DreamStoryVerse Story Arc Book 2

Memories

Matera Shariee laid quietly in her bed, unable to sleep. She had even written today's events in her diary, and she still couldn't sleep.

 She slid out of bed and peeked out of the window at the luminous city of Lemoní below. She wondered how such a beautiful city could have so much ugliness at the heart of it. She was determined that when she became the Empress, she would change all that.

But for tonight, she made her way to her father's royal quarters. Perhaps, he would read her a bedtime story to help her fall asleep. 

When she silently creaked open the door, Ludwig was lost in thought, staring at the painting of him and her mother; something he did quite often these days. She quietly sat next to him on the couch he commonly sat on to stare at the portrait. 

"What are you doing?" She asked quickly. If she went ahead and got him going, he wouldn't shut her down and tell her to go back to bed. 

"Oh nothing, I was just thinking about how much you remind me of your mother." He sighed.

Matera glanced at the painting. "Really? But I look nothing like her…" 

Ludwig shrugged. "Well, starlight, that may be true, but you still resemble her on the inside and that's what's most important." 

"....What was she like?" Matera asked curiously. 

Ludwig was quiet for some time. "She was...brave and curious. Very, very, curious." He chuckled halfheartedly. "Your mother possessed an insatiable lust for knowledge. She wanted to know everything about everything. Now that sounds a lot like someone I know." He smiled, booping Matera's little nose, earning a few giggles from her. 

"She was a very smart, wise, and knowledgeable woman, always had her nose stuck in a book or a scroll when she got the chance. One day it would be the language of flowers and the next it would be astronomy. Much like you and your reading and journaling." He laughed. 

Reading and journaling was practically all Matera Shariee had. She had no friends and she couldn't really go outside so she read and wrote all day for entertainment. She read many different kinds of books, and her reading level was very advanced for her age. When she read, she could escape to a different world or reality, where the rules and norms were different. Books were also chock full of knowledge, and Matera Shariee enjoyed being smart. 

"We should've gone to a couples trivia night, I bet we would've defeated the competition easily…." He trailed off solemnly, interrupting Matera's train of thought. 

He cleared his throat. " Your mother was also a very skilled light-oriented sorceress. Her magic was very powerful, she was even a match for me! And you and I both know that I am the best sorcerer this world has ever seen!"

Matera Shariee did know that. Very well. He often talked about it if the subject of magic, powers, abilities, or his many talents came up in a conversation.

Personally, she always got very excited when her father talked about it. It meant that she, one day, would be a powerful sorceress too. And now that she knew her mother was also skilled at magic, her hopes were lifted even higher. She had no powers or abilities yet, but she would soon enough. She was just a late bloomer, that was all.

"...And she was oh so patient. I mean, she had to be, to be able to put up with me all those years." He concluded.

"Papa, why did she leave us?" Matera asked.

"Because...I didn't make her happy. In fact, I made her very, very, very sad." He sighed. 

"Do you hate her now? Because she left?" 

"Oh heavens, no! Of course I still love her, even if she doesn't love me. That's why I let her go. Sometimes you just have to let people go, even if you love them." He responded.

"....Well, if she doesn't want to be my mama, can Euanthe be my new mama?" Matera asked.

"No, Matera Shariee, she cannot. You are not to refer to Euanthe as your mother because she is not your mother. She is your nurse." 

"But she does everything a mama should do--"

"Matera Shariee, I said no and my answer is final. Now, go back off to bed. We have a big day tomorrow." He ordered. 

Matera Shariee slid off the couch and made her way back to her own quarters. Admittedly, she was feeling a bit more drowsy than before, but she couldn't wait to see what "big day" her father was referring to.