Alora sat in her loft that night mixing some herbs, using the candle light when her mother walked in. "Aren't you going to bed yet Alora? It is nearing midnight."
"In a minute mother." Alora replied as she was still focused on the herbs she was mixing. When she saw her mother sit on her bed, she dropped the little bottles with her and faced her mother. "Is there a problem?"
"Finish what you're doing. This talk might take a while." Arielle replied as she looked around the loft which was more like a garden than a room.
In a corner, just next to the only window in the room stood the table and chair which Alora worked on. The rest of the room was decorated with plants and flowers.
"Okay I'm done." Alora turned to face her mother. "So what is it you want to talk about, mother?"
"The Lords called me over this afternoon….."
"What happened? Did I do something wrong? Did you do something wrong? Is he going to chase us from this place?" Alora gasped and Arielle just chuckled.
"No sweetheart. They talked to me about the gift you hold. Many greedy kings and queens might want to abduct you once they know about it because they would think you're a witch that can cast spells to protect their kingdoms. You know for centuries now, witches have been hiding from humans and any opportunity to get one, they'll shed blood for it. First Lord said he knows pretty well that you aren't a witch so in order to keep you safe, he wants to adopt you. That way no one dares to touch a royalty unless they want a never-ending war." Arielle explained to her daughter who seemed astonished. "So I've accepted."
"I…..I don't know what to say. Why would he also want to adopt me if not for their own interests?" Alora frowned.
"Connect with his birth element and see if he's using you for his own interests." Arielle rested her back while Alora took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a few minutes before opening it back.
"No." She mumbled.
"Great. So he wants to see you in the palace tomorrow morning. Now go to bed so you can wake up early. Goodnight sweetheart." Arielle stood up and kissed her forehead before walking out of the loft.
Alora still had a frown on her face before we laid down on the bed to go to sleep. Her joining the royal family? She had never thought of that. What would be her usefulness there? She wouldn't be able to do any chores, people would serve her which wasn't like her at all.
When morning came, while Alora was still busy battling with herself, the guard sent to escort her and Arielle arrived.
"It's okay Alora, you don't have to worry too much. You'll be fine." Arielle hugged her before they set out for the palace.
When they got there, the royal family just finished having breakfast and the Lords were just going to start their daily work.
"Good morning my Lords." They both bowed and Ruger nodded his head, gesturing to them to follow.
As they walked to Lord Ruger's study, Alora took in all the beautiful interiors which she has never seen before. The floor was covered with an expensive red rug with the kingdom's crest on it. The wall was white with touches of gold to make it extremely beautiful and captivating with the golden framed painting hung on it.
Once they got to Lord Ruger's study, he ordered them to sit opposite him while he looked at Alora who was still stunned by the beauty of the room.
"So you have decided right?" Ruger asked Arielle, pulling Alora's attention to them.
"Yes my Lord." Arielle replied.
"Good." Ruger looked at Dean who gestured at the guards. After a minute, the guards walked in with the head of the adoption board in the kingdom.
"Good morning my Lord. It is an honor to be called to your presence this early morning." The man bowed and Ruger nodded. "I have arranged everything you asked me to arrange, my Lord."
The man placed a few scrolls before Ruger and he opened it, scanning through the content before nodding. He picked the quill on his table and signed the scrolls before passing it to Arielle who also did the same.
"You will be welcomed tomorrow Alora. You can stay with your mother for today because I know you would want to." Ruger smiled at her and she nodded gently.
~
"What? The First Lord adopted you? Impossible." Ava squealed, hugging her friend as they walked down to the group of crucks. Ava had been given a few hours off from kitchen work and she decided to come to Alora and she was met by the shocking news that her friend would soon be a lady.
"Help me pack some things I can't leave behind here. It's something that happened so fast I can't pull myself together yet." Alora mumbled as they walked on.
"Wow. I'm so happy for you Alora. Do you know how many people out there are wishing the First Lord was their father? Now all you did was save his son and he decided to adopt you? Wow." Ava gazed at the sky dreamily. "I can already imagine what you look like in a dress. You would look endlessly beautiful."