The Burden of Destiny | Sequel to The Aura Within

34 | A Witch's Tears: Addison

Raven knew from a very young age that death was inevitable. She also knew that people like her, people who wielded magic, were hunted out of fear. Add the fact that she was the product of a scandalous affair, Raven was the perfect target. However, not once had it crossed her mind that the one person she gave her heart to would be the one to end her life. How had it come to this?

Before Raven, there was Addison Foster. She was the result of an affair her mother had with a nobleman for whom she worked as a maid. The relationship never stood a chance, but that didn't stop them from falling into temptation. Unfortunately, the maid's pregnancy created tension with the nobleman, who made it clear he wanted no part in the child's life. As a result, the maid left the estate for good and decided to raise the child on her own.

Addison was her saving grace. The maid thought her world would shatter around her until she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She wore that Addison's smile alone could light up the world. Growing up, Addison was always happy despite her and her mother living in poverty. While her mother sometimes felt guilty she couldn't provide her a stable childhood, but Addison didn't mind. As long as she and her mother were together, then that was more than enough.

Unfortunately, that happiness would be stripped away when a deadly disease took her mother's life. At just thirteen years old, Addison became an orphan. Since she had no other living relatives to take her in, she was admitted to an orphanage. The smiles she would always give had died the moment her mother was taken out of the world. What was the point in smiling without her there to see it? Her maroon eyes that once shined with life had slowly disappeared until they became completely void. From then on, she carried herself as if she held no mind of her own. Without her mother, there was no point in living life to its fullest.

Two years of living in that orphanage seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. During her time there, Addison didn't have any friends. Children made her a target of bullying due to her emotionless nature. She wouldn't even fight back when things got violent, and that lack of reaction eventually caused the bullying to cease. The caretakers knew that she was being picked on, but they put little effort into disciplining those who treated her like that. All they had done was treat her wounds as if that was enough.

Some thought Addison would end up outgrowing the orphanage instead of getting adopted like the other kids. In their eyes, she was an estranged child that no parents would ever think of taking in. That all changed when she was fifteen years old and a strange woman with long dark silver hair entered the orphanage. Addison remembered being entranced by her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it as to why. Maybe it was the odd aura radiating out of her or maybe it was her alluring pale lavender eyes. Either way, Addison found herself intrigued by her.

As she spoke with the head caretaker of the orphanage, the woman felt someone staring at her. The conversation came to a halt as she turned around to find the culprit. Her lavender eyes met Addison's burgundy ones. The caretaker walked toward Addison with a disapproving look on her face.

"Addison, you know better than to eavesdrop on other people's conversations," she scolded before turning to the woman. "I apologize for her behavior, Ms. Ferguson. I hope she didn't  give you any discomfort."

"Oh, not at all," she assured. The woman looked over at Addison and smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Addison. My name is Claire."

"Um... H-Hello," Addison greeted shyly.

The caretaker was about to shoo the girl away until Clair stopped her. She walked toward Addison wearing a friendly smile. The caretaker couldn't believe her eyes. An adult was taking interest in an emotionless girl like her? Usually, Addison would stay in her room when parents seeking to adopt were visiting. This time, things were clearly different. Addison was intrigued by Claire, who also was curious about Addison too.