Familiar Fire

Chapter Three

Aurora woke up the next morning in a room she didn't recognize. Saying as the only room she did recognize was a cell, it wasn't that surprising to her. She carefully pulled herself out of bed. All of her muscles felt tight. She groaned as she felt a headache was over her. After a moment. She stood up and changed into the clothes that she had on yesterday, out of the nightgown she had been wearing.

She carefully made her way down the stairs, taking them one step at a time. When she finally got to the bottom, she found Ban Meliodas and Hawk circled around a map on a table. They didn't hear her descend the stairs into the tavern.

"Does someone mind telling me where the hell I am?" Ban and Meliodas shared a look. She sounded just like the Aurora from ten years ago.

"Oh right! You haven't seen it yet. Welcome to the Boar's Hat Tavern!"

"I think I'm a little lost. Are we criminals or are we bartenders?" Aurora spoke mockingly as she walked behind the bar, grabbing a pan and a few eggs.

"I can cook for you, Aurora. You should be resting."

"I was frozen in ice, big deal. I am perfectly capable of cooking for myself." Ban just shrugged and sat at one of the barstools. "How are we planning on getting my memories back?"

"We're actually not sure yet." Meliodas said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"We've been friends forever and you have no ideas of how to get my memories back? I am seriously questioning this friendship that I didn't even know existed." Meliodas could tell by the smile that spread across her face that she was joking. "Speaking of, how long have we been friends exactly?" The tavern jostled softly as the giant pig beneath it slowed to a halt, confusing Aurora who wasn't aware that they were even moving. This caught Ban's attention resulting in him heading outside to investigate.

"A long time, Aurora."

"Very descriptive. I think that just about clears everything up."

"How old do you think you are?"

"I'm not sure to tell you the truth. I mean I look like I'm in my early twenties I guess? Am I right?"

"There are some things you aren't ready to learn about yourself yet, Aurora." Meliodas stood up and headed to the door.

"So you're just going to keep it from me? You're just going to keep my life from me until you deem me ready to learn the truth? I want answers, Meliodas. I want to know who I am and who did this to me."

"You'll find out eventually. Patience is a virtue." Without another word, he walked from the front door, engaging with the people outside. Aurora simply stared at the spot he once stood. He had all of the answers but wasn't going to tell her. A part of her told her Meliodas was right, that she would find out eventually. Another part of her felt as if every cell of her being was being torn apart to try to find the mysteries that lay within her.

A headache swept through her, making her grab onto the counter for support. It felt like the entire room was spinning and she couldn't figure out if it was from the pain or if it was actually happening. She closed her eyes for a moment and when she reopened them, she was in a house.

Through the windows, Aurora could see snow softly falling to the ground, the flakes dancing gracefully as they did so. Despite the frigid temperatures outside, the house was filled with warmth from the large fire in the fireplace. Aurora looked around in awe. The home felt so familiar yet distant at the same time. She turned away from the fireplace to watch a man walk through the front door, before shutting it quickly, blocking out the cold. He carefully stomped his feet, effectively getting the snow off of his boots. He took off his coat and hat and hung them on the pegs next to the door.

The man had warm brown eyes and red hair. Red hair that was eerily similar to her own. The man walked over to the kitchen which was right beside the front door. Aurora didn't notice the blonde woman until the man placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Her warm blonde curls trailed to the middle of her back. As she turned to look at the man, her bright blue eyes shined with love. Despite the happiness to be in close proximity again, Aurora could see how tired they were.

"Papa! You're home!" A small girl ran at the man at full speed. He knelt down so he was at her level and she threw her small arms around his neck. He carefully picked her up, spinning her in a circle, making the young girl giggle joyfully.

"Look at how big you are! I swear you're at least a foot taller than this morning!" The man placed the girl back on the ground gently, keeping a hand on her shoulder. "Soon enough, you're going to be taller than me!" The girl giggled again, her brown eyes sparkling with warmth. She looked like the perfect combination of her parents. She had her father's beautiful brown eyes and her mother's perfectly blonde hair.

"Can you go wash up for dinner and have your brother and sister do the same?" The mother spoke sweetly to the girl. The latter nodded enthusiastically and ran back up the stairs. Once the woman could hear that the girl was out of earshot, she turned to her husband. "What did they say today, Bennett?" She spoke in a hushed yet urgent manner. All of the warmth that previously filled her was gone.

"They want her, Amara."

"Who does?"

"They all do. They all want her. It feels like every ruler of each race wants her to help them in this war." Aurora sat down in a seat at the table. This vision wasn't making any sense to her. She couldn't understand why rulers would want this couple's sweet daughter for their own. She was just a young child. "Everyone thinks she is the key to winning the Holy War."

"But she's just a child!" The woman spoke loudly before taking a breath and recollecting herself. "She's just a child, our child. I can't let them use her as a weapon. I know she's special. I know she can do things that other humans can't, but she is just a child."

"I know love. I just got out of a meeting with the King. He wants to adopt her and train her to use her magic. The Goddess had a similar approach as well." The couple sighed deeply. "I wish our lives were normal. I wish we weren't living during this war. I wish we could escape this, as a family."

"Me too." Before the two could share another word, the blonde girl ran down the steps. "Where are your siblings?" The woman named Amara asked while placing her daughter in a chair at the table. Aurora stood even though she knew they couldn't see her.

"Right here." Aurora froze as she stared into identical blue eyes to her own. As she looked closer, she realized just how similar the girl looked to herself, just younger. The girl was practically her exact replica, down to the freckle. She guessed the girl was no older than nine. Beside the girl stood a boy who looked almost identical to his father except for the freckles that he got from his mom. If Aurora were to guess, the boy was about fourteen and the youngest girl was six. Everyone sat down at the table. The red-haired girl looked tense like she was hiding something.

"What's wrong, dear?" The mother asked the young girl, the redhead just shaking her head.

"She used her magic again today."

"Adrian! You said you wouldn't tell!"

"Actually, you asked me to not tell, I just never agreed."

"Sweetie, we've talked about this. You can use your magic, at least not right now. It's too dangerous."

"I just made the flower bloom for Cecile." The girl said, referring to the young blonde beside her. "I just don't understand how that's dangerous!" The parents both sighed in sync. Aurora could tell they didn't want to worry the girl.

"We've talked about this, Aurora."