Memories of the Deep

Ambitions.

Mara's training wasn't easy, she'd stay near the sea cultivating her bond with the sea, gaining more strength and preparing for the moment she'd have to enter the main stage of her plan.

Her mother helped her with potions and charms, teaching her everything she could about how to control her power and what herbs to avoid as well as how to deal with poisons. It was a slow, yet helpfull time. 

For the next seven years the two kept training, away from the eyes of people. They'd appear once or twice, so that people wouldn't get suspicious. Mother and daughter worked day and night to ensure that their peacefull life wasn't disturbed and that their training wasn't known to anyone.

However Mara had different ideas. Sure, keeping low was good... but now that she was in the west, her powers were once again unrivaled. So, she decided to throw a bone to the nobility, she sent dreams to some of the most powerfull families, dreams of her and her mother using magic and predicting the future, never revealing if it was good or bad, not even paying attention to the noble nearby.

She waited patiently, once she discovered that Duke Arman was gone, poisoned by someone and losing all of his fortune, she decided to finish their family for good. The Arman family only had their title for now, so they were still allowed to attend balls and royal events...but that also meant that one wrong move on their part would mean the end for them all. And given that the youngest son was still as arrogant and frustrating as he used to, it wouldn't be hard for her to ensure that he did something stupid, so stupid that they'd be imprisoned for life. 

"Mara, are you alright?" Her mother asked and Mara snapped out of her thoughts, turning to look at her mother's worried expression.

"Yes, mother. I was just thinking... is there a land where witches live freely? You've told me that our talents are envied in the empire and that many fight to have their own witch or wizard... but... is this the case for every land?" Mara asked, though she already knew the answer.

"There is a place where all of us can go and live happily, yet our people tend to be competitive at times. So it's not exactly a good idea to go there right now."

"Why are they competitive right now?" 

"There are two great factions within our kind. The Silver Falcons and the Scarlets, they aren't political parties, exactly. However, they are responsible for maintaining peace and order among all of us."

"So they're at war right now?"

"No. They are both currently facing wizards that feel that we should establish our own country, since we have the power and knowledge to do so." 

"Why is that a problem?"

"Do you truly believe that creating a country that is filled with magic can be good? That the world would let us live in peace?"

Mara began to wonder, she knew of the two factions and she knew of what they were responisble for... but she never really cared to search more, being so naive as she was, she was focused on helping her "friends"and "family". Now, she decided that it was time to focus on matters such as the one she was talking with her mother.

"I can understand your concerns mother... though I cannot say that I complete share them."

"You're still young, Mara... and you haven't seen what happened the last time such a theme arised."

"This happened once before?!"

Mara's mother nodded silently, heading for a cupboard, once she opened it, she brought out a small box and gave it to her. Mara was confused, she wasn't sure what was inside or what it meant. She opened the small box and she saw a piece of paper and two rings with an amethyst and an onyx on.

"These rings were all that remained of your grandparents when they entered the fight to establish a country of our own. They lost their lives and left me these, the paper also has the secret for crossing dimensions, going back and forth in time."

"We really have something like that?"

"Yes, I never knew why nor tried to question it. But if they left them for me, I can only suspect it was so that no one tried to do the same mistake again."

"I see... I'm sorry, mother. This probably brought back bad memories."

"It's okay Mara, you were bound to eventually ask."

Mara nodded and placed the box on the table, taking out the paper and reading it slowly. She began wondering... was this spell the same that had brought her back in time? Was someone helping her? If so, where were they now?

Mother and daughter changed the topic, focusing on how to best use medical herbs and how to treat wounds without any real magic, should they ever need to help someone but conceal their identities as witches. 

Meanwhile in the capital, the noble families were now searching for the witches that knew the future, for the witches that knew if what was awaiting them was glory or destruction. The royal family had also heard of the news and had sent spies everywhere, searching high and low for them.

Among the nobles were also the family of Count Ermund, upon hearing of the news he scolded his daughter for her arrogance and sent her to find them both and apologize. Another person that was determined to find them both, was the first concubine of the emperor. Her son was the eldest but since he was born from a concubine, he could not be considered the rightfull heir, however if he married a witch, everyone would support him. And a witch that could predict the future was extremely valuable. 

Valerie was the minion of the first concubine and had heard of what had occured to the two... she ensure that house Arman was humiliated and lost whatever small power they had. But the fact that house Ermund was also after the witches had made her turn against them, fearing that they were plotting to take over the empire. The daughter of the Count was engaged to the son of the sixth concubine and so, if they took over, her children would be thrown away.

"Those witches can't fall into the hands of that old goat! Valerie, if it's necessary, kill the Count's daughter!"

"Yes, your highness... However, no one knows where they are."

"They all said that they saw the ocean, meaning that one of them is definetelly in the West. You said that they were mother and daughter?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Then both of them must be hiding in the West. And all that because of Duke Arman! Even in death that worm is causing me such problems!"

" I will find them, your grace. And I will convince them to join you."

"Trick them into doing so, they clearly don't desire power, so they will refuse if you try to just talk to them."

The two kept plotting, not knowing that Mara was already preparing for something that would shake the entire nation. Their ambitions were going to bring their downfall.