DWC Day 7 Peace/Unforgiven
{Music}
Morning came swiftly, Valanthriell spent the time thinking and planning, how best to make the change for her Daughter's sake. Taaliah was still quite young, by the aging of Elves, and their last interaction was so short in the first hour of her life, there would be no memory to cling to for comfort, only removal from what she knew.
"Just how traumatic do you think this would be?" Valanthriell glanced over to Emveah who fed the camp's fire, letting out a slow sigh before answering the loaded question.
"Listen, she's grown up with all kinds of stories about you, we don't actually know much of the contents aside from the BS line Fealia told about you being dead. Do you trust your Grandmother? That seems like the key to all this since she's bringing the kid." Emi was direct about it all, the Grandmother was the hinge that could make or break the transition if it happened at all. "And let's not forget this could be her grand scheme to dick us over."
"Mmm, the information I hold is enough to bring her down, she knows it. Sure I would lose out on the fortune but I don't need it to survive, she does. That is likely the perfect collateral against Fealia."
Emveah nodded slowly, knowing little personally about the woman but trusting Vala's judgment. Two horn blasts, Fealia was approaching in a carriage, a company of guards for protection. The ornate carriage came to a stop as a footman hopped down and opened the door, offering a hand to the passengers within. The first to exit was not Fealia, as expected, but instead the aged Matron of the Shadowfel family, Amalie.
Valanthriell was struck by surprise, rushing over to embrace her Father's Mother, the gesture welcomed with a coo of delight from the elderly woman. "Ooh, dearest. You are more stunning than I remember." Amalie doted on her Granddaughter.
"It is wonderful to see you, Grandmama. I did not expect you." Valanthriell was more than surprised, she was grateful that her Grandmother remained close for the sake of her child.
"I could not leave your dear girl at the hands of that wretched pretender." Amalie sneered, never having approved of Fealia. "Now then, the reason we are all here." With her word, the footman helped the child out of the carriage.
She was the spitting image of her mother, with long raven waves, vibrant green eyes, and a warm complexion; sweet as can be in her middle childhood (6-8 cause elves) as she moved to cling to her Great-Grandmother's side.
"Taaliah, remember what I told you in the carriage? That Mrs. Fealia had lied about your parents?" Amalie asked the fearful girl, her response was only to nod. "Well, this beautiful woman, is my Granddaughter, your Mother Valanthriell."
It was all Valanthriell could do to keep calm, not wanting to scare the girl further, coming to kneel before her with a calm and soft smile. "Hello, my lovely girl." Already fighting back tears, but she must contain them.
After what seemed like an age, Taaliah took a few steps closer to Valanthriell, looking closely at her features to see the same features with minor differences, her curiosity high as she had wished and prayed for a true Mother. "Mama...?" Taaliah squeaked.
"Yes, Taaliah...I'm here. I'm finally here." Valanthriell's eyes welled up and the child brushed them away before reaching to hug her Mother for the first time since her birth.
This, this moment, was the peace Valanthriell had longed for.
{Suuuper late, busy week.} @daily-writing-challenge
