The Elementals: Chapter 19

My week off passed too quickly, but I managed to catch up on the coursework that I missed as well as apologise to my work. Sky still has not let me do anything more than kiss him, even going as far as building a wall off pillows to keep us apart at night. He has planned a date for Saturday though after my trip with Mr Elm in the morning. The more I think about seeing my mum again, the angrier I get, so it is nice to have something to look forward to afterwards.
“Are you sure I can’t come with you, I have a few things I’d like to say to that bitch myself” Rain asks.
“Mr Elm said it had to just be me, but don’t worry I will be fine and I will tell you all about it when i’m back before I go to Sky’s” I say.
I grab my bag and head to met mr Elm at the location he sent me. When I arrive I’m confused, there is nothing here except a large empty meadow area. I spot Mr Elm in the middle and walk towards him.
“What are we doing? I thought I was meeting my mum?” I ask.
“You will be, but we have to get there first. This is the safest place around here to take off from. Stay close to my tail, we have to stay below plane height, but above where people could see us clearly which is why we needed a cloudy day.” Mr Elm explains.
“We are flying? Like as dragons, not in a plane? Where are we going?” I ask surprised
“Antarctica” he says changing to his dragon before I can ask more questions. I assume that was a joke and I say “Draco alas expande tuis” changing into my dragon to follow him. As Mr Elm takes off, I realise that I have no idea how to fly, I stretch out my wings and see if I can flap them to lift off, it works, fairly effortlessly, flying seems to be instinctive luckily for me.
Once we are up at the height he wants, he levels out and shoots forward unthinkably fast. I focus on following him and feel myself also shooting through the air. Its not unpleasant though, more exhilarating. I can’t get over how easy it feels and how natural it is. I don’t even feel the cold wind pushing past me. I wish we could do this all the time, its so freeing and thrilling, not to mention that it would make travelling a whole lot cheaper. I completely lose track of time, enjoying the experience of gliding through the clouds, but too soon I see Mr Elm drop below the clouds and I know it’s time to face her.
We land in a mountainous area covered in snow, its just white as far as the eye can see except for a small village area. I’m beginning to think Mr Elm was serious when he said Antarctica, but then we can’t possibly have been flying long enough to get there. He walks towards the village and I follow slowly, stopping outside. I have very mixed feelings about this meeting, sure a part of me misses her and had always hoped for this day, but a larger part of me was hurt and angry that she left. The angry part of me really does not want to see her, after all why should I try to reach out to her when she has never tried with me. I at least need to ask her the question I came her to ask though so taking a deep breath, I follow Mr Elm inside.
"Lily?" A voice I can't believe I recognise after all this time asks as I turn to face her. 
"Mum" I greet her with a curt nod. She looks the same as the last time I saw her, not a day older, her frizzy curly red hair sticking out in all directions but still looking beautiful on her slender figure. 
"Everyone please leave us" my mother commands and surprisingly the rest of the people that were gathered in the large tavern hall depart, including Mr elm.
"I was beginning to worry I'd never see you again" she says, her voice cracking with emotion. 
"And why would that bother you, you left remember" I snap at her. 
"I'm so sorry, but there is more going on here than you understand" she says clearly fighting back tears. 
"Then explain, why did you leave?" I ask the one question that has haunted me for most of my life.
"I didn't want to, I had to. Part of me hoped you would not be like us so that you would be safe and I'd not have to tell you all this." She sighs and takes a shaky breath before continuing "but you deserve to know the truth and I only hope you can forgive me. Please sit. What do you already know?" she says and guides me to a chair by the fire. 
"Not much, very basic information about dragons, Mr Elm said there was more, but that it was not for him to share" I explain. 
"He is right, you should hear it from me. I will explain everything I promise, but first would you allow me the chance to get to know my daughter again? Is your favourite food still brownies? Do you still love to read?" She asks. 
I should be mad at her still, make her tell me what I came here for, but I'm so shocked that she remembers and cares to ask that my frosty demeanour melts away and I answer "brownies are definitely still up there with my favourites, but pizza is a strong contender. I still read, but most of the time now it's a textbook for class" 
"Class, are you studying?" She asks and I proceed with updating her on my life for the last decade or so. It's surprisingly nice to speak to her like this, it is so familiar and causal, flowing easily for what feels like hours. It's what I always imagined talking to my mum should be like, I don't really want it to end but i know I won't trust her properly until I understand. How can I trust she won't just leave and forget about me again when I don't know why she did it the first time. 
"Please tell me why you weren't there to know all of this? What made you miss me growing up?" I ask more sad than angry now. 
"Do you remember your father?" She asks
"Only partially, hazy memories here and there" I say 
"Well he didn't die in a crash, he was killed, by hunters. The people who tried to take you." She says clenching her fists and grinding her teeth. Her voice is dripping with venom and her hatred is clear as she continues.
"I couldn't let them get away with it. I was so angry at them and completely lost without your father. He used to calm me, help me control the fire inside me, but without him there was nothing to hold me back. I was consumed by vengeance. I hunted down and killed all of the hunters I could find. I convinced myself that what I was doing was protecting you, but in reality it put you in more danger. 
They threatened you and I had to enlist the help of the royal guards to keep you safe. When they realised what I had done, I was banished from my own kingdom. I can't leave this place.
Our laws are fairly similar to human laws, killing unless in self defence is forbidden. I was out of control and wrong. I deserved to be sent here where I couldn't hurt anyone else, but you didn't deserve the same. I wanted you to have a chance at a normal life. At least until you were old enough to take over your responsibilities. I'm so sorry you got dragged into this again. If they have your DNA, there will be a big target on you head now, you will be punished for my crimes. Please, you have to stay safe above all else. I suggest that you drop out of university and come to stay here where we can protect you"
I have not even had time to process most of what she just told me or to come to terms with the fact that my mother is a murderer, all I can think about is the last thing she said. "What? Why? I'm not dropping out! You wanted me to have a life and now you are asking me to give it up? No, you have no right to ask that of me." I say, getting up and walking out. 
"Wait! Lily there is so much more we need to talk about!" She calls after me but I shift and start flying before she can say more. I'm glad when I see Mr Elm catch up to me because I have no idea how to navigate. I follow him home trying to process everything that has happened. 
She may be my mother, but she is asking me to leave the family I have built up for myself when she wasn't there for me. I can't do that, I won't do what she did and disappear on people I care about.