Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: Written: 2015, Found: 2018- Licia

The first weeks of summer passed by quickly; meetings with her advisers, state visits, festivals and the like took up the majority of Raven and Mika's time. She barely had time to herself, let alone time to video chat with her friends from school. Between returning to visit Mika's family to celebrate Caysian's birthday, and his parents' wedding anniversary, bouncing over to Vispen for the silver jubilee of Cleon's parents taking the throne, the couple had little time in between to spend together, though they managed to find small pockets of freedom to steal an occasional kiss or caress.

Her father's birthday was at the end of the month, and Raven had decided on a small, private party, which had gone over wonderfully. And then, one late evening as they were relaxing in the sitting room, Raven announced something that cast a shadow over everything.

"I want to see my mother."

Mira stilled in her placement of the queen in her game of chess with The Good King, and both nodded, but didn't look up from the board; it was customary, that after dinner, Mira and her father join Raven and her father, and she and the former king get through at least one game of chess before the evening fell to pieces and exhaustion took hold; Ivarr meanwhile, usually fell into a discussion with Raven's father, while Mira tried her best to win one game against the former king. Mika, who'd been sitting on the sofa, caught up in a novel he'd been working his way through, reached over, patting her knee from where her legs were draped over his lap. "Of course you do, my wife." He replied, turning another page in his book.

Raven lowered the crochet needle, losing a stitch in the scarf she'd started as a gift for her father for Christmas. "I'm serious, Mikalos. I want to see my mother." The firmness of her tone caused him to tear his attention from his book, and he turned to her.

"I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly?" She nodded. "Okay. Why?"

It was now that The Good King and Mira both looked up from their game; the conversation Ivarr and the king were having ended as every head turned. Suddenly aware that she was the sole object of everyone in the room, she lifted her chin. "A lot has happened in my life. I want to tell her. Besides, she is my mother, and my last memory is-" She stopped, biting her lip. She hadn't thought any further than her announcement, if she were honest with herself. Finally, she contented herself with the soft, "She's my mother. I miss her."

The king and Mira shared a glance, before Mira turned to her father, and after a moment, Mika set his book aside and pulled Raven into his arms. Her crochet fell to the floor, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his skin. "I understand, Ravenna, I do, but sometimes, things aren't meant to be rediscovered. I know your mom cared deeply for you, but maybe you need to concede that after all these years, she won't want to know you, or might not even remember you. And then there's the fact that she's dangerous. And the last thing I want is for you to get hurt." He kissed her head firmly, closing his eyes with a sigh.

"She's just mad, Mika, not dangerous." Raven replied, lifting her head to look up at him. He bit his lip, pulling away from her. "Madness doesn't always equal danger."

"Ravenna." She turned to meet her father's gaze. "It's not even in regards to her being dangerous. It's more... more along the lines of whether or not she would remember you, let alone want to see you."

The young queen furrowed a brow. "Remember me? Why would she not remember me? I'm her daughter."

Gently, Mika ran a hand through her loose black locks, knowing that his wife would not be dissuaded from this. He glanced at the others, locking gazes with his father-in-law. Only Riain knew what had transpired when Bronwyn had been taken away, only Riain would have an idea of what was going through his wife's head. And only he could dissuade his daughter from her quest. A moment passed, before the older man sighed and stood. He looked at each of them in turn, before turning to his son-in-law. "I'm going to go down to the kitchens and get some coffee. How about I bring something back for everyone?" Mira simply nodded, but Raven furrowed a brow.

"Why don't we just have one of the maids-"

"I don't mind, Ravenna, and I need to stretch my legs. Care to help me, Mikalos?" He cocked his head, and after a moment, the young prince nodded, gently shifting his wife back onto the sofa and getting up.

"Of course, Sir." Mika hadn't gotten to the point yet where he felt comfortable enough to call Riain father, whereas Raven had been started calling Pal and Baxiana 'Mother' and 'Father' from the moment the engagement was announced. Mika usually stuck to 'Sir' or 'Your Majesty'. He stood, leaning down and gently brushing a strand of hair off Raven's shoulder. "I'll be right back, love." He kissed her quickly. "I love you." She nodded, letting him go. A moment passed before the two men slipped out of the room.

Once on their way down to the kitchens, Mika glanced at his father-in-law. He slipped his hands into his pockets as they strolled down the hall. "If you don't mind me asking, Your Majesty, but... why don't you want Raven to see her mother?"

Riain sighed. "Bronwyn is... more than just sick, Mikalos. She's mad."

A brow furrowed. "We know-"

"No, you don't. She's a danger, not only to herself, but to Raven."

Mika stopped, something clicking in his head. "Wait... so... is that why she was taken away? She didn't just go mad, she became-"

"Dangerous."

The young man sighed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but... what exactly did she do? Or try to do?"

Riain stopped, turning back to his son-in-law. His voice was soft as he spoke, tears lightly coating the edges. "She tried to kill my daughter."