Magical Journey of the Elf Queen

Chapter 5 - Hidden truths and big reveals.

We stared at each other for a minute before Katie pulled open the heavy lid of the chest box. Dust flew into the air and assaulted our noses and instinctively we coughed, waving our hands in the air as we leaned over to look inside.

Nestled within are a red dairy, a couple of letters, two rolled-up paintings, and a green glittering dress that has seen better days.

“I thought something heavier was inside." Katie remarked in confusion.

Studying the wood, I knocked on it with my knuckles and shrugged. “I think it’s the chest that’s heavy, probably because of whatever wood they used to make it.”

She nodded at my thoughts and studied the items inside the box before reaching in and pulling out the paintings, while I grabbed the diary to study the old book curiously.

Blowing off the dust layered on top, I study the bronze lock on the cover with a frown and wonder what kind of material was used to make the large thing.

It is designed in the shape of wings with the tips extending to each edge, in the middle is a keyhole and I reached into the chest but found it devoid of a key. Fantastic.

“Uhm… Eva.” Katie murmurs by my side, her voice weary as she gazed at the paintings held in her hands.

“What?” I asked, dropping the diary back into the chest as I turned to stare at her.

Rather than respond she hands me both paintings, and I took them in curiosity. Placing the other in the box, I rolled out one of the paintings and study the face smiling back at me through the old paper.

Sucking in a sharp breath, my eyes widened in shock before they slowly glistened with tears. The painting is of a woman, who looks like a replica of current myself, only this woman is a lot older as she stares back at me with a bright smile on her beautiful face.

“She’s my birth mother,” I whisper, and Katie’s jaw drops.

“You knew?”

Chuckling, I wipe away the tears rolling down my face and turn to her with a raised brow. “Come on Katie, you’ve seen pictures of my entire family both on my mother and father’s side. I look nothing like them, so how can I not know?”

Shrugging in response, she offers a sheepish smile. “How long have you known?”

“I figured it out when I was 10 I guess, my relatives either have reddish blonde hair with grey eyes or dark brown hair with olive skin. It’s not hard to notice the fact that I do not share the family resemblance. I’ve tried to bring up the subject a couple of times but my parents tend to shut down the topic. I’m just surprised my mother has a painting of my birth mother hidden away and never told me about it.”

In response, Katie pulled me into her arms. “I’m sure she’s just waiting for the right time babe. If she kept the chest full of what seems to be your mother’s things then it must mean she was going to tell you about her at some point.”

I sigh in response, picking up the other painting and rolling it out. This painting is of my birth mother in some kind of a medieval dress as she stands rigidly with a small smile on her face next to a scowling man whose eyes and skin looks similar to mine.

“You’re parents are hot!”

I can’t help the loud laugh that slips out of my lips. “Really?” I asked, a look of disbelief on my face as I turned to gaze at Katie, and she shrugged.

“What, it’s true?”

“I see you’ve been busy.” A familiar voice tugged at our attention from the stairs and we glanced up, startled to see my mother watching the both of us with a blank stare.

Raising the painting, I smile sheepishly. “Yeah… I have.”

The words “I’m sorry.” was the first thing my mother said to me when we settled in the living room after struggling to carry the chest box all the up to the living room, Katie and I sat on the floor in front of the box while my mother sat on the couch across.

“Why didn’t you ever tell about them?”

Smiling sadly, she took in a deep breath. “Because I was a coward, because I was scared, and because I didn’t want you to hate me.”

I stood and walked over to settle next to her. Resting my head on her shoulder, I wrap my arms around her waist and say in reassurance. “I could never hate you, mum. Is this what you had wanted to talk about today?”

She nods slowly.

“Katie,” She calls after several minutes of silence, and we both turn to my best friend who stared right back. “I know Eva trusts you to keep whatever we say here a secret but can I trust you?” Mum asks, and I pull back to stare at her in puzzlement.

A small barking sound filled the living room as Clover rushed in from the back door, yipping happily she ran straight to Katie who pulled her into her arms while laying a small kiss on her forehead.

I'd let her out when we got back from school and forgot about her until now. Pouting in jealousy, I let out a huff of annoyance. When Katie is here, she forgets I exist.

“You can trust me, Mrs Montgomery.” Katie smiles.

Mum nods with a satisfied sigh. “Good, so I guess I should start from the beginning then?”

“That will be very much appreciated.” I tease, slowly letting her go, and she lets out a chuckle.

“I guess my story would start from 16-years ago when your father and I were struggling through the pain of my miscarriages. After, I don’t know, maybe the 5th time we lost our child we decided to stop trying because it hurt too much. One day I was driving home from the grocery store and I almost ran into a heavily pregnant woman who stumbled to the middle of the road from practically thin air. She was dressed in this beautiful white gown whilst holding onto a literal sword, and she was bleeding profusely.”

Frowning, Katie and I exchanged a look of confusion.

“At first, I was in shock by her sudden appearance, wondering if maybe I imagined her practically blinking into view from thin air, but then my brain kicked in and before I could run into her I quickly swivel my car in the opposite direction. In my attempt not to hit her, I almost crashed into a tree and sat in my car for a couple of long seconds as I tried to adjust to the unexpected events. Your mother startled me from my frazzled nerves when all of a sudden there was a knock on the car window, I didn’t know what to do but I knew she was injured so the only thought that occurred to me at that moment was to help her. So, even though she was a stranger with a sword, I let her into my car. I wanted to take her to a hospital to get treated, but your mother insisted I don’t, and I had no choice but to bring her home. In the basement of this very house, she gave birth to you, even though she was bleeding from severe injuries and was in pain." My smiles, turning to me with a far-off look in her eyes.

"She only got to hold you in her arms for a couple of minutes and named you Maria, which I used as your middle name. And at the very last minute, before she died, she did something to me that immediately let me know her true identity.”

“What did she do?”

Shifting on the couch, she grabs my hands in hers, her gaze intense and imploring as she says. “I know this will probably sound crazy but I need you to please listen carefully.”

Biting down on my lip, I nod hesitantly. “You’re birth mother... wasn’t human.”

“What are you talking about mum?”

“Your birth mother, she, she was an uhh… some kind of faerie called a Winged Elven.”

Opening and closing my mouth, the only words I could manage was a baffled. “What?”