His Queen

{Third Person of View} “Hush now, my baby. Momma is here.” A gentle voice cooed inside a small cabin. It was Eloisa. A lady that was gifted with such grace and beauty. From her curly dirty blonde hair that flowed freely on her back, to her bright emerald eyes that seemed to captivate anyone that would dare to look at her and not to mention her soft and vibrant skin. Any man would not hesitate to try and capture the heart of this beautiful and flawless lady. But for all that had tried to win Eloisa, there was just one man that ever had her heart. “Are you hungry now, Victoria, my love?” She asked while carrying her one-month-old daughter, and the baby just grunted softly as a somewhat of a response. Eloisa chuckled, her heart filled with warmth and love for her daughter. Despite what half of the people in the village believed, she couldn’t bring herself to despise the little halfling. Not because Stefan, her mate, turned out to be something they certainly least expected, mean that their daughter would be exactly the same. No. My daughter will be as harmless as a butterfly, and I vow to protect her from any harm that this world might bring her. Eloisa thought while breastfeeding Victoria. “What are you thinking, Eloisa?” A voice asked. It was Elena. Her mother, who had just recovered after being wounded and paralyzed for three weeks. It happened when Elena fought Stefan, who tried to run off with Victoria when she had just given birth. “I was just thinking of ways to protect my daughter once the time comes that Stefan will go after her.” Eloisa couldn’t help but be worried. Now that Elena’s power was gone, they became even more vulnerable and defenseless. “Don’t worry. That time will never happen, and if it did, we will find a way to stop him.” Elena said reassuringly, though her gut was telling her that something bad was about to happen. After all, after an earthquake, there’s always an aftershock. And it seemed like Eloisa was feeling the same thing. Eloisa exhaled, then lay down her now sleeping daughter on the soft mattress. The only mattress they had in the cabin, then she turned to her mother. “I…I don’t know, mother. With Stefan still lurking out there, I don’t think that we will ever be okay.” With hesitancy, she looked up at her mother while fidgeting with her hands. A sign that she’s nervous or uncertain. “Perhaps…I-I think we should ask for your sister’s help—” Before she could even finish her sentence, Elena cut her off. “No. We will never ask for my sister’s help. I have already turned my back on her, Eloisa, and I don’t think that she’ll ever help us after what I did.” Elena bowed her head down. “We should think of another way. There must be another way—” “WE’RE UNDER ATTACK!” A loud voice screamed in terror outside the cabin. Elena and Eloisa looked at each other’s eyes, both filled with fear and surprise. Then, the door slammed open, and Eloisa was ready to attack when she saw that it was her father. His eyes were wide and full of panic and worry. “It’s Stefan! He’s leading a group of rogues and witches to our village. Some were already dead!” Eloisa’s heart sank and an unexplainable loss dawned on her, but she must stay strong. Her daughter’s life was at risk. Without thinking, Eloisa gently but hurriedly carried her daughter, then gave it to her mother. “You must run, mother. Leave and save my daughter while I fight and distract our attackers.” Elena looked at her daughter in terror. “Are you insane?! If we must escape then you will be coming with us, Eloisa! What you’re thinking is suicide! Think about your daughter!” Tears threatened to fall from Elena’s eyes because she knew just by looking at Eloisa’s eyes that her daughter had already made up her mind. Eloisa smiled at her mother sadly, then kissed Victoria’s forehead before she whispered, “And this is me thinking about my daughter. Please, protect Victoria…” And with that, she runs outside to ensure that Elena will manage to escape safely. “Eloisa! No!” Elena tried to stop her daughter, but it was too late. Eloisa was already outside. She looked at her husband with eyes full of panic. Her mind was in chaos and conflict. She didn’t know if she would ask her husband to come with her to be safe or to go after Eloisa to ensure the safety of their daughter. But alas, fate didn’t even give her time to think because a minute after Eloisa left, an arrow pierced through her husband’s chest out of nowhere. She forgot that there was a window on the left side of the front door, and it was wide open! Her eyes widened as she felt her heart stop beating for a second. Elena’s fear started to come to life. “No…” She stepped forward to her husband while still carrying Victoria in her arms, but before she could even get close to him, another arrow flew out of nowhere and almost hit her on the shoulder. “…R-run” Her husband choked out as blood spurted out of his mouth while clutching his bleeding chest. “S…s-save our g-granddaughter…” Elena wanted to shake her head and say that she'd never leave her husband, but no words left her mouth. She loved her husband deeply and the last thing on her mind when they got together was to leave him behind, but now that Victoria was in the picture, she knew she'd have to compromise. She must sacrifice her true love to give Victoria a future to have. So, reluctantly, Elena runs off to the back door of the cabin. The one facing the woods. With tear-stained cheeks and a heavy heart, she runs, but not before turning back to look at their once peaceful village. She saw Eloisa fighting five rogues, making her sob even more. If only she didn’t lose her powers, she would be able to help her daughter and prevent her husband’s death. Elena thought. She couldn’t even fight and help her daughter because she was still recovering. And because Elena wasn’t too far from the village, she met Eloisa’s gaze. Her daughter must’ve sensed her hesitation because Eloisa yelled. “Go, mother! Go!” Eloisa screamed, still fighting with the rogues. “And never look back! Please, mother, leave!” Elena looked at her daughter’s almost pleading state, then looked down at her granddaughter who was sleeping peacefully in her arms. No, we can’t end like this. I could help her. Elena thought. But then, screams of agony filled her ears, and when she looked up, witches burning everything down welcomed her vision. Through small houses and stores, they left nothing untouched. “No!” Elena screamed when she saw Eloisa get stabbed in the chest with a poisoned dagger. She made a move to run and help her, but Eloisa shook her head. Her dying eyes looked down at Victoria in her arms, and right then, Elena knew what Eloisa wanted her to do. Rage and pain consumed her, but Eloisa was right. I had to run and save this child. I cannot do anything to save everyone now, but I know one day this child can. She thought. With a conflicted mind, Elena… ran. She ran as fast as she could with only one thing in mind—the child must live no matter what. In Elena’s mind—someday, the child will avenge her mother, her husband, and every person in their village. And she would make sure that her granddaughter would never feel helpless in her life. I promise you that, Victoria Emerence. *** And so that night, after Elena ran away from their once peaceful village, she wandered around the dark forest. With no one and no home to go to, she never felt so lost in her life, but her determination to keep the child safe never faltered. Victoria’s father might be the cause of everything, but she still loved her granddaughter dearly. She would never blame Victoria for her father’s wrongdoings. Elena looked up at the night sky and spoke softly. “Sister, if you can hear me, please, give us a home. Give me a home where I can raise this child. I’ve lost my daughter and husband tonight…and I don’t know what to do. Please, help me.” She swallowed her pride and asked for her sister’s help. Her sister, who had once warned her about Eloisa’s mate, but she chooses not to listen, and now, she’s paying the price. Elena waited for a response, but it never came. Instead, she heard Victoria’s small cry, as if the child could feel her sorrow and pain. “Are you hungry, my dear?” She asked as if the baby would suddenly learn how to speak and answer her question. Elena’s heart broke, knowing that she had no food with her. It pains her to see her granddaughter cry and she can’t do anything about it. It reminds her of what happened with Victoria’s mother and her husband. She hated the thought of being helpless and yet she couldn’t do anything about it. Then, out of nowhere, a blinding light suddenly burst into the sky and a familiar voice called out to her. “Elena.” Elena gasped and hope filled her entire being after hearing her sister’s response. “I heard your pleas, and I don’t have the heart to ignore your calls seeing your situation despite the fact that you turned your back on me when I warned you about Stefan.” Elena bowed her head in shame. She regretted letting her guard down and choosing Stefan instead of her sister. “I-I’m so so sorry, Acolyte. I didn’t know that my daughter’s mate would bring such tragedy into our lives.” “You were too confident that Stefan wouldn’t have the power to hurt your family because he is just a lycan, and you are what? My sister? Now, look where your pride has got you. Your home was destroyed—burned to ashes while your daughter and husband are dead. If I knew then that you’d be too prideful to listen to my warning, I would have told everything to Eloisa instead. Even if Stefan was her mate, I knew she would listen to me.” Elena kneeled on the ground; tears started streaming down her face as the pain of her loss started coming back to her. It was all her fault, she thought. “Da-da..” Victoria made a sound, so Elena looked at her granddaughter just to see the baby playing with her own little fingers, a wide smile spread on her face. Gone the crying Victoria just a few moments ago. “What would your granddaughter think if she found out the truth someday? Are you certain that she wouldn’t blame you for her mother’s death?” Acolyte spoke again and Elena felt fear for the second time that night. She was right. Elena thought. Victoria might blame her for everything one day. She looks down at the ground, feeling even more helpless than before. Why is this happening to me? We were so happy just a few hours ago. What happened? Elena thought. Just when she thought that all hope was gone, she heard Acolyte speak again. “I will give you what you were asking for. Home away from everyone. A place where you could raise your granddaughter, but on one condition.” Elena blinked, still looking at the sky; tears had stopped falling now from her eyes. “W-what is it?” “You will train her, teach her everything she must know. You will help her control her power until you know she is ready, and when that happens, you will disappear from her life and join me here.” Silence filled the surroundings as Elena processed what her sister said. It could mean that Victoria will have no one in her life. If they indeed lived in an isolated place, then Victoria would have no friends. She would be too naïve and innocent for the cruel world, but with the right training and lessons from her, Victoria would be able to protect herself from everyone that would try to harm her. Elena thought. She took a deep breath and had already made up her mind. Elena looked up at the night sky and then spoke. “Okay, but just promise me one thing. Victoria will never be alone after I leave. She will have real friends, and her mate will be everything that her father was not. Her mate will be the perfect man that will love her, respect her, and support her.” “You are not in the position to be asking that…but, okay. I will make sure that she will have that. I promise.” And the two sisters’ bind their agreement with a promise. Acolyte fulfilled her promise to Elena. She gave them a home in the middle of the dark forest where no one dared to enter. She built a home for the two just enough for them, but for Elena, it was more than enough. Acolyte also made sure to build a wide farm for Elena so they wouldn’t starve and a wide clearing for little Victoria. She made sure that the place would be safe for the child to grow up in. It was her way of making up to Victoria for not being able to save her mother. Even if she wants to, death is for other Gods to handle. So, helping was also the least she could do. Seeing that Acolyte was true to her words, Elena also did her part in the agreement. As soon as little Victoria learned how to walk, Elena started teaching her things. Physical and mental activities. Victoria grew up as a clever, witty, and innocent lady. When she turned four, she was already fluent in five languages, not to mention that she was already a pro at playing chess. And when she turned seven, her fighting skills were already perfect, and she could use an arrow like a well-trained hunter. But the real challenge was when she turned eight. Her powers started to come to life. Like when she almost burned all the flowers in the garden after summoning a fire, and when she destroyed the farm after causing a “small” hurricane when she lost her temper. That’s when Elena saw the real deal. And she’d never been so relieved about raising Victoria in an isolated place. She loved Victoria with all her heart, but she couldn’t help herself from seeing the darkness in her granddaughter that she knew all too well came from Stefan. Victoria’s father. Stefan was born with that darkness just like the rest of his family and she feared that Victoria might take after her father. Elena doesn’t want her to be too innocent and naïve, but she doesn’t want to taint her mind either. If only Eloisa was here, she'd know what to do. Elena thought while looking at a ten-year-old Victoria who was busy writing something on her paper. The child was still unaware of what happened to her parents, but she knew, one day, the time would come when Victoria would be curious about her parents. And she’s not prepared for when that time comes. She can only hope that she will have the courage and strength to tell the child the truth. Because sooner or later, Victoria might face the real danger that she and Eloisa feared even since the beginning, and she might not be by her side when that time came. All she could do now was do everything to prepare Victoria.