A family cursed for taking love for granted and now a certain descendant has to live with the consequences.
She either choses to live on without love or die trying. Literally.
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Natalia Salvator Anne Hathaway
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I stared at my mother as she finishes telling the story with a smile on her face. "Mommy, why did the prince marry the princess even though he did not love her?" I asked her. The story always had the same ending, and my mother never gets tired of telling it to me. How can she be happy with it? The whole story sounded like any other typical fairytale until we reached the "they suited well for each other and lived satisfied with their marriage." It doesn't sound much like a happy ending. She probably changed the it to be more realistic.
"You see, sweetie. The man cannot risk himself to be in love with someone or else he dies from a broken heart."
"That's not possible. People can have heartbreaks and still heal over time. You can't simply die from that. Why is it that he has a limit to the number of times he loves when love itself is limitless?" My mother looked flabbergasted.
"For a twelve-year-old you ask some hard questions. Where did you learn all this?" I pointed over the shelf filled with literature books and encyclopedias at the corner of our home library.
"I do a bit of reading while you and Daddy go on trips," I replied.
"Loving someone and being in love with someone are two different things. You'll learn more about that when you grow older. Your father and I love you so much and no doubt you love us back. The same goes with the people around you. However, being in love with someone is a whole other story. I can't exactly explain it in a way for you to understand at this age. Again, love is complicated."
I let her words sink in as I play them over in my head myself trying to find if there are any faults to her argument. She giggles at my thinking face.
"Mommy, what happens if I accidentally fall in love and get heartbroken? I can't exactly control how I feel. I love you and Daddy, so will I get hurt if you both subconsciously give me heartbreaks?"
I can't help but finally ask her these questions that I've kept to myself for so long. She constantly tells me these love stories but also adds how dangerous it could be. It left me confused altogether but I didn't question it until now. I should know things and be ready for anything that may happen. Im getting older and their travels would keep them busy from helping me.
She thought long and hard before saying, "Clearly, you see the connection between our family history and the stories I tell you. Consider them as reminders, darling. Each time you get your heartbroken, you will feel a piece of you break. The amount of pain depends on how you feel for that person. Your father's ancestors reacted in different ways so it can differ for you as well. I don't want you to be deprived of love, but I also don't want to lose you."
She stared at me for a moment, lost in her thoughts. Most likely reminiscing her own experience with Daddy. She turned to me with wonder. "Reading books really made you into a curious cat. I feel like you're getting smarter each day. Hey, maybe you'll become smarter than me!" Then she blew raspberries on my cheeks for extra laughs.
I giggled, "I'm asking seriously so you should answer me seriously as well!" I puff up my chin with crossed arms, showcasing my best serious face to prove my point. But, I soon lose confidence with the solemn look she's wearing.
I haven't seen her so scared before. For a moment, her eyes lacked the glimmer she usually has, clutching on to me tightly but lovingly at the same time. I silently whimpered at that. Crossing my fingers she didn't catch it. No need to have her panic. I wanna go to sleep without her taking twenty minutes of repeatedly asking if I'm okay while purposely moving like a snail to my bedroom door.
"Don't be scared, Mommy. I'll make sure to be careful so you won't have any worry wrinkles," I said cheekily towards her with touching the space in-between the eyebrows.
She gasped, "Worry wrinkles? I'll show you some worry wrinkles!" She stood up and threw me up in the air. I screamed with delight as she caught be just in time before we both fell back onto the couch.After we calmed down, I waited for her to continue.
"Love isn't simple, especially when it comes to this family. Your father's bloodline is quite a special case, which also flows through you my Little Bambi." She pokes my nose as she finished.
"His family tree experienced numerous tragic events when it comes to love. One of his ancestors was cursed by a witch that made sure he suffers for each heartbreak he experiences. It almost led to his death. From thereon, love has become a business transaction with the sole purpose of extending the family bloodline. Over the decades, his family members have chosen suitable partners to avoid any conflict that unfortunately led some members straight to their deathbed. At first, they were allowed to love for a while but seeing how the depth of love they felt for someone varies, it's better to stay safe and not fall in love at all. Generations after generations his family was able to live on with this routine. There were rare chances of finding love in marriage, but others mostly ended up in separate ways." She gazes out the window, possibly recalling events of the past as her eyes darken like rainclouds in the sky.
"No matter what happens, promise me you'll be happy?" she whispered while caressing my cheeks. I almost didn't hear the shakiness of her voice.
