18. Family recipe

During the past couple of days I had scanned through almost half of the books Marry had brought me.

Not a single line made any sense at first, but I feel better now, I don't completely understand why. Assuming my theory about Scarlet's common knowledge to be true, I just have to trust the process.

As time goes by and the first sunlight wakes up, the scent of blooming flowers in the garden find their way in, getting mixed with the smell of old books that had already filled the room.

The sun shine gets brighter with every passing tic of an old clock and I rob my eyes, knowing fully well that they must be red.

Just as I was about to give up for the day, I find an empty piece of paper.

'strange...I could swear that I didn't see any clean papers like this here before.'

I Take a closer look at the paper, turning it upside down in front of the light, in hopes of finding anything. Nothing.

My hand moves on its own command, putting the paper on the table and my palm on top of it.

Before I could even blink, a dark fog appears from the place where my hand was touching the paper.

I Try to pull my hand away but it wont budge, I only watch in fascination as the dark fog slowly turns red.

I can finally move my hand after the fog disappeared just as sudden as it had appeared.

The empty paper is now full of words. I hurriedly try to read the content. The language was strange and almost ancient like.

Some thing some thing, Velverosa, secret, some thing, only family, some names I don't know, on the year of blah blah blah, blood moon! A wish come true?

Some more weird words with symbols...

"That's it???"

I turn the page aggressively, thankfully there's more writings behind It.

On top of the page a new word is written with capital letters.

Remembering Scarlet's ancient book collection, I almost run to the book shelves and finally find the meaning in one of them: recipe

A Sudden memory appears in my mind. A memory that had long been forgotten.

The 4 or 5 year old Scarlet sitting on her mothers lap while she read her an ancient book.

A warm blanket covering them both, and the warmth coming from a fire place nearby.

A picture perfect moment lost in time.

"Now Scarlet listen well, this is no ordinary bedtime story, this, is our families history and its secrets!'

Scarlet nods her head with her eyes full of excitement and her mother continues:

"We weren't always this strong dear, a few hundred years ago, we were sealed by a bad and cruel king! Because he was afraid of our powers!

We suffered many hardships to prove our worth to him...only to be treated badly. Just when we were about to lose hope, the god of war and death heard our prayers and smiled upon us."

Scarlet looks up to her mother:

"Mommy what is war and death?"

"...um...I will tell you once you get older....Do you want to hear the rest of the story?!"

She replied and Scarlet agreed with a scream.

"Ha-ha, ok ok, settle down. Where were we...?

Uh yes.

The god saw us and our pain, then the king died and the sky turned pale.

The seal was broken, yet we cried,

From our tears he too cried.

From sadness he broke his heart to grant us light.

Then his broken heart bled and coloured the sky red.

He said to us all no matter what, a wish shall be given to our family's child.

But I need time to heal my heart, though it may take some time, you may call for me everytime.

I will break my heart once every 100 year, have no fear as I'll be near.

Wait for the moon will be red soon,

and that's why we call it a blood moon..."