The Love of Lady Dimitrescu X Female Reader || One-Shots

Memories

With her ear pressed against the door of the bedchamber, Daniela listened intently to her mother's voice. "She's doing it again."

Bela exhaled deeply, knowing what to expect. "Doing what?"

Daniela grew disheartened after hearing her mother's abrupt fit of laughter. "Talking to Mom. Mom must've told her something funny."

"Not this again," Cassandra muttered. "I don't think I have the strength to tell her. It kills me. I can't stand to see the emptiness in her eyes. Without Mom—"

Bela promptly offered comfort, rubbing her sister's back. "It's okay, Cass. We know. We'll do it together this time?"

"But I'm not ready," Daniela whimpered, wiping at her tear-stained cheeks. "I really don't want to see Mother cry. If she cries, I'll cry. My heart can't handle that. I'm barely surviving!"

Though the eldest daughter was close to falling apart, she had to remain strong at this time. You had been their pillar of support, and now it was her turn to be that for her family. "I know. It's hard on all of us. But I fear for Mother, she's spiraling in her grief and madness. We can't lose her, too."

"Yeah, because losing one parent is tragic enough," Cassandra remarked bitterly. "Imagine losing both? Hell, I cannot imagine that. I feel so helpless. Mom always had the right words, you know? Her words were timely for each of us."

"And now we'll have to speak the right words to Mother," Bela said. "I'll go inside first, and then you two can follow."

Slowly, she pushed the door open and entered, motioning for her sisters to come in. "Mother?"

The pale lady smiled brightly at them, showing her delight as her grin expanded. "My darlings! We were just discussing all of you."

Cassandra's anxious gaze shifted between her mother and the unoccupied chair. Throughout her life, she had witnessed many unsettling events, but nothing compared to this. "Uh, Mother? Who's we?"

Alcina highlighted the obvious and waved her hand in your direction. "Your mom and me. Is everything all right, my dear?"

Bela's voice faltered as she recognized how lost her mother had become without you by her side. "Mom isn't with us anymore."

Daniela approached Bela and placed her hand on her shoulder, reassuring her that she wasn't alone. "Mother? We want you to know that we love you. We'll love you through every moment of this. We can get through this together if you let us in? Please, don't shut us out."

Alcina adopted a stiff position in her armchair, leaning forward slightly. "I do not understand? Your mother is sitting in that chair over there. Do you not see her?"

"No?" Cassandra said, frowning heavily at the empty spot of where you used to sit. In the past, she enjoyed sneaking up on you. After she spooked you, you'd feign annoyance and chase your wild daughter around the castle like a hooligan. You loved playing games with your children. "We only see you."

The countess struggled to swallow her saliva. There was an odd and bitter taste in her mouth. "That is impossible. Nothing has changed." When she redirected her attention to you, you were no longer sitting in your chair. You were nowhere to be found. "Where did your mother go?" She sprang from her seat in distress, overwhelmed with confusion as she searched for your whereabouts. "Girls? Where is she? Find your mom!"

The sight of her mother losing her patience broke Bela's spirit. Her mother's mind was broken beyond repair. Her behaviors were erratic. Grief engulfed Alcina, preventing her from facing reality. "She's gone. Mom didn't make it through the experiment. Her body failed to accept the Cadou. Mother Miranda did everything she could to revive Mom, but nothing worked."