The Chalice of Ascension

🌹The Lady in the Portrait🌹

It was a week after the girls' 18th birthday when their great-grandfather approached them, hesitating, not sure if he wanted to give them the gifts that their mother left them. When the girls were brought to him, there was a letter asking him to promise to give them the gifts. He knew they would have questions. More than that, he feared what was to come once he handed them over.

He had been pacing all morning contemplating on keeping it all a secret. Guilt, however, pushed him to keep to his promise. Now he stands before them in the kitchen, gifts in hand. Leti was the first to look up from her breakfast, spying the gifts with curiosity. "A little late for birthday gifts. Who are they from, Pops?" she asked. He let out a shaky breath before speaking. "I've been holding on to these since you were babies. They're from... your mother."

Now it was Lili's turn to look up, shock and confusion written all over her face. He never told them about her except that she was no longer able to take care of them. As for their father, the only explanation he gave was that he died young. No details, just that he died a hero. The girls used to question him all the time about their parents when they were younger. Either they lost interest with age or figured he was never gonna talk about it.

Leti slowly looked up at him, blinking, unsure of what to say. "Our mother?" she questioned. He cleared his throat, "Yes, she made me promise to give them to you on your 18th birthday.. I didn't want to once the day came, but it wouldn't be right to keep them from you girls." He gently set them down on the table in front of them. Two boxes with lavender wrapping paper and sage green bows, their name on each one. The girls eyed them, not sure if they wanted to open them.

Slowly, Lili reached for the one with her name. Holding it softly as if it would break in her hands. "Same time?" she said, looking at Leti. Nodding Leti picked her gift up, both of them just staring down at them. Then, both girls pulled the ribbons, undoing the bows, and unwrapping the paper. They both held a jewelry box, purple velvet with silver latches in the shape of a flower. Looking at each other, the girls unlatched them, staring down at the most beautiful jewelry they had ever seen. Lili had a pair of earrings, rose gold setting encrusted with pink diamonds and a matching ring. Leti held up a necklace matching rose gold and diamonds. The two just sat there silently, staring at the pieces.

Quietly, Pops said, "They belonged to your mother, family heirlooms." Looking up at him, Lili spoke first. "Will you finally tell us more about her?" With a sigh, he sat down across from them. "There's not really a whole lot I can tell you. I had only met her a few times." Smiling sadly, he added, "Though I can say she was one of the kindest people I've ever met. Strong willed, too. Your parents loved each other very much, almost as much as they loved you girls." With tears forming in his eyes, he grabbed each of their hands. "You're going to have to find out the rest on your own now." Leti cocked her head to the side, "What do you mean? How are we supposed to do that?" Looking at both of them, he squeezed their hands. "There's a cabinet in the attic. You can start there." He answered. "You mean the teal one that's been locked all our lives?" Leti asked. Pops only nods, handing her a brass antique key. "That key holds the answers to all your questions."

He glances at the ceiling as if he could see all the way to the attic. "It's up to you when you choose to go up there. Just don't wait too long." He said, standing up from the table. Slowly making his way out of the kitchen, he glances back at them. The girls staring down at the key, seemingly conflicted on what to do. Leaving them to think things over, he retires to the family room. Clenching the key, Leti stands and says, "Come on, let's go check it out. We've waited long enough to know about them." Nodding her head, Lili stands up and follows behind her sister.

Leti has always been the fearless and decisive one of the two. Despite differing personalities, the sisters were identical twins. Dark auburn hair, brown doe eyes, olive skin with a creamy undertone, and freckles on their nose and cheeks. Not to mention a curvy medium build, standing at 5'5" tall. The only way of telling them apart (aside from their personalities), is they're polar opposite fashion sense. While Lili prefers floral prints and light spring colors, Leti is more into dark colors and leather, though they are both partial to lace.

The two girls make their way up to the second floor, turning left and heading for the attic door. Stopping with a hand hovering over the doorknob, Leti looks back at her sister. "Ready?" she asked. Lili nods, answering, "Yes." Both of them nervous, unsure of what to expect. Leti opens the door, and they ascend the attic stairs.

Standing just inside the attic, the girls stare at the cabinet, trembling, from anticipation. Leti exhales and stalks toward the cabinet, key in one hand, and the jewelry box in the other. She slides the key into the lock, slowly turning until it clicks. Opening the door, both girls gasp as they come face to face with a portrait of a woman. "She.. she looks just like us." Lili said, barely above a whisper. "Yeah, and she's wearing the jewelry too. This must be her." Leti looks around the cabinet for any clue of their answers that Pops said they would find. "There's nothing but the portait." She says, pausing. "Pops said we would find answers, but honestly, I just have more questions."

Lili stands mulling over the situation and the portrait. "I don't understand either." she said, looking down at the box in her hand. She opens it and takes out the earrings and starts fitting them into her earlobes, putting the ring on next. Glancing up at Leti with a curious look. "I can feel something coming from the jewelry, like a pulsing." She sets the box down, grabbing the one from Leti's hand.

Lifting the necklace out, she looks at her sister and motions her to turn around. She draps the neclace around Leti's neck and clasps it together. Leti gasps, looking at her sister. "I feel it too! Why, though?" Confused, they both turn back to the portrait. Noticing a glimmer coming from it now, they lean closer. Before they know it, a blinding light engulfs them. The girls reach for each other, holding hands, not knowing what else to do.