20. To return where I belong

Natalia remained silent she couldn't bring herself to decide what she should do.

If she chooses to go then she may have to face everything again and if she didn't then it could be the last chance for her to meet her real family.

She knew that she isn't a family to her grandmother neither she is willing to be accepted by her. She knew how her parents used to treat her coldly.

She clearly remembered the day when she was brought to her father's mansion, the dream from the previous night awakened all her dead memories. She remembered how excited she was to go out for the first time and how frightened she was when she heard a man quarreling with her mother.

At first, she didn't know why her parents do not live together and why she is not allowed to go out and was kept hidden in the mansion. But when she grew up she understood how she was different from others. It wasn't her physical changes but the people around her who made her realize that she wasn't one of them.

She also remembered her last day in Orleans, that was the first and the only time for just a second when she saw tears in her father's eyes for her, the tears which showed his longing for her. She didn't exactly know whether the tears flowing through her father's eyes were for her or something else. Until then she only faced hatred from her father so how can she just think of her father being loving towards her?

She hated her parents, but that last moment always remained stuck in her mind which gave her the least hope that maybe her father ever considered her to be his own, she wanted to ask him that by herself. But she never mustered the courage to do so.

Agnes helped her from escaping the Dragomir mansion and then Orleans. She never went there nor did she mention that to Agnes, Agnes occasionally told her about her family but never forced her to return. Neither a chance occurred for her to return nor ever her so-called family contacted her not even after her father's death.

But now she was invited by her grandmother to a place that should belong to her, where she could've grown happily.

Was there any meaning for her to be called when her father was dead and her mother was in some other kingdom not even worrying about her?

She didn't know what to do. But for sure she was mourning for her father in her heart.

"What are deciding on now?"

Natalia was in her deep thoughts when Agnes's voice snapped her out and brought her to reality.

Natalia turned her face to her.

"I don't know what should I do, no one would like me to be there if they knew who I am.", Natalia replied to her question without thinking.

"Think carefully and decided, think of what you actually want. Always remember not to do anything you know you are going to regret and never regret once done. Now tell me what are you thinking?"

"I know, I will be regretting if I go there to live, but I am definitely sure, I will be regretting too if I won't."

"Doesn't that man say you to come there for once, maybe you just have to be there for a few days. That way you can decide after going there whether you wanted to stay or not."

Natalia thought about it for a minute.

"I still couldn't decide on what should I do.", Natalia said keeping her head down.

Agnes stood up from the sofa.

"That place is something where you belong to, one must go back where he belongs that's nature. I won't force you, and neither you have to take any pressure just decide in time."

Natalia remembered that she have heard something like this before, particularly from an old man. Then she remembered about the last vampire she sent back off to the Vampire Kingdom, he said something similar like that.

She raised her head in shock to confirm whether it was Agnes or the same old man when she realized that it was exactly the same that the old man said.

"Don't forget to put on these ice packs for your swollen eyes before you leave.", Agnes said placing the two ice packs on the table which she made to appear magically.

Natalia widened her eyes in shock.

That means Agnes knew that she cried her eyes out yesterday and have swollen eyes. She wanted to hide that from her, she doesn't want to show her miserable side to her.

Agnes left from there leaving Natalia there alone.

Natalia picked the ice packs from the table and placed them on her eyes, keeping them there she stayed seated for some time.

After some time she stood up and went out from there, her eyes were less swollen than before. She didn't wear her black cap leaving it on the doorstep table.

*****

She left her house but she didn't know where to go, wandering here and there she was feeling hungry she slept empty stomach last night and then she didn't have anything in the morning. Her stomach was growling with hunger, now there is only one thing she can eat in the bright daylight, and it was the meat that humans ate.

But there wasn't any food stall or restaurant nearby, suddenly a sweet tender smell hit her nose. She can tell how juicy that piece of pork will be. There was a smell of burning grass coal with the luscious smell of pork, someone must be cooking the meat outside his house.

She unknowingly followed the smell, she ended up on the bank of a river. She saw a woman pregnant with a child grilling the meat, she was around six months pregnant. She could see the happiness on her face.

Unknowingly, some words left her mouth.

"Was my mother this much happy when she was pregnant with me?"