The Night Rider

Chapter 81

I never really knew Chanel, I mainly know the stories. I know that she killed her parents, purely for the crown. Although that was brutal, she had her reasons. Her parents would never give her the throne, had locked her in the castle and were no good to the country. It took a while for Chanel to be recognised as queen but she has ultimately been the best in history.

My eyes glide over the beautiful dress. 'You do look a bit like her did you know that'. Chea has now grabbed a brush and is leading me to a chair in the corner of the room. 'Why?', I ask. Chea puts the brush in my hair and pulls it through. 'Both strong women, raised in a castle and fighting for themselves'. There are questions about Chanel that I have never dared to ask anyone, this is my chance.

'Why did Chanel never marry, never had children?'. I see Chea smiling in the mirror as she starts straightening my hair. 'Chanel had no desire for children, she had sold her soul to the crown. A few men have come along over the years but none of them lasted very long with her, or she with them'. I see the woman in front of me, occupying her.

'Did Alisha and Chanel look alike?'. Of both women I only know the stories, often laudatory. Chea sighs deeply when she hears the name Alisha. 'In a way, yes. Both were strong women who fought for their ideals. On the other hand, Chanel was dark in a way. Alisha you can compare with Celeste, strong but pure'. I nod understandingly. 'Are you and Elien together or not?'. It is the question nobody dares to ask.

Chea starts laughing. She slides a pin in my hair. 'Let's say we have no date we celebrate, no vow or appointment. We can easily go months without seeing each other and see each other again as if nothing had happened. You'd say that would leave us free to do as we please but if he were to do something with someone else, I'd twist his neck'. Chea slides the last pin in my hair and takes a step back, laughing.

I laugh with her as I get up from the chair, looking at my own reflection. Chea has outdone herself, it looks beautiful. 'Let's get some final make up on you before it's time to take you to your next stop,' I look at her in surprise. I want to ask her what she means but I have a feeling she won't tell me. She makes me sit back on the chair and starts to apply a modest layer of make up.

So look in the mirror. I get up and look in the mirror, a smile immediately appears on my face. It's beautiful Chea'. Chea stands behind me and gives me a sincere smile. 'You are beautiful'. She straightens the dress at the back one more time before a knock sounds on the door, surprised I look up. 'Open,' Chea answers. The wooden door opens and my father appears in the opening.

His eyes travel over my body, a smile gracing the man's lips. 'Would my beautiful daughter like to accompany me?' He holds out his hand to me. I look at Chea gratefully one more time before I walk over to my father and take his hand. He leads me out of the dressing room into the corridor. 'Where are we going?', I ask curiously. My father's lips are set in a grin as he gently pulls me along.

'Your mother has found something'. Surprised, I look at my father. I stop walking and let go of his hand. 'What did she find?' A tiny bit of hope appears in my body. As soon as he seems to realise that I think so, his smile disappears. 'Sorry Raf, it's not what you think'. A sigh leaves my lips, there went my hope. I take my father's hand again and let him pull me along.

We walk into my mother's study, immediately I look around me in surprise. My mother, Celeste and Malia are standing in the room, all three of them dressed in a beautiful dress. My father lets go of my hand and closes the door behind me, my mother takes a step forward. 'First of all, congratulations,' she smiles kindly. I nod gratefully. 'Secondly, I may have a strange birthday present but one I think you will appreciate'.

She holds a bottle in her hand, filled with a deep blue liquid. 'What I have here in my hand is a mixture of herbs and magic. It may not kill Yin or keep you here, it will weaken him to the point where you will get your memories back when you are there. From your earliest days, you will have bouts of regaining your own story and ours. Maybe it will seem like your own fantasy but eventually you will find out that it is true. It allows you to continue to communicate with us in the back of your mind, again probably not realising what you are getting away with'.

I look at my mother in amazement, not understanding what she said. There was a chance somewhere that I would keep some of my memories but now it's a given, I can continue to experience what happens when I leave. I may not be fully conscious, but that little bit of security is enough to make me very happy with the offer. Before I realise it, I fly around my mother's neck.