The Frog Collector

Chapter Seven Part 2/4

Lilian took a good sip of tea before continuing:

"Sometimes news would reach the king that people were using the magic flower without passing a test that the king forced everyone to do, and he would go out hunting for them. For this he would take people who were former magic users to help him in case he needed to use a counter-attack magic. It was the only exception to the ban on flowers and would only be used until the flowers were exterminated. One day he called me to go and, as we were already friends, I accepted. The place was dangerous and I had to leave my daughter with Mirian. At first I didn't want to leave her, but there was no one to take her, and since my mother seemed to be becoming a good person, I left her".

Lilian paused and her eyes watered.

"When king brought me back to the invisible prision, my mother was anxiously waiting for me. She took me to the bedroom where she showed me my daughter who was dead in bed. Mirian said she didn't know what had happened, that she had tried everything, even magic, but she couldn't save her. I don't know if it was a trick of my mind, but for a moment I thought I saw a slight smile on Mirian's face. I couldn't believe what had happened. My daughter had looked a little pale before this event and was not smiling so much, but she looked fine. Then we had a big fight. I was angry with everyone and everything and ended up saying that Mirian should have taken care of her. She said that I was accusing her of negligence without proof and that I was supposed to leave since I was going through the invisible prison and never come back. She also said that she never really cared about the little girl because she would probably also grow up hating magical flowers and magic because of my influence. According to her, I associated with people who were against magic to mistreat her. In the end she was unrepentant and I saw that there was no way she could change. My world ended after my daughter died. She was five years old. That was the trigger for me to leave prison".

As Lilian spoke the princess wondered "But who is the girl who is with Mirian in the invisible prison?". Lilian wiped her eyes and continued:

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to handle it very well. Well... after that, nothing else made sense to me out there. I wanted to disappear, I didn't want to know anything anymore, or talk to anyone. So I asked the king to get me out of prison permanently. I got mad at him, stopped talking to him and never met him again. The last time we spoke was when he made this place and I asked him to put me here. I brought my daughter's body and my magic flower roots too. I also took, without Mirian noticing, the book of spells that belonged to Isra and she loved so much. I never even opened it this book, it is just a bad memory and I did it as my only way to punish her. Here I buried my daughter and planted the flowers that are there. I have been here since that time. I have everything I need here. Water and food to spare and I use these flowers only if it is extremely necessary. That's why this is my home", concluded the woman with a shy smile.

To be continued...