The Weeping Willow

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Aurora

She heard the knock at the door but didn't move from her position on her bed. She had her face buried into her pillow, tears streaming down her face at the thought of Wren not being there anymore. She had always known she would leave one day to discover her past and who she was but she didn't know it would come to be today. She lifted her head lightly from the pillow as she turned her head towards the door as another knock echoed through the room.

"What?" She yelled at the door, not trusting her limbs to cross the room and open the door.

Can I come in? She heard Wren's voice in her mind; a gasp escaped her lips forgetting her best friend's abilities. Aurora sat up in bed and crossed her legs as she took the pillow she was previously face deep in, into her lap before she spoke. "Of course you can come in, Wrennie." She said out loud and she heard the door open slowly and Wren walk in, closing the door softly behind her. Aurora looked up at Wren whose makeup was streaming down her face; her hands were clenched at her side as she moved across the room towards Aurora. Aurora could see Wren was battling something within herself and she furrowed her brows as she looked at her face, trying to get any read on what was going on.

"Wren, what's going on? You know you can talk to me about anything. You're my fucking sister for crying out loud? How could you not tell me you wanted to leave? After everything we've been through together, I thought you knew you could come to me." Aurora almost yelled at Wren, who still wasn't making eye contact with her. Aurora clenched the pillow in her lap tighter as she opened her mouth to say more, but Wren's gray eyes met hers and tears spilled from her lashes and down her cheeks.

"I love you, Aurora. You're more than my best friend. You're the sister I always wished I had, but the fact is...." She trailed off, wiping her face with her sleeve, relaxing her hands again at her side. "I am not your family. I am no one to you but an orphan your family decided to look after. I am so grateful for everything you've done and everything your family has done for me, but I don't belong here. I don't belong here with you." Wren's words were like daggers to her heart. Aurora tried to listen and keep her composure but the tears she tried to hide began to run down her face, mascara smearing down her cheeks as she looked Wren over, not understanding what she was trying to say. Aurora opened her mouth to say more but she felt something take a hold of her mind. No. Not something; someone. Aurora's eyes widened as she realized what Wren was doing and she pleaded with her eyes for her to stop. For her to not do what she was about to do next.

You will forget me.

You will learn to hate me.

But remember that I always loved you and your brother; more than words will ever be able to describe.

I do not belong here. I never did.

Remember only this: I am no one.

Aurora felt the heavy tears spill from her eyes as she nodded her head, understanding the words Wren had spoken and she knew they rang true. The truth behind them hurt so deep that Aurora didn't think she could breathe.

"Aurora, you will forget me. Take care of your brother." Wren said softly as she clenched her fists and turned from the room and quickly left, closing the door behind her. Aurora blinked repeatedly; trying to understand what just happened but the only thing circulating through her mind was hate for Wren. It was the hate she had felt knowing she would leave her. Leave her with the guilt of never being able to be good enough. Aurora looked down at the pillow and began to sob as she realized she had no control anymore. Wren was gone and there was nothing she could do but accept the facts that were presented to her.

She knew what kind of thoughts were weaving through Wren's mind. Wren didn't belong. She wasn't family. Most importantly, all she knew how to do was hurt those who loved her. The thing that Aurora couldn't tell Wren was her mind control didn't work on the Merrick's. When Sien and Nadie realized the powers Wren held and what she could do, they had a witch from another realm cast a spell on their children to keep them from every being mind-controlled. Aurora could do nothing at that moment but play along with Wren's game since she clearly didn't want them in her life. The thing that hurt the most was hearing her say that she didn't belong here. Of course she belonged. She was their family. She was her sister.

Aurora stood slowly from her bed and crossed the room towards the door, pressing her ear against the oak wood for any sounds in the hallway. She could hear the soft footsteps of someone descending the stairs and she knew Wren was leaving. She would be gone before she knew it but to where? Where did Wren think she belonged if not here with them? Rora lifted her head from the door and quietly pulled the door back and crept down the hall to her brother's door. She softly knocked against the door and heard a cough and a shuffle before her brother pulled opened the door and peered at his sister; red eyed and hair disheveled.

"You too?" He asked softly as he wiped his eyes with the hem of his shirt, no shame in crying because Aurora knew damn well that her brother was in love with Wren. Anyone would be able to tell you that by just looking at the way he looked at her. Aurora nodded slowly and pulled her brother into a hug. Ryker exhaled deeply and wrapped his arms around his sister and held her tightly to his chest. "We'll find her and we'll bring her home. I'm not losing her." He whispered against her hair as he closed his eyes and Aurora knew he meant what he said.

"If she doesn't want to be found; I won't be able to find her, Ron." She mumbled against his chest as her tears escaped her eyes again. Gods, Wren was causing her to be such an emotional wreck. But she couldn't think of a life without her in it. She had always been a part of her life and knowing her best friend; her sister didn't feel like she belonged just didn't make things right.

Ryker took a step back from his sister and moved his hands to grasp her shoulders as he looked into her eyes, "She's been hanging around that creepy Willow Tree in Mettler's Woods." He said softly and Aurora squinted not understanding the meaning behind his words. The forest was always a favorite place for Wren to roam and feel at peace and outside of her own mind; she told Aurora before that she found it peaceful there. "Do you not recall the stories of that tree, Ror? Something dwells within the tree, not something but someone." He said finally and Aurora's eyes widened. As Aurora was about to speak, the echo of the front door opening caught them off-guard as the two turned from one another and walked slowly to the stairwell.

"Kids, we're back!" Nadie called up the staircase and Aurora looked hastily at Ryker, not knowing exactly what they would tell their parents. Ryker shook his head as his eyes danced from the stairwell and back to his sister. Aurora knew he wanted to be the one to save her but they would need a lot more help than a white knight to get past the Willow Keeper.

"Mom! Up here. We need to talk." Aurora moved from the doorway and leaned over the railing of the staircase and called down. Her eyes dashed back to her brother who looked like he may crumble at any moment.

"We need their help, Ry. We can't do this without them." She whispered as she watched her brother run nervous hands through his hair. The sounds of footsteps ascending stairs echoed through the hall as their parents came into view, decked in all black which was their attire most days when they traveled between realms.

"Hey kiddos. Where's your sister?" Sien asked as he looked between Aurora and Ryker and back to Aurora. Aurora bit her bottom lip and caught her brother's eye before she spoke softly to her parents.

"....She's gone."