The dark night of the soul

Family affairs

As Marie sent away the strange man, she took a deep breath, and then, without looking back, she started to speak.
"You can come out of hiding, Katie." - I was shocked.
"How..?"
"How did I know you were there?" - she finished my sentence and smiled - "I'm your mother! I know everything! I would recognize my baby anywhere!"
"What was this mom? Who is this man, and why did you talk about me? Did he or you have something to do with my accident?"
"Of course not! Please! I would never be able to hurt you, honey! This man..." - she said as she took a deep breath - "He was accused of certain things in the past, and I knew he was innocent, and I helped him."
"But what he has to do with me?"
"Nothing! He was just a good family friend of mine, and he was concerned about you!"
"Why did you tell him he is safe and shouldn't get close to me?"
"Because he cannot come out of hiding!"
"But what was he accused of?"
"These are things that are not your problems; you don't have to deal with them!" - she said as she slowly put my hair back behind my ears - "Oh honey! You don't need to worry about anything! You are safe with me! Why don't we go in and you can meet with your family? It's family dinner time!" - she said as she held my hand and showed the way.
When we got inside, the table was already made. It was full of fantastic food. Noodle soup as a start, stuffed turkey, salad, chocolate pudding. I couldn't believe to my eyes.
"Come, dear, sit down with your mother! The rest of the family should be here soon!"
As we sat down, I started to get nervous. I was worried that the rest of the family won't like me. My mom was beside me, giving me gentle hand holding to calm me down. Soon, my father, the king, appeared at the dining table. As he walked in, he started to speak to my mother without knowing I was there.
"Marie, I made the knights search trough everything! They couldn't find our daughter!"
"There is no need!" - she said with a smile and signed me to stand up with her. As I did so, I turned around and saw him for the first time. I was shocked by the view. Old overweight man, bald, blue eyes... I knew him. He was my grandfather. He died a few months ago of a heart disease in Hungary. He was a really corrupt man, and I didn't have a good relationship with him at all.
"Katie," - he said when he realized that it was me. I was standing there without saying anything because I was so shocked it was him. I thought evil can't rise from death, only Jesus. He opened his arms, and my mom gently pushed me to go there and hug him. It was so uncomfortable for me, but I did it anyway; I knew I had to play along for Mama.
"I thought I never see you alive ever again! What a miracle! We have so much to catch up on! You need to learn how to lead a kingdom."
"Hold on, Adam! She just came back! I need some time with my daughter before you abduct her to teach her political matters. Give us a few days!"
"Alright, alright!" - he said with laughter. I smiled at him, feeling the anger towards him, which I always felt, but I tried to pull myself together. - "Did you already meet with your brother?" - he asked me, and as I wanted to answer, my mom took the lead.
"No, they didn't meet yet! But oh Katie, you will like him! He is such an energetic, loving little boy! I think you will absolutely love Ernest!"
"I'm sure, Mom!" - I answered, and we sat down.
"So guess what happened, Marie, with those filthy little..."
"Adam!" - said my mom with a strong warning voice - "How about we don't speak about the kingdom and subjects in front of Katie on her first day back?"
"Okay, you're probably right! Tell me, Katie, what does it feel like returning to the palace again? Was it all like what you remembered?" - As he asked this, I noticed my mom gave me a warning look not to forget to play along.

"Yes, father! Everything was just like I remembered! Even my childhood bed is still there."
"Oh, don't you worry about that, sweetheart! I already made sure you will have a proper room prepared for you until we decorate your old room together!" - said my mom.
"So, Katie!" - said my father - "What's the story behind all of this?"
"What?" - I asked with worry that he knew something.
"Well, how did you wake up, and how did you com here?"
"Oh...well.."
"Oh, look who's here!" - said my mother with relief as my brother just arrived at the perfect moment. As I looked at him, I was not surprised at all about who I saw: it was my brother from the other world, from my father's side. - "There is someone who I'd like you to meet, Ernest!" - continued my mother - "Do you remember that you had a sister who was in a coma?
"Yes, mamma!" - answered the little boy with such a sweet voice.
"A miracle happened! She is awake! Meet your sister, Katie!" - she said as she pointed towards me with her hand. The little boy looked at me, and his eyes lit up when he saw me.
"I always wanted a sibling! I was so lonely!" - he said as he ran to hug me - "Although I thought you were six like me, you are not a child anymore! I hope you still want to play with me!" - he said excitedly. I hugged him while my parents were laughing at my silly brother.
"Of course I will play with you!"
"Well, Ernest, the truth is your sister is incredibly late to learn how to rule a kingdom, which means she will be busy studying a lot next to me."
"After, she spent some time with her family!" - said my mother to my father.
"Yes, sure!" - answered my father neglectfully.
After dinner, I went to my room to prepare for the evening. This was a really tiring experience. But I also feared that if I fell asleep, I would return to that world. And I couldn't let that happen. I'm not going to lose my mother! I put on my fancy new pajamas and looked in the mirror. Dear lord, everything is so different. My life changed in one minute. I was so happy with my new life, but I was also overwhelmed. Keeping secrets and preparing straight away to rule a kingdom? This was a huge responsibility. Then I noticed that I didn't see Blaze for the rest of the day. I should visit him to talk about the strange things that were happening around me. When I stood up and started to walk towards the door, it suddenly opened, and my mom was coming in.
"Where are you going this late, Katie?"
"I wanted to see Blaze!"
"How about you meet with him in the morning? It's not appropriate for a princess to make late-night visits."
"I guess you are right! It can wait. It's just I didn't see him all afternoon; I wanted to make sure he is okay."
"I can assure you, he is! Don't worry, dear! Have a world with your mother," - she said as she let me lay in the bad. She tucked me in, laid next to me, and handed me a cup of camomile tea.
"Boy, you like tea!" - I said it jokingly as she giggled.
"It's good for your nerves! And for your body!"
"You were the same back home. You always drank tea, and you said the same."
"Well, some things never change!"
"I guess."  - I answered as I felt my father was the same.
"So, how did you like our little family? Any memories came back so far?"
"Not from this world! But from another one, yes!"
"Both of them?"
"Yes!" - I answered - "My father is my grandfather in my other life. And my brother is my actual brother, who is also six years old. He was my brother from my father's side, just like my grandfather." - I said hesitantly - "Only that my grandfather died a couple of months ago."
"Oh! Hopefully, the events won't repeat themselves," - she said.
"Yes, but mom! In the other world, he was a bad man! He was corrupt and not scared to walk through anyone, including his own family! He never took care of me or liked me! Is he like this here, too?"
"Your father.."- she said as she sighted - "Is a strong-minded man; he has an opinion about everything, and he always thinks that's the right choice. He follows through on his plans no matter what! But I don't think that makes him a bad king or man! He is just the way he is!"
"Maybe! I wish my uncle wouldn't have to die because of his plan, what he followed."
"Life is full of losses; we are the ones who need to learn to deal with it. You cannot dodge the future or the universe's plan."
"You are really speaking like Elanor. Unbelievable."
"Tell me, honey! Who was your father in the other world? How did he look like?"
"Why do you ask? It's not like you would be my mom in the other world!"
"Ah... you know what? You are right! It doesn't matter! And you need to go to sleep!"

"But I can't! I'm so scared! I don't want to go back to that place! I don't want to lose you again!"
"You won't! I promise! How about I stay here with you until you fall asleep?"
"Yes, please!" - I said, and she started to cuddle me. I felt like I was in heaven.
"This reminds me of the moment when you were born."
"Oh yes?" - she nodded as I saw her letting some tears out.
"It was a very stormy day. I was in my room, already in labor. The dula was running late because of the bad weather. I was so worried that she could not make it. But she did arrive in time, thankfully. It was a hard birth. You took forever to arrive. And I don't know anything hurt this much in my whole life than giving birth to you." - she looked at me, petting my face - "But finally, when you arrived, they put you on my chest, and finally after nine months and 12 hours later I was holding you in my arms. You looked in my eyes, with those beautiful big hazel eyes. And I just knew I was in love. I was the most luckiest mama in the whole universe."
As she told me this story, I felt so safe in her arms that I started falling asleep, knowing that my mom was with me and protecting me, no matter what. Whit this knowledge I let myself go to the deep ocean of the unknown. As she saw I'm asleep she gave me a kiss and left me alone. I stayed alone in the dark room with my dreams.