Isis stood there shocked and excited as well but primarily bemused "what do you mean they're all closed? that doesn't sound possible. that would make me the weakest of my family. and why wouldn't supreme mother tell me this? why wouldn't the elders tell me this?" she looks to Ameera for the answers, knowing she would not get them.
Ameera stands and walks towards her "these are not questions I can answer for you Isis, however, you are far from weak. when we get to Heaven" she takes her hand "won't you let me research your body for you? or we could ask the gods but that would be no fun. I'll be much stronger and capable of answering your questions and maybe Aiden will help too. Since he's the smartest out of all of us" she tries to reassure her.
Isis gives her a complicated stare "I'll think about it. but I need to ask supreme mother and the elders why? I've never had a problem with my cultivation or training. It was only after I got to this level" she removes her hand. "do you know how to open them?"
Ameera nods but frowns "I do but I'm afraid that I can't, I used up all my spiritual energy trying to find the problem. If I try to open your meridians" she trails off not wanting to sound cowardly and weak.
Isis touches her shoulder "you needn't worry Ameera. thank you for telling me. In all honesty, I've lost consciousness multiple times trying to use my powers. So you could say you saved my life, if you had decided not to come I would have continued to exhaust myself and who knows? Maybe even die or worst damage my core" she engulfs her in a hug before pulling away "It's about time we head back"
when Isis embraced her, Ameera felt at ease a smile gracing her perfectly formed lips "Yes, we should, the next time we see each other we will both be angels" she said with fervor in her voice. they made their way back to the main house where Ameera's carriage awaited her. with one last hug and a look at Isis's home she got in her carriage and left.
Isis made her way into the house "Inform my mother that I desire an audience with her" she told a maid before heading to her library to do research on closed meridians. Scrolling through books she found an acupuncture book telling tales of all sorts of medical feats that can be done through acupuncture. She wishes this was knowledge she had before knowing she would have done everything within her power to learn and master acupuncture. Seeing as she couldn't turn back time she got to writing letters to all the closest and strongest physicians hoping one could make it before ascension day, if not she would find another way.
Ringing the bell she signaled for a servant, opening the door was a dark-skinned servant with short brown hair "You called my lady?"
"Lilie, perfect. come and deliver these for me. the faster the better, Also did my mother reply to my request for an audience?"
Lilie took the letters from her and shook her head "I am unaware but I can find out" she says bowing to take her to leave. Shortly after she returned "the Madam says she will meet you for tea in an hour"
Isis thanked her, before seeing her off. The hour felt long as Isis was lost in her own thought, pacing around her room checking her door for a maid repeatedly. She's pictured how this conversation should go in multiple scenarios all of them she had gotten angry because why shouldn't she? Her mother most likely knew she had so many meridians and her mother most definitely knows they are closed. So why didn't she tell her, why didn't she help her?
When the time finally arrived Isis made her way to her mother's garden accompanied by her maid, she greeted her with a bowing of her hand without missing a step she got to the point "Mother, I have come only to ask you a question and I want you to be honest with me" she was standing looking down at her mother which Isis would never do under normal circumstances as it is disrespectful, but these were not normal circumstances.
Her mother unamused sat and looked up at her "What is it, Isis?" she leaned onto her daughter's impertinence making her slightly curious.
"Well" Isis cleared her throat "When did you plan to tell me?" she raises her voice lightly "When was I going to find out about the meridians in my body? when this body no longer had meaning to me? was I to find out through casual conversation in heaven? Oh Isis just to let you know, you have a couple of hundred meridians, and whilst you were human they were all closed, funny how no one told you while you were still among them" she spoke in the third person
"I see, so you found out" Edrice now rattled, as this was the last thing she expected to hear from her daughter "where did you learn that from?"
"Does the where matter mother? what matters is that you kept this from me, you deceived me!" Isis got more annoyed at her mother's deflecting.
"Firstly" Edrice stands "I am still your mother and your ruler." she walks close to her daughter "I didn't keep it from you, I just... I wasn't able to tell you because you would ask questions I was unable to answer and it would only fuel your futile quest to become a god. It was a decision made by myself and the elders. One I do not regret making."
Betrayal was the only thing Isis felt as she stared into her mother's unapologetic gaze "So, you lied to me, what if I wasn't as strong as I am now, what if I never ended up a disciple? If I was stuck as the weakest Zubari because of my closed meridians then what? What would you have done then?" She steps away from her mother anger and tears clouding her eyes.
"You do not have the full story my child, I, of course, tried to open your meridians, What mother, what ruler would want their child to be looked down on? None of the physicians, mages, or anyone could get them open, the older you got the more painful it would be to open them, but still, no one could get them to open, your body kept resisting and no one would risk their lives to push their limits for you, even at the cost of fortune." Edrice tried explaining.
"No, you still should have told me, there were so many instances where I tried to unlock my abilities to the point of near-death experiences, if I had known I would never have pushed myself to that extent" She agreed
"Yes you would, you are my daughter and someone who has craved strength even before you were taught about our strengths, You would still have pushed yourself harder even if it was to forcefully open your meridians" her mother took her in her hold "Now that you know you can stop, you can accept that you will never become a god and be content with becoming a disciple, stop forsaking your birthright before you get this whole family condemned by the rath of Edis," she says without a hint of pity, Edrice truly believed it would get through to her daughter now.
"How many times will you look down on me mother?" each and every one of her mother's words hurt more than every near-death experience she had. she could not be angry with her as she knew this was what every normal person would say and believe, she was;t looking down on her because she didn't believe in her, she was implying trying to protect her child and her people. "I understand now" she pulls away "I will never get your support and I understand that now" she pulls herself away from her mother who did not fight her and she left. running to her room she gathered her pen and paper and started to write, she could not pray which she desperately wanted to do, but what god would listen to the prayers of a disciple trying to become a god?
She left the note on her table and gathered her important belongings along with money. She waited for it to become late enough at night that everyone would mostly be sleeping and began her escape, she planned this escape for the night before the ascension but now was as good a time as any. Her exit was the west gate, their home had several courtyards and hers was very close to her mothers, leaving she tried to silently make her way to the west gate, disarming any and every guard that came in her path, she finally made it to the gate she saw a tall brisque figure there.
"Where are you going?" came a deep male voice.