40 - A Shocking Secret

Anemone was shocked. "You...You knew you would have a son?" What was her mother saying to her?

"Your birth was painful and took so much out of me. Doctors had told us it was a miracle we both survived it. Your father was afraid of losing us both... so he promised to not put us in a situation like that..." her mother trailed off, her eyes growing distant.

"But Peony... The queen... Her words..." Her mother took a deep breath to calm herself. "The queen told us that we would have a baby boy. Your father would not be able to keep that promise. A year had gone and we didn't think it would happen. We prepared you to be heir."

Anemone didn't know how to react. "How... How does the queen know about this?"

Her mother held her hand tightly. "What I tell you now is something you must not tell anyone. Do you understand, Anemone? Absolutely not a word!"

Anemone's eyes widen in fear at her mother's change of attitude. Her voice sounded harsh and stern. She nodded her head.

"Swear it, Anemone."

"I-I swear!"

Her mother closed her eyes with relief. "What I say will cause so much trouble to not only the kingdom but to others too. We only know this as I was there when the queen received her magical beast." Her mother paused again, seeming to be lost in memory.

"She has the power to see the future, Anemone. Her magical beast enables her to use it." Her mother's confession was barely a whisper. To Anemone, it felt like she shouted them at her. Anemone covered her mouth, a shocked gasp escaping her lips. Lucy, the queen's unicorn?

"W-why are you telling me this?"

Her heart trembled at the weight of the words. She didn't understand why it had to be secretive but her mother's behavior was scaring her. Her mother's beautiful face seemed stretched tight with worry and anxiousness. Her eyes were the only thing that seemed to calm her. They were filled with warmth and love.

Her mother...

"Anemone, the queen has deemed you ready."

Anemone's eyes widen in fear. Ready for what? She could feel herself detaching away. Her mother held on tight to her hand. "Mother?"

"Listen to me, okay? Anemone? Listen please," her mother pleaded. "I know this is not what you want but you must do this. For you, for us, and for your country."

She watched her mother's eyes glow with a gold light. Magic, the queen had told her it was. Her mother was going to use magic on her. She should feel frightened but her feelings calmed more.

"I am using a spell to calm you, Anemone. I know my words seem scary and weird... It'll all make sense one day. What I am going to tell you is what we plan for you to learn and do. The magic the queen gave you should have circulated in your body fully by now. Your magic lessons-"

Her mother's voice faded from her mind as she felt herself withdraw more and more. She had told herself when she came out from her room, she could handle this but... this was too much. She could see her mother looking worried and touching her head. Her lips moved but Anemone couldn't hear anything. Her vision blurred and all she can see was the golden light from her mother's eyes and it scared her.

She fainted.