The winter's cold felt the harshest within the prison. The stone walls bore no heat, nor offered any comfort. The pitiful windows that were placed above near the high ceiling failed to let in any proper sunlight, or now, any moonlight.

Rosa felt the chill of the winter night even more so with the metal chains encompassing her body. Though her Umbran attire saw fit to cover her entire body, the heavy metal's icy presence still penetrated her skin.

She remained curled up in the corner of the cell, her first night in what will remain her home for an eternity, at least that is what she had been told.

She kept her gaze turned from the open floor behind her, hiding her face within her arms. Partially to attempt to keep warm, but also to hide the tears that still soaked her face. She felt it to be a shameful thing, to cry now after all that has happened. It was not something that she nor any Umbra has ever seen fit to do. A waste of energy, something that will not change the outcome now.

But she could still feel it, the painful burn in her core. Hearing the pleading cries of Balder as he was dragged out of the Umbran throne room by the other Sages. Their hands had reached out to touch for the last time, but just missed inches apart. All the while their newborn cried as Rosa held her close. But even that warmth was torn from her as Cereza was taken away, and Rosa was subdued.

There in that very room, their Elder imbued upon her an incantation of eternal imprisonment. She had felt her power just slip from her. Like she had dropped something without realizing it had slipped from her fingers. The chains wrapped greedily around her entire being. And with that, she was thrown into the cell, all the while all she would only ask where her child was.

The guards had refused to answer her after the many pleas she called out. Rosa eventually saw it as a fruitless attempt and resorted to isolation. She didn't want to believe any of it, but she had to repeatably remind herself that this was something that she and Balder had known would happen, since the beginning. But she didn't realize how much this would hurt. How difficult this would truly be.

As the witch had remained in her heartbroken state, the sound of a loud metal door creaked open at the far side of the prison. The sudden noise in the silent room caused Rosa to freeze up. The sound of clanking footsteps neared her cell at an unbearably slow rate.

"Leave us," A familiar voice said, addressing the guards. The other Umbra quickly departed as the figure then stood in front of the cell, before kneeling and resting at Rosa's level. Her stature blocked out any moonlight that managed to peek in. It cast Rosa into even deeper darkness. All except for a familiar crescent moon outline.

Rosa did not turn to look, she didn't want to face her now, not after what just happened. She knew it was Isabelle at her back, now looking over her pathetic state. She remained curled up on the frigid ground.

"Rosa," Isabelle called out, so much more placid than what it was a few hours ago. It made Rosa fold in on herself even more so.

"Rosa, look at me," Her usual commanding voice returned. Rosa remained still. Isabelle could only sigh, pausing for while longer.

"I just want to know why. Why would you do this?"

She was met with more silence. The only movement she could make out was Rosa's slight shivering in the dark.

"You had been our most loyal sister, a witch that had the potential to bring such honor and glory for the Umbra. Yet you threw it all away...just for a Sage."

Rosa's core still burned with the pain that struck her, but a wave of anger had risen now. It was a dismal, small flame of anger but nevertheless still there.

"To dwell with him, a man of the light. What could have possibly drawn you to it all?" Isabelle was speaking towards Rosa, but now it felt she was merely speaking her thoughts aloud. Questions that seemed to bother her the most, and not expecting Rosa to ever answer.

"It's a shame. You truly were the best of us," Isabelle's voice seemed to waver back to the soothing voice she had started with.

"You could have been something more," She continued.

"Where is my little one?" Rosa finally spoke up, her voice croaked in a bitter manner. She hadn't realized that the prolonged sobbing she had been induced in had led her voice to come out weak and jagged.

She waited to hear Isabelle's scrutinizing remark, to belittle her more for portraying such weakness. But she remained quiet longer than she had expected. Rosa still did not want to turn around, she couldn't bear to look at her.

"She is fine. Your daughter is being looked after, and no harm has come to her," Isabelle's voice remained calm.

"I want her back," Rosa said, her voice more demanding than before.

"I will not have-"

"You've taken enough from me today, you've taken everything that I have, so give me back my little one," Rosa spun around with full force, her small flame flaring up as the pain fueled it. Her face now bared to Isabelle, her eyes and cheeks still glistening with her tears. The chains clanked powerfully as she moved, hitting the stones as she did.

Isabelle remained still, her eyes meeting with Rosa's as she saw the sorrow weld in them.

"She will remain with us for the time being. She will be better off for a while in the care of someone else until she is old enough to be returned to you."

"Just let me hold her, please. I heard how she cried when she was taken away, she's scared."

Rosa's demeanor faltered, her anger dissipated to nothing more than a plea. Her chest tightened, feeling so helpless in front of her.

Isabelle's expression finally seemed to change, her brow furrowed as she looked at Rosa in such a pitiful way. But Rosa could see something else there, a sadness of her own.

"Answer me this, just this one question. Knowing now where this path had led you, knowing that falling for that Sage and bearing this child has led you. Would you do it all over again?" Isabelle asked.

"Yes."

She didn't hesitate, and it made Isabelle recoil back ever so slightly.

"I would do it all again. I cannot and will not ever regret ever bringing Cereza into our lives, nor will I regret or apologize my love for Balder," Rosa said.

And with that Isabelle's face returned to a blank and barren expression. She turned her nose up slightly at Rosa. And without another word, rose to her feet and took her to leave to the door.

Rosa sprung up the cell door, clinging onto the bars.

"Isabelle, please, she's my daughter!" Rosa called out, her hot breath cascading across the air with a steamy cloud.

Isabelle didn't turn to look at her and kept her stride forward. Rosa's face contorted between anger, disbelief, and the crumbling grace into tears.

"Damn you!" Rosa screamed at her, her voice echoing against the large room, piercing the night with their ancient tongue.

But without hesitation, Isabelle exited through the door.

Rosa heaved and collapsed downward into an uncontrollable sob. Left to her own isolation once more. She wrapped her arms up around her face, the pain returning as it burned through her chest.

An hour had passed, but time was different for Rosa within the cell. She felt she had been there for ages already. Feeling like the world had been caught in a forever night. She could almost feel sleep taking over, something to put an end to the exhaustion and hopelessness she felt.

But the metal door creaked open once more, now a bright orange light illuminating the room with a warm hue.

Rosa's eyes snapped open but then squinted as the sudden light had thrown her off. She lifted herself up off against the wall, looking through the bars to see who had entered.

Isabelle walked back over to her cell, with a candlestick in one hand, and a swaddled baby in the other.

Rosa's heart nearly stopped, raising herself up to her feet all the while the chains clanked as they scarped against another. The harsh noise caused the baby to stir in Isabelle's arms.

"Cereza," Rosa said, a quiet whisper laced with urgency as she outstretched her arms through one of the openings in the door.

With some unforeseeable luck, the passageway was more than wide enough to transfer the newborn over to Rosa without any issues. Isabella gently placed her in Rosa's hands, while seating herself down, placing a large black quilt that she had draped over her elbow onto the floor next to her. She placed the candlestick in its holder on the ground.

With the warm light, Rosa could see Cereza more clearly. Her small pudgy features and small strands of black hair swirled around her forehead.

Rosa's eyes watered, but her beaming smile overtook the tears. She brought her close as she seated herself against the wall closest to the door.

With Cereza so close to her chest, the frozen winter air didn't seem to matter anymore. She stirred slightly, the chains clanking causing her to whimper once more.

"Shh...It's alright little one," Rosa soothed, bringing her in to place a small kiss on her forehead. "I'm here now, so don't you cry."

Isabelle remained silent, watching Rosa's aura transform and change in front of her. From such anger to anguish, now to unwavering happiness.

"My daughter was born not too long after yours," Isabelle finally spoke up.

Rosa snapped her head to Isabelle.

"Since you had left almost a year ago, to keep your secret hidden. My time had come to bear an heir for the Umbra. You have been away for some time, I had wondered if you had known or not."

"I...never knew," Rosa asked, keeping her voice low. "Is she healthy?"

"She is. She also has a lot of spark but it is so restless. But that it was newborns do. Until I had taken your Cereza in this evening. Cereza barely makes more than that whimper. And Jeanne…"

Isabelle paused, her eyes averting for a moment.

"Jeanne seems calmed by Cereza being there. It is the first time I had heard her be so quiet since the day she has been born." Isabelle kept her eyes to the ground, the flickering candlelight occasionally lighting up the colors of her eyes.

Rosa had remained quiet, she couldn't find anything to say. Her eyes softened, hearing the sincerity in her words. The cold wind blew more harshly outside.

"Jeanne is a beautiful name," Rosa said, her voice even lower than before. Isabelle finally looked up to her.

Rosa looked back to her daughter, rocking her gently in her arms as she slipped back to quiet sleep.

"It's terrifying, isn't it?" Rosa asked, still looking down at Cereza.

"What is?"

"Taking care of a little one. To be an unstoppable force with powers forged in the depths of Inferno. To fight mighty beings like angels and to hold the key to immortality. But how all of that seems to feel like...nothing, when you have your own, helpless child to look after. To have something so small and innocent cry for you every night, afraid you had gone away forever. Suddenly everything else has a weight to it. Your dangerous life just became a burden upon someone else."

Rosa looked into Isabelle, to see them wavering. Though her expression gave nothing away, or what could be seen behind the veiled face. But her eyes glistened in the candle's rich glow, were a gateway for Rosa to see her true feelings underneath it all.

"Imagine all of that. That desperate scramble to keep your little one safe, to try and keep them going when around every corner there's a chance of immediate danger. And now imagine being unable to do anything as you sit behind a cold, empty cell…"

Rosa's eyes glared now at the Elder, her voice was just loud enough to compete with the winter's howl against the closed windows.

Isabelle heaved in a heavy sigh, looking down at the child in Rosa's arms. She could feel herself becoming exposed to her, her true emotions that she can keep masterfully concealed were being laid bare in front of the witch.

"Cereza will be safe with me. She will be returned to you whenever we can, but she will be cared for by myself and the others. She will never learn the dark arts or ever make a pact with a demon of Inferno. But I can promise you that we will protect her just like the rest."

"If you have such empathy for her, why put her and me through this torment? It is clear that you do not want this."

"Do not speak about what I want, Rosa. Do not mistake my pity and my duty as an Elder to protect all Umbra as a sign of empathy towards her. She is still an impure child, something that was created which broke our most important tenant. I do this for you...only has favored for someone I had once called friend."

Rosa's gaze shifted away from her, her face barely lit as she looked to the dark corner of the cell. She could see the crescent moon outlined so clearly against the stone wall.

"I know...you should have been Elder. You should have beaten me that day, but you didn't. Ever since I acquired this Eye, and overseen the Umbra through the years, we have grown so far apart. All of those years of training together, and the adventures we would have, have now fizzled out to just a distant memory…"

Rosa turned her head back to Isabelle. The Elder's eyes had hardened again, the stone-cold emptiness filled them once more.

"And that is what it will remain as, a memory." Isabelle reached over and picked up the quilt and moved it into the cell. Rosa leaned over to take it, and felt that it was warm. Perpetually warm. She could sense with what little ability she had left, that it was enchanted with a simple spell, to be a constant state of this pleasant warmth.

"I will give you a few moments with her alone. But after that she will be returned me, these cold nights are not fit for the little ones to stay out in."

Isabelle rose to her feet and returned to the door to leave Rosa and Cereza alone in the quiet room. The candlelight still flickering wildly.

Rosa pulled the blanket up over her, feeling such relief as the feeling in her toes returned. The blanket encapsulated her in heat. She wrapped Cereza in it as well, seeing the child wiggle slightly as the comforting feeling enveloped her.

"Don't be afraid little one. I will always be here for you, no matter what," Rosa whispered, brushing her thumb ever so gently against Cereza's cheek.

The wind howled loudly outside, causing the glass windows to moan and bend. Cereza stirred once more, her lips curling as the disturbance was just loud enough to scare her awake.

"There, there little one. No need to cry, I'm here," Rosa softly rocked her back and forth. But the child still whimpered. Rosa shushed her, pulling the blanket up over her more to keep her warm.

"How about a song, little one? You loved it when your father would sing to you…" Rosa said, an all-familiar hurt returning to her chest.

She began her harmony and watched as Cereza slipped away into sleep. The song that she would continue to sing for years to come.