Fairytale

The Decision

"So you have decided then?", his elderly voice echoes in the chamber. All five of the Hawthorne family stand up from their seats. They stand tall and self assured, without doubt. They've carefully reviewed the four girls, discussing it well into the following day. They didn't walk away until all were in absolute agreement.

"We have.", Indigo's deep voice reverberates back.

"Then who shall it be? Who shall bed with devils? The depressed single mother with witch blood she's been unable to tap into? The beautiful angel who loves any and everything, to the point of it being a fault? The drug addicted human girl with many woes in her past and many tribulations in her future to recovery? Or the little stray youngster who prefers her dreams to reality? Think carefully. Your decision is final."

Indigo hums in thought. The decision has already been carved in stone, but he feels a thorough reasoning of why they chose her is in order. Most wouldn't be second guessed by the Council of Evermore, but most aren't the Hawthorne family. They'll want sound reasons for their decision, especially because of the girl they chose.

"Trinity immediately was taken off our list. We had no doubts at all on the girl. Her personality would clash brutally with our own and I fear resentment would become inevitable." Indigo begins with.

The elderly councilman nods," We put her in the selection because of her inability to hate or dislike anything. She seemed foolproof."

Indigo's shoulders bunch at his words. It seems the Council is more concerned with finding someone who'll stick around instead of a girl who will love them. The air in his lungs whooshes out like an angry bull, but he somehow maintains his composure. This experience has been nothing but draining for them all.

"I fear Viva needs what we cannot give her and I believe it to be cruel to try. That left us with Selena and Delilah." Indigo continues on. This time the elder did not enlighten them on the reasons they chose the girl they dismissed.

Selena and Delilah were the reason the Family took until the next day to decide. Both girls need them, badly. Yet their needs are very different and situations unique from the other.

Selena is much older and wiser than Delilah. She's led a hard life that's worn at her bones and youth. Her body, with a little nourishment, is far more that of a woman's. Her curves are made to hold and mold in their monstrous hands.

Delilah on the other hand is quite young, around seventeen they estimated. She has the body of a young girl, not of a bride. However, there is something refreshing about that. Delilah is so shiny and new. Her story has just begun, whereas Selena's is reaching the midpoint.

Selena is so selfless and kind. She sacrifices everything for her ungrateful children. A part of Indigo craves to carry her great burdens so that she may thrive once again. He greatly admires her courage and how strong she's been through the rough days that followed her husband's abandonment.

Delilah is a bit harder to read. Her exhaustion was so phenomenal that not much else of her personality was revealed. That concerns him. She's far too young and far too small to be so exposed to the cruelty of the world.

That is Delilah's greatest allure to Indigo. It's almost instinctive how he desires to shield her from becoming a creature so similar to Selena.

Selena has children that would only increase the strain of this entire endeavor. It was the main cause of debate. Both sides made valid arguments Indigo couldn't ignore.

Then there's Delilah's sleeping habits. She seems to be sleeping in very odd and dangerous places. It concerns all of them how she deals with her troubles as well. Whereas Selena faces hers head on, Delilah runs away and hides.

At first that greatly swayed them against choosing her. Would she run from them if she sees something terrifying? Christian ended up pointing out a very good point however: is she truly someone who runs from her fears or is she just smart enough to outthink them?

Perhaps we are ignorant of what her true plight is. Perhaps the monsters outside are a lot less frightening to her than the ones inside. She's picking her devils.

This didn't help the Hawthornes. In fact, they were right back where they started.
Selena or Delilah?

They could help both so much. They could help Selena raise her children and get her healthy again. They could even help her with her hiding magic.

They could help Delilah find stability and protect her from the reality she dreads so much. They could be her reason to keep opening her eyes. They could prevent her from ever reaching the point Selena has, who is already doused with invisible scars.

One must be neglected. One must be cast aside.

Do they pick the wiser older woman with three bratty children, who is incapable of standing up for herself yet faces her challenges like a roaring lion?

Or do they pick the much younger child who prefers dreams to reality and has very childlike qualities?

Aged and world weary?
Or, shiny and new?

A respectable lady or a girl who still sleeps with stuffed animals?

The jaded one with the fading light in her eyes?
Or, the one with big blue eyes that still seem to hold on to hope?

One option is tantalizing.
The other sensible.

How wrong is it of them to desire something so out of reach? They all ache to bask in her glow.

He knows once he speaks that that will be it. He doesn't hesitate however. No, he's very sure this is the best choice for them and for her. The entire Family agrees. With finality, Indigo raises his skeletal head and tells them," We choose..."