Beauty Behind the Mask: A Story with a Ring of Truth Through Regression

© 2012, 2014 by Melanie Brown. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  04/29/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4670-0891-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-7974-2 (e)

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

JULIUS

I dedicate this book to my farther Malcolm Brown who was taken from us in horrific car crash before his time at a young age of 62. Passed 27/12/2011. Rip dad.

I would like to say thank you to Patricia Brown my step mum who has been there for me since I was young and still is.

I would like to say a big thank you to my cousin Trish Tuthill to whom this book wouldn’t be possible without her help.

Thank you to my granddad Wells who passed many years ago but taught me to remember who you truly are and where you are from and home is where your heart is no matter where you are in the world.

Thank you to my friend Jenifer Hall who has been like a sister to me and has faith and trust in me always with my spiritual side and has also picked me up when I have been down and for the great art work which is the cover.

Thank you to Anna Brown to whom has been a sister to me and I hope she gets well soon. It will take time but I know she has a strong heart and will get there.

All these people and many more have inspired me to write this book and gave me confidence and accepted me for me.

This book is about past life memories and myths and legends and secret messages to people and what I believe in all rolled together wrote completely in the past as a fairy tale for the open-minded who believe and for those who are close minded as a fairy tale. I have written it so the reader can choose to what they feel they believe. A fairy tale if you like of a women’s fight to survive when life was tough and you had to learn to live at a young age. Who was condemned for being a witch.

CHAPTER 1

I am Ophelia Marie-valance; the year is 1309, my mother is a wonderful woman who went by the name Jolene, and she was sound in mind, had immense courage and was kind and gentle. She had three daughters; one was born out of marriage, through a terrible abuse and this daughter was sent away when she showed signs of having a dark personality. This was Alita; she was the second eldest, and I never knew much off my sister Alita, as she was sent away when I was very young. The eldest was Marlene, who favoured money and enjoyed the attention of the young men, her suitors, she called them. I was the youngest, as soon as I was old enough to walk and talk I realised that I was different; I just didn’t understand how. I would love listening to the fairy tales that Mother use to tell me, about all the magic that lives in the woods. ‘If you know where to look, and to look not only with your eyes, but with your heart as well, to open your mind to all the possibilities that the woods had to offer’ she would say. The healing magic grew from the ground; I would listen starry eyed and with wonder.

I was sitting in the kitchen with the servants on a beautiful summer’s day, enjoying their tall tales, they were making me laugh. When there was a loud knock at the side door, when the door was opened, there stood an old lady; she was bent over and looked very pale, stood next to her was a young girl, with the longest, blackest hair I had ever seen, and she had an evil look in her eyes. The room fell quiet, and my Mother was sent for. The servants asked them in, sitting them down and they gave them something to eat and drink. The young girl seemed to watch me like a hawk; it felt as if she could see right through me. Mom entered the room; the cold chill seemed to disappear, the young girl stood up, Hello Mother, it’s been a long time. Mom walked over to her and held her tight; I looked at them both, shocked and confused. I heard my mom say Ophelia, close your mouth or you will catch flies; I will explain later. I heard the lady telling Mother that she grows old and weak, her time is soon to come to leave this place and that she cannot look after Alita anymore. I hear her say she is a strong willed young lady and can be full of trouble, but she can be kind to the ones she truly loves. The lady stood up and bid her goodbyes, later on in the day I learn that Alita was my sister; my memories are vague, as I was only young.

As the weeks went by Alita and I became very close, not just sisters but best friends, I hardly ever saw my other sister as she is what she calls, a lady and doesn’t wish to be seen with me. ‘Little does she know, when they have parties I sit on the stairs and watch them through the rails in their fancy dresses and I laugh’. Alita tells me that I will be down there one day; Mother and Father will be looking for a suitable husband for me. She tells me she has heard whispers that a young boy has been chosen and that he is older than I. I tell her to shut up; I’m never going to be like any of them, I stomp off and I hear the laughter of Alita following behind me as I head outside to play in the woods, I swear she likes to wind me up.

Alita teaches me many things about nature and herbs, how they can be used for cooking and healing. She shows me stones, of various colours, and she tells me about the energies they contain. She tells me she doesn’t know many of the healing properties, but she says that if I hold them in my hands, I can feel the energy and I will understand one day what I need to do.

She always told me stories of gods and goddesses, how they looked down and watched us. The beauty, love, courage and strength that some special people carry in their hearts, and how that unique gift can be used and there will be a day when I will know what I’m meant to do. She talks to me as if I have this gift; it’s as if she can see something in me that no one else can. ‘Alita are we done for the day’ my blonde curly hair bounces around in the wind. Alita rolls her eyes knowing her little sister has other things on her mind. ‘Yes we are and why, what are you up to’ she gets up groaning as her legs have become numb. She turns 16 in a few days and grows tired of having her 5 year old sister tagging along everywhere she goes. Ophelia jumps up with a spring ‘I want to pick blackberries maybe Gwen can make a pie or a cake’. My eyes light up; Gwen is a mature lady that cooks, life has been hard on her, and it shows in her face. She makes me smile; she is so kind, she does not have much in the way of a good life but she works hard and is a friend to all. I begin to run into the woods ‘don’t worry about me I won’t be long’ I shout swinging my basket as I go. I find a large bush filled with ripe blackberries while eating some at the same time, my tummy is soon full but the basket is a different story. My hands carry many scratches from the thorns, but I’m determined to fill the basket. I stretch up on tip toe trying to reach the ones at the top, they look so plump; I start to wobble losing my balance when I feel a hand on my shoulder. ‘I think you have enough’ a smooth voice washes over me, I turn around to find a young man looking down at me and behind him is a slightly smaller boy. Both lads are well groomed, they both have deep black hair like the night, I stumble to find words ‘thank you, are you two brothers’ the eldest has a stern look for a young boy, he seems to be at least 5 years older than me and his brother is not much younger. The younger brother is quiet, doesn’t utter a word, but yet, he seems nice. I try to peer around the older boy who stands like door, reliable and hard. ‘He is my half-brother a bastard if you like; my name is Markus, and he is Julius, and you are on our land’ how rude to swear I think quietly to myself. ‘Sorry I must have ventured to far I am Ophelia’ I hold out my hand, but he doesn’t take he just turns and walks away ‘I know who you are just get off my land’ he quickly disappears. Julius is not far behind ‘bye Ophelia nice meeting you’ he gives me a warm smile, and I giggle and start heading back. The sun has started to fade, and I hear my name being called ‘now I’m in trouble’ I think to myself. Mother and Alita stand at the door they have very cross looking faces, but mum quickly softens and gives me a hug ‘where have you been get them to cook and get ready for tea.

CHAPTER 2

It was a hot sunny day when we were out playing in the woods, on our return home the clouds seem to come from nowhere and a cold chill seem to whistle through the trees. We decided to move quickly and go the short route home. It took us through the old abandoned shed and overgrown grass; no-one ever goes there anymore. I hate going that way; the grass is taller than me, and there are spiders and plenty of webs, that all go in my hair and face. As we walked the cold chill seems to catch us up, it almost sounded like a whisper. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and fear was creeping inside of me. Alita stood still, her ears pricked, ‘run up to the house and wait for me on the steps, I’m going to have a look to see if there is anyone hiding in the sheds.

I run as fast as I could, spider webs in my hair, I sit down and wait; the cold chill seems to leave, time passes, and Alita still hasn’t return, so I decided to go look for her. I swallowed hard and pushed fear down as I begin to walk towards the sheds the wind starts up; it feels as if it were tugging at my hair; it sounds like a whisper. Don’t go there. I was stubborn and fought through the wind. As I approach the sheds the wind falls silent and the air becomes still, not a sound could be heard. The birds stop singing, the trees stop swishing, I feel as if I should turn and run, but I don’t; I stand firm. I heard a noise come from one of the sheds, so I headed towards the door; ‘quiet I hear someone coming in’. I slowly opened it. The creek was loud and clear; it was dark with only small amounts of light shining through. I slowly creep towards the sound of low voices, as I looked through the dusty shelves the sight I saw was horrid. My sister was naked with an old man, and they were doing stuff. Crap that was my sister she has seen us, she won’t understand I will have to go find her she pulls her skirt down and buttons her top back up. The man is not satisfied to the interruption as he hadn’t finished. His dark shadow looms over them both, as he stands tall his head almost reaches the roof; he pulls up his trousers and places his jacket back on. ‘Maybe another time then’ he disappears through the darkness of the shed and out into the fading sun.

I scream and run straight for the door; I swing it open and run hard and fast, straight for the woods where I could seek silence and try to understand what I had seen. The thing was I didn’t know the wood’s very well or which paths to take, as I was only young. I decided to run as fast as I could and stop when my legs gave out, it seem like I was running for hours. The sun was fading, and shadows danced from tree to tree, whispering taunting me. I came to an abrupt halt as I did so I felt a sharp pain in my stomach; however, it was not mine. I began to feel hungry and tired, my belly began to rumble, I started picking berries; I wasn’t sure which ones were good, so I just ate and ate until I felt full. The tears rolled, and my belly ached; a cold chill crept around me, and my body began to shake, I was lost, I called out several times but no one came I was in too deep, far from home.

As I wandered I began to feel ill, the woods were now black, and my head started getting fuzzy, my body would get hot, then it would go cold. Rain had started, now I was getting cold and wet, I could barely walk; I stopped and stood still and listen to the whispers on the breeze; it seem to whisper follow me, and you shall have shelter. I managed to drag my feet to where I was being guided, a shelter came into site. It looked like a load of stones stacked up, but it was deep and had enough room for me to climb in and stay dry. The shadows seem to dance in and out of the trees, small creature rustle in the under growth. I curled up into a ball feeling very sick, I cried long and hard hoping someone would find me, on several occasions I thought my heart would stop as it raced with the sickness. Night came along with the cold and darker shadows, but I was so tired and sick, I hardly seem to notice.

I was in and out of sleep; I didn’t notice the day pass and the moon was seen once more, with the stars shining in the deep night sky. I thought I was dying as I saw what looked like a figure of a young girl; she was silvery like a ghost. Alita referred to them as spirits of people that have passed, she was young. When she spoke her voice was soft and gentle, she told me not to give up and soon help would come. She looked sad and not of my time. I closed my eyes and thought these would be the last breaths; I would consider as my time must have surely come. I was awoken to the sound of a strong, sharp voice; ‘Ophelia where are you’ It was Alita’s, she had come looking for me, the trouble is I’m barely alive, no voice does I have, I decided all I can do is call in my mind and hope our bond, our connection is strong; she hears my call or even senses that I’m unwell.

I try to call out with my voice, but no sound comes out; I must have passed out because when I