Bremira remembered the day she met Samuel. How could she have ever forgotten one of the worst days of her life?
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In grandma June's final days she told Bremira that when she was gone to lift the creaky floorboard at the end of her bed and get the papers she had written for her to read about her parents and her tumultuous past. After her passing, she mourned for weeks. she would sit by the floorboard day after day, but couldn't bring herself to do it. She was afraid, afraid of what had happened.
Eventually, the anxiety became to all consuming and she went to her grandma's room and lifted the floorboard revealing a box. There wasn't anything special about it, just a small box. But she sat for a while just staring at it, it was her monster, and she knew she had to conquer it. Slowly, with shaky hands, she lifted the box out of it's hiding place and held it before taking a deep breath and lifting the lid. Inside were countless papers. It was an early grey morning and she hadn't gotten any sleep that night making it very hard to focus on just one part. The papers started off with who her parents were.
"Your father's name was Rone, and your mothers, Edna. Rone and Edna Storm. They met when your mother was delivering ingredients at the palace to your father. Your father bumped into her in the hallway. Your mother wasn't allowed in the castle hallways but she had been waiting so long for your father that she went to go look for someone to give the ingredients to. Your father was running late to meet her and ended up knocking all of the ingredients out of her arms. He rushed to help her pick them up while apologizing profusely. Unfortunately, two officials from the palace could be heard headed their way. Your father rushed into a closet with her knowing she'd be in trouble if caught. The officials stopped and decided to talk right in front of their hiding place! Your mother was thoroughly angry at the whole situation. Your dad being the kind soul he was felt bad. While they waited he mocked the two boring officials talking about the politics of the kingdom outside, whispered jokes and made funny faces. Your mother eventually warmed up to him and started making jokes with him. Once the officials left and they got out of the closet your father asked if they could see each other again. Your mother wasn't the type that would usually accept those type of offers from men but she must have seen something in my son because they got married after a year.
They were a perfect fit for each other, those two. Your dad always cracked jokes and no matter how bad the situation they got into they always managed to make your mother smile. Enda your mother was the sweetest. She would volunteer at the library and read books to the children there and she'd always come by my house and help me bake. Your mother was also a beautiful singer.
Your dad who was a chef at the palace wanted to open a restaurant someday and have your mother sing there. That was their goal."
With each word, Bremira loved them more and she felt a warmness growing in her chest. She found herself laughing at her goofy dad and longing for her kind mom. She could almost imagine them standing in the room with her.
She went to the next paper that was titled "Baby Bremira"
"I wonder who that is? I can't remember knowing anyone named Bremira." She thought to herself.
"You were a bit of a surprise to your parents. But a welcomed surprise none the less. When you were born they loved you with every ounce of their being. Your mother started writing stories that she could read to you before you were even born, your dad designed your room all on his own, he crafted toys and stuffed animals for you as well. When you were finally born they were so excited. They bragged about you to everyone. When you'd start crying they would both make goofy faces at you and you'd stop. They brought you over to me and all three of us would talk and spend time together. I'd tell you all stories of the humans and teach your parents the language; Advich. just like I taught you. Your interest in humans must have been genetic haha!"
This hurt. She had been alive but couldn't remember that love. She closed her eyes for a moment desperately trying to remember the warmth of her parents, holding her, taking care of her. Nothing. She began reading again, she read something that made her heart stop.
"Now, this is going to be hard for you. This is the beginning of the hardest things I'm going to have to write to you and I have to ask that you forgive me for not telling you the truth for so long. When you were born your parents didn't name you Rina, they both wanted to name you something different, your father wanted to name you Brem and your mother Mira. They ended up deciding on a combination of Bremira. Your name is Bremira."
Her name wasn't Rina. The name she grew up with wasn't her name.
Her mind went blank. Why had her grandma lied? She said her true name out loud "Bremira" her voice was hoarse and cracked. She hadn't spoken to anyone in weeks. She hadn't done anything but cry. Even now she felt like she was on the verge again but she squeezed her eye's shut and tried to suppress her emotions. She began to furiously read through the remaining papers for answers.
"Our king, Zepher, was never the best of kings. In fact, he was highly superstitious and based a lot of his decisions off that superstition of his. His paranoia rubbed off on the whole kingdom and they started believing everything he said. He ended up hiring a prophet. I personally believe the prophet had a lot of luck with his predictions but that's all it was. One day the prophet came up with a prophecy so horrible that out paranoid king bought into it. The prophecy said that someone with red hair would lead this whole kingdom into an unwinnable war."
Bremira began shaking realizing all of a sudden why her grandma always had her dye her hair. Why she changed her name. Bremira had been living in hiding for years without realizing it. Granda June and would be horrified if any of her red hair showed in public, why she'd hear her grandma sometimes almost call her a different name. All of it started making sense and that's what truly terrified her.
"The king believed all of it. He didn't tell the original prophecy to the public. He twisted it, he told them all that the prophet said that all redheads must be taught under the prophet in secrecy for the rest of their days because one day they will lead the kingdom to a great future.
He lied.
There weren't any adult redheads, just a few children. He ordered that they are brought to the kingdom. All the parents gladly did so. Then he ordered the chefs to cook them a grande meal but to poison the food. The king explained his reasoning and all of them listened. All except your father. He couldn't hurt a fly let alone kill children. He asked to be dismissed. The king let him but threaten to kill his family if he ever told anyone the truth."
Bremira felt so incredibly sick and light headed. She almost though this had to be some kind of practical joke by her grandmother, a final joke, and not a good one. this was insane to her.
"Once your father got home he told Edna and they brought you to me. At first, I thought they were just coming over for a visit. But your mother was sobbing and your fathers looked like he had been as well. I asked them what was going on and they explained what had happened with the king. I nearly passed out from the news. Those poor children had all died and now they were coming after my Bremira, you, my sweet granddaughter. They asked me to keep you safe, to change your name and dye your hair. That they were going to wrap up a small bag of flower and get the guards attention and fly off into the desert making them think they still had you with them. Everyone knew they had a red-haired child, it was only a matter of time. This was all too much for me but I accepted. I had to, to protect you. They help you and whispered their goodbyes, I hugged them and wished them the best of luck to whatever they find out there."
By now tears were flowing out and Bremira only realized it after tears hit the paper. Her face was hot with anger and her mind was filled with unanswered questions, and there was only a page left. her questions couldn't even fit on 10 pages so she knew she would be left wandering in her thoughts. Still, she read on.
"The next day I got news that a man and woman stole the kinds crowned jewels from the palace were shot down over the land of thorns and died. That they tried to escape into the desert with the jewels and their baby. At that moment I knew my son and daughter in law hadn't made it. They were falsely accused, their names forever tainted as criminals. For days I had to hear people talk badly about them and it broke my heart.
When people asked about you I told them that I adopted you as my apprentice to someday take over the shop and be the new herbalist. I passed you off as Rina."
The final words addressed her directly from her grandma.
Love, I am so sorry I hid this from you. It is definitely not something you could have handled as a little girl. I didn't want to give you that burden. What they did to your parents would have been too much for you as it was too much for me when it happened. I almost couldn't handle the pain of losing my daughter and son in law. I almost took my life the night I found out. The only thing that kept me going back then was the way you smiled and laughed. when I was crying on the floor broken that night I heard you, your voice and I went to your side, picked you up and held you all night long singing to you. Telling you stories of your parents. You are my light. I'm glad I didn't take my life back then. Living my life with you by my side was my purpose in life, it was a blessing from God. Now you must find your purpose. Rina, no. Bremira, you will always be my little girl.
Love of mine, oh sweet love of mine
it will rain and it will shine
be the rainbow after the storm
oh, my sweet Bremira Storm.
And just like that, there was nothing left. Nothing left to gain, nothing new to learn. No more love to feel. Her slowly healing wound was wrenched open into a bigger one then there was before. Tears blurred out the words on the thin papers Bremira clutched tightly. The papers were light but felt like a growing weight in her small hands. She wanted to toss them to the floor and deny the truth that they held.
Emotions swirled inside of her. Anger, betrayal, hate, love, loss... But the most prominent was the burning pain. It stole her breath and blinded her with tears. muffled her hearing. She felt immobile. How could one person lose so much all at once over again? This isn't fair, this wasn't. Bremira is alone now, completely alone. She slowly stood up and almost immediately fell back down. She felt the toll of having sat for hours on her tried legs as they almost buckled beneath her. Reality was a sickening feeling, god how she hated it right now. Hate. This wouldn't have happened if that king Hadn't believed the nonsense of some self-proclaimed "prophet". Hate. Her parents would be alive still. Hate. Maybe even grandma would be too. Hate.
She was headed for the front door, the papers had fallen to the floor now and a dark feeling clouded her logic. She was alone now. She had lost everyone because of him. That "King".
I don't want to live. I can't, not without them. Damn the people who took them away from me!
That was the breaking point. She threw her door open and shot out. Her hair whipped in the wind and her weak body filled with the adrenaline and panic of this new feeling. She wanted to leave. This whole damn kingdom was stained with the blood of children and her parents. She flew not knowing where she was going. She flew with the red roots of her hair showing, not caring who sees.
She flew for miles and miles sobbing. She flew past the boundaries that the citizens weren't to go past just like her parents had. She flew over an empty field for what felt like an eternity. She began to come down from her adrenaline and her weakness with it returned. Her wings began to give out. The next second she was falling, her conscious slipping. She crashed near a lone tree her body hitting the ground like a rag doll.
She lay still, silence all around her. Was this where she was going to die?
It's sprinkling.
That was her last thought and the silhouette of a person standing above her was the last thing she saw before she fell unconscious.
ns 15.158.61.37da2
