Sage
My mother was the most unwelcoming, unbecoming and despicable person I had ever met. It's probably a blessing she didn't raise me, or I probably would have turned out as miserable as she did. It's a wonder I hadn't turned to the bottle with parents like mine, or even worse- fed myself to the wolves as my mother had always wished she had. It was obvious she was trying to run me out of Sugarland and I needed to stand my ground. The thing was, I needed her to teach me how to craft my gift. If I was to defeat her, I had to be as good as her. No, better. She was the best teacher I could have since it was something that had been passed down the family line. I suppose I could teach myself, but my craft would be rougher - not so fine-tuned. Although, without her telling me exact ways of using my skills, maybe I could just figure it out and come up with some new ways that hadn't been explored. Maybe If I wasn't confined to rules or boundaries, that would make my power stronger.
That night, I stalked off to the woods to attempt some magical training on my own. I figured I would have some privacy at that time. I had been able to summon magic during the war and it had helped me to stay alive. The thing was, I hadn't been able to do that again since. Maybe, I needed to be in danger to bring it on. Note to self - find ways to put myself in danger.
I began aiming at a tree, when a rush of air blew all around me. It was working... MY POWER WAS WORKING. The trees faltered, leaves rushing through the air. Grass made way. And that's when I realized it wasn't me doing this. It was something so much better. She landed in all of her beauty. Long thin legs, large velvet wings, long antennas, with large round eyes. The most beautiful eyes I had yet to see in any creature - a colour concoction of such deep blue, it brought back memories of being lost in the ocean, and yellow, that was richer than honey, and then finally green and orange flecks that finished off the perfection, that were the eyes of the most calming creature. A butterfly, much bigger than myself. She stared right at me, blinking every few seconds and reminding me of how unreal this place was. Sugarland - the most magical place on earth, and then she spoke. "Kill your mother." She whispered. It was such a persuading and gentle whisper that I wasn't sure I had heard it right or just imagined it. "Kill her with your skills." She whispered again. "What?" I replied, not really knowing what else to say in this euphoric experience. "If you learn your skill better than anyone else... better than your mother, you will frustrate her to death. She will not be able to live knowing that you are better than her and she will simply die; leaving you to the throne."
I was without words. When I finally found the will to speak, I only said five words and they were the truth, despite how much I wanted to believe them. "I don't want her to die."
The elegant creature stared, blinking right at me as moments passed between us, finally leaving with parting words, "You do. You just don't know it yet."
