Our Secret Promise

Chapter 1: Time Waits For No One

Hollow.... I stare at my reflection, and I feel nothing. I should feel something...right? It's been 6 years since Nanna departed this world...5 years since he left.

No longer recognizing the person in front of me I focus my attention at the wall to the left of me. Has it really been that long? The ache in my chest returns and I try to ignore it at first.

 That day plays on repeat in my head, over and over. Probing hands, cold equipment so many tests.

My breaths start to come out as pants and at first I don't care, could it really be that bad?

But then I remember why my grandmother and mother did what they did.

*flashback*

"Steora we have to! I understand he is your husband but she is your daughter! If you allow that man to get his hands on her you know the kinds of evil he will bring forth. You saw her with your own two eyes the day she was born you saw the markings, you know I do not lie just because your husband refuses to listen doesn't mean you don't have to." My grandmother pleads.

"Mother I know what I saw." My mother looks to me with warm yet concerned eyes. "If I do anything mother, he will know."

"What if I know a way. He won't be able to find her we can hide her markings until she is ready." My grandmother looks towards me as well. I smile softly and play with one of my mothers braids. I shake my head as I think of the weird man. Whenever he looks at me I feel really uncomfortable.

I can feel my self start to shake. My mothers arms instinctively wrap around me.

After a short silence I see something change in her eyes and she nods and looks towards my grandmother.

"Tell me what I must do."

"I know a friend who is able to make medicine to hide her true markings. These markings will look different from her real markings they will be different from others as she cannot fully conceal her true essence. This is only temporary just enough to bide time until we can think of a permanent plan." My grandmother grabs her purse and rummages around inside until she pulls out a small piece of paper.

"Take this and go to this address. Tell her I sent you she will know what to do from there. I cannot go I will distract Sunan but you must hurry before he returns." She ushers us out the door quickly.

My mother nods and packs me into the car. I watch from the back seat as my mother drives with one hand and rubs her belly with the other. I smile knowing she is expecting twins. two boys in fact.  

The ride seemed to take forever but we were there before I fully managed to fall asleep in the back seat. I rubbed my eyes as my mother pulled me out the back seat and led me up a small path covered with vines and pretty flowers.

I reached to grab one but my mother shook her head and pulled me along.

As we kept walking, The path grew smaller and smaller until we reached a small house. I looked in awe as it seemed to be something out of a fairy tale. And in that moment I wanted to live in my very own little house in the woods. 

My mother and I walked up to the front door and with a nervous hand she reached to knock on the door but before she could an old woman slightly older than my Nanna opened the door. She looked at my mothers worried face and then shifted her eyes to me. With a single boney finger she beckoned us forward. 

My mother and I exchanged  glances before she led me inside.

I couldn't stop the look of awe as I looked around. The most notable thing in her small little house is the small apothecary stand with a bitter odor filling the room. I feel my face scrunch as I look toward my mother in worry hoping that what ever she was brewing I would not have to drink. The lady smiles and takes a seat in a green rocking chair that seems bigger than she is, and appears to almost swallow her whole.