Chapter 217: I don't know Ana
~ Gwen's POV~
"Granddaughter."
She called out again.
I couldn't breathe for a moment. At first, I wanted to know how she could be my grandmother, but deep down I already had an idea. The stories Drogon told me came rushing back into my mind.
Haggar walked closer and called out a name that made my blood freeze and confirmed my suspicions.
"Arabelle."
A name I never wanted to hear again. A name that belonged to someone I was told, I used to be.
Drogon was right. Even though I didn't want to believe what he told me, even though I spent so many nights trying to tell myself his stories weren't real, he was right about everything.
"I am sorry, Arabelle," Haggar said quietly, her voice heavy filled sadness. "I didn't want us to meet this way."
When she came closer, close enough that I could see the lines around her eyes and the gray in her hair, I finally knew who she was.
I had seen her in my dreams, through Arabelle's broken memories, a woman with kind eyes who had loved me once in a life I could barely and do not want to remember.
But why didn't I know who she was when I first saw her with Drogon and Raphael? The question wouldn't leave me alone. Had I blocked it out? Had the bad memories been so awful that even my mind protected me from knowing?
She came closer, reaching out like she wanted to touch me. But I stepped back, my body moving before I could think, trying to accept what was happening even though everything in me wanted to run away.
"I didn't want to burden you with the curse of our family," she said, her voice starting to break. "I saw how happy you are were, and I didn't want to take that away from you."
She was right, and that made it worse. I had found some peace here, something that felt like happiness even with all the chaos.
But I didn't want to accept what this meant, what I was, what was in my blood, what dangers might come for me or my young ones.
"Our family..." I whispered. "What curse?"
Haggar's face crumpled with pain. "Our bloodline has power, Arabelle. Old magic that others want or fear. For years and years, we've been hunted by people who would use us or kill us. I've spent my whole life running, hiding, trying to stay ahead of those who want me ead."
My hands started shaking. The dreams made sense now, the violence, the feeling of being chased, the fear that followed me even here.
"Was that's why you never told me who you were? why you let me think I was alone?" The question sounded accusing but I couldn't help it. I wanted to know if that was the reason the temple priests in Lystra wanted me dead all of a sudden.
"I thought if you didn't know, if you could live as Gwen instead of Arabelle, you might escape what has happened to so many in our family." Her voice was barely a whisper now. "I wanted to give you a chance at a normal life, away from the shadows that have followed our family for so long."
"But people are already hunting me," I said. Didn't she know or was she claiming not to.
Before Haggar could answer, I heard footsteps. I turned to see Drogon walking toward us, his face worried and tired. The noise from the portal must have brought him here, just like it brought me down from my room.
He looked at Haggar right away, and something passed between them, a look that said they had talked about this before, that they shared old secrets. When he spoke, his voice sounded tired and sad.
"You finally let it out, huh?"
The way he said it, like he knew all along, made both Anastasia and me stare at him in shock. Anastasia had been watching quietly, but now she looked surprised and worried.
"You knew?" I asked, my voice sharper than I meant it to be. "You knew this whole time and never said anything?"
Yet, even I as I asked this question, I knew it was stupid of me to have thought Drogon wouldn't know of Arabelle's grandmother.
Drogon looked guilty but tried to hide it. "It wasn't my place to tell you. That was always Haggar's choice."
Yet still, I felt betrayed. Everyone around me had known the truth while I lived my life not knowing who I really was.
They had all kept secrets, all said they were protecting me from things they thought were too dangerous for me to know. But wasn't it my right to know who I was? Wasn't it my choice?
"How long?" I asked, looking between them. "How long have you all been lying to me?"
"We weren't lying," Haggar said quickly. "We were protecting you. It's different."
"Is it?" I was getting angry now, the feeling burning away the shock and confusion. "Because it feels like you all decided I was too weak to handle the truth about my own life."
I couldn't stay there anymore. I couldn't look at their faces or listen to their reasons. The courtyard felt like it was closing in on me.
Without saying anything else, I turned and walked away fast toward the castle. I needed space, I needed air, I needed to think without everyone watching me.
Behind me, I heard Anastasia and Ava call my name. Footsteps followed, and from the corner of my eyes, I saw she was coming after me.
Part of me wanted to run away from everyone, but another part was glad. Anastasia had always been kind to me, and right now I needed someone who cared without having hidden reasons.
"Gwen, wait!" Anastasia's voice was closer now, full of real concern.
I slowed down but didn't stop. If I stopped moving, I might fall apart knowing I had a grandmother, knowing I had some hidden powers which I have been forced to give to my younger sister.
Behind us, I heard Drogon's voice, confused as he called out to Haggar. He was shocked, clearly not understanding what had just happened and why I was so upset.
But I couldn't worry about his confusion right now. I had my own mess to sort through. The curse of our family, the hunters, which I am beginning to understand are the temple priest.
When I reached the castle doors, Anastasia caught up to me and gently touched my arm. When I looked at her, I saw real worry in her eyes, the kind of simple concern that came from someone who just cared.
"Gwen," she said softly. "Talk to me. What happened out there?"
" I don't know Ana. I sincerely do not know. I am so confused. What do I do?"
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