EXPLANATIONS
"Irene said that she needed me to meet you." Raven just smiled at Anna.
"Do you remember me at all?"
"You seem familiar. Am Ah suppose to?"
"No, not really. You were pretty young."
"So what is this all 'bout?" Raven smiled and sat back in her chair.
"Can you keep a secret?"
"Yeah." Raven scooted closer to Anna.
"I know your mother." Anna just stared at the woman before her, unsure of what to say.
"She was a good woman once, but she isn't dead. She had no choice but to have Irene take care of you. It was the only way to keep you safe."
"An' mah fathah?"
"Oh, he's very much dead."
"Whay are ya tellin' meh this now? Whay not Irene?"
"Because that woman is here Anna. Would you want to see her?" she asked her as she stood up. There was a hitch in Anna's breath that did not go unnoticed, as tears brimmed her eyes.
"It's understandable if you do not, my dear." Raven told her plainly.
"No," she replied in a faint whisper, "Ah wanna see her." Raven smiled down at the young woman before her. So many years she had missed.
"I am she Anna. I am your mother."
"You?"
"Sorry if I have made you uncomfortable, but if you did not want to know, I didn't want to just throw myself at you."
"Whay now?" Raven sat back down.
"Because there is so much you need to know."
Remy sat in his room with Henri as most of the decorations were set, not that Remy had bothered to help. He didn't even want to go near it all. He hated himself for even bothering with Anna when he had met her. He knew that this day would come, but he shouldn't have become so attached. It was like she had some sort of hold on him that no one else had ever had. Henri just kept telling him that it would be good in the end. At least he wouldn't end up dead like the Bourdeax wanted. Maybe he would fall in love with this girl or make some sort of arrangement with her.
On the other hand, Anna was finally understanding what was going on.
"You see, you have knew their family as a young girl, before Jean-Luc ever adopted Remy. But, before the age of five I had to give you to Irene. There were some people in the guild I had angered, so they thought I had too much power. I had to go on the run, but I couldn't do that to you. It was too dangerous. In fact, it was too dangerous for you to even know what you know now. Marius killed your father and attempted with us. I made it look real, but I couldn't take you with me." Anna looked like she was in a trance over what she had just heard.
"So...Ah'm an-"
"Assassin. Yes, but you don't have as much formal training as the others in their guild. They train you from the moment you can walk."
"But whay now?"
"Anna, neither Jean-Luc, nor I have ever wanted to allow Remy and Belladonna to marry. They agreed to it because at the time they had to. After what had happened with us, the war between the two guilds became so much worse. You would have been promised to Remy if he had been with Jean-Luc then. His brother Henri was too old for you. If Belle marries Remy, all of the thieves will die, Marius will win."
"So you set me up!" Anna started to become angry.
"Meeting Remy! Coming back here!"
"No, not all of it. Jean-Luc thought I was dead too. But I found out what was going on and I helped Irene get that house. I'm sorry. I never would have thought you would have ended up loving him, I just...hoped. You must hate me." Raven stood up and began to walk out of the room.
"Wait." Anna called out.
"Does all of this mattah that much? Whay couldn't ya tell meh soonah?"
"Too much risk. I couldn't afford to lose you, not again."
"Please, stay." Anna asked, as she sat back down.
"You still have a choice. I would never force you."
"Force meh?"
"You can go back and marry your thief." Raven told her smiling gently.
"Can ya tell meh somethin'?"
"Anything."
"'Bout us. Ah don't remember." Raven placed her hand upon her daughters.
"I used to call you my little rogue."