Foretold

Chapter 15

Vasiliki was gazing out the window on the swaying trees and the lashing rain when her mother came in.

She turned to face her mother. “What do you want?” She inquired softly.

Her mother smiled softly, tears shining in her eyes.

Vasiliki stared in silence. Was her mother crying? Her mother never cried. What was going on? “Mother? Are you… Are you crying?” Vasiliki murmured.

Her mother took deep breaths, and then she nodded. “I’m going to miss you.” She murmured back.

Suddenly, Vasiliki was overwhelmed with guilt and pain. She went to her mother, wrapping her arms around her. “Hey, I… I’m going to miss you too.” She whispered.

She wasn’t sure if it was true yet, but a part of her was breaking at the thought of leaving her mother.

Her mother sniffed, hugging her daughter back. “I… I don’t know that I’ve ever said this straight out, but, I love you, Vasiliki.”

Vasiliki stiffened for a moment. But then she relaxed. “I love you too, Mother… I know that I didn’t always see eye to eye with you, and haven’t for quite some time, but I’ve always loved you… I’m… I’m sorry for yelling at you so often.”

Kyrene nodded. “I’m sorry for yelling at you too.” She whispered.

The two stepped back.

“So this is goodbye then?” Vasiliki asked softly.

Her mother sniffed, nodding again. “I’m sorry for being so emotional… It’s just… I realized something when I was planning this whole thing with Sophia… I really love you. You’ve always meant a lot to me, but I pushed you aside so that I could rule efficiently. Now, I wish I’d spent more time with you and treated you more like a daughter instead of distancing myself from you.”

Vasiliki smiled sadly. “It’s okay, Mother. I don’t hold it against you, and I know you did your best.”

Her mother sighed. “I don’t know about my best… But it’s too late now. Listen to me.” She took Vasiliki’s shoulders. “When you go to break Alex and Daedalos out of the prison, the guards there will allow you through. They’re working with us. You’re going to have to hit them hard enough to give them bruises though so that they have an excuse for how you got in. Understand? They know that, and they agreed to it. So you’ve got their consent to do that. Got it?”

Vasiliki nodded. “I’ve got it.”

“Once you get to the edge of the jungle, Sophia will be waiting with your weapons and a bag of supplies for each of you. Take it and run. For your sake, don’t ever come back. Run far away and never, ever think about coming back. Your life here… Once you run, it’s in the past. The past has to stay in the past. Understand?”

Vasiliki just nodded.

Her mother took a shuddering breath. Then she embraced her daughter again. “You be safe. And you take good care of those two. Whatever I think of men, Alex was always different. I knew that from the start. But I never understood why. Now I think I understand a bit better. He comes from a world where men are not treated poorly, where they are given a chance to be themselves. And I think you were right, for what it’s worth.”

Vasiliki stood back, searching her mother’s green eyes, which were so like her own. “Wait, you really mean that?”

Kyrene nodded. “Yes, I really mean that.”

Vasiliki smiled, a tear slipping down her cheek. “So… Then… Are you going to try to reform the system?”

Her mother sighed. “Yes, but I can’t do much in the way of large reforms. But for your sake, I’m going to try.”

Vasiliki’s smile broadened to a grin. “Thank you!”

Her mother gave her another quick, tight hug. “Be safe. Now go out there and be what you’re meant to be. Make me proud.”

“I don’t know if I can though…” Vasiliki felt a sudden surge of fear.

She didn’t understand why she would be afraid. It wasn’t as though she’d fail. Then she knew. She was afraid that she’d be a disappointment to her mother even if she did pull it off.

“I don’t think I can make you proud…” Vasiliki whispered.

Kyrene laughed. “Dear, be yourself. That’s all you need to do to make me proud. And you’ve already done that.”

Vasiliki nodded. “Alright. I’ll get them out, and then we’ll go.”

Her mother nodded back. “That’s the spirit. Go make a life for yourself the way you want it. Marry that young man like the women in the books did, and be happy.”

Vasiliki laughed softly. “I plan to. I always wanted to, you know…”

Kyrene grinned. “I know you did. Now go on. If you’re late, the guard will shift, and you won’t be able to escape.” She gave her daughter a push towards the door, pressing a bone-hilted knife into her hand. “It’s time for you to be who you were always meant to be.” She whispered in her daughter’s ear, tucking a stray strand of hair back behind Vasiliki’s ear. “I believe in you.”

Then she shoved Vasiliki back out into the hall.

Vasiliki glanced back into the room, her green eyes meeting her mother’s. “I’ll make you proud.” She whispered even though her mother wouldn’t hear her, and then she turned and headed into the dark, rainy night to free Alex and Daedalos.