Life In the Balance - Chapter Eight Two

Amelia stood thinking that her son had just had a birthday that she missed. She thought about what he looked like now that he was a young man. She knew he looked a lot like his father before he aged up only to imagine that he was more like him now. How she longed to just see him if only for a brief moment. 

Annabell was a beautiful young women that made her think of herself when she was young. She got to experience things that she was not allowed to do at her age. The horrible things that she experienced she had tried to erase out of her mind, the dungeon and banishment.

Annabell walked into find her brother awake, giggling at her from his basket. Amelia named him Jamie, close to his fathers name. She could see a lot of her dad in his tiny little features on his face. He was a miracle baby in her moms eyes, not realizing that at the time she was pregnant. But even with his birth she still had the empty hole that remained from Arthur being ripped from her.

Annabell adored her little brother, she helped Amelia a lot with him. He was a really good baby only crying when hungry. Annabell felt close to her little brother knowing that he was just like her. Their skin the same, their eyes a golden brown like their mother. 

Amelia was enjoying the simple life away from being escorted by lady's to having nurses to care for her babies. She got to enjoy stuff she had never got to do with Arthur and Annabell. 

Amelia tucked Jamie into his basket seeing he was tired. She was getting ready to tell Annabell what she was needing her to gather when she went out.

At night when everyone was slumbering in their beds at night, Annabell would head to the woods to gather fruits and vegetables, she even did some hunting to help put food on the table. She came across a strange looking fruit or vegetable, not really knowing what it was. She had never seen it before and could resist not picking it. "I  will check it out later," she thought as she placed it in her bag.

She always enjoyed the night time, she had time to think. It was pleasant, the cool air with only the insects chirps to fill the air.

As Annabell had just finished picking the last apple she herd a noise behind her. She stood frozen knowing someone was looking right at her. She didn't want to turn around fearing that she had been discovered. She didn't fear for her life, knowing she could take down anybody that stood in threat against her, but she also knew she would never hurt anyone unless they were trying to harm her.

"What do you want?' she asked not even turning around to see who stood silently behind her. Then a voice broke the silence, "I have noticed that for many nights you have come here, I know what you are and you need not fear me," he told her.

Annabell turned to see a young handsome man standing before her. His eyes deep green and his smile could melt anyone. But she knew not to trust his looks, he still could be lying to her. She was not sure what his intentions were but she was willing to listen, as she kept her guard up.

He stared into her golden eyes as her skin glowed in the moonlight. Her beauty was breathtaking. He had only seen her from a distance, with curious eyes. He knew he could help her. He knew her past and what had happened to her family, truly a really sad story for anyone to hear.  

"We all have herd the stories and seen what you and your family have been through, I know you are really bitter from it all and that the queen, your grandmother is an evil person that I along with others would love to see fall to demise. "What dose that have to do with me?" Annabell asked now curious where he was going with this.

"I think with my help we can make that a reality, reuniting you with your family and restoring you to your rightful place. "I could never do harm to someone," she said. "If you just think on all the things that she has done to your mother, your father you and your brother, it should give you the strength to do what is necessary," he told her. "Meet me here tomorrow night if you want me to help you, I'll wait here for you," he told her.

The next night she went to the same spot they had meet and he lead her to his house hidden in the woods where no one would think to look. He wanted to show her a bit of what he had learned over the years. He kept this secret from everyone in fear that the higher courts would try to use him for his knowledge. He stood before a big pot made of metal, with a fire the burned from below. He added several things form his shelves and began to pore them into the pot. A pretty pink mist rose from the pot as he swirled it with his hands. Taking a deep breath in he scooped up the potion and placed it into a bottle. "This will give you energy next time you get tired," he told her as he handed the tiny bottle to her.

Next they sat down at a table that had a large glass globe that was situated in a metal stand. He picked it up and began to mutter a few words that she didn't understand. Annabell watched in amazement as the glass ball began to glow. "I can see some images of you in the future, "he added. "You will do great things," he started as Annabell let out a gasp of amazement.

He lead her back downstairs to a wooden stand that held a big book that looked old and tethered. He opened it and began to scroll through the pages.

Annabell walked over and peered over his shoulder to see what he was reading. "Its really simple, but you have to make sure you do them right or it could backfire on you. "I'll teach you some things that will help you, I can make you very powerful if you want to learn," he told her.

"I would love to learn," she said with excitement as he stood aside to let her look at the books words close up. "Just don't recite them out loud until I teach you what they mean," he made sure to instruct her.

She grabbed her bag and pulled out the strange fruit that she had found in the woods the night before. "Do you recognize this fruit." she asked as she handed him the red almost glowing fruit. "No I've not seen this type of fruit before but we could look through my spell book and see if it says anything about it. Lets also check to see if we can find a way to allow you to walk in the sunlight."