Margaux Swan

"Inam," said Hendricks, as he appeared by me at the railing. Looking at the city.

I had passed by it a few times but never dared to take a step in it. There was always an excuse, but the real reason was that I wanted to keep her away from me.

Not let the taint touch her in which she had grown.

Today, I am going to meet my daughter after three long years. Every day had been unbearable, but now I will finally see her, hug her, kiss her, without fear of tainting her.

I have become powerful enough to not let the taint ever touch her.

I thought I would never accomplish it, and I was fine with that. I just wanted her to be happy in her life, away from me and my shadow.

Now, that fear is gone.

…

Ella Swan

"Stop," said the guard as we tried to pass through the gate.

"This is a reserved pier. Do you have permission?" he asked. "No," I replied nervously.

"Mr. Guard is right. This is a reserved pier for the most distinguished guests of the lord. I think your mother made a mistake, El," said Magda.

She is my roommate of three years and best friend.

She is the only one, I had talked about my mom and what she does.

I looked at the letter, and the number of the pier was written on it.

"We will wait for a few minutes before going to another pier," I said. She wanted to say something but didn't and instead sighed dramatically.

"Fine," she agreed.

A few minutes passed, and no ship appeared. I didn't think, my mother's ship would appear here, but I am staying, despite it might be a mistake in writing the pier's number.

I was thirteen when I left redfawn and now, at sixteen, I am going to see her finally.

I miss her dearly and in two years. I wanted to go to Greltheaven to meet her, but she forbade me from coming.

"Step aside," said the guard suddenly, and moved us aside with his spear.

"Rude," Magda muttered.

A few seconds later, a luxury carriage bearing the city's flag appeared and began to move through the gate.

The carriage stopped not far from us, but no person got out.

Minutes passed, and I was about to leave with Magda when a ship appeared.

No, it's not a ship, but a yacht.

Far more beautiful than the one Magda's father rented for her birthday last year.

"It's beautiful," said Magda as it reached the pier. That is when the doors of the carriages opened and people walked out of it and went toward the pier.

"Someone important must be coming for so many of them to come to welcome them," I said, looking at an important-looking group of people.

"Really important. See those flags on the yatch; the right one is the flag of the city of Greltheaven."

"The left is the flag of the velvet garden; the legacy that advanced to Grade III, a week ago while the one in the center is the flag of a noble house of silver,"

"So, whoever is coming is pretty important. Might be a Lord Silver himself; I heard, he is quite handsome," he said, with a dreamy look in her eyes.

Magda is very social. She knows about everything, that is happening.

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"The man in a black suit is Laurence Fisk; he is an adviser to the lord."

"The thin old man beside him is Rupert Madden, vice-guild master of the merchant guild," she introduced people like she always does.

I recognize the thin man. I had seen him in a restaurant when I went to dinner with Magda and her family a few months ago.

She had introduced that time well.

I nodded absentmindedly while looking at the yacht.

My mother works for the legacy. She doesn't sleep with people anymore.

She told me; she works in the background. I asked her more about it, but she was curt, as always, when it came to the work.

"Mr. Guards, do you know, who is coming from Greltheaven?" Magda asked, but the guards just grunted.

"Rude," she said and turned to Yatch.

A few seconds later, the Yacht docked, and soon after people came out.

They are so far away that I can't see their face, but I don't think any of them are my mother; they all look important, and seeing top officials of the city had come to receive them.

She will come out after the important people left.

Still, I wish I could see. I would have if I had added more points to my physical attributes. I didn't have skills like Magda, that give better vision or know a spell.

"I think Lord Silver didn't come. It is said he has silvery grey hair. Those that came out are older people."

"Though the women are very beautiful, and they are wearing amazing clothes. They looked better than, the collection at Charles," she said, with her eyes shining.

I let her words pass through me as always. I am more focused on the people coming from the ship.

Looking for my mother, but saw no sign of her.

The group of three that came out of the yacht met the ground, waiting for them.

A few seconds later, one woman walked away from them, with a man walking beside her and four guards walking behind her.

Soon, the green-haired woman got closer, and I felt a great familiarity with her when suddenly my eyes widened.

"El, what happened?" asked Magda, worriedly turned to the woman coming toward us.

Soon, she walked through the gate and appeared in front of us, with a familiar smile appearing on her face.

"Little Ellie, how big you have gotten. It feels like yesterday when you were barely up to my hip and now, you have become as tall as me."

"Though you are still thin as before," said the woman and before I could say anything, she hugged me.

"I missed you, kiddo," she said softly. "I missed you too, Aunt Cathy," I replied. She liked Cath, but I always called her Cathy.

I really missed her and everyone. The only person I met was Aunt Carla.

She let go after a few seconds and turned to the man beside her.

"We have informed you about her and yet she is waiting outside," she said angrily with her voice dripping with authority.

I had never seen her like this and feared for her. The man works for a city and so are guards behind her.

"Deepest apologies, Miss Arga. We had sent the memo, to the port, but they said it was lost in paperwork," he apologized to my shock.

She glared at the man and turned back to me, with a smile returning to her face.

"Come, your mother is dying to meet you. She would come to get you personally, but she is on the job," she said and took my hand.

I waved at Magda, who was looking at everything with great confusion, but followed quickly and this time, the guards didn't stop us.

We moved toward the pier where the ship at when I nearly stopped, seeing the woman talking with the group of people.

She looked like my mom, but didn't look like a woman I remember.

She is very beautiful.

Far more beautiful than I remember. Her make-up is perfect. So is her hair, and she is wearing a dress and jewelry that cost a fortune.

I was looking at her, when she turned to me, and the smile on her face froze.

Tears started to stream down her face, while the people beside her went quiet and turned to me.

"My child," she said, and a moment later, she appeared beside her.

Moving so fast that I only saw the blur.

A moment later, I found her arms around me with her tears streaming down my dress. Tears coming out of my eyes too and they are falling on her expressive dress.

She may look different and feel more powerful, but she is my mom.

"I missed you so much, that every day had been painful without you," she said with a voice hiccupping. "I missed you too, Mom," I said, hugging her tightly.

She may look different and wear expensive clothes, but she is my mother.

The woman who sacrificed so much for me.

We finally let go and he looked at me with her hand on my cheek.

"You have grown taller, but you should eat more, dear. You look thin," she said, caressing my cheek gently.

"I am eating, Mom," I said, with my cheeks flooding. She smiled and turned to Magda.

"You must be Magda. Thank you for being so a good friend to my daughter," said Mom.

Magda, who liked to talk so much, went quiet for a second. "We are friends," she replied nervously, in awe.

Mom smiled, seeing that before she turned back to me.

"Dear, give me a few minutes and then we will leave," she said, I nodded, and she went to talk to the people.

"Who is your mother?" asked Magda in a whisper-scream. "I told you already," I replied, and she glared at me.

"You told me, your mother is, was a p-word. Does the woman talking with Adviser Fisk and Vice-Guildmaster Madden look a former p-word to you?" she asked once again in a whisper-scream.

"I am as confused as you," I replied truthfully, looking at my mother.

A few minutes later, she walked toward me, with Aunt Cath and others.

"Ellie, this is this is Chief Hendriks. He worked with your aunt Carla," she said, looking at the old man.

"And this is Mr. Fisk, adviser to Lord of Inam and Vice-Guildmaster Madden of Inam's merchant guild," she introduced.

"Hello, I am Elanor Blank," I introduced myself, biting down the heavy nervousness.

They all shook my hand, before turning to my mother.

"Miss Swan, you should have told us. Your daughter studies in our city. We would have taken better care of her," said Adviser Fisk.

"She is a shy child adviser, and I wanted her to focus on her studies," he replied.

"It's such a regret that you won't attend the party. Well, we will meet you at the venue," he said, and mother smiled.

Soon, he left with others and Aunt Cathy. Leaving my mom with me.