Her Destiny

Chapter 3

Simon was having an engaged conversation with Nana by the campfire when Persephone arrived. But when Persephone came closer, it abruptly stopped. What were they telling each other that Persephone wasn't allowed to hear? Still sad from earlier that day, Persephone felt betrayed. She gave them both an angry look and ran away. Nana took a deep breath.

"I hate it to keep things from her, I hope when I finally tell everything she'll believe me." Nana was shaking her head slowly. "Why was I giving this task?" She added sadly.

Simon didn't know the answer either. He had always known Persephone was different, and deep inside, he had the feeling that her parents weren't her real parents. Now because of grandma's story, Simon knew that his instincts hadn't been wrong. He only wanted to talk to Nana to ask her to stop pestering Persephone with the idea of her being gone. He wasn't prepared that the old lady would finally spill the beans. She told him everything, all the secrets she had kept her whole life. But now he understood everything. He wanted to go after Persephone and calm her, but what could he say now? That he understood Nana? That she should be prepared? She's going to ask questions, a lot of them. And Simon is not allowed to answer them. Only Nana may tell her everything when the time is right.

"Nana I am curious why did you tell this to me? Why did you tell me now, after all those years?" Simon looked her straight in the eye, determined to find an honest answer. An old habit because Nana used to lie to him all the time, never telling the truth when he questioned Persephone's history. But this evening was the evening of truth for Nana.

"I hope that when she fails to, believe me, she puts her trust in you." You'll have to be there for her when the time is right. She needs to know who she really is. When I die, I can't protect her here anymore. She has to go back to where she belongs. It's going to be a difficult journey. And my knowledge is limited. "A single tear slides over Nana's chubby cheeks.

"Although she wasn't really my granddaughter.." Nana took a pause after the sentence. It felt wrong saying Persephone wasn't her family. She let the sentence hang in the air a proceeded a new one. "They gave me the task to protect her, to raise her, to train her, and to prepare her. I took the responsibilities gladly to have that child as my granddaughter. But the most demanding task is going to come, where I've to tell her truth and then let her alone. From the beginning, I knew my faith. And I know my death is coming closer, my time is limited. If I should fail, you'll have to finish my task.

Simon couldn't say anything anymore. He had to sort out all the information that was given to him.

"Now you must go and cheer up my granddaughter, it's the last festival I can have with her."

It wasn't too hard to find Persephone. Simon knew the way to her favorite place by heart. There she was throwing little twigs in the water, watching them sail on the water ready to their new adventure until they were out of the side. Then she would take a new group of little twigs and repeat the whole scenario all over again. When they were younger, Persephone and Simon would come here together to watch the little twigs, and dreaming they were small enough to sail with them. Making adventures together was something they always wanted. But as they grew older, they knew the tribe needed them. And their adventures place became a place to find peace and cry out all emotions.

Simon sat next to Persephone and watched with her. He was waiting until he had to courage to talk with her. Her whole body got tensed when Simon was near her. She was preparing to give him a scolding when he would open his mouth. So Simon waited until her body loosened, and the tension disappeared.

"You should go and enjoy the celebrations."

There was a long silence, and Simon was about to say something else when Persephone answered.

"Why should I? I'll enjoy it next month".

"I think you should go, maybe it's the last one you've with Nana" He said the last part of the sentence in a whisper, not wanting to say it entirely out loud.

"What did you say? Are you starting as well?" Persephone jumped up to walk away, but Simon took her wrist and look at her with begging eyes.

"Just think about it, Nana has never said her time was almost over until now. What's the worst that can happen? That you enjoy your time with Nana that she exaggerated and you still have her for a long time, or that you'll enjoy the time she has left, and you can say a proper goodbye. "

"what if she's right, and you throw away the time you've left together? I know you, Persephone, you would never forgive yourself."

Persephone felt like Simon had put a dagger in her heart. But she knew that what he said was the truth.

"Simon do you mind if I choose Nana as my dance partner this feast? "

Simon smiled widely, shook his head, and hold his arms to lead Persephone the way.

"I think Erick is going to freak out if you break the rules and choose your grandmother to dance instead of an unmarried boy."

"Let him freak, it wouldn't be Erick if he wasn't freaking."

She pulled Simon's hand so he would face her. "Simon, you aren't going to say anything about your conversation with Nana to me, eh?" Simon was disappointed, he wanted to tell her everything so badly, but he knew it wasn't his secret to share nor the time. So he sadly shook his head, his eyes begging her to let it go. She nodded in agreement. She understood that she had to wait, she had to be patient, and the time will come that Nana will tell her everything.

When Persephone saw Nana sitting in front of the campfire with an expression full of sadness, she felt terrible. She had behaved herself as a spoiled child, well Nana wanted nothing more than enjoying the time she had left with her granddaughter. Persephone ran to Nana and took her in an embrace Nana, please don't be sad, I got mad because the thought of losing you scared me. Both Nana and Persephone were sobbing. The other tribe members were looking at the duo's strange behavior but proceeded to enjoy the feast. It wasn't the first time Nana and Persephone were living in their own world.

Grandmother and granddaughter started to dance together while Simon was dancing on his own. The three of them were enjoying there evening to the fullest. Soon others of the tribe joined the little clique. When the party was over, and members went to bed one by one, Persephone and Nana were sitting side by side looking at the full moon.

'I wished to the gods that this month would be a lucky month. "The moon was reflected in the amber-colored eyes of Persephone. Nana wanted to answer but was interrupted by the loud snore that Simon gave. He was sleeping next to them on the ground.

"I bet you that he has a wonderful dream." Nana and Persephone started to laugh, but soon Nana's face changed once again in a serious one.

"I don't know if this will be a lucky month. For some, it may be lucky. For others, it may not. For some, it may last a whole month while for others, it's only short. But I believe if you want it, you can find your luck, not for a month but for a whole lifetime. Trust in yourself, and you'll shine. You were destined to do great things. But remember this, my dear child danger is lurking and waiting to strike, ready to attack and murder for power. It can only be destroyed by a pure goddess and her will power. United, she'll stand with her love on her side, family friends, and the crown on her head will shine bright. Only the future will tell if you're that Goddess, child."

Persephone was staring at Nana with an open mouth. It was like she was possessed during those words. Like somebody was speaking the future in riddles like some oracle.

"Dear child, it's like you've seen ghost" laughed Nana while she stood up, climbed in her treehouse, and went to sleep. "No but I've heard a ghost" she muttered to herself. She woke up Simon, and both went to their bed.

She kept turning in her bed, not able to forget the words her grandma said. Pure Goddess? She was far from a Goddess? Maybe she was taking it to literally. Perhaps it wasn't even for her, or Nana was just pulling a joke. But I looked so real, so severe. And Nana didn't seem to notice what had happened. Also, she heard 3 voices instead of one while Nana spoke.

She needed to walk it off. Walking in the woods during this time wasn't safe, but she really needed it. She promised herself to be careful. On her walk, she was trying to distract her self as much as she could. She was looking at a hundred fireflies and was following them. They stopped to float above a lake. It looked like a group of little fairy's dancing together. Persephone watched the breathtaking scene until she was calm again and didn't think of Nana's word anymore. The dance was almost hypnosis. For a moment, she forgot all her worries. But all Persephone's senses turned on again when a loud c***k of breaking twigs was heard, and the fireflies fled away.

Persephone started to run back to the tribe. She didn't know why she was running, but she listened to her instincts. It was so typical of Persephone to stumble over a little root of a tree. Persephone heard noises coming closer and stayed as quiet as possible. If she got up now, it would make too much noise. She heard sniffing sounds near her. It was like a predator sniffing the smell of his prey. Then out of the blue, a giant wolf jumped above her. Persephone yelled from fear hoping to wake up her tribe. She remembered to fluid signal for danger and started to whistle the tune. She felt the drool of the wolf over her. The wolf was growling and sniffing her. It got angrier the moment she started to whistle. It was trying to bite her, but she was strong enough to dodge the beast's attacks. She was disturbed when Simon called her name in the distance. Persephone looked to hear from where Simon's voice was coming, and the wolf took that moment to bite her in her waist. Persephone yelled from pain and tried to break free out of the wolf's claws. She saw Simon running to her with his arrow and bow in his hands. He stopped running and aimed at Persephone.

"Persephone push! "When Persephone pushed the wolf as hard as she could, Simon fired, and the wolf felt dead on the ground whit an arrow in his head.

Simon held Persephone and was worried when he felt her warm blood on him.

"You're bleeding!" Simon searched for injuries and found the bitemark in her waist.

"Nana needs to heal this fast!" He took Persephone bridal style and ran to grandma's cottage.

Nana was waiting for them on her balcony.

"Did you wake grandma before you came to me?" Persephone's voice was getting weak.

"No Nana woke me up, she said to seek you, she knew something was wrong"

"How does she always know?" That was the last thing Persephone said before she gave in to the darkness around her.