elegance | victoria sutherland

dix-neuf

sequoia left the house after the conversation with bella. it was pitch black outside due to the cloudy forecast and time of night a slight wind lingered in the air, the witch pulled her hood up and shoved her hands in her pockets, an attempt to warm her uncovered body parts. the breeze hit her bare face, removing any signs of tears from before, she'd refuse to cry over some stupid matter.

why would bella say such a thing? to a stranger, she seems so quiet, humble, but around her sister, she changes into a completely different person. a person who edward surely wouldn't fall in love with, but even now, she's astounded with the outcome.

bella had sent her wedding invitations out, handed one even to her sister. yet sequoia just tore the paper up. maybe this was why bella was so mad at her, but why would she want the witch at her wedding?

to get me to talk to the cullens, of course.

it didn't surprise her, why would her sister ever want her to go to her wedding? seems like a waste of time to sequoia, a wedding seems pointless to her. you just spend a bunch of money to have your relationship legally recorded. it never seemed too exciting to the girl.

-

"i think victoria is back, her scent was still around while i went hunting."

"it must still be from the fight, there's no way she'd be back after what happened."

there were a few moments of silence between the cullens, each in their thoughts. some looked at each other before the shortest decided to speak up.

"she'd be here for sequoia."

the strongest one sprung up from the couch, full of excitement, "well then let's get her!"

"wait!" alice called, "i haven't seen any visions of her, she could be anywhere."

"well, that would tell she's with the witch, no?"

"of course it would, that girl keeps everything private," edward exclaimed. "i'd love to know what horrible secrets she's been hiding. why else would she conceal everything?"

"she's not even talking to me, and you think you could make her spill her secrets?"

"have you seen the way you talked to her?" rosalie questioned, "there's no way i'd text you back while you threaten me."

"i didn't threaten her!"

"you told her we'd do a better job next time we see victoria! do you realise how bad that sounds? if you want someone to talk to you, don't blackmail them."

"how else would i get her to talk to us?"

"maybe by being nice? it'd be a better start than what you've got."

"why are you defending her?" a masculine voice interrupted.

"because you guys have treated her like shit! all from what? some stupid stuff bella said? i don't even believe her stories."

"it's better to be safe than sorry," alice replied, "after all, she said sequoia attacked her."

"and i call bullshit!" the blonde raised her voice, "you're saying she attacked bella before we came here? the last time bella visited here was when sequoia was fourteen, remember she told us she could finally use her magic at sixteen?"

"rosalie calm down," emmett started, walking closer to his wife, "she still could've used her magic, but just couldn't control it. maybe her emotions got the better of her."

"why have we all collectively decided to believe, and back bella up?"

"rosalie, she's going to be part of the family very soon," carlisle calmly said.

"can no one imagine how she is feeling right now? does no one care?"

"she's got victoria-" alice started.

"who only, possibly, came a week after the fight. she's had a whole week with no one to go to."

"if you seem to care so much, why don't you go see her?"

rosalie's face had been holding her signature frown for the entire conversation, "because she won't trust me."

"why's that?"

"why do you think that's the case?! i'll be included in her antagonist group, i have been helping bella more recently."

"she could have seen this conversation in a vision," the father figure added, "she definitely won't be speaking to the rest of us."

the short-haired girl skipped towards her sister, "then you could give us some insight."

rose glared at the girl, "well if she was seeing this in a vision, then she would've heard that. she won't tell me anything now."

"we'll go hunting," one changed the conversation, "check the territory to find where victoria went."

-

"that was lovely," sequoia grumbled under her breath. as she regained her consciousness, she noticed how she'd been aimlessly wandering into the forest. "this seems lovely too, tonight's just not my night, huh."

she looked around aimlessly, trying to find a way out of the forest. the trees and bushes seemed to be repeating themselves, with no sign of uniqueness or diversity. the witch tried to find a light source of any kind, but the darkness of the night didn't allow it. no artificial lights could be seen either being so late in the night.

-

"this way!" multiple sets of footsteps could be heard after the call. "it's strongest over here, it seems new."

the unfinished cullen family all headed in one direction, following the newly picked up scent.

"stop! i've lost it!" they reached a clearing, the famous one that edward and bella are always caught in. the smell still lingered, but there was no direct path of where the vampire headed to.

"she must've known this would happen, she's not dumb."

"you would have to tell me twice."

"stop messing around you two! search the outskirts of the meadow, where is it strongest? it can give us a  foundation."

-

"are they coming now?" sequoia wondered, "or is it sometime further in the future?"

she was standing in the same place as before, feeling drained from any energy she had left. her lack of sleep combined with the excessive use of magic seemed to have taken a toll on her physical state.

the witch hadn't had back-to-back visions for as long as she could remember. the outcome of them didn't help her mental health either. she knew they weren't on the best of terms with her at the moment, but to go to that extent? and to use rosalie's decency against her? she was the only one to not take bella's side at this point.

sequoia understood the importance and excitement of the wedding, it's not often they get to attend one, but if bella's introduction to the family is more important to them, then so be it.

during her thoughts, the girl soon felt light-headed and struggled to stay awake.

"sequoia? stay awake for me please," the witch heard a voice call out, "keep your eyes open, just a bit longer."

the blonde girl was exhausted, she couldn't fulfil the request of the woman. sequoia soon saw her vision completely blur out, unable to focus her eyesight back. her eyelids couldn't hold themself open anymore, soon allowing the girl to be engulfed in darkness. her muscles were fatigued, sore, not being able to hold her up anymore. she was losing consciousness, but not before she felt herself fall into something cold, and hard.

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