Arrow ｡ Henry Mills [1]

8 - SIGHT FOR SORE EYES

It was the next day that Teresa opened her eyes and found herself inside a snow cave. The spell that had once been placed on her kept her unconcious for a few hours. She glanced around in confusion until an all too familiar soothing voice met her ears, saying nothing but her name.

"Teresa."

Her head snapped to the left and her lips parted in shock. "So it's true," Teresa whispered, "you're real. I didn't just imagine you."

Ingrid smiled warmly at her daughter. "No, my love, you didn't." She approached her daughter, placing a hand to Teresa's cheek while grinning. She had waited so long for the moment to see her daughter again. She never thought she would again, but here she was, young and oh so beautiful.

Teresa wanted nothing more than to lean into her mother's touch and accept her love, but the anger within her heart reminded her of the past several years alone. She drew back, causing hurt to flash in Ingrid's icey blue eyes.

"You left me," Teresa said, eyes swimming with a countless amount of emotions.

Ingrid's face softened. She moved to sit down next to her daughter on the sofa, but Teresa stood and moved away from her and across the room, causing Ingrid's heart to shatter. "Yes, I'm afraid I did."

"Why?"

"For your own safety. You may not remember, but ─ "

"All I remember is you leaving me in the middle of the woods with nothing to defend myself with! You ─ " Teresa swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "You had told me that you ─ that you loved me."

Ingrid stood, a sad look on her face as she moved towards her daughter. She placed her hands on Teresa's shoulders, a genlte smile painted on her pink lips. "I love you, Teresa. I still do, and I always will."

Teresa's lip quivered with tears that threatened to spill over. "Why did you leave me?"

"For your own safety."

"Safety?" Ingrid nodded. "W-What do you mean safety?"

"You will learn soon."

"Why can't you tell me now?"

Ingrid stayed silent for a moment, just staring into her daughters bright blue eyes. Teresa's stare was intense and fierce; she definitely had her mother's eyes that is for sure.

"Very well then," Ingrid said after a moment. "You were only six at the time ─ so beautiful and full of life." Ingrid smiled, pausing for a moment to brush a strand of her daughters blonde hair behind her ear. "Your smile could brighten an entire room."

Teresa smiled, a tear escaping her eyes; she could no longer hold them in. Ingrid brushed it away with the pad of her thumb.

"You were coming into your powers early," Ingrid continued. "I didn't want you to feel the pain that I felt."

Teresa stared at her in confusion. "Wait." She paused for a moment, eyebrows furrowing. "I have powers?"

Ingrid nodded, and spotted the chain sitting around her daughters neck. She reached her hand forward and pulled the crystal pendant out from underneath Teresa's shirt. "This subdued your abilities so you wouldn't be able to use them and end up like me."

"Why is being like you such a terrible thing?"

"I was called a monster for having such abilities. I even hurt someone I love." Ingrid's eyes burned with tears that began to build as memories flashed in her mind of her beloved sister. "I never wanted you to be called a monster. Ever."