Revenge By Moonlight

l began, the moment I stepped into that ma

pulsing through my veins. Helen, my late mother's older sister, w

whispered, my voice trembling

ce. There's no place for you in our home anymore. Your parents are dead

very night before I went to sleep, as if trying to carve them into my mind. The survival of our lineage depended on pro

ly dragging me through the garden. "You will grow up with their daughters and learn their customs u

small, fragile arms tightly. Her

e whispered. "Do you have any idea how import

y that passed when I did

continued. I screamed, clutching the bedpost as I pushed. My body shook as if it would break; the pain was unbearable, too much to endure. Even though I had kno

night, for them to be

llow me to hear the lively cries of each child I carried in my womb. It was

gled, my strength fading. The only thing keeping me consc

lieved it was too late, I heard the sound I had longed for. It was as if the pain vanished along with

ding, as I reached out to hold him. And when he was placed i

althy. My baby was alive, and he was strong-a beautifu

es opened and then met mine. In that instant, he stopped cr

iced before, maybe because of the euphoria. Looking around again, more carefully, I saw the shocked expressions on everyone's faces-

a trembling voice, as if the words had scratched his throat. He turned to me, and then I felt it-the pain. It ha

with all my might for everything to be alright, for her to heal me and allow me the joy of living with this blessed little being.

rateful for your sacrifice," he said, bowing his head, as d

I demanded, outraged, still not u

? This had to be a

eturn my baby and I strug

One of the midwives held me up, preventing me from collapsing to the floor from weaknes

wouldn't s

waiting for my baby, but everything went quiet. It was as if I no longer had a voice there. They only looked at me as if

taken from my arms, he

saw Lindsey Ingraf, one of the Count's daughters, from the estate where I grew up. She was well-dressed, in an expensive, luxurious gown encrus

a way that, if I didn't know them bett

hinking maybe it was all just delusions of my fertile mind. B

the door, as surprised as I was, bowing deeply and holdi

e baby into his arms. As for me, it was as if I were invisible, just another ob

poke, clinging to Adiel's arm. She looked straig

y strength slipping away, my legs growing weaker, and my vision blurring. "Wh

d something between them, it had to be my mind

ady been informed of your condition... Unfortunately... there's nothing we can do..." He continued, shifting

a spear pierced through me, dragging

I repeated his words,

er, and I collapsed back onto the bed, into th

pull it off... I was tired of waiting, tired of hearing your complaints, your excuses. At least this time, you s

d finish the sentence, Adiel cut me o

diel said, with all the authority he had, as if he didn't

t the dinners and the balls... you said it..." I felt the

ving an empire and an emperor I thought

didn't love me, he

darkness, and everything I thought

of giving me a farewell kiss, she whispered in my ear, "If it weren't for your lineage... if it weren't for your damned golden blood, I would be the mother

d tears out her throat. I should have known-all those cursed pieces of advice, all those o

would grant me another chance, I wo