CHAPTER 9 A Mother's Love

Present day in the in-between realm

Bella's body feels heavy, it is like something is preventing her from having control of her body. The heat and the pain she was feeling before she fell unconscious have disappeared.

"You are stronger than you think. I believe that you will be able to master your magic and reach your potential, my dear child.

Just follow your instinct and everything else will come afterward. Let yourself go and allow your magic to do the rest. Let your magic guide you, my dear." A voice says to her as she tries to open her eyes but fails.

The voice of the person talking to her seems familiar but she can't pinpoint where she heard it from. The voice is calming her in a way she has never felt. She tries to open her eyes but they are still heavy.

"Take a deep breath and let nature take its course. Imagine opening your eyes and seeing beautiful things, a place where you feel safe. Let go of your worries and open yourself to new possibilities. See what the world has to offer you. Allow yourself to dream." The woman says this time her voice near her ear.

Belladonna takes a deep breath just like the woman advised. She relaxes her body, feels her eyes open, and comes face to face with the woman from her dreams.

"You are the woman I have been seeing in my dreams. Who are you?"

"I am sure you know the answer to that question, Belladonna, or you at least suspect." 

"You are my mother, Princess Rose." Bella mumbles.

"Yes, I am," Princess Rose replies, sitting beside her on the bed. Bella looks at her surroundings and realizes that she is in her bedroom.

"We are in my bedroom," Bella says.

"Yes, we are."

"Why are you just confirming what I already know and not adding anything more?" Bella asks in frustration.

"What do you want to know my dear?" Princess Rose asks.

"Everything, what are you doing in my room and where are my parents?" Bella asks.

"We are not your room. Before you opened your eyes I told you to imagine a place where you feel safe and you imagined this, that's why we are here. As for Mike and Regina they are back where your body is l am sure even holding your hands. Anything else you want to know?"

"You said we are not my room, so where are we? You also said that my parents are where my body is, does that mean that I am dead?" Bella asks.

"No, you are not dead, your parents must have cast a sleeping spell on you. As for how I am here, the answer is simple love. My love for you made it easier for me to develop a mental bond while you were still in my womb. We are currently in the in-between realm. It is a realm for species who are neither dead nor alive." Princess Rose explains.

"You mean limbo?" Bella asks.

"Yes, humans call it that. But this is different because I can pull you here anytime I sense you are in danger." Princess rose explains 

"How is that even possible?"

"Everything is possible with magic."

"I still don't understand," Bella responds.

"You will learn with time dear. Did your parents tell you about me?"

"No, the only thing they told me about you is that you left a note with the two names you wanted me to be called and the pendant. Why did you give me the names of two poisonous plants?"

"They are the names of my mothers who are also your grandmothers, but I will tell you more about them in the future." Princess Rose says.

"Are you truly my mother?" Belladonna asks emotionally.

"Yes, my dear I am. The last time I saw you, you were so small and fragile. I am sorry for not being there when you were growing up."  Princess Rose says with tears in her eyes.

"Don't apologize you did what you had to," Bella tells her.

"No, my dear, I should apologize. What kind of a mother leaves her newborn baby with strangers?"

"One who wants to protect the child," Bella says.

"But still, I should have found another way to protect you and be with you at the same time." Princess Rose says as she hugs Bella so tightly.  

"Stop blaming yourself for something you are not responsible for. If the brotherhood had not kidnapped you, you would have taken care of me." Bella says sobbing in her mother's arms.

"I thought you said, Mike and Regina did not say anything about me."

"They did not."

"Then how do you know that I was kidnapped by the brotherhood?" Princess Rose asks, looking into her eyes.

"Because I heard the conversation between you and Lady Ruby," Bella explains.

"What do you mean you heard the conversation I had with Lady Ruby?" Princess Rose asks surprised by the revelation.

"I saw you and Lady Ruby yesterday morning when I fainted in my bedroom. You were pregnant and you went to her to ask for help. You looked beautiful but pale. I tried to talk to you but I could not, I could not even touch you. I felt so helpless, all I wanted to tell you at that moment was that I was okay and that you should not worry about my well-being."

"Are you saying that you saw the things that happened twenty-two years ago?" Princess Rose asks.

"I guess so."

"I can't believe it worked." Princess Rose asks.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean you can't believe it worked?" Bella asks.

"Before I was taken by the brotherhood, I had a dream. My dead mother came to warn me that I was going to be attacked that day. She told me to make two pendants, one for you and one for someone to protect you. She also told me to cast a spell that would bind me to you. That way, I will be able to find you no matter how far you are. That is how I sensed you when you were in pain." Princess Rose explains.

"But how does that have to do with how I know about what happened when I was in your womb?" Bella asks in confusion.

"It is because I cast the binding spell while you were still in my womb. I had heard stories of how some pregnant women who were about to die during childbirth would bind themselves to their children by casting the body-binding spell and the soul-binding spell at the same time, to show them the last moments with them. I did the same with you, but I just wanted you to know how happy l felt the day you were born. I did not want you to see me when I was weak." Princess Rose says.

"I am glad I got to see how hard you fought to keep me safe. You do not have to tell me how happy you were when I came into this world because I know that you must have been happy. You risked your own life for me, only a good and loving mother would do that." Bella tells her mother as she wipes tears from her eyes.  

"Thank you for understanding, I was afraid that you were going to be angry at me for leaving you." Princess Rose says, tears still coming out of her eyes.

"To be honest with you, I used to be curious about my birth parents but never angry. I knew that there was no way you would have left me behind without a good reason. If you did not want me you would not have named me before leaving. Only a mother who cares for her child would name her before leaving her." Princess Rose cries as she listens to her daughter tell her that she does not blame her for leaving her behind.

"I am glad you are my daughter, belladonna. You have grown into a wonderful young woman." Princess Rose tells her daughter with so much love in her eyes.

"I am happy that I have met you, mummy," Bella says emotionally.

"I am happy to see you to my soul, you do not know how much I have wanted to hold you and smell you again. But for now, I want you to wake up and listen to what Mike and Regina will have to tell you. But do not tell them that you saw me. Don't tell anyone that you have seen me or even talked to me. If you feel pain again just say Mother I need peace and I will hear you and bring you to me. I will be here when you come back my dear Belladonna aconitum." Princess Rose says as she kisses Belladonna's forehead.

"No, wait, when can I see you again? I have so many questions about you and my father."

"You will see me when you need to be protected. I will tell you everything you need to know the next time I see you, now Wake up my dear." Princess Rose says as Belladonna feels her eyes get heavy. She tries to keep them open but fails.