Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 60

(Daniella's POV)

I could only hear my heartbeats thump in the silence that followed mother's question. I sniffled and began, "My father was a stableboy. I was named after him but he died before I was born. As for mother, she's..."

Mother raised her hand to my cheek and whispered, "Daniella?"

I threw my arms around my mother's waist. The hug felt exactly the same, save for a small spark of tension that coursed through her body when I touched her. I was aware that more than a dozen guards were looking at us with confused expressions on their faces and hands on the hilt of their swords. However, I didn't care. I only reluctantly let go when mother seemed to be struggling to return the hug. I looked down, wondering if this past version of her, who had just murdered a village, would accept an embrace from a girl dressed as a peasant. But, I soon felt hands lift up my chin. 

I saw that under mother's dark makeup, her eyes had reddened. Her voice broke a little, "Is it true? How are you...alive? Even after...?"

I gave her a small smile and replied, "We were supposed to find each other later in the scheme of things."

This time, mother drew me into an embrace herself. She whispered, "You have to tell me everything, little firefly."

I smiled through tears and softly said, "That's what you would call me, mama."

..........................

Despite the turn of events, Henry and I managed to fulfil what we had planned to do; get to the palace. Once we arrived, I felt the familiarity of the palace grounds envelope me. I beamed with a quick fleeting feeling of happiness. Home. I pulled on the reins of my horse and fell back to Henry who looked as if he was clinging on for his life. As I rode beside him, I waited for him to speak. However, he remained silent. "Henry-"

"Don't her her who I am, please."

I frowned and whispered back, "Why?"

Henry didn't reply. In fact, he refused to speak to me even when we were lead inside the palace. After mother left with the promise that she'll be back, Henry and I were taken to our rooms. After I had changed into a dress similar to the ones I used to wear in the Enchanted Forest, I visited Henry's room. I knocked on the door and waited for my brother's response. There was a quiet patter of footsteps. Then, the door opened and Henry's curious face peered out. When he saw me he opened the door wider to let me in. I sat down on the bed and was the first to speak. "Why didn't you want to tell mom who you were?"

Henry shrugged. I inhaled and nudged him. "She's not who you think she is."

There was a short pause. Then, "But how about the village that she slaughtered?"

I sighed. "I know...but you knew of the massacre. You've already read about it in your storybook. It shouldn't come as a surprise to you-"

"But seeing it up so close..."

"Yeah, it's a bit hard to understand...I get that. You do realise, I had met her after the world around me have practically drilled into my brain that she's evil."

"But you're different. You're her flesh and blood."

"And you're still my brother, her son. She loves you."

Henry looked away and quietly whispered, "I want to go back." I let out a breath that I had been holding. "Me too actually."

"Really? Didn't you say that you didn't want to-"

I shoved the cuff on my wrist under Henry's nose and said simply, "I need to deal with this."

"Dani, I-"