2-044, Her Nightmares Result In???

He had heard it all, and not just from Mother.  Unlike the other children, Darla had no pleasant memories to cling to.  Her world was torn apart while she was but a babe, when Ma-we permitted the child to nurse at Mihai’s breasts while she convalesced after Asotos’ attack.  Mother found it so therapeutic for her daughter that later, after Zadar was born, she offered the job of wet-nursing him to Mihai also.  For three years, until the age of six, Mihai acted as mother and nursemaid to little Darla. 

All the while, the child’s increasing nightmares and panic-filled fainting spells were largely ignored, Ma-we believing the girl had suffered a great emotional shock because she had been nursing Darla when Asotos attacked Mihai, she falling to the floor, Darla crashing headlong into it after being dropped by her.  Ma-we had repaired the physical damage and believed the child would eventually outgrow the emotional trauma.

Indeed, it may well have been Ardon’s entry onto the scene that saved Darla from going hopelessly insane. 

Much to Ma-we’s dismay, when she discovered the demons growing in the girl’s mind, it was too late to cure her.  But at least they could be suppressed –for a while, anyway – until a cure might be found.  Yes, Darla had been thrown onto the altar of fire and blood from the dawn of her memories.  Violence and terror were her earliest companions.  Only long after her gaining adulthood had others come to truly fathom the evil buried within her mind…fathom, but not understand.

So why did Mother allow her most dangerous child the freedom she did?  Ardon puzzled.  True, the child needed love and attention, something Ma-we and Mihai always showered on her.  She drew so close to Mihai that the girl refused to leave her bed until the growing sensual emotions that were waking within her forced Mother to make other arrangements for her.  It was understandable that she acted in such a way.  She had no companions who willingly shared their lives with her.

Ardon remembered well, he living at the Palace for many years after his return.  Oh yes, there were still the parties and gatherings, fewer and less attended, but visitors there were aplenty.  Zadar was always the center of attention while Darla would often stand silently in the corner or slink off into the shadows to seek solace with imaginary friends.  Euroaquilo’s willingness to take Darla under his wing and provide loving companionship not only eased the girl’s heart, but also introduced her to the realities of war.  Here, Ardon believed, was where Darla’s madness worked to her advantage, and he wished she would remain there until her cure was accomplished.

Enjoy other posts: 

Prologue,

Destiny's Road 1-001, 1-002, 1-003, 1-004, 1-005, 1-006, 1-007, 1-008, 1-009,

1-010, 1-011, 1-012, 1-013, 1-014, 1-015, 1-016, 1-017, 1-018, 1-019, 1-020,

1-021, 1-022, 1-023, 1-024 & 1-025  

Of Councils Great and Small 2-026, 2-027, 2-028, 2-029, 2-030, 2-031, 

2-032, 2-033, 2-034, 2-035, 2-036, 2-037, 2-038, 2-039, 2-040, 2-041, 2-042, 
2-043, 2-044, 2-045, 2-046, 2-047, 2-048, 2-049 & 2-050 

Legend's Heroes 3-051, 3-052, 3-053, 3-054, 3-055, 3-056, 3-057, 3-058,

3-059, 3-060, 3-061, 3-062, 3-063, 3-064, 3-065, 3-066, 3-067, 3-068, 3-069,

3-070, 3-071, 3-072, 3-073, 3-074 & 3-075

Forges of Hell 4-076, 4-077, 4-078, 4-079, 4-080, 4-081, 4-082, 4-083, 4-084,
4-085, 4-086, 4-087, 4-088, 4-089, 4-090, 4-091, 4-092, 4-093, 4-094, 4-095,
4-096, 4-097, 4-098, 4-099 & 4-100

Or find your own book at:

Amazon.com; Smashwords.com; 

Diesel-Ebooks.com, BN.com; ebookstore.sony.com