Fall Into Me

~.XX.~

The days after the ball were very confusing for Mona. Waking up the morning after, she'd woken Minerva with kisses, slipping down her body with the intent to bring her several orgasms to start the day, but Minerva had pulled her back up. Every single attempt at intimacy was gently diverted, which left Mona wondering if she'd done something wrong. Minerva would disappear during the day, arriving for dinner and for bed, but that was all. During those few moments with her, Mona was sure she could smell alcohol.

When Mona asked Esmé if Minerva was with her and she'd said no, it made her worry. There was no way for Mona to talk to Minerva either, for she was so adept at hiding away that she just couldn't find her. The castle was so big that Mona would have no hope in finding her, and Minerva never answered her calls or texts. With the date for Maya creeping closer, Mona's worry skyrocketed, because according to Esmé, Minerva couldn't be left alone in case she started burning things.

"Have you spoken to her?" Mona asked, having taken refuge in The Princess Suite with Esmé. Her leg bounced rapidly as she watched her sister.

"A little," Esmé was being intentionally vague, and with Mona's frayed nerves, she snapped instantly.

"My wife is practically missing, don't fuck around with me. Have you spoken to her?"

Esmé arched a brow, tilting her head as she considered Mona, which stoked Mona's anger. The last thing she needed was Esmé studying her and working her out. It was bad enough that Minerva did it passively. Other people working her out made her uncomfortable and defensive.

"Have you?" Esmé asked, green eyes boring into Mona's soul and making her fidget, words tumbling out of her.

"Clearly not, or I wouldn't be here, would I? She won't talk to me, she won't touch me, she won't be around me. It's me, ain't it? I'm the problem, right? I have to be the problem," Mona got up and walked to the windows, eyes darting around but not seeing anything, nails digging deep into her upper arms, "why else wouldn't she be around? I can't find out what I've done, she won't talk to me, which means I can't fix it and I need to fix it."

"Why would you think you're the problem?" Esmé was bemused.

"Because she's avoiding me!" Mona exploded, "you've spoken to her! I haven't! I see her at dinner and I'm too fucked up then to think about anything and she won't let me anyway, she gets right into helping me eat and then she takes me to you guys to distract me so I don't vomit it all back up! I can't fuck this up, Esmé, cause somehow, Minerva's made me need her just as bad as I want her so I need you to tell me what I've done wrong, she would've told you, and then I can fix it."

Esmé was silent for a few minutes, processing what Mona had told her. Too nervous to watch her, Mona missed the minute Esmé came to a realisation, the way her chin lifted slightly and her eyes fixed on the wall, unfocused as pieces started falling into place.

"The night of the ball, when we all went to bed," she began slowly, "did Minerva stay in bed?"

"Huh? Yeah, course she did. I mean, I woke up to her coming back after going to the bathroom, but she was there when I went to sleep and she were there when I woke up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! The fuck does this have to do with anything?"

Esmé didn't seem convinced, which made Mona frown. Why wouldn't Minerva have stayed in bed? There was nowhere else for her to go and she wasn't in the habit of wandering around during the night. Minerva hated leaving the bed for any reason once she was comfortable.

"Why are you askin' that?"

"Because Freya was there," Esmé muttered, "and if I know Minerva at all, then she would never have let Freya just walk out of here. Especially not after she slapped you."