Daughter of a Witch

Memories of the Past

The sun cast a soft glow across the room as Y/n sat quietly at the kitchen table, her fingers tracing the rim of a mug. The tea had long since gone cold, but her thoughts were too tangled to notice. Since Rio had returned, their relationship had been slowly mending, but there were still gaps-questions that lingered unanswered.

Her mother's absence for so many years weighed on her heart. Why had Rio left? What had been so terrible that she abandoned Y/n and Agatha?

Sensing her daughter's inner turmoil, Rio stepped quietly into the room. She had been watching Y/n closely for days, seeing the tension that built just beneath the surface and the need for answers.

"Y/n," Rio said gently, coming to sit beside her, "I know I owe you an explanation. I know it's been hard... not knowing why I left."

Y/n met her mother's gaze, and her confusion and hurt were clear in her eyes. "I just don't understand. Why didn't you stay? Why didn't you fight for us?"

Rio sighed, her heart aching. She knew this conversation would come eventually, but facing it was harder than she'd imagined. Still, Y/n deserved the truth.

"I think it's time I show you," Rio said, her voice soft but resolute. "There's a spell-one that lets you see memories just as they happened. I want you to know the truth, Y/n. I need you to see why I made the choice I did."

Y/n blinked, uncertainty flashing in her eyes, but after a long moment, she nodded. She needed this. She needed to understand.

Rio stood and held out her hand, guiding Y/n to the living room. With a soft murmur, she began weaving the spell, a warm, ethereal glow enveloping the space. The air shimmered as the magic took hold, pulling Y/n into Rio's memories.

The world around them shifted, and suddenly, they stood in a sunlit garden. Y/n recognized the younger versions of Agatha and Rio immediately-Agatha in a flowing gown, her face glowing with happiness, and Rio beside her, eyes full of love.

"This was our wedding day," Rio whispered, her voice tinged with nostalgia.

Y/n watched as her mothers exchanged vows, holding hands, their fingers intertwined. Their love was palpable, woven into every smile, every glance. The air shimmered with soft magic, a quiet celebration of their bond.

"They were so happy," Y/n whispered, her heart aching as she watched the joy on their faces.

"They were," Rio replied, her voice thick with emotion.

The scene shifted, and they were inside a cozy new home-Agatha and Rio unpacking boxes, their laughter filling the space. Y/n could feel the excitement in the air, the fresh start her mothers had been building.

"This was right after we moved into our new house," Rio explained. "It was a time of hope for us. We were planning our future, dreaming about having you."

Late at night, in the memory, Y/n saw Agatha resting her head on Rio's shoulder. The two were deep in conversation, their voices soft but laden with unspoken fears.

"I'm scared," Agatha admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if I'm not a good mother? What if I mess this up?"

Rio's smile was tender as she brushed Agatha's hair out of her face. "You won't be. You'll be amazing. I'm more worried about myself. What if I'm not strong enough for this?"

They laughed together, but Y/n could see the worries they were trying to hide beneath the surface.

Y/n smiled, realizing that even her mothers had shared the same fears she now carried about her future.

The memories continued to flicker through moments in time-Rio and Agatha practicing spells together, laughing as they prepared for their baby. Y/n saw the joy on Agatha's face when she found out she was pregnant and the excitement as they prepared for her arrival with magic, making everything perfect.

Then came the memory of Y/n's birth. She watched as her mothers held her for the first time, their faces lighting up with overwhelming love. For a moment, the memory was filled with warmth, with the promise of a perfect future.

But the warmth didn't last.

The air in the memory grew cold as a new figure appeared-Evanora Harkness. Her presence was suffocating, filled with malice and resentment.

"You should never have had a child," Evanora spat, her eyes full of disdain as she looked at Rio. "Agatha doesn't deserve happiness. She deserves to be alone and broken, not loved. You and that child are distractions. If you stay, I'll make sure Agatha suffers for it."

Rio, in the memory, looked horrified, but she stood her ground. "We love each other. I won't leave her, and I won't leave my daughter."

Evanora's smile was cold, cruel. "You will, or I will take the child from her. I'll make sure Agatha never sees her again. And worse... I will destroy Agatha in ways you cannot even imagine. She will be nothing but a hollow shell by the time I'm through with her."

Y/n's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Rio's face crumble. Agatha wasn't there. She had no idea what was happening. Rio stood alone, facing an impossible choice.

"Leave now," Evanora whispered, her voice like ice. "And maybe Agatha will be spared."

The memory shifted again, and Y/n saw Rio packing her bags in the dead of night, tears streaming down her face as she kissed baby Y/n one last time. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. "But this is the only way I can protect you both."

With that, Rio slipped out of the house and disappeared into the darkness.

The memories faded, and Y/n found herself back in the present, standing in their living room. The weight of what she had just witnessed settled heavily in her chest.

Rio's voice was soft beside her, full of regret. "That's why I left," she whispered, her tears threatening to spill over. "Evanora was dangerous. I didn't want to go, Y/n. I loved you and Agatha more than anything, but I thought if I stayed, I would put both of you in danger."

Y/n stood silently, her mind reeling from what she had just seen. She finally understood the depth of the sacrifice her mother had made, the impossible choice Rio had faced.

"You left to protect us," Y/n murmured, her voice breaking.

Rio nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I thought it was the only way. I thought it was the right thing to do."

Y/n's heart ached with conflicting emotions-hurt, anger, and now, a deep sense of understanding. She didn't know if she was ready to fully forgive her mother, but she understood now. She understood the impossible choice Rio had made out of love.

"I don't know if I can forgive you yet," Y/n said quietly, her voice shaking. "But I understand why you did it."

Rio's breath hitched, and she gave a small, tearful smile. "That's enough for now," she whispered.

They stood there together, the silence between them heavy but no longer filled with unspoken pain. Y/n knew the healing process would take time, but now, for the first time, she felt like they had taken a step forward.

As they sat beside each other, Y/n felt a flicker of hope. It would be a long journey, but they had finally started.

And for now, that was enough.