The Blind Witch
Chapter 9

The darkness may seem like a destructive force, but things survive in it. Histories survive. Listen. They are out there, speaking to you.

Several weeks pass at Haerford Palace. Clarissa spent much of her time training with either Lydia or Vi. When with Lydia, she focused on her sight. She was learning to distinguish individual people based on how their auras reacted. She still needed to practice with feeling sensations, though. It was hard for her to notice the subtle changes in the air when the fire magic within her kept her warm.

When she was with Sister Vi, she practiced fighting. Clarissa quickly grew better at using a sword. But she struggled with hand-to-hand combat. When no magic was being used, she could not see when to dodge hits. No matter how much she tried, she always needed to use magic. She was handicapped without it. No matter how much Aiden wanted to assure her that it was okay, she would leave training disappointed.

Something inside Clarissa pushed her to train harder. Feelings of dread, feelings of guilt. Perhaps she could have saved her parents if she had been allowed to use magic. Maybe she could have learned more about the world if she had not been hidden away. Children were not meant to be kept inside all the time.

Why? Why did her parents hide her? Was it her that they were hiding? Or was it the world they were hiding from her? A tear slipped down her cheek as she swung the wooden sword in her hands. It hit against a tree, causing her hands to reverberate from the impact.

She had always known she was different, but she hadn’t realized how different she was until she came to Haerford. She knew she was blind. She knew her eyes were black. But she had not realized that only she and Lydia were like this. Perhaps her parents did hide the world from her. Maybe she was dangerous, but they loved her too much to kill her. Clarissa gritted her teeth and hit the tree again. She could hear the bark breaking against her sword.

Aiden walked up to her, watching her aggressively hit the tree. He could hear her grunts, and he could tell she was upset. But he watched her quietly. Though she was angry, her form was immaculate. Her footing was firm and confident. Her swings were powerful, and her arms were steady. She would swing the sword over her head, twisting her wrists before hitting the tree again.

Aiden looked around and sniffed the air. He could not see Victor, but he could smell him. He was lurking in the shadows somewhere. With a deep breath, Aiden walked up closer to Clarissa.

“Issa,” he said gently. “Today is meant to be a rest day. Your muscles need time to relax and mend after your training days.”

“Mend from what?” She snapped. She looked over her shoulder at him. “I’m not getting any better. What could I need rest from if I’m not improving?”

“You pushing yourself is reason enough for a rest,” he asserted as he gently took the sword from her hands. “You will get to where you want to be. But it takes time, Issa. No one becomes strong within the first few days.”

“But I need to get strong.” She insisted.

“No, you don't.” He argued. “I am here to protect you. There are so many people here that would defend you.”

“And what if you aren’t here?” She questioned. “You and everyone else treat me like a delicate flower. As if I am fragile. Everyone but Victor! I push myself because I don’t want to be in a situation where I am helpless. I don’t want to regret not trying.”

Tears began to fall down her cheeks—tears of anger, of regret, of sadness. Aiden reached up and wiped the drops away with his thumb.

“Issa,” he whispered. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel inferior. I truly do not mean to. If you think you need to train more, then I’ll help you.”

She nodded her head slowly. The sun was shining down on them; it made the red of her hair stand out like a beacon. He brushed strands from her face and tucked them behind her ears.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?” He asked as he smiled.

“Do you think you would like me without there being a mate bond?” She blurted out. “Would you still find me beautiful?”

“Why do you ask?” Aiden queried. He was taken aback by her words. To him, there would be no question about it. She stood out in the best of ways. Everything about her was unique. Mate or not, she was perfect in every way.

“Well, I don’t know what I look like,” she said as she fumbled with her hands. “Some of the human servants who wait on me were talking about finding husbands, and some were saying they weren’t pretty enough...”

“Did they say you weren’t pretty?” He growled as he cupped her face.

“No! I swear, I was just overhearing them talk amongst themselves,” she replied quickly. “But it made me curious. And then you always say that I am beautiful. It isn't that I don't believe you, but I think the mate bond may force you to love me, even if I have imperfections.”

“You are a gorgeous woman,” Aiden said as his thumbs rubbed against her cheeks. “Your skin is fair, with no blemish that I can see. Your hair is bright like fire, and it lays in waves down your back. You are kind and thoughtful, even when others are indifferent towards you. And you’re smart; you are so brilliant. You just don’t realize it.”

“So you would still love me?”

“Yes,” he chuckled. “I would still love you. Even if you had blemishes or dull hair, I’d still love you.”

Aiden leaned down and kissed her gently. He continued to hold her face, keeping her lips against his. But she didn’t fight him. Her hands went up to his chest, leaning in against him. He smiled as he pulled away.

“Does that answer your question?” He asked. Aiden watched as she blushed a deep red. He took that as a sign of her answer. He took her hand and led her to a bench.

“What does it feel like to shift?” She asked as she sat down.

“The shift breaks and rebuilds your bones. It is quite painful.” He answered as he joined her. “But it also feels surreal. It is different once you are in your wolf form. You are more aware of your surroundings. Your senses are more sensitive. If you hide out here in the gardens, the moment I become Cyrus, your scent leaves a trail in his mind. It is invisible, but something in him can visualize it.”

“Would you have wished me to be a wolf like you?”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “I would not change a thing about you. Neither your powers nor your sight deter me. I only wish that you could have met my parents.”

“What happened to them?” She inquired softly.

“Almost six years ago, a group of vampires and a few rogue witches attacked the palace.” He explained as he scowled. He took his arm from around her and clasped his hands together. “Some of them went into their room and killed them in their sleep. I don’t even think they had a chance to fight back. A shadow witch, much like Victor, came into my room. They tried to kill me, but Lady Ophelia came in and saved me.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” she murmured. She placed her hand on his arm.

“It wasn’t just my parents who died,” he continued. “Many guards and servants were murdered. My aunt was killed as well. My uncle was able to fend off the witch who was attacking him, but not before she put a curse on him. It is slowly killing him. Lady Ophelia is the only reason he is still alive.”

“But only barely,” a voice said from behind them. Aiden turned his head and saw Ophelia. She sat down beside Clarissa. “No amount of healing will get the curse out of his veins.”

“Like a toxin?” Clarissa asked.

“Yes, like a toxin.” Ophelia nodded solemnly. “All any of us can do is draw the toxin away from his heart and lungs. It just staves off death for a little while. But eventually, he won’t even be able to handle being healed.”

“Is King Azrael your only remaining child?” Clarissa questioned softly.

“No,” Ophelia sighed. “But he is my last remaining child from his father, Damien. I have another child from a previous relationship with a human. Her name is Sybil.”

“I’m sorry,” Clarissa whispered.

“I knew I’d outlive both of my sons or any children I had with Damien,” Ophelia explained sadly. “I just wish I could have had more time.”

“How did you and the previous King end up together?” Clarissa asked with a gentle smile. “Aiden told me you have been an advisor to the King of Kings for a long time.”

“That I have,” Ophelia chuckled slightly. “I was the advisor for Damien’s father. He was only two when I started. He was a cute baby. But he was a handful for his mother.”

“But when there was something he wanted, he would fight tooth and nail to get it.” She continued. “When he was eight years old, he approached me and told me he would make me his queen. I thought he was joking at the time. I remember crouching down and stroking his chubby cheek. Little did I know that he would pursue me.”

“He would bring me flowers, always find reasons to be near me, and more. At first it was cute, but I won’t lie, I was annoyed by him after awhile. My first partner had died, and I took it hard. I didn’t want to love someone else who wasn’t a witch, someone who would die before me.”

“But then I heard he rejected his fated mate: a human girl,” Ophelia said angrily as she clenched her fists. “He had the chance to love someone, one that would be all his. Not one with a dead partner and a child. But no. He rejected the poor girl. I was so angry when he told me. I yelled at him, called him a fool.”

“What made you change your mind?” Clarissa inquired.

“I was set to return to the Lode Star upon his father’s death. I was to go and become the high priestess. Damien knew this. So, he got help from Sybil, my daughter. She was more than happy to help him make me fall in love with him.” Ophelia scowled. But she was smiling. It had been some time since she told anyone the story of her and Damien. And if there was anyone who needed to hear of her past, it was Aiden and Clarissa.

“She taught him how to make my favorite dessert: iced currant cookies. He made them for me, much to my surprise.” Ophelia reminisced as she laughed out loud. “I didn’t have the heart to ever tell him, but they weren’t good. They were slightly burnt, and it made them bitter. But I ate every last one of them. It has been probably 30 years since I last had some. I miss them... I miss him dearly.”

“Do you think you’ll ever love anyone else?”

“I hope not,” she answered, looking down at her hands. “I’ve been with two wonderful men in my life. I’ve had children with each. I have a grandson. And perhaps in several years, I shall have great-grandchildren.”

Clarissa could feel her cheeks grow hot, and she covered her face. Even Aiden blushed and looked away. Ophelia chuckled as she stood from the bench.

“It was good to talk to you, children,” she smiled as she looked up to the sky. The sun was shining, but clouds were in the distance. “In time, I hope to pass on more of my stories and the histories of others. But, I shall leave you two to enjoy the weather. It looks like it shall storm tonight. Good day.”

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