Am I a Villainess?

The Lady of the Forest

My grandmother arrived riding on horseback wearing high grade leather and furs. She was atop a magnificent black horse with a wavy mane. She looked like a rogue out of a dungeons and dragons. She was a mature beauty who looked very capable. Her ink black hair was streaked with hints of gray and braided to the side. She had bright green eyes that scrutinized everything she looked at. There was a blade at her hip and a bow at her back. She dismounted on her own and approached with a confident stride.

I was in love. This woman was a Queen!

My uncle was beside her, he had dark black hair with hints of blue when the light hit it. His eyes were green and gold, he could not have been older than fifteen. He too was armed and riding a black horse. There was a black Hawke perched on his arm that flew away before he dismounted. He walked behind his mother.

Orion was holding me firmly while Flora watched with some worry.

"Greetings Lady Silva, Lord Theron. I am Orion and this is Aurora. Welcome to our estate. Your daughter is waiting for you in her quarters."

Lady Silva drew closer to scrutinize us. Orion stood strong and I was so proud of him. I looked up at her and showed her my best smile.

"Mama."

She raised a brow, and looked at Orion.

"Aurora misses her mother and has been asking for her repeatedly since she fell ill. " Orion said shifting me in his arms.

She frowned and motioned for Orion to hand me over. He did, begrudgingly. Silva picked me up and looked me in the eye. "I am not your mother."

I held her face in my hand and kissed her cheek. "Nana!"

Her eyes widened for a moment and she smiled. "Smart."

I giggled and pointed to where my mother's room was. "Mama!"

"Theron, let's go pull your sister out of bed." Silva said with a commanding voice. She marched forward without looking back holding me firmly in her arms.

Silva roughly threw open the doors. She stomped toward my mother's bed and pulled back the curtains.

My mother was in bed, bleary eyed and haggard. She looked haunted and thin and smelled. She had lost so much weight that I was worried she would waste away. Had some homeless woman taken her place?

"Mama?" I said uncertainly.

Celeste's eyes widened and she hid under the sheets.

"Mother what are you doing?! I did not want her to see me like this."

Silva handed me over to Theron who looked worried for his older sister. She reached forward and tore the sheets from her daughter.
"Get up!" She said in a low commanding voice.

"Mother" Theron started to object but was quieted with a single glare.

"Get up, and apologize to your daughter." She said.

Celeste stood and supported herself by holding the bed frame. She trembled and mumbled.

"Look at her. Now Celeste!"

Celeste looked up, shame and grief still etched on her face.

"While you are busy mourning one child you neglect another. She speaks now, did you know? You missed her first words and your husband tells me she stands now. What else will you miss?" Silva glared at her daughter.

"You're so focused on what you lost that you've ignored what you have. Apologize to her now."

"I'm sorry," Celeste sobbed. "I'm so sorry Aurora, I was hurt, everything was gray, I lost your brother and I couldn't see past my tears. I'm sorry. I love you."

"Mama." I reached for her but she did not reach for me. Instead she collapsed on the floor and sobbed. Silva knelt and helped her up.

"You smell. Let's go clean you up in that ridiculously huge bath."

Celeste nodded and was guided out the room.

I whimpered and Silva stuck her head back through the door. "Theron, play with the child."

Theron held me awkwardly and grumbled. "I'm not a nanny." He looked at me and I patted his cheek.

"Ron"

Theron's eyes narrowed. "You are smart." He held me with one arm and took me outside. He held an arm out, I felt a low hum of magic and heard the sound of stone scraping together. He set me down in a crib made of stone. I slapped the stone and let out a happy squeal.

"Ron! Ron!"

He stared at me, then made a toy horse out of stone. He made it gallop with his magic and I squealed in delight clapping my hands. He watched me for a bit.

"I can't believe Celeste fell so far." He grumbled. I looked at him with some confusion.
"You may not know this, but your mother used to be one of the strongest women I have ever met. She's an excellent archer, deadly with a dagger, and the best tracker I've ever met. But since she became a wife and mother, she's gotten weak."

I glared at Theron. You're just a kid who's still wet behind the ears. You don't know anything. "Dum, Ron dum dum."

He stood up. "What did you say?!"

"Dum dum Ron." I stood and stamped a foot.

"You little -!"

"Theron, are you yelling at a baby?" Silva called from inside.

"...no"

"I had one of the maids bring food. Come and eat."

My mother was wearing a plain dress and looking sullenly down at a bowl of soup. Apple cubes were placed in front of me and I grabbed them with my chubby baby fingers, shoving them into my mouth. Celeste stared at me.

"So big," she murmured.

I nomed on the apple cube and smiled at her.

"Mama."

She smiled at me with sadness still lingering in her eyes.

"Eat." Silva commanded.

Celeste ate silently looking at me occasionally. I picked up another piece of fruit.

"Tomorrow you will go outside to eat. You're so pale you look like a ghost. You will also walk every day and play with your daughter."

Celeste nodded quietly, I wondered at how my mother was raised. Her mother seemed so powerful and forceful, there seemed no room for argument.

"Mama" I reached for her, she hesitated at first then picked me up. I kissed her cheek and murmured a bit before sleeping. Her arms were bony, but she smelled like herself again.

Hey guys, author here. Comment if you like or see a mistake.