Mated by Fate

Forgive...?

 I focused on everything I wanted her to feel by the end of this and I held onto it like it was my one true dream. I needed this to work, I needed to be able to tell everyone this was over for good. That there was no more evil to worry about, no more fights to be had to or to win or lose. We were done fighting and that all there was left to do was enjoy our lives. 

  I looked to my left at Lucina. The woman with whom I share DNA. She was beautiful, as if the word could compare. She had an essence to herself that eluded confidence and reeked of undeniable power. Her aura was strong...too strong as if there was confidence and power...and confidence in her power but nothing else, her personality was masked. 

"Gonna stare all day or are you gonna talk?"

"What happens if Irene doesn't want to come back?" I asked her honestly. Her confidence faltered. Her lips set into a straight line and she was quiet as if she didn't have an answer. 

"She will want to come back."

"But what if she doesn't"-

"She will,"

"Why do you think so?" I challenged? "Why"-

I rolled my eyes in anger, "Is her love really that much better than the love of your own kids? Like," I laughed bitterly, "you like win the deadbeat of the year award because wow...you really didn't out do anyone but yourself."

"I don't get why you're complaining! You got it good. You got to grow up sitting on your ass all day, sheltered from truth after truth after truth only knowing feeling and how to be a bigger brat tomorrow than yesterday. I did you a favor," she spat as she poked her finger in my chest pushing me back. "You wouldn't have survived a day with me."

 I felt myself get hot all over but not in anger...I was flaming in humiliation. I blinked once than a few more times and before I knew it I was crying. I stared at her through the tears, feeling rage overcome my entire body. 

"You know what? I don't even know why I tried to talk to you. There is no good left in you." I turned on heel to walk away, hoping she would follow behind me in an attack but her next words shocked me.

"I'm sorry!" she called out. I turned and looked back to her, to see she was looking at me without maintaining eye contact. 

"I...I don't want to hurt you Cali." she admitted. "I...I didn't want to hurt any of you. I just thought that if I got Irene back she could help me get you guys back and so you'd understand why...why I had to do things this way." 

She walked toward me. "Did you know I was sold to Gabe and Cynthia's father? Your...dad."

I shook my head. "N-no, I didn't know that." 

She nodded. "I was seventeen. I had left home and I had found a coven to take me under their wing. I was the weakest link and they had a visit from the coven leader's father...he wanted a new bride and he took a liking to me. In exchanged for food and shelter, the coven leader sold me."

She swallowed. "The first few years were hard, but I got good at listening and teaching myself spells and enchantments. I stole books that were lying around and I learned magic until I was good enough to create my own spells and enchant my own objects with energy I could channel to become stronger. Eventually, I stumbled across a resurrection spell with what I thought at the time were easy ingredients."

"But the energy needed to activate the spell required sacrifice of a great magnitude. I had sacrifice every kind of love there was. I sacrificed, friend, foe, family, and mates and all I need now is the right time, but...now I'm stuck here, with a daughter who hates me, one who hates me maybe a little more and without a son who for some odd reason adored me."

For once since I had heard her name or felt her presence, I felt bad for Lucina. 

"And now everything I did to tarnish my aura and my magic...is going to be for no reason." 

I looked into her eyes, feeling for once like I knew the answer. I knew how to defeat Lucina while also knowing she would never return...or have a reason to. I was going to force Lucina into salvation. I was going to force her into repentance.  

"What if I told you I knew a way you could reunite with Irene forever?" I asked deciding this was it. This was fate.