3 Thousand Years Good Night

chapter 14: a mother's tale

Theon was two feet away from the telly, kneeling on the floor, his curiosity is at its peak. he touched the screen slowly, savoring the moment. He watched Oggy getting trumped up by the three cockroaches, but it wasn't the cartoon that interests him, but the complexity of the machine. Three thousand years ago, his main entertainment would be sword sparrings, his father would often compliment him on his advanced skills during his early age. These sparrings were way less complicated than this device in front of him and he reveled in its complexity.

Arlene couldn't help but smile at Theon's bewilderment. He reminded her of herself; when she was a little girl, she would often jump with joy after she would recieve her long awaited barbie dolls. Arlene laughed at the memory of her girl hood and it brought her back to the first time she and Axel met. It was in the heat of summer, and she was swinging on the playground when she met the tall and popular Axel. She was only six at that time, but she had already found her first crush on him. Arlene blushed at the memory. Axel was an innocent-looking lad but, he was also dashing in a way. He handed her black dahlia flowers at that time and ever since then, as far as she recalls, they became best friends, always and forever.

"Arlene," Theon said without looking away. "The blue monster, the feline, was horribly crushed by the three shorter monsters, yet, he continues to stand. Is he immortal as well?"

"Umm, he's just a cartoon. And I guess, in a way, he is kind of death - less." Arlene shrugged.

Theon stared at Oggy for a long while. "His immortality is the cause of his further torments from the shorter monsters." Arlene frowned at Theon's words. "The blue feline has my sympathies and I hope the day would come that he would finally find peace." Said Theon sadly.

"Enough cartoons" Said Arlene, worried that Theon would try to take his own life again, even if it was an assured failure, given his immortality. "I'm turning the T.V. off."

Arlene pressed the 'off' button of the remote control then the television went black.

"Darkness." Whispered Theon, who faced Arlene. "Did they finally die?"

Theon stared intently at Arlene. "Did they finally found peace?"

Arlene was unsure of what her answer should be, so instead, she smiled at Theon. If she answered 'no', it would mean they were still tormenting each other, if she said 'yes' it would be like saying 'death is the only answer'. A smile is the only thing she could answer Theon with no major consequences.

"Out of curiosity." Arlene wet her lips. "Were you the one who made the blood and knife disappear briefly?" Asked Arlene.
"No, I have no knowledge of their disappearance and I had no hand at their absence." Answered Theon.

"I see" said Arlene, frowning.

"Although, my mother was known to be quite adept in making things disappear." Theon added. "I had not inherited her ability."

"Your...mother?" Arlene crossed her arms. "How could she---?" Arlene was cut off at her own thought of the possibility.

"Because my mother was also a witch, like the one who cursed me." Said Theon, standing up. "Unfortunately, when Vienna cursed her, she was pregnant." Theon closed his eyes at the pain of her mother's demise. "A witch, could not practice magic, if said witch is carrying a child."

Arlene's eyes widened. "Does that mean.. that.. that... that you're also a witch?'

"My father, tried to immersed me with magic with the book my mother left behind". Theon looked at the golden book lying on Axel's bed. "But no such luck. It appears, I did not recieve my mother's power." Theon shook his head.

"You mean.. that golden book?!" Arlene pointed at the artifact at the bed. "What exactly is it?"

"It's a spell book that my mother left behind. It is said that it is filled with spells and encantations." Said Theon starring at his mother's book.

Arlene eyes were glued to the book that she was clinging to just a while ago, unknowingly clutching a very ancient mystical book once owned by a witch. She shook her head in guilt, she knew now that she was claiming ownership on something that was very valuable, not to her, but for a royal family from a long time ago.

"Please forgive me, Theon, for my selfishness and my greed." Arlene closed her eyes in self-disappointment. "I never should have denied you of what is rightfully yours."

"Apology accepted." Smiled Theon. "I never could have decipher the symbols anyway."

"Symbols?" Asked Arlene, jerking her head.

"My mother's works were as discreet as she was powerful." Said Theon raising both brows in pride.
"No one in the kingdom was able to read her works, not even my clever father."

"No one?" Asked Arlene. "Why does she even have to pass a mystical book if no one could read it?"

"Mainly, for protection. My mother was very powerful and her spells are on par with her might, if the book goes to the wrong hands, it would grant them invincibility. At least, that's what my father used to say." Theon clenched his teeth. "the queen was lost shortly after she gave birth to me which is why, I never met her." Theon closed his eyes tightly and inhaled deeply.

"Theon," Arlene noticed Theon's obvious pain. "It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for what you could not control."

"Yes, the fault is not mine." Theon nodded, crying. "It's hers."

"You mean, the witch who cursed you?" Arlene asked.

"Indeed," Theon clenched his fists in anger. "She cursed her to death when she was merely 1 week pregnant. Typically, one would find death instantly the curse, of that scale, was cast upon you, but not my mother. Even deprived of her power to reconstitute herself, she managed to endure a cursed life, with an assured death in the end, for nine months just so she could save me from Vienna's curse. She saved me." Theon smiled tearfully. "But, I can't say I didn't played a part in her demise. It was I, who made her powerless to defend herself on a curse she could have easily devoid. I weakened her to the point of fatality." Theon shook his head and more tears came out. "My father told me her tragic tale when I was just eight years old and how i loathed myself." Theon inhaled deeply, closing his eyes in pain. "He told me to be weary of Vienna because she was a being filled with darkness and hatred and nothing more."