I looked outside, realizing I was on one of the upper levels of the castle, overlooking the fields. A soft breeze lifted my shoulder-length hair, carrying leaves and flower petals our way. I smiled when a rose petal landed on her face, causing her to giggle. She reached up and took it into her small hands.

I watched, amazed, as, seemingly, green and gold tendrils moved under the newborn's skin, before the flower petal shrunk then disappeared under her touch.

Did she kill it? I wondered, slightly disappointed. I looked back out to the landscape before startling, nearly falling over.

Before me floated thousands and thousands of roses floating away with the wind.

I glanced back down at the giggling babe, who clapped her hands, and each time she did so, green and gold sparks exploded from around her hands. It made my hair stand on end.

Paling, I remember what Aegirine had said before. ‘Before it sucked her dry,’ she had said. Did she actually sap the magical essence from her mother before she was born?

Though it didn't make sense that it wasn't the same as her mother’s. Nevertheless…

“You like nature, huh?” I whispered, smiling. “How about I name you after our nature god, Arasain?”

I leaned against the stone railing behind me, rocking her back and forth as the church tower in the town below rang its bell, signifying it was already noon. She stirred slightly in my arms at the sound, hitting my chest from the ringing sound it probably left in her ears. I laughed at how adorable she was.

“I think Arrabella sounds better, don't you?”