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Lucina
I flew swiftly through the night air, the grand, unfamiliar mansion looming beneath me like a silent predator. My little bird heart thudded in a frantic rhythm, equal parts panic and urgency pushing me forward. Every shadow seemed alive, every flicker of candlelight through the windows a possible threat.
Perching precariously on a stone railing outside a large, glass-paned door, I peered inside. A woman stood there, motionless, as if sensing my presence. "WHO'S SHE?" I wondered, tilting my tiny head. Her long, pale blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, and the deep red of her gown made her seem like a flame against the dark interior. There was an intensity in her eyes—sharp, calculating—that made the feathers on my back bristle.
I studied her carefully. "If you overlook her hair color and makeup… she looks just like I do." The resemblance was uncanny. Every tilt of her head, every slight frown mirrored me almost perfectly. My tiny mind raced. "She also seems to know I…" A shiver ran down my wings. Whoever she was, she was tied to me somehow—connected to my identity in a way I couldn't yet comprehend.
A cold knot of fear settled in my chest. "I'M NOT SURE WHY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE I'LL BE IN TROUBLE IF I GET CAUGHT BY HER." The instinct to flee took over. I flapped my wings desperately, lifting into the cold night air. FLAP FLAP.
Suddenly, the door swung open with a loud SWING, and the woman stepped onto the balcony. Her gaze swept the empty stone railing, piercing, calculating. "HUH?" she murmured, her voice low and sharp.
SWISH! Something shot past my tail feathers—perhaps a glove, perhaps a flash of magic. "THAT WAS CLOSE!" I banked sharply, barely dodging the attack. My heart hammered as adrenaline surged through every feather. I couldn't linger here, not even for a moment.
"I HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE TAYAR KINGDOM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE." I pushed my wings harder, flapping into the darkness with all the speed I could muster.
Behind me, I heard a faint sigh. The woman's posture softened for a moment, a fleeting shadow of doubt crossing her sharp features. "I MUST'VE IMAGINED IT," she whispered, retreating back inside. The danger hadn't passed entirely, but it had given me a small, temporary reprieve. FLAP FLAP—I kept moving, the night swallowing me whole.
A few days later, I arrived back in the luminous city of the Tayar Kingdom. The sun poured over the golden domes, bathing the streets in warmth that somehow felt alien after the cold terror of the mansion. I hurried to my chambers, my mind a whirlwind of fear, confusion, and frantic questions.
I found myself seated on the soft bed, dressed in a gentle, light-blue gown. My own reflection stared back at me from the polished mirror—silver hair cascading down my back, eyes wide and misty, lips parted in silent shock. Everything felt wrong, as if the world had shifted while I was away. My hands trembled, clutching at the folds of my gown, trying to anchor myself to reality.
"WHAT'S ALL THIS?" I whispered, my voice shaking. My heart thudded painfully against my chest. The room, once familiar, now seemed strange and distant. Every corner held shadows, every sound felt heavier. Confusion coiled in my stomach like a restless serpent. I was back in my kingdom, yet nothing felt like it had before.
---
I stared at the mountain of wooden blocks, rattles, and soft toys covering the table, my fingers tracing the edges of a small painted train. My husband, Hakan, beamed at me, the sunlight streaming through the window catching on his muscular chest and tattooed arms as he held me close. His joy was palpable, radiating warmth and safety.
"THESE ARE ALL TOYS FOR WHEN OUR BABY ARRIVES," he announced proudly, his voice brimming with pride and excitement.
I bit my lip, cheeks warming. "BUT… WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHILD," I whispered, my words small against his booming enthusiasm. "THIS IS FAR TOO MUCH."
Hakan laughed, a rich, hearty sound, and pulled me closer, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. "HAHA. IT'S BETTER THAN NOT HAVING ENOUGH. IF THERE ARE TOO MANY, WE CAN ALWAYS KEEP THEM FOR WHEN WE HAVE ANOTHER CHILD."
I blinked in surprise, my eyes searching his for a hint of jest. "ANOTHER CHILD?"
He nodded, a knowing look softening his features. "IF YOUR BODY CAN HANDLE IT, I'D LIKE TO HAVE ONE MORE CHILD. IT BRINGS ME JOY TO IMAGINE HAVING CHILDREN WHO LOOK LIKE US."
A smile tugged at my lips despite the blush creeping up my neck. I leaned into his strength, imagining a home filled with laughter and tiny footsteps. "HAKAN… I FEEL THE SAME WAY. IT WOULD BE LOVELY TO SEE THEM GETTING ALONG AS WELL."
A comfortable silence fell between us, broken only by the soft creak of the floorboards beneath his weight. Then, Hakan's hand tightened around mine, his gaze holding mine with a gravity that made my heart skip.
"I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL," he said, relief threading his words.
I swallowed, touched by the depth of his concern. "I'M GLAD BECAUSE IT MEANS YOU CAN GIVE BIRTH TO OUR CHILD WITHOUT EXPERIENCING PAIN OR RISKING YOUR LIFE," I said softly, adjusting the folds of my gown.
He shook his head gently, shadows flickering in his dark eyes. "NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY." He pulled me closer, his large hands cradling my face with careful reverence. "I WISH I HAD KNOWN SOONER… THAT YOU WERE THE GIRL WHO HEALED ME BACK IN BRION KINGDOM."
My breath caught. That secret—long buried—had been my burden alone. "IS THE POWER TO HEAL HIGHLY VALUED HERE, HAKAN? OF COURSE, BUT WHY DO YOU ASK? THEN… COULDN'T YOU HAVE BROUGHT ME HERE… WHEN YOU FIRST SAW ME?" My voice trembled, a mix of disbelief and lingering pain coloring each word.
Hakan's jaw tightened as memories flickered across his face. "I WISH I COULD'VE DONE THAT," he confessed, the raw ache in his voice laying bare his regret. "BUT AT THAT TIME, I THOUGHT YOU HAD A FAMILY WHO CARED ABOUT YOU… AND I DIDN'T WANT TO COMPLETELY CHANGE THE LIFE OF SOMEONE WHO HAD SAVED ME."
He pressed me into a fierce embrace, his voice dropping to a growl, dark with fury and sorrow. "HAD I KNOWN THAT THE BARON AND HIS WICKED FAMILY WERE TREATING YOU SO POORLY… I WOULD'VE PROTECTED YOU. I DIDN'T WANT TO REPAY YOUR KINDNESS WITH ILL WILL. THAT'S WHY I TOOK YOU BACK TO THE TOWN WELL. …IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR YOU, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RUN AWAY."
I pulled back slightly, my own expression shadowed by fresh hurt. "IF YOU HADN'T TAKEN ME BACK TO THE WELL, I WOULD'VE ESCAPED… AND I WOULDN'T HAVE ALMOST BEEN SOLD TO THE KING OF BRION," I murmured, the weight of past memories pressing down on me.
Hakan's face crumpled, a storm of regret and anguish crossing his features. "I'M SORRY, I," he stammered, brows furrowed with distress. "HOW CAN I MAKE YOU FORGIVE ME…"
Hakan's face was a mask of sheer agony. His large hands reached out to cup my cheek, thumb tracing the curve of my jaw, but they trembled with the weight of his guilt. Every line in his face told the story of a man tormented by the knowledge of my past, of the hardships I had endured at the hands of the Baron's family.
"I'M SORRY, I. HOW CAN I MAKE YOU FORGIVE ME..." he whispered again, his voice rough and low, barely more than a breath.
I looked at him, really looked at him—not the imposing, tattooed ruler of the Tayar Kingdom, but the man who carried the world's burdens on his shoulders. The past—the Baron's cruel plan to sell me to the King of Brion—was a scar that would never fully fade, yet here we were, in a chamber filled with light, warmth, and peace.
I let out a shaky sigh, placing my hand over his pounding heart beneath his chest. A small, watery laugh escaped me, not of mockery, but of release. "Hakan," I murmured softly, leaning my head against his shoulder. "The past is painful, yes. But it is past."
I could feel the tension in his muscles slowly ebbing as I spoke. "You thought you were doing the right thing. You thought I had a family who cared for me, and you were too honorable to take me away from them—even as thanks for healing you."
I pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, letting a genuine, calming smile soften my features. "If you had known… I know I WOULD'VE BEEN PROTECTED by you."
Every hardship, every misstep, had led me here—to this man, to this home, to our unborn child. "There is nothing to forgive," I said firmly. "The 'I' you left at the well that day… she had a difficult path, but she survived. She learned to be strong. And she is now here, with you, exactly where she belongs."
I wrapped my arms around his waist, feeling the familiar strength that had carried me through so many dark moments. "We are together. That is what matters. And soon, we will hold OUR BABY." My hand gestured toward the pile of toys, a tangible symbol of our bright, shared future.
Hakan finally exhaled, releasing the breath he seemed to have been holding since the mention of the King of Brion. He embraced me with a power that shook us both, murmuring into my hair, "My I, I swear, I will spend the rest of my life making up for that mistake."
Pulling away slightly, he let a playful tone return to his voice, eyes lighting up as they landed on the stack of toys. "Now," he announced, "let's put these away properly. We need space for the crib. And maybe we should start thinking of names…"
A few days later, I was back at the beautiful palace in the Tayar Kingdom. I flew to the window of the familiar room and landed with a quiet TAP TAP. Inside, I held a book, a slight, knowing smile gracing my face. The confusion that had clouded me days earlier was gone, replaced by calm and purpose.
Suddenly, a little fairy-like creature, Puka, materialized with a cheerful POOF.
"Puka!" I greeted him warmly, holding out my hand as he hovered closer. "I haven't seen you for a few days. Did something happen?"
Puka flapped his tiny wings frantically, eyes wide. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" he yelled. "I thought I was going to die after I was chased by a flock of strange birds!"
I raised a surprised eyebrow. "Really? Did that happen near here?"
"No," Puka replied, shaking his head nervously, lowering his voice. "TO BE HONEST, I RECENTLY VISITED BRION KINGDOM."
My smile faltered. The name 'Brion' sent a cold shiver through me. "I saw something there, but I think I got caught…"
Puka's tiny body quivered with anxiety. "WHAT?" My voice tightened with fear. "WHAT DID YOU SEE? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU GOT CAUGHT?" I rushed toward him, panic creeping into every movement. "YOU'RE NOT GETTING INVOLVED IN ANYTHING DANGEROUS, ARE YOU? I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT FAIRIES, BUT WHAT IF YOU GET HURT?"
Frustrated, Puka covered his ears. "UGH, THERE YOU GO AGAIN! I CAN'T HEAL YOU RIGHT NOW!" He popped a tiny morsel of food into his mouth. "WHAT I SAW WAS… WELL, I'M NOT SURE IF I SHOULD TELL YOU THIS…"
My anxiety spiked. "WHY ARE YOU SO RELUCTANT TO TELL ME? WHAT DID YOU SEE?"
Puka took a deep breath, flicking his tiny feet in the air. "I SAW SOMEONE WHO LOOKED EXACTLY…"
"Puka!" I called, holding out my hand to the tiny fairy who had appeared in a sudden POOF. "I haven't seen you for a few days. Did something happen?"
Puka flapped his tiny wings frantically, his whole body vibrating with anxiety. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" he yelled. "I thought I was going to die after I was chased by a flock of strange birds!"
I blinked, offering him a piece of food, which he GRABbed greedily. "Really? Did that happen near here?"
"No," he said, shaking his head. "TO BE HONEST, I RECENTLY VISITED BRION KINGDOM."
My breath hitched. Brion. The name alone made a shiver run down my spine. "I SAW SOMETHING THERE, BUT I THINK I GOT CAUGHT," he added, his voice tight with nervous energy.
"WHAT?" My eyes widened in alarm. "WHAT DID YOU SEE? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU GOT CAUGHT? YOU'RE NOT GETTING INVOLVED IN ANYTHING DANGEROUS, ARE YOU? I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT FAIRIES, BUT WHAT IF YOU GET HURT?"
Frustrated, Puka covered his ears. "UGH, THERE YOU GO AGAIN! I CAN'T HEAL YOU RIGHT NOW!" He popped a tiny morsel of food into his mouth, chewing nervously. "WHAT I SAW WAS… WELL, I'M NOT SURE IF I SHOULD TELL YOU THIS..."
My anxiety spiked. "WHY ARE YOU SO RELUCTANT TO TELL ME? WHAT DID YOU SEE?" I demanded, pressing him as he nervously flicked his tiny feet.
Finally, he leaned forward to whisper into my ear: "I SAW SOMEONE WHO LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE YOU IN BARON VELK'S CASTLE."
My mind went blank. The memory of the blonde woman—the one the bird had seen at a distance—flashed through my thoughts. Her presence, commanding and confident, mirrored my own in an eerie way.
"She was acting like she owned the place," Puka continued, brow furrowed. "AND IT WAS ONLY FOR A SHORT MOMENT, BUT SHE BROUGHT UP YOUR NAME."
My hands began to shake, cold fear creeping up my arms. "No, I have no idea," I whispered, utterly bewildered. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO SHE COULD BE? LIKE A FAMILY MEMBER OR SOMETHING?"
"I was so shocked because I thought it was you for a moment," Puka insisted, waving his arms dramatically. "Yes, I'm sure of it. Are you certain that she looked just like me?"
I pressed my hands to my chest, my voice trembling. "FOR SOME REASON, I HAVE A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS. Even if it really is someone who looks like me… the Baron's wife would never let them inside the castle…"
Puka's small eyes widened with concern. "Are you all right?"
I forced a weak nod. "Y-YEAH."
"I left in a hurry because I had a bad feeling," Puka admitted, fluttering his wings. "Alright, see you later—"
"W-wait," I called, rushing to stop him. "Before you go… WHY DON'T YOU DISCUSS THIS WITH HAKAN JUST IN CASE?" I needed his insight on this strange, unnerving development.
Puka paused mid-air, hovering thoughtfully. "Was there anything that stood out about her? Or did she really look exactly like you?"
"HMM… WELL, THERE WAS ONE ASPECT OF HER APPEARANCE THAT WAS DIFFERENT," Puka said, frowning. "SHE HAD BLONDE HAIR."
Blonde hair. My heart skipped a beat. The bird's earlier sighting of the blonde woman suddenly made sense, pieces of the puzzle clicking together.
"WHAT—?! WAIT… COME TO THINK OF IT..." he gasped, pointing a tiny finger at me, eyes wide. "...YOU HAD BLONDE HAIR WHEN I FIRST MET YOU!"
I froze, the blood draining from my face. It was true. Before my hair had turned white, it had been blonde. The realization hit me like a shockwave: the woman in Brion wasn't just a look-alike—she looked exactly like my younger self. Was she a relative? A pawn? Or something far more dangerous?