The Story of Us • Riven

Ch 27: Innocent

"Oh, who you are is not where you've been, you're still an innocent"

I sat across from Rosalind as I tapped my fingers on my leg.

"You keep ignoring my question" I said. "Who are my real parents, if Farah is not my mother?"

"It's rather complicated" she said.

"How so?" I asked.

"I'm sure by now you know Bloom was taken by Blood Witches but so were you" she said.

"You lie" I said.

"And to what purpose would I have to do that?" She asked.

"To pit me against my mother" I said.

"She did not give birth to you, Briar. I understand your connection with her as she obviously raised you but she is not your mother" she said.

I looked down to my hands, trying to hold back my tears, to hold back my screams.

"You compose yourself much like her" she said.

"Stop talking about her" I said.

"Still a soft subject?" She asked.

"She was my mother! And she's gone!" I said. "So, yeah, it's a tough subject."

"You wish to know who your real parents are?" She asked.

"I don't need to know but I'd like to know" I said.

"If it helps, you and Bloom are sisters" she said.

"What?" I said.

"I tried to hide you too but Farah was too quick" she said. "She didn't know about Bloom because I had already hidden her in the First World but when I tried to hide you I was ambushed by her, Saul and Ben. Then I was entrapped here."

"They probably had a reason" I said. "But let's circle back tot he part where Bloom and I are sisters."

"I think you've known it all along, you were just too preoccupied with other things to truly notice it. You felt a pulling to her, a connection?" She asked. 

"I mean yeah" I said. 

"I have no reason to lie to you, Briar. I need you on my side, by my side" she said. "You and Bloom knowing you are sisters is crucial because you're both very powerful and have the potential to do wonders in the Otherworld."

"Have you told her?" I asked. 

"No. Not yet" she said. 

"So, the Blood Witches took us. Why?" I asked. 

"Full of a lot of questions" she said. 

"I don't like to be stringed along, not knowing what's to come" I said. 

"I gave you a piece of information to hold you over for a little bit" she said. "You are dismissed."

I got up, walking towards the door. 

"Did she know?" I asked. 

"As far as Farah knew, there was only one child that the Blood Witches had. She never knew you and Bloom were sisters" she said. "There's no way she could've."

I walked out of the office and made my way to the bastion. I saw Aaron sparring with Oliver, quickly turning around before he saw me. I'd been ignoring his texts and running the opposite direction whenever I saw him in person. He definitely knew I was ignoring him. I didn't know how to tell him I've been stringing him along to make myself feel better about Riven. 

My feelings for Riven were never going to go away and I knew that. I didn't want them to. But I still felt bad for making Aaron feel like he had a shot when in reality I was on the verge of letting Riven back in. 

I decided to go back to my room. I took my jacket off, setting it on the couch as I glanced into Millie's room. Normally she was in her room reading at this time of the day. 

"Mills!" I yelled. 

"She left about an hour ago" Riven said. 

He came out of my room with a huge smile on his face. 

"I'm guessing she let you in?" I said. 

"I brought food" he said. 

"Food?" I said. 

"Your favorite from that little restaurant in town" he said. 

"You left to get me spaghetti and meatballs?" I laughed. 

"And those delicious little cheese breads they have" he said. "I know they're your favorite."

I sighed, walking to my room to see a miniature picnic set up. He put a blanket down with the containers of food in the center. 

"I love it" I said. 

"I've heard you've barely been eating, so voila!" He said. 

He sat down, motioning for me to do the same. I sat opposite to him as he opened one of the containers, giving it to me with a fork. 

"If you don't want to talk that's fine, as along as you eat" he said. 

He took a huge bite of cheese bread as I dropped a bombshell. 

"Bloom and I are sisters" I said. 

He nearly choked on the piece of bread, having to take a sip of water before speaking. 

"Come again?" He said. 

"It's kind of a lot but we were taken by the Blood Witches that were killed in Aster Dell. Rosalind took Bloom to the First World to hide her and she meant to do the same with me but.. my mother found me first and that's when they imprisoned her" I said. 

"You believe her?" He asked. 

"I wish I didn't but I do. It makes sense. The moment I meant Bloom, I felt a connection with her. It felt like I knew her and it's because I did" I said. "I felt the need to protect her, without really knowing why. Before I transformed, I saw you on the brink of death, same with Sky. It's what first made me channel the magic inside. But when I saw Bloom surrounded by Burned Ones, that's what gave me the extra push to transform. I wanted to protect her."

"That's a lot" he said. 

"I don't know how she'll take it" I said. "I know she's been on a rampage looking for her birth parents. I guess our birth parents."

"Do you want to know them?" He asked. 

"I guess I'd like to know.. but I don't really know" I said. 

I twirled pasta onto my fork, putting it into my mouth. I didn't realize how hungry I really was until I finished the pasta in a matter of three minutes.