"He's your son!" Lily followed me to the other room. I stopped abruptly and looked at her.

"Don't you think I actually know that?" I frowned. Last few weeks were horrible; I was way too nervous and angry. Dorian couldn't understand why I forbade our neighbors and friends to see the baby. He didn't seem to notice the obvious, but I did. And it bothered me.

"You know, I'm not going to take care of him and Elisabeth while you're freaking out." she said.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you wanted this." I smiled bitterly "You were around when I didn't want it. Now I need you and you don't want it."

"Look. I would help you. But I won't take care of your kids like I'm their mother. Because I'm not." she said "You are."

"Whatever!" I snapped "Just leave me alone!"

"Give him away." she suddenly said. I looked at her in shock.

"No." I said.

"If you don't want him, give him to his father!" she said.

"No!" I was upset.

"Then start acting like his mother!" Lily looked at me in a very frightening way "Or I'll do the right thing for you."

"Don't…" I started to cry. I couldn't take it anymore. Tears were running down my face like a river and I think Lily was hugging me. I wasn't sure what was going on. But I yelled at Lily and she got mad and left. She didn't come back.


Two months without Lily and I was getting worse. Dorian almost left his job because of me. He called doctors, herbalists and who knows who, but no one could help me. Most of the time I was crying, screaming or yelling at someone. I refused to go out or to see my friends.

I attacked Dorian when he wanted to take Max out. I just couldn't let anyone see him. I was sure they would find out my secret. One night Dorian finally lost his patience.

"Amarantha, please, I just want to talk to you." he said, taking my hand.

"What do you want?" I asked coldly.

"Come with me." he took me outside. I wanted to protest, but I didn't. It was night outside. Everything was so quiet; perfect. I looked around, completely amazed.

"How do you feel?" he smiled. I gasped. The moon was shining so beautifully and the stars were like little dots of light in the darkness. The air was fresh and it smelled like roses. Oh, Dorian actually put some flowers there.

"Better." I whispered. I realized I was smiling. I didn't feel so good for a long time. And it was so easy to get out and move away from all the mess and noise in my house. But I didn't do it…until now.

"You don't have to be all the time inside." Dorian kissed my hand.

"Umm, yeah. It's beautiful here." I sighed "But I should get back inside…the kids might…"

"No." Dorian whispered into my ear "Don't worry. Nothing will happen. Not now, when I have this special moment with you."

"Honey…" I smiled and we kissed. We haven't done that for a long time.

"I love you." he said "Maybe I don't really understand you sometimes, but I still love you. Please, help me here."

"I…this is very stressful…Elisabeth is growing up so fast…Max is here…" I said "I'm not sure I can handle it."

"Yes, you can." he said "I know you can. I believe in you."

"Dorian." I said "I'll try…"

"I'll be there…" he smiled "Always and forever with you."


Three years passed by. I finally got closer to normal. At least I didn't have to take care of crying babies anymore. Dorian had done everything for me. But the most important: he loved me. Maybe I didn't love him like I used to, but it was easier for me to be around him.

"Mommy!" Elisabeth ran into the house and jumped into my arms.

"What is it, honey?" I kissed her cheek. Her dress was dirty and ripped a bit, but I got used to it. She loved to play outside. Her hair was brown and long, almost like mine.

However, she never spoke about her dreams or anything like that and I hoped she wouldn't. I just couldn't stand it if my daughter had problems because of my curse…our curse. My visions stopped working, at least I thought that. I wasn't sure but I hadn't had them for a long time.

"Max won't play with me!" she made a sad face. I almost laughed; she was so cute when she did that.

"Oh, honey, why don't you play with Bella?" I said. Bella was something like her best friend. They played together all the time.

"Because she's not here!" she said.

"Oh, and where is she?" I was surprised.

"I don't know." she shrugged "Can I go see Daddy?"

"Yes, you can." I smiled and she ran out again. I went outside to find Max. He was right there in our garden. Dorian had made a fence so I wouldn't be so paranoid about Max being out. My friends and neighbors were already mad at me so they avoided our house.

"Max!" I called, but he didn't hear me. He was sitting on the ground and playing with something. His hair was actually completely black and a bit longer. No one suspected anything, or at least no one said anything about it.

"Max!" I got closer to him and he looked up at me "Max, what are you doing?"

"No…thing." he stood up, still looking at me carefully.

"Nothing?" I raised an eyebrow. Most of the time I wasn't really sure what he was doing. Did he inherit my curse too? Well, it would be one of the rare things he got from me, so…no, wait. I didn't want that. The boy still stared at me…with those eyes. I shook my head to get rid of that thought.

"Ah, whatever. Come with me." I said and he followed me back to the house.


I woke up in the middle of the night. Someone was crying in the other room. I got up and went to check it. Like I thought, it was Max. Before I could reach his room, I felt a sharp pain in my head. I fell down on the floor. The pain was horrible.

I bit my lip not to scream. Images were passing in front of my eyes. Horrible, dark images. When I finally recovered, it seemed like hours had passed by and not only seconds. I was shocked. They were going to kill him.

"Max, what is it?" I came closer to his bed.

"Monster is there!" he pointed at the window, tears going down his face.

"There are no such things as monsters. You're safe." I rolled my eyes. Okay, dragons and wild animals don't count. He didn't have to know it. I looked through the window actually. A shadow. I shivered. Was I seeing things or there really was something out there?

"Stay here." I said to Max and decided to go out. I had to check or I couldn't go back to sleep. No way I would feel safe with someone there. Carefully, I opened the door to meet the monster. I gasped.

"I knew you would come out." Murtagh whispered. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. I was so shocked to see him there that I didn't know what to do. My mind went blank.

"What are you doing here?" I managed to ask while Murtagh held my arm and guided me to the garden.

"I need to ask you for a favor." he said as we sat on the bench behind my house, not far from the window of mine and Dorian's bedroom. I took a deep breath.

"Those people…" I whispered nervously "They'll try to kill you!"

"I know." he smiled sadly "That's why I came."

"What?" I was confused. So he knew about that? He knew that those rebels who didn't like him as the king would finally do something about it?

"Take this and keep it safe." he put something green out of his black coat. I stared at the shiny thing with wide eyes.

"No!" I gasped "No way! I'm not taking it! I'm not keeping and I'm not doing anything with it! Are you crazy?"

"Wow, you really are shocked." he said. Of course, I was! He brought a dragon egg to my house! I hoped Dorian hadn't heard me.

"No." I said "Just…no."

"Please, listen to me." he said "Hide the egg here and give it to our son on his eighteen birthday. Just do it."

"Don't you think someone will find the egg here?" I panicked "No way! I won't let someone kill my family because of a stupid dragon!"

"Don't say that." he closed his eyes for a moment "No one will find the egg here. Trust me. It's well protected with magic."

"I…" I didn't know what to say. He wrapped the egg in a black blanket and put it under the bench.

"Just do as I say." he touched my face gently. I shivered. Old feelings came back to me like a wave. Suddenly we heard something behind our back.

"Max!" I almost yelled "I told you to stay inside!"

The boy stared at us, not moving.

"Max…" Murtagh said "Come here."

I looked at Murtagh nervously but he had a look in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. Or was it just the moon? I almost started to cry.

"It's okay." I said to Max and the boy hesitantly got closer. I didn't know what Murtagh had in mind but what else could I have done? What should I say to Max? What…?

"Who is he?" Max stared at me with his big eyes. The king? A friend? Your father? What was I supposed to say?

"He's…Murtagh." I simply said and tried to smile.

"Why is he here?" Max asked. Oh, great. More stupid questions I just didn't want to answer.

"Amarantha?" Murtagh frowned at me.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow. I almost forgot how it was to have someone reading your thoughts. I looked at Max who was probably tired. I had to get him back to the house.

"Are you tired?" Murtagh smiled at Max and the boy nodded "Can I hold you then for a moment?"

That wasn't a good idea. Max looked at me first and I had to smile because I could feel Murtagh's eyes on me. Murtagh took Max into his arms and hugged him. I could swear I saw tears in his eyes.

Tears appeared in my eyes too. I ran my hand nervously through my hair but I couldn't stop myself from shivering.

"What now?" I whispered after some moments of silence. Murtagh pressed Max tightly to his chest and didn't seem to want to let go of the boy. I couldn't blame him for that.

"Just keep him safe, please." Murtagh said softly.

"What about you?" I asked and noticed Max fell asleep. It was better like that.

"You saw it." he said, closing his eyes. One single tear rolled down his cheek. He looked at me again.

"You'll let them kill you?" I couldn't believe my own words.

"Yes." he whispered.

"Why?" I cried. I knew situation in the Empire wasn't the best. There were people who didn't like him. He was also married with Nasuada but there were rumors they couldn't have kids.

I heard Murtagh used to go somewhere without telling anything to anyone and Nasuada was angry. People said they fought a lot. But Murtagh's death didn't make sense to me. Why would he do it when he always wanted to live?

"Why?" he looked at the sky sadly "There's nothing worth living for."

"You just didn't say that." I refused to believe it.

"You took him away from me." he kissed the top of Max's head "You were right to do that. I wouldn't…and I know I would just look for you and him…my whole life…knowing that you're here somewhere but I can't see you, can't touch you, can't kiss you…"

"No…" I said "If you do that…I'll never forgive myself."

"They won't be looking for you after I'm dead." he said coldly "That's the only thing that matters…keeping you safe."

"I'll tell everyone the truth if you let them kill you." I said.

"No, you won't. Wouldn't make sense." he smiled.

"I'll let you see our son." I said.

"And what would you say to him?" he looked at me "Would you put him in danger?"

"I'll tell him the truth." I said.

"No, you would ruin his life." he said "It's better for him to think that nice man is his father…not me."

"I love you." I blurted. I knew it was a stupid thing to say but I ran out of reasons which actually made sense. Ah, whatever. I won't try to fool myself. I said it because that was how I felt and I didn't think about it. It was the truth. The only possible truth.

"I love you too." we kissed above our son's head. After a moment we both moved away in shock. This wasn't planned and I think it scared the both of us a bit. Murtagh was again faster to get back that expressionless look on his face. I hated that.

It was supposed to be like that. Happy, spontaneous and crazy. This was how our lives were supposed to look like. Perfect family picture. I jumped when I saw a shadow near the house. It was Dorian. There were tears in his eyes. I wanted to run to him and hug him, but I knew nothing I did would make him feel better.

"I knew it all along." Dorian whispered.

"I'm sorry I…" I sobbed.

"What could you possibly tell me?" Dorian felt betrayed. I've done something horrible to him…for all these years.

"It wasn't her fault." Murtagh said.

"I know you are the king, but not here…not after doing this to my family." Dorian was getting really angry.

"Just shut up!" I said nervously "You'll wake up Max!"

"So, you care now because he's here?" Dorian looked at me with pure hate in his eyes.

"Dorian, I'm so sorry…I didn't mean…" I was still talking but what difference did it make? The farce was over. Really over. I looked again at Murtagh; he was smiling for a second. I gasped. He planned this all. He knew I wasn't smart enough to realize when he was lying. Once again he got what he wanted, so easily. Just I didn't know what he really wanted with all this.