CHAPTER 2

The mother and the daughter sat by the bank of the river. The daughter desperately playing with her fingers, thinking what her mother wanted to tell.

“Are you Scared about the War mom?” sixteen year old princess finally broke the silence.

“What made you think that Rebekah?” The queen asked.

“Well because you want it to stop so badly.”

“I couldn’t have been able to build this big empire if mere fear of death would have clasped my conscience. I want this battle to stop because there are a few reasons of my own.”

“Mom you were going to tell me something, some story.”

“Yes Rebekah, but this isn’t the time. Whatever I am going to tell you, you need to just not listen it but try to understand it.

It starts off with your father. Haven’t you ever wondered Rebekah that where your father was?”

“I did. I always did wonder where my father was. Watching all the other girls play with their fathers always made me cry, because I never had any of it. A father’s love, security, nothing. I longed to ask you about you every day. Every night I slept with regret that I never asked you about him. But I knew it was harder for you than it was for me. I didn't want to hurt you. So I kept quiet.”

“You are right darling, we got separated and the only reason was his misconception about me due to which he killed someone who was closest to me.”

“What! What do you mean he killed someone? And what misconception?”

“That is the beginning of the story. Come with me.”

Camilla rose to her full height. The slender frame glowed as the golden rays of fresh new day danced on her. She climbed on her horse and rode straight into the woods Followed by Rebekah. They raced their horses through the wild and usually Rebekah would win but today, something was different. Camilla was riding horse as if she was desperate to go wherever they were headed. There was sense of bittersweet feeling in her eyes.

After riding for about half an hour, they reached an unusual place. It was dazzling in the fresh sunlight and in a very unusual way. There were Rose’s blooming everywhere. It was a small area in the middle of the forest which was much more beautiful than the beauties Rebekah had seen in her life. She had always admired nature and respected the gifts it has given us, another teaching of her great mother.

The area was completely covered by trees which made it look like a cave. As they entered, Rebekah was surprised to see a tomb right at the foot of a massive old oak tree whose one branch supported a swing just beside the tomb.

Camilla stopped at the entrance and got down from her horse.

“Never thought I would come back here.” Camilla said admiring the beauty she was familiar with.

“What do you mean? You have been here before?” Rebekah asked standing right next to her mother.

“Of course. I spent most of my life here. This place has so many bittersweet chapters from my book.”

“Wow. And why is there a tomb here?”

“That tomb belongs to someone very special. Someone with whom most of my life was spent, someone who loved me more than I loved her.”

Camilla lost herself in the sweet memories and pictured two little girls playing in that park of roses. One swinging on the swing and the other pushing the swing.

Then the illusion shifted to same situation but the girls had grown up, these were the teenagers. One was wearing a pink gown and glass heels and had beautiful peach complexion, long blonde locks and blue eyes. The other was quite muscular with short hair like those of princes and dark bangs drooping on her right eye, was wearing black leather waistcoat over a plain white shirt and a skin tight trousers with black knee high boots, A sword gleamed on her waist.

Then the illusion again shifted to same girls, a little older, The blonde princess was crying, her hands soaked in ruby red blood of the other girl as she lay on the ground with her head on the princess’s lap, slowly letting her soul leave her body, a sense of satisfaction in her dying eyes.

And then the illusion faded and the princess now sat on the same swing, only she was wearing clothes that the little princess wore, instead of a gown was skin tight trousers with knee high boots, a sleeveless tight shirt and a waistcoat with her long blonde locks tied back in a high ponytail.

The queen was smiling to herself until late reality hit her that she was alone now.