Here is another update. A little journey to the past if you might call it. Enjoy and tell me what you think.

Chapter 35

A Mother’s Love 

Rien Manor, Riviere County, Valtareau

“Child of destruction? What could a child born blind possibly destroy?” A woman in her mid-twenties said in disgust as she stared at the newborn baby girl being handed to her by her midwife.

“I don’t want to hold her.” The woman said coldly.

“But your ladyship...” the midwife tried to reason.

“Give the baby to me.” An older woman, who appeared to be older than the first one, said.

The midwife handed the new born to her.

“Mother.” The first woman acknowledged the woman who took the baby in her arms.

“Kitana.” The older woman said with remorse, then stared down at the baby swaddled in crimson.

“This child does not need another rejection much less from you.” The older woman stated causing the woman named Kitana to open her eyes.

“What?!” Kitana asked in shock.

“The royal family wants nothing to do with this child. The crown princess and the High Queen refuses to acknowledge her as a member of the royal family. You are all this child has the worst thing you can do is to cast her off just like how Boa discarded you like some piece of dirty laundry.” The older woman stated as she looked at the baby’s face sadly. The baby’s eyes were wide open but the child had been born blind, her eyes had not had the time to develop perfectly, forming a thick grayish membrane over her eyes.

Tears fell from Kitana’s eyes as she looked at the child she had given birth to. The royal family had wronged them at such a high degree but refuses to acknowledge their mistake. She had been betrothed to Boa even before she met Yukie, she was meant to marry her not be the mistress everyone called her to be. Boa had loved her first before the blue eyed vixen from the land of winter even came. Her family had been promised the crown for their massive service during the previous Heiyan war but all seemed to have been forgotten and her engagement to Boa coldheartedly put away and all documents signed burned and erased as if it never happened at all. Their engagement never even mentioned to the white haired people of the north. Her family banned from ever entering the capital. Her reputation tarnished, called a low life , a mistress, a home wrecker when it was in truth Yukie who stole Boa from her. The taboo that Clairevane so defended during the war of fire and ice was never theirs to defend because it was their crown princess who stole what wasn’t hers. But as much as she hated Yukie of Clairevane she hated Boa of Valtareau more. She was a fool for believing that her 5 year relationship with Boa was real and that the crown princess of Valtareau had sincere feelings for her. She was a fool for even believing Boa’s love and thinking that Yukie had bewitched her lover that’s why Boa abandoned her. A fool for thinking that the family love serum could bring her Boa’s love back because true love always showed after the serum had vanished. Sadly for her as soon as the serum’s effect ended Boa had vehemently cast her off calling her a witch, drove her away even though she knew that she Lady Kitana was carrying Boa’s child. The royal family banished them to the ends of the regnum and murdered many of her relatives. Boa had never loved her, it was all a farce get up to earn her families trust and gain access to the ancient fighting techniques of the Tokugawa Clan.

She was broken not just emotionally but physically as well and now her own child would suffer the fate she was now branded to carry. Unwanted and unloved by the world. She reached out her hands towards the baby she had just given birth to knowing that her mother was right. Her child had no one but her and she wasn’t the heartless witch they made her out to be to detest and deprive her own child of care and love.

“What are you going to name her?” Her mother asked her, she stared at the sleeping babe’s peaceful face so innocent to the horrors of the world they lived in and replied. Her delicate small lashes and tiny face brought about a sense of calmness she never thought she would ever feel again.

“Taeyeon, her name would be Taeyeon.”

“Calm. Imagine how the people of Valtareau would react when they hear that the prophesied child of destruction would be named calm.” Her mother said bitterly.

A part of her heart ached terribly she knew what her mother meant, they had hoped for baby birth believing that long forgotten prophesy just like the gossips in the street. They thought that she and her clan would finally get their revenge for all the wrongs they have suffered at the birth of the child of destruction. As she stared at the small infant in her arms she could only shake her head. Her child was blind there was no way she could ever destroy anyone.

“Taeyeon.” She said once more as she watched the baby’s sleeping ever so calmly unaware of the evil of the chrysanthemum throne.

Kitana POV

A small infant barely a year old crawled towards the hearth of the great hall causing her mother who was busy with the laundry to rush towards her.

“Taeyeon no. How many times do I have to tell you stay away from the fire?” Lady Kitana said in exhaustion.

“Bright!” Taeyeon replied while pointing at the lit fireplace as if she could see the orange flames she almost walked into. Lady Kitana mentally scolded herself how could Taeyeon possbilt know what a fire looked like.

“Don’t go near the bright okay?” She asked her chubby daughter who was busy trying to chew the bracelet her mother Lady Ranioch had given her. Taeyeon looked at her mother and asked.

“No bright?”

“No bright.” Lady Kitana replied. She placed Taeyeon on the ground and went back to carry the basket full of dirty diapers.

“If only I was really the burly muscled woman they made me out to be doing this laundry would so much easier.” She said to herself but her little Taeyeon heard her and began giggling.

“Are you laughing because your mom is short and weak?” She asked Taeyeon who was looking at her well she thinks Taeyeon is looking at her, the child only recognizes things through sound. Taeyeon crawled towards her.

“No okasan has a lot of things to do go play there with miss squeaky.” She said as she made the toy rag doll rise up from the ground and make squeaky sounds.” Taeyeon understood and crawled towards the origin of the noise knowing well enough that the object making the sounds was her toy.

Lady Kitana struggle with the laundry and when she was done carrying it to where their remaining servants were she went back inside to check on Taeyeon. She reached the house and pulled one of the long pillows near the balcony her daughter loved rolling on the carpet while hugging it. She dropped the pillow immediately when she caught sight of her daughter inside the fireplace clapping as flames covered her.

“Taeyeon!!!” she screamed as she rushed to get her child burning her hands as she picked up Taeyeon who was surprisingly unharmed but was hot all over as if she was the fire itself. She hand scalds on her hands while Taeyeon was crying full blown from being shocked. Her mother rushed inside along with their servants.

“What happened?!!” Lady Ranioch asked with worry and immediately rushed to her side when she saw the burns on her hand.

“Taeyeon...” She barely made out because her hands hurt.

“Taeyeon what? The child is right there.” Her mother said panicking while looking over to her granddaughter who was being calmed by the servants who for some reason could not carry the child.

“She was inside the fireplace while it was lit.” She stated as she managed to get hands from throbbing in pain.

“What?! Is she hurt?!” Lady Ranioch went over to her granddaughter almost carrying her when her daughter said.

“Don’t she’s scalding hot.” She informed her mother. Lady Ranioch stopped in her tracks as she looked at her daughter in disbelief.

“She’s unharmed but just don’t touch her until she’s cooled down.” Kitana replied and neared Taeyeon who stopped crying at her mother’s proximity.

“How can she?” Lady Ranioch asked herself in disbelief.

“Your Ladyship!!” the servants squealed while others showed fear.

“Stop with your thoughts Taeyeon is blind she can’t even hurt a fly.” She stated she knew what the other servants were thinking. Her child was after all called the child of destruction. She shrugged off the thought and looked at Taeyeon who was now busy playing with her pea shaped stuffed doll. Her mother was also looking at Taeyeon with worry over the aftermath of what had occurred.

Her worst fears had come to reality the very same night, when the servants had retired to their quarters, she, her mother and Taeyeon where still awake. They were busying themselves with things to do while Taeyeon was just lying down on the carpet playing with her stuffed pea biting the top end of the doll since she was teething when butterflies made of fire were conjured up by the energetic toddler.

She dropped her embroidery in shock while her mother kept a straight face.

“It can’t be.” She voiced out in disbelief.

“She’s of royal blood after all. But still to possess this power at this age.” Her mother said gravely.

“No one must know! Her life would be in danger if they found out she has the gift of fire.” She said in panic.

“We mustn’t worry so much she can’t be much of a threat to them in this state, she blind in case you have forgotten.” Her mother reassured her but her heart would not stop worrying she picked up Taeyeon and cradled her close.

“I won’t let them lay a hand on my baby.” She stated protectively while Taeyeon merely snuggled closer to her totally clueless.

Taeyeon’s powers grew as she aged each day until it reached to a point where they had to teach a two year old who could barely sing a tune and song corr