Andria Andromeda Rivera and The Chalice of Belief

Right to Heal

"We've come so far since then."
- Sarah Barton

The more she thought, the more Eava realised how she'd been letting her fears control her. For heaven's sake, it was just an emotion. Everyone felt emotions. She didn't need to let it consume and influence her every moment.

Kella was smiling at her. They'd gathered everyone there, connected to those who couldn't come, and Eava had been surprised to see enough people for a village. She'd told them what she thought of Quietus, and how he was just trying to control them by their own beliefs. Some of them already knew this, of course, but Eava felt like they were considering it as some fact from a fiction, and were going with the flow anyway. You didn't have to. That was the thought she wanted to ingrain in their heads- You never had to.

One more thing she'd noticed was that the people who were most affected by that jerk were the ones who thought themselves undeserving. And that was the second thing she wanted to ingrain- You are every bit as deserving as you never dared to dream. You have the right to heal from whatever you've been through. Don't let a guy with several screws loose tell you otherwise.

This sentiment, Eava knew, was getting much stronger. The candle was burning with more fervor than ever, and Eava could feel its warmth in her heart.

••••••••••

Olivia had heard everything Roy said without really hearing it. Something about those words held what she already knew deep inside, but she couldn't just not be scared. That inhumane being had murdered so many people, some of which were her family. Her parents. She didn't know how anyone could overcome it enough to disbelieve everything Quietus had told them.

She was a coward, then. That point had never held much of a doubt. Olivia thought back to when she'd stabbed Andria. What had she been thinking? She'd gone mad. She wrung her hands in frustration. How could anyone have overlooked that? Why did they welcome her back after that stupidity?

Roy was walking beside her, and before they knew it, he and Melissa were seated next to her, and Hellen Jenkins and Mia Hall across.

"Mel," Mia said soothingly, "It's okay to be scared. We're not telling you to dismiss your fear completely. We're asking you to accept it as an imperfect part of you that you've yet to overcome. Don't let it influence your choices or life. It isn't you."

"Don't worry," Hellen added, "We are all having a little tough time. Things will be fine!- for once we can actually see how this all could end."

Melissa nodded half-heartedly.

Olivia put a hand on her shoulder, "They're right. Things really will be fine soon. For now, just get to know and accept yourself. What do you fear, Mel?"

There was a sharp intake of breath from Melissa, "Going.. back there."

"Going back where, dear?" Olivia pressed softly. Melissa needed to be able to say it, at least.

Melissa looked up at her, "I don't want to... go back to those people. It was awful. Everyday they would come and tell me how everyone needlessly died when they could have supported Quietus all along. They'd tell me how my parents should have done it for my sake, at least. When they'd broken me enough, they started bringing me out, showing me their work and telling me tales of it as though it were some great legend. And- and then my caretaker would go like- "You don't want to end up like her, do you? Like that pitiful girl in the tale?" And I just knew those stories were crafted to make their focus someone similar to me, but..."