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It was the first time Gran had seen Sonia in her Celestian form, her true self. She landed softly in the lawn outside the front entrance with two figures in her arms. Her shining blue eyes sparkled brightly beneath platinum white hair. She couldn't contain her smile as she elbowed the king.
“You see that, son? Look at her.”
“Yes, Mother. It is as you say. She truly is the Queen of legend. But, is she MY queen?” He asked. Gran looked at him questioningly.
“What are you saying? Of course she is. Seeing the two of you together in the fragmented realm was the most heart warming sight to behold. You two are wonderful together.”
“It was just a dream, Mother. There is no more magic manipulating us. How will things differ now that there is nothing holding us back?
Sonia rushed in.
“Gran, hurry! These two are injured and in need of healing.” Sonia said as Sara struggled to lose her grip.
Gran immediately took Rachel and pulled out a loaf of sweet cinnamon bread from within her apron. As she fed it to her, the king raised an eyebrow.
“Did she just pull food out of her clothing?”
“Put me down, you jerk! I don’t want your help.” Sara said, punching at the arms that held her. Sonia snapped at her in anger. Her eyes a burning flame.
“Silence!” She shouted. The room became quiet and still. Even Gran looked up in surprise. Sara shrieked back from the queen’s word of authority and remained silent as commanded.
“I will not put you down and I will not let you go. You are in need of treatment, and you will receive it. I will not allow you to be stubborn on the account of your feelings for me. You may hate me or you may love me as your heart desires, but you will be taken care of.”
“But why? Why are you being like this?” Sara asked.
“It was your cry for help.” Sonia said. Tears rolled down the goddess’s cheek. “A scream that seared my heart. Your cry for help is a sound I will never forget. Now come, let us get you the care you need and make you better so you can be on your way.”
The princess remained quiet as Sonia carried her to her room. After laying her in her bed, she handed Sara a small bottle of medicine.
“What is this?” Sara asked.
“Your body isn’t like Rachel’s. Your wound is a spiritual one, and will take more time to heal. Rachel, on the other hand, is probably already healed and chatting Gran’s ears off.” Sonia said with a light chuckle. “Gran handed that to me before we came up here.”
She got up after patting Sara on her head and walked over to the door to leave.
“I like Rachel.” Sara said. Sonia paused and looked back.
“There’s a charming innocence about her. I suppose you and I were once innocent too, weren’t we?” Sara said.
Sonia gave a warm smile as she walked back to Sara’s side and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Indeed, we were.” Sonia said.
“Sonia, you’ve changed. Something about you is different. Where did you go when you left this dimension?”
“I...” Sonia hesitated, the destruction that her hands caused on the Sunny City was fresh on her mind, and it was painful to think about. But, on the other hand, there were good things that came from her time there. Lucy and Lord Tess were friends that she decided that she dearly loved. What she wouldn’t do for them. But, she did destroy Tessundra’s teahouse with her carelessness, and left the city without telling Lucy. She ran away from her shame. Both of them must be mad at her.
“I visited a place called the Sunny City. There, I found out the truth about myself. And the truth is, I am the daughter and the descendent of the Silver Queen”
“You’re her daughter? That explains some things. It seems you had quite the adventure, then.”
“It’s true. I also found out that Breillia is terrorizing the city. I think it’s because the goddess’s throne is located there.”
“It is? I didn’t know that.” Sara said, downing the bottle of medicine.
“Yes, it’s her favorite city. They honored her by erecting an elaborate throne and built a cathedral around it. In fact, this very cathedral is a mockery of it, being an exact replica.”
“The cathedral is the goddess’s?” Sara whispered.
“Gran spoke about a war between the goddess and your father. Something happened between them that sparked your mothers anger. The details of it are still unclear to me, but this building is indeed a mockery of the building where she used to spend time with her people. Breillia also cursed the city so that it’s hard to grow anything there. The Farming district is in a terrible state of decay, which happens to be the city's main source of revenue. She also stationed the black knights to guard the city and every month, they demand the people to pay a tax to the queen. Worst of all, the people no longer pray to their gods. They no longer answer the call of their people, so they stopped calling on them. They’ve lost all faith. The only certainty is the presence of the queen and her knights. It’s terrible.”
Sara looked down at her lap and thought for a long moment. Long and hard.
“Mother, just how far will you go?”
Her shoulders shook as she sobbed in anguish.
“I have lived here on this property for over five hundred years, and I have never seen that creature before. Not only was it placed here recently, but there is no doubt in my mind that it was created by my mother. And for what? Who was she targeting? Is it you she wants? I could have died! Is that what she wanted? Five hundred years confined to this place, all alone! Have I not suffered enough? When will this madness end?” Sara was no longer speaking to Sonia, but had gotten lost in her own thoughts, she cried with her face in her hands, until a gentle hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality.
“Hey, you and I are more alike than you know, though we are from very different worlds, we both want the same thing.”
“Do we?” Sara asked.
“Yes. Sara, can I show you something? You see, I’ve gotten used to spirit traveling. I’ve been to a couple different places. One of the places being my soul. I’d like to take you there.”
“You want me to go inside your soul?” Sara said with an uncomfortable expression. Sonia laughed.
“Yes. Only for a few minutes. Think of it as a way to get to know me a little more. After all, I’m still a bit of a stranger to you. You know nothing of me, but only that I am the Silver Queen. But I wasn’t always a goddess. I was once mortal, like Rachel. That’s the version of me that I want you to see. And then I will let you rest.
Sara hesitated for a moment, and then gave in.
“You’ve done so much for me. Giving me a name was a big one. How can I possibly deny you? Okay, how does this work? What do you need me to do?”
“Well, first things first” Sonia said as she picked up the young girl, who screeched in surprise. She carried the girl down the stairs to the empty throne.
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“I don’t know if it’s completely necessary, but I find that my power works best when I’m sitting on the throne.”
Sonia lept on the throne and positioned Sara in her lap between her legs.
“So, my mother meant for this cathedral to be a mockery, but in the process of replicating it, did she create a throne that could bridge a connection to the goddess? I wonder if this was unintentional.” Sara pondered.
“Yeah, you would think that separating the king from the goddess’s influence would’ve been the point of bringing him here to this dimension.” Sonia said.
“Okay, I’m ready.” Sara said.
“Just take a deep breath and close your eyes. I’ll do the rest.” Sara did as she was told.
Sonia wrapped her arms around her and together they breathed. At first, nothing happened, but then, without warning, Sara felt as if she was being sucked into Sonia by her navel, followed by the strong sensation of falling. Sara opened her eyes, all she saw was blackness. The girl screamed in fright before hitting a hard wooden floor. All was quiet and still. The darkness slowly receded, revealing a small room. When she looked around, she saw only a dark and dirty room with only a bed and dresser that occupied it.
Sara laid there, wincing in pain. Every inch of her body was aching. The girl moaned, and was surprised to find that it wasn’t her voice.
What the hell?
The moment she had hit the floor, she was filled with several emotions that she recognized. Loneliness being among them.
Sara struggled to get to her feet, but she found her body to be small and clumsy. Her hands were tiny and fragile, with bruises all over her arms and legs. There was a particular bruise on her arm that looked like a perfect hand print, as if she had been violently grabbed. She rubbed the spot and cried out when a sharp shooting pain raced up her arm from the deep purple mark.
Wow, is it broken? I can’t tell.
A voice rang out from the very fabric of reality.
“I was about ten years old back then.” Sonia said. “This was right before I met someone very special. Let’s continue. Let the dream play out, and don’t fight it. I promise it will be over soon.”
Sara slowly got to her feet. She swayed a little from dizziness, and then walked over to a mirror. A familiar action for Sara, but it was not a familiar sight, however, as the tiny little girl stared back at her. Sara gasped at her reflection, and wept.
When Sara reached a hand to touch her face, the little girl in the mirror did the same.
She’s so young.
Sara touched the dark, purple bruise on her eye, and traced the cut on her split and swollen lips. Tears fell as the girl cried, but Sara wasn’t sure if she was the one crying or if it was the dream, but whether it was her or the memory, it felt so real.
Loneliness
Regret
Shame
These were the emotions that she felt. They were strong emotions. It was like an emotional infection that could only be cured by love. But judging by the image in the mirror, no one had had any love to give. The little girl was deprived and starved of it.
She’s so young
A thumping sound could be heard outside the door, followed by the clanking of glass. She slowly walked over to the door, and reached for the knob with her frail, shaking hand, and opened it.
“Mother?” The girl said. No one answered. A set of stairs went down into the main room of the home. The room below was fully lit by a hanging chandelier that swayed back and forth. The woman beneath it must have hit her head on it as she was seen cursing at it while rubbing her aching head before the little girl ducked out of sight above the first step.
Her mother was drinking again. As she peeked again from the first step atop the stairs, she could see the many beer bottles piled onto the kitchen table. The woman attempted to pour another shot of liquor, but missed the glass. In anger, the woman took the glass and threw it across the room. Sara could hear it shatter against the wall.
Sara could feel the girl’s fear and hesitation as she slowly descended the stairs one step at a time. From the bottom step, she called out to the drunken woman.
“Mother, are you okay?”
“Go away, little girl. I don’t need you.” The woman said.
“Is there anything I can do for you? Anything?” The little girl asked, placing a tiny hand on her mother’s leg.
“You stupid little girl.” The woman looked at her with a face that was contorted by anger, beet red, with veins that pulsated, a face of pure madness. The woman got up from her seat and bore down on her.
“I am an adult. You’re nothing but a stupid little girl. What can you possibly do for me? Are you mocking me? Get out of my sight!”
The woman raised a hand to strike her, but the little girl bolted away, scrambling up the stairs and into her room.
She leaned against the door with a hand on her heart, and breathed. Her legs gave out, and she fell to her knees. Tears pattered onto the old dry, dusty floor.
The emotions were so real, that Sara couldn’t tell if it was her or the girl that cried.
She’s so young
She could hear the woman scream and yell in blinding anger. The words she spoke made no sense to her. She just rambled on about how the world had wronged her. The sound of things crashing as they were being thrown and broken filled the house.
The little girl got up and ran to her bed, burying her head in her pillow in an attempt to block the horrifying sounds of her rampaging mother. She cried aloud, her voice muffled by the dirty pillow.
Why?
Dreams were a funny thing. They could conjure entire realities and fabricate memories that never happened, but were still real to the one that had them. Sara remembered things that she shouldn’t, because the memories weren’t hers. They were Sonia’s memories. She was not the little girl, but just the same, she knew that every night was the same.
Where was the caring mother that coddled and cared for her children? Where was the proud and dutiful father? Though it wasn't her life and her memories, she knew. She was completely alone.
No one cared for her. Birthdays and holidays were spent in her room, alone.
An ethereal light shone through her bedroom window that Sara knew wasn’t natural. The light bathed a path from the window to her bed. The little Sonia ran to the window and prayed. No, it wasn’t a prayer, but a begging plea. A heart wrenching cry for help to a god that never listened.
She prayed for someone to love her. Sara let the dream take her as she cried and cried, begging for a complete and loving family. At this point, their hearts were united by a common desire. They longed for it with all of their hearts.
It’s not fair!
It’s not fair!
Sara awoke from within Sonia’s soul and fell from the throne onto her knees in a sobbing, coughing fit. Tears dotted the cold stone floor.
“It’s not fair!” She choked.
“Nothing is fair in this world, sweetheart.” Sonia said.
Sara stood up and approached the throne. From where she stood, she saw Sonia. For the first time, she saw her as the glorious woman she was meant to be. Their brilliant blue eyes met, and Sara couldn’t help but to see the scared little girl she used to be.
“You were so young.” Sara whispered. “I’m sorry. I've never truly looked at you. Never even considered you. I’m so selfish.” More tears came as the emotions from the dream still lingered on her heart. “It’s true, I love my mother so much, I just wanted her to be more than what she was. I was never enough for her. What more could I have done?”
“Not a damn thing.” Sonia said. Love is not a transaction to be bought or traded. It is a free gift. Whether you love me or don’t, it makes no difference to me. I will always love you. You don’t need to do anything for it, because you’re perfect the way you are.”
The princess held Sonia’s gaze, and saw her for who she truly was.
“For five hundred years, I’ve prayed, and no one answered, or so I thought. I prayed every single day, with all my heart. My mother never came for me. Whether here in the cathedral or in the dream realm, not once did she come for me. Five hundred years, and no one came, or so I thought. The truth is, you came. You answered my prayer, and when I called for you, you came to me without fail, and in a matter of seconds, I was safely in your arms.” Tears still streamed down her face and onto her tattered, bloody shirt. She sobbed openly, but she didn’t break eye contact, because for the first time, she truly saw her. She was queen, and not just any queen, she was her friend. A friend she can rely on. A friend she can honor, and a friend she can love.
A hand came to rest on Sara’s shoulder.
“I bet you also hadn’t realized that your legs are healed.” Gran’s soft voice whispered into her ear. Sara looked down wide eyed. No, she hadn’t realized it. She had been so caught up in the moment.
This woman, she just keeps giving.
She just keeps giving, and what do I give her? Absolutely nothing. I’ve given her nothing.
Sara fell to her knees, and bowed low.
Sonia tilted her head in curiosity.
“Sara, what are you doing?” Sonia asked.
Gran joined her granddaughter, kneeling beside her, she bowed low before the throne. Sara’s voice croaked as the tears still came.
“Long live the queen.” She said,
Long live the queen.” Repeated Gran.
Rachel also joined them, kneeling on the cold marble floor. A wide and beautiful smile crossed her face.
“I knew you were special. I just knew it.” She too bowed low. “Long live the queen.”
“Stop it people. You’re going to make me cry. I don’t want to cry.” the tears came anyway, sparkling in the divine glow of her eyes.
A movement caught her attention beside her as the giant stone statue began to move. It got up from its resting place and walked over to the girls. The building shook with each step he took. Stepping over the girls, he too found his place on the cold marble floor, he too knelt and bowed. With a low rumbling voice, he chanted. The words echoed throughout the hall, and who would dare question the voice of the King.
“Long live the queen.”