The Witch He Loved

Chapter 43

It hadn't been long since I had closed my eyes when I opened them again. 

Silver mist flows around me until the meadow forms.

"Welcome back, my child." My hands ball into fists as she calls me that. I needed to know what was truth and what was a lie. 

I turn and look at her stood a few feet away. I take in her features, the shape of her lips, the curve of her nose. 

"So it's true?" I ask her but she smiles to herself. 

"Always to the point. I do wish sometimes we could make small talk." She looks back at me before nodding. "It is true." 

"How?" She lets out a sigh and waves her hand lazily, a bench forming between us. She gestures to it and we both sit, our bodies turned to one another. 

"When I met your father he had just come into his power. He was so hopeless with his magic that when his sister brought him to our meetings I offered to teach him. We worked together everyday for months, we had started out as student and teacher but somewhere along the way, lines got blurred." 

She frowns to herself as she thinks. 

"When we found out I was with child he was excited, he thought we would be together forever. He loved me but I did not love him in the same way. I had told him before but he never listened." 

"I don't understand, if you knew then why did you leave me with him, with them?" 

She looks down at her lap with a sad smile. 

"When you were born it took a lot from me, not just physically but some of my powers had been drawn into you. He had taken advantage of that and whisked you away in the night. I recovered over time but it had taken a while, I felt you when your power first showed itself but I couldn't find you." 

"When I did find you I wasn't sure how to approach. You were happy and you had looked after yourself so well so I chose to watch from afar. It wasn't until you were dying that I knew I needed to step in, to save you and unlock the restrictions he had put on your power." 

She goes quiet while she lets me process it all. She had tried, she had wanted to be my mother, she had even told me she was my mother but I hadn't thought she meant literally. 

"Did you know he was still alive?" 

"I knew he might be but I couldn't be certain. While you are my daughter by blood, I still have ties to many witches so it becomes difficult to locate and exact person unless you know where to look." 

I nod in understanding. 

"May I ask you some questions?" She asks me. 

"Of course you can." 

"I understand Loki is back?" 

"He is." I smile, my hand rubbing over our marks. 

"His father wants you married within the year, yes? Is this something you want?" 

"It is. After everything that has happened... I don't want to be without him." She hums, pleased. 

"It was such a joy watch you both meet for the first time, seeing the passion behind your anger." She laughs. "Watching as your feelings for each other grew before either of you knew it." 

I smile with her for a moment but it drops as a question comes to mind. 

"Mother, how did I bring Loki back?" I ask her quietly. She takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.

"Within you is incredible power but it can only do so much, it is balanced between each of your gifts. When he died, the fear and pain that rose in you was so great that all of your powers channelled into one to protect you, in doing so it saved him." 

"I see, that helps me understand. Thank you." 

"Come now." She stands and pulls me up with her, we just walk together with our arms linked. "Let us talk of happier things. Your wedding, have you any plans yet?" 

I grin at her excitement, it feels like the way a mother should react. 

"Mother we've only been officially engaged for a week. No we don't have any plans yet. I expect I wont have to make too many decisions with it being a royal wedding." 

"Don't be absurd, even if most of it is arranged for you there is still much to chose. Flowers, seating arrangements, food, your dress." 

I hadn't thought about any of this stuff, I was just happy to be marrying Loki.

"Oh, I haven't given you an engagement gift!" She comes to a stop suddenly and I have to catch myself. 

"Mother you don't need to give me a gift, you've given me plenty." I try to tell her but she just waves her hand at me. 

"Nonsense, I've got the perfect gift for you." She unwinds our arms and reaches her hand into the sky, turning her wrist slightly like she is taking something off a shelf. Her other hand meets it and she cups something before bringing them back down. 

In her hands is a silver orb, a seam runs around it and there is a clasp in the middle. She holds it out to me and I cup my hands under hers before she places it gently. 

I look over it before the silver surface just reflects back at me. 

"What is it?" I ask as I look back up at her, she takes a step back and grins at me. 

"Open it." I frown at her but look back down at the orb. I roll it in my hands carefully before pushing my thumb on the clasp and flicking it open. 

A purple ball of mist floats out of it until it's at eye level, I watch it curiously as it just swirls around itself. I lift my hand but stop an inch away from it. 

"It's okay daughter, go on." 

I swallow but as my fingertips brush against the ball the mist flows through my fingers, twisting around my wrist and down my arms, it rushes over my shoulders and hits my lower back so aggressively that I fall onto my hands and knees as it pushes into me. 

It's over within a matter of seconds but I'm shaking on the ground as it settles into me. 

"I know you've missed it, I hope you enjoy having it back." She crouches onto her knees before me, her hands cup my face as she smiles. 

A tear runs down my face but I'm grinning from ear to ear. 

"Never forget, should you need me. All you have to do is call." 

"Thank you Mother." 

Her thumb runs over my cheek. 

"I love you, my daughter." She leans forward and presses her lips to my head.