I Could Not Ask For More...

Walking slowly through the park, feeling the warmth of the late afternoon as the sunlight softly filtered through the leaves of the overhanging trees, Zora waited for Jeremiah. She still couldn't believe that her son was here on the island. In fact, she couldn't quite believe that he had actually come to find her. She would never have expected that - not in a million years. It all seemed slightly unreal to her still.

Zoraida had actually never expected to see Jeremiah again, had resigned herself to that very fact, that she never would never ever see her son again. And as a self-imposed punishment for her what she had done, she had chosen not to open herself to anyone ever again - the price paid, the sacrifice had been too great in her mind. And did she really deserve to be loved after what she had done, that was a question she would and could not ask herself...

Sighing at this, Zora stared up at the blue sky, watching the clouds, wisps really, float by. She also didn't know how Jeremiah could not hate or blame her for giving him up. Yes, she had had a reason, a very good reason, one not taken lightly, but still, it had not made the decision any easier. It had, in fact, torn her apart. Left her dead inside for quite some time. And the guilt, oh god, the guilt... it still ate at her, even now after all these years, not one single day went by that she didn't think about him and wonder if he was happy - and that she had made the right decision 17 years ago. She hoped to the gods that she had.

@Kada

Hearing Jeremiah speak, Zora looked at him softly... even his voice surprised her. The way he spoke sounded a little like his father, but not. Zora was finding that everything about her son was surprising and wished, once again, she had been around to see him grow up.

"I am thinking about you actually," she confessed as she regarded Jeremiah, "I was thinking about you and your life, and if you were, are, happy?" Zora said as she searched his face, still somewhat amazed this handsome young man before her was her son.

@Kada

"I'm happy to know that, and yes, you do have me, and you always will," Zora said with a happy and very loving smile, touched by Jeremiah's words - spoken so simply and freely almost made her choke up again as she tried to quickly blink back tears. She was so astonished at his easy acceptance of her.

"Your Das is very wise," Zora said with a smile, just watching her son as he walked backwards in front of her. His positivity was so very infectious and she felt better just being with him.

"It's okay to be sad once in a while. They were your parents and you loved them," she said, "I'm sure they would understand that." she said reaching out and stroking his cheek lovingly as he walked facing her.

"And never blame yourself, okay?" Zora asked gently as they walked through the park. "Whatever happened to your da and pa was not your fault, Jeremiah... I need you to understand that, okay," she said to him kindly, holding his gaze as she spoke wanting him to know that - Zora was very sure that whatever had happened to his parents, Jeremiah had not been the cause of it, and did not want him blaming himself for things beyond his control.

@Kada

Zora dropped her hand and watched her son, concern in her eyes, as he lowered his head, tears now in his eyes, his whole semblance changing in an instant. Listening to him, patiently letting him finished, Zora immediately felt a surge of ... something - anger, perhaps? Mentally she swore at what she began to believe happened to his parents - witch hunters most likely.

"Using magic, wanting to help others is a good thing, you are not to blame for your parents' deaths, superstition and fear are to blame.. other people's fears. You did nothing wrong, my heart... " Zora said quietly, switching to German, as she wiped away a tear and stared into his eyes before giving him a hug, her heart aching for him. He shouldn't have had to deal with that. Nobody should.

"Yes, you get to know me...but more importantly, I get to know you too," she told him softly before she let him go.

@Kada

"I understand, I really do..." Zora said gently. She did understand her son's fears, and she knew her life was dangerous at the moment, but part of her just couldn't bring herself to tell her son that. She didn't want him to worry about losing her.

"And I am afraid of losing you again, "Zora told him very truthfully, "I am scared that I won't be able to protect you or that something bad will happen to you," she said as she looked down, reached out and took Jeremiah's hands in hers.

"I promise you that I am not going anywhere, not today, not tomorrow, not ever and that nothing bad will happen to me..." Zora said as she softly squeezed her son's hands. "I don't want you to worry about losing me, okay?" she said with gentle firmness, wanting - no, needing - to reassure him (and herself) somehow. "Everything will be okay, I promise you that."

@Kada