Ch 45: The Fear Of A Mother

The realization that Astasha could carry the blood of dark sorcerers was not an easy one for any of the group to swallow. But it was immediately determined that the only way to know for sure, was a visit to her mother. If anyone had clues as to whether Tasha’s father or grandmother were involved in the dark arts, it would be her.

Errant had wanted an entourage of sorts to go with her into the village, including himself, Norelle, Helia, and a full guard of men, but Astasha knew her mother, and a party of sorcerers and soldiers showing up on her doorstep would send her into a frenzy of worry. If she wanted answers, she needed to be able to speak with her alone and in peace.

Calder would hear nothing of her going by herself, however, and so it was that he, Astasha, Talib, and one of the Captain’s most trusted men, made their way down to the village. Not wanting to draw attention to themselves, they went on foot. It wouldn’t be unusual for the Prince to be seen in the streets with a member of the Magical Advisory and the Captain of his guard, but at the risk of spies watching for an opportunity to attack, they kept their hoods pulled low.

Astasha could feel the intensity of the groups’ awareness. Her hand was gripped in Cal’s, his other hand on the hilt of his sword. She had pulled energy in one of the gardens before they left and her senses were on high alert, her magic spreading through the crowd, feeling for anything that seemed off.

It was with great relief that they finally came to the edge of town and Tasha could see smoke rising from the chimney of a little round cottage set off near the edge of the woods. The land that surrounded it was a messy array of herbs and flowers and vines of all types, with a garden of vegetables and a wooden bench just to the side of the doorway, which a little path led up to.

Talib had his man start patrol around the property while he decided to station himself at the doorway in case there was trouble. Should any arise, the Captain would hold off the intruders while the sorceress and Prince slipped out through a window in the back of the house she had used those many times she had snuck away to meet Cal. They all hoped an escape plan wouldn’t be necessary, but after all that had happened, they weren’t taking any chances.

Astasha used her skills to check that she could still sense the protection spell she had placed on the property before she left to join the Advisory. It wasn’t as strong as the ones she could do now, but it did the trick. She would reinforce it after she spoke with her mother, she decided.

As they came to the door, she took a deep breath and knocked. Calder and Talib both stayed a few steps behind and turned to scan their surroundings. Tasha could hear her mother’s surprised hollers and frantic maneuvering of whatever it was she had been in the middle of, before the door swung open.

Her mother was a lot smaller than Astasha, with wavy peppered brown hair and wrinkles from smiling and worrying far too much of the time. “Astasha! By the Goddess! What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were coming or I would have made some supper!”

“Hello Mother. I’m sorry to come unannounced but I didn’t know I was coming until just earlier.”

“Oh it’s alright, I’m sure I can whip something together— oh! Your highness!” The older woman dropped into an awkward curtsy as the heir to the throne of Trenue came into view behind her daughter.

Calder had determined there was no immediate threat and had come to join Astasha at the doorway. While she wasn’t exactly comfortable with advertising their relationship to her mother, she knew there were things she couldn’t avoid telling her when it came to what they had to discuss. But Cal understood her desire for discretion and kept his shows of affection at bay.

“Lady Danaya, I apologize for the sudden intrusion. Your daughter speaks very highly of you.” He held out his hand to help the woman back to her feet.

“Oh, well, please forgive me your highness, I am a bit in disarray. I wasn’t expecting such esteemed company.” She shot her daughter a sideways look but the Prince shook his head and chuckled.

“No no, you look lovely. Again, I am sorry for such a surprise. As Astasha said, our visit was quite unplanned.”

“No need to apologize your majesty. Please, come in! Can’t keep the crown Prince standing in the garden!” Danaya stepped aside to allow the others to enter the cottage. Calder exchanged a quick nod with Talib before following Tasha inside.

It was just as it had been the last time Astasha had been at home, although there seemed to be a bit more clutter. Her mother loved to collect nicknacks, and it had been Tasha who had kept them in somewhat of an organized state. But she couldn’t help but grin as she looked around the familiar space.

Danaya rushed past them toward the kitchen area. “I just brought in some fresh herbs. I'll put on some tea.”

“It’s ok mother. We really can’t stay too long. There’s…” Now that it came to it, Astasha found herself a bit nervous to bring up her father. But there was nothing for it. She needed answers. “There’s something I need to ask you. About my father.”

The older woman stopped her fussing about. “Oh, I see.”

They had never discussed the man who had abandoned them when Tasha was but a baby. She had asked about him when she was little, but her mother had always avoided the topic and so she had learned not to pry. Whatever had happened between them, the hurt ran deep, and it pained her to have to open the wound again.

She put her hand on her mother’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, I know you don’t like to talk about him, and if it weren’t important I wouldn’t ask, but there are things I need to know, things that could affect the safety of the kingdom.”

Astasha could sense her mother’s worry and a deep anguish, but there was also fear. She looked to Cal with concern and he stepped forward, his face kind and his presence comforting.

“I wish we needn’t bother you with this Lady Danaya. But it’s true. What you tell us could alter many things for the future safety of my people, including you.”

There was silence for a moment as Danaya’s fingers fidgeted with a cloth on the small counter. “He was a secretive man, your father. Very mysterious. Perhaps that was why I was drawn to him.” She looked up at the Prince. “I don’t know how much I’ll be able to help. I realized long ago that the man I loved wasn’t truly him at all. I was just a silly girl in love with a powerful and seductive sorcerer.”

Calder reached out and covered Danaya’s hand with his own. “There is nothing silly about falling in love with someone. We can’t help who it is we love or why.” His eyes flickered to Tasha for just a moment and she couldn’t help but be in awe of him. "Anything you can tell us will help and be appreciated for generations to come." There was something so calming and reassuring about how he spoke. Someday, he would make an amazing King, and father. This she knew. She only wished she would be there to see it.

But that was not what she needed to focus on now. “Mother, we hold no judgement against you for the man you fell for. But we must know… did he or Grandmother dabble in the dark magics of old?”

Astasha knew they had their answer the second the words left her mouth. The tension and nervousness that burst from her poor mother were so palpable she knew even Cal could feel it, and he did. Their eyes met as the reality hit them both.

Danaya bowed her head. “Your father was never truly forthcoming about his magical abilities or what he did with them, but I guess I always knew, deep down, there was darkness in him. How could there not be when his mother was so open about her fondness for the old ways.”

The older woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning to a cabinet in the corner of the kitchen.

“She was always performing rituals… when she did, the air would feel thick and my stomach would turn. I would find bones, sometimes dead birds and blood after she was here.” She began rummaging through the odds and ends tucked away. “The night before your father disappeared, I found her by your crib. I was too scared to stop her, but after she left, I found these in your bedding.”

From a tin, Astasha’s mother pulled out a cloth, and unwrapping it, revealed a pile of stones, herbs, and charred bones. The fire witch held her hand out over the objects and immediately had to swallow the bile that began to rise in her throat. “They’re from a baby.” Her words were barely a whisper, and a tear rolled down her cheek as the weight of it all began to consume her.

“I didn’t need magic to assume the worst.” Her mother uttered in response.

Tasha pulled her hand away but couldn’t force her eyes to leave the cursed items before her. She felt Cal’s hand discreetly take her own.

“What was she doing with these?” He asked.

Danaya shook her head. “I’m not from a magical family. I know nothing of the spells and rituals a normal sorcerer would perform, little lone that of the dark arts. But that wasn’t all.” Astasha finally looked up at the woman who had bore her who met her eyes with a sadness and a guilt. “There was a symbol, drawn in blood. I found it on your chest when I took you from your swaddle after she had gone.”

“What symbol?” Calder spoke, for Astasha couldn’t bring her words to work.

From the tin, Danaya pulled a piece of parchment, worn with the years. On it, was a rough sketch of what appeared to be runes around an upside down star. The sorceress took the paper and stared at it. She had never seen this configuration before, nor some of the runes. But she recognized the one for fire, and power.

“We need to take this to Errant, immediately.”

Calder nodded in agreement.

Danaya suddenly reached out to grasp her daughter’s hands. “I don’t know what is happening that you are involved in, but I knew from that night on, you were marked. For whatever reason, I was too afraid to find out, or speak up, I didn’t want to lose you, and for that, I beg your forgiveness. But you have to understand, I only wanted to protect you, from whatever it was she had planned for you. I see now, I failed.”

Astasha finally met her mother’s eyes. She knew she had done everything she could. She knew she had pushed for her to become a member of the Advisory in the hopes that it might protect her. But she also knew, none of it would have mattered. Whatever her Grandmother had done, came from an old, dark magic, more powerful than any of them had thought possible.

“No mother, there was nothing you could have done to alter my fate. This wasn’t your fault. I was destined for this. And I will face it however I can.”


**Author’s Note:** *Hello my lovelies! Just to keep everyone in the know, I will be posting updates on our forbidden lovers on Mondays and Fridays. I know that doesn’t seem like a lot but I have another story that will be dropping this weekend so I want to make sure I can do at least two updates for each book a week. That being said, you never know when a surprise chapter might come about ;) If you haven’t yet, make sure to like my artist page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WrittenByBCole to stay up to date on everything! Love & Light Everyone!