An Unabridged Memoir - Part 01

Author’s note (warning) : This piece will stretch up to 9 parts, all of them put in fractions at maybe an awkward point because in reality, it was a full-length prose written without chapters, parts whatsoever. So please don’t be angry if it suddenly get cut where you don’t anticipate it to be, because I DID try to make things right but let’s just say; I phailed.

Anyways, thank you, if you ever read this. J

 Part 1 – Raising the curtains

This is a love tale that spanned between two continents, two kingdoms, two races, two monarchy, two souls and ultimately, over two decades of undying devotion, laced with separation, war and death. These are love tales that of a human and an elf; son and his father, and of a woman and her beloved. A love tale of a human for his blood brother, a love tale of an elf for humans, and a love tale of countless souls for peace. This is a tale of love, which spanned across the horizon, and together, brought the greatest change ever to the world, between two races, and with the end of it took together the bitterness that had been poisoning everyone’s heart for aeons, endless aeons…

“Love tales aren’t new in my society, and this is among those I doubt I’ll be able to forget. It is a tale of two lovers, whose saga, although tragic, is beautiful. It is a perfect example of how pure love could change everything, including this world…”

-    Gabriel Montgomery

In my kingdom, doctors were often referred to as a ‘Meister’, ‘Father’, ‘Sister’ or ‘Mother’. This was due to the fact that most doctors were educated by the Sanctuary, which means they were mostly eligible as cleric class people other than being a doctors and practitioners. True there had been few people who received their medicine education without the cleric study like those who graduated from the Sanctuary had, but these sorts of doctors were small in number. The Sanctuary ought to be the largest medical and healing institution in my kingdom, and was among the biggest guild of its class, standing well against the Knight’s Cavalry and the Merchant Association. Each year the Sanctuary produces hundreds of capable doctors, and that included me. I graduated as a doctor when I was 18, after spending nearly twelve years studying medicine starting the moment I enrolled at the junior cleric academy, known as the Acolyte Academy. It’s a nice change in my life, and I’d say, an event happening at the right moment of my younger days. But whatever it was, I am thankful to God that I managed to graduate on time, considering how tough the lessons to become a doctor had been. I’ve never thought I’d made it, and am thankful that I succeeded.

A little about yours truly, I was born in a village practically three hours of horse ride from the city outskirt. My break to study medicine came when a Meister, that is, the higher rank of the cleric-medicine class chanced upon me while I was mixing an herbal concoction for my sister, who had her arm cut by a very sharp stone. The blood won’t stop flowing from her wound, and she won’t stop crying. It happened that the Meister was travelling on his horse along the nearby stream. My sister’s cry ought to have attracted his attention, hence the reason he came to us. I could still remember his face very clearly. He was a handsome man in his late 20s or early 30s, with eyes the colour of the robust forest around the time of autumn, unusual reddish skin and silver-white hair. His ears caught my attention, because all along my life I’ve never encountered an elf. His unusual features caused me to stare at him but he took no notice to it and acted casual. He offered to take a look at my sister, but she was too scared of foreigners, and given his unusual appearance, it only caused her to cry louder. I could only apologize to him as I scrambled around the area looking for herbs that could stop her bleeding, and managed to find a flowering plan known by us locals with unusual properties of stopping severe bleeding. I merely crushed the blood-red-and-orange flower using a stone and placed the disgusting-looking paste onto her cut after washing her wound using the water we brought from home. She stopped bleeding barely minutes later, and I was relieved. Though, unknown to us, that simple action amazed the male elf that he asked for my name, and all sort of question. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, he followed us to our village. I am sure he did not think twice when he approached my parents and requested that I be entrusted to him as his apprentice. Of course, we were shocked by this, and I could tell that my parents were delighted. I came from a poor family, and although my family was well known for our knowledge in herbs and traditional medicine, we have no money to send any of our family members for proper education. It was quite famous then, that my father’s dream, among everything else, was to see one of his children became a doctor, but then again, the above circumstance stopped that. So when he, this elf man, who introduced himself as Ban, offered to take me as his apprentice and fully support my education, they were thrilled. But that, too, came with a price. Having a stranger approaching you, asking that you entrust your son to him was something that had never happened before in our village. My parents, although quite pleased, was weary of the idea sending me to him, but the Meister, keen enough to notice and understand his sight, gave us a week to consider. He placed such simple term – that I will live under his care, all expenses fully paid, and be enrolled at the famous Acolyte Academy in the capital. Once I finished my training, I will gain full freedom as to decide the path of my life without any financial burden. He even placed an additional offer that should I choose to pursue advance specialization, he will be happy to fund my study fully. It was a thrilling offer, too good to be true, but after brief consideration yet no decision had been made, he left after bidding a very formal goodbye. I was sure that impressed my parents, because even if they’re very curious and suspicious of him, his manner, in every possible way, does not denote that he’s merely pretending while harbouring ill intention, and that helped in a huge way influencing them into agreeing to send my to him. The following week, he came with a carriage, and we left after bidding everyone goodbye. It was a scary moment for me, as a five year old child who was sent away by his parents into another man’s care, but knowing the sort of hope I’m shouldering, I’ve come to tell myself to be strong and endure this, for the sake of my parents. That was the start of my journey in the outer world, far from my little confinement.

It did not take long for me to get to know him. The name Ban was merely his initials, or his nickname. His original name was Benjamin Admarith Noel, a descendant of the northernmost elf tribe. Though following his father and mother’s relocation, he had come to know the capital more than his homeland. I noticed that despite his regal ways, hidden behind his cold façade was heart as warm as the sun, and unusual loving and caring nature. He treated me like his own son. I was given my own room, a spacious space the size of my entire house back at the village, with furniture I’ve never thought existed. He gave me new clothes made of the finest and most exclusive cotton and silk, and two nannies that’ll look after my every single need and whim. I was a prince living in a very luxurious mansion amidst an estate, with a beautiful lake in the backyard, with swans and ducks playing in the water, and garden magnificently tended and constructed. I was in awe when I first arrived, and that night, I tasted the most awesome meal in my life. It was like a dream, but I’ve come to remind myself that all the luxuries were temporary. I’ve come to train under him, and he has expectations over me, and I’ve the task to fulfil that hope of this kind man. From that day forward I firmly set my goal that I will definitely become a doctor, no matter what it takes…

I did not start my training too soon. He was kind enough to let me settle down, and even took to personally walk me at the city, probably to help me adjust with my new life. I was a five year old kid, and I was fascinated by just about everything. But he, despite his kindness and attention, most of the time, his face would remain stoic and unchanged. Those who do not know him might think that he’s not interested in anything, but yes, that was wrong. I learned more details about him later on mostly from my nannies, who turned out to be two of his best childhood friends. Two months after moving in under his watchful eyes, I was introduced by Lady Freiya – a very beautiful High Priestess of the Sanctuary, with hair the colour of the finest golden threat and eye the hues of the sky. She came to pay him what he refer to as a  ‘customary visit’, but I noticed that the servants began deserting the area they were at as soon as possible, leaving the two alone with plenty of personal space. I asked my nannies, Tomiya and Karen why did they desert him, and they both replied me with admiring and knowing smile that I will understand one day. That one day, though, came quite late. I learned of their relationship when I was 13, and yes, they weren’t merely friends, they were lovers. And this story I’m telling was indeed their story…

It wouldn’t be right if I began the story without introducing the two main souls it concerned, so I will start with Lord Ban. I’ve mentioned earlier of his original name, and little of his lineage. He was the only child of his family, and his father was the younger brother of the ruler of the only surviving elf kingdom, the ancient kingdom of Norath – a kingdom on the northernmost land in this world, separated by a vast sea and hidden behind mountains. That made him a member of Norath’s Royal family. When I first got to know this, I wasn’t surprised because he did look and acted like a prince. I also learned that the people of Norath weren’t so fond of outsiders, in particular, humans, because in the past, most elf-kingdom perished under the swords wielded by humans. They pledged to remain distance from the human, and managed to survive until now. But Lord Ban’s father was quite different. He was interested in human medicine, and was ready to forgive us the human for all the history between the two clans. When he moved out of the kingdom, he had to face his brother’s wrath – the wrath of the king; and with that, he was stripped off his title, and was disowned by the kingdom’s royal family. However, his move to the capital was accepted with open arms by the younger generation of the people who had all forgotten about the past feuds and he eventually became an associate researcher at the Sanctuary. He was on good term with our kingdom’s king, that he was knighted seven years after Lord Ban was born. You see, I wasn’t sure of Lord Ban’s father’s age because generally elves live longer than humans, twice of a normal average human’s lifespan, although I am perfectly aware of Lord Ban’s age. We have 25 years of age gap when he adopted me. I was five then. Lord Ban grew among humans, and he doesn’t know any other elf to call his friend. In fact, he was born at the capital, and he was given human name instead of elven names. The only remnant of his lineage was his pointed ears. Lord Ban’s father died when he was 23, seven years before I became his apprentice. His mother died when he was 25. Though, the reason of their death was unknown. My nannies failed to disclose that information to me as well, and I learn of the truth very well late in my twenties.

Lady Freiya, in the other hand, was the niece of the kingdom’s king, and she’s 4th in line for the throne after her father. She was eight years younger than Lord Ban, to be exact, 22 when she was introduced to me. According to my nannies, they were introduced on Lord Ban’s 25th birthday, weeks before the death of his mother. The death of his mother distraught him so much that he seek solace in Lady Freiya’s company. Since then they became exceptionally close, and eventually, they fell in love. Their relationship had the consent of the king, but from what I understand, many of the court members were against this cross-race love, and that’s the very reason they never made public their relationship. But that love blossomed against the background, and when Lady Freiya refused Lord Gabriel, the son of the Defence Minister, Lord Joaquin, the moment he asked for her hand in marriage, that somewhat confirmed the rumours. That happened when I was seven, and I remember seeing Lady Freiya often at Lord Ban’s mansion since the event when she refused Lord Gabriel as her husband. Then finally, when I was accepted into the Acolyte Academy’s Medicine Faculty they were finally engaged. I was ten, and the ceremony was held at Lord Ban’s mansion, in attendance only Lady Freiya’s father and mother, as well as the king’s consort and her son, the Crown Prince Darius. I was among the honour guest, and by then, I’ve come to thought Lord Ban as my father, and I was well accepted by his friends as his one and only apprentice. It was a joyous occasion seeing the two lovely couple taking their first step to being together. I continued my apprenticeship under Lord Ban’s tutelage and also now, his fiancée’s guidance. My performance, proudly saying, was the best among my peer, and I was sure that that it was what Lord Ban had wanted to see. I grew up very much under his excellence guidance, and I look up to him very much, but he was so kind that he told me not to forget my family back at the village. Every four months he will send me home to my parents for five to seven days, and with my return he had never missed sending with me countless gifts to my family. I was in debt with for everything, that I am obliged to call him ‘lord father’. You see, I addressed him the formal way, despite the notation that I, then, had accepted him as my second father, he still couldn’t possibly replace my biological father. For him, I still use ‘daddy’, the more intimate father-son phrase. My life was bliss then, and I have my friends from the village envying my life and my luck. Although my relationship with my family maintained at its current phase, I admit that it didn’t grow any deeper than what it should be due to the fact that I was no longer living with them. My relationship with Lord Ban did not go any deeper than one would’ve imagined either due to the constraining fact that I am not his son by blood, but merely an apprentice. He had never stated that I am his adopted son, hence the fact that I never dared digging further into our master-apprentice relationship, despite all the talk going on around us describing us as ‘father and son’. That also mean I was never Lady Freiya’s future ‘son’, and I accepted that wholeheartedly, holding on by reminding that I must never question Lord Ban’s action of neglecting our relationship at ‘that’…

Lord Ban and Lady Freiya’s engagement went on longer than what I had anticipated. When I was thirteen, they were still engaged. I began to question this, as I was already in my teenage years, and had started to understand matters regarding human relationship deeper and better. Couples rarely dragged on their engagement, not like what Lord Ban and Lady Freiya did. It was a concoction for disaster, and I was curious. As a thirteen-year-old acolyte I’ve come to set my eyes very closely on Lord Ban, who had just turned 43 then, yet maintained his youthful, matured appearance of a man in his early 30s. I learned, and noticed the very subtle changes in his personality. The changes were so subtle, no one else would’ve noticed, but I was keen on him. I noticed even the smallest change in him, and by the time I’m 14, I realized the changes I’ve been observing in him was the sign of something to come…but being a young teenage, it occurred to me I was in no place to interfere with the matter.

That, somehow, proved to be my biggest regret…

To be continued in part 2