Memories of the Dark: ''Under The Bridge"

Lianna Morris,

"It is so nice to be in your company with nice weather like this day." As the cold wind blew past me, I stretched my arms up.

"At times like these, I'd lay down in a field of flowers." Cedany smiled as she closed her eyes, feeling the wind.

We were quiet for a long time, just appreciating the weather. I looked at Cedany who seemed to be slowly getting sleepy. I'm glad that she's feeling comfortable around me, enough to let her guard down, and fall asleep.

"Do you think if you were born in a normal and loving environment, you would be happy right now?'' I asked Cedany who has her eyes closed.

"For me, I wouldn't want that. Because if the things that happened to me didn't occur, I wouldn't have met you. I would go through all those hardships all over again if it means that I'll get to be with you. So the answer is no, I wouldn't be happy." Cedany looked angelic laying in the field of grasses.

"When you're like that I can't help but get emotional, you know? You're making me sentimental and joyful at the same time. I'm glad that you're willing to go through everything again just to be with me." I held her hand and "I feel the same as you." smiled.

"Let's stay like this for a while." I nodded at Cedany's request.

When I get emotional I can't help but think of those people whom I've lost and who treated me with more warmth than my own family.

-Flashback-

I never felt motherly and fatherly love. It felt as if they were forced to be together because I was there, but if I weren't born, they would have decided to leave each other a long time ago.

My father came from a wealthy bloodline of mages. When you're from a bloodline of mages, it is required to marry someone who is also part of the bloodline of mages, or a wealthy noble. It has always been about the status for these kinds of people.

My mother on the other hand is a commoner's daughter, but her family have extreme religious beliefs. Her family have always been like this, from generation to generation they pass on these extreme beliefs. An ancestor of mine who miraculously survived a deadly situation told their family these unbelievable stories and they started to believe this person, that's how they ended up like this.

Sorcery and religion are always opposed to each other's beliefs and behaviours. They are both mortal enemies. My father met my mother because of a ruckus that happened between the opposing people of these beliefs. Both my mother and father felt infatuated as soon as they saw each other. Maybe it was love or lust? But either way, they committed a sin. Because they couldn't keep their hands off each other, despite not being married, they spent a night together. And they had me.

I was a curse. That was what other people said and because my parents couldn't handle the endless vulgar words, they just decided to marry each other. Despite the infatuation they felt had already died down. So my father ended up abandoning all he had and I lived with their continuous clashing.

I enjoyed doing magic as my father would teach me. My mother didn't know that my father was teaching me magic since she forbade sorcery in our household, but my father continued to teach me. Rather than a father, he was more of a mentor, a very strict one at that. My mother had gotten furious with my boyish personality and anger issues like hers. She despises my personality, she wanted me to be more ladylike and civil. She wanted me to be a nun and devote myself to the Gods.

Soon everything was revealed to my mother and she forbade my father from seeing me ever again. I felt sadness, even though he was never a father, the progress of our father-daughter relationship was progressing. After everything, I rebelled against my mother. I would go out late at night and sneak out, I wouldn't go back until I felt like it. And because of my continuous rebelling, I met the people I didn't even think I would get along with.

I met the people who lived down the bridge or what people would call 'peasants'. I ended up helping a peasant child from getting arrested by a guard for his continuous stealing. I almost told him off about his stealing, but I learned why he was doing this. It is to survive and help the other peasants. Because of this I would always sneak out tons of food from my household and would give it to these peasants. I got to know them, but they didn't have names. I soon became close to these people and they treated me like family. I felt the warmth in my heart. I felt the motherly and fatherly love that I've always longed to feel. I was happy. Until everything was taken away from me in a blink of an eye. The brutal guards of Norstow found them... I was about to give them names as they deserved to have.

"Take your hands off them!'' I said to the guards who already started slaughtering the elderly peasants.

I tried to perform protection magic, but my body and mind weren't cooperating. I was panicking to even think properly.

"Sister Lianna, help me!" I watch the boy who I was going to name Billy, get stabbed multiple times.

I stood there like the scared child that I was. I stood there shaking in fear. The guards finally acknowledge my presence once they were done killing all of them. I looked at each one of their heads on the ground. Gawyn, the man who treated me like his own daughter. Sefare, the mother I've longed to have. And Billy, my brother. Everyone was dead...

''Hey, kid! What are you doing here? Do you wanna get yourself killed like these lowlives?" One of the guards said.

"They aren't lowlives! You are the ones who should be called lowlives! You brutal monsters!" I was about to charge at them out of anger, but someone hold me back.

I looked back to see my mother looking at me angrily.

"What are you doing now, child?! You are troublesome as ever! I hate your guts. Why can't you be like the other daughters?" My mother shouted at me and soon she faced the guards, "Please forgive my useless child. We will mind our own business and go." she then pinched my arm and pulled me with her.

"NO! I don't want to go with you, monster!" I protested, but all she did was badmouth me as she pinched me harder.

I didn't care for the pain, all the pain I felt was from my heart. I looked back as I continued to mourn their deaths. I looked at their soulless eyes as I was being pulled away.

-End of Flashback-

I still followed what my mother wants. When I'm around her I would act accordingly and do what I was ordered to do, because my life lost its meaning...

"Why do you suddenly look so down?'' Cedany sat up and I just shook my head. "I was thinking about giving you a gift just now.'' Cedany looked happy while thinking of something.

"All of a sudden? What brought this to your mind?''

"How unusual of you... I thought you would be glad that I would be giving you a gift.''

''I just don't want to trouble you with that kind of stuff! You already paid for my stuff, what more do I need? Haha!" I hurriedly said and it came out awkward.

''Is there something troubling you? If there is anything, know that I'm here to listen..."

Cedany was about to touch my shoulder and I accidentally slapped her hand away. Cedany flinched and looked at me with a confused look.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that." I was equally shocked as Cedany.

Cedany moved closer and hugged me. She squeezed me tightly in her arms and I didn't notice tears forming in my eyes. Cedany slowly brushed my hair as I finally gave in and cried. I cried like there was no tomorrow and I cried to my heart's content.