Blind gift

The Death Of A Mother

Taliana sat before her stepfather- duke Matthew Bradford- listening to the sound of his breathing and papers rustling. She had been summoned to his personal study early that morning before she had even properly woken up, the man that came to get her had said that the duke had something urgent he needed to discuss with her. The fact that her stepfather called her at all was a great surprise to her, in the four years she had lived under this mans roof, the only time he personally summoned her was on her birthday, and it was still three months away, what in the seven rivers did he need to discuss with her?
Taliana waited patiently for him to speak, having learned that it was not wise to interrupt him when he worked, though she had thought he would have said something by now, it had been almost an hour since she had come. Taliana thought of what he might need and, not for the first time that morning, wondered if it had something to do with Joseph Grimaldi; a count that Matthew had picked as a possible husband for her. Taliana had not liked the man that was almost twice her age, having talked with him almost three weeks past she had found that he was a very rude man. After he had introduced himself, he had immediately turned to insulting her, saying she had tainted blood in her veins because she was born a peasant. He told her that he would be a blessing to her, saving her from her peasants blood, when Elizabeth had tried to intervene he had slapped her, Taliana had no tolerance for those who hurt Elizabeth. The sweet maid had been the closest thing to a friend that she had since she had come here. Her mother had helped the woman when she learned Elizabeth was raising her three children alone and she did not have the money necessary to bye the medicine they needed, her three children- Leslie, Richard, and Tom- were three, six, and ten, when Taliana's mother found them. Elizabeth was a good mother, giving up her own food so that her children had what they needed, but it was not enough. Her, at the time three year old daughter, Leslie had gotten gravely Ill, and she had feared that her daughter would die if she did not have the medicine that was needed, she had begged on the streets for nearly two weeks before Taliana's mother found her with her children living in a small hut. Taliana's stepfather had been courting her mother at the time, and she had begged him to help the poor mother and her children, he had reluctantly agreed, paying for the medicine. Elizabeth intern, had offered her help to Taliana's mother, and so her mother asked if she was willing to stay and help her blind daughter, Elizabeth had gladly excepted. From the moment she had met the kind woman, Taliana had felt a connection, she was always with her, helping her find her way through the manor and city streets, and Taliana had grown attached to her three young children. Taliana was ripped from her memories as her stepfather cleared his throat, "Taliana, do you know the reason I have called you here?"
Taliana said nothing as she shook her head, "it is... regarding your mother" She went stiff as she heard him say that. Her mother had collapsed from some unknown cause and had been bedridden for over a year and she had steadily gotten worse, all the doctors who had come to see her had said the same thing, they did not know what plagued her, and they had no way to treat her illness, "What has happened?" Taliana asked, a note of panic in her voice, "she has asked too see you" she froze, the last time her mother had collapsed her stepfather had ordered that no one see her but him, that had been four months ago, "What?" Taliana said in disbelief.

                                            *    *    *

The room was cold as Taliana slowly stepped in, the feeling of ice under her feet that penetrated the soft soles of her shoes sent a chill up her spine as she listened to the slow breathing of her mother, it had been so long. "Mother" she called softly as she followed the sounds of her mother's breath, "I am here, love" her mother's voice was weak as she spoke, Elizabeth quietly followed behind her lady with a small candle in hand. Taliana could tell it was dark in the room as she could not see the outline of the bed that sat in the center of the large room, Taliana moved to a soft armchair that was sat next to the bed with the help of her maid. "Mother, are you well?" Taliana asked, reaching for her blindly as her mother grasped her hand, "I... I am." Taliana heard the slight shake in her voice as she spoke, "your hands are cold, why is there no fire going in the hearth?" Taliana asked. Though her stepfather claimed to love her mother, she was often left alone without company in this cold and dark room, how could he ever say he loved her when she was treated like this? "I am well, love" Taliana's mother broke through her thoughts with her warm voice, "I know you are upset, I can see it on your face," she felt her face flush with embarrassment at her mother's words, "I am, why are you left to lay in this dark and cold room when you are so ill? You should be sitting in the gardens enjoying tea." Her mother laughed, but it was a strained laugh, " with my current state, I do not think I could even walk," Taliana felt her mother squeeze her hand. "My daughter, will you paint for me?" She paused when she heard that. She loved to paint, though she could not see what it was she made on the canvas, she enjoyed the sound of the paintbrush. Her mother and Elizabeth were the only ones that knew she painted, if others found out that would be another reason to doubt her blindness, "if you wish to see me paint" was Taliana's answer, "it would please me greatly," Her mother said, "very well, Elizabeth" she called out to the woman waiting patiently, "I understand, my lady" she said, exiting the room.
When Elizabeth returned with the painting supplies and canvas Taliana was seated farther from the bed then before, with enough space to set up she got to work, placing the canvas in front of Taliana and setting up the paints. As she painted, she imagined her mother, it had been so long since she had felt this peace that only her mother could give her, she smiled as she listened to her mother's breathing and the sound of the brush strokes. Taliana felt a memory tug at the back of her mind as she sat there, she tried to reach for it, but to her disappointment, it quickly fled; this had happened to her often enough that now she was simply used to it. She did not know how long she sat there painting, but by the time she was done her back and arms ached, "I am finished," Taliana called to her mother and Elizabeth, "let me see" she heard her mother say, she tried to stand but a bolt of pain shot through her legs as she moved, forcing her to sit back with a painful groan. "My lady, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked with panic in her voice as she moved to help her lady, "I am fine, I simply sat to long." Taliana raised her hand, motioning her maid to stop. "Elizabeth, will you help me turn the canvas," she asked as she slowly stood, "o-of course" with her help Taliana turned her painting toward her mother, she heard a gasp. "I... it is beautiful," her mother sounded breathless as she spoke, "I am glad you like it." Though Taliana didn't know it at the time, what she had painted was her father and mother, sitting in a beautiful forest, though the colors were slightly different they were beautiful, and lady Aria felt tears trace their way down her face as she stared at the beautiful painting of herself and her first husband- the man she had loved with her whole heart- sitting peacefully.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Taliana had first gone to see her mother, and she had visited her almost everyday since then, her mother had gotten worse over the weeks and everyone in the house said it was unlikely lady Aria would live much longer, but Taliana refused to except it. "You have to live, mother, if nothing else please live for me," she had whispered to her mother as she slept, she would cry softly as she lay in bed, though she tried to deny what others said; her heart knew it. And finally, on this the last day of spring, her mother died, Taliana cried so hard she thought she would break apart from the force of her sobs, her mother's death had left a gaping hole in her heart, one she did not know how to fill. "My lady, you must come out of your room, please" Elizabeth begged as she sat on Taliana's bed, rubbing her back in soothing circles as she spoke to her lady, "it will do you no good to starve" Taliana did not move, she had been in her room for almost a week, grieving. "I know the loss of your mother has left you wounded, but lady Aria would not want you to waist your life in this room" Elizabeth spoke sternly, trying to get her up and into decent clothes, "it is almost your birthday, there will be a celebration held in your honor" the stern maid said as she went to work brushing the knots out of Taliana's hair, "you mean my father wishes to find me a husband at this party" she said as she felt the brush work it's way through her hair. "I don't mean anything, I can't claim to understand what goes through the dukes mind," Taliana sighed as she felt the last of the knots give up there desperate fight for her hair as Elizabeth made a sound of triumph. "I will be expected to come?" Taliana asked, a note of hope in her voice, "of course! It is for you that the party is being held," she sighed again, the small hope snuffed out like a candle, "now you stop that sighing or you'll drain all the happiness from your heart" Elizabeth gently rapt her on the head with the brush, "is it possible that it's already gone from me?" Taliana asked as she felt tears sting her eyes, "no, you have much joy left in you child" she smiled as Elizabeth hugged her from behind, "thank you."