ORA
20:56 The clock ticks, and the deadline closes. I've been trying to get ready to help Valtara for more than twenty years now, but it seems like no amount of preparation is ever enough to guide her through… all of these. Not as capable as Espara, her mother, would have been, at least. But then again, we were all dealt a lousy hand, and now we have to play the cards we have, hoping for the best.
I start urgently searching the halls while trying to keep the content of the contingency box as well preserved as possible. The estate is full of activity, it's almost time for Valtara's ball, and everyone wants everything to be perfect. She is pretty beloved. She has this charismatic demeanor, not quite as harsh as her mother's, much more like Saxum's, her father. I guess not having to grow up with the weight of a crown upon your head lets someone be a bit less… rough, at least on the edges.
Where, in the name of all that's holly, is this kid? I swear that child is going to be the death of me. I told her to go straight to my room after getting ready, but of course, she didn't. 21:03. I can't seem to find her. I see her ladies-in-waiting go by, chattering cheerfully. I approach them.
– Good evening, ladies. Have you seen Lady Valtara? I ought to get some last details ready with her before the ball begins
– Oh! Hello cogna Ora. I think she is taking a stroll with her brother; she seems quite nervous. I bet lord Malden is just trying to get her to breathe fresh air. She looked pretty suffocated when we left her. – says Salina
– I mean, who isn't before their presentation, Sal? – Carina chuckles
– Thanks, ladies.
Both of them nod and continue their conversation as I walk towards the garden, where I know her brother and her talk for hours when they need each other's counsel or simply a shoulder to cry on.
A sudden agonizing cry cuts the air, and I feel my soul leave my body. 21:11. I'm too late. I accelerate my pace toward the source of the sound. My heart is pounding in my ears, and I start running. Frenetic footsteps echo in the hallway, and a second set joins the dreary symphony; soon, I am face to face with Lord Malden, whose eyes are rimmed with red, and his sun-kissed skin is pale with worry.
– Cogna Ora… – Malden pants – Valtara. She is in trouble.
A second piercing scream travels through the halls, and both Malden and I turn our heads towards it.
– Take me to her, boy – I say while Malden nods and rushes towards Valtara's position – What happened?
– I… I'm not sure. One second, we were talking and laughing, and the next, she was withering in pain. She told me to come get you that you said she had to come by your quarters before the ball to see you. It's my fault; I convinced her to go with me instead.
– Everything is going to be fine, Malden. She is just too much of a rebel; if this mess is someone's fault, it's mine. – I say. Malden looks at me confused but continues to lead the way.
Soon, we are in front of the gates that lead to the garden, and Valtara is on the ground shaking, with her dress half up, crying with the glowing symbol of the day court over her solar plexus. I rush towards her while Malden kneels next to her.
– Malden, we need to get her out of sight. Carry her after I give her this, please.
I take out a prepared potion with anesthetic and analgesic properties and give it to Valtara while her brother holds her head to ease the drinking of the concoction. Afterwards, I take out some fresh water and damp a piece of cloth to put on her forehead.
– Is she ill? Running a fever? – Malden asks desperately
– No, Malden is much more… complicated than that.
Malden looks at me, puzzled. Valtara's shaking slows down, and she sighs in relief, a bit sleepy because of what I gave her. Malden carries her in his arms and starts following me towards my study in the basement.
– It's okay, bug, I'm right here. You are going to get well. – Malden whispers to Valtara and then turns to me – Shouldn't I go get Father after I settle her down? Cancel the ball?
– There is no need to cancel the ball, it doesn't even start until 22:00, but you should let Lord Saxum know she is safe and in my care.
We finally reach my work table, which I had already cleared for this exact purpose. I just didn't think this situation would turn out so… scandalous. Damned lady and her damned stubbornness.
– Go now, boy. I'll take care of her. Tell Lord Saxum it happened, just like that, and he'll know what I mean.
Malden nods, and with one last worried look towards his sister, he leaves the room to search for his father.
I lift the Valtara's dress to uncover the now-finished sign. It looks like a golden curling sun tattoo on top of her solar plexus, the typical sun court symbol, although it does have an add-on that I had never seen on any sun court member. It is hot to the touch, as is the rest of her skin. Magic running through her veins for the first time.
According to what I researched, most people faint; it's a testament to Valtara's strength that she managed to remain conscious through it all. With the intensity of the heat that her body is emanating, I'm very sure her power is stronger than even her mother's, so it must have been excruciating. She could have been partially unconscious through it all if she had only listened to me.
– Ora? What… happened? – Valtara asks with a weakened voice that sounds raspy
– You didn't listen to me; that's what happened – I say, exasperated, while I change the wet cloth from her forehead to a fresher one. I sigh – I'm sorry I'm snarking, Valtara, I got really scared. How are you feeling?
– I'm still hot, but it feels less like burning alive and more like I got a heatstroke – Valtara sighs and relaxes.
– It should pass soon, the intensity of the glow in your mark is dulling, and your temperature is returning to normal levels.
– My mark?
– How much exactly do you remember? – I say cautiously. Saxum should be here for this conversation.
– I'm… not sure. Mald and I were talking about the courtship period and the ball. I had been having hot flashes throughout the day, I just thought it was because of the weather and this heavy dress, but I'm guessing it wasn't. Then when we were about to get to the garden, the feeling of being burned started to pierce from the inside out towards my skin. The last thing I remember is a strange glow in my abdomen and the sound of your footsteps.
The red in her skin has diminished to a slightly high blush, and the sweating appears to be subsiding. I nod in understanding. The books about the marking talked about similar experiences. I read extensively about the subject; the only problem is there wasn't a book on Aurea that taught you how to have the conversation I needed to have now with Valtara, my best friend's daughter, who I have raised as my own with her father. I look at her face as if memorizing each of her features. Our relationship will change forever after this, and I realize I'm scared of it. I am terrified of losing her as I lost Espara when she fell in love with Saxum, and their whole story became the chronicle of a foretold death. Maybe the reason I didn't tell her everything before wasn't that I deemed her not ready. It was because I wasn't.
– Ora?
I try to start talking, but words refuse to leave my mouth. I don't even know where to begin.
– What you just went through is called the marking, and it happens at the exact time you were born, the day of your 21st birthday.
– But… I'm not a witch – Valtara answers, confused – and you and the others have the marking of your magical dominion on your wrist – she points to the sacred symbol of seven in my wrist – not over the pit of your stomach; also, you told me it's uncomfortable and overwhelming, not painful.
– That's because you aren't a witch, Valtara, but we go through a similar process. The symbol you now bear over your solar plexus marks you as a magical being; your magic awakening left it there, just like mine did. But you are not half human, half divine as us. You are something else.
Panic, confusion, and pain cross her face as the sound of the door opening disrupts the dense silence that followed my statement.
– Am I too late? Valy? Baby? – Saxum comes down the stairs frantic with worry. Malden is just behind him.
– Daddy? – Valtara says, stunned – what's going on?
– Have you explained already? – Saxum asks me
– I was doing that.
Silence takes over the room again. No one seems to be particularly inclined to be the ones to break it until Malden, of course.
– Can someone please explain why my sister was running a fever and screaming like a banshee like five minutes ago, and now she is not?!
– Stop freaking out. She needs to rest a bit. – I say to him, a bit annoyed
– What I need, as my brother so cleverly pointed out, is to know WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!
– Valtara! Language. – answers Saxum to her rant
– Father, give me a break; you know I love you, but you weren't the one being burned alive a minute ago and then told they are not human the next.
– What?! – says an exasperated Malden
– Everybody needs to calm down. Now. – I say dangerously low. Everyone seems to take the hint and settle. I sigh, knowing the whole story is way too long to tell with so little time left before the ball – I can't give you the entire explanation right now since time is of the essence, but tomorrow your father and I will tell you everything we know about your mother's heritage. Bear in mind we do come from the human realm and not the magic realm, so we don't have all the facts. For now, the gist of it is that your mother wasn't human, Valtara; she was the princess, and later the queen, of the sun court in the magical realm. She was a fae of light, and so are you. At least half of you. – I finish while I watch her reaction anxiously.
– The magical realm is real? I thought those were just… well, fairy tales – she says, confused.
– They had to go into hiding a long time ago when the Great Opposing War was raging, and they were being used and hunted by both sides to further their causes – Saxum says – even when the war ended, they decided to stay far away and hide their existence by becoming just myths.
Malden and Valtara glance at each other. Malden takes a step towards his sister, and she extends his hand to seek comfort; he takes it, and she leans on him, closing her eyes, breathing in deeply, and holding on to him like a lifeline.
– Why? – Valtara slowly opens her eyes while she asks, staring at me
– Oh, because they thought humans would always try to abuse… – Saxum starts to say, but I interrupt him.
– She doesn't mean that Saxum. Do you Valtara? – I answer while still holding her gaze.
Valtara shakes her head and waits for me to continue. I sigh and look at Saxum; he nods in approval.
– Your mother wanted you to experience a different upbringing than hers. A more… normal one. Full of love and fun instead of worry and duty. A healthier childhood – Valtara watches me expectantly – As to why until now and not when you were simply older and not a child anymore. That was because I knew. I knew that you would change the moment you grasped the whole truth. I knew you would pull away and rage, rightfully so may I add, but I couldn't bear to lose you that soon – I glance towards her father, who looks ashamed – we couldn't, and then, in the blink of an eye, today came and whether we were ready or not became irrelevant because it was too late and your marking was upon us. I am so sorry for that, Valtara. You can't imagine how much. – I bare my heart and plead for forgiveness with my eyes, hoping she understands. My heart breaks when I see she is about to cry, but it breaks even further when I watch her as she contains the tears and puts on a mask. A mask I have only seen her wear at public functions when she is the future Lady of this estate and not just Valy, our Valy.
– I see, very well. I understand. – she turns to look at her father, who is in shambles, and then at me – We will discuss this, all of it, later, tomorrow. Now I have to recompose myself before I go out and cater to all those… suitors. – she says with betrayal in her voice and ice in her heart.
The pain I feel in my chest is almost unbearable, but I know I deserve it. All of it. Because if I had been honest with her earlier, maybe I wouldn't have broken her trust so thoroughly, and I could have made amends easily. But I should know that the path towards forgiveness now will be long; I can see it in her eyes and fill it in my bones. I nod.
– There is some powder over there in my dresser if you want to touch up, and you should look at the bottom drawer on the left side. Your mother left you something. A diary of sorts. It will only open when you, and you alone, touch it. – I pause as I watch her undisturbed look – For what is worth, Valtara, I love you as my own. We love you.
– We do, baby. I am deeply sorry. We just did what we… thought was best at the time. – Saxum says apologetically. Valtara shakes her head and closes her eyes.
– I need some space. Please. I'll be at the ballroom shortly. – she says while she goes to my dresser and sits in front of it.
We all glance at each other. Malden looks as betrayed as Valtara, and I'm sure it's all on her behalf. He goes outside first, I follow him, and Saxum tries to say something more, but it gets stuck in his throat with a sob. He finally turns around and exits with the rest of us.
I felt devastated the day I had to leave Espara to save Valtara, but this… this is a new kind of ache. One that tears apart my soul and leaves me breathless.