BANE: avenge

chapter 24

AUGHHH SORRY I FORGOT TO UPDATE GAAAAAAAHHH SORRYYYYYYYYYYYY

When I awoke, it was already late morning. That period where it is almost afternoon, but not quite. The mellow sun filtered through the fenestre, & as I adjusted, I remembered what I had to do today & groaned.

"Ara?"

I jolted upright. I had completely forgotten that Almira was sleeping in my room.

"Are you all-right, Ara?"

"I am fine. Let us go break-fast, shall we?"

"Yes, that sounds delicious right now."

We went downstairs to the dining area, & Blanche brought us some tea & some food for breakfast. Almira's eyes widened in amazement.

"It has been ages since I ate anything even remotely as good as this!"

& she gobbled it up. I watched in amazement & then asked Blanche to prepare some more, because Almira had eaten it all. She brought more, & during that time, Simply Edward & Pippin walked in & started eating too.

We decided only Pippin would come with me, & finished our breakfast.

****

"You ready to go?"

I checked for my dagger.

"Ready as I shall ever be."

We climbed into the float & started towards my parents' house.

***

I climbed out, looking at the house I had not seen since I was little. I sighed & walked up to the door, knocking.

The door opened to a maid I had never seen before. She did not recognise me either, because she asked who I was & what my business there was.

"Tell the Duchess that Gadaranine is here to see her."

"Why should I?"

I suppose there was no way out of it.

"I am the Duchess's daughter."

Her eyes widened in recognition, & she scurried away. Pippin sighed beside me.

"It is a good thing that she was not more insistent."

"I suppose."

"I am sorry, Ollie. Just know I'll stick with you."

"You'll stick with me?"

"perchance this is not the best moment, but... before we left, I asked my father what he thought of us getting married."

"What?"

"So, I'm asking you now."

"Asking me...?"

He got down on one knee, holding out a ring.

"Will you marry me? Stick with me, & I'll stick with you."

"Marry you?"

"Marry me, my dear Ollie."

"I-"

At this, the maid came back.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Pippin was up & scratching his head in the blink of an eye. The maid looked back & forth, confused.

"The Duchess says you may come in. She awaits you in the parlour."

****

I pushed open the door to the parlour & Pippin & I walked in. My mother was standing, holding a revolver, pointing it at me. She shifted it to Pippin.

"You. Out."

Pippin lifted his hands to show he had nothing.

"I will not interfere, Duchess."

My mother looked at me, & I looked back at her. She made a move to pull the gun back onto me, but then had a change of mind. Her hand moved down-wards & then let go of the gun, dropping it on the couch. She moved towards me.

"Ara, my little Ara."

I was shocked as tears swum in my mum's eyes.

"I nursed you with my own breasts, took care of you, swaddled you. Will you now kill your own mother?"

I gasped as my resolve crumbled.

"Ara? My child, please, I beg you."

She came closer.

"I truly am sorry for everything, everything I ever did to you."

I could see the tears spilling out & I looked to Pippin for help, but he was just as befuddled as I was.

"Ara, I love you, my darling child, I do."

I made my choice, in that moment.

Three words changed it all.

I would not kill my mother.

"Mama, mama."

I almost sobbed as I rushed into her arms, but no tears came out.

"Mama, I could not kill you."

"I know child."

She stroked my hair.

"I ought not to even have considered it. It should have never happened, mama."

Then, I heard a different voice. One that was most definitely not my mama's.

"The gods will have their ending."

It was not Iris. It was a well-rounded woman with short black hair & gold ornamentation covering her.

I felt something reach into my head & I saw differently. The woman was not in sight, but I felt something. I felt something inside my IEMP. I felt something in my neurological processors snap, & I felt a shiver run through me.

Then, I was horrified as my hand reached for the dagger. I tried to tell my mama, but she realised what I was doing before I could tell her. I could not speak, no matter how hard I tried.

Her eyes darkened as she saw what my hands - my traitorous hands - were doing, & she ran out of the room.

I unwillingly ran after her, but I could not find her. My body slowed down, & crept about the home, & I felt the dread shivering into me, but I could not stop myself. I crept about, searching for my mama, my mama, hiding.

The fenestre was open & a cool breeze wafts through, chilling me to the very bone. I looked down at my hand & saw the dagger, still sitting in my hand. I started to panic as I realised there is nothing I can possibly do to stop this madness.

I almost fainted, but then the thing in my IEMP went into overdrive, & I realised that whatever was happening to me was going to keep me from fainting away & escaping this horror story. I calm down, & I feel my face relaxing into a smile against my will.

I am forced to walk towards a door, but I fight against it, trying to turn around & go the other day. I succeed in slowing down, & I try to completely come to a stop, but then I feel a burning cold in my left side of the IEMP.

I stop & walk towards the door, which I know to be my mother's bed-room. I do my best to stop, but I can-not. My hand turns the knob, & the door opens.