lavender haze | d. belikov ✓

03 | A STRIGOI

WAS IT A NICE FUNERAL?

[ season 1 — episode 1 ]

Mischa stayed up late with Lissa for a long time after returning from the consecration. The sisters held each other in their arms while curled up on Mischa's bed, not saying much as they cried. The eldest of the two managed to softly hum an old lullaby in Old Moroi that their mother used to sing them to sleep. Neither knew what most of the words meant, but it still brought comfort.

It wasn't long before Lissa fell asleep on her shoulder, the panic attack from earlier finally chased off. Mischa stayed up for a while longer, running a hand through Lissa's long hair and thinking.

Of all the Dragomirs, as the youngest, Lissa was the least prepared for this life. It wasn't going to be easy for either girl when the wounds of their family's death were still fresh and everyone was expecting so much from them. And for whatever reason, it seemed more eyes were on Lissa than they were on Mischa.

It seemed sleep was the only escape from all that attention.

Unfortunately, Mischa didn't get to sleep for very long. The sun had only been up for a few hours before Rose was shaking her awake. "What?" Mischa grumbled sleepily, not opening her eyes as she gave a little stretch.

"Liss is gone," she said quickly. "Something is wrong. Come on."

Mischa didn't question how Rose knew something was wrong. She just threw on a sweater and followed Rose out of their shared dorm room. Rose practically sprinted to the gardens, somehow knowing that was where Lissa would be. They spotted her standing by one of the open arches, and her hand was sitting on the ledge, bathed and burning in sunlight.

"Vasilisa!" Mischa exclaimed while rushing forward and pulling her hand from the sun to stop her from harming herself.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked, putting herself in between Lissa and the window.

Lissa took in a shaky breath, her eyes watering. "I just feel like everything's out of control. We were all just here together, and then... and then there's an accident that I can barely remember," she managed to get out, getting more upset. "And the only thing I know is that Andre should be here with Mish, not me."

As Lissa began to break down, Mischa wrapped her arms around her sister in a tight hug, letting her fall apart as she sobbed. "Don't say things like that," Mischa said softly, her own eyes tearing up. She didn't want to even imagine losing another sibling.

"Shh, shh, shh. That's just the grief talking," Rose said softly, hugging Lissa from behind. As Rose and Mischa continued to hold and comfort her, Lissa's sobs faded to soft sniffles, but she was nowhere near better.

"It's gonna be okay," Mischa whispered, closing her eyes.

As the hug ended, Rose smiled sadly, an idea coming to her. "But if we're going to sunbathe, I know where I want to be."