Courage Comes From Lies

Chapter 44: Yolaris

| That afternoon, in the private chambers of Queen Yolaris |

I paced my room biting at my thumb nail before going onto the balcony. I sighed shakily, gripping the railing. Everything was perfect. Amanda wasn't an issue, Tara is my hands now, I had nothing to worry about. And now I have nothing to do but worry because of that pest's escape. I still don't know how she could've escaped. And without Amanda, I couldn't force the people of my staff to tell me the truth. So I had only the fear I instill in them to get the truth out of everyone. And everyone's answer was the same. No one had even been near the dungeon gate door to have helped her escape me. I let out another soft sigh and looked at the sky. And then, a thought popped into my head. "I didn't always despise her."

| 23 years ago |

"Hey Mama what's this thing?" Four year old Amanda asked her mother, pointing to a harshell beetle, while on their walk around the castle grounds. Her mother stopped and crouched, tucking her dress skirt under her legs.
"That's called a Comet Beetle. They get their name from how protected and tough their outer shell is." Amanda looked at the huge insect with awe in her eyes before they continued walking. Amanda ran ahead of her mother to explore while kept under her close supervision.
"So Amanda. How is your Puppetry Memory training going?" Amanda looked over at her mother from picking flowers and stood back up, her small fist full of hibiscus flowers.
"It's kinda hard Mama. It's hard to make people do what I want them to cause I can't focus like my teacher says to."
"You're still trying though, right, honey?"
"Yes ma'am. I'm gonna try my best to make you proud." Four year old Amanda smiled brightly at her mother. This brought happiness and comfort to Yolaris.

| 17 years ago |

"Mom please don't make me do this." Ten year old Amanda begged to her mother, standing in a dungeon cell holding a bruised, beaten and gagged twenty year old man.
"I asked you to show me how your classes are progressing your Memory. Make this man tell me the truth about his crime."
Amanda swallowed and looked at the man, trying to contain her shaking. He stared at her with a look of horror on his face, whimpering through the gag, his eyes begging her not to.
"I'm sorry..", she whispered to him before pressing her palm to his forehead and closing her eyes. All at once, the man's body began to seize, causing his eyes to roll back in his head. Her mother watched intrigued as the man went limp. Amanda stepped back and sighed out shakily after removing his gag. "Up." The man's body, acting on its own, raised itself up on her command.
"Interesting. His body reacts immediately to your voice."
"Tell me what you know about the recent robbery that happened on Ryteck Alley", Amanda said and as if on cue, he began to blurt out everything he knew, revealing, in fact, that he was the one to commit the crime. Yolaris grinned as Amanda released her hold on the man. He fell back, his body limp once more, as he panted heavily.
"What- what happened to me..? What did you do?" The man asked, disoriented. Amanda kneeled beside him.
"Please try not to move, sir. I'll call the medic for you", she said, worry clear in her voice.
"That won't be necessary Amanda. You're done here. Well done. Your training is going well." Yolaris said.
"But Mom-" Amanda tried to protest. But she was immediately silenced and forced to leave the dungeons. Forced to leave that man in her mother's clutches. She stood in the castle hallways on the other side of the gated door holding herself.
"What am I going to do..?" She asked herself as she felt tears forming. Suddenly her father came walking down the east hall.
"Amanda, honey. What's wrong?"
"Oh Father..." Amanda hugged him starting to cry.

| 12 years ago |

"Mother I can't do this anymore." Fifteen year old Amanda protested to her mother, standing in the same cell from all those years ago, this time with a young woman who was bowed on her knees begging for forgiveness.
"I don't believe I asked what you couldn't do, Amanda. Once your sister becomes strong enough you're going to need to battle with her in the Kämpfen Ring. I need to make sure your Memory is strong enough to take her on."
"I'm sorry, what? You want me to- are you crazy? You were actually serious about that? I'm not fighting my baby sister in the Kämpfen Ring." Amanda stood and turned to her defiantly. "I've put up with much of your nonsense but this is absolutely ludicrous. I refuse."
Yolaris looked at her daughter in shock, unsure of what to say next. She'd never been defied before so this came as a surprise to her.
"You- you can't refuse. I need you to help me train Devin with her new Memory."
"No. No I won't help you train her to be like you. I can't believe there was a time I looked up to you. You just used me. You used me for your own selfish gain and didn't stop to think about how I'd feel about it. But then again you've never done that for anyone but Father or yourself. But I'm done. I'm done with you. I'm done with what you make me do. I'm done with it all. Find someone else to make into your puppet." Ending with that, Amanda left her mother in the cell, stuck in a daze of confusion, anger and disbelief.
"Amanda! Come back! I need you!" Amanda continued walking and left the dungeons, ignoring her mother's screams for her to return and threats.
"I'm done Mother. I'm done."

| 11 years ago |

"Amanda what have you been telling Devin?"
Sixteen year old Amanda glanced up from picking flowers at her mother, who was walking over with a look of rage in her eyes. "What are you talking about Mother?"
"Devin refuses to do anything I tell her to. When asked why, she says it's because "Mandy" tells her its wrong to force anything onto anyone."
Amanda stood holding a group of hibiscus flowers in her hand and looked at her mother. All at once a sense of nostalgia washed over Yolaris. For a split second, she saw four year old Amanda promising to make her proud. But when she blinked, that image vanished and she saw sixteen year old Amanda standing there with a look of opposition and coldness in her eyes.
"I told you. I refused to help you train my baby sister to be a tyrant like our mother. If you thought I was bluffing, surprise. You were sorely mistaken."
In an instant, Amanda was met with a quick and hard backhand slap to the face. The impact was enough to throw Amanda's head to the side. She glared up at her mother silently as she was met with the same icy cold eyes.
"I thought I could give you a chance to show me that this rebellion stage would be over soon. Clearly I was sorely mistaken about that too. But mark my words Amanda Jackson Yolaris. You either help me properly train your sister to battle with you, or I will make sure she grows up to want you dead. And I will make sure she gets the job done." Yolaris then walked away leaving Amanda there to fix her hair which was thrown out of place from the slap, a light bruise already forming on her cheek which was slightly red from the intensity.
"You mark my words Mother. I'll make sure Devin escapes from this Hell. I'll make sure she never grows up to want to be like you."

| Present day |

I sighed softly gently rubbing my temples. I'd been stuck in my memories for twenty minutes. "Why must I remember these things at the worst times?" I asked myself as I went back into my bedroom. I sat on the bed holding my head, my thoughts racing. One thing was clear. I had to find Amanda and quick. She's a danger to me as well as Tara. And if they find each other, I'm in more trouble than I'd like to admit to myself. So I need to find her now. I stood up and walked into the hall after taking time to collect myself. Both of you just wait. I have something in store for you both.