Cessilia was rendered speechless. Ashen's mother belonged to the Cheshi Clan... She would have never guessed. Yet, it made a bit of sense. His mother had to belong to a Clan for a single woman to be able to live in the Capital in such troubled times, and even be able to raise three boys by herself.
"I d-don't understand; If she was a C-Cheshi, then why d-didn't you help her when...?"
"This woman had chosen a way of life different from our own," sighed Lady Olea. "She was trained, educated and raised like any child of our Clan. However, when she came of age, she refused to marry her fiancé within our Clan, and left. Soon enough, she was to carry another man's child... Little did we know, she was to conceive the Tyrant King's heirs."
"So... Ashen d-doesn't know?"
"Most likely not," sa
