Heartmine Destiny

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

          A moment of utter silence fell across the room. Nothing could be heard except for steady breathing. Earlton bent down next to his son unable to say a word. His aged hand caressed Antony’s back. Willow was unsure if she should stay or go. Antony wiped a few remaining tears from his eyes, and attempted to regain composure. What seemed like an hour were merely a few minutes as he gained the strength to stand. Realizing what he had just let himself do; a feeling of embarrassment flashed across his face. Finally a word was spoken.

          “May I ask what happened,” Willow unsurely asked.

          Antony’s now dry eyes looked down at what he was just told was Renedy. Somehow he now could not believe it was true. After all the years he hoped and dreamed she would return. Now in the moment that he thought would never happen… he couldn’t believe. Looking into her brown eyes he tried to see her like the other night. He tried to see inside her, but it was as if his emotions were blocking all thought. Earlton stared at his son and knew he could not answer. He himself was always raised not to cry by his father, but watching his own son shed tears such as these was painful.

          “Willow, I think it would be best for you to sit down,” Earlton suggested leading her to a chair. “Son, would you sit down as well?”

          Antony sat down in the chair next to Willow. He found it hard to look her way.

          “Sweetheart, this is big news and it may be hard for you to comprehend or even believe. However, it is true. On my way home my wife and I stopped into the Portalist’s Laboratory and they received your results. I want your honest answer. Would you rather hear this from me or them,” he asked trying to be calm.

          “It depends I guess,” she shrugged looking around. She noticed Antony would not make eye contact and King Earlton was acting as though she was about to die. Suddenly a fear rushed across her!

          “Am I going to die,” she yelled!

          Earlton could not help but crack a little smile and shake his head no. “Nothing is wrong with you. The results revealed you’re true identity that was hidden from yourself. You may be Willow, but I am referring to before. It was a time that you cannot remember before a certain age. You were always yourself, but you have gotten lost along the way,” Earlton cursed under his breath and ran his fingers through his hair.

          “I am sorry, I don’t know how to explain,” he murmured.

          “Father, I will tell her,” Antony spoke looking to Willow. “Remember all the people who thought your looked familiar? That is because you once lived here. This was your home! The girl who I told you that you reminded me of named Renedy? You are her, but you forgot when you went into the wrongfully made portal. Do you remember anything?”

          Willow’s mouth dropped. She could not believe what these people were trying to get her to believe! Sure she thought it was kind of cute the way Antony acted in those special moments when they were alone.

          “It can’t be true,” she thought to herself as she looked back and forth between the two in front of her.

          “I don’t believe you, stop lying to me! I am not Renedy! I am sorry, but your Portalists must be wrong,” she yelled and ran out of the room. With a slam of the door she made her way to the room they assigned her. Face down she laid on the bed.

          “Why can’t I go back to the world I know,” she screamed into the pillows.

          For hours she remained face down in her pillows crying for reasons she could not place. Her feelings seemed to be numb. She felt nothing by tears. Soon she drifted asleep.