Queen Evangeline gazed at the babe that was laid in the bassinet; A babe that was covered with a blue silk blanket with golden trim. The Queen wore a dressed down gown and robe and was slowly rocking the bassinet from side to side.
"Hush little one, mommy is here, she isn't going to let anything happen to you, ever." The babe was fussing and was beginning to kick the silk blanket off of its tiny body. Just then a woman in a cotton dress bustled into the room. She had her hair tied up into a tight bun.
" You're highness would you like me to take the babe and feed him?"
" Ah Cordelia, that would be wonderful thank you for offering." Cordelia gently picked up the baby and cradled him in her arms. Smiling down at him lovingly, the wet nurse didn't remove her eyes from him when she spoke next.
" Well I figured with the return of your daughter you'd want some alone time. It's been over 200 years since your daughter went missing, and here we all thought she was destroyed. Wonderful news it was to hear she had returned."
" Excuse me? What did you just say?" The Queen's face was hard and stoic. She suddenly stood up and grabbed the baby from Cordelia's arms; cradling the baby in her own arms.
" I'm sorry your highness, I would have thought someone would have told you already. Princess Bella Donna showed up at the castle this morning. She didn't say much but she looked distressed, the poor dear."
" Where is she now?"
" I would assume she's in her chambers tidying up herself, oh and your sister is here for a visit. If I'm correct she will be with the Princess. "
" My sister Sophia is here?" It had been years since Evangeline had seen either of her sisters.
" No, your highness, the other one, Lady Lilith is here. Your highness will you not be needing my assistance at this moment?" Cordelia reached out to grab the baby from the queen, only for the queen to step backwards and hold the baby tighter.
" No Cordelia, I will feed the baby. I would love for him to meet his older sister. Would you be so kind as to retrieve my sister and daughter for me?" Cordelia curtsied and bowed her head.
" Of course your highness." The wet nurse exited the room. Evangeline looked around frantic, trying desperately to see the future. All she kept seeing was that of her daughter taking her life, haunting her every single day. She was now pacing the room while holding tightly onto her baby. Just then Cordelia entered the room, bowing her head.
" Your highness, Lady Lilith and Princess Bella Donna." Cordelia moved aside allowing for Evangaline's sister and daughter to enter. The queen gently placed the baby into the bassinet and stepped in front of it; guarding it like a lioness.
" Bella, my sweet little Bella. I thought all those years ago you were destroyed in the circle of realms, yet here you stand. How is that possible?"
" It's good to see you mother, rumor has it you were having another baby, after thinking I was dead. I guess they didn't realize how far along you were."
" A little boy, your father was so proud when I gave birth to him, revealing one of my worst nightmares, giving birth to a little boy in a realm ruled by women. You can imagine how protective I am of him. I had let the midwife hold him, just to see if he would be gifted, he was not given a gift. He is defenseless."
" What's his name?" Bella asked her mother.
" Gavel, his name is Gavel. Such a precious and careless little thing, doesn't know the world he will grow up into, even as a little prince he will face prejudice and be ostracized. It will be hard to handle."
" I take it you have given men the equal rights they deserve. Queen Harriet suppressed the male population effectively but don't you think they deserve to be on the same level as us women, mother?"
" Oh Bella, 200 years lost and you still are so naive. This isn't an Utopia my dear, this is all about hierarchy. Men are the lesser beings, they are not gifted, therefore are worthless. Of course they are useful for breeding and giving offspring but let's be honest what else could they possibly offer?"
" Love and companionship for starters. Mother just because they are not given a gift at birth doesn't make them lesser beings. Men, Gavel deserves a better future."
" I see being lost has given you the ability to speak up. Bella sweetheart, my heart was broken when you never returned. I waited and waited and eventually I had no choice but to pronounce you dead. You were mourned for 200 years and then it was decided that your father and I would have another child. Not to replace you but to move on with our lives. You never returned Bella, you broke so many hearts."
" I never returned? Mother I couldn't return, you never gave me the ability to jump portals, it was all on you. For years I questioned if you were destroyed only to find out you banished me over a vision. Why mother, if you knew for years what I could potentially do, why not try to change it? You didn't have to banish me." Bella at this point broke down crying. Tears falling from her eyes. Evangeline did not have to ask for clarification, she knew exactly what Bella was talking about. Evangeline stepped forward slowly until she was right in front of Bella. She reached up and brushed the tears from Bella's face.
" Bella I did what was best for the kingdom. For years I struggled with what to do with the knowledge I retrieved regarding you. For years I wondered if there was another way, I even prayed to be shown another way, but no matter what I did the same vision haunted me. In the end I knew in my heart that banishing you was for the best. I couldn't muster up the strength to have you destroyed, you were too precious to me. You mean so much to me Bella, you always will."
" Mother I know that you think you know what is best, but once upon a time so did Harriet." Evangeline visibly stiffened at the mention of her late mother. Mother when I was on Earth I found love, well really I learned how to love. I learned freedom and companionship and love all at once and I do not regret it. I let my guard down and told my story, all because I learned to trust. I never learned any of those things from you."
" Love, you fell in love with a human?" Evangeline was astounded at this news.
" No mother, I fell in love with a vampire, and was welcomed with open arms into his family, who are also vampires." Bella said matter of factly. Evangeline, shocked by this news, walked across the room and sat near the bassinet. She suddenly looked exhausted. Bella walked towards her mother and stood by her side. Lilith remained quiet and motionless the entire time.
" Oh Bella, how could you do such a thing, to stoop to such a level of desperation."
" You think I fell in love out of desperation? Mother that is the furthest from the truth you can get. You don't fall in love due to desperation, falling in love doesn't have any rhyme or reason. It just does it's own thing, you can't possibly control it." Evangeline was at this point no longer sitting straight but was slouching over the bassinet. She was reaching towards Gavel when Bella grasped her wrist.
" I wouldn't touch him if I were you."
" Why?" But before she could ask her question the Queen's eyes filled with realization.
"Looks like you finally are using your gift. I must say that my vision was never one of me slowly dying of fever. In my vision you used the dancing berry bush. Just tell me you will give Gavel a good home, you won't just throw him away. He is innocent in all this mess. He's just a baby. "
" Of course mother, I will treat him and raise him like my own. He won't want for anything. I promise." Evangeline reached out for Bella's hand, grasping it tightly in her own.
" Bella, for over 200 years I wished to bring you back, to tell you how sorry I was. I am so sorry Bella. I thought…" Evangeline had to catch her breath.
" Thought what mother?"
"I thought what I was doing was for the best. I never once thought about how abandoned you must have felt. I am so sorry."
" It's okay mother I'm here, I'll stay with you until the end, you won't be alone." Bella was now cradling her mother in her arms, tears falling rapidly from her own eyes. Bella looked down at her mother, she witnessed as a few tears breached her mother's eyes and gently fell down her face. Bella bent forward and placed a gentle kiss on her mother's forehead, when she lifted her head up to look at her mother she saw the life leave Evangeline's eyes, leaving behind lifeless ice blue eyes. Bella reached up and closed her mother's eyes, letting her rest in peace. For what seemed like hours Bella sat with her mother dead in her arms. It wasn't until her baby brother started to fuss that she showed signs of moving. It was Lilith that moved forward and gently lifted the baby out of the bassinet; rocking him gently in her arms.
" Bella, If anyone knows what it's like to be in your shoes it's me. I was very young when I took Harriet's life. There are still times when I wish things could have gone differently. It will hurt for quite awhile, you might even become numb to it, but eventually you will feel. Just know Bella that you're not alone, I'm here and so are the Cullens."
" DId I do what was best? She was nothing like Harriet, out of all the feelings I thought I would feel, regret is not one of them." Lilith placed Gavel in his bassinet and placed her hand on Bella's shoulder.
" After how Harriet treated us I didn't think it was possible to feel regret after her death. I thought foolishly that taking her life would leave behind no ill feelings. Though when I eventually did follow through with taking her life the first feeling I felt was doubt and regret. As she slowly turned to stone it physically hurt to see life leave her. It took many years for me to justify killing my own mother."
"Where are the Cullens now?"
" They are in the throne room patiently awaiting for you. Why don't you take Gavel and go to them. I'm sure they will want to meet the sweet little baby Gavel and to be there for you." Bella stood up slowly, making sure to lay her mother gently on the floor. She slowly reached for her little brother and grasped him in her arms. Her little brother was wiggling in her arms until he looked up at Bella. A grin spread across his face and he let out a giggle. Bella nuzzled his nose with her nose, a smile spreading on her face as well.
" What do you say Gavel, why don't we go see our family. I promise you are going to love you as much as you'll learn to love them.
Bella began walking out of the room, holding Gavel in her arms, she looked one last time at the lifeless body of her mother.
