future, she had filled out in certain spots thanks to a rigorous training schedule she kept up after her father’s death. Revenge had been on her mind then, and she’d nearly worked herself to the bone. Had she not been a warrior witch and immortal she would have surely worn herself out. Her pensive thoughts were interrupted when Arthur began speaking.
LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 45
“Nay. You are not going anywhere. You will not fight your mother and I on this, Molly.
We know what is best for you,” Arthur commanded. Molly’s mouth fell open. She’d been on her own for a long time. She had been the mistress of her own life, and now to be thrust back in such a humiliating situation…well it really burned her butt! Everyone fell silent in the chamber, and Adria’s mouth gaped open. Her expression probably matched Molly’s save for the fact that Adria was more astonished, whereas Molly was spitting fire.
Perhaps she had been easier to manipulate when she had been this age the first time around, but in her heart she was much older than her father believed.
“I shall not remain here,” she said proudly, lifting her chin to meet his stern gaze. She was taken aback by the expression on her father’s face, and searched for some sort of leeway on his visage. Nothing. He seemed quite ready to have a battle of wills. But she was determined to not allow her father to have his way. She was in the mood to take no prisoners! She had been told many lies concerning her mother, and who knew what else, and she was sick and tired of it.
She wanted out of her father’s bedchamber, because it reeked of Gwen. The atmosphere was too oppressive for her and she needed to get back to her own familiar space. Familiar space? She hadn’t been here for over fifteen hundred years. How familiar could it be? Glancing around the room she swallowed the lump in her throat. It still felt like yesterday when she’d been running carefree through these halls. But it wasn’t yesterday. She’d lived an entire lifetime without her family. Now to have them given back to her, well, it boggled her mind. If she wasn’t a witch and she wasn’t used to such fantastic occurrences she would have already had a mental meltdown.
After she rested for a while, she wanted answers from both her mother and father. Only then, would she be ready to move on.
“Why did you leave me?” she managed to croak out. Her mother’s face seemed to fall straight down to the floor. She lost any hint of color and her eyes widened to a point where they looked ready to fall right out of her head. Reaching for her mother’s hand, she grasped it tightly, hoping to evoke some honesty from her mother. Several emotions flickered in her mother’s eyes, and then pure desperation reflected back at Molly. Mildred sighed.
“I had to. Arthur and I had made an agreement. When he found out I was with child, he made me undertake a solemn oath. We couldn’t fight over you…and since he had other responsibilities, our love had to be denied. He realized that you would need your mother during your tender years. So, I was to raise you until you were nearly a lady, and then Arthur was to have sole guardianship of you. He wanted you more than anything, and he did me a great service by allowing me to keep you, for as long as I did. He was coming for you anyway, but when the dark riders attacked us, I knew that the time had come for me to send you to him. I truly did not know I would survive. I am sorry, Molly. I should have been honest with you, but at the time I believed my decision was just. At the last possible moment, Queen Argante of Avalon sent out a force of Warrior Elves to help me. She had only recently heard of my predicament, as she had been preoccupied with other matters. I knew I had to allow you to believe I was dead, or you would have never stayed with Arthur and Merlin. You are as stubborn as your father is in that matter, and I knew you had to be around both
LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 45
“Nay. You are not going anywhere. You will not fight your mother and I on this, Molly.
We know what is best for you,” Arthur commanded. Molly’s mouth fell open. She’d been on her own for a long time. She had been the mistress of her own life, and now to be thrust back in such a humiliating situation…well it really burned her butt! Everyone fell silent in the chamber, and Adria’s mouth gaped open. Her expression probably matched Molly’s save for the fact that Adria was more astonished, whereas Molly was spitting fire.
Perhaps she had been easier to manipulate when she had been this age the first time around, but in her heart she was much older than her father believed.
“I shall not remain here,” she said proudly, lifting her chin to meet his stern gaze. She was taken aback by the expression on her father’s face, and searched for some sort of leeway on his visage. Nothing. He seemed quite ready to have a battle of wills. But she was determined to not allow her father to have his way. She was in the mood to take no prisoners! She had been told many lies concerning her mother, and who knew what else, and she was sick and tired of it.
She wanted out of her father’s bedchamber, because it reeked of Gwen. The atmosphere was too oppressive for her and she needed to get back to her own familiar space. Familiar space? She hadn’t been here for over fifteen hundred years. How familiar could it be? Glancing around the room she swallowed the lump in her throat. It still felt like yesterday when she’d been running carefree through these halls. But it wasn’t yesterday. She’d lived an entire lifetime without her family. Now to have them given back to her, well, it boggled her mind. If she wasn’t a witch and she wasn’t used to such fantastic occurrences she would have already had a mental meltdown.
After she rested for a while, she wanted answers from both her mother and father. Only then, would she be ready to move on.
“Why did you leave me?” she managed to croak out. Her mother’s face seemed to fall straight down to the floor. She lost any hint of color and her eyes widened to a point where they looked ready to fall right out of her head. Reaching for her mother’s hand, she grasped it tightly, hoping to evoke some honesty from her mother. Several emotions flickered in her mother’s eyes, and then pure desperation reflected back at Molly. Mildred sighed.
“I had to. Arthur and I had made an agreement. When he found out I was with child, he made me undertake a solemn oath. We couldn’t fight over you…and since he had other responsibilities, our love had to be denied. He realized that you would need your mother during your tender years. So, I was to raise you until you were nearly a lady, and then Arthur was to have sole guardianship of you. He wanted you more than anything, and he did me a great service by allowing me to keep you, for as long as I did. He was coming for you anyway, but when the dark riders attacked us, I knew that the time had come for me to send you to him. I truly did not know I would survive. I am sorry, Molly. I should have been honest with you, but at the time I believed my decision was just. At the last possible moment, Queen Argante of Avalon sent out a force of Warrior Elves to help me. She had only recently heard of my predicament, as she had been preoccupied with other matters. I knew I had to allow you to believe I was dead, or you would have never stayed with Arthur and Merlin. You are as stubborn as your father is in that matter, and I knew you had to be around both
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