“Where would you like to start?” Glandria asked Launi as they walked down the trail, Swift following behind them.
Launi tried to think clearly, but her mind was filled with so many questions and so much confusion that she was having trouble. She couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that the powerful witch walking beside her, long braid beating softly against her shoulder, was really her mother who Launi had thought had died long ago.
Where do I want to start? Launi wasn’t sure. Maybe with why did you leave us? Why did we think you were dead? Does Father know? Launi’s heart fluttered at the thought of her father. Did he know? Had he known for years and kept it from her? Did he, like Glandria, think it was best to have Launi believe her mother had died while hunting? Launi’s hands shook slightly from anger and confusion. She was overwhelmed.
Glandria waited patiently as Launi sorted through her thoughts. She said nothing, only looking at her daughter from time to time. Whenever Launi glanced at her, a question on her lips, she would pause at the sight of tears in the woman’s eyes.
She’s having just as hard a time as I am, Launi realized as they jumped over a small stream gurgling down from the mountains. It was almost hard to be mad at the woman when she appeared to be just as overwhelmed, almost.
Launi finally made up her mind and let the question pass her lips. “Why not just start at the beginning?”
Glandria looked at her and smiled softly. “The beginning is a long time ago, it could take some time.”
“I don’t mind,” Launi said truthfully. She tightened her grip on Swift’s reins as if to reassure herself that her companion of late was still with her.
It was Glandria’s turn to be silent and Launi waited as the witch made up her mind on where to start.
“I guess, it all starts before you were born. You father and I met while I was traveling. He was out looking for healing herbs. He had just finished his apprenticeship and was starting out on his own. I was about to finish my training with the mages and was tasked with traveling the realm. It is customary that at the end of a mages training they meet as many people and see as much of the land as possible. It is believed that they will be able to have a better understanding of why we need to protect the realm from dark magic.
“Anyway, we met and traveled together for a while. We soon fell in love and agreed to marry. We decided that I would come live with your father after I had finished my mage’s training. The mages warned me, upon my return to the school, that living with civilians would bring danger to their doorstep. But I was young and in love and ignored them.
“I returned to your father as soon as I finished and we wed. Things were good for a few years, we got pregnant with you; you were the joy of our lives. The mages’ warning never left me, but I chose to ignore it; everything seemed to be fine. Soon after you were born, the dark mages found out that I was living among civilians and-”
“Why does it matter if they knew that?” Launi was enthralled by her mother’s story.
Glandria sighed, “because dark mages will do anything they can to eliminate light magic. If they learn that a light mage has fallen in love and has a family, a community, they will stop at nothing to destroy that mage’s loved ones in an effort to destroy their will to live. In my case the two of you, that is you and your father, were in even more danger because during my training I had started dismantling the dark mages’ hold on magic. I am not a fan of theirs, quite the opposite actually.
“I put protective barriers around our village, taught your father the basic signs of dark magic and put protective spells on you. I offered the same spells to your father, but he refused.”
So that was how her father had known there was a magical boundary surrounding the village. Launi realized that the protective spells her mother had put on her were the reason she hadn’t been affected by the dark magic in her village.
“So what happened? Did they find you?”
“They did,” Glandria replied nodding. “I had word from my old instructor that they had discovered where I was. I knew I was going to have to leave in order to keep you and your father safe. I didn’t have a choice. Before I left, I gave you a necklace that I had enchanted. I wanted to always be certain that you were safe.”
“If you left, who’s body did they find?”
Glandria’s expression was sad once more. “It was a shifter. We fought and I disguised her body as my own. I told no one where I was going. I decided that a clean break would be safest for everyone.”
“But they still found us,” Launi said softly.
Glandria nodded again. “They did. It was only a matter of time really. I did my best to hide the village, but over time spells weaken and it has been a very long time since I left.”
Launi and Glandria were silent for a little while; each lost in memories. It was Launi who finally broke the silence.
“You said that you enchanted my necklace.”
“I did.”
“Why? What does the enchantment do?”
“It allows me to check up on you whenever I please. A simple enchantment really. It becomes a scry point. I can use it to check your surroundings.”
Launi felt violated and oddly protected at the same time. “So you’ve been watching me for years?”
“I have.”
Launi wasn’t sure how she felt about her mother spying on her, but decided to push it to the back of her mind for now. “If you left, why would the dark mages still come after us after all these years?”
Glandria didn’t respond right away, it was as if she was deciding how to answer. “Because,” she said slowly. “They weren’t coming after me.”
“Who were they coming after then?”
“You.”
“Me? Why would they come after me? I’m just a healer’s daughter.”
“You are much more than that. You are the daughter of a mage. You have a powerful magic hidden deep within you.”
Launi was stunned. “So, so I’m a mage?”
“You are one of the most powerful mages there has ever been.”
Huge goosebumps!
I’m glad 🙂