Chapter Sixty-one

Finally, Harriet sensed my discomfort and gently pulled me away from him. She introduced me to some other people until she was satisfied she had done a good job of getting me acquainted with those who mattered.

Soon Uncle Napoleon's loud voice echoes around the room. He gave a toast to my babies after which the party continued as usual.

Then one day I ran into the old lady in the library. She was seated all by herself with a book on her lap. She did not look mad but rather studious as she sat quietly with the book. I had come to the library to pick up my favorite pastime_ reading.

Since the day my twins had been delivered, I had not had a second myself. If one was not crying, the other was screaming down the house. If one was not hungry, the other wanted my attention. I had not had a moment’s rest since that day and I wanted very badly to do so. While I was grateful for their presence, sometimes I found myself longing for my freedom.

“Your Imperial Highness,” I acknowledged the old lady's presence. I was happy to see her but I wondered what use it would be now. Would she have anything valuable to tell me about my mother? Was she simply insane as Uncle Napoleon had said or was he only hiding something from me?

“I have a sound mind if that is what you want to ask,” the old lady finally looked up from her book to look at my face. My heart began to race faster as her gaze settled on mine.

“You look just like her,” her life was as clear as day. It did not sound vague or unsure. It was not the voice of someone who had lost their minds.

“My mother? Marilyn?” I quipped. I felt the need to talk in a low voice. I knew that Uncle Napoleon would not be happy if he saw that I was speaking to the old lady but curiosity got the best of me. I simply had to know.

“She was very beautiful, Alphas sought her hand in marriage but she wanted one thing only,” the old lady's face remained calm as she told her story. I sat down on a chair closest to her.

“One thing? What was that?” I asked.

“The throne of this place. It belonged to her as much as it belonged to Napoleon. She trained much harder than her brother; could ride a horse better; could command large armies; could speak with authority but as the time grew nearer she found her mate,” Grandmother's voice was sullen like she was telling a sad story.

“Alpha George?” I quipped.

“Who is that? Her mate was Rowan or was it Rowen? Anyway, it was more than finding a mate; the two were in love and could barely keep their hands off each other,” I looked at my grandmother, stupefied. This was nothing like I had heard or could have guessed. Who was Rowan and did that mean Rowan was my father and not Alpha George?

“We held their wedding here; just over the brook of Ancust. It was the most beautiful wedding. It reminded me of my own wedding,” I asked no questions even though there were a thousand things on my mind I wanted to ask. I just had to listen to her even if what she said appeared to have no sense in it. I had begun to doubt that she was referring to my mother. Perhaps, Uncle Napoleon was right. Grandmother's mind was not well and so she had begun to weave fiction and reality together.

“People came from all over to witness the wedding. It was simply awesome,” I spotted tears in the corner of her eyes when she said this.

“Oh! My darling Marilyn looked beautiful on that day! And do you know what she did? She wanted us both to walk her down the aisle. She said we raised her both and it was unfair that only father gets the honor to do so. So I am probably the only mother to walk her daughter down the aisle. On that fateful day, no one would have guessed that the grinning Marilyn was the very same one who led armies to war and could shoot arrows across impossible distances. She was so like me in many ways but she retained her femininity,” tears were streaming down grandmother's eyes at this point. I wanted to lean in to hug her but I figured that would be a dangerous position for us both.

“Then my husband died and the throne was vacant. Napoleon contested it but the minds of the people were on Marilyn. What more? Rowan had an accident, a usurper took his throne, and the werewolf clan together was at war. It was a bloody time indeed!” her voice began to become distant the more she spoke. Her eyes were dull, yet alive like she could see everything she was saying unfold right in front of her.

“Then one day, I heard no more of Marilyn and Napoleon insisted there was no Rowan; that she never got married and that I had lost my mind,” the old lady was in tears; her body rocked slightly from the impact of her sobs.

“But that is not true, he tells lies. I have not lost my mind, you see? And you are proof. You look like your mother but it is Rowan’s frame that is etched in your body.”