Blake kept his arm locked 'round my waist as if I might suddenly, lose my balance as all four of us walked down the staircase to the level floor. I, then, left Blake to find Nathanial and his two brothers within the throngs of the crowd. As soon as I was within earshot, I heard everyone around me buzzing with conversation. But as soon as I was within notice the buzz stopped and turned into low whispered and gossiping tones. I tried my best to ignore it, but they were so loud, even as they whispered. I finally found them and as soon as they saw me their eyes went wide and they rushed over to me, clutching at my legs, almost forcing me to the ground. Begging me to never leave again. So they knew the real truth and my father was just lying to everyone else to protect his image. Typical. It was quite strange though, they had never acted this way before. They usually, acted as if I didn't exist, but not this day. I guess everyone has decided to give their true natures a day off today, well except Andromeda, she's still the same as she was when I left. I disentangled us and asked them if they would like to see their mother. They all nodded their heads vigorously and I turned on my heel and they followed with Blake, Art, and Adam trailing behind.
Again, I found my way to the corridor of the dungeon and I instantly wondered what had happened to the four guards we had left alive. Well, they just so happened to be guarding the iron wrought door that led to the prisoners inside their large, iron box cages. As soon as we came into view they drew their swords and instantly, changed their stances to one ready for combat, "Halt! You are not permitted to access this area." I spoke before any of the men behind me could, "We're not here to cause any more of an uprising, but if you do not step aside your day will get a hell of a lot worse than it already has, considering the fact that you are largely outnumbered." I smiled my sweetest smile and managed to convince them to open the iron wrought door and let us pass. The door closed behind us and I searched every box cage to find her and eventually, I did. She was all the way at the back, weeping. When I came close to where she was she looked up at me with mournful eyes. I didn't know what to say because suddenly, that anger just bubbled inside of me waiting to be set free and if I wanted the truth from her I had to do my best to make her feel like she wouldn't come to harm at my hands.
"I'm so sorry, Ameila. I truly am." She couldn't stop her voice from breaking with each and every syllable she spoke. I got down on my hands and knees before her with nothing but the iron door, that kept her inprisoned, between us. I looked into her honey brown eyes, which strangely enough, resembled my own. "Why? Why did you do it?" I asked her, searching her eyes for the truth, as she trembled in fear. She looked at my through blood shot and tear stained eyes and started to shake her head slowly at first.
"I don't think you should know such horrible things about the woman who raised you, Ameila."'
I looked at her accusingly, "Why, because you plan to lie about what you THINK you know about my mother?" She looked at me with regretful eyes and then looked down at her hands folded in her lap.
"I've known your mother for a very long time. I have no reason whatsoever to lie to you. But please Ameila I ask that you know for sure--." "Tell me!" I yelled at her and she flinched away from me, but looked me in the eyes with a mixture of remorse and regret. "Well, if I am to tell you the truth, I feel I should at least start from the beginning. Would that be ok with you?" She asked me this as if I would dare object. I nodded my head yes.
"When I was about seven years old, I was kidnapped and sold to your mother's father and he appointed me to be one of her many servants. And she hated me. And I hated all of them. Her, her father, her mother, and even her brother, who was never really around much, to begin with. Your mother and I were the same age, she was only a few days older, but we were the same age. And she tortured me every chance she got because she was jealous of the 'captivating beauty of a servant girl' as her father liked to quote so many times. I never thought I could be and feel so alone. I missed my brothers, my father, every moment I was forced to wait on your spoiled brat of a mother. Then, she got married to your father and since I was a gift from your grandfather to her I stayed with her. She was so in love with him. And he was in love with her, too. After about 6 years your father became restless. And there came one night that I wanted to hurt her so when your father began to flirt with me, I succumbed to his advances.--" I interrupted her because everything up until that point was bearable, but this was hurtful to me. "You slept with my father.. while he was married to my mother?" She nodded her head and a tear fell from her eye. But then, she began to vigorously shake her head as more and more tears fell, "I thought that he loved me, I thought that he made love to me because he was no longer in love with the bride that he was forced to marry because of his title. But all he wanted was an heir and once he got that he ignored me." What she was now saying didn't make any sense; why would my father need her if my mother would have been just as furtile as her, but I said nothing because I did not know for certain that my mental babbling were true or not. So I let her continue without interruption hoping that she would in due time reveal just exactly, what she meant.
"When your mother found out I was pregnant with George's child she did something that no one not even her, given her status, should ever be allowed to get away with. But she did and when everyone found out they just simply looked the other way--" Her voice began to crack as she tried her best to relay the details of what must have been the most traumatic experience of her life. I decided to help her get the burden off her chest.
"What did she do, Andromeda?" She looked at me and began to sob all over herself, it's a miracle she didn't drown.
"Your mother took the only love that I knew from me. She had my family slaughtered! And she forced me to watch!" She began yelling, screaming, forcing herself to get the words out. And I could not be any more shocked, or hurt, or horrified, or even disgusted. Partly, because I knew she was lying and partly, because to even think or imagine that my mother would do such a thing... it would just turn my insides to a poison that would force me to suffer... slowly. I suddenly, became angry and Andromeda was on the recieving end of that anger, "Why are saying such horrific things?! You're the murderer not my mother! You are a liar, Andromeda and you deserve to rot in hell for what you've done!"
"Do you honestly believe that I am making this up? Trust me when I tell you, Ameila that I am not this creative. I have told you I have nothing to lie about. Whether or not you believe me is your choice, but I am telling the truth." I looked away from her and down at the hands in my lap. Reluctant to speak, but I did so anyway, so in a quiet voice, I asked, "What happenened then, what did you do?" I looked up to see her smiling a sweet smile; one that said, "I'm glad you've chosen to hear the rest". And my eyes were on my hands again.
"I had a beautiful baby girl, but your mother, she took the baby as soon as the nurses got her clean. I never even got the chance to feed her; let alone hold her," she wiped a tear from her eye and continued, "I absolutely hated her that day and I hated myself for not doing anything about it. She took the child and I never saw her again." I was utterly confused now. What child was she talking about? And where was she?
I looked into Andromeda's eyes and spoke, "Where is this child that you speak of because I'm pretty sure my mother didn't conviently hide her away before you took her life? So, where is she?"
Andromeda looked at me with more sorrow and regret that I just could not believe and it was more than I thought her capable of feeling and it seriously, worried me.
"She's sitting right in front of me. You are the child that I never saw again until after her death. You are my beautiful baby girl." She said this as if she was heartbroken and I was taken aback at her words. I felt like I had lost connection to my brain, I honestly did not see that coming. I didn't think I would recover until her words began to play over and over in my head. I couldn't stop the shaking of my head as tears, one by one, fell from my eyes.
"No you must be mistaken. There is no way that--," now my voice was terribly breaking and I couldn't control the convulsions wracking my body as I trembled and felt terribly woozy. The room it began to spin, so it was a great thing that I was already sitting down because if I weren't I might have blacked out again.
"I'm so sorry you had to find out this way." She tried to reach out her hand to me through the bars, but I moved away fairly quickly.
"You liar; there is no way that I am your daughter. My mother was--"
"Your mother was barren, Ameila. She could not bear children.. at all. Your father knew this so he looked for an alternative and the alternative was me." Still, I was vigorously shaking my head, "No no no! You're a fxcking liar. There is no way I am your spawn. You are evil and twisted and conniving. I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!" I was crying so much snot was making itself a home on my face.
"That may be true, but you LOOK every bit like me. You were just blinded by your own hate for me to see it. But if you look closely, Ameila you will see that your auburn hair is a match for mine. Your honey brown eyes. Your beautiful porcelin skin. You could be my twin." She smiled at me like she was proud. But I still couldn't come to grips with my own reality. I was still in denial; utter and complete shock had taken over me. Until I realized that she never treated me like her beautiful baby girl, her "twin" if you will.
"Why did you treat me that way; for all these years? WHY?!" I screamed at her and she flinched.
"Because I told her to," A familiar voice spoke and without looking to see who it was, I already knew. My father.
"I didn't want you to find out who your mother was, Ameila. Because you would have begun to ask more and more questions. And I--" He broke off and his voice cracked and I looked at him. "And I didn't want you to know that about your father. I didn't want you to know the grief I put your mother through, by- by having-" He couldn't finish his sentence but I knew exactly what he was trying to say.
"By having a love child."
He looked at me and I could tell he was more sorry than he had ever been in his entire life. "Yes." I looked from him to her and back again. They truly were my parents, biologically. I spoke harshly, because I felt it was the only way to keep my sanity and dignity, "So what now, huh? We rejoice and embrace each other as if we are one big happy family? Because last time I checked a family wouldn't alienate a member of that family to keep a secret that should have never been kept in the first place."
My father spoke first, "I am so sorry, Ameila."
My face changed and I suddenly, became overwhelmed with sadness. "You have taken so much from me, you both have and all you have to say is 'I am so sorry, Ameila'? You who was supposed to be a father to me, my protector, my mentor and all you have to say is 'I am so sorry, Ameila'?" I paused and swallowed hard and delivered the final blow.
"That really hurts," I stood up as I spoke, "But I am still standing.. here.. waiting to break like the thinest ice; yet that hasn't happened. Waiting to feel something, something other than pity for the both of you. You will know my pain after all of these years." I smiled sweetly and turned to Nathanial, George, and Jonathon. I whispered to them take care of each other and their mother. And I also, told them not to be too hard on her for what she's done or did. I, then, turned on my heel to face Andromeda who was still on the ground before me. I opened her cell door to let her out and crouched down to her level. "I want to give you a chance to start over although, it's much more than you deserve so I suggest you be very grateful to the presence of your three sons because if not for their existence you life would be hanging by a thread," I laughed out loud, "Literally. My father will provide you with the necessary resources to start your new life. But," I paused before continuing, "if you ever return, if you ever venture back to this part of the world, the royal world, I will kill you myself," She looked at me as if she could not believe her ears. In seeing that I was serious she looked a bit scared. "So get far, far, far away and stay there. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal," she breathed. I could not believe how much power I felt swelling inside of me. I stood up and moved away from her, allowing her sons to get to her. They embraced her and I felt a lot better. I believe it would be safe to say that I have broken Andromeda. I may have been a complete bitch today, but at least I didn't have to kill anyone to get what I wanted.