(( A quick short story of my GW2 characters discussion with her lost mother. I own nothing by GW2 ))
Re-United
On the outskirts of Shaemoor towards the Queens Forest is a large estate owned by the Medlem Family, behind the walls most villagers didn't really know what goes on all they know there friend, ex Minister and now Vice Legate of the Ministry lives there mostly alone with her a handful of Ministry Guard and a few handpicked personal guard. Every day was the same people would approach the gate and either be let in or turned away because they didn't have an appointment or on the official guest list.
Inside the estate the young Countess watched out her bedroom window as the Ministry Guard checked out the woman who approached the gate, the Countess knew she was on the list to be escorted in, she was making sure that they were taking extra in care in clearing her. Anipuma had security doubled since her ordeal with the White Mantle. The Guard let the woman into the estate and escorted her to the door where one of her valets were waiting to take her the rest of the way, Anipuma finished preparing herself for the conversation was to come. According to Mia this woman claims to be her mother, and is also the one that led the rescue for her.
Anipuma wasn't sure if Mia's story was valid but Mia had no reason to lie to her and Mia seemed to trust the woman without question, plus Anipuma did owe the woman a thank you for saving her life from the White Mantle. This would be a good time to get to the truth of it all. It wasn't long before the valet showed up to announce the guest.
"Countess, I present Lady Azarin, Exemplar of the Shining Blade." The valet said.
Anipuma nodded to her valet and gave him a smile.
"Thank you, please Exemplar come in and have a seat, I have tea and some snack ready" Ani said with a soft smile and led the woman to the small setup she had ready for her.
Azarin nodded and followed Anipuma to the table with the plush chairs and sat in one. The valet let the two be and shut the door on his way out, the two were completely alone. Azarin looked at Anipuma as she took to her seat, she was nervous on the inside, she didn't know what to expect nor how to explain any questions that the Countess may have for her. Anipuma sat down and looked across the small table.
"Tea? It's Elonan blend that Mia manage to get a hold of, it is quite delicious." Ani asked.
"Yes, please and thank you Vice Legate for the invite." Azarin said in reply.
Anipuma shook her head.
"Please call me Anipuma, you aren't here on any official business and I hear that title all day long." Anipuma said with a soft smile.
Azarin nodded.
"Alright … Anipuma" she said slowly.
Ani poured the tea and sat back in her seat once she gave Azarin her tea cup.
"I just wanted to thank you for rescuing me with the others, I am sorry it took this long to say that, but things have been quite busy for me." Anipuma said.
Azarin took a sip of her tea listening to Anipuma speak, she gave her a soft smile.
"You are welcome Anipuma, I was doing my duty." Azarin said.
Anipuma nodded sipping her own cup of tea.
"I understand you have quite the career, at least what Mia has told me. She speaks very highly of you, Exemplar." Anipuma said to see the reaction on the woman's face.
Azarin didn't really know how to reply to that for some reasons she was hoping to hear 'mother' come from Anipuma's lips but she quickly realized that may not happen or this was a test.
"Mia speaks highly of you as well, Anipuma. I understand you have done very well yourself becoming Countess of the House." Azarin raised her eyebrow.
Anipuma saddens at the word 'Countess'. Azarin catching on to this tilts her head curiously.
"Did I say something wrong?" she asked.
Anipuma stood up and looked out the window down to the garden. She didn't want to play this game she wanted to get to the subject why she brought this woman here.
"Exemplar… I didn't ask you to come over just to say thank you. I think we both know why we are here and I really just want to get to the heart of the matter. Mia claims you are my mother, I say my mother has been dead a long time. I want to know why you would fill Mia's head with something so foolish?"
Anipuma turned around giving Azarin a cold stare, it was the stare that Azarin didn't want to see from Anipuma, the stare that asked the question 'Why did you abandon me'. Azarin put her tea cup down and thought about it for a moment then spoke.
"Because it was the truth, Mia is not only my pupil she is my trusted friend and she deserved to know why I came to rescue you and why I did what I did. I'm not here to ask forgiveness, but at the time when you were a baby, I did what I did to protect you the best way I could."
Azarin pauses for a moment before speaking.
"Mia insisted I tell you the truth, but looking at your face you are still skeptical and I can understand after all you been through, trust me coming here to face you like this is not the easiest for me to do, how do I make up all this time to you, how do I even begin to apologize, I can't just say sorry it would feel to hollow. I'm not here to beg forgiveness or to be part of your life, I can understand if you never want to see me after this…"
Azarin pulls something out of her bag, it was a small picture of herself when she was younger holding on to a very small infant Anipuma with just a tad bit of white hair. It was clearly a worn picture probably been traveling with her a long time. She holds it up for Anipuma to see.
"I never showed anyone this before, I had it done when you were just after you were born, I kept it close to me all these long years hoping one day we could be reunited. It was the only thing I had of you, your father took everything else away even my memory from you. Perhaps when you have a child of your own one day you will understand a mother's love is eternal and unconditional even if you have to do something tears your heart out from you to protect your child."
Anipuma walks over and takes the picture gently from the woman and stares at it for a few minutes in silence. Her cold demeanor faded as she thought about the woman's words.
"Why wait so long?" Ani asked.
"Because I knew your father was still alive, I knew if returned to you earlier he would have used it to his advantage against you. It was a tactical decision one that I felt it had to be done till the time was right, though I admit it didn't go the quite the way I thought it would. I never thought he would do all those terrible things to his own flesh and blood." She replied.
Anipuma nodded and sat back down next to the woman handing the picture back to her.
"When I look in your eyes I can see you speaking the truth, and I know Mia would never lie to me, but that still doesn't mend all these long years. This picture can prove you are my mother, but I have lived all this time without one, and right now I don't know if I can start…" Ani said.
Azarin sadden at this, she was starting to tear up, she was hoping her daughter wouldn't reject her.
"But…" Ani was continuing.
"In time perhaps we can get to know each other and hopefully we can make new memories instead of looking back in the past. I don't have much family left, I have Garen, Mia, Mavis, Tesluh and a few others I consider family, perhaps time can heal all wounds." Anipuma said with a soft smile.
"I can see why you are well loved by many, Anipuma. You are kind and strong, it honors me to know that you have done so well for yourself, you even opened Mia's heart which was something I couldn't do." Azarin said with a teary smile.
Anipuma hugged the woman it was clear to her that this strong woman in front of her was breaking down. Azarin gripped Anipuma in return and didn't want to let her go. She started to cry.
"I'm sorry Anipuma, my daughter…shouldn't never have left you." She said in-between the sniffles.
Anipuma started to cry herself feeling the warmth of the woman and hearing her words.
"It's ok, you did what you had to do I understand that. You did what is best for me and my safety and I will never be mad at you for that. Please don't cry what matters is we are here now talking and that is a good start." Anipuma replied.
After a few minutes of letting years of guilt and anguish out Azarin slowly sits back up and looks at Anipuma for a moment. She eventually smiles at Ani. Anipuma smiles back.
"It might be awhile to get use to call you mother…" Anipuma says with a smile.
Anipuma thought about it for a moment.
"Mother..it has a ring to it." Ani said with a smile.
Azarin smiled and hugged her again, the two of them spent the afternoon catching up on many years of lost.