In a flash of Fangs

Forgive Me

It only took me three minutes to walk into the living room where my parents sat quietly talking to each other. I stopped in the doorway before knocking softly against the mahogany beam that was slightly catching the glow from the fire that was crackling in the hearth. It gave me courage to talk to them for the fire seemed to envelope my feelings and melt them into nothing leaving behind only warmth and comfort. Mum lifted her head and saw me and rushed over to hug me leaving dad stunned on the couch before he too got up and walked over to us shaking his head with a smile. It felt more like a reunion instead of what really happened, me getting pissed and then ignoring my family for almost a week.

"Mum ... Pa ... I'm sorry for how I reacted, I just didn't know what to do or think and I was scared" I said lowering my head as it hung with the apology heavily lingering in the air. Neither spoke just looked at me with caring and loving eyes. I lifted my eyes sadly hoping that they had accepted the apology when I noticed a small look shared between my parents. I furrowed my brow and then took the plunge with my life hanging in the balance.

"I will accept your offer and I will try to do my best within the society." I raised my chin and looked my dad in the eyes, he and I were related you could tell, the eyes had that same stormy blue same piercing style that could read into one's soul. My mother has softer almost amber eyes with certain lights and then almost a black in others, her gaze just as deadly as my fathers. I could tell they weren't happy but it wasn't at me this time but with something else. Dad smiled at me and clasped my shoulder and pulled me to the couch that was now warmed by the fire and sat me down. I looked at him and then to my mother with curiosity but knew better than to talk in moments like these.

I sat for a few minutes while my parents discussed something by the door, all I could here were murmurs and sighs. The last sigh was drawn out and I saw my dad slip out of the room looking dejected. I didn't even notice that mum had sat down next to me and with her hands folded nicely in her lap she began to talk.

"Your father and I have to tell you something, it is very important. It won't be easy and it surely won't be fun." She smiled weakly at me before continuing her rehearsed lines to me. I only sat staring at the fire tuning her out after that first sentence, I didn't want to hear it anymore.

"Stela? Stela? Did you hear anything I said?" she snapped at me after a few tries of getting my attention I heard a loud whistle and immediately snapped my head to the direction it came from. I blushed seeing the face my dad was giving me, it was a mixture of amusement, sadness and hope. It felt like I was going to be sent far away or something and he was trying to remember who and what I looked like.

"Stela, draga mea, iartă-mă." He said to me with a hardened face to match the tone in his voice, it was as if he had resigned himself to my loss. I stood up to him wondering why he suddenly started using Romanian to speak to me, I knew that we lived in Romania but I wasn't ever taught the language. I could only tell what it was by the sound and the fact that it was the only other language my parents would use to make sure my brother Konstantin and I couldn't decipher what it was they said.

"Da? What are you saying, I don't understand" I rushed over to him and hugged him as hard as I could, not understanding what was going on. He held me close leaning his head on mine and looked over my shoulder to my mother who in turn had hidden her face when dad came back into the room. He pushed me away softly and grabbed my shoulders tightly and leaned forward to kiss my forehead.

"My darling, I am sorry but you must go, hide even but do not come back here. Whatever you do never look back, Kosti will lead you and protect you but never turn back." He whispered into my ear fast as he held me close in one last embrace.

"Konstantin! It is time, gather your things and run as far away as you can" our father yelled just as my brother came in with two bags and my new cloak from VT.

  Stela, draga mea, iartă-mă... Means Stela, my darling, Forgive me.