Just hearing that name, Eloise ran away.
"You stop right there!"
"Sorry.. I'm in a hurry," she shouted, strutting through the ice in her ice skates. Her shoes sunk in the soft snow, yet still she did not slow down until she was close to her house.
She barraged her way inside the house and locked the door.
"Eloise dear, why are you running so fast? You're covered in sweat.." a soft voice whispered from the bed.
"I.. I was just collecting some herbs mum," she swiftly removed her skates and tossed them to the side. Removing her cape, she hung them close to the fireplace. "you might not believe it, I found some wood ear mushroom. We can make some soup."
Suddenly her mum sat up and stumbled over to her unsteadily.
"Oh mum lay down. You must not be on your feet so soon. The wolf doctor said it will take a while for your ailment to heal over,"
Her mum held her hands. "Where were you Eloise.. who did you meet?"
"huh?"
Her mum's eyes turned into a soft shade of lavender. "who did you meet Eloise?"
"a young crazy man," she admitted truthfully. There was no use lying to her mother. She was a very powerful witch who can see through anything. Sometimes she even got glimpses of the future.
But this power left her so weak. Her body could not handle that overwhelming power and left her half bedridden. There were good days when she can walk but there were also days when her legs would stiffen up and they would turn into stone.
Her mum nodded gently. "What did he tell you?"
"A lot of crazy stuff." She said warming her hands near the fireplace.
"Tell me, you have to tell me, Eloise."
Seeing her mum like this Eloise did not hold back any information. She first helped her mum sit on the bed and started her story about how she met Nicolai.
"a guy called himself my son, was peeping at me by the frozen lake. he was handsome for sure, but his brain was slightly boggled. he kept stating weird stuff like how I will marry a vampire named Kieran and that he was my son.."
Her mum gasped softly.
"Huh, mom those were a crazy guy's words. I'm a very powerful witch why would I marry a vampire? Even alpha Lowe is following me around like a little puppy. I would never betray this pack, mum. Never.."
"no.. no Eloise, that's not how it works... take me to the spot you met him..." she stood up with difficulty.
"It's snowing badly out there. the snow is about shin deep and you are in no state to walk anywhere mum."
"Take me there or I'll go there myself. I would crawl if I have to," she said, typing the coat over her shoulders.
Sighing Eloise helped her with her clothes. "I don't understand why you are taking a crazy man's words so seriously,"'
Her mum gently cupped her face. "My dear Eloise, things happen for a reason,"
Slowly Eloise helped her mother over to the castle. On the way, she kept an eye out for the balcony in case that guy would come out and shout again.
But to her surprise, he was nowhere to be found.
Her mother let go of her hand and stumbled forward to that tree. Gently creasing the dried trunk, she smiled widely.
"It was true..... he was here..." she touched the dried-up cedar tree.
"The tree dried out right in front of my eyes....you think he had something to do with it?"
"That young man came from a different time. Anything he touches will age at this time. Eloise, make sure never to touch him okay,"
"Wait what do you mean different time? Like he is from the future? Can witches even do that? I've never heard of a powerful witch like that."
Her mother just smiled at her.
"So he is really my son?!"
To think that such a young and powerful witch was her own son was a huge shock to her. Thinking back the young man did look familiar. His hair was quite similar to hers, but it was not black it was a slight shade of brown. Even his eyes looked similar to hers.
Eloise consciously touched her cheeks, remembering the conversation she had with him.
'oh cheese sticks, he came from the future to meet me and I called him crazy....' she massaged her aching head. "do you think he came here for a reason? The way he looked at me....was quite sad.... do you think something happened and only us from the past can help change it?"
Her mum immediately held her hand. "Hush now, the past must never be changed. Forget you met him and live on. Eloise you must not change anything in the past or else you will face dire consequences in the future,"
"Like what?" she playfully smirked.
"Death. The ones who try to change time will only cause their own death or the death of their loved ones. Never ever try to meddle with time. The goodness of time will not take pity on you. She will take a life for the lives you meddled with,"
Eloise silently gulped. "Okay mum... I won't change anything."
"Good now let's go back home. I heard you got some nice wood ear mushroom. Well, make some tasty soup." She said with a cheerful smile.
Eloise also ignored all the dire topis they just had right then.
She gently held her mother's hand and guided her out of the backyard.
While leaving her eyes were glued to the balcony. Past it there was a huge double door made of glass. A young man inside was looking at her intently.
'no, I must not change the past.... but... what of my past and future is this Kieran guy....'
"Hurry along now," her mum gently tugged at her hand.
Without taking a second look, Eloise rushed out of that castle grounds.