Awakened

“Mama? Is that really you?” Licking her lips Raven began to open her eyes. Looking around the surroundings looked familiar as she batted her eyes. It smelled like home. Her mama moved her hair off of her face. The tendrils had loosened in her journey. It had only been a few short years and yet her daughter hair had grown and she was a woman now. The little girl she left behind was gone.

Bradford watched the scene and felt like he was seeing firsthand what maternal love and protection looked like. It had been too many years since he had experienced these feelings and the discomfort was his alone. Shuffling his hands he waited patiently as Alexandre tended to her daughter.

Raven awoke. She stood up timidly. She looked at the hearth containing the same carvings as home. The glow illuminated a small cauldron over the fire. The mantle held books and melting candles. Wax danced down their stalks. Vases held dried flowers and herbs. The enchanted bookcase had a place here as well. “Why?”