MY FATE SERENA'S POV

The day I dreaded the most faced me

like a demon, ready to consume me from the inside out.

I played on my bed, with my arms folded around my knees and my face between as all my emotions ate me up.

My father always took a reckless decision whenever it came to my life and this one is the very one that wouldw end me save Jesus take my soul away.

There are so many voices echoing in my head right now but none of them are enough for me to hear.

All I could think of right now is running because I can't imagine myself getting married to someone I haven't let but heard treacherous rumors about.

I sat in silence for a good while, taking deep breaths and letting myself calm down.

Eventually, I found comfort in my surroundings and even in the warmth that surrounded my body.

The darkroom door creaked

open and a familiar figure stepped inside.

She stood there with a soft smile on her lips and her angelic visage came into view when she took a step closer.

We stare at each other for some seconds before I notice the faintest scent of cinnamon coming from her.

"You are not asleep yet darling" she spoke softly in her tenor voice as she sat beside me.

"Mom, I ..... I.....just... " my voice started breaking and it seemed like I had lost my voice or the ability to talk.

I felt like I had just run through the desert and then lost all sense of direction.

She wrapped her hand around mine and gave it a gentle squeeze.

I released a heavy sigh and turned to look at her. Her hair was black as a raven feather and a pair of warm brown eyes stared at me reassuringly.

"Do I have to go? Mom, I'm just tired of having to pay for crimes I never committed"

"Oh my darling, just close your eyes, and everything will be over "

This statement evoked my anguish and I blurted utterly with so much pain

"Is that what you told Serena too Mom?" I asked as the tears that had been stuck in the corner of my eye rolled silently down my cheeks.

She looked away and I distinctly sensed guilt in your eyes.

"What do you mean?"

" Maria died 5 years ago because dad hooked her up with a monster she never wanted to spend a second with". I voiced with so much misery in my voice.

"Darling....

"Don't darling me Mom..... until when, until when would you and Dad stop imposing horrible decisions on our lives and disregarding our opinions"

"Now don't use that tone on me young lady" she snapped with a very stern tone.

I sighed heavily and Calmed my nerves enough to talk to her at least just this once peacefully.

"Mom, I've never met him before" I stated

" Prince Adrian's is not human, He's a ruthless monster. No one has !" I spat, my hands balling into fists.

"You need to understand love, your father is not a bad person. He's.... just " she looked away and continued " finding a way to survive for all of us, and I hope you don't hate him for all this" We will always have your back, and no matter what happens you can always come back to the palace".

This statement didn't ease my nerves one bit coz it sounded disgusting and untrue but despite that, I still managed to mutter a slight "Thanks" with a sly smile.

That sentence brought an awkward silence around us both and after a few seconds, I broke the silence and asked another question.

" Do you still miss her?"

Silence once again filled the room.

I didn't think she was going to respond and I almost wished that she would leave the moment she opened her mouth to reply to me. But instead, she answered me truthfully.

"Everyday, Livia ..... she trailed " "Sometimes I wish I had the power to resurrect her soul and tell her everything I've always wanted to"

I gasped quietly and leaned over closer to her, I didn't want to pry anymore but just let her let it all out coz this might be the last time we'll have this kind of deep conversation.

"The last time I saw her, her chest was bleeding out. Her skin was so white it was almost translucent. The blood kept running out from her heart but she had a smile on her lips and I..... I... I. um"

She spoke as she wiped a little tear away while covering her face and hiding her sadness from me.

I drew closer and hugged my mom with everything in me.

"I couldn't save her Livia.... I couldn't" she choked out

I felt like crying too, but I controlled it and just held my mother tightly and rubbed my palms in circles on her back like how a parent would do to their child.

After some minutes we pulled away from each other.

"Amid peril, fear, and turmoil, there's peace beyond the rivers, where there's trouble, there's peace" I recited softly, making her smile.

"What was that?" she inquired curious about where I picked that quote from.

"It's Shakespeare..... : When there's a world full of troubles, That is so hard to bear / There's peace where there's trouble, or else there's no true happiness"

"Ohh I read this to you twelve years ago, You're a very knowledgeable baby, and a rigorous ort" Her eyes brightened, and smiled in a way that made me feel placid.

"Goodnight Mom"

"Goodnight," she said softly, switched off the lights, and walked out.

 SOME HOURS LATER.

The moon's cold silver gaze was amusing and I watched it as

it shined brightly in the night sky exuding peace and nothing but calmness. Nothing made me feel better than counting the stars. I pulled up the sash window to feel the breeze caress my face. It felt like coming home after a long trip and I let out an exhale of contentment...

 This feeling..... I wish it lasted a little longer..... I sighed heavily as my thoughts started wandering again, and I didn't know when I jerked the bed sheet of my body.

it's been a whole bad day and I forgot to share it with my best friend. I gasped so hard 

"Where are my slippers"? I whispered to myself coz I hadn't stepped out of my room since last night dad told me I was going to marry Prince Adrian. 

Kristoff has been the best human that's ever happened to me, he lost his father to war with the king and since then he's been the Gardner of the royal family apartment. We bonded when I was five and he was older with some hours, it was a rare difference but Kristoff had full noumenon, he could control your mind which is the ability of a vampire and mage, he could read your emotions, and can tell you exactly how you feel, He could change your memory from your current memories, he became my best friend because he felt like home, he had the very right words to always comfort me. I haven't discovered my coercion yet so I envy Kristoff and want to learn from him, at some points, he questions me like " Who are you???" and What are you"? These are questions that someone who can only control the wind couldn't answer. I just believed that with Kristoff around, I'll eventually find myself but who am I??? what am I truly am??? what are my strengths??

My thoughts wandered till I found my footwear, a pair of blue slippers Kristoff got me on my twentieth birthday. 

 They looked a bit old since my feet got used to their new height but they were still nice and comfortable wears, I put them onto my foot for good measure. I sighed and ran quickly to the abandoned warehouse. 

For some reason this was our best spot to find the time we didn't have, it was messy and smelled funny, and the windows were dusty and cracked but this warehouse was abandoned and not bugged, for some reason, it was a restricted area but this was where I spent most of the time away from the palace.

I closed the door behind me silently. I wasn't really afraid of being caught doing something illegal here since no one would come if it wasn't about me. Talking of illegal any form of sorcery was banned from the palace, only the king could use his, the punishment was severe

 The place was empty and dark aside from the moonlight that streamed through the windows, I walked slowly till I heard noises of someone being strangled. I turned around quickly expecting to see a demon, or werewolf as they love to hunt humans at the dark time of day or some other supernatural creature, but what I saw triggered my anxieties.....

A masked man and Kristoff's lifeless bloody body on the ground.