Who is Edith Cordelia

Chapter 14

"I can't"

It took me a while to fully process the two words that left Edith's mouth as her eyes dropped down.

"W-What?" I stuttered out

"I can't bring you back with me, Blanche... Not like this" she said in defeat

I'm so confused right now. My head feels like its swirling. But, I can also feel determination build up inside me.

Whether she likes it or now, I'm going back with her. I already made a mistake when I left with Miranda, and I'm not going to make that same mistake again. I'm not going to let her leave me here.

"Something is going to happen, Blanche" Edith spoke again. "What's going to happen?" I asked, but she just shook her head.

"Tell me, Edith" I said softly, silently pleading with her.

She sighed then motioned for me to sit on one of the chairs placed by the end of the roof while she remained standing, her back facing me as she looked at the city below us.

"Every year for as long as we can remember, the few of us, including me, becomes something... we do not want" that didn't really answered my question. It only made me more confuse than I already am and I was about to ask her to elaborate, but she already continued speaking. "During this time, we would become what we first were. A monster that is filled with hate, with their thoughts is only to destroy." She paused to take a deep breath. "It would just happen. During the first few years, we wouldn't notice the change because we were all still filled with hate. We initially thought nothing of it. But, when all of us became relevantly calmer and it still happened, it baffled us. We tried everything to figure out what was causing it or how to stop it, but we would always end up in a dead-end. When we gave up trying to understand it, we just tried to find a way to contain ourselves. The only thing that worked is containing ourselves in a room, locked up" her voice grew quieter at that and something tells me that something happened during one of her episodes.

I didn't want to ask, though. I didn't want to pry. I wanted her to tell me on her own.

"My friend, Elias, he's the one responsible for keeping us in check when we're having our... episodes. When we took over the castle, he began the construction of the basement as our 'rooms' for when it happens"

I haven't really been to the basement, it's deeper than the cells that we've been to, but I've seen them moving some materials there and, although I was curious about it, I kept forgetting to ask Edith. With everything that has happened, I can't be blamed for that.

"He doesn't say what he does with the room that makes us... weak. The last time that he did, we found a way around it and were able to escape. So, now, he's the only one that knows it" she chuckled. "He's a smart one, that lad. He's what we consider the 'big brain' in the group"

"I thought that was you?"

She shook her head and turned to look at me. "I feel like a third grader compared to him, and he's Einstein" I laughed at her joke.

"How come I haven't seen him before?"

"He's designated in the city. He's in charge of keeping everything in top shape in the city. He prefers that job"

Suddenly, a feeling of need to be near her coursed through my whole body, so I stood up from my seat without another word and walked towards her and straight to an embrace.

"Is this fine?" I asked when I felt her body tense, my voice muffled by her body. Her body relaxed greatly when she wrapped her arms around me, too, and returned the embrace.

"Are you ready to take me home now?" I looked up at her, my chin resting on her chest when she surprised me by leaning down and placing a quick kiss on my full lips.

"Yes" she replied. Instantly, a wide smile spread on my face.

"Can we stay for a little bit longer, though? I still don't want to go back" her embrace on me tightened.

"When we go back, we're going to have to face the problems again, talk about it and, as much as I love talking to you about because talking to you about it makes me feel like it will all work out somehow, I just want to stay here and pretend like there are no problems at all. Like it's just the two of us, like I'm not what I am, that I'm normal like you"

"You say it like being you is such a bad thing" I frowned.

"Is it not?"

I sighed.

"I've told you this before, but I'm going to tell you again. I like you for who you are and what you are. I've already accepted that, along with everything that has happened to you and what you've done. Now, please stop thinking that being you is such a bad thing, because it's far from it"

Even through the darkness, it was hard to miss the way Edith's cheeks turned to a crimson color at that.

"Well, I just thought you were saying that before to put my guards down" she admitted, quite sheepishly might I add.

"Now you know I wasn't. Did it work, though?" I raised a questioning brow at her with a goofy smile on my face. She smiled sweetly down at me and nodded her head. "Yes, it did"

We stayed on the roof longer like Edith has requested. She sat herself on the chair I was occupying and pulled me to her lap, holding me really close to her. We didn't talk much after; we just enjoyed each other's company as well as the view in front of us.

It's quite quiet from where we were. People were starting to turn in for the night, lights are being turned off one-by-one, but there are still some establishments that remained alight.

It was chilly up here, the cool wind would constantly caress our exposed skin, it even made our clothes a little cold, but Edith's body kept me warm. Whenever she would feel me shiver, she would rub my arms to help me fight it. Though, to be honest, it would only make me shiver even more. Her hands are just so soft, not to mention she's rubbing me so gently, it was hard to not fall asleep.

There was even a point in the evening when someone came up on the roof, a tenant of the building. At first, she didn't notice who Edith was or who I was since it was dark, but it didn't take her long to notice.

She started a conversation with Edith, just a casual one. I had my eyes closed, so I'm sure she thought that I was sleeping. She didn't stayed long, though, but before she left, she thanked Edith for everything that has happened in the city, and I heard a smile on Edith's voice when she replied with a polite 'You're welcome'.

Not long after that, I felt myself being placed a very comfortable mattress, and a very familiar one. I willed my eyes to open and saw that we are now back in Edith's room, although I didn't felt us move at all.

A small smile crept up to my lips as I watched Edith change into her sleep clothes in the middle of the room. When she was finished, she situated herself behind me and hugged me close to her again. A sigh inevitably escaped my lips when my body was pressed against her again, and I was just falling asleep when she planted a kiss on my head.

It feels good to be home.