(Ellion's POV)
I sat down, looking at the water, "So you say."
She sat down next to me, "Do you have any idea how it made me feel?" She said, "For me to recognize you? For me to realize who you were? After what we did...I.....I felt ashamed...."
"You felt ashamed?" I said, "Well, no shit."
She had her eyes closed, her hands on her laps, "I'm so sorry." She said, "For everything, Ellion. I....I just didn't know what to do. You have to understand, I was scared for my life. For the lives of my girls."
I clutched my pants, "All this time, I thought I had no family." I said, "For the longest time, I thought I was just an unwanted bastard child that was raised by a Hedge Knight. And now, you're telling me my own mother and sisters were alive this entire time."
"For a good reason." She said softly, "I made the right choice, entrusting you with Lyonel. I don't know how your life would have turned out if you had stayed with me. It was an impulsive decision I made, but it saved your life....."
"And yours." I said
"Yes." She said, "I admit it, I was mostly concerned for my own life and the lives of my girls."
I sighed, "I cannot believe this...." I said, looking down, "Why did it have to end up like this?"
"I don't know." She said
"You couldn't recognize you own son...." I said
"You were wearing a mask!" She exclaimed, "I already apologized, Ellion. I am deeply sorry, please forgive me....."
"And when you recognized me, why didn't you say anything when you saw me?" I asked her, looking at her with a frown, "When you realized I was that son you gave up, why didn't you say anything?"
"I didn't think I would see you again." She said softly, tears forming in her eyes again, "I was scared, I was frozen. I reacted the only way I could. I didn't want to break you with the truth....but sooner or later, I knew that you would have to know."
"Fuck's sake...." I said with a sigh, "All of this is too much to take in. You mean that my sisters and I.....?"
She nodded, "Yes...."
"Why are they also working in that line of work?" I asked
"It's a life that we could not ignore." She said softly, "I tried my best to keep them from it, but as it turns out, it was the only way that we could be safe. I could not leave it so easily and the two of them went against my wishes..."
"I see..." I said
"I'm a terrible woman, a terrible mother...." She said, "To allow them to walk that path.....and for me to do what I did.....with my own son...."
"Tch..." I said, shaking my head, "The Targaryens perform Incest almost all the time. I suppose I can overlook having sex with my own sisters....we didn't know...and...I don't know them.....and well...."
"But mother and son?" She asked, "I don't think they would ever do that."
I sighed, "I know." I said, "I know that."
"Let's not speak about it..." She said, "Do you mind if I stay here with you for a bit?"
I nodded, "Fine...."
We sat there for a few minutes, in complete silence. Her presence was nice, despite everything. There was a certain warmth to her, a feeling of assurance that was coming from her. I don't know how it is that after just finding out that this woman was my mother and she was a lady of a brothel, I still felt a warm feeling emanating from her.
What was this feeling?
Why did I feel this?
She then spoke up, "How did Lyonel die?"
I rubbed my hair, "He was killed by outlaws." I said, "He died fighting them. He had gotten old and could not keep up with that many."
"I am so sorry to hear that." She said softly, "Were you hurt by them?"
"The only wound they inflicted was the loss of my father-figure." I said seriously, looking out into the waters, "I killed them all and avenged him."
"I see...." She said, "After that, you were alone...."
"You could say that." I said, "I was alone. But everything turned out well, I suppose."
"I'm so sorry, Ellion." She said
I felt her hand gently touch mine. I got goosebumps, feeling her touch, and a shiver ran through my body. I looked at her, seeing that she had tears in her eyes.
"Hm....." I said, "Are you, hm?"
She nodded, "Yes....." She said, "I truly am. I want to do anything to make it right."
I pulled away and stood up, "You want to make it right?" I said, "It's too late for that! You had abandoned your son after he was born. You ran away from the responsibility. And not only that, you were ignorant of the fact that he was your son when the two of you committed such a taboo!"
She stood up as well, "I...." She started, "I admit it, Ellion, I am at fault. But please, don't think of me as a monster! Everything I did was out of fear for my life. I made mistakes, I truly did. And possibly, the biggest of them all was abandoning you. But I was so scared, Ellion. I truly was....."
"Tch...." I said, shaking my head, "It doesn't matter now, does it? I already know the truth.....if it is even the truth. But you say I have no father? That you were with child without even laying with a man?"
She nodded, "That is the truth." she said, "I promise. I will not lie about that. If you had a Lord-Father, I would tell you who he is."
"Fuck's sake...." I said, "Ain't this some shit? You say I am a miracle baby, hm? How will I explain this then? The King has legitimized me, and he is demanding that my father step forth."
"He has done what?" Her eyes widened slightly with surprise
I nodded, "After the attack, he decided to legitimize me." I said with a sigh, "But I won't be claimed by any Riverlord at this point. This is going to be a pain in the ass, he's going to annoy me now."
"You're...." She said, forming a slight smile, "You're doing well in life, Ellion."
I looked at her, "Yea, I guess so." I said, "I'm doing alright."
"So far, that is."