It felt as If I was floating as I realized that I was back in that magical place where I last saw my mother. Only it was very different this time, I wasn't standing on a floating bridge surrounded by water. I was standing on a balcony barefoot, the floor was cold and the palms of my hands were gently touching the railing. Beautiful green vines with little pink and purple flowers had crawled up the side of the wall and wrapped around the individual twisted metal poles connected to the railing.
"They're beautiful this time of year, aren't they?" A female voice behind me said.
"Mother, it's been a few minutes since we talked last," I said while turning around.
"I didn't expect you back so soon after our last talk, is something troubling you?" She said.
"Is it true?... The story about you and Kobe?" I asked.
"Kobe... how? huh, Simon told you, I was in love with Simon's son... you are Kobe's daughter... Once I was married to the king and the Emerald Kingdom fell, I realized just how much I wanted to go back and change everything, to say yes when Kobe asked me to marry him... walk with me, I will try to answer any questions you might have," She said.
We started to walk down a short hallway, toward a doorway to a long suspension bridge above the crystal-clear water. We stopped walking in the middle of the bridge and so mother could watch the sunrise.
"Unlike the king your father was a true man who respected the people around him, he trusted them and they trusted him, he was skilled too in farming, carpentry, poetry, pottery, woodwork, and so much more. He was always so kind and caring to everyone he had ever met... He would never forget a name or a face," She said, a tear formed in her eye as she spoke.
"Simon said that the king finds out about you and him, how?" I asked.
"He stayed up one night and caught me sneaking out, he had a guard follow me and report what everything I did back to him... that was the same day I told him I was pregnant again," She said.
"He also mentioned that Kobe managed to escape... Do you think he's still alive? Would I be able to meet him one day?" I said.
"I very much do believe that he lives to this day, sweetheart I must ask you to stay with Simon for as long as you possibly can, you're safer when you're by his side," She said.
"I wasn't planning to leave his side, after all, he has stories of when you were a kid and I really would like to know what happened the time you touched mud for the first time... he was almost laughing when he mentioned that one," I said.
"That's a story I am not going to tell you and I hope he doesn't tell you, both your father and I agreed that story would stay between us," She said.
"Fine, I will just have to hear it from Simon then," I said.
"I was good friends with your grandmother, she was my bodyguard *Sighs* She told me once that she wanted to pass her blades down to her future grandchild someday, I wish I could see her face knowing that her dream came true," She said.
"KRISTY!" A faint male voice that sounded like Simon said.
"Sweetheart It's time to wake up, now!" Mother said.
Continuing to hear a faint voice calling my name in a panic, I took a quick look at my mother, there was no time for goodbyes. I grabbed the railing and threw myself over the side, I could hear my mother gasp as I hit the water with great force.