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JammyThing t1_j5mx4gm wrote

Lucan went to speak and found the words sticking in his throat. "...I...I want..." Images of him being a bard flashed before him. Crowds cheering as he played his lute, people tossing coins and girls calling his name. He smiled for a moment and then remember his father. He felt the mark on his face with his hand. He sighed and went to make a wish. He had barely opened his mouth when the Genie spoke.

"...NO. WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO ASK FOR IS NOT YOUR WISH. YOU HAVE NOT COME ALL THIS WAY TO MAKE THE WISH OF ANOTHER. NOW TELL ME....WHAT...IS YOUR WISH....?"

Lucan tried to talk but nothing came out. He thought about what he wanted, what he really wanted. The dream of being a bard soon fell from his mind, his thoughts soon turned to his drunken father.

"...AH...NOW WE GET CLOSER...YOU WISH TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR FATHER...FOR HE IS THE CAUSE OF YOUR PAIN...WITHOUT HIS HARSH WORDS YOU COULD FIND COMFORT...WITHOUT HIS HEAVY HAND YOU COULD FIND PEACE...WITHOUT HIS VILE YOU COULD BECOME A TRUELY GREAT BARD.....WHAT YOU WISH....IS TO DEAL WITH HIM..."

A mixture of emotions swelled up inside Lucan. "You...you have no ri....how....I....." He sagged.

"...Yeah...Yeah I do. That's what I want." It was true. Lucan had hated how his father was, he was nice once back when Lucan's mother was still alive, but that was many years ago. Now...now he was something else. Something Lucan hated.

"...TELL ME...TELL ME YOU WISH...TELL ME HOW YOU WANT TO RIGHT THIS WRONG...DO YOU WISH FOR YOUR FATHER TO SUFFER?....TO FEEL THE WRATH OF DEMONS FOR HIS SINS?....OR PERHAPS YOU WISH FOR STRENGH?....STRENGH TO FINALLY DELIVER ONTO HIM THAT WHICH HE DELIVERED ONTO YOU....?"

Anger bubbled inside Lucan. He could hurt his father, the same way he hurt him, or worse! He felt the mark on his face with his fingers and thought good it would be to deal it back, tenfold! He could. He could do it...all he had to do was wish it and...."No." Said Lucan.

"...NO?"

"Yes, he has hurt me...but that does not mean I want to hurt him back. There was a time, long ago, when he was kind and had love in his heart. When mother died....the pain was too much for him. It still is, all these years later. I hate what he has done, but I do not hate him...I feel sorry for him. I just wish there was something that could help him find happiness again, something to help make him the person I once knew him as.....I...." There was a pause and Lucan froze. He realised what it was he said, the exact words he had just spoken. He looked towards the Genie who merely stared into the distance.

"WAIT, WAIT...NO I DIDN'T MEAN TO...."

"....NEXT...." Echoed the Genie.

As the doors to the side exit opened, Lucan felt his body sag, He had come all this way and blew it. He walked towards the exit and turned to look at the genie. For a slight moment, Lucan could have sworn that the Genie looked directly at him...that it's eyes seemed to shimmer a little more so.

"...Hurry up, I ain't go all day!" Bellowed the armed guard holding the door open. Lucan snapped back and mumbled an apology. He looked back to the Genie who was again staring into the distance.

The journey home was long. Though not long enough for Lucan. He would take the boredom of another cart ride over the dread of entering his home empty handed. He sighed and braced himself. What he wasn't expecting to find when he entered was a middle aged woman preparing food.

"Oh! Hello there love. Would I be right in guessing your Lucan?" She asked with a surprised yet friendly expression.

"...Ye...yes...and who are you....?" Asked Lucan.

She smiled. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Margaret. I met your father a couple of weeks ago and, well, he seems such a nice man." She continued to chop vegetables.

"Mind you, he had a bit of an attitude on him when we met, but I soon put a stop to that!" she laughed as she chopped a carrot with a large, sharpe, knife.

"...Who are you talking to Margaret? Oh!" Lucan's father walked into the kitchen. He looked sober for the first time in a long time.

There was a long pause. It was broken by Margaret. "...Well? Are you going to welcome your son home after his long journey?" It sounded like a question, but really it was an order given with a warm smile.

"It's good to see you Lucan. Did you make your wish?"

"I..." Lucan was cut off. "Of course he made his wish, otherwise he wouldn't have come home. Now what were we talking about before....?" This was directly at Lucan's father.

"..Ah. yeah. Lucan...." He began. "I....I would like to introduce you to Margaret. She...she means a lot to me. If...if it's ok with you, I'd like for all of us to have dinner together tonight...."

"No drinks." Stated Margaret.

"...No drinks." Repeated Lucan's father. "...and...and maybe after we have eaten. Would you...is it alright you play the lute for us?"

Lucan blinked a couple of times. "...You...you want me to play?"

"Yeah. I know...I know I've been a bit.....but I really...." He trailed off for second, then looked at Margaret's smile. "...your actually really good, son. I'd actually like to hear you play."

Lucan felt a mixture of emotions. In the end he agreed.

That night all three eat dinner together and enjoyed the music Lucan played on his flute.

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AcheeCat t1_j5nfipx wrote

This was good. You made me feel both happy and sad, and when I read I love it when someone pulls at the heartstrings

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JammyThing t1_j5nxd0u wrote

Thank you very much, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

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RootsNextInKin t1_j5o4b87 wrote

Wow!

Until you hit me right in the feels about his mother having passed and his father not handling it well I was sure Lucan was going to wish for the Genie to tell him his story so he may herald his message in all the lands as a bard, but this was better! :D

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NotAMeatPopsicle t1_j5qdsxu wrote

There are many people that I wish could get this kind of reception from their parents.

Damn onion ninjas. ;-)

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donutguy640 t1_j6a0g6c wrote

Noice! I hope you don't mind if I save this to my computer! (sourcing and attribution included, ofc)

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JammyThing t1_j6abaz8 wrote

I'd be quite flattered to be honest! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much.

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