Ch5: Magdaline

Falros and Norhana married soon thereafter, conceived and bore a child. Magdaline came into the world on a beautiful winter’s day. Both parents knew she would be the light of their life and would forever more do anything to protect and nurture the girl.

About 12 years later, life had not much changed for Falros and Norhana, both elated with their child. Norhana had given up prosecution. She was to instead stay at home and tend to her child. This is a job she loved. Magdaline was a beautiful young girl with so much potential and Norhana got to see this daily. Her love for her child is what drove her, now farther than her public life ever could have. Falros continued to work at the resort, as they prospered, even during the war, he did, and His child saw the best of the life that he could offer, as well as the best of the life that was offered by Norhana’s family. Although Uanhomin never saw Falros as the best for his daughter, he was very taken by his willingness to provide and the way in which he treated his family.

It was around this time that a terrible secret came out. Norhana’s mother had an affair before Norhana was born. To become pregnant with her, her mother decided to take it into her own hands. This had come about during some type of argument, and with that, her father left. He was missing for some months and was evaluated as abandoning his station as viceroy. This did not sit very well with the Matriarch and he was declared vacant. His position was given to another.

Norhana heard of this first and wept openly. She went to visit her mother often, taking Magdaline as she did. She would spend hours talking to her mother while Falros was working, then she would return home and be the best wife she could be to her husband. Falros always felt that he could not do enough for her on this matter. There was no consoling her, he had felt nothing like this in his life. What he could do was make sure that she was always loved. He often thought of the years prior when his heart had sunk to its lowest point and this woman picked him up and brought him back, that this is the least he could do for her.

After months, it looked as if her father would never return. Her mother mourned him as if he were dead, but always gave hope that he would return. She did not feel it was his fault that this had happened, but he wanted children so badly that she was left blind to her actions.

One-night Uanhomin did return, he was drunk and, in his stupor, murdered his wife. The investigators said that she never woke from her sleep. He was found with the knife passed out in the bedroom by their house maid. Norhana thought of all the people she had prosecuted. How much evil was in the world, but never thought that her father would be one. That night, she lost both of her parents. Though she admitted that Uanhomin was not her father, he was still the only father she knew.

A few weeks later, once the sting of the funeral, trial and execution were absorbed. Norhana was almost inconsolable. Falros, while still working, was never around enough for her, and Magdaline, who tried so hard to help her mother could never say or do anything that would get her back. Norhana distanced herself from everyone. The sadness in her heart was too much to bear.

While Falros tried hard to be there for his wife, his duty still remained. He must continue on doing his job.  It was expected. If it was not given, then surely, he would be fired and lose his ability to support his family. The more he worked, the more he felt alone in the world again. His shining light had dimmed.

As Norhana’s sadness had slowly destroyed her life, Falros found himself working during the night because the employees were quitting. He thought that this is probably for the best as his wife, whom he loved dearly was no longer at home for him. In her place was someone who he could no longer talk to. During the day, Magdaline was still tutoring and learning, while her mother was resting. At night, her mother was awake, but cried all the time, and her husband was not at home.

This went on for a month.