The Prince's Gift

Chapter 46.

Ana's POV

Five days. I had five days before war would break out across the very kingdom I'd called home. The one I'd given up a love I cherished more than anything in order to safeguard. And now it was all for nothing.

War was coming anyway.

Ehren had left for a little while with Kora, both downstairs discreetly tucked away in Delphine's room at the moment feeding. They both were acutely aware of my family's feelings on vampires among their people, and they both thought it best to step aside where it wouldn't be in front of everyone. Delphine had brought a small blood supply stash with us that she'd had sent from a blood bank, knowing they'd both need to keep up their strength.

My mind began to fall back to the visions I'd had. So much had happened since the night I was given to Zane, and I couldn't have dreamt of the things that would come with my becoming of age. I'd been given so many gifts, been reunited with a family I'd never known I'd missed, and forged new relationships with both new and old friends. I had so much to be grateful for, yet there was still a pit twisting deep inside of my stomach.

Worry and anxious energy never seemed to give me relief. I not only worried for all those here with me, but for those that were back at the village hidden away. If we failed, they'd surely be found, and it would be all my fault.

A quiet knock sounded at my door and I slowly made my way to open it. My mother stood in front of me, waiting patiently with her warm soft smile as she stood in the hallway.

"Please, come in." I said, realizing she was waiting for to invite her in.

We hadn't quite pushed past the awkwardness yet, but we'd begun to change. Slowly. Bit by bit, detail by detail, we tried to rebuild the bridge to the relationship we'd lost.

"How are you doing Ana?" She asked quietly as she sat down at the edge of my bed.

Her eyes watched me, not to inspect me, but simply to take me in, memorizing my every feature. I could sense the love she was withholding. The longing she held inside.

"I'm...ok." I lied.

"I know you must be working through every scenario in your mind up here all alone. You always were a very thoughtful child. You had to talk things through to with us both to fully understand them, but somehow you always just knew before I even explained them to you."

I let out a tight chuckle as a small smirk played at the eyes of her lips, her jeweled eyes shadowed in memory. "It's like you read my mind. I can't stop going over it. I've worked myself into a nervous wreck. I've already made myself sick over it twice." I said tightly, raking a hand through my long curls.

"Ana, it's going to be ok. You have the fortune to already know the outcome of the very thing you're worrying over." She said as a warm smiled crossed her face. She stood from the bed and walked toward me, her hand timidly reaching to grasp my shoulder. "Trust in that. Trust in your gift. It won't mislead you if you simply allow it to guide your path."

Her familiar emerald gaze peered into mine and I found myself leaning into her hold, allowing my own arms to slowly wind around her waist as she let the shock fall away. She wrapped her arms loosely around my shoulders before pulling me closer, taking in a shaky breath as she held me.

"Ana, we've missed you more than you'll ever know darling. We thought we'd never see you again." She said with a sad sigh.

"I'm sorry mom. I'm sorry you went through that, but even more so that I took so long to come around. I promise to try harder from now on." I pulled away, looking into her own gaze at my eye level. "It's just...strange."