"Where am I?"
Lory look up the white dome ceiling above her, the ceiling carved with intricate shapes with gold and crystal chandelier hanging on it, he looks down and notices the white marble under her feet, this place is familiar.
She surprises by sudden reflection on the giant window glass beside her, the window stands tall until it reaches the ceiling, she never saw a window glass for a very long time, her eyebrow gradually furrows. He slowly walks toward the window glass her breath taken away by the overly familiar view in front of her.
There wasn't a cloud in the star-speckled sky, a row of towering skyscrapers stretches above her, the night tinted with colorful light just like a jewel on the box and a half-moon hovered at the fringed of the luminous cityscape, Lory touch the window in front of her "Herriond?" she murmured.
She heard monotone footsteps walk past behind her, she turns around quickly, a woman with night long dress walk pass her like she didn't see her even though they were so closed, the woman has long blonde hair beautiful oval face shape with almond-shaped blue eyes, her skin is fair almost transparent, Lory gasped.
"Mo…..mother…" she stutter.
The woman walks in constant pace leaving her behind she watching her Mother back figure with utterly shocked when her Mother figure gets further away Lory can't help but chasing her, they walk across the hall the maids bend their waist respectfully when they see her mother figure, her mother nodded at them slightly.
'Is this, Cestine palace?' she thought but how could it be, half Cestine palace had burned down by Nazareth and Herriond also burn to ashes and her mother….her mother had died when she's barely six years old, how could she still here how could everything still here, she must be dreaming.
Her Mother stops in front of the door, she knocked on the door softly then slowly she opens the door.
"Hi, sweety why you still not sleeping?" her mother said with a gentle voice, Lory eyes blurred with tears it's been a long time since she heard her voice she thought she had forgotten.
Her mother approached the bed with light chuckles, a little girl with dark-bluish wavy hair smiled childishly when she sees her mother, the little girl ayes blinking a few times her purple big dolls eyes.
"Mother!" endearing smiles rise on her small face.
"Now tell me, why haven't you sleep, it's almost eleven a clock Lory?" she sits on the bedside pretending to be angry.
"It…it because Luc is mean" the little Lory puff her cheeks cutely "I want to sleep with him but he didn't let me!"
"Oh, why not?" her mother giggles, her daughter is so cute even when she's angry.
"He said, he already a big man so he can't sleep with a child anymore" Little Lory looks dejected after rejected for the first time with her twin brother.
'Pffft' Queen Lorenna can't hold her laughter her children is adorable she can't wait to tell Marcus about it "Ehm, and why you want to sleep with Lucas, aren't you a big girl now?" Lorenna put on a serious face when she saw her daughter's angry face.
Litlle Lory fiddle her fingers nervously "That...because Fred is alone and he looks sad so I asked him to watch a movie with me, but…but the movie he chooses is a ghost movie!!" Lory tearfully told Lorenna what happened, especially where Fred laughing the entire movie who only make her more scared than she already is.
Lorena covers her mouth she painstakingly holds her laughter, she can imagine how Fredhard teasing her beloved daughter. Fredhard might look like a calm and mature kid but she knew how playful and mischievous that kid can be, he really is the spitting imaged of his Father Stephan.
"Fufufu~ but thanks to you, I believe Fred not sad anymore isn't he?" Lorenna fixed her blanket.
Lory tilted her head innocently "No, he laughing too much he might get a stomachache, is he gonna be alright?" now suddenly she genuinely sorry for him.
Lorenna shakes her head helplessly, isn't she mad with Fred a moment ago and now she worries for him "He'll be fine" Lory poked Lory nose the little girl nose twitch then she smiled brightly.
"Now, Sleep" Lorenna turns off the light then she turns on the pink unicorn bed lamp beside her bed. She stroked her daughter hair gently, she amazed how beautiful her daughter is she wonder how she looks like when she grew up, in the future Marcus might be worry so much, Lorenna eyes become sullen she sadly smiles 'Future' she used never care about it but now her dreams are filled with nightmare and terror about the future she begin to scare to sleep.
"Mother…" Lory called softly.
Lorenna immediately wiped the tears on her cheeks, thankfully the room is dark so her daughter didn't notice her tears "Yes sweety" she answered calmly.
"Can I be a King?" she asks with a childish voice.
"You want to be a King?" Lorenna asks her again.
"I heard Father talk with uncle Steve, they said to be a King Luc would be in pained and hurt through all his life, I'm worried….is Lucas gonna hurt? I don't want to...can I be a King instead?" Lory plead.
This time more tears fall on her cheeks, Little Lory afraid when she sees her mother crying she immediately raised from her bed with her small chubby hand she wipes her mother tears "Are you angry? I'm sorry, please don't be angry….. I don't wanna be a King anymore so don't cry..."
"Oh Lory, my beautiful child!" she pulled her daughter in her embraces "This is so unfair, why it had to be you why must my children, this is so cruel!!" she held her daughter tighter, the tears stream down on her face, Little Lory didn't know what happened why her Mother cry so much.
Lory watches the scened in front of her, her eyes become moist when she closes her eyes the tears fall like a pearl on her cheeks. She approaches her Mother who still holds her little self on the bed, Lory slowly sits in front of her on the bedside.
"You knew it don't you?" she said softly "You knew it all along….." she reaches her mother's face but her hand passes through it. it is just a dream after all.
Little lory eventually fell asleep, Lorenna stay in her daughter bedside watching her beloved daughter sleeping her eyes swollen from too much crying, she caress her daughter cheeks "I won't let anyone hurt you" she said quietly "No one can take my sweetheart"
Lorenna cupped her hand she closed her eyes like she's praying gradually a dimmed blue light emerged from inside her hand when opening her hand a glowing blue flower float on her hand, Lorenna opens her eyes "This is my last 'Gift' for you" she smiled gently.
the flower float away from her hand then slowly drowned on little Lory chest, the mark of bluebell flower glowing all over her body.
The room illuminated with blue light suddenly bluebell flower emerged from the floor, little by little bluebell flower spread all over the room, the flower slip between the floor crack and grow rapidly.
The door suddenly kicks roughly, Marcus enters the room frantically, Lorenna body sway she almost falls on the floor but Marcus catches her before it happened.
"Loren, what have you done?" Marcus holds his wife, her face turns white as a sheet.
"What all Mother should do…" she answers with calm smiles.
"You used up all of your mana?" Marcus's hand trembles his eyes filled with sadness, the consequences using all of your mana it's only one is shorten the owner's life.
"I see it now, why I fell in love with you why we have the twins it's all the Gods plans, she said our union would decide the course of the worlds faith, I don't understand that time but I do now" she murmured to herself but enough for Marcus to hear.
"Lorenna stops talking, you need to save your strength!"
Lorenna shakes her head weakly "I'm fine" she said weakly, she reach Marcus cheeks "Promised me you will protect Lucas and Lorient, don't let them take them away...." tears falling from her blue eyes, she knew she did not have much time anymore, she would never see them grown up and become a great ruler like they all destined to be.
"Of course, they are my children" Marcus smiled bitterly "I promised you, my soul would never rest until our children are safe, I give you my words," Marcus said with determined fill his eyes.
Lorenna smiles faintly "I accept your words…..My King"