Unwarranted Sacrifices

Visenya stood at the foot of the majestic mountains, its peaks stretching high up into the heavens. Her steps were slow and wary, her hair was as untamed as the wild wind, and the crisp mountain air awakened all her senses.

As she wandered the vast mountainous landscape, she stumbled upon a mysterious cave nestled in the underpinning of a mountain. A light flickered from within, drawing her into the mouth of this enchanting abyss.

She observed the ancient symbols that adorned the walls, illuminated by some kind of ethereal light coming from the heart of the cave. As she rounded the corner, a red-haired woman stood with her back facing her, humming a hypnotic tune as a single flame danced in the palm of her hand.

The red-haired woman looks over her shoulder, an expectant grin on her face as she meets Visenya’s gaze. That’s when Visenya realizes that it’s Marienne who stands before her, hiding away inside this sinister cave for Goddess knows how long now.

The flame in her hand burns out, and her obsession to revive it becomes apparent in her eyes once she feels the absence of its power. Her eyes gravitate to Visenya once more, and the sound of her voice echoes through the cavernous void.

“I’m waiting for you.” She smirks.

Visenya’s eyes shot open and the rays of the afternoon sun pierced through the window, illuminating the room that she found herself in. Her memories came rushing back, along with the faint knock at the door, and that resounding pain in her heart that she can only escape in the dead of sleep. Visenya rolled over in the bed, turning her back to Sarai as she entered the room.

"Are you going to sleep your life away?" Sarai repeated the same question she had been asking for the past two days.

If only Visenya could sleep it all away. For in sleep was when she found peace... in sleep was the only time she could forget again.

"Is there something you need, mother?" Visenya asked, a hint of exasperation seeping into her tone.

"I thought you might want to eat something," Sarai suggested, her voice gentle. "You should have a meal, considering you barely touched last night's dinner."

"I've been feeling a bit queasy," Visenya explained, her voice weary.

"You should try to get something down. At least drink some water," Sarai urged. "Will you please just get out of bed and come sit with your family?"

It took everything in Visenya's power not to tell Sarai to leave her be, but a part of her knew that her mother was right. She couldn't spend her life lying in bed all day, no matter how much she wanted to. She rolled out of bed and joined her mother and sister at the table.

The tantalizing aroma filled the room, and that was when Visenya realized just how famished she was. Her nausea was suddenly replaced by a ravenous hunger, and she began to attack the plate of food in front of her.

"Well, I guess you were hungry after all, huh?" Sarai remarked.

"Your cooking is truly delicious. I'm very impressed, Mother," Visenya said with a mouth full of food.

Sarai's eyes lit up with her daughter's compliment. "Thank you."

"Where's Cas?" Visenya motioned to the empty seat at the table.

"He's out hunting with the former watch patrol," Sarai replied. "Everyone has to pull their weight around here. We hunt for the humans who are still enslaved to Lazarus, and we hunt for our people as well, and the humans who live amongst us... those mated to our own, and the ones that were released from their own enslavement a few months ago. Which reminds me... those girls came by to see you again this morning. Emerald and Grace, I think their names are. I can't keep sending them away, back into the rain."

"Mommy, it finally stopped raining. Can I go out and play once I'm finished?" Synora asked.

Visenya glanced out the window, greeted by a breathtakingly sunny day. "Sorry about all the rain," she mumbled under her breath.

"It's not your fault," Synora snickered. "You don't control the weather."

Oh, but she did, and she figured this out the night that she left Lucian. If she didn't learn to get her emotions under control, she'll end up flooding the entire world... or worse.

"I think I'll finish this in my room," Visenya decided, picking up her plate as she stood up.

"You can finish it right here," Sarai argued, but Visenya paid no attention and left the dining room.

"She's different," Synora whispered, her smile fading away.

"She's been through a lot," Sarai replied solemnly. "I'll go and have a talk with her."

Sarai approached Visenya's room, knocking gently before entering. Visenya sat at the window, staring out of it in a daze. She wiped away the stray tear that ran down her cheek before turning to face her mother.

"Are you ready to talk about it?" Sarai asked, her voice filled with concern.

Visenya shook her head and returned her gaze to the window, as if somewhere hidden in the landscape lie all the answers to the questions that plagued her tortured mind.

"You'll feel better if you let it all out, Visenya," Sarai encouraged. "You might be surprised to find that I understand more than you think."

"Trust me, mother... It's better for everyone if I keep it to myself," Visenya insisted, her voice tinged with sadness.

“You can’t just bottle it all up, that’s not good for you,” Sarai probed.

But it was good for everyone around her... it was safer that way. Visenya understood the risks she posed to her own family just by being there, but as long as she kept her feelings in check, nobody would get hurt.

“I don’t want to talk about it, but I appreciate your concern,” Visenya replied.

“Why are you shutting me out? Why are you shutting us all out?” Sarai persisted. “How do you expect any of us to help you if you won’t talk to us?”

“For Goddess’s sake, mother, will you just back off?” Visenya snapped, her frustration bubbling to the surface.

She could see the hurt in her mother’s eyes caused by her words and the harshness of her tone. She had never spoken to her mother that way before, and it pained her to do so. Closing her eyes, Visenya took in a few deep breaths, a desperate attempt to calm her racing nerves. When she opened her eyes again, Sarai was gone, leaving behind a lingering sense of emptiness.

A couple of minutes passed before there was another knock at the door, disrupting Visenya's reclusion. "Mother, please, just let it go and give me some space," Visenya called out.

The door slowly opened, and Synora peeked through the small aperture. "It's just me, but if you want me to go away, I will."

"No..." Visenya stood up and beckoned her inside. "You can come in."

Synora pleasantly accepted the invitation and went to sit beside Visenya on the bed. Visenya smiled at her sister as she ran her fingers through her long tresses, tucking the front edges behind her ear.

"Your hair has grown a lot since the last time I saw you. It's so pretty," Visenya complimented.

"I want to grow it long like yours," Synora said admirably.

Visenya smiled at her baby sister, and it warmed Synora's heart to see it.

"Are you happy, Vee?" Synora asked. "Don't you want to be here with us?"

"Of course I do," Visenya affirmed. "I've wanted this for so long. Every day spent apart from all of you just tore me apart."

Though Synora wanted to believe her sister's words, she couldn't ignore the lingering pain she saw in Visenya's eyes. "Late at night, I'd hear Mommy crying," she confessed, her voice trembling with emotion. "She would cry all night, sometimes... because she missed you. But ever since you've been home, Mommy doesn't cry anymore. Yet, I can still hear crying in the middle of the night... I can hear you."

Visenya's expression faltered, her words stumbling out as she struggled to find the right explanation. "I'm just... I have a lot on my mind," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean I'm not happy to be here with you. I am... I swear to you, that much."

"Then why are you so sad?" Synora asked softly. "Right now was the first time I've seen you smile since you've been home."

Visenya sighed, her gaze distant as she tried to put her feelings into words. "It's complicated, Synora," she finally confessed. "I just feel... torn."

"Torn between what?" Synora inquired, her voice filled with a mix of curiosity and empathy.

As Synora's questions continued to probe, Visenya felt the walls she had built around her heart slowly crumbling. These were the questions she had been avoiding, the ones that demanded honest answers.

"Torn between my heart and my mind," Visenya whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

“Hmm…” Synora hummed thoughtfully. "Having to choose between your heart and your mind doesn’t sound easy. Your mind can give you good advice, pointing out all the risks and all the possibilities for failure. But your heart is driven by what you love…what you long for. You can follow your mind because it feels like the safer path. Or you can follow your heart, and though that path might look scary, it could lead you somewhere really beautiful."

There was a brief silence between them, Visenya’s eyes glued to her little sister as she hung onto every single word. A breath of air escaped her lips, astounded by this young child’s wisdom.

"When did you become so insightful?" Visenya asked, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and admiration.

"Well, I am almost eleven years old," Synora responded, her words carrying a hint of pride.

Visenya embraced Synora, playfully tousling her hair. "Eleven going on seventy," she teased affectionately.

A spark of joy ignited in Synora's eyes. "I just realized that I get to celebrate my birthday with you!" She exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement. "Mommy made a cake on your birthday, but I didn’t feel right eating it, knowing that you probably didn’t have a good day."

Contrary to Synora's assumption, Visenya had the most exquisite day, but she buried those memories back down, not wanting to be reminded of it.

"So, you didn't eat any cake on my birthday?" Visenya inquired.

"Nope, none of us did," Synora replied, her tone tinged with disappointment.

"Well, then we should make up for it," Visenya suggested, a playful glimmer in her eyes. "Do you want to help me bake a cake?"

"You can make a cake?" Synora asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I've learned a thing or two," Visenya responded with a wink.

"Can we make a chocolate cake?" Synora pleaded, her excitement evident. "With chocolate frosting?!"

"Oh dear, that's a lot of chocolate. You'll be bouncing off the walls... Mother will have a fit," Visenya chuckled mischievously. "So, we better throw in some chocolate sprinkles."

"Yes!" Synora exclaimed, unable to contain her enthusiasm. She leaped off the bed and tugged Visenya towards the kitchen.

They gathered all the necessary ingredients, and for the next hour, laughter and joyful melodies filled the air as they baked a delectable chocolate cake.

"Mmm... It is so good!" Synora exclaimed, her face smeared with chocolate.

Visenya chuckled affectionately at her little sister, cherishing this precious moment they shared together.

"Where did Mother go?" Visenya asked.

"She went to hang the linen out to dry since it stopped raining," Synora replied, her words slightly muffled by a mouthful of cake.

"It takes her an hour to do that?" Visenya questioned, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"No, sometimes she sits out on the bench by the park so she can think," Synora explained. "That's what she tells me, at least."

"Hmm..." Visenya pondered. "Maybe I should take her a piece of cake."

"If she doesn't want it, I'll eat it!" Synora exclaimed with a mischievous grin.

"I bet you will," Visenya chuckled, playfully tickling Synora's side as she walked by. "I'll be right back, you enjoy the rest of your cake."

Visenya stepped outside for the first time since returning home, her eyes immediately spotting Sarai sitting on the bench several feet away. With a touch of hesitation, she approached and settled down beside her mother, the lingering awkwardness from their earlier dispute hanging in the air.

"Synora and I baked a cake," Visenya broke the silence, offering a small piece to Sarai.

Sarai's face lit up with a warm smile as she graciously accepted the small plate from Visenya. "You baked this?"

"Mhm," Visenya nodded, "I had to learn some new tricks myself."

Sarai sank her fork into the moist slice of cake, savoring the rich flavor that melted on her taste buds. She closed her eyes in bliss. "This is devilishly good," Sarai praised. "Let me guess, chocolate was Synora's idea?"

"You know it," Visenya smiled.

"She'll be up all night," Sarai side-eyed her.

"Without a doubt," Visenya replied, her grin infectious.

As Sarai's gaze shifted to Visenya, her heart swelled with affection. She couldn't help but admire the beauty of her daughter's smile, a smile that had been dearly missed. In that magical moment, Sarai reached out and gently took Visenya's hand, their fingers intertwining.

They exchanged a loving gaze before turning their attention back to the breathtaking sunset, feeling a renewed sense of connection and love between them. They sat there, hand in hand, for a moment, a quiet sense of tranquility enveloping them and washing away any and all negative energy they might have had.

In that very moment, Visenya felt a surge of courage and a readiness to reveal her deepest secret—a secret she had never shared with anyone... until now. "Lucian is my mate," she finally confessed, her words cutting through the silence like a sharp blade.

Sarai's gaze remained fixed on the setting sun, her breath catching in her chest. "I know," she exhaled her own revelation.

Visenya's eyes darted back to her mother, confusion etched across her face. "How could you know? I've never spoken a word about it to anyone."

Sarai met her daughter's gaze, understanding that the time had come to reveal the truth she had kept hidden for so long. "I've known for quite some time," she confessed. "Since that day... all those years ago, when we last visited the Dragon Empire. I saw him on the terrace, the way he looked at you with fire in his eyes. That's when I knew. Perhaps, deep down, I knew even before then."

Visenya stared at her mother in shock, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in disbelief. She pulled away abruptly, rising to her feet, her eyes burning with intensity as she locked onto Sarai's gaze, searching for any sign that this was all a cruel joke. But the shame in Sarai's eyes shattered any hope of that.

"All... these... years?" Visenya's voice trembled with a mix of disbelief and anger as she emphasized each word. "All those parties and balls that I held... searching desperately for my mate, and you just stood by, silently witnessing every disappointment that I was forced to endure because you refused to tell me what you've known all along!"

"It was a mistake, Visenya," Sarai expressed with absolute certitude. "You should have never been mated to him. Your father and I only wanted to protect you. Everything we did, everything we sacrificed was all for you."

Visenya's mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. "What does my father have to do with any of this?!" She queried, the connection not registering right away... until it finally hit her like a lightning bolt.

"No..." Visenya's heart sank into the pit of her stomach. "Tell me that you are not saying what I think you are saying, mother!"