The War General

38

Rose Pov

"Isn't that grandma Eden's necklace?" I ask my sister who sits next to me unmoving.

She was different for sure, she had a unwelcoming glint in her eyes that was full of distrust and her posture was filled with a unknown confidence I had never seen her wear before. She truly had changed since the last time I had saw her.

Ivy had always been timid, shy and mostly to herself since we were children. Our upbringing was soft and filled with love and at some point it took a turn when I had first found out that our father was cheating on our mother.

I remember the night everything had changed quite vividly. When mother became a weaker version of herself and father became a ruthless dictator. It was raining that night as it usually did through all four seasons of Unity.

Mother had found hidden letters he had written to a past lover, a woman.

I never got her name but I knew she had passed away and he loved her dearly. Whom ever this woman was father truly loved her and it was clear in the letters he had never gotten a chance to send.

I had planned to go and sneak into Ivy's bed that night. I hated being alone and found comfort snuggling my little sister until she whine about being to hot.

On my way out I had heard a loud crashing noise coming from down the hall. Curious four and a half year old me stopped and took a detour down the hall remembering how cold the floor was when my feet hit the marble outside of my room.

I followed the noise hearing the voices of my parents growing louder and louder with each step I took.

I stopped beside the door of their bedroom curious as could be. Mother and father never argued so I knew that something was seriously wrong.

"What do you mean it's nothing Richard?! You were sending letters to another woman!" Mother screamed. I could hear the hurt in her voice as she wailed picking something up and throwing it at him. Whatever it was is was made of glass and I heard it connect with something before falling to the ground and shattering to pieces.

"I mean it's nothing Margie, why don't you leave it alone! You knew I had always felt this way about her, it's always been her since the very beginning so don't start playing dumb." Father calmly speaks. "You knew the truth."

I'm scared and unsure of what to do. I can hear shuffling beyond the door, muffled whispers and then more screaming that leaves me quite terrified.

"You married me! You chose me! If you didn't want me than you shouldn't have accepted my hand in this god forsaken marriage. I have worked too hard for this marriage just for you to put it all on the line." Mothers voice cracks and I could hear her breaking, shattering inside. I could practically see her falling to her knees and cupping her cheeks sicken with the fact that father had went outside of their marriage.

Mother had always taught me and Ivy that marriage was sacred and that when two people marry each other it should only be out of love. Unfortunately for us we never really had a choice in the matter. It was always forced upon us to choose a man that would best suit your needs. A man that would provide you with the best life, healthy children and a life full of luxury. Happiness was never apart of the plan.

"I didn't choose for this to happen, I didn't expect for her to just die." Father finishes. "I wanted her and before I could ask she died from a sickness in my fucking arms. You know just as well as I do that if she would have never passed I would be happily married to her."

There's silence for a moment but it seems like it lasted for almost a eternity.

I lean in closer keeping to the dark so that if my parents come out into the hall they won't see me.