NOVPUB"When I came here, I'd really hoped that you might have changed. That you would have accepted my decisions and the path in life that I've chosen. It might not be glamorous, and the risks might be high, but I'm happy with where I'm at." Jasmine said, staring intently at her mother and waiting for her reply.
"You're living in a fantasy Jasmine! Being a part of the Alliance Police was one thing, but now you're just a mercenary fighting for money. Don't you realize that your outrageous dream has already failed. Those fictional heroes and rare few historical figures you look up to aren't realistic. But you can do good work here. Azade is your home. Why can't you just stay here and work on the betterment of this planet? As Chancellor, I can help you. All you have to do is stay and take your rightful place."
Regina's impassioned plea only received a shake of Jasmine's head in response. She never had any intention of returning to her mother's side as her pawn.
"You may not think so, but I've already done good work as a member of Avery's crew. Yeah, we may be doing it for money, but that doesn't mean we haven't helped a lot of people out. There are several lives that would have been lost or ruined if I hadn't been there. Azade's already a peaceful and prosperous world, but I've never been able to stand all the asinine politicking involved in the position you want me to have. It's just not for me."
Having refused her mother for the final time, and feeling satisfied with what she said, Jasmine felt it was time to give one last goodbye and then leave.
"Since you invited us, we came, but I think that it is time that we left. I hope that you don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be. I'm sorry that I didn't turn out to be the daughter that you wanted. I suppose that this is farewell. I doubt our paths will meet again, but I wish you all the best, Chancellor Rhinelander."
With that, Jasmine had nothing else to say and turned around to leave.
Avery and Kasandra followed suit; their fingers crossed that Regina would not make good on her threat to detain them. The last thing any of them wanted was for this situation to turn into a mess.
As Regina watched them walking away, her chest started to ache.
The most painful part of the experience she realized now was not Jasmine and Avery refusing her proposal, but how distant she felt her daughter becoming.
She never thought that being called Chancellor Rhinelander rather than mother or mom would hurt so much.
Yet during their entire meeting, Regina had hardly acted like Jasmine's mother. The entire time she had been thinking more about her position as Chancellor of Azade and how to use them for political gain.
Certainly, she believed that this would be for their gain as well, but she never even considered Jasmine, Avery, or Kasandra's wishes. All that mattered was the future she envisioned.
However, after trying to push her views on them, her daughter was leaving once again. This time making it very clear that she never wanted anything to do with her ever again.
Regina ground her teeth and closed her eyes as she considered using her last resort. It would be simple enough to call her guards and have them keep Jasmine, Avery, and Kasandra here. In fact, she could just have the other two thrown out at this point. All that mattered was Jasmine.
Except, that would not get her the daughter she wanted. All it would do is widen the growing chasm between them.
The moment that Jasmine walked out of the room, Regina knew that would be the end of it. Her daughter would leave and never come back. This would be the last time they saw each other and their relationship going forward would be nonexistent.
Up to this point, she had kept a level of poise as was expected of the most powerful person on Azade. But at this moment, perhaps for the first time, Regina completely disregarded her position.
Frantically, and gracelessly, she ran after Jasmine. Tears streaming down her face. It had hurt more than she ever thought imaginable when her daughter ran away, and this time it was far worse.
Her own ambitions and stubbornness were about to ruin the only meaningful relationship she had left, so she decided to cast them aside in this instance.
Jasmine was absolutely astonished when she felt her mother suddenly hug her from behind and cling on like her life depended on it.
She could hear her mother sobbing and wet drops were falling on the back of her neck.
Only once could Jasmine ever remember her mother acting similarly to this.
Back when her father had just died was the only other time that Jasmine had seen her mother cry and expose the vulnerability she normally kept hidden.
It was so shocking of a display that she was stunned for several seconds and just stood there stiffly as her mother held onto her.
For Avery and Kasandra's part, the two of them were just as baffled.
The domineering and willful chancellor they had been speaking with just seconds ago had completely broken down.
"You can't go like this. Please don't stop considering me as your mother. I've been trying my best. I only wanted to give you a good life like how I was raised. I know I've been hard on you, but I thought it was all for your future. That I needed to put you on the correct course in life. But I just can't stand the thought of never seeing you again."
"These last few years without you have been hard. I thought I would be happy when I was finally elected chancellor. The first in our family in the last two centuries. Yet it felt hollow without either you or your father there with me. If anything else, please don't stop being my daughter. I love you Jasmine, I really do."
After her mother had finished talking, Jasmine broke free of her embrace and turned around to face her.
She was shocked to see her usually strong mother in such a state.
Her makeup was smudged and starting to run, and her purple eyes that were the same as Jasmine's own were now red and puffy.
She was in a state that most would consider unbecoming. Except Jasmine had never felt as connected to her mother as she did right now.
For a long time, she had wondered if Regina really cared about her or only considered her a tool. Something to be used for the family, and in the end, continue to mold the next generation in the same way.
However, this unseemly display. Something that the leader of the world should never have exposed to anyone. Touched Jasmine's heart. She could tell that her mother truly did care about her. Not just as a member of the Rhinelander family, but as her daughter.
"Does this mean that you've given up on keeping me here?" Jasmine asked. Wanting to know her mother's intentions before going any further.
Regina bit her lips, and she looked torn by the decision she was about to make, but she nodded her head.
"I'll give up on trying to force you to take a position you don't want. I still think you're being foolish and childish, but if you want to follow your desires, I won't stop you. Not if it means you won't think of me as your mother anymore."
As much as she did not want Jasmine to go off, flying around space and essentially searching for danger, the future she envisioned if she forced her daughter to stay was even worse.
She could already see what it would entail. Her daughter's eyes always filled with hatred towards her. And at the end of it all, both of them would be miserable.
Having lost her daughter before, Regina could not stand the idea of doing so again. Even if she was still against the prospect of it, she had to let Jasmine go free if she did not want to lose her daughter.
"Avery, Kasandra, do the two of you mind if we stay a little bit longer. I want to talk with my mom a bit more. It's been nearly eight years after all." Jasmine said, her eyes wet as some tears of her own started to well up.
"Sure, I don't mind. Though we do need to leave before the end of the day. It would be a real problem if Ezra went ahead with the contingencies I set up." Avery said jokingly.
Now that all of the tension that had been there before was gone, it almost seemed comical how close things were to exploding. One wrong move from any of them could have turned this entire meeting into a huge mess. He was thankful that a more peaceful resolution had been achieved. Even if it took a while to get there.
Kasandra, having been quiet this entire time since she felt it was not her place to get involved, walked up to Jasmine and gave her hug.
She then whispered into her ear.
"I'm glad that you were able to come to an understanding with your mother. If you had really walked out of here like that, I would have slapped you and called you an idiot later. You should not let something stupid like this come between the two of you. Trust me, you would regret it if you never saw or heard from your mother again only to one day heard that she died. Cherish the time that you have together. That's what families are supposed to do."
Once she had said her piece, Kasandra gave Jasmine a warm smile and pushed her towards her mother. It was time for a more heartfelt reunion.
