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"I grew up on a farm in a world where we have no magic. I was pulled here by the king and the Bishop. I was told that I had to perform a ceremony or I would die. That was apparently my wedding. Then I was…” She paused, unable to speak of Cara.
Wren studiously stared at the fire, wishing she could throw all the painful memories into it and be rid of them as the words came tumbling from her. "For a while, I didn't hate it here. I had Sophie, and you, and even Kai…” She took a deep breath. "No one knew why I was brought here except the king and the Bishop, and they have shared nothing of their plans. Then a woman in the village told us something."
She paused unsure whether she was more nervous that he would not believe her or that he would. Wesley only watched her, waiting patiently. She breathed deeply. "I suppose I have missed something important." She undid the link from her finger and rolled up her sleeve exposing the tattoo on her wrist.
Wesley leaned over and ran his finger across it sending a shiver through her despite the dried tears on her cheeks. He did not let go of her wrist when he said, "What is it?"
She shrugged. "I am not sure, it appeared one night after I had a dream about my past, and apparently used magic to throw a vase at Malaki."
He looked at her then and laughed, still holding her wrist in his hands.
"You think I lie to you?" she said disappointed, but not surprised.
It took a moment for him to regain his composure, but when he did he said, "Gods, no! I am just enjoying imagining you throwing a vase at him, whether it was magic or not." He laughed again and the sound was entirely wholesome. "You'll have to forgive me this petty indulgence."
When he was quite finished she continued, "A woman in the village saw me and knew I wasn't from this world. She told us of a prophecy,
For her weakness for humanity
She was thrown from above
Cursed with a life of mortality
The price to be love
She said that there is another part of it that is unknown to her, but that it's meaning is that…”
She breathed deeply, finding that she could not say the words aloud.
Wesley moved his hands from where he was holding her wrist to take her hand in his. "Wren, you can tell me. I would never use any of this to hurt you."
She was surprised to hear eagerness in his voice and wondered how he was taking all of this so well. She supposed it was a testament to his character that he so readily accepted her.
Even if he had accepted her truth up until this point, his graciousness might end with the final revelation. "I am worried that you won't believe me because I don't even believe it. And I'm worried you will…I am worried."
He freed one hand placing it on her cheek and she found herself bending into it. "I don't have the right words to explain, Wren. I've never been so unsure and sure of something in my life. You consume my thoughts and when you are present, I find I forget everything and everyone else. I don't know if it's because of whatever you are afraid to tell me or if this is just my own curse to want what I cannot have. Either way, you shouldn't be worried."
Wren closed her eyes, leaning into the warmth of his hand as his finger caressed her cheek. "She said I was the goddess Serephina reborn and the magic of the land is flowing back into me, but also that I am helping the land. She said that if the magic were to leave the land though, if I took it all, that Valmere would not be safe from the gods."
Wesley leaned back removing his warmth from her. He didn't say anything for a long time until he said, "Serephina was made mortal at the beginning of Valmere."
"Apparently she was cursed to be reborn as a mortal throughout time," replied Wren.
"You were cursed," he corrected, and her heart both fell and rose at his validation.
"It's rather hard to think of myself as her since I have no recollection of her life," murmured Wren.
"What was the dream you had when your mark appeared," he asked.
"I dreamt that I was with my parents and we were happy. That we lived in a home in the mountains. I was taken by a man I called Uncle and my parents were sad, but it was like they expected it. The thing is though that I don't have a lot of memories of my parents so I don't know if that was truly them, but the man at the door was not my Uncle that I have lived with all my life," she finished, realizing she had not taken the time to truly think about the dream. She had had difficulty remembering it for days after it had occurred, but through the fog she was able to make out some details.
"Lucius cursed Serephina to save her—you, I mean," pondered Wesley. "Without it, her siblings would have killed her as punishment. Gods, I meanyou."
"It would be better for me if we refer to Serephina as her and not myself," offered Wren.
Wesley nodded. "She was mortal though, they could have killed her. Or did the protection she gave the land protect her as well?"
He stood up and began pacing. "But the prophecy speaks of an end to the curse. An end to her mortal life." He looked at her then and his brows furrowed. "An end meaning she could regain immortality or she would no longer be reborn?"
