The Weeping Willow

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Aurora

Aurora opened the door to her bedroom as Wren walked one door further down the hall. Aurora waited a few extra seconds before stepping into the threshold of her room to see if Wren would catch her eye, but the door to her room closed quickly and Aurora let out a slow breath through her nose. Aurora knew something was up with her. There was always something wrong. It was evident on Wren's face that she had millions of questions going through her mind and Aurora was not able to provide her with any answers. She was her family, as much as her own brother was and it hurt her to see Wren so broken. Aurora was the type of person to always help those in need and it was obvious that she needed help. She wished there was more she could do for her sister. Rora bit her bottom lip as she thought quietly to herself that if only that were true; if only she was truly her blood sister. It was obvious that Wren felt she didn't truly belong here and she felt like a charity case.

She had tried multiple times to ply information out of her parents about when and where they found Wren and whether or not someone had dropped the baby off at their estate. Sien and Nadie Merrick would not give Aurora any information whatsoever on the knowledge they stored. It was as if her parents were holding a secret that needed the utmost protection. They were hiding something and Aurora thought it unfair to keep the truth. It wasn't their story to hold onto. It was Wren's story after all and she deserved to know the truth. She was old enough now to move out and explore the world on her own, but Rora knew just as well as Wren that she would never leave. Her future was here in this world, in this place, being a Merrick and growing the bloodline.

Aurora recalled the night she confronted her parents in the library about Wren. "It's her right to know! You can't just keep hiding things from her. She's going to end up leaving us to find answers!" Wren had yelled at her parents one evening, not caring she had raised her voice at her own parent. The only response Aurora had received from her parents was a stare that shut her up immediately. Aurora knew she was wasting her breath even trying to pry information from her parents.

"You will hold your tongue, Daughter. It doesn't pertain to you, so please, keep your head down." Her father said with a deep stern voice. Aurora watched her mother stand closer to her father after his words had been spoken. She knew Wren and she knew that she would find the answers one her own, at any cost and that's what scared her.

Aurora dumped her findings from the Thrift Village onto her bed and began to cut the tags off the clothing. She was always proud of the things she found when they ventured into the thrift store. But as she rummaged through her new finds, the familiar velvet jacket caught her attention. Aurora could've sworn she slipped it into Wren's bag when she wasn't looking.

Wench. Aurora thought to herself. Wren must have slipped the jacket into her bag while on their ride to the estate or perhaps with magic Aurora didn't know she had. A smile was evident on Ror's lips as she looked down at the jacket.

"You know I heard that, right?" Aurora didn't even notice Wren standing in her doorway. A smile hung on her lips and she folded her arms in front of her chest.

"This was meant for you, dumbass. I found it for YOU." Aurora explained shaking the jacket in her direction. Wren simply shook her head and stepped into the bedroom. Aurora put the jacket back down onto the bed and took a seat on the edge of the bed and faced her best friend, who moved to the desk chair in the corner of her bedroom. Setting her weight into the chair, she rested her hands in her lap and bit her bottom lip before speaking.

"It's still early and there's daylight to be spent." She watched her eyes drop to her hands and then back up too meet with her own. "I'm going to Mettler's woods." She said rather quickly, her gaze holding firm. The question lingered between them whether or not she wanted to be alone. "I'll go alone this time, if that's alright." her reply reading the question that hung in air seconds ago.