Myriah could easily say that she regretted her whole existence as of this moment. Aside from her fued with Angalo, she missed her mother. Was she okay? Was she still alive?
'Should I even be wondering these things? She did protect my father …'
Myriah sighed, 'to fight so fiercely for a child that didn't even come from you… why would someone do that? How big does ones heart have to be to perform such a feat?'
Myriah tilted her head, 'if it were me in that situation…' she couldn't say if she would fight for the child, 'if I were being honest…' she pondered as she concluded: she might be the one to turn her head and pretend not to see anything…
Myriah snapped out of her thoughts when Axel waved his hand in her face, catching her attention.
"Axel?"
"You've been spaced out for a while." He greeted. Myriah tilted her head as his gaze caught hers.
"Where were you?" Myriah shrugged, "I was thinking of my mother…" she paused expecting to be reprimanded. Instead, Axel placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Are you worried about her?" Myriah nodded. "It's understandable, you know." Myriah tilted her head in question.
"Though not by blood, your mother is still your mother." Axel murmured, "Even though it may not feel like it, Samantha did all she could to keep you safe." Axel murmured, "All mothers want their children with them… as all mothers believes that they are the safest place for their children…" Axels eyes turned distant with that statement. The sight had Myriah leaning into Axel.
'He gets far away memories too…' she thought as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Axels arm came around her form and he gave a light squeeze before letting go completely.
"Come. We've a mission for Princess Atoli."
***
'The mall…' Myriah thought darkly as she was dragged into the packed outlet.
'Of all the places…'
"Atoli wants a chocolate they sell somewhere around here." Axel explained, Myriah rolled her eyes and stomped behind Axel. 'This place is so loud…' she internally complained.
Lost in her thoughts, anxieties and the overwhelming stimulation of the masse of people around her, Myriah lost Axel. She yelped when a small force collided into her.
Myriah stared down into ocean blue eyes. Flecks of gold danced within them. His tiny arms were wrapped around her waist and his face was buried into her stomach.
'Oh no….' "Don't let them take me…" he pleaded as he held tighter. Myriah placed a gentle hand on the boys shoulder, ready to push him away. 'This boy is tiny. I only feel bone…' However, this wasn't her problem. 'Should a child be this thin?' She internally berated the child, 'Of all of the people here…why did you have to come to me?'
Axel was off somewhere, lost in their pseudo mission. 'Did he not hear the child? Why did he keep going?' Myriah silently prayed that Axel would come and rescue her from this entire unwanted situation, however he was nowhere to be seen.
'Damn you, Axel…'
Myriah suddenly felt fear. Raw unadulterated fear. Before she could get lost in the emotion, she realized that she wasn't scared, 'I'm too upset to be scared… is this boy scared? What can he be so scared of?' Myriahs internal question was answered as she eyed the angry woman advancing on the boy. Before she could rationalize her actions, Myriah was shoving the boy behind her form.
The woman walked straight to Myriah until they were nose to nose.
"Give me my son." The woman demanded.
'Why is he scared if this is his mother?'
Myriah eyed the woman – pretty in her own right. Hooded hazel eyes, curly blonde hair – likely a perm, and a good choice if it was. The woman's ruby red lips were scrunched into a scowl, she wore a red halter top and leopard leggings with some black stilettos.
The boy shaking behind her brought Myriah back to reality. 'Why is he so scared?' Myriah eyed the woman again, keeping the boy close to her. For some reason her arm was locked around his trembling form. 'What strength I have to offer, kid? I cant tell you.'
Instead of relinquishing the child, Myriah asked: "What proof is there that this boy is your son?"
Internally berating herself as she did. 'I really should just hand over this boy and be done with it.' However, her arms would not allow the boy to leave her side. Something about this boys situation had her heart racing…
'Axel… I might ruin everything if you don't get here soon' Myriah internally pleaded as she continued to eye the woman while her rational and emotional sides battled it out. The woman sneered at Myriah who stood tall under the latter's scrutinizing glare. "I am not obligated to prove anything to you!" The woman shouted, gaining the attention of random bystanders. "Give me my child or I will call the police!" Myriah, growing tired of the woman's shouting, matched the woman's glare.
"Go ahead and call the police." She murmured with a calm that she did not feel. The woman faltered slightly.
"The remanded child protection law indicates that in the dispute of a child's custodial parent, identification has to be shown." Myriah murmured, "Valid documentation indicating that the child does indeed belong to you is also required should the child present signs of fear, markings, and/or malnutrition." The woman took a step away from Myriah who was advancing on her, angry. 'Why am I so mad?' She felt this boys pain, saw glimpses of his memories… 'Memories…' the lavender eyed girl internally sneered, 'Abuse. This boy was beyond tortured…and he wasn't in one of her fathers facilities…' It was a triggering thought… that torture can happen beyond her fathers walls…
"So you have a choice, ma'am: Provide your identification and documentation, or i will be contacting the police." Myriah said, internally astonished at the calm she was displaying in light of the anger burning through her chest.
"You – "
"You have no right." Myriah snapped, advancing on the woman, "You have no right to torment this boy." The woman yelped as she was plagued with the boys memories. "You have no right to abuse and torture this child." Myriah muttered, looking behind her when she didn't feel the child. Relief flooded her when she saw Axel standing beside him, observant as ever.
"H-he is my son!" The woman screamed as she lunged at Myriah who side stepped her, feeling at ease with her choices in seeing the boy cling to Axels leg.
Myriah felt a burning sensation on her right cheek, she brought her hand to feel where the burn was and felt a decent sized welt. Myriah narrowed her eyes as she zoomed in on the woman's polished nails. 'Silver is in the polish?!' Myriahs glare deepened and she dared to look at Axel and the boy again, making a mental note of finger nail shaped scars on his arms.
'Perhaps it is the right thing to do…' - Spryias musical voice filled her head.
"Myriah-" Myriah caught the woman's balled fist and twisted her arm behind her back in a single movement. She twisted the woman's arm until the woman was begging her to let go. "Did you stop?" Myriah asked as she continued to plague the woman's mind with the boys memories and emotions. "What makes you so special?" Red. Myriah could say that her vision was red… 'like my dream?'… no, she was plagued with a splitting image of her father. "That I should heed your pleas while you ignored this boy…" The monster who captured and allowed her torment… "Why should I stop for you when you didn't stop for him?"
'No … this woman does not deserve this boy… I'd be a much better mother to this boy…' she thought darkly, 'I'll fight for him the way my mother fought for me…'
"Myriah." Axel snapped.
Myriah blinked and released the woman from her grip. She stepped back on shaky legs, confused. "What-" She looked at the woman who was a drooling mess, the crowd that had gathered were stoic zombies… "What did you-"
"Don't worry about that, let's go." Axel held up the boy in offering and Myriah had him in her arms in that same moment.
She held the boy close as Axel dragged her away, calling Atoli as he went. "We need to get you cleaned up and fed." Myriah murmured in soothing tones. The boy curled into Myriahs warmth and let her dote on him.
'It has to be better with this woman than with the last…'
Myriah gently squeezed the boy, offering more of her warmth.
"It will be." She soothed as the boy started to drift off to sleep.