Fated

In the name of Lord Hildegard

A little girl was running freely around the garden while a younger woman in her early twenties was busy cleaning the house. As the little girl got closer to a bush of red roses, she couldn't help but to stretch her hand out, to pluck the biggest red rose when she jerked her hand back in pain, a drop of blood dropped to the floor from her finger.

"Mother, my finger is bleeding!" the little girl ran back into the house, showing her bloodied finger to her mother, smiling, she knelt in front of her,

"Scillia my dear, you tried to pluck the roses again didn't you? I told you to never do that, you're only going to hurt yourself if you still insist on plucking them, come, let me see your finger." Scillia's mother gently took Scillia's finger to examine it,

"but mother, why can't I hold it? They look beautiful!" Scillia pouted, hanging her head low,

"Scillia my dear, sometimes, the most beautiful thing are the one that can hurt us deeply, roses grow together with thorns to protect themselves. They die easily once they've been plucked, here, this is for you my dear." Scillia felt a cold steel around her neck, looking closely, she noticed that her mother has worn a necklace for her. 

"Wow, it's a rose! It's so beautiful!" Scillia exclaimed, holding the pendant with both hands,

"just like you my dear, that's why I decided to put it as your middle name, beautiful both on the inside and outside, this was your late grandmother's necklace, don't ever loose it!" Scillia's mother smiled, holding her hands while caressing her cheek when the door swung open harshly, taken aback, she held Scillia tightly, alarmed when more knights entered,

"Begonia, we meet again." a knight smiled and greeted Scillia's mother when he got in at last,

"what are you doing here? in my house?" Begonia asked, hugging Scillia tighter, 

"I came to get what my Lord has ordered me to get, your daughter, is this her?" the man tilted his head to catch a glimpse of Scillia when she turned her head away, burying her head deeper into her mother's dress.

"You're not going anywhere with my daughter, get out this instant!" Begonia pointed at the door,

"In the name of Lord Hildegard, take the little girl away, do not harm any of them!" the man ordered calmly as he walked out, Scillia and Begonia were crying, screaming not wanting to be separated from each other but as a lady and a child, it was proven that they were weaker against the knights that were much stronger than them both. Forcing Scillia onto the horse, she could only cry for her mother before being taken to a place; her new home. Nearing a large castle, the gate were immediately opened for the knights who had kidnapped Scillia away from her home and mother. A knight got down before carrying Scillia down, holding her tiny hands tightly while she tried escaping, kicking and hitting the knight with all her might.

"Lord Hildegard." the knights bowed when a man wearing a much better cloth than them got closer to Scillia,

"you must be Scillia!" Lord Hildegard knelt in front of Scillia, smiling sweetly at her before hugging her tightly,

"let me go! Where's my mother? I want my mother!" Scillia begin crying, yanking herself from the hug,

"come on inside, there's a lot of food being prepared for you!" Lord Hildegard still had a smile on his face after pulling away from the hug, holding gently onto Scillia's tiny hand as he lead her into the castle. Scillia's eyes were glued to the abundance of food being served on the dining table.

"Would you like some? They're all yours." Lord Hildegard carried Scillia up to have a better view of the food,

"I want my mother, who are you?" Scillia said softly, tears were still forming in her eyes, clearing his throat, Lord Hildegard sat her down on on of the big chair and knelt in front of her,

"my dear Scillia, your mother can't give you a better life than I do, I'm your biological father Scillia!" he admitted calmly,

"you're my what father? If you're my father, then why can't my mother give me a better life than you do? I want my mother, please!" Scillia pleaded but no matter how many times she pleaded with him for her mother, he'll turn a deaf ear to her plead. Introducing her to the rest of the family members at the main hall later that evening, Scillia noticed that they all were sitting high on a dais,

"she has your hair Philip, she looks gorgeous!" an older woman sitting on the throne chair stood to kiss Lord Hildegard when he greeted her, taking his seat next to her,

"introduce yourself my dear!" another older man sitting at the throne chair broke the silence,

"My Lord, my name is Scillia, Scillia Rose Ethoria." Scillia introduced herself, not daring to look up at the rest of the family members sitting in front of her on top of the dais,

"your no longer an Ethoria, from now on, you'll be known as Lady Scillia Rose Hildegard, always remember Scillia, you have the Hildegard blood running in your veins. Aveline?" the older man turned to glance at the woman sitting beside Philip with a frown, curtsying, she made her way down from the dais till she was in front of Scillia,

"nice to meet you Scillia, I'm Aveline, you can call me mother if you wish, I'll be sure to treat you like my little girl!" Aveline held Scillia's cheeks before hugging her tightly, "those are your grandparents, Lord Aedelric and Lady Dragoslava, I'll introduce you to my boys later and you have to know something Scillia, here in House Hildegard, such flagrant impertinence are never tolerated." Aveline introduced the older couple sitting at the throne chair to Scillia, realizing her mistake, Scillia tried to curtsy for the first time,

"Lord Aedelric and Lady Dragoslava, nice to meet you!" Scillia greeted them obsequiously,

"you learn fast, Aveline if you don't mind, make her comfortable, show her around the house and do what you need to do." Aedelric was smiling in no time. Scillia was taught to live her life the Hildegard way. Despite missing her mother tremendously, she was old enough to apprehend the sensitivity of the Hildegards when it comes to this, she could only sniff in the scent of the rose her mother had given her before she was given a new life with new identity whenever she thinks of Begonia.