Page 37 of Scars and Burns

She removes her hands. Placing them in her lap. Looking around again. “Your chambers are different than I imagined them.”

I raise an eyebrow at her, “Oh, how so?”

“I don’t know”, she says, shrugging her shoulders. “It’s warmer than I was expecting.”

“Warmer?”

“Well, yes, you’ve always been so cold and distant when it comes to court. I assumed your personal life would be no different.”

I smile at myself. She’s not wrong. I am cold and distant when it comes to life at court. I’ve learned proper etiquette and the formalities of court over the years. Interacting with nobles when they come for formal events. Also, needing to be able to comply as a wife someday.

If I ever were to wed.

“What do you actually know of me?” I glance over at her.

Her nerves return to her. She looks back down at her hands, “Not much really? I hear the whispers and rumors. They say you are mixed blooded. Bastard born. They say you are a disgrace. And that the dark hue color of your eyes is evil, put there in your soul by the God Lucifer.”

Well that’s one I haven’t heard. I set the little lynx down in between us. It’s barely awake. Too comfy on the fluffy chaise lounge with the fire warming it.

“Saphrina, we are not close.” I begin, “But perhaps that is my vault. You and I grew up so differently. In such different manners. I am distant from court for a reason. I’m not from here. I am not sure of how much you know of where Mother and I came from. But…” Pausing, how much should I share about our Mother. It doesn’t affect her heritage. But nonetheless, Mother didn’t claim to be from the Middle Kingdom. Only King Elio and myself know. Saphrina still thinks our Mother is from the Celestial Realm. Somehow, her also being mixed blooded doesn’t matter. She is a princess after all and said to be blessed. Who in their right mind would question her. “I was born in the Celestial Realm and that is where we were living when we met King Elio. It is true. I am of mixed blood. That is all I know. Our Mother never once spoke of my Father. I have no knowledge of him. My features make it clear that I do not belong to a single realm. But I can say my coloring is not evil in my soul put there by the God Lucifer.”

At least not that I know of. Not wanting to admit how dark my true thoughts and feelings are.

She peers up at me. “Did Mother love me?”

My brows furrow, “Of course she loved you. Why would you think otherwise?”

“I don’t know. She spent so much time with you. She worked with you on your magic everyday. She even began going into the kitchens with you to spend time with the cook.” She shrugs her shoulders, “I never thought she ever wanted to spend any time with me since my magic didn’t develop, just like Father stopped.”

I look at her and wonder. Perhaps, she is carrying more of a burden than I have realized. “Mother never wanted to be a queen. It was hard for her to be in the limelight. I think spending time in the kitchens was a way to help her feel normal. Find a small shred of peace in her life. And as for the magic lessons go. No one else would have beenwilling to train me.”

We don’t speak for a moment.

“King Elio, your Father, was also very protective of you. He has been ever since you were born. He’s always wanted to be there to watch your growth and progress. He never gave anyone else the chance to nourish you. Other than his hired choosing.”

“And when I didn’t progress the way he wanted he abandoned me.”

I give her a questioning look. “Has something happened?”

She begins to cry. Tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Her shoulders are shaking uncontrollably. I let her. Sometimes all you need is a good cry.

Finally, her tears cease. She sniffles, “He noticed my Goddess mark faded. He saw that it was only a single moon.”

She turns over her wrist. It looks just like mine did when it first appeared.

“What does this mean? What should I do?” She begins to cry again.

I ponder on this for a moment. She never once produced any magic of her own. Despite having a complete goddess mark. Her mark was always a light gray though. I recall the look my Mother gave me when Saphrina was first born.

Then I recall her garden.

I take her hands into my own. The same way Mother had done to me countless times in the past. “Saphrina, I am going to tell you something. Though, I do not know how you are going to take it.”

She looks at me. Nods. Ready to hear what I have to say.

Sighing, I continue, “I don’t think you ever bore a Goddess mark. Not just a complete goddess mark but one at all. At least not one of your own until now.”

“What… what do you mean?”

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