Chapter 9.

Next day.

Rebekah.

The first cry of the rooster woke me up, despite my exhaustion. The cottage already smelled of fresh straws, which I was certain mother was responsible for.

She usually had fresh straws spread on the ground to ward off the cold. I rose up from my cot and crossed to mother’s room, surprised she was sleeping.

I frowned, wondering who was responsible for the fresh straws, which tickled my feet. Hearing sounds from the kitchen, I grew alert and walked in the direction of the kitchen. There I met Trixie effortlessly kneading dough. I could smell fresh milk boiling in the fireplace.

I turned my gaze to Trixie. At first it looked like she was using her hands. But when I drew closer, I noticed swirls of brilliant golden lights radiating from her fingers.

I gasped in shock, alerting Trixie to my presence. As soon as she saw me, the lights stopped and her hands dipped into the dough. I looked at the dough, astounded. Shaking my head to dispel the sleepiness that perhaps still clouded my vision.

“You’re awake.” Trixie guardedly announced. I nodded, coming closer. She shifted her eyes to the dough and continued kneading it. Was she trying to pretend that nothing happened?

“I just caught you wielding magic, Trixie. How is that possible?” I asked, curious. She looked at me for a moment and smiled. But I noticed the smile didn’t reach her eyes. She was acting all suspicious.

“You were deep asleep. I’m sure you only had visions from sleep.” Trixie guardedly replied. She was lying. I could feel it.

“You’re lying Trixie.” I called out. She looked at me and then sighed.

“I come from a lineage of magic. That’s all I’m at liberty to tell you for now.” Trixie’s tone was final. But she told me she had no family. And now she claimed to be from a lineage of magic.

“But you told me you…”

“There you both are.” Mother’s voice cut into what I was about to say. She sauntered over, holding me in a warm embrace. She equally came to embrace Trixie. Trixie acted as if nothing happened. I frowned at her. We needed to talk.

“I went into the room to find the both of you, only to hear your voices. You’re awake this early. You should both be sleeping after your hard day yesterday.” Mother declared. Trixie quickly spoke.

“We wanted to allow you, sleep, beautiful Queen.” Trixie announced. Mother and I turned to Trixie and I could feel my mother stiffen beside me.

“What…What did you just say?” Mother stuttered. I noticed her stagger back and I heard the tinge of horror in her voice.

“Nothing, Ma’am. I said nothing. I was only talking about the dough.” Trixie smiled and went to put the dough in the fireplace. I heard what she called my mother. We both did. So why was she pretending like she said nothing? I turned to mother and I noticed she was flustered. I grew worried and went to help her, but she smiled at me and asked that she needed to go and mend some clothes. As soon as Trixie and I were alone, I fumed at her.

“Why would you make my mother bothered. And why did you call her a queen?” I asked coming to stand in front of Trixie. Trixie didn’t respond. Rather, she hummed to a song. A familiar tune that only my mother, I and Grandmother Cyra knew. I paled in shock. No one knew that song but us. Grandmother Cyra had sang it to me many times as a child and now I was hearing it from the lips of this stranger.

“How…How did you know that song?” I asked, shocked. Trixie turned to me and her look was unreadable.

“There are many secrets hidden under the sun, Rebekah of Meadowland. But one day, all will be revealed. For now, we have a lot of work to do this morning and your mother needs you now.” She smiled wanly. My gaze on her was unsteady, but I nodded in understanding. Leaving Trixie with the baking, I walked to the room to meet mother.

She seemed shaken as I entered the room, but she hid her nervousness behind the clothes she was mending. I sat down beside her and picked a dress and a needle, silently mending it. As I mended it, I found my mind drifting to the scene that unfolded just now in the kitchen. I was thinking of the reason my mother seemed shaken about Trixie calling her Queen.

“Mother, what made you so shaken just now?” I asked, quietly. She shifted her gaze to me.

“Rebekah, I wasn’t shaken.” Mother confessed.

“Mother, I’m sorry I brought Trixie here, knowing she’s a stranger. I’m sorry she bothered you with calling you a queen. I didn’t know she would be this strange. If you want I can send her back…”

“You want to send a stranger, your first friend back, because you think she bothered me? You want to send back an orphan, Rebekah?” Mother questioned. I didn’t know what to say. Mother was my world and anyone who made her uncomfortable, was no friend of mine.

“I taught you better than that, Rebekah. She’s an orphan and has no one. You have no friends and this is your first friend. Accept her wholeheartedly. Both strangeness and all.” Mother’s quiet words urged me. I meditated on her words, knowing she was completely right. I had no friends and this was my first friend. So I had to accept her, just like she accepted me. In the past, girls my age always teased me and found me strange and now I was doing the same thing to someone else. Feeling awful, I rose from the bed and embraced mother. Grateful that she showed me this truth about me.

Walking to the kitchen, I found Trixie making cheese. I went to meet her and I politely apologized.

“I’m sorry for being terrible just now. Can we start over again as friends.” I pleaded.

“Yes, Rebekah of Meadowland. We can start over as friends.”