(Aziel)

(19 years ago)

"Aziel, we are having very important guests today. Let’s be on our best behaviour," Mom kindly said, fixing my shirt.

Heartily, I nodded. She moved away to check on Amaia and ensure she was fed before the guests arrived.

I trotted over to the window and stared outside when I heard the hooves’ of horses clip-clopping against the street. A black and gold carriage came to a halt just outside our door. A sentinel stepped down and opened the carriage door.

An elegant-looking woman with stylish black hair curled to rest on her shoulders stepped out, followed by a boy who appeared to be a couple of years older than me.

The guard knocked on the door and Mom rushed out with Amaia in her arms.

"Come, Aziel. They are here, we must welcome them."

I obeyed without any objection and stood behind her. She opened the door, fixing a smile on her face.

"Your majesty, what an honour. Please," mom delightfully said. She was genuinely pleased to have them. I could tell from her voice.

Both of them entered our home. The guard closed the door behind them and stayed outside

"Thank you for having us, Menerla and please it should always be Adrnia for you." The woman held my mom’s shoulders and kissed the air on both sides of her cheeks and then focused on Amaia.

"Aww, look at these cheeks and curls. She is such a beauty." She took Amaia from my mom’s arms and held her.

"She is," Mom proudly said and ushered me forward as the woman kissed Amaia’s chubby cheeks.

"And you know my son, Aziel." I respectfully stood in front of my mom with my hands clasped.

"What a gentleman. How he has grown up. Last time I saw him, he was just a toddler," she exclaimed, extending her hand towards me.

I shook it. "Hello, nice to meet you."

She turned towards her son. He resembled her in features, hair colour and eye colour.

"This is my son, Rigel." The boy who had been adorably staring at Amaia, playing with her cheeks, confidently presented me with his hand.

"Hi! Glad to meet you, Aziel."

I shook his extended hand with a smile. "Likewise."

"Why don’t you take Rigel to your room and show him your toys," Mom softly suggested.

My heart danced with excitement. "Sure."

Rigel turned to my mother and gently asked, pointing towards Amaia. "Can I take her too?"

"Of course! She loves to play but be careful she can sometimes give accidental currents," Mom apologetically said.

"Oops! Our little Fae already has powers," the woman delightfully said, placing a kiss on Amaia’s cheek, making my sister cackle.

"That terrifies me," Mom answered, while Rigel took Amaia from his mother’s arms.

"You are such a cutie baby." He pressed his index finger against her chubby nose and Amaia cackled, catching his finger with her tiny hands.

We began to walk towards my room, leaving our mothers behind.

"How old is she?" Rigel asked.

"One but she is smarter for her age. No one has powers so young." I opened the door of my room and took him inside.

"I can tell."

"Aaazzaa!" Amaia happily clapped her hands together. We sat her with us on the mat below. She always called me Aaza.

I handed her one of her toy teddy bears and she began to play with it. She loved stuffed toys but not dolls.

Rigel finally tore his happy eyes away from Amaia and looked at me.

"So, do you have wings? I have heard Faes have wings," Rigel excitedly asked. He had such intense blue eyes, but they held kindness, not pride.

"I do but mom said I am not to show them to anyone or flaunt them around."

Rigel sadly nodded. "I understand. We must always listen to our mothers. They know better."

I agreed. Amaia grabbed Rigel’s arm and began to bang the teddy bear there. He laughed seeing her like that.

"She likes you and wants to play with you," I told him.

"I have twin brothers as well. They are two years old. They love playing with me too." Rigel took the teddy bear from her and playfully tickled her with it.

Amaia heartily giggled, her cheeks puffed out.

"Do you want to see my drawings?" I asked Rigel.

"Sure." He was grinning at Amaia.

"I will get them." They were in mom’s room since I had been showing her.

Leaving my room, I was about to get them when I heard my mom’s worried voice.

"The situation is getting worse even in Tarathia. I thought we would be safe here."

The woman spoke. "You are safe. I won’t let anything happen to you or your children. I promised Xamian and I will keep it. No one knows about you. Not even my husband and his first wife and no one ever will."

My feet wouldn’t move as I remained glued there, hearing what they were discussing.

My mom sniffled. "Amaia’s powers showed up this early. I always had this fear and it came true. Only the most powerful receive their powers as children. They will come for us, for her."

"They won’t. I have prepared the charmed necklaces for your children. They will mask their appearance and keep their powers contained, just in case. Here." The woman extended two chained necklaces towards my mom and she took them with gratitude.

"Thank you for this kindness. You travelled all the way from Orion just for us. I can never forget that."

"A promise is a promise. I couldn’t be with Hathial, we weren’t meant to be, at least you got to be with Xamian. And one day both of you will be reunited. We are working to make this world safe for Faes again. You will return to your kingdom and there won’t be any hiding." The woman appeared so sure with her words. There was just something very comforting about her voice.

At that moment I hadn’t even imagined that years later I would meet the same woman but under drastically different conditions.