Her Maiden

Chapter Twenty-seven: Ceremony

***Author's note: So I have discovered y'all do NOT like babies interrupting a "what are we" moment. I'M SORRY, OKAY?!?! 😳 😂***

"There's a baby... in the castle?" you manage, breaking the tense silence which hangs between you both.

She opens her mouth and then shuts it again, choosing instead to turn for the door. You see her hand move to her face as she does so, quickly wiping against her eyes.

"Alcina," you implore, not wanting her to shut you out, "why is there a baby in the castle?"

You follow closely behind her long, quickly clipped footsteps as you begin moving down the castle hallways towards the source of the sound which grows louder and louder.

"Y/n, you should go, now," Alcina warns, though she doesn't so much as bother to glance at you as she says it.

With no intention of going anywhere other than where she is, you break into a jog beside her, trying to see her face - to gain any sort of possible clues from her expression as to what is going on. Her eyes seem strangely wide and you can see her chest rise and fall sharply, though she stares forward, intent on the moment at hand.

It's a wonder to you how she can all at once be so anxious, yet remain so convincingly poised as she braces herself for whatever was to come, assuming her role of the formidable countess once again - the mask which had been so close to slipping moments before now well and truly back in place, to your dismay.

You find yourselves entering the castle foyer where, to your astonishment, you see the jarring sight of Mother Miranda, with a small baby in her arms. It writhes and wails, small balled fists lashing out against her as she holds it stiffly against her in a cold, claw-like grip. She stands, an intense gleam in her pale eyes, her chest drawn taught as she raises herself to her full height, standing oddly authoritatively in this castle, within which she was merely a guest.

Bela, Cassandra and Daniela accompany her to the side, hissing and tensing at the jarring sounds, though they seemingly force themselves to remain composed before Miranda. Daniela looks from her mother to you, her expression uncharacteristically pensive. It sets your already fraying nerves on edge.

"You took your time, Alcina," Miranda glares, her mouth set in a cold, hard line.

"What's going on?" you implore, gently tugging on Alcina's sleeve to get her attention. She shakes you off roughly and shoots you with a warning look, her teeth bared for a brief flash of a second before she steps forwards, towards Miranda, ignoring your question.

You look back to the odd sight of Miranda and the baby in her arms, who cracks a smile at the cold interaction between you and Alcina.

"She hasn't told you? I suppose I am not surprised." Miranda smirks, before wincing as the small infant launches another assault on her ears with it's piercing scream.

Alcina looks down at Miranda and the baby, her expression unreadable, though you can tell she is strangely quiet.

"We wouldn't want our oh-so kind mistress to frighten her obedient little lapdog with what she's been up to, would we?" she laughs, though her voice is well and truly icy.

You frown and turn to look at Alcina, though she seems to deliberately avoid looking anywhere near your direction, her expression stony and her jaw clenched.

Why isn't she saying anything?

You look back at the baby in Miranda's arms as it begins to wail once again, tears and snot rolling down it's small, chubby face, which is contorted in distress.