A Slither of Death

Lorna's Ballad

"TEEN!" Ellie ran to him in a haze, worried beyond belief which was weird for Ellie, since she doesn't even know this person that much. Ellie bounded to him, right behind Agatha who was frantically trying to see if he was alright. Once there, Alice wasted no time in kneeling to him and picking up the pieces of glass on his chest.

"Hey." He moaned in pain "I got attacked by the curse. Does that mean I'm part of the coven? Blessings and burdens alike." Ellie softly hit his arm, shaking her head as if to say 'not the time.' The young witch didn't see Rio's gaze on her, nor hear her thoughts. Guilty thoughts about needing to eventually take the boy from Ellie, even though Rio could see her protegee becoming attached to him.

"Not a lot of blessings with this group." Lilia tight lipped smiled at him.

"Is he okay?" Jen said from afar, still trapped in her circle.

Ellie and Agatha scoffed at the potions witch. "So what? You live in that circle now?" Agatha asked as they all walked out of the sound booth.

"Maybe." Jen shrugged, not taking any chances.

"She's so selfish it's kinda iconic at this point." Ellie muttered to herself and Rio chuckled loudly after hearing her.

"What's the plan, Agatha?" Rio smirked at her, keeping a sharp and close eye on Ellie who was staring at Alice. Agatha followed the young witch's gaze to Alice who was nervously glancing at the piano, and suddenly, it hit her.

"You're right." She pointed at Ellie who in turn pointed at Alice "That's the solution."

"No, it's not." Alice almost ran away from the piano.

"What?"

"We have to play Lorna's Ballad." Agatha informed the group to which Alice disagreed immediately after it being said.

"I'm not playing that song."

"Alice, look around you. This place was made for a karaoke night." Ellie commented from her place to the side, fiddling with a mandolin.

"What good will it do? The Ballad opens The Road. We did that. We're here." Alice waved her hands around her.

"Lorna's version is different, though." Teen quipped up.

"What did Lorna want from The Road? What was her intention?" Ellie was watching Lorna who only had eyes for her daughter, and suddenly it hit her.

"It was for her, wasn't it?" Ellie asked Lorna, making everyone look at her. Everyone looked concerned/ confused, all except Agatha and Rio who knew full well what she was.

Yes, everything was for her, my Alice.

Ellie very nearly teared up at hearing the utter love and devotion Lorna had for her daughter. The curse, the burn, it was too much for Lorna, Ellie could see that now. Her curse started the fire that killed her. But she died protecting her daughter.

"That song... your version, it was all for her. It was to protect her, to save her from the curse." Lorna smiled at Ellie, deciding she liked the girl. She understood the meaning of her changed lyrics, as a message to her daughter for after she left.