Chapter 40: Mother?

I walked down the deserted halls of the castle in Los Royaux with Ziva and Shawn making my way to find the others. I realised I'd been gone a for almost a whole day because by the time we got the ship to dock back in the kingdom the sun had began to set in the distance. Shawn made his decision, and thankfully he made the right decision. From the moment our conversation ended I knew he'd made his decision, but it was strange I had no control over it but the water element made me feel what Shawn was feeling when I had him restraint. I knew I shouldn't have felt what he felt but it just sort of happened and from that moment, I knew he didn't want to stay in the position he was in. The look in his eyes at the mention of Ziva's name was unbearable, with just one look at him you could see how lost and alone he felt through the world he was living in. One thing I was glad about was the fact I finally got to meet Ziva after all this time. I'd obviously heard and seen a lot about her that it was becoming a mystery to whether or not we'd actually cross paths and now we have but at the right exact moment I've found out where to find the source of the water element...could that be a coincidence. I had to get that information to Hayden, Kai and Taylor as soon as possible but as of this moment I needed to tell everyone about Ziva, in my head I had an idea to how this may plan out but at the same time it could go horribly wrong because as far as I am aware Ziva is Xira's lost daughter, well it's been said she'd been lost but I think there's more to the story than that though it's none of my concern.

The three of us carried on walking down the deserted hallway until I could finally hear familiar voices coming from inside one of the rooms. As I got closer I recognised whereabouts we were and that was right outside the dining hall where I ate earlier that day. Immediately I stopped in my place so I could turn and face the two behind me "You two stay here for a second, I'll come and get you in a second I promise," I made direct eye contact with Shawn to create communication between us so he could understand what I was going in there to do hoping he would understand. Thankfully, he did as he nodded his head at me and let me proceed inwards through the door. "This is the second time she's gone missing!" I heard a voice yell inside the room "Could you blame her?! You dumped a shocking pile of news on her which you should have told her from the beginning!" another voice yelling to the voice who spoke before "Look maybe she just needs space, time to clear her head!" A new voice entering the conversation "Then why didn't you go with her, because it seems you're taking the news particularly well," the same voice from the beginning who I know recognised to be Yvette. "Trust me, I'm not taking the news well I just have a different way of dealing with it. Willow and I aren't the same person we handle things differently," now that voice was definitely recognisable to be Hayden "You two stop arguing this isn't helping the situation," to finish the trio off that was definitely Xira. I sauntered over to the where they all were and stood next to Kai who was stood next to Taylor and Nathan stood next to her watching the conversation between the other three. I was unsure to where Corinne was but that wasn't much of my concern at the moment.

I finally reached Kai's side and watched the conversation just as they were as it seemed to start getting interesting "What are they all arguing about?" I asked Kai keeping my gaze fixed on Hayden, Yvette and Xira. "They're wondering where you've been all day since no one has been able to find you since you went to the market," I don't think Kai realised what he was saying, I think he's so fixed on the argument he hasn't even realised that I've turned up next to him "What? I can't even go a day now without having someone know where I am, this is getting ridiculous," I moaned at him as we just stood there still watching "Tell me about it," then there was a slight pause within his sentence as I looked up at him I watched his eyes widen in shock before looking down back at me "Willow?!" that caught everyone's attention as all heads spun to look in my direction. "Where have you been?!" Yvette screamed at me walking towards me with frustration written all across her face. The scowl didn't faze me, I just looked back at her with disgust on my face beginning to walk past her "What's it to you?" I didn't turn back as I still walked away from her "Because your my niece and it's my job to make sure that you're okay," a slight laugh escaped my mouth which I knew it shouldn't have done but it just happened. "Yea and that was also my father and mother's job and look where it's got them and now you as a matter of fact," nothing came next from Yvette except from a loud sigh which came from her as I carried on walking towards Xira. "Willow, what's wrong? I know that look from anyone," my head shook at Xira as she took hold of my hands in worry "Nothing's wrong Xira, possibly quite the opposite," she raised her eyebrow at me as I went back over towards the double doors and opened them beckoning Ziva and Shawn to enter the room.

They followed me further into the room and as they did so I could see Ziva analysing the place as if it seemed familiar to her which didn't come as a surprise to me because I'm sure Xira would have brought her here as a child one way or another. Yet everything changed as soon as Xira laid eyes on Ziva, it was as if a moment of slow motion took over the whole scene as cloudiness took over the whole atmosphere, when taking a close look upon Xira I could see the pain inside her eyes because the glass tears began to rise but didn't fall. That's when reality hit me and my gut began to clench with the question running through my brain – did I just do the right thing? My gaze fixed on everyone individual in the room; I noticed Hayden had a slight smile on his face as it was written through the curve of his lips and the smile in his eyes. Yvette looked gobsmacked but also seemed to be hiding a smile under that facade, Kai, Taylor and Nathan had only heard about Ziva so they all just looked empty through their expressions. "I met them in the market, this is Shawn...and this is Ziva," I knew I had to introduce them to make it un-obvious that everyone knew them, well knew Ziva at least not so much Shawn. It was obvious Xira knew it was Ziva because there was no way you would forget the features of your own daughter and then there's always a bond between mother and daughter. Though when I looked back everyone the room was dead silent, I couldn't stand for it if they all just stared in complete silence then Ziva's going to suspect things more than she already does and I can't have that, at least not yet.

I don't want there to be suspicion from Ziva, she's already confused and almost lost wanting to find answers to a million questions that's trapped inside her. If anything comes her way that's going to make her more suspicious then it's just easier for her to get her memories back like Hayden and Jayden have and like how mine are slowly returning to me, it's the safest thing for her. Which is why, whatever concoction Xira was making for me to have my memories returned to me will be given to Ziva instead of me. I can wait a while longer to have my memories returned me besides they're coming back to me in dreams anyway by the time Xira makes another potion all my memories would probably have returned so there'd be no need for it. Further than that, Xira deserves to have her daughter back that's more important than me having memories restored – in my opinion at least. After everyone noticed my glare towards them all they automatically returned to a casual state plastering genuine smiles on their faces presenting a welcome to the two facing them, however Xira was the complete opposite she remained as a frozen statue not moving a muscle not even a twitch in the eye, she was a statue. Thankfully when I let my focus fall back on Ziva and Shawn, Ziva hadn't identified the shocked faces of the fellow people before her but once she did she introduced herself nervously to each person separately as did Shawn. Though as this was happening my eyes wouldn't fall off Xira, her eyes now moved scanning every move her daughter made; she suddenly shook her head and started an exit of the room.

The clench in stomach suddenly flipped making the guilt inside me tear me apart. I hurried after Xira as she left the room but caught on the arm by my aunt "Leave her alone Willow," my arms refused from her grasp from roughly pulling away from Yvette's grasp on me "Get off Yvette," without another word I carried on making my way to Xira. There I saw her looking out through the glass window in front of her down at the market full of people I sauntered through earlier that day. Taking a deep breath I made my way towards her cautiously "Xira?" I had to question her name almost through a whisper as I didn't know if she wanted to be spoken to or not. As I moved closer to her and realised she wasn't looking down at the market but in fact the locket I gave to her when I first met her on the ship Jayden had her on. A sniff was heard from her as she wiped a delicate tear from her glass eyes before turning back on me "Willow...sweetheart what's up?" even through her voice it was hollow and cracked but through her posture she wouldn't identify the pain inside her. "Xira I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you I just thought that maybe if she saw you something would snap-," I automatically went straight to the point, there wasn't even a clarification in my mind telling me to hold up and move in slowly, it must have been because I already felt bad for what I'd done. "No! No, oh no Willow," she immediately wrapped her arms around me as she carried on "Willow you weren't to know what would happen...you were just trying to do the right thing I understand that," we pulled away from each other so I could see the truth written through her eyes.

"I never thought I would ever see her again, it's been so long and after everything I did to try and keep her out of this you find her here in Los Royaux. It's unbelievable," the look on Xira's face as she told me this and the confusion, light and surprise all at once in her voice leading me to believe there was still something else I didn't know about. "Willow, where did you find her?" Xira decided to look me dead in the eye for this response and I wasn't going to hold back on this information because maybe it would lead me to find answers of my own "Funny thing is, she actually found me," Xira raised her eyebrow at my statement so I carried on before she could make a statement or question of her own "I was just walking through the market until I figured something...until it was time to come back to the castle but as I was heading back something hit me over the head and when I woke back up it turned out to be Ziva with that dude Shawn. At first I was a little surprised to see her and when I started asking questions I learned she was working with Shawn to take me back to Alesandro because would you have guessed it he's sent his men back out to look for me for the reason I don't know but that's how I got to know a little about Ziva as she started to tell me a lot. I soon realised Shawn had an agenda of his own and that it was to take the pair of us to Alesandro yet I was able to change his mind which is why he's here at the castle with Ziva. I didn't know what to do, I figured the best solution was to bring her back here and you'd be able to restore her memories instead of mine."

I finally took a breath as I felt my breathe speak without a pause. "Willow I can't restore her memories," I quenched my eyes together for a second with my eyebrows frowning with a little shake of my head towards Xira "Why not?" Xira sighed heavily at me taking my hand within hers leading me down to a room turning into the library. My eyes widened only for a second by the amount of books she had in this place but the moment was ruined as she dragged me down rows and rows of books until we came to a stack of incredibly old books. They were dusty with cobwebs trailing across each book. That didn't seem to matter to Xira as she neatly pulled them apart from each other; in the process the dust would fly in my face causing me to sneeze suddenly not that it affected Xira much. I waited for what felt like forever as I watched Xira search through the gap in the wall...wait gap in the wall?! I got a closer look to see what Xira was doing and in the place of the books which have now been discarded from their place was a deep hole in the wall with a hidden golden book in place. It was gently pulled out from its place by Xira; her hand wiped the glow of dust off the surface of the book before spinning it so I could see it properly. The trim was neat and the spin hadn't been damaged, the pages inside felt soft and new, the colour hadn't faded into nothingness it will solid gold and engraved on the front read 'Oro Encantandor's History' I looked up at Xira with a raised eyebrow "What is this?"

"Willow, Oro Encantandor the home my daughter was supposed to grow up in has a lot more secrets than just controlling the air element. Take the book and read up on it yourself, you'll find there is nothing I can do for Ziva at this moment in time. Just like you, she's different, different in a way which Alesandro can't understand but wants to control. For you it's different he can't understand you but he can understand her which is why I kept her hidden," I nodded at Xira and held the book close to my chest and began my departure from the library. I couldn't take my eyes off the book, the way its perfect glow reflected back at me I wanted to open it here and now but I knew I should wait until I go back to my room and read it in private because I could see from the look in Xira's eyes this wasn't for everyone to read. "Willow," I looked up and saw Hayden walk towards me "Where did you go...and what is that?" his eyes diverted to the book in my hands "I wanted to see if Xira was okay and she gave me this, it's about Oro Encantandor apparently there's more about the place than we know, so I'm going to read about it oh and also I found something interesting today," I carried on walking back to my room as Hayden started to follow my lead. I lifted the bracelet around my wrists which the girls in the market gave me but it only made Hayden raise an eyebrow confused "You found a bracelet, good for you."

I scowled at him "No not that, look at the gems...they're rubies," by looking at his expression he still didn't know where I was going with this. "I asked the woman who was selling the jewellery what she knew about rubies and she told me a lot. Apparently they protect their owner, if they see something as a threat they will take it away and trap it inside the gem and the owner can also trap things inside the gem," that was the start and as I began telling him all the other things the woman told me about rubies his eyes sparked and he knew where I was leading with this "You think the water element is trapped inside the ruby necklace Yvette gave you when you were a kid," I nodded back at him "Willow," but it wasn't Hayden who spoke, both our heads turned in the direction of Yvette who stood before us but something felt wrong her voice was soft but somehow not in a good way "I wasn't the one who gave you the ruby necklace," I raised an eyebrow at her as another person came and stood next to her. The woman had long and beautiful blonde hair and bright blue eyes just like mine but she looked slightly nervous as she looked at Hayden and me especially when she spoke "It was me."

I didn't need to look confused at this point to wonder who this woman was because Hayden answered it for me "Mother?"