CHAPTER 3 Royalt, Love, and Magical Secrets

Present-day human realm

"Don't trust anyone no matter how much they say that they are on your side. Do not trust a word that comes out of a supernatural being's mouth. They will destroy you my daughter the same way they destroyed me. The brotherhood will come for your power. I want you to be prepared when they do. I want you to find Ruby. She is the only one who can help you. Do not trust anyone, my dear child. Not even the guardians because even guardians can be broken"

Bella opens her eyes and finds herself in her room. She looks at the clock on her bedside table and finds out that it's 6:35 a.m. Her parents will be in her room soon to wish her a happy birthday and she doesn't want them to see that there is something on her mind.

"Not again" she groans, covering her face with her hands.

The weird dream of a woman warning her has been frequent these past few days. Belladonna feels weirdly familiar with the woman in her dreams.

But she knows it's only her subconscious playing tricks with her. The dream only started this year after she started inquiring about her birth parents. Sometimes the dream feels real.

What scares her the most is that the woman calls her daughter, and she knows her weird names too.

Today is her twenty-first birthday and the last thing she needs is to think about the weird woman in her dream.

The only thing she knows about her birth mother is that she left a note with the first two names to call her daughter, Belladonna Aconitum, and a dragon-shaped pendant. Everyone asks her why she is named after two poisonous flowers. But she has no answer for that because only the woman who gave birth to her knows the reason.

Her thoughts are interrupted by the knock on the door.

"It's open," she shouts sitting up.

Regina, her mother, comes in first with a smile on her face carrying a cake. Then, Mike, her father follows behind with a bottle of wine and three wine Glasses.

They have always done this on her birthday since she turned eighteen. They have cake and a glass of wine each and then a party in the evening. They always want to be the first people to celebrate her birthday.

"Happy Birthday darling." her mother says putting the cake down and hugging her.

"Thank you, Mom," Bella says, hugging her mother back.

"Ladies, have you forgotten about this old man standing here?" Her father asks with a huge grin on his face.

"Of course, not Mike, I just want to hold my daughter a little bit more before she leaves us tomorrow." Her mother responds by letting go of Belladonna.

Bella gets out of bed and goes to her father who hugs her so tight.

"Now who has forgotten about this old woman?" her mother says, folding her hands.

Bella and her father laugh as they go to hug her mother. Who hugs them back with tears in her eyes.

"Why are you crying, Mom? Did something bad happen?"

"Nothing bad happened baby girl, your mother is just emotional about you moving out that's all." her father responds.

Regina has always treated Bella like an egg, afraid that she might break if she let her do things on her own.

"Come on Mom, don't cry, it's not like I am going far. I will be just ten minutes away, we will be seeing each other every day."

"It won't be the same." her mother responds.

"I know Mom, but me moving out will help me become independent."

Belladonna wanted to move out of her parent's house when she turned eighteen. But they told her to move out when she turned twenty-one.

"Enough of the tears ladies, can we cut the cake I am already salivating." To prove his point Mike gets some cream from the cake with his finger and licks it.

"I know the only thing you are thinking about is the cake, no wonder your teeth are all rotten," Regina tells her husband and slaps his back.

"You love these teeth biting you though," Mike tells his wife, pulling her to him and kissing her.

Bella looks at her parents and feels tears in her eyes. She has never seen any couple that loves and cares about each other as her parents do. She wipes her tears before they can see them. If there is one thing her parents hate is to see her sad. They make sure she has everything she wants.

"Okay, you two I know you love one another but this is not the time or place for what you are doing."

"Come here princess," her father says, making room for her to join the hug.

The one thing Bella will miss the most when she moves out Of her parent's house is the hugs her father gives her, they are warm and welcoming.

"I am going to miss you guys," Bella tells her parents as they disengage from the hug.

Bella sits on her bed as her parents sing her a birthday song. As she closes her eyes to make a wish, the face of the strange woman from her dreams comes into her mind and wishes to know more about the woman who claims to be her mother.

"Wow, Mum this cake is amazing, I wish the cake I bake could be as tasty as yours," Bella says, licking her fingers.

"Our daughter is right, your cake is the best I have ever had, my love," Mike says looking at his wife lovingly.

"Okay, you guys I know what comes after you finish complimenting each other, and my innocent eyes don't want to see it." Bella jokes covering her eyes.

Bella has a relationship with her parents that most of her friends don't. She has walked on them making out on numerous occasions, and they always acted normal about It.

On her sixteenth birthday, her parents bought her a box of condoms as a present. Some parents fail to tell their children about sex but not Regina and Mike. They talked to her about sex the moment she started having periods.

"I am sure you will find someone who will love and cherish you as your father does for me," Regina says, hugging her daughter.

"I am not sure about that Mum."

Bella has no luck when it comes to men. Every time someone gets close to her she feels something wrong with everything about them. It's like there is something that prevents her from having a connection with any of them.

"You will, I am sure of it," her mother tells her.

"Maybe you are right Mom, maybe there is someone out there who is meant for me," Bella responds, smiling at her mother.

"I think we should leave you to finish packing the things you want to carry to your new place and prepare for the party." her father says taking her mother with him.

Bella nods and watches her parents leave the room. She takes a deep breath and looks around her room, filled with memories of her childhood. Moving out feels both exciting and nerve-wracking.

She starts with her wardrobe, picking out clothes that she wants to take with her. As she folds each piece, her mind wanders back to the strange woman in her dreams.

Shaking her head, Bella tries to push those thoughts aside. She can't let herself get consumed by a dream. She needs to focus on her new chapter in life and the independence she's been longing for. Her thoughts are cut off by the ringing of her phone, her best friend's name pops up on the screen.

"Happy Birthday bitch." Cecilia, her best friend, screams over the phone.

"You already wished me, cilia but who's counting? Thank you." Cecilia has been Bella's best friend since they were children.

Their parents grew up together, and are still best friends and so they made sure their children did the same.

"You are welcome once again, bestie. Anyways, I am on my way to your place, to help you prepare for this evening. I will be there in twenty minutes"

"The party is in the evening, there is no need for us to start getting ready this early."

When it comes to throwing parties her best friend is the best. But sometimes she goes overboard with her preparations like the one time she thought having a nude party was a good idea. Until her parents came back from their vacation early.

"I know Bella, but we have a lot of preparations to do. We have to do our hair and makeup, and also make sure the staff are doing things accordingly."

"Okay," Bella answers knowing that her friend will not change her mind no matter what she tells her.

As Bella hangs up the phone, she can't help but feel grateful for Cecilia's constant support and enthusiasm. Over the years, Cecilia has been the one to push Bella out of her comfort zone, encouraging her to try new things and be more adventurous. Although sometimes her ideas may be a little too extreme, Bella knows that Cecilia always has her best interests at heart.

As she waits for Cecilia to arrive, Bella decides to clean her room. She suddenly feels dizzy as she bends to make her bed. She tries to control her balance but fails and falls, losing consciousness.

When she opens her eyes she finds herself lying down in the field with beautiful flowers. She stops admiring the flowers when she hears the voices of two women talking. The women are both beautiful, one of them is the woman from her dreams.

The women do not seem to notice her when she reaches where they are. It is like she can see them but they can not see her.

"Thank you Ruby for agreeing to meet me. I know this is not easy for you." The woman from her dreams says to the other woman.

Bella looks at the woman and remembers the dream she had.is this the Ruby she was supposed to trust?

"Well, it is not every time that my mate's fated mate sends a raven to call me." Bella can tell that there is tension between the two women.

"I know and I am sorry for what happened. But I need your help with something." A smile breaks on Ruby's face.

"Wow, today must be my lucky day. The greatest hybrid needs my help. So tell me, Princess Rose, what do you need help with?"

"So the woman In my dreams is a princess." Bella thinks.

Bella can't help but wonder why this Princess Rose comes in her dreams.

Princess Rose places her hand on her stomach and says some words that Bella does not understand. Suddenly her stomach grows big like she is pregnant or maybe she is.

Ruby looks at her with so much hurt in her eyes. Bella could see tears in Lady Ruby's eyes as she looked at Princess Rose's round stomach.

"Did you call me here to mock me? To show me that you are carrying my mate's child. Is It a boy?" Lady Ruby asks with a shaky voice.

"No lady lungu, that's not why I called you here. As I said earlier, I need your help with something. And no it's a girl." Princess Rose says moving closer to Ruby and touching her on the shoulder.

"What is it that you need help with that you cannot ask one of your people to do? I am sure there are a lot of people who would be willing to help you. You are the hybrid princes after all"

Princess Rose pulls down the collar of her Dress and says some foreign words again and five lines appear. Lady Ruby gasps and puts her hand on her mouth. She looks at the lines and then at Rose's stomach and tears start to fall from her eyes.

Bella does not understand why Lady Ruby is crying after seeing the lines on Rose's neck. They just look like ordinary lines.

"How did this happen to you Rose and the baby? What's going to happen to her?" Lady lungu as Princess Rose called her asks with tears in her eyes.

"I was attacked two days ago. By the brotherhood. They have managed to recruit the dark witches. They had some kind of stone that they used to make me powerless. As for the baby, she is going to be fine. I put a protective spell on her the same day I put on a cloaking spell and managed to hide her heartbeat. When they started changing me the baby was not affected and those idiots were more concerned about my powers that they did not notice that I was pregnant."

Lady Ruby looks at Princess Rose with sympathy In her eyes.

"Are you going to go through with the transition? and if you do, will your child be affected?" Ruby asks.

"I am not going to let those monsters have me or my daughter as a weapon," Rose says with tears in her eyes.

"Listen to me, Rose, we can figure things out. l know it seems like there is no option right now but later I will find another way I am sure of it. You just have to hold on."

"I am not sure I have any other option. I have to save my child no matter what happens because I am sure they won't rest until they make me their weapon. It's good they were so concerned about turning me into one of them that they didn't notice I put a cloaking spell on my stomach. I know we don't see eye to eye but I need you to promise me something." Rose says holding Ruby's hands.

Bella tries to touch one of the women but her hand passes through. They are like a projection.

She decided to listen keenly to their conversation, trying to piece together the puzzle. She wonders why Princess Rose would reach out to Lady Ruby specifically for help, and what connection they have to her dreams.

Princess Rose sighs, her expression filled with a mixture of vulnerability and determination. "I need your help with protecting my daughter. There are forces at play who wish to harm her, and I fear I cannot protect her."

Lady Ruby's eyes widen in surprise and concern. "Your daughter? You're trusting me with the safety of your child? Why me? Why not somebody from your kingdom or even your brother?"

Princess Rose's voice trembles slightly as she replies, "Because I know you are the only one who can protect her just as much as I can. Despite everything that has happened between us, I believe in your loyalty and strength. You have a unique set of skills that could prove vital in protecting her. Please, Ruby, I'm begging you."

Tears well up in Lady Ruby's eyes, a mix of pain, and gratitude. Bella can sense the depth of their connection and the complexity of their past, far beyond Bella's understanding.

After a moment of silence, Lady Ruby takes a deep breath and wipes away her tears. "Okay, Rose. For the child, I will do whatever it takes."

Princess Rose smiles, and relief is evident on her face. "Thank you, Ruby. I knew I could count on you."

Bella feels a surge of emotions, overwhelmed by the intensity of this moment. She begins to question her role in all of this. How does she fit into their story?

"Anything you want, Rose, as long as it does not involve me taking your life ."

Princess Rose gives her a sad smile takes out a pendant from her bag and gives it to her. Bella looks at the pendant On her neck and finds that it's identical to the one Princess Rose is giving Lady Ruby.

Bella looks at the pregnant woman and feels her heartbreak. This is the first time that she is paying attention to the woman's appearance. She has the same eye color as Bella. Her face is exactly like Bella's even her skin tone is the same. It's like looking in a mirror.

Looking at her so closely makes Bella realize that Princess Rose might be her birth mother. And the baby she is carrying might be Bella herself.

"How did you escape? I have heard rumors that when the brotherhood takes someone they never come back."

"It was the baby. I think she can sense when I am in trouble. I felt her move in my stomach and then I felt my dragon. And so I just shifted and flew as fast as I could. I am sure the brotherhood is looking for me but the last place they will search for me is here."

"I am sorry Your Highness."

"It's okay I am just worried about my daughter. I made this before I was taken and I put a spell on it. It will protect my daughter until she comes of age and can protect herself. I have made the same one for her. You should always wear the pendant that way you will know when my daughter is in danger. When the pendant starts causing you pain, you will know she is in trouble. I know this is a lot to ask of you but there is no one else I can trust with my child."

"Don't worry, I will make sure your child is safe."

Bella wants to hold her mother and tell her that she is safe. She wants to tell her that she is happy and to ask her so many questions about her and her father.

"What will the baby be? I mean you are a hybrid and so is Davon." Lady Ruby asks with curiosity and worry.

"I don't know lady Ruby, I don't even know if my being turned will affect her. and if it does she will be in more danger than I ever was."

"I can't even imagine what you are going through right now. I know I have said bad things about you in the past. It's not like you are a bad person, it's just that I was jealous of you because you are Davon's, fated mate." lady Ruby tells Princess Rose.

Princess Rose smiles sadly and reaches out to touch Lady Ruby's hand. "You don't have to apologize, Ruby. I understand the jealousy, especially considering the circumstances. But I want you to know that you are important too, and I trust you to protect my daughter. You and Davon, both have a special bond. The gods brought you together for a reason. Maybe this is even the reason."

"Thank you for choosing me to be part of your daughter's life Princess Rose."

"I am sorry I brought pain into your life. It was not my intention. All I ask of you is to help me save my child. And promise me that Lord Davon will not know about her. We both know if he finds out about her, he will want her by his side and that will put her and your children in danger. You will only tell him when you think she needs him"

"I promise you Princess Rose I will protect her with everything in me. Davon will not find out about her until it's necessary. I give you my word"

Even though Princess Rose is smiling Bella can tell that she is in pain. Her skin is getting pale every second.

"Do not tell anyone about my whereabouts, I will have to leave now. I will find the guardians and leave my child with them. They will protect her until she is ready. I will come back once I am sure that she is safe."

"Okay, just be safe Princess Rose, I have heard that the human world is dangerous for us magical beings. Let me know when you get back."

"Thank you again, lady Ruby. I appreciate this, and please remember...

Bella did not hear the rest of the things her mother told Ruby. Her consciousness fades once again, and she finds herself waking up in her room, her best friend Cecilia shaking her. The scene in the field feels distant, like a dream within a dream. But the echoes of the conversation and the connection between Princess Rose and her linger, leaving Bella with curiosity.