an Everlasting Pursuit

two

tw: brief mentions of sexual assault

The day of the Spring Festival hastily approached. One more sleep, and it would be upon us. Today, I helped the women in the village prepare the flowers. Each building, each window, had a plant pot of some kind holding multiple colour bursts of flowers. I rather enjoyed planting the flowers, filling the pots with compost and hanging them from their designated hooks. The richer had more, the poorer had less, as usual.

Planting a pretty set of tulips, I hung them from Darius' front gate. His house was grand, two stories high, with white walls and green gardens. A large tree loomed over the front passage, shrouding the living room in its shadows. To think... that this house would be mine in eight weeks-time when I married him.

A shudder ran across my back just before a firm hand clamped down on my shoulder. I flinched automatically, dropping my gaze as a large male shadow cast over me. By the cigar smell lingering in his clothes, and the stench of whiskey on his breath, I knew it was Darius.

"Go take these flowers to your mother." He grunted, eyeing my recent display. "I don't like them."

"Okay." I breathed, turning away from him.

I felt his eyes on my back as I walked down the gentle slope to my mother's house. I hadn't visited in a while, not since winter disappeared. It was the end of April now, half the way through Spring.

My nerves grew as I came to my mother's house. The one storey, small cabin style building was still the same dark wood as it was two years ago. Wedged between other cabins of equal size and smell, there was no gate or lush grasses to lead you to the entrance. It was placed right along the main road, a narrow alley on either side to allow access to the rear patch of grass we called a garden.

I saw the curtains shift as I approached the front door, knowing that I was being watched. I swallowed harshly before lifting the basket to hang in its rightful place. Stepping back to admire my handiwork, I appreciated the blooming pink petals before me. They were pretty and delicate, in contrast to the dark wood of the house behind it.

The door creaked open, and I cast my gaze to the looming figure behind it. My mother's eyes raked along my body, but I stayed still, clasping my hands in front of me as I stared back at her. She may be my birth mother, but I had long since accepted her lack of care. I wasn't sure how Arabella still dealt with her, but I had not seen her in a long time either. She tended to stick to herself.

"What a pleasant surprise, if it's only the angel in my most wondrous dreams." She chimed sarcastically.

"Mother, I was just leaving."

She scoffed, stepping closer to get into my personal space. "I haven't seen you in two months, Ailia. We live in the same town. You cannot avoid me forever."

Gritting my teeth, I faked a smile as deadly as hers. "I don't know what you are talking about. I would do no such thing as to avoid such a kind, caring woman as you."

Her mouth parted with shock and before I could react, her arm swung so fast into my cheek that I stumbled and lost my posture. With eyes full of hatred, I raised my head to glare right back at the woman who had birthed me. We were equal in height, and she would not have that prideful power over me.

"That all you got?" I jeered. "I've taken worse."

She visibly recoiled, her eye twitching with annoyance. "You need someone to beat some obedience to you, dear. Why not start in the home?"

"Don't you worry, Darius has your job covered." I spat.

She barked a laugh, crossing her arms to look dismissive. "You are disowning me now, dear?"