The Mélusine's Filtered Cage

To Die or Not to Die, That is the Question

"Mother," Cassandra said, smiling brightly as Alcina entered her chambers. "It's done, Bela is free."

"Wonderful," Alcina smiled, praising Cassandra. "How is she doing?"

"She's asleep," Cassandra explained, trailing off as she contemplated telling her mother about Bela's condition. 

"Cassandra," Alcina said, her tone one Cassandra had only heard a few times when Alcina was talking to the maids or Salvatore. There was a note of impatience in her voice but Cassandra didn't want to stress her mother out more. Bela would heal, she just needed some rest, food, and more medicine. And that was just what Cassandra would tell her mother.

"She will need more medicine and some food, Mother," Cassandra said, dismissing the thought.

"Tell me the extent of her injuries," Alcina said, raising a brow at her daughter. "Now, Cassandra."

Cassandra sighed, ready for the blow-up. "She is frost-bitten and covered in bullet holes..." Alcina was visibly angered as Cassandra trailed off but remained silent to let her daughter continue. "And... there is a sizable hole in her chest..."

"I beg your pardon?"

"It seems Ethan Winters cannot properly target the Cadou without creating a large hole in our chests..."

The wrath in Alcina's eyes was unlike any other as she roared, "What have you done to my daughter?" Alcina was pissed. She knew that her girls had to be harmed for them to be free but was never happy about it. She hated that her daughters needed to be injured to finally be free and she hated that it was a mortal man that was doing it. Taking a breath, Alcina calmed herself down as she looked at Cassandra.

"I'm sorry, my dear," Alcina sighed, resting a hand on Cassandra's head. "Go check on Daniela, keep her safe just as you had for Bela."

"Yes, Mother," Cassandra said, turning to fly away.

"And, Cassandra?"

"Yes?"

"Be safe, Dear."

"I will, Mother," Cassandra said with a soft smile. 

In a second, Cassandra was gone from Alcina's chambers and on her way to the library to protect Daniela. Alcina took another deep breath as she looked out the window at the night sky. It was best to just calm down before Alcina lost her head and destroyed Ethan Winters before Daniela was free. Luckily, the ringing of her phone snapped Alcina out of her angered state. She took a breath and sat down at the vanity holding her telephone.

With her cigarette in hand, Alcina walked up to the window near the desk and took a long drag. Out of the corner of her eye, Alcina noticed a certain Ethan Winters crouching outside the window. She closed her eyes and contemplated reaching through the window and taking his throat in her hand but the ever-ringing phone was becoming her. There was a good chance that it was Mother Miranda on the other line and it would be fool-hardy to ignore a call from her.

Abruptly, Alcina turned away from the window and sat down at her vanity, picking up the receiver.

"Alcina," Mother Miranda's voice came through the phone, her tone cold. "The phone nearly stopped ringing. Why did you not pick up sooner?"

"Mother Miranda," Alcina greeted, setting her cigarette down in favour of retrieving her favourite lipstick. "I regret to inform you that Ethan Winters has escaped that fool Heisenberg." Alcina quietly reapplied her lipstick as she listened to Mother Miranda.

"And how are you certain?" Miranda asked. "Heisenberg's methods have yet to fail."

"Because he is in my castle, and has already proven too much for my daughters to handle!" Alcina growled, her wrath festering. "When I find him--"