The Statue

There was a huge statue of woman smiling at something that wasn't there, it looked like she was trying to get something but couldn't reach for it, it felt so real. Lilo turned her gaze and looked towards the sun, but it was strangely going to set soon. She was sure the time was past 2pm before they stepped out, did the time change? or.. she thought to herself, the atmosphere wasn't calm but strangely the trees weren't moving not even a leaf, Lilo found this creepy and she became curious.

"Why are they so stiff?" she asked pointing at the trees that surrounded the mansion.

"Stiff?" he smiled briefly, "no they're not, they're just obeying the rules around our territory" , he answered.

Lilo gave him a questioning look.

"Let's say they're more like dimensional trees, that were created" , he responded.

"I really do not understand anything you're saying", she raised her brows", but it's all fair since they're so many things to ask", she grinned.

" What about the statue?" she asked.

"Too many questions", Jaden replied

"What? but i have only asked one question", she frowned.

"Hmm, if only you would understand" , he responded with a straight face.

"What's wrong with this devil? did he bite his tongue? i guess he did", she thought to herself.

"Just pass it!", he said with cold tone.

"okay" she looked away.

Jaden didn't want to talk about the statue, it wasn't just an ordinary statue. The woman was no other than Harriet's mother, she was frozen by the magic she casted with her daughter long ago, more than a thousand years ago.

***********

"Mother please help me, i can't loose him, i can't live without him! please save him", Harriet begged.

"Harriet my child, i will make sure to save him and you," Rachel said. Harriet was already dying but she didn't want the same fate for her son, she had tapped into the forbidden magic trying to break the curse.

"Something went wrong", she heard her mother said. "I am sure i left it here, I can't find the restriction spell book", Rachel murmured.

He took it, Rachel's youngest daughter responded with a sad face

Rachel exhaled in frustration. Laura?

Yes mother! Laura answered

"I need you to go to the secret chamber and bring me the binding spell book, hurry!"

"Yes mother", Laura responded and walked away.

Just then a maid walked in, looking distorted. "Your Grace!" the maid bowed deeply

"Speak! Osella."

"Your Grace, i saw someone leaving the your secret chamber.

"Who was that?" Rachel demanded, but the maid was afraid to speak. "Speak at once!" she commanded.

"Your Grace, it was--"

Just when the maid was about to say who she saw, she fell down dead on the cold marble floor.

Rachel eyes went wide when she saw her maid started to turn to dust.

"What sorcery is this?" she asked herself.

"Oh no! the sirens", she ran back to where Harriet was lying with her unborn baby struggling to push him out.

Fortunately she was still safe, so she carried her to a hidden alley of the mansion to keep her safe. The sirens are here, we have to hurry, Rachel said.

Mother, take care of my son for me, Harriet said with tears rolling down her beautiful face.

"I won't let you die Harriet!" Rachel whispered.

Harriet was cursed by the siren goddess Olvadorah, because she rebelled against her, the others executed immediately. Harriet was speared only because of Armstrong. Rachel did the forbidden to save her daughter's life.

I will pay for it, Harriet said moaning in pains.

Soon, Rachel began to recite the words, murmuring the unknown, using her blood and that of her daughter's. The atmosphere became quite, the wind became slow, the mansion and the surrounding became dead.

The spell was broken and Harriet could finally give birth to her son, but it was a still birth. Soon the cry of a mother over the death of her child was heard in the entire mansion.

"It was a life for a life spell". Rachel said sadly. I'm sorry my child, i couldn't save him she whispered softly with tears rolling down her eyes.

Laura who had just arrived with the 'binding spell book', saw the still born and immediately wrapped him with a white veil.

"She killed my son, mother! she killed him! why? why?.." Harriet cried bitterly.

"Harriet my child! you are weak now, you need to save your strength to fight another day", she patted her head. Rachel and Laura cleaned Harriet and took her back to her room to bath her, after which they took her to bed.

"I may not be there to fight with you someday but you should know that whatever we did was for the future, okay?"

Mother! what do you mean? Laura asked confused.

"Mother" Harriet called softly

Harriet muttered tiredly with blurry vision and soon she went to sleep. Rachel gazed at her daughter and smiled softly, she took the still born to the family burial site and dug a grave for him.

What should we name him? Laura asked holding the still born in her arms.

Jaden, Rachel answered with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Rachel glanced at Laura as she looked at the still born with a heartbreaking sadness in her eyes.

Don't hate yourself Laura, my child, Rachel rubbed her hand softly. They will come again and i want you to-- to be strong, Rachel sniffled. There's more to it than met the eyes. It wasn't your fault my child.

Mother, Laura said with tears in her eyes. I'm sorry!

No, it was meant to happen. But i can not tell you everything.

I don't understand you mother, i really don't.. please don't leave us! Laura sobbed. It was obvious that her mother was going to rest soon.

"Stay strong Laura, i need you to stay strong as always" , Rachel said as she hugged her. "I used the forbidden magic and you know the consequences", Rachel exhaled softly,

Mother, Laura called softly as the tears that threatened began to fall on her face

I only have a few days left, she said in a whisper.

Laura sniffed and then nodded.

I know mother, i will take care of my sisters, i promise!.

Between the two sisters, Laura was the toughest and smartest, she was called 'the strong bone', she had endurance. Harriet on the other hand was unique in her own way. To the normal eyes, Rachel loved them equally but to a skilled eye, she loved Laura more.

Oh my child! Rachel said with a small smile.

Rachel died from using the forbidden spell.

*******

"Come on let's get inside before you freeze to death" Lilo heard him say.

She nodded and followed him from behind like an adorable little cat would. Just when they entered the drawings room, Lilo's thoughts drifted to her mother.

"You said you will give me my bag pack", she said.

"I did?" he smirked

"Yes, you did!"

"When?"

Lilo was already exhausted from the argument they had earlier and now he is behaving oblivious.

"Here we go again, do you have to be so dramatic?" she scoffed loudly.

"Did you say something?" he asked raising his brows.

"Absolutely not" she replied with a smile.

"What will i get in return?" he asked with a mischievous smile.