Why Fate

After Nemia finished telling the others what she had experienced the room remained oddly silent for a moment. Even the children were quiet, clinging to her words. She was still trying to wrap her thoughts around it herself.

The air thickened in the silence and became unbearable. "Somebody say something please... I'm not crazy..." Nemia mused softly, her eyes searching across the others that had surrounded her. Landing on a face she didn't recognize. A woodened man in a tux.

Her brows furrowed and she tilted her chin in his direction. "Who are you?"

He bowed instantly and took a step back. "My apologies, My Queen. Samuel Bristol, King Dorian's personal butler. He sent for me when you passed out and I was enthralled by you the moment I seen you. Couldn't help but stuck around after, I hope it is of no bother." He spoke in a rush, keeping his eyes glued to the floor.

Queen? The thought echoed and she glanced up to Dorian. Oh.. Right... He smiled in response, hearing her inner monologue. Her eyes returned to Samuel. "It's of no problem. But please, just call me Nemia. I'm not married to Dorian." Yet.

He rose his head to look at her, his wooden mouth slack in the joints for his mouth. "As you wish, but you are his mate. No marriage could hold a flame to that knowledge. You are Queen given by the Moon Goddess' bond between the two of you."

"Samuel, so chatty. You are never this talkative with me." Dorian mused aloud, jokingly of course as he laughed softly.

Samuels neck twisted to look over to Dorian and bowed lightly before speaking. "Well sir, you never approved of keeping me close. Didn't want to "send my body into splinters from raging" if I recall correctly."

"Touchè, Samuel." Dorian barked out another laugh and soon the whole room picked up with a lively atmosphere again.

After a while longer, Nemia rested her eyes on Julia. Softening them as she stayed abnormally quiet and wouldn't hold her gaze.

Nemia flicked her eyes over to Dorian and gave him a small smile before she stood and walked over to Julia.

"Walk with me, will you?" She asked Julia softly, extending her hand down to offer.

Julia's eyes darted to Nemia as they turned doe-like. Her lips twitched, trying to stifle a grin and laced her hand into Nemia's with a gentle squeeze. "Of course, lead the way."

The two of them strolled out of the sitting room and began to meander the halls, going up the steps slowly and lazily strolled through the first floor in silence for a bit. All the while, Nemia stayed in her head, thinking of how to approach the conversation to keep either of them from getting too worked up.

'Just talk to her.' Dorian's voice washed across her mind and she smiled, mentally leaning into him for a moment. 'Keep an open mind.' He mused again.

'Okay, okay.' She pushed back at him in her mind, a soft laugh floating between the link.

Julia seemed to have taken notice in Nemia's elevation in mood and looked up at her with a soft smile from Nemia's right side. "You seem happy. More so now, than ever before." Her voice was light, wavering slightly.

Nemia glanced over at Julia, the smile curving her lips softening a bit and she relaxed her shoulders. "I think I am happy... At least for the most part. They weight of Malcolm, Kyth.. and the world is a bit dampering, but I am happy."

Julia nudged Nemia's shoulder with her own, gently. "At least you don't have to go at it alone anymore."

Nemia's eyes flickered with worry as she pulled her eyes away from Julia.

"You don't have to do this alone." Julia sputtered, grabbing Nemia's arm to stop her.

Nemia turned back on Julia, her features become like stone and waved her hand to brush it off as nothing. "No, I'm not alone anymore." She quipped softly, though the look in her eyes told Julia not to press that any further. That was a discussion for a different day.

Julia sighed, but didn't press further. "Well..."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Nemia blurted, no longer being able to keep the question at bay.

Wincing, Julia glanced down. "I planned to tell you, on your eighteenth birthday. But you was chasing dead ends at the time, and I seen a small sliver of hope in your eyes in those moments. Not like they had become lately. And when the trail ran completely cold... I couldn't tell you."

Julia glanced back up to Nemia, locking her eyes to hers. "As time passed, when it would've... Well, should've been right... I was scared to tell you. To let you find out how much I had hid from you already, and to be the one to inform you of who Malcolm really was."

Nemia's brows furrowed. "What do you mean by that, Julia?"

Julia pulled her gaze away again and darted her eyes to the floor. "I knew who Malcolm was from the start, I've already said your mother was my best friend. Of course I knew who Malcolm was. I.." Julia's voice broke for a moment.

Nemia stared, face devoid of emotion. Julia took a deep, shaky breath and started again. "I caught wind of the attack just before it actually happened. I tried to get there.." Another shaky breath causing a gap in her speaking.

"I was too late though. The fire was everywhere and through it... I seen you running away, and I seen Malcolm staring after you over the lifeless Alpha." She took a shaky breath again, speaking through gritted teeth and tears.

"You were smart, I knew where you'd run to. The council. I laid claim over your guardianship, while Donovan expressed his wants for you to serve under him in the B.H.D. of C.J.L.S." Her upper lip curled in a sneer. "Donovan has tried to stake a guardianship claim on you as well, but only I had proof of who you were and discreetly made the council aware of your true nature."

Nemia held up a hand. "Wait, so the council knows about..." She pointed to the mark on her chest, peaking out from behind the tank top she wore.

Julia's eyes squinted and she kind of nodded and shook her head no at the same time. "Yes, and no? I told them your true name, Trugheta. They know the prophecy surrounding that name and can only assume. But I also demanded your mother's wishes be kept, and I had proof of those wishes. But I never directly said you are the Vessel of Solis."

Nemia's brows only furrowed further. "Proof?"

Julia smiled timidly. "Proof..." She grabbed Nemia's hand and started tugging her down the hall. "Let me show you."

Nemia was confused, but let Julia drag her along. Curious about what proof she could've had.

A few minutes later, Julia was opening the door to the room she had been staged in since they had arrived. Pulling her over and motioned for Nemia to sit on the bed.

Nemia sat slowly, her eyes following Julia silently as she scrolled around the room. Over the the corner, next to the window where she grabbed the plant Nemia and Dorian saved from the apartment. Almost floating back over to the bed, she jiggled the plant in her hands. "Proof."

Nemia's brows furrowed and she barked out a disbelieving laugh. "What in the world are you on, Julia? A plant, seriously?"

Julia frowned. "Shush and watch." She moved her hands, balancing the plant on one hand and sprinkled some of her fairy dust over the top of it.

Instantly, the tendrils that were motionless began swaying softly. Then swept out and curled slightly, moving on its own in a rooted dance almost. Nemia was mesmerized, staring at the plant with wide eyes. Then, she heard it. Soft calls from within the plant. Low and barely audible at first. But grew louder and more prominent, though remained ethereal in sound. Here but not quite, as if the plant was speaking from another realm altogether.

"You're perfect, little Nemia. I'm so sorry I won't get to see you grow. Julia will take care of you though. She'll make sure you get to have a wonderful life outside of this. This mark right here on your chest means everything. But you deserve to be a child, not a conduit. If they learn the truth too soon, you'll become nothing but a weapon. I need you to learn how to live, be a child. Laugh and have fun. Do this first so you understand the good in the world before you embrace your destiny, so you yourself will be just and true. The real world is dark and scary, but also beautiful and unique. Be good, my sweet Nemia. Mommy loves you."

A single tear was sliding down Nemia's right cheek and she swatted it away. Reaching out to grab the plant and hold it in her arms tightly against her chest.

"Can you do it again?" Nemia asked softly, and Julia sprinkled another helping of dust over the top, painfully happy tears glistening her eyes.

As the plant talked again, Nemia held it close and the plant seemed to curl around her. As if it knew the message had always been meant for her to hear and held her close in its process. Like Nemia's mother was holding her when she said them to Nemia just before she passed.

"There's one more thing..." Julia mumbled softly, placing a gentle hand on Nemia's shoulder. "But I'll have to destroy the plant to give it to you."

Nemia's eyes flew to Julia's. Wide and fearful as she tightened her grip on the plant. "What?! But..."

Dorian's mind brushed across hers. "Record it?"

"Let me record the sound first." Nemia mumbled, a flicker of hope only to diminish as Julia's eyes seemed to sadden.

"It won't work... I've tried already." Julia sighed softly and plopped on the bed next to Nemia.

Nemia sagged with a heavy weight in the pit of her stomach. "What is it?"

"Her diary is the roots, the diary containing her pregnancy of you. And photos."

Nemia shoved the plant towards Julia then. "Do it then."