-----As the diviner breathes a tearful sigh, a guard steps forward to offer Sarah his arm. Nervously, the guard inquires, "H-how may I introduce you to Lady Evalyn, madam?"
-----"Introduce me as her daughter. Say my name is Sarah." Ms. Night says, taking one more deep calming breath, and squeezing her parents in one last tight hug before composing herself and walking with as much grace and dignity as she ever has towards the chamber doors. Just before the doors open, she turns around and smiles at her parents. Then she steels herself and steps through the portal, into the unknown.
-----The guard leads Sarah into a large audience chamber. On the far wall is a raised dais. It is there that someone sits upon a throne-like chair dressed in robes of deepest purple. A hood is pulled up over this person's head and the features beneath are quite hidden.
-----"MiLady," the guard calls in a hesitant tone, "May I introduce . . . your daughter, Sarah."
-----With hardly a noise, the figure rises from the chair and pulls the hood back from her head. Curly blond hair pours out from the hood and frames a very beautiful and somehow familiar face. Sarah suddenly has the impression of looking at her reflection. The illusion lasts only a moment as the woman's features reveal the maturity of one in her mid-thirties.
-----An expression of fear and sadness comes over the woman's face and with hardly a breath, she says to the guard, "Leave us."
-----The guard quickly bows and backs out through the door, closing it as he goes.
-----For a moment, the Lady Seer stands in an awe-stricken stance as she gazes at the young mage across the room. Then carefully, with slow unassuming motion, she descends the dais. As her feet touch the floor, the Lady's eyes are filled with tears. Choking with emotion, she says gently, "I have looked for you for so long. You are as beautiful as when I last saw you. I have prayed each night that you were safe and that you would . . ." At this point, the Lady is too overwhelmed and she falls to her knees weeping and holding her arms out to Sarah.
-----Somewhere in memories past and mostly forgotten, something touches Sarah; memories of this woman and a young man spending time with a small golden haired girl who they loved very much. Days of sunshine and happiness and love and the world couldn't have seemed more perfect.
-----Sarah's heart catches in her throat as the woman walks towards her. She almost starts shaking with all the emotions she is feeling. "Mother?" She asks timidly as the woman approaches. When Lady Evalyn throws back her hood, Sarah has no doubt. Her face spreads into a genuine smile as her mother speaks.
-----Sarah slowly kneels down beside her mother and lowers her head. "Mother, please forgive me. I had no idea until just a few months ago. And I did not know what to think. I have heard so many things....I....I did not know what would happen, if you would still accept me...I..." Sarah feels the tears welling up in her eyes and hugs her mother tightly. "It's so good to see you finally." And the tears start flowing. Sarah hugs her mother for all she is worth, absolutely filled to the brink with so many emotions she cannot even begin to describe what she is feeling. Surely this cannot be the woman who wants Zepharon arrested, who tried to interfere with her friends. 'Not my mother' thinks Sarah in disbelief.
-----"I have been waiting so long for this moment, I thought it might never come." Sarah says through her tears.
-----Many moments pass as the two women weep. The Lady Evalyn holds Sarah to her as if she fears the young mage could vanish from her at any instant.
-----Finally, through her tears, Evalyn says tenderly, "It is all right now. You are home. You are finally home. I would do anything for you, my sweet baby, baby girl."
-----As her crying begins to calm, Evalyn strokes Sarah's hair and pats her back. For Sarah, this is yet another sensation, another memory that seems so familiar yet was forgotten for so long.
-----"Oh mother, I'm hardly a baby anymore." Sarah says with a gentle smile as she dries up some of the more stubborn tears. "And I did miss you so much." Sarah gives her mother one last tight hug, then gets to her feet and helps her mother stand up. "I love this room." Sarah says smiling. "Did you build this place?"
-----"No, my dear," Evalyn answers, drying her tears, "our family built this many years ago." She smiles and places one hand on Sarah's shoulder. With the other hand she gestures around the large room. Proudly, she adds, "One day all of this will be yours."
-----"All...All mine?" Sarah glances around, suddenly taking the whole place in a whole new light. Sarah had never seriously considered herself to be nobility, and had not even made the connection that she would rightfully inherit this castle and title by common laws. "I..." Sarah is not sure how to react, she is neither pleased nor displeased at the news. "Let us not think of that, mother, you have decades and decades left in you yet." Sarah grins and kisses her mother on the cheek.