Chapter 17: She’s Sonaya?

Kaisen glanced at Muye to sermon her for breakfast when something made her pause. Her breathing became ragged and uneven while she shook her head in denial. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"No, no, it can't be?" disbelief was still laced in her mind despite the confirmation of what she saw. They all looked at her confused. Why was she having that 'I have seen a ghost' look?

Abruptly, she stood up fast and hugged Muye with tears falling like a stream on her cheek. She sobbed softly as warm tears dropped on Muye's shoulder.

"Hey, hey… you are wetting my clothes. Why are you making a mess out of me this early of a morning?" she exhaled in disbelief and said the next words calmly. "Fine, I will be civil with you but not friends yet."

Kaisen pulled away from the hug and wiped her tears. She apologized and walked away from them.

"She's Sonaya?" Kaisen questioned herself as she remembered what she saw. Watching Muye as she approached them, Kaisen saw a familiar sign flicker and she froze momentarily until she grew even more shocked when the sign became bold. Looking at the rest, she realized the rest were not seeing what she was.

This event made her doubt her decision of letting them in into the palace. She wanted anything but sending Sonaya to the lion's den. A voice pulled her out of her reverie.

"Kaisen, what did you see? The sign? Is that why you are having doubt in your eyes?" she was caught off-guard by Huchin's questions. How did he know? Maybe he also saw it. But even though, how would he know I also saw it? She contemplated but no answers were at her mercies.

"How-." She tried asking as she found her voice once again but he cut her off.

"I am one of the last guardians of magic so, -." That was more than enough for her to understand. "But then you, how and why did the sign show itself to you?" Kaisen sighed and decided to tell him the truth.

"I knew her mother. I was two years old when my father took me to the palace. He wanted to make me close to Sotchai so that she can pass on some magic to me. When I made three years old, Sotchai was more like a big sister to me – she became a mother I couldn't have. I know you are wondering because my mom is alive." She sighed sadly. "Well, she doesn't love or care even a little about me. I bet she doesn't even know I did not go back home. Sotchai trained me how to feel the intricate and understand the message behind the sculpted letters at a such a young age.

The night she died, she sent me away in the morning and told me that Sonaya was on the way. She made me part of Sonaya's life in her womb. Sister Sotchai gave me a happy family I never got from my selfish political and power greedy parents."

Huchin heard her and sighed then nodded understandingly. He spoke thoughtfully. "I think you were given a task of a care taker to her. I'm here if you need guidance." He turned towards her again. "By the way, they are waiting for you." With that he finally walked away completely.

Kaisen sighed after remembering her encounter with Huchin as she led them to a secret path to the palace. On the night that Sotchai died, Kaisen had unofficially come back without anyone knowing except the librarian boy who was a year older than her. he was leading her to Sotchai when the fire exploded making them fall separately.

While wincing and crying on the floor, she had Sotchai's voice. Looking around she had seen nothing but the voice still resolute to her.

"Sister Sotchai!" Her little-self responded. Sotchai's voice led her to this secret path and led her out until the river where she collapsed and was found by her father's workers. From then on, she had forgotten but seeing the sign, her memory of that night returned immediately.

"Was she telling me to let her daughter into the palace? But why? Is it important to risk her life?" Kaisen had nothing to do but to lead them in. Her initial plan was changed immediately she saw the sign.