A Legacy of Shadows

Elara’s POV I’ve always been curious about life. I wanted more; I feel like I’m confined to this kingdom. Just me and my mother. She never speaks of any relatives to go visit. I really wish I could leave the kingdom of Everwood for some adventure. When I ask about my dad, she shrugs me off without a word. I will be eighteen years in a month and I don’t have anything planned out, just the usual. Catering to people’s health and fetching herbs. No love and no play mates because my mother is strict and always watching my every move. My only friend from childhood had long since moved away with her family and I often wondered what she was up to now. Suitors keep coming for me, but my mother says I can’t marry until I am twenty-one years old. Frankly, all the suitors are the same. Wealthy, well-connected and eager to win my mother’s approval. But none of them spark any real interest in me. I’m not sure about what I want in a lover, but I know it can’t be just about duty and obligation. Mother’s secrecy about our family’s past only adds to my frustration. I feel like I’m living in the dark, unsure of my family’s past or my own destiny. One afternoon, there was a faint knock on the door. I wondered who it was, but I was at the dining room, having lunch. I was about to get up when my mother dashed from her room to see who was at the door. “Lady Hilda!” My mother said excitedly. “Hello Madam,” lady Hilda responded in a frail voice. My mum quickly ushered her in to the healing chamber, guiding her through every step. They both sat down and all I heard after that were whispers of two women. The healing chamber was a small, intimate space where Mum treated her patients with care and precision. The room was modestly furnished with two separate bed spaces, each designed to accommodate a patient in need of her expertise. Beside one of the beds stood a sturdy wooden shelf, lined with jars of dried herbs that filled the air with their earthy scent. The drawers beneath the shelf were stocked with an assortment of equipment for treatment – mortars, pestles, and spoons, each one worn from years of use. The atmosphere was calm and serene, a testament to Mum's skill and dedication to her craft. I went back to my meal and as I was about to take the last spoon of food, my mother’s voice almost shook the building. “Elara! Elara! I screamed back, “Maaa!”. “Come quickly,” she said. I left the dining room to where she was sitting with lady Hilda. Then she handed me a list of all the herbs I’m to collect from the woods. “Go and come back quickly before it gets dark." She instructed. I grabbed the wooden basket and went on my way. In the woods, I had already found all the plants required except one. Mandrake root! Oh! I hate when I have to hunt for this root. My mum never tells me why it’s so important. Should I go back and tell her I couldn’t find it? It must be an important ingredient to treat Lady Hilda. I searched the woods going back and forth until I found it buried in a cluster of other plants. Pheeew! There you are. I dropped my basket of herbs to make it easier to drag it out. Just as my hand was about to touch the leaves, I saw the plant uprooting itself and gravitating towards my palm. I caught it out of reflex, then I quickly dropped it. Am I dreaming? Could there be something attached to the bottom of the root? I moved slowly and tried to pick it up and the same thing happened. Now this is becoming scary! I flung the root into my basket of herbs and hurried home to tell my mum my ordeal. On getting home, Lady Hilda was fast asleep in the healing chamber, so I tiptoed back to the living room desperately wondering where my mum was. I was eager to tell her about what had happened. Could it be that my mind was tricking me? Am I sick? Did I wonder too much in the woods and it’s affecting my health? The door creaked open, and my mum entered wondering why I was sweating profusely, looking so desperate. “Mum, you won’t believe what happened, the mandrake root gravitated towards my hands as I…” “Keep quiet!” My mother cut in quickly and her eyes wide open. I was stunned and confused at the same time, wondering what was going on. I watched her in amazement as she dived to the door. Her head moved left and right as if someone had knocked earlier, and she wanted to be sure no one was there. She swiftly checked on Lady Hilda to confirm she was sleeping. She came back to me, dragged me to the bedroom and shut the door. I sat down, and I watched as my mum paced from one end of the wall to the other. “Mother, can you sit and tell me what’s going on?” I said in a low voice. She turned to look at me, and for the first time, I could see fear in her eyes. “There’s no easy way to say this, but the time is now,” she said. “Time for what?” I asked. "Listen carefully, Elara," she said, her voice low and urgent. "You come from a long line of women with...gifts. We're not like others. We have magic in our blood". “My eyes widened in shock. "Magic?” I questioned, to be sure I heard correctly. My mother nodded. "Yes, magic." This shouldn't have happened until your twenty-first birthday, but...maybe it means your powers will manifest earlier. "When you're eighteen," my mind reeled as she continued. "The Mandrake root's reaction to you is because it senses your magic. It's a plant with spiritual power, known only to those with magical inclinations. My mother's expression turned grave. "We have to be careful, Elara. People fear what they don't understand. If they discover our secret, they'll call us witches. They'll...hunt us, burn us at the stake. "We have to keep this hidden, for our own survival." I felt a shiver run down my spine. "What does it mean for me? For our family?" My mother's eyes locked onto mine. "It means we'll have to be more cautious than ever. But also...it means you'll have to learn to control your powers. Quickly." As my mother's words hung in the air, I felt the world spinning around me. I was no longer just a herbalist's daughter; I was something more. Something potentially deadly.