Hello, it has been so long since I have updated this story and I am sorry. I kind of lost inspiration for a while and I didn't know where I was going with it. Plus, I got really busy and didn't have time to write. But now I have some more time and hopefully, I can get this story back on track. Again, I am sorry for the long wait, but here is Chaya's meeting with her mother, I hope you enjoy!
"Mother?" Chaya's voice broke.
The women drew closer, the warmth of her golden light enveloping Chaya in a radiance that left her speechless. Her mother's face appeared before her own. It was white, contrasted heavily by her dark black hair. Her eyes, so like her own, shone and Chaya was convinced that the golden light was coming from them. Was this part of her power? Was she taking darkness out of her right now? Would she be able to do that?
Chaya blinked slowly and the women smiled, settling to sit beside her in the snow, which suddenly did not feel so cold.
"Chaya… ," the women reached out a hand, stroking her daughter's cheek gently, her smile heavenly; her touch soothed Chaya's aching heart. She bowed her head and cried, her tears melting into the snow. The women before her pushed her hair away gently.
"My sweet, you've grown so much,"
Chaya squeezed her eyes shut, the warmth surrounding her only making her cry more. Her mother's arms surrounded her, pulling her into a warm, golden embrace. Chaya shuddered, crawling closer to her mother, yearning for her. The women held her close, playing softly with her hair.
"Don't cry, my child, all will be well,"
Chaya shivered and her tears subsided as her mother's love filled her heart. She looked up, through her own hair to her mother's face, which radiated the golden light, brightening up her face.
"It's just… I've… I've missed you,"
The women smiled, the movement only creating more light around them. Mother brought daughter closer and she soothed the young girl's tears, humming gently into her ear. Chaya, slowly, began to calm. Her emotional roller coaster had been one that seemed endless and crying had become normality for her. But, in the embrace of her long, sought-after mother, she finally began to feel whole again. She had her father, her real father and now she had her mother, if only for this short time. Gripping tighter to her mother, Chaya hoped that the time her grandfather had given her with her mother was not too short. This was her family and she loved them; for all these years she had no idea they had existed, but she could not imagine loving them any less than if she had.
Chaya kissed her daughter on her pitch black hair and smiled, a small tear escaping her own eyes. She had not seen her little girl since the fateful night of her birth, such was the way of the spirit world. The tiny baby had grown into a beautiful young woman and Chaya could not feel more proud. Pitch had kept his promise and Chaya was healthy, beaming and alive before her. She pulled back from her daughter, looking over her face, admiring her.
"I see Pitch kept you well,"
Chaya, who had been smiling, suddenly frowned, her eyes falling away. Her mother followed her movement, suddenly concerned.
"Chaya?"
Her daughter looked up again, her face serious.
"I haven't lived with Pitch,"
Her mother sat back, a frown on her face. The precious moment between them had been tampered with and Chaya spoke up again.
"I mean, I haven't lived with him up until now. I've lived with my own family, I grew up with them. Pitch brought me back to be with him. He waited until I was 16. I… I actually didn't know he existed until just a few days ago,"
A few days ago, Chaya would have been complaining, but now, with all that had happened between her and her father, she could no longer be angry with him. They had both made mistakes and he could've gone about his choices differently, but after the death of his wife, he had not been thinking straight. She could not complain anyway; she had had a good life with the Winters and they had raised her well. Her experience with a household and caring for her young adoptive brother had assisted in building her character and it had even taught her the values of right and wrong. If not for them, she may have lived with Pitch, growing up in his ways and learning his power. She may, even now, be at her father's side, ruling the world in darkness. If he had kept her, things may be very, very different. In actuality, there had been a deeper magic at play in his decision to give her up.
Possibly even Manny the Moon.
Chaya looked back up at her mother, who watched her intently.
"You mean, Pitch has not cared for you?"
Chaya shook her head, wanting to explain it all at once.
"No, he didn't, but he did care for me! Pitch gave me up to a kind, caring family. He… he didn't think he could protect me, he had just lost you!" Chaya could see that her mother was struggling to understand, but she persisted nonetheless. "He thought that I would have a better chance with a whole family. But he didn't leave me! He brought me back to him, just a few days ago. He brought me back to-,"
"To rule with him?"
Chaya stopped, her mother's voice was quiet. Understanding, frustration and anger were all rolled into one. She looked up at her, wishing her to accept her father's decision. Nodding, she bowed her head.
"Yes, that was why. But… mother, he's changed!"
Chaya shook her head before her daughter. Pitch had reverted back to his old ways, all the things he had said he would never do. To rule the world with his daughter? What had he been thinking? She looked down at her daughter, searching her eyes.
"Changed?" She echoed the word, almost unbelieving.
Chaya nodded her head vigorously. Taking her mothers hand, Chaya backed up from her to speak more freely, her eyes locked on her mothers.
Golden on golden.
"Yes! Yes, he has. That's why I'm here. He took me to your father, to see the Kind of the Underworld. He wanted me to know who you are. And when he was given the choice between seeing you himself and letting me see you, he let me come. He gave up the chance to see you one last time before died so that I could speak to you now. Please, mother, don't be angry with him! He made mistakes, but… but I think it was destined,"
Chaya looked down at her daughter, wonder in her eyes. She was not angry, she could not be. Pitch had been her only love and in his own, twisted way, he had kept his promise. It was not exactly as she would've wanted it, but she could not help but smile at her daughter. She was defending her father, pleading with her mother not to be angry at him.
"I am not angry at your father, child. How could I be? I only wish I had known. I have missed out on… everything in your life. It has been just as hard for me as it has been for you. I have missed you everyday Chaya, you and your father. You…. you are my family" Her voice shook and she reached out with her free hand to stroke Chaya's face, soaking in every second she had with her daughter.
Her daughter smiled, breathing easily once again as she bowed her head.
"I love you mother,"
Chaya smiled, even more, the golden light sparkling between them. She took her daughter in close once again for another embrace. Chaya wrapped her arms around her mother and the two sat silently, enjoying each others presence. After a time, Chaya leaned back, looking into her daughters topaz eyes, her own sparkling with curiosity.
"You said it was destined, your father's decision. What did you mean by that?"
Chaya took a deep breath, meeting her mother's gaze. This was it, this was why she had come. She needed answers and her mother was the only one who could give them. She set her mouth, a firm, decisive line.
"I am to be a guardian mother,"
Chaya blinked, not fully understanding the intensity of her daughter's voice.
"A guardian of what?"
Chaya frowned, she had expected her mother to know all these things. Maybe she had forgotten? Taking another breath, she tried again.
"Of the world, I suppose. I was called by Manny in the Moon to be a guardian along with Jack Frost and all the others,"
Chaya smiled at her daughter, still confused.
"You mean the figures of holidays and stories? You're to be one of them, Chaya?" Her voice had taken on a soft, proud tone and she smiled at her daughter. Chaya nodded, smiling back at her mother.
"The Man in the Moon called me to be one. That is why I wanted to speak with you. I…," She bowed her head momentarily, trying to think of the words. "I don't know what I can give to the world. I mean… Pitch… he doesn't have a gift he can share with the world's children," She was fumbling and she knew it. Frowning, she looked back up at her mother.
Chaya smiled down at her daughter, finally understanding what her daughter needed from her.
"Pitch has not passed down any kind of special gift and you wish to know what it is you can offer?" Chaya finished her daughters thought and she nodded, smiling up at her, sheepishly.
"I don't want to make people fear, as he does,"
"As he did. As you said, it seems like he has changed,"
Chaya nodded. Looking up at her mother, she waited expectantly. Chaya reached out her hand to her daughter, resting it on her head.
"You have my power, small one. I can sense it within you,"
Chaya nodded, becoming excited.
"The power take darkness out of people?"
Chaya nodded, smiling at her daughter's excitement.
"Yes, it was passed down to me from my mother and to her from her mother. It has been with us since the dawn of time. The power to take darkness out of others, to fill them with the happiness that was shrouded in their fear. That is what you can offer as a guardian. This Man in the Moon choice wisely,"
Chaya smiled, finally feeling fulfilled. She had been right, the power that Manny wanted her to share was from her mother. To take the fear away from people, to take their darkness. She could be a garden. She could save her father!
A sudden thought stopped her in her tracks. Her father? Her mother had had this power when she was with him, what had happened.
Chaya looked up at the women smiling before her.
"Mother? If you had this power all along, why did you not use it on Pitch? Why did you not take his fear away?"
Chaya's face darkened, a sudden sadness filling her eyes, making them dull. She leaned back from her daughter, shaking her head slowly.
"I cannot," Her voice had changed, becoming darker.
Chaya pressed on.
"Why not?" Her voice was wispy. Her mother shook her head again, looking up into the sky as she collected her thoughts.
"I cannot, Chaya and neither can you. It is the curse that comes with this power. All who yield it must suffer it,"
"A curse?" Chaya's voice echoed her mothers and she nodded.
"It was written back when our powers were first discovered. You cannot take the darkness away from those you love,"
Now it was Chaya's turn to lean back, confused.
"You mean… if I love someone, I cannot help them? I cannot take their darkness away?"
Could she not save her father?
Chaya shook her head, a small tear forming in her eye as she answered her daughter, looking back on her own memories.
"I found this out for myself. When I was first married to your father, I tried again and again, to take his darkness away. But… I couldn't," Her voice faltered and she looked away, a tear rolling down her cheek.
Chaya inched closer to her mother, longing to comfort her.
"Why.. why didn't he tell me? Why didn't your father tell me?"
Her mother looked back at her, her white face darkened and her golden eyes shrouded, the warm light around them had gone cold and Chaya shivered. Her mother took a deep breath before responding.
"It was not their story to tell, dear one,"
A sudden wind picked up around Chaya, tugging at her clothing, throwing her hair in her face. She looked up, watching as the trees whipped back and forth above her. Looking back at her mother, she noticed the sad smile on her face. The women smiled at her, the smile bringing back some of the golden light.
"Our time is up,"
Chaya felt her heart drop, the beats becoming quicker. She shook her head.
"What? No, I still have so much to ask you," She leaned closer, grasping at her mother's hands. "More to say, more to know,"
Chaya shook her head, another tear falling from her eyes. She took hold of her daughters hands and leaned forward to kiss her head.
"You will know when the time is right, small one,"
Chaya clung to her, her body shaking.
"But the power, how do I control it? How do I know? Mother!"
Her mother began to fade, her hands becoming cold and glass-like until they ceased to exist. Chaya reached for her face, panicked, but it was no longer there. Her mother had vanished, the golden light fading into silver once again. The moon shone above her, soaking up the warmth.
"Goodbye, my precious daughter. We will meet again," The voice was echoey, loud and far away, all in her mind. Chaya searched, reaching for nothingness.
"Mother! Come back!" Her voice rose to a pitch and she screamed. "Mother! Don't leave me! You can't!" She stood up, racing this way and that, looking for her mother. The trees were due and silent, not yielding any answer for her.
Her mother was gone.
The grave marker was still in its place, as black as ever. She knelt down beside it, tears glistening in her eyes, threatening to fall.
"You can't leave me," Her voice faltered and the moon blinked out, leaving her in darkness. Chaya shivered, dropping her head to the stone as tears started to fall. Curling up, she lay beside her mother's gravestone, grasping at the snow, longing for her mother's embrace once again.
It had been too short, too short. Not enough time with the women who she had longed for the day since the day she was born. It had not been enough.
Chaya cried out, one last final cry before she curled up tighter and gave into the darkness and slept.
Alright, so now we have a better understanding of the family all together. The next chapter will be up in another week, maybe. I've wanted to get to this next part since I started the story, so I want to write it, but the ideas of the story have changed so much, so I might need some time. Thank you for reading though and hopefully, the long wait didn't deter you from the story