I sat in the nursery rocking chair while cradling my newborn son, Drax. He was fast asleep, and his peaceful snores echoed in the silent room. I stroked his light pink cheeks and smiled contently. How adorable he is, I compliment to myself. Across the room, Damien held Olivia and slowly rocked her to sleep. Often times my thoughts would drift back to the first time I held my daughter. How our entire bedroom was engulfed in flames, and the only thing I could see was her dark red eyes. Was that some sort of foreshadowing? Or perhaps a vision or symbol? What the hell does it mean?
"Addeline," Damien calls interrupting my inner conundrum.
"Yes?" I answer while looking up at him
"I think she's ready for her feeding," he replies while walking over to take Drax from my arms. I open my arms to take Olivia from him as he slips away to place Drax in his crib. Drax was actually the calmest babe I have ever met. He rarely even cries, he just pouts, and that just about gives him whatever he could desire. Olivia, on the other hand, was a clear daddy's girl. She would cry at the top of her lungs in the middle of the night just for him to hold her. I placed her little arm up under my armpit and began feeding her. She kept her eyes closed and put her left arm on my chest soothingly. She never looks directly at you during feeding.
"So I was thinking," Damien starts.
"Thinking?"
"We should make an appearance in town. To show that you know, the two heirs are alive and well." he advocated. I for one could care less if the townspeople saw if our newborns were alive and well. We both knew they were so why show it? But I figure it must be a tradition since three days after giving birth to Gaia, Jace held her out to the awaiting crowd. And they did wait outside their balcony for the entire three days which is pretty freaking creepy.
"I don't know if that's the best idea," I reply as I place Olivia on my back and prepare to burp her.
"Why not?"
"Well for starters both of our babies are cursed. I know the town wasn't to keen on having one cursed so having three would be a bit much for them to accept." He shook his head and chuckled
"The town loves you, they always have."
"I wouldn't say, love-"
"Great! I'll inform the nobles." he smiled and ran off. I rolled my eyes and placed Olivia back in her crib. Seeing people was the last thing I wanted to do. Not to mention the fact that we didn't have to show the townspeople anything. We could always just tell them that they are ok, I don't see the need in showing them around like wealthy prizes. I retreated back to our room where it was empty and began shuffling around for something to put on. There was a knock on the door and then footsteps, I turned to my right and spotted Alina walking in with Gaia in her arms.
"Good morning!" she chirped, and Gaia burst into a fit of laughter. For a four-month-old baby she sure was a rather joyful child. Anything and everything would cause her to smile or laugh. It was downright adorable. I smiled instantly at my little niece,
"Morning," I reply back
"Getting ready for the walk?"
"What walk?" I question as I shuffle back through my chest.
"The walk of the royals of course," she replies absentmindedly. I turn around and glance back at her with a tilted head,
"Walk of the royals?"
"Well, its tradition after any royal birth that the parents and everyone else in the royal family walk around town giving blessings and getting blessings for their children and for the town. Damien just told us to get ready," I narrowed my eyes and then rolled them. He mentioned no such thing I grumble internally. I grabbed a light green spring gown and tossed it on the bed.
"I was unaware of that plan." I shot back with my back facing her.
"Oh don't be a sourpuss. The walk of the royals is always entertaining." How could I explain the fact that I was nervous about bringing my kids around the town? Or better yet bring my daughter around them? What if the fire vision was a premonition about the future? What if she sets the city ablaze? Suddenly a loud shrill cry interrupted my thoughts, I knew that cry all too well.
"Just give me a second," I reply as I walk back to the nursery to see Olivia screaming to the top of her lungs and kicking her little feet. Drax had awakened from all the commotion and stared at his sister in silence.
"Olivia honey, what is it now?" I question as I approach her crib once more. Before I could get close enough, I hit with a wave of dizziness. I grabbed my head and swore under my breath because if I have a vision right now, that really sucked. My vision started to blur, and I called for Alinia before I fell out. I heard footsteps before I blacked out.
I woke up in a field. It's been a while since I had one these, I may be a bit rusty. I stood to my feet and looked down at my appearance. I was dressed in simple peasant clothes, odd but alright. I start to walk towards the town and notice that its Nothar. I spot all the familiar buildings and stone path but freeze in my steps. I could hear a girl shouting, and her voice sounded a little like my own. I move through the growing crowd that was forming and made my way to the front. Once I got to the middle, I was stunned to see a long blonde haired girl. She had to be at least 16 or 17 summers, and she had the same eye color as me, but that was not me. Who was that?
"Where is my brother?! I have to see him." she pressed
"Our true king does not want his embarrassment of a sister anywhere in Nothar." one of the townspeople spat venomously
"You don't know him like I do," she growled, and I'm no stranger to the presence of a cursed. The way her eyes shifted in color let me know that she was three seconds from losing it.
"You're the reason our King and Queen has passed." What the hell is going on? This stunned the young girl.
"I am not," she replied breathlessly
"Leave and never return to Nothar. You were nothing but an embarrassment to the royal family." Royal family? Is this...my daughter?
"I'm not!" she shouted, and the entire crowd was surrounded in a circle of flames, including me. The group began yelping in fear and pushing into each other to avoid the fire. Through all the tussling I could see my reflection, and I was just a regular brunette town girl. This must be a future vision, but it mentions my death. Have my visions ever gone past my death?
"The only embarrassment in Nothar is your prejudice judgment," she growled before the flames reached an uproar. Was she using her mind to create this fire? The fire washed over the crowd like water waves, and people started burning alive. They screamed and clawed at the air in anguish, and through the crowd, I could spot an odd half grin on my young daughters face.
I bolted awake and spotted Alina bent over holding Gaia and Olivia. Olivia stirred and looked around, was she having a vision herself? Is it even possible for a newborn to have visions? So many questions and no one to answer them. Alina wiped my furrowed brow,
"Are you alright? What did you see?" she asked and I was unable to reply back to her. I don't even know what I saw.
"Is Olivia alright?" I question
"Her and Drax went out the same time you did. It was actually pretty cool." she smiles, and I fight the urge to give her a glowering look. There is nothing 'cool' about the vision that I saw. I hurried to my feet and excuse myself,
"What about Olivia? Do you want to take her?" she asks as I head out the door,
"Not really," I mumble back and rush out. I hurried down the stairs and headed for Theodore's old study. He had a mountain range of books on numerous things. What the hell is my child? I for one could not move fire with my thoughts so how on earth can she? Is she...evil? God, I sound like a bad mother thinking the worst of my child but what the hell was that? She set those people on fire! With her goddamn mind?! I rummaged through book after book about cursed beings, but none of them even hinted on what I saw. Cursed who could move elements with their minds, it doesn't even sound realistic. I closed the book in anger and looked up startled to see Damien standing in the doorway looking at me observantly. He stepped into the room and sat next to me,
"Perhaps I rushed this whole walk of the royals," he admits, I say nothing in response.
"Alina told me about the vision. Do you want to talk about it?" he questions while looking at me with his concerned eyes. Did I want to dish out my vision? I would once again be looked at like a maniac. But the last time I held back on something that I witness it put a wedge between us. I gave a grim look which only furthered his worriedness.
"The vision I had, I think it was about Olivia." I finally admit after 5 minutes of painful silence.
"Why do you think that?" he questions
"Well because she sounds a bit like me and looks like the two of us. Not to mention the fact that the townspeople said she was apart of the royal family."
"Townspeople?" I went on to describe the entire thing that I witness and even her cynical smile at the end. He listened to every word and then stood to his feet and helped me to my own.
"It sounds like a future vision."
"Exactly! Which means that we have to do something so that she doesn't do anything that heinous."
"Or it means that it may not even happen," he comments, and I narrow my eyes at him,
"Have my visions ever been wrong?"
"I'm not saying that I'm just saying that the future can and will always change. In your vision, it says we died around the twins 17 or 16 year, and even that sounds incredibly impossible. I've lived for hundreds of years and now so will you. Not to mention the fact that you are a cursed. Who is going to kill a cursed?"
"I know that it sounds far fetched but-"
"It's nothing to worry about. That may be one of her many futures that never happens," Damien assures while kissing my palms. I had to ignore my urge to roll my eyes at his complete dismissal of the vision. Yes, the part about our death does sound odd, but everything else didn't. It looked downright terrifying to see her kill those people and I know from experience that I don't want her to kill anyone. She doesn't need that soul-crushing guilt and nightmares. I can't let that vision happen and had to get to the bottom of this. Even if that meant going behind my husbands back.
I have searched far and wide for a witch. The only sensible person who can figure out what the hell is going on with my daughter. I have read through every book in that entire castle, but all of them said nothing. I've waited for a visit from my brother in law, or anyone for that matter but once again I was left visionless. Nothing was working, and it was driving me to insanity. It's been weeks since I've actually held my child nevertheless seen them. Damien keeps pushing for me to ignore the vision, but I can't just ignore it. Who could?
"Addeline, will you please put that book down and come see your daughter."
"I will."
"She's gotten a lot bigger since the last time you have seen her." Damien urged as I sat on the end of the bed, looking through old town records for a witch. I know one has to still be in Nothar, probably just hidden somewhere. I nod my head,
"I'm sure she has." In an instant, the book is snatched from my hand, and a furious Damien is revealed. I rolled my eyes,
"What's the problem now?"
"The problem is my wife won't visit her damn children. She's too busy looking for something that doesn't exist," he growled, and I looked up at him
"Well one of us has to do something," I argue as I cross over to his desk to look for a map. If I can't find the witch in a book, then I'll scope them out with a map.
"When will you stop this mad chase for the truth. The truth is your daughter is fine."
"She's not fine. She's...she's-"
"She's a five-month-old baby who wants to see her mother." he finishes for me.
"She's not just a baby. You and I both know that."
"So what you had a vision about her. It could've been about anyone. Are you really going to let that stop you from being around your only daughter?"
"Stop making it seem like I don't want to be around my children. Of course, I want to be with them but-"
"No buts, I can't replace you, so the best thing for you to do is ignore the vision and-"
"I can't just ignore it. It was shown to me for a reason."
"Forget the reason! They need you."
"Maybe you can walk around with your head in the sand but I can't. If there's something, I can fix-"
"There is nothing to fix! She is a beautiful, amazing and wonderful child."
"God, stop it!" I replied as I finally turn around to face him. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Stop what?"
"Stop pretending that something is not wrong with her," I growl back, and he looks at me in disbelief before walking off. I run my hands through my hair and toss the map aside. A small knock startles me, and I turn around to see a shy smiling Alina in the doorway.
"What is it?" I question
"I overheard...well everything, and I think I can help."
"If you start preaching about the joys of parenthood-"
"Uh no, I know a witch." This caused my ears to perk up.
It felt old times as we both snuck into the carriage and headed to the home of the witch that Alina knew. We were both once again doing something that neither of our husbands was aware of and we were both holding another secret. It's almost poetic. The carriage went through the back forest as we passed through rows and rows of trees. A question bounced around the rim of my brain, how on earth did she know a witch? What use could a witch be to her? But before she agreed to tell me about the witch, she said that I can't ask her why or how she knew of this information. I agreed, but that only made me more curious.
We arrived at this medium-sized log cabin. It was surrounded by yellow daisies and sunflowers and even had grass growing right along the top of the cabin. It was bigger than I imagined a witch would have. Almost big enough for a family or some sort. The carriage came to a halt, and we stepped out with two cloaks over our heads. Alina told the coachman to return back to the castle before the men had noticed that we left and to not tell them where we are if asked. The coachman nods and heads off back into the woods. I look up at the shining sun and back down to my attire. I hope I am not too overly dressed, I didn't want to make it evident that I'm a royal.
The cabin door opens, and a rather large and old witch steps out the cabin. She smiles at the two of us with her glossy eyes. Is she using her powers or something? Alina leaned over to me,
"I should've mentioned that she's blind," she said in an undertone before walking over to embrace the woman. Yes, Alina, that would be nice to mention I mumble before walking over with them.
"Ah Alina, I could feel your aurora the moment I stepped outside. Parenthood has certainly perked up your spirits." the witch complimented and Alina burst into smiles.
"Oh Georgina," she giggled, and the witched turned to me and grasped my hands in hers. Odd that she didn't even have to feel for them, she just grabbed them like she knew they were there. Her face fell for a second and then perked back up,
"Your friend here, she has a lot of questions," Georgina stated, and I looked around awkwardly.
"Thora! Come help my dear Alina. Her friend needs me." Georgina shouted, and a young black haired girl emerged from the house. Thora had this wide-eyed look to her, and she was pretty beautiful. She stepped out the cottage and took Alina's hand,
"Of course grandmother," she answered in this frill voice before taking Alina away inside the cottage. I waited for Georgina to lead me inside, but she stood there holding my hands. For a moment she didn't say anything, and I started to worry that maybe she fell asleep or something,
"I've never formally met a cursed like you," she finally announces, and I look at her with wide eyes. Wow, this lady was good. She led me inside and instead of heading towards Alina and her grandchild we took a hard left to a separate part of the house. It was filled with books, odd ingredients, a large cauldron, a small table with a medium size crystal ball and two chairs. I'm guessing this is her work area. She ushered me to have a sit, so I did. She sat down on the opposite side of me,
"What can I help you with?" she questions with a straight face. Hmm straight to business I see. I tell her about my two recent visions about my daughter and then the fact that I couldn't find any information regarding a curse with that ability. She listened to me the entire time and then remained silent for a moment.
"I would like to see this vision," she asks, and I almost burst out laughing. How am I supposed to show you a vision that I had weeks ago?
"Place your fingers on the glass," she instructs, and I shrug my shoulders and humor her. It more than likely won't work but let's find out. I place my hands on the glass ball. She repeats a phrase that I'm not all too familiar with. It sounds Celtic maybe or native? I have no idea but once she says it the final time I felt something surge through my fingertips and something being shown through the crystal ball. At first, I can't really make it out but once it focuses I can see the vision repeating itself through the ball. Wow, she really did it. She watches the vision in its entirety and then stands from the table. I fear that she may tell me that she can't help me or worse that there is nothing she can do. She walks over to her bookcase and pulls out some large book with A large lock on it. What on earth is that?
She places it on the table and then waves her hand over it. The lock clicks and then disappears. She opens the book about three pages to this family map and then turns it to face me.
"I think it's time you learn about your true heritage Addeline," she answers, and I felt my stomach drop.
"The Quintessa line?" I ask knowing that the answer must be different. Why else would she automatically know that whatever my vision was, indicated my heritage?
"You are not apart of the Quintessa bloodline," she answered bluntly, and I blinked twice at her. That doesn't make any sense at all. My name, my mother's name and even my grandmother's name were on the Quintessa bloodline, and there are only five bloodlines so who were we on?
"But my entire family name is on that line."
"Actually, your entire family name including your two twins are on the Genevieve bloodline. The sixth bloodline of the cursed family," she replied while pointing at the book. I looked down and felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Sure enough, Addeline Payton, Gwendolynn P. Serle, Agnus P. Serle, Olivia D'Auvergne and Drax D'Auvergne were all under the Genevieve bloodline. But that's impossible, no one alive would have written my two twins down under this bloodline. Is this some type of sick joke?
"How is this possible? How are the bloodlines still continuing?" I question, and Georgina shook her head and chuckled
"The book writes itself. This is the only book in the entire realm that records and documents each and every cursed being. New and old." the witch answers it made me wonder if Sabin was in there. But who the hell is Genevieve and why have I never heard of her?
"Who is Genevieve?" The witch laughed and shook her head,
"She was magnificent. So much power in such a small being, it is truly tragic what happened to her," she answers while flipping the pages in the book. When she finally found what she was looking for she moved her hand out the way and there was a hand-drawn portrait of who I assume is Genevieve. She was so beautiful. She had these large green eyes and long blonde hair. At least that's what it looks like these colors are supposed to be. The witch held both her open palms out, and for a moment I thought she wanted me to take them, but a vision appeared of the same woman. I could fully see her, and she looked almost exactly like my grandmother.
"She looks just like-"
"Your grandmother?" she finished.
"How did you know I was going to say that?"
"Because your grandmother was her daughter." she finishes, and my eyes widened. That's impossible! My grandmother was not that old, and I think I would know if my grandmother was harassing a bunch of powers.
"This isn't making any sense." I dismiss, and she closes her hands.
"I may have come to the wrong person," I admit as I stand to my feet. She looks at me momentarily
"Let me guess, your daughter is possessing powers that you didn't expect to be possible. Maybe even witch powers?" she questions, and I hesitate.
"Because when she gets older, it will get worse. She won't just have fire powers, but every element like all witches have."
"What do you mean all witches?" She shrugs her shoulders and closes the book.
"Nothing, what do I know?" she pegs as she stands to her feet.
"Wait, just...just tell me if my daughters going to turn into this evil beast or something. Is that what Genevieve was? Is that why no one talks about her?" I question, and Georgina turns to me,
"People don't talk about Genevieve because of fear. Not because she did anything to anyone. Everyone loved Genevieve. It was her family that didn't." I slid down into my chair and waited for her to continue. Once she heard my bottom hit the chair, she sat down as well.
"Genevieve was not like her other siblings. She was a cursed who had the same type of power that a witch did. Not only could Genevieve control the elements, but she also made people feel what she wanted them too and even brought life or death. She was powerful, more powerful than her siblings and parents combined. This caused a lot of family tension. No one liked that they were lesser than her, but no one dared challenge her. Genevieve was loveable and despite her families envy they still loved her. At least everyone but Digory. He didn't just love his sister...he was in love with her."
"She was the embodiment of joy. It was something that he admired and fell in love with. He loved her so much that when he found out that she slept with a fellow from town, your grandmother's father, he killed him. Genevieve loved that man, and when he was taken away from her, it chipped at her heart. But she became pregnant, and that brought back some joy. Once she had your grandmother, Agnus, Digory fascination quickly turned into an obsession. He wanted his sister to himself and never ever wanted anyone to have her as that town man did. So he took her and your grandmother and hid them from everyone including the family."
"He destroyed her joyful heart and filled it with darkness. Digory forced himself on to her multiple times and each time he took something from her. Robbing her of all joy and love and creating a darkness that the world has never seen before. Once Genevieve finally snapped, she turned the entire realm into ash. She burned town people, children, homes, families anything you could think off. She wanted them to suffer as she had. Agnus almost died that day. Quintessa, her sister, saved Agnus by killing Genevieve. The family never knew what happened to her or the deeds that Digory had done. They just knew that her power overwhelmed her and decided to erase her from the family line. That's what happened to Genevieve."
"People don't talk about her because Quintessa forced everyone to forget about her. She even threatened anyone who dared to mention her name. As the years went by people didn't even know she existed. But Agnus, your grandmother, knew who her mother was. Agnus developed her mother powers but hid it from her cursed family, and when the travelers came around and started wiping them out, she thought her best bet was to pretend to be human like everyone else. So she never dabbled in her powers and let it go to waste. But your daughter and your son both have that power, and it is wise to not ignore it. The power that they possessive from being born part wolf, part vampire, and part witch are rare. And it needs to be protected at all cost."