Zhang Wei was living the life of his dreams. Valyria was very different from Yi Ti, the people, the customs, the clothes, the fauna and flora. The entire island was a paradise for tourists. The weather was always summer, the food was delicious and cheap, and all the Valyrians had a very exotic beauty for the standards he was used to in his homeland. With the few coins he and his guard brought, plus part of the loot from the pirate ship, they stayed in an inn and explored the entire territory daily through missions as Adventurers.
It was on one of these missions that Zhang Wei met the beautiful and innocent Lyrielle. The young commoner enchanted the Prince with her beauty, charisma, and simplicity. It was love at first sight, and it didn't take long for the two to fall in love and live a beautiful but short love story.
The two began to meet every day, getting to know each other better and better. Zhang Wei opened up as much as he could about his past, since some knew him as a pirate... But not everything was always rosy in the relationship between the Prince and the commoner. Lyrielle's father was a small merchant and did not accept his daughter's relationship with a pirate. The Prince could also not reveal his delicate identity within the territory of the 40 Valyrian families with only a single guard by his side.
In all this tense atmosphere, one thing led to another, and the young Lyrielle became pregnant. Her father was extremely furious, promising to kill Zhang Wei and even hand him over to the authorities. But he took full responsibility for what had happened and decided to return to his homeland, this time taking his beloved with him to legitimize her as his official wife, making her his future queen. He knew that a foreign wife would bring terrible consequences and would make his fiancée's family, whom he had never even met, hate him. But he didn't care about that, and just as they were about to leave, his guard brought even more frightening news…
In the capital of Yi Ti, a terrible coup d'état had occurred. All 6 families had started a rebellion against the Zhang Dynasty. Although the Zhang clan had many vassals and branch families, if the main family were to fall, the consequences would be dire.
Now fearing for the safety of his new wife and unborn child, Zhang Wei and his loyal guard decided to return alone.
As he wiped Lyrielle's tears, Zhang Wei smiled at her:
"Don't worry, my dear, it's a tradition among my people that only the father can name the child. Before our child is born, I will return, I promise!"
"Really? 'Sniffle'"
"Of course, it's Zhang's promise."
After saying their goodbyes, Zhang Wei and his guard hurriedly boarded a ship heading back to Yi Ti.
As for Lyrielle, she didn't know it yet, but that was the last time she would see her beloved…
***
Eight months later, in a poor area of the Northern District of Valyria, inside an old, dimly lit hut. Lyrielle was breastfeeding a small newborn boy. He had silver hair and purple eyes, but the shape of the boy's eyes easily resembled those of his father and the people of the Yi Ti region.
It had been a week since Lyrielle had given birth, and she had been very frail during that time. Her father, after finding out about Zhang Wei's departure, disowned and disowned her. His cruel words made her cry whenever she remembered them…
"Thank goodness your mother is no longer alive to see the disgrace and shame you caused us. Becoming a pirate's whore, and now you still refuse to abort or abandon that bastard… If that's the path you're going to take, from today onwards, never call me father again, you're dead to me!"
The words were extremely mean, her mother had always been kind. If she were still alive, would she really be ashamed of her? How could she give up on her son's life with Zhang Wei? He was the fruit of their true love, and the child was a man; she knew how happy he would be when he found out about it. What if he ever came back? How would she face him?
Determined, she sold everything of value she had, including some gifts Wei had given her, got a job even though she was pregnant, and worked until the day her son was born. Knowing that her savings from the past 9 months wouldn't last long, she knew that as a single mother, she would have to go back to work soon. Only then would the two of them be okay and could wait for their father's return, no matter how long it took.
"Then what should I call you? You can't go without a name until your father comes back, can you? How about little Zhang?"
The baby smiled faintly at his mother's caring voice, and so the partial and incomplete name that reminded him of his father became his true name…
****
Special thanks to the Patreons:
Sage's Supporter: Jan, Vinnie, frimorigo, Leery Falcon, Parsa, Scott Robertson, and Pato Senalima!
Magical Apprentice: Axel Bour, Gabriele Sulpizio, Takatchi, mandeep singh, Austin, Kobe Robertson, Paul Gaslac, and Niteo akuma!
Senior Magic Apprentice: Cole Bromley!