The Pure One -✔- Book Two of the Phoenix Trilogy

Chapter 22 The Nightmare Loop

Daphne started her nightmare loop with great enthusiasm in finding out the truth. Her rage and anger slowly diminished as time passed by without any fruitful outcome. It would always begin with a fight with her mom, who in return, kept denying everything with great confusion and end up with her falling out of consciousness.

Until she eventually lost all her hopes and gave up. She only wished that somehow one of them was able to succeed on this trial. And just as the usual morning. . .

Daphne woke up on the same starting scenario, facing the one and only person that she both hate and love at the same time---her mother.

"Alright. I'm awake and yes I get the drill. I will get ready for the season." Daphne blurted out to her mom lamely. She was inside this repetitive nightmare for more than she could count. Quite honestly, Daphne was dead tired and drained from the physical and emotional torture. She doesn't deserve it besides after a couple of repetition, she knew that this place shouldn't be called a void but rather hell.

"If you have worse than this, bring it on, you bitch!" Daphne yelled to no one in particular a few minutes after her mother left. She couldn't find a way to break the loop.

What does she has to do? Acceptance? She did, after a dozen times. Forgiveness? She did, after fifty times or more. Submission? She also did, after too many times to count. So what else was left to do?

She knew long before that she's free to say or do anything in this first scenario of waking up until the kitchen. And for the love of Phoenix, she did every script she could muster. Like fight her mom, be a good daughter and tell her she forgive her, she even told her that she love her still and she missed her a lot. That she tried to look for her after she disappeared from her life after the cave time. Daphne had done everything except one thing. . .

"Yes! That's it! It's worth a try." She snapped her fingers as the idea came inside her mind. All she need to do now is think. Like think really hard on what she did exactly during that time on this same day. All this time she was fighting everything, changing and resisting what was meant to be when the second scenario at the cave clearly tells her that no matter what, nothing can change. She couldn't change what has already passed but she could change what will come.

So before she was engulf by darkness again from the cave scenario she told herself, "I should reenact everything exactly as it was. Here goes nothing."

"Daphne! Wake up! A princess shouldn't be late on a season opening!" Her mother's voice ringed through her ears as she opened her eyes.

"Mother, when will you get tired of asking me when we both know I will never ever go. I refuse to participate on your stupid copulating season. It's barbaric and gross." Daphne said while walking towards her bathroom uncaring.

"You must, Daphne. I beg you. Please come, just this once. Only this time and I assure you everything will be alright." Her mother's pleading voice landed on deaf ears as she closed her bathroom door to her face.

"I'm sorry mom. I just couldn't. I will miss you." She whispered as soon as the door closed. She needs to prepare herself. She planned to elope with her lover before anyone discovers about her pregnancy. She have to save him and her unborn baby.

Later that day. . .

"Your highness. The Mermadian Queen is here to see you. Her majesty is waiting at the parlour." A servant came to inform her royal highness Deborah---Queen of Sirenia.

"Yes, I am expecting her. Thank you." Deborah answered then followed the servant towards the parlour.

"Deborah! I apologize for barging in like this especially that the season opening is just hours away. But. . ." The mermadian queen said immediately when she entered in a business-like tone but paused to look at the servant indicating privacy.

"Dalia, you may leave. Please tell the butler to serve us some refreshments. Thank you." Deborah ordered. The servant bowed to them and left.

". . . you should know that you have to impose the law on your daughter, Deborah. I am very sorry but nothing is hidden from the pearl. You have to do this as a payment for your request to be a mother. It's this or go back to being just a queen."

"Yes, I know Sandra. I am well aware that this is coming and foretold the moment I made a deal just to have a child but I really hope that I was able to change the outcome. You couldn't blame a mother to do as such." Deborah replied with tears on her eyes.

Sandra held her hand tightly. She tried to speak formally while trying to hold back her tears, "I know. I understand. I couldn't imagine it if I were to do it to my Scalia. Please be strong Deborah. This is the secret we have to bear as royal families."

"If only my Daphne is not as headstrong as him. If only she just agreed to come to the season opening. Then, none of the things that I have to do would happen." Deborah was now sobbing. Her face bowed down on their clasped hands. It seemed like eternity when her and Sandra were just kids and both have legs. But now everything is different. Seeing her sister on her temporary legs made her heart ache.

"I know I shouldn't come here without fins and all but I couldn't let you go there and do what you have to do without at least giving you my support. I love you Deborah. And it will stay that way forever even if we will soon be worlds apart." Sandra hugged and kissed her hand. All her emotions were messed up. She knew that both their worlds will be split into half. Because of her vanity and because of Deborah's greed for a child. But who could blame them? They were women first before they became queens. But now. . .

"Soon, we have to be queens first before we became mothers. I love you too Sandra and thank you for risking so much just to be here now." Deborah hugged her back and kissed their clasped hands as well. "I have to go now. Daphne will be soon going to the cave." With one last look to her sister, Deborah stood up and left the parlour without another word.

Later at the cave after Deborah pierced her daughter's belly...

"M--mother, why?" Daphne asked while fighting the will to succumb into oblivion. This time she will not surrender to darkness. She will hear the reasons to fully understand and to know if she have to forgive or to hate her. No more running away, no more denial.

"So finally, you're ready, my princess." Daphne couldn't figure out where exactly her shivering was inclined into more. Was it from the cold seeping through her while her body was slowly healing itself from broken bones and pierced stomach or was it from the tender voice of her mother that soothed her numbed heart. A voice full of love, regret and sympathy.

Queen Deborah looked tenderly on her daughter's confused and miserable face. She never thought that she would be finally seeing this moment. She would be able to reveal everything and pass on the royal's secret to the true heir of Sirenia. The Queen also knew that Daphne was incapable for more words but just barely shrugged her shoulders in defeat and submission.

So the Queen started her truth. . .