"A friend?" Aurora found that hard to believe because all she had ever known herself to be was the child of her father's mistress. "My name is Aurora Hamilton. My father had an affair and I was the product of it. That was what I was told growing up. Are you sure you haven't mistaken me for maybe my mother or another relative? I saw a portrait with someone having white hair torn off beside my grandmother when she was younger."
"I have been here for a long time and thanks to your power, I have seen a lot of things as time changed. You are the only one I have seen with white hair enter this place. There is a light that glows all around you no matter how many times they try to dim it. You can never hide or pretend to be someone else. I cannot tell you everything that has happened over the years because I only came alive when your power started to return."
"When was it that you first saw me? The first time I stepped foot onto this property."
"It should be over one hundred years ago. The friend you came to visit is long gone but it seems you made more along the way."
Aurora became short of breath trying to fathom the idea that she was here over a hundred years ago and if that was true, the person missing from the portrait beside Minnie was herself. "From a young age, I always thought about my mother and the relationship she had with the man I called father. And yet, this entire time I was longing after a woman who did not exist. Believing all the stories they told me and I accepted being treated the way others acted towards me."
Being labeled the child of an affair was not a good title. She endured the looks from the workers, family friends, and strangers who heard the rumors. She felt sorry for Rachel who had to endure her husband's affair and see that child daily. All for it to end up being a lie.
She felt cheated out of her life because of their lie. Why lie and say she was a part of the family? Why go so far as to ruin a piece of their reputation by saying Nathaniel had a child outside the marriage? What was so important for them to do this?
"Do you know anything about werewolves?" Was her last question. Could she trust the wolf that was promising to save her?
"You mentioned a man twice and said good things about him. Spoke of how you and he were starting to become friends."
"Thank you for telling me," she rested her head on the old tree, grateful that someone had told her the truth. It wasn't what she had been expecting to hear at all.'I got my answer. I do not want to stay in a place I never belonged to,' she thought to herself.
She'll pack her things to leave on the day of the harvest moon festival when everyone would be distracted. She wanted to leave and find out where she had come from before stepping foot in this house all those years ago. The only person she would tell of her departure was Regina. She loved her brother Samuel but he would do everything he could to make her stay when she truly wanted to go.
"Goodbye old friend," said the tree. It had gotten to speak with her one last time and now that she was leaving the tree would return back to normal.
"Goodbye," Aurora said, going back to her room. She didn't want to dig into any more questions about why they kept her here. Why continue asking questions when it was clear as day she needed to leave?
She dragged her feet back to her room feeling more upset than sad because of the things she endured. Aurora thought of the perfect idea for her going away present.
Meanwhile, after Seth had left the dinner, Nathaniel called Samuel to his office to have a conversation Minnie wanted him to have with his son. Samuel had been working hard to prove himself that he could lead one of the family businesses and Minnie decided it was time to let him in on family secrets. Especially now that Aurora had been acting strange and they knew what it meant.
"Take a seat son. We've been proud of the things you've been doing. Staying at the top of your class, being able to visit the king, and showing your knowledge about the family business. I know you have always wanted to be the king's right-hand man but I'm happy you have chosen to run the business after me," Nathaniel said, pouring himself and Samuel a glass of wine. Nathaniel stared at the wine bottle and said, "This is one of our top sellers. Not everyone can make their wine sell as good as we can."
"No father," Samuel replied, waiting anxiously for the news his father wanted to share with him. He had a feeling after tonight they would involve him more in the business, something he had been working hard to achieve. Minnie and his father had always been private but he hoped they knew they could trust him.
"Let me ask you some important questions soon. Beef or Fish?" Asked Nathaniel.
Samuel was puzzled by the random question. Had his father only brought him in here to talk about food? Samuel thought this would be a conversation all about business. "Beef father."
"Wine or perfume?"
'We have shops selling both of them. Am I supposed to pick the best one?' Samuel wondered. "Wine."
"Good choices. Money or reputation?"
Reputation was important in their society but if you had a lot of money, no one would talk bad about you to your face and still invite you to their parties in hopes they could benefit from your wealth. So Samuel chose, "Money."
"Good job. In life, we have to choose between things and we think picking the best answer is easy but it can actually put us in a tough spot. I never want you to be the bad apple in this family. The person who halts our years of success. It happened before and their death was a cruel one. Always pick the best answer son. I have one last question for you. Family or friend?"
"The best answer is family father," Samuel stated the obvious.
Nathaniel knew his son thought he had done well with his answers but the real test would come when he had to implement his last answer. "Why? Why did you pick family?
"Because blood is thicker than water."