9 The Hybrid Princess

"Answer me Aunt. Who am I, who are we? Why did the soldiers want us? Who are we running from? Why do I have these powers? And why are the colours of my eyes different? What am I? Who were my parents?" She start to sob...

"Answer me Aunt, I deserve to know," she continued crying, "I feel so lost."

"Now's not the right time... "

"When would ever be the right time... That's what you always say every time I asked about my parents. Answer me or I go back and perhaps they'll tell me who I am," she said getting up and ready to leave the cave.

As she is about to step out, a hand grabs her arm halting her movements.

She stop walking but doesn't turn back, she still faces the entrance to the cave as the tears fall freely from her face.

"I am sorry Astrid,"

"Not good enough Aunt. That is no explanation," she replied Nerissa with a calm voice, but showed some traces of coldness in her tone.

"What am I to do with her? Can... Please your majesty what should I do? Wherever you are... " She said to herself.

"Huh... " Astrid said to her aunt, trying to understand what she was saying.

"Come, sit. I'll explain everything," Nerissa said softly that one could barely make out her words.

"What did you say Aunt? I can't hear you?" She asked turning to face her Aunt.

"I said come inside, sit down and I'll explain it all" as soon as she finished speaking, she turned and went to sit down.

"All right".

Astrid followed her and went to sit down as well. Silence ensued again, then Astrid clears her throat, signalling her Aunt to talk.

"You remember the story of the Lost Kingdom I used to tell you when you were small?" She asked Astrid.

"Yes, how could I forget, that was my favorite story aunt" she said beaming with smiles as she recalls the story.

Nerissa gave her a small smile and continued, "Only that, it wasn't a story... " Astrid cuts her short again.

"You made that up? Wow Aunt Nerissa you... " she pauses when Nerissa glares at her. "I'm sorry" she apologized to Nerissa.

Nerissa starts laughing hard and stopped when Astrid starts to pout.

"Oh come on, I'm not mad at you, its just sometimes you should let me finish, you are so eager and curious and you keep cutting me short. I forgot how eager you can get when it comes to a story" then her smile fades away, replaced with a serious expression.

"But this time it's different Astrid. This is not a story or perhaps it is a story, but the one of your origin".

"My origin, then who am I?" she asked feeling confused. "Because if I recall correctly, in the story there were different races. To which do I belong?".

"You are the child born of the love between a mer man and a fairy. You are the daughter of Queen Isadora and late Prince Eric. You are a fairy, a mermaid and a sorceress".

"I'm a hybrid. I'm... "

"You are you, you are the most powerful being in all the magic realm. And you are princess to all three kingdoms but, they all want you for the power you possess".

"What about the lost kingdom, you said legend has it that where the sun meets the hill at the east, there the lost kingdom of Fortland is".

"True, but it disappeared, no one knows where it is now, but that's where it once stood".

"So where are we going to now?".

"In search of the lost kingdom, where it once was. Perhaps going back there, we would be able to find some clue as to where your mother is and how to find the kingdom".

"So are you a fairy aunt?".

"No, I am your mother's trusted maid. I am a sorceress, we've been friends since she was small, and so I was assigned to her by her father, your grandfather King Draco".

"So you are not my aunt. You followed her orders and fled with me. What happened on the day I was born exactly".

Nerissa sighs, looked up at Astrid and walked to meet her and sat close to her.

"After loosing your grandmother and father, Queen Isadora was a mess. She had lost her love and her pillar. She was very close to the queen, and Queen Leia died protecting her. They both died protecting her and she felt so bad that she caused their death. When she found out she was with child, she had hope again and to prevent herself from losing anyone she loves again, she trained so hard day and night. She knew they would come for her and her child when they found out she was pregnant".

"Why didn't she hide the truth about her pregnancy?" Astrid asked.

"We did, but somehow, they knew, and knowing she was pregnant for a mer prince, they knew you'd be a hybrid and the power which you would hold would be immeasurable. And it feared them, because with you, no kingdom would stand against us. So they struck but she was ready".

"Mother".

"I recall that day when she went into labor... "