Lienna.
Just like Mara had promised, she gave me a thorough treatment for the banquet. Her skilled hands pampered me, erasing the weariness of the campaign. I was washed, scrubbed, and massaged until my muscles relaxed, releasing all tension.
Mara then attended to my unruly hair, trimming and brushing it until it shone like polished gold. The soft tresses fell freely over my shoulders, with waves cascading down my back. She meticulously styled it, framing my face perfectly.
Next, she applied a light dusting of powder to conceal the freckles scattered across my nose and cheeks, acquired during long days under the open sky. A touch of color to my lips, and my transformation was complete.
When Mara handed me the mirror, I barely recognized the reflection staring back. The dull, rumpled young girl had vanished. My turquoise eyes sparkled, lips plump and skin glowing with a soft radiance. My hair was so stunning I was torn between wanting to touch it and keeping my hands away.
Mara stood behind me, gazing at my reflection through the mirror, a satisfied smile on her face. “You’re so beautiful, Lienna… See how amazing you look,” she whispered, patting my shoulders.
I smiled at her, my eyes welling up with gratitude. “All this wouldn’t have been possible if you didn’t care for me from the moment I arrived here,” I said, reaching out to touch her hand.
Mara’s eyes grew misty as she gazed at me. “Thank you so much for everything, Mara,” I added, my voice barely above a whisper.
She squeezed my hand gently. “It’s nothing, child. I just see you as my daughter,” she said, her voice trembling. “If she were alive, she would have been your age…” Her voice trailed off, but the sadness in her eyes spoke volumes.
I stiffened, then turned to look at Mara, my voice barely above a whisper. “You had a daughter?”
Her lips trembled, and she managed a weak nod, her eyes gazing into the distance, lost in memories.
“Yes, but I had to let her go,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “So many people were after her life, and I couldn’t bear to watch her get killed.”
My brow furrowed in confusion. “After her life? What do you mean by that?”
Mara’s hands slipped out of mine as she stepped away, her eyes clouding over. She paced around the room, her footsteps slow and deliberate.
“Twenty years ago, I gave birth to a baby girl,” she began, her voice laced with pain. “It was a time when the prophecy of the moon goddess returning was at its strongest. Rumors spread that the chosen one would bear a unique mark.”
She halted, her gaze drifting to the window, where the fading light cast a golden glow in the horizon. I stared at her, my heart squeezing at the pain in her voice.
“When my daughter was born, she had a distinct birthmark on her left shoulder that resembled a moon. The midwife whispered that she might be the moon goddess’s chosen one.” Mara’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Rumors spread like wildfire, and soon, I was being hunted.”
Her pacing resumed, each step heavy with emotion.
“Not just me, but many other mothers with similar stories. We were all running, hiding, desperate to protect our children.” Mara’s voice cracked. “I ran with my daughter, but they found us. I was chased, and in desperation, I hid her in the forest, covering her with rotten logs and leaves. I barely escaped with my life.”
Her words trailed off, and by the time Mara finished her revelation, tears streamed down her cheeks. But I was stunned, my mind reeling from a sudden realization. Mara’s story correlated with a dream I once had a dream that had haunted me for months now.
“That was your daughter, and you had to let her go?” I asked, my voice filled with sorrow.
Mara nodded, cleaning off her tears with the back to of her hands. “There’s not a day that passes by that I don’t regret it,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I wished I had the strength to hide her even more.” Her eyes welled up again, and she bit her lip to contain the emotion.
Without thinking, I turned back to the mirror, my gaze drifting to my left shoulder. I pushed aside the fabric of my dress, revealing the skin beneath. There, almost faded but still visible, was a crescent moon-shaped mark. My heart skipped a beat, my fingers growing cold.
“Strange…” I murmured, my mind racing. “I had a dream just like that. And just like you mentioned, there’s a mark on my left shoulder.”
Mara’s head snapped up, her eyes locking onto mine. “What?” she asked, confusion and curiosity mingling in her voice.
I turned to face her, my words spilling out in a rush. “I… had a dream a while ago about a woman hiding her child in the forest. I always wondered what it meant. It just never occurred to me that I might be the child.” My voice trailed off, and I stared at Mara, searching for answers.
For a moment, we just stood there, our gazes entwined, the air thick with tension. Then Mara’s face transformed, her eyes widening as she walked up to me. She gently pushed aside my dress, peering down at my left shoulder.
A gasp escaped her lips as she beheld the mark. Her hands trembled, and her eyes darted up to mine, filled with a mix of shock, hope, and longing.
“Are you my mother?” I asked, my voice strangled with emotion.
Mara’s eyes locked onto mine, her voice barely above a whisper. “Are you… my daughter?”
My heart raced, tears stinging my eyes as I nodded. For the first time, I saw the resemblance – the shape of her eyes, the curve of her smile. The floodgates burst, and I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
We hugged, crying in each other’s arms. Mara’s body trembled with sobs, her words fragmented. “Oh… My daughter. My baby… My child.”
I cried too, but tried to hold back, cherishing the warmth of her embrace. “Missed you so much. I thought I lost you!”
“You didn’t lose me, mom. I’m here now. I’m here with you,” I whispered, feeling her grip on me tighten.
We spent a timeless moment hugging, whispering words of thanks and reassurance. Finally, Mara pulled away, her eyes red-rimmed but shining with joy.
“The moon goddess really did protect you,” she muttered, dabbing at her tears.
Cleaning off the tears that had run down my cheeks, she gave me a watery smile. “I’m so happy to see you, my beloved. You don’t know how much.”
I sniffed, chuckling afterwards. “Mom… What was your name for me? I know my adopted parents called me Lienna, but what did you call me?”
Mara’s face softened, a gentle smile spreading across her face. “Aiman,” she said without missing a beat. “I named you Aiman. Beauty of the moon, that’s what it means.”
Her words wrapped around my heart, filling a void I’d never known existed. I felt a sense of belonging, of identity.
“Aiman,” I whispered, the name feeling like home.
Mara’s eyes sparkled, and she drew me into another tight hug. “My Aiman, my moonlight.”
Finally, Mara pulled away, sniffing back her tears. “We’ve cried enough,” she said, smiling through her tears. “I wouldn’t want you to cry anymore. We don’t want you to ruin your makeup.”
I chuckled, feeling a mix of relief and happiness. “I think it’s already ruined.”
We giggled, and Mara gently wiped away the remaining tears from my cheeks.
Just then, a knock came on the door. Mara composed herself and went to answer it. On the other side stood a soldier, his expression formal.
“Is she ready yet?” he asked. “The shifter kings request her presence.”
Mara’s eyes darted to me, wide with urgency. “She’s almost through,” she told the soldier, before closing the door and turning back to me.
“Okay, playtime is over,” she said, her voice firm but gentle. “We need to hurry up. The shifter kings won’t keep waiting.”
I took a deep breath, feeling a surge of nervousness. Mara’s hands moved swiftly, repairing my makeup and smoothing out my hair.
“Remember, Aiman,” she whispered, her eyes locked on mine, “you are the daughter of the moon. Hold your head high.”
With a final glance in the mirror, I nodded. “Yes, mother.”