Awakening Embers
Vivianne's POV:
As I opened my eyes, I was greeted by the familiar ceiling of my bedroom. Confusion washed over me as I turned my head to the right and saw my mom sitting beside me, her gaze filled with concern. Caroline was by my other side, holding my hand. The sight of them both made everything feel strangely surreal, and I couldn't quite piece it together.
Seeing the confusion in my eyes, Mom gently spoke, "You passed out, honey. You were on the floor, holding your head, and saying everything was burning." It took a few moments for her words to fully sink in.
"What happened?" she asked again, her voice soft but worried.
I slowly sat up, trying to recall. "I don't know... my head felt like it was going to explode, and my body was on fire," I murmured.
Caroline, with a hint of concern in her voice, asked, "When did this start again, Viv?"
"They started showing again after my 18th birthday," I said quietly, my gaze dropping to my lap. They didn't know. They had no idea that these powers had resurfaced.
Mom's eyes widened in surprise. "It's been four years since you've had them?"
I nodded, not meeting their eyes. The weight of my secret had been too much to bear, and now the truth was spilling out.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Caroline asked, her voice edged with hurt. "I didn't want to burden you both," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "This has only happened once before."
"Once before?" Caroline asked, her brow furrowed. "When?"
"When I was in New York," I said, my voice thick with emotion.
I glanced down at my hand, and without even trying, the red glow returned, wrapping around my fingers. It was stronger now, more powerful than before. "This is strong," I muttered, watching as the energy intensified.
Caroline, observing the glowing tendrils, commented, "It's glowing brighter too."
"I feel drained," I said, leaning back against the headrest, closing my eyes to focus on my breathing. A tear slid down my cheek before I could stop it.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys sooner," I whispered, my voice thick with guilt. "Everything was happening at once, and I didn't want to be a burden."
Mom's expression softened as she moved closer to me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. And that's when I broke down. I clung to her, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders as I sobbed. Caroline joined us, wrapping her arms around both of us, rubbing my back gently.
"I'm so sorry, baby. I wasn't there for you," she whispered.
I just cried, letting go of all the pain I'd been holding in. I was tired of being strong. I was tired of holding everything together. For so long, I had tried to be the strong one, but now I could finally let go.
After what felt like an eternity, we pulled away from each other. Caroline squeezed my hand, her voice soft. "Is it still hurting, Viv?"
I shook my head, though the weight of everything still felt heavy.
"Are you okay now, honey?" Mom asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"I'm okay now," I replied, trying to smile through the tears. "I love you both so much."
Mom's voice broke as she said, "I love you too, both of you."
Caroline's face lit up with a smile, and she turned to me. "Can you show me your powers? Please? They're so cool!" she said, her excitement contagious.
Mom and I chuckled at her enthusiasm, and Mom nodded at me, giving her permission. I raised my hand and, with a flick of my fingers, created a glowing crown that floated above Caroline's head.
"There you go, princess," I teased. Caroline's eyes widened, and she gasped, "Oh my God, Viv. It's moving!"
I laughed, and looked toward Mom, who was smiling but still visibly concerned. Caroline threw her arms around me in a tight hug.
Mom then spoke, her voice hesitant. "Vivianne, tell me how you're feeling after everything. Is there any pain?"
I took a deep breath, looking at my hands, which were still faintly glowing with red energy. "I feel different. My powers are moving at a fast pace inside my body. My heart is racing. It feels like they've been triggered... I can't really explain it, Mama."
Mom studied me for a moment before asking, "Are you sure you're okay?"
I nodded. "Yes, Mom, I'm sure. And I may have spoken to a witch about this when I was in New York."
"A witch?" Mom and Caroline asked at the same time.
"A witch? Like, a person who has magic?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Both of them looked at me, completely baffled. "What? You don't know what a witch is?" I asked, getting off the bed in surprise.
Mom shook her head. "We have no idea what you're talking about, Viv."
I stared at them for a moment, completely dumbfounded. "Okay, so... How do I even explain this?"
I took a deep breath and raised my hand again, conjuring a small figure made of the red glow to demonstrate. "This is a witch. They have magical powers. Witches are the creation of Mother Nature. They are 'Keepers of Balance,'" I said, making the glowing figure move. "Witches have existed for centuries, passing down their knowledge through generations. They call themselves 'Servants of Nature.' Some witches use grimoires, talismans, herbs, stones..."
I made the glowing figure move again, creating a black mist that flowed from its chest into its hands. "This is their power," I explained. "Witches make spells. Some have family grimoires, others create their own. The more power they have, the stronger the spell."
Caroline's eyes widened, and she asked, "But you don't use spells, right? When you made that crown for me, you didn't say anything."
I smiled softly. "I don't need words. I just think about what I want, and it happens. It's all mind work and concentration for me."
"Wow, that's so cool!" Caroline said, her excitement contagious.
I nodded. "Yeah, it's kind of awesome... in some ways."
Mom looked at me, her face a mix of awe and concern. "So you're basically a witch, but different?"
I nodded slowly. "Yes, I think that's basically it."
I felt a pang of guilt as I looked at them both. "I'm really sorry, I should've told you sooner. I wanted to, but I just... couldn't. Everything was so chaotic, and as time passed, I didn't think it was that important."
The room fell silent, and the weight of my words hung heavily in the air. My voice cracked as I continued, "I'm so sorry you had to see me like this. I tried, but it was just too much..."
Before I could say anything more, I felt arms wrap around me. I looked up to see Mom hugging me, and Caroline joined in. I hugged them both tightly, burying my face in Mom's shoulder.
The next morning, I woke to a feather-light touch on my hair. I opened my eyes to see Mom sitting beside me, gently caressing my hair.
"Good morning, Mama," I whispered, sitting up and running my fingers through my tangled hair.
"Good morning, honey," she replied softly. "How are you feeling today?"
I nodded. "I'm okay. But where are you off to so early?"
Mom stood, already dressed in her uniform. "I got a call about an animal attack," she explained. "I need to go investigate."
"Animal attack? Where?" I asked, my concern growing.
"It happened in the woods, late last night," she said, grabbing her bag. "I need to head out now, but I'll be fine. Just take care of yourself, okay?"
I nodded, my worry rising. "Mom, be careful. It could be more than just an animal attack. With everything happening in Mystic Falls..."
Mom paused, meeting my gaze. The understanding in her eyes made me feel a little better. She nodded. "I'll be on alert, I promise."
"Be careful, Mama," I said as she turned toward the door.
"I will, don't worry," she said, her voice soft. "Thea," she added, using the name she sometimes called me, before stepping out of the room.
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Author's Note:
Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's been a while since I updated, but I'll try to keep it more regular from now on. I'm so excited to see where Vivienne's journey is going next, and I'm glad to be sharing it with you all. Thank you so much for reading! As always, your comments mean the world to me, so please let me know what you think.
Love,
Your Writer ❤️
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