at her. All of that that dwelled inside of me, it was all because of one thing; Old Lyonel's description of the woman who bore me.
I remembered his words:
"Your Mother was beautiful, with skin so fair that it would make the snow envious. She had a warm smile, and when you were next to her, you could not help but feel like you're safe and sound. You will not be able to shake off that familiar feeling, one of home."
That was a vague description, but it was one he kept telling me when I asked him about the woman who gave birth to me.
"He told me..." I said, my voice was shaky, "He told me that you were dead....."
She shook her head frantically, "No, no, no...." She said, tears flowing down her cheeks, "No, please don't say it....don't say it!"
"He told me you were dead!!" I repeated, my voice firmer and louder, "How could this be?! Why?!"
Was she her?
No, it can't be.
"Elayna, you fool.....running away....."
Those were Old Lyonel's words when he was near death, after his fight with the outlaws. I forgot about those words solely because I was more focused on the entire Goddess and Reincarnation ordeal that was revealed to me.
But there was no mistake, among the last words that he had, he name-dropped this woman. There was no damn mistake that he thought of her.
Why would he think of a whore in his final moments? Old Lyonel wasn't like me, he never was.
Unless that woman was important.
She looked at me, her tears flowing down her cheek, "Ellion...."
"You're her...." I said, composing myself, "Elayna...."
"...no." She said, her voice was small, "...I am anything but that.....I don't deserve to be....."
I clenched my fists, "How?" I said, "Lyonel said you died. He told me my mother died....why did he lie....."
She looked down, "I...." She said, "Stop, don't say it...."
"Elayna...." I said, "You're my Mother....."
It then hit me.
The realization hit me harder than anything this world had to offer me.
The ultimate taboo was committed without me knowing it.
My legs wobbled, and I stumbled, a sick feeling in my stomach as I felt like vomiting.
"No...." I said, "No fucking way.....this can't be....."
"Elion...." She said softly, "I...."
I took a couple of steps and stumbled, my entire body going limp as my head was getting dizzy. I then tripped on the bed and fell to my knees.
"My own mother...." I said, "I fucked my own mother....."
"Ellion..." I felt her walking up to me
"No!" I snapped, getting up and taking off into a sprint
I then jumped through the window, breaking the wooden cover, splinters flying everywhere as I fell down three stories.
My entire body hit the ground hard, the impact rattling my bones.
"ELLION!!" I heard her shout from above
I then got up to my feet, "Fuck this....." I said,
"Fuck all of this!"