Maman // A Short Story

Part Two

A/N: Again, French is used throughout this story. See the bottom for translations.

Elise Beaulieu was a mother. Most of all to the demon-child she tried to protect.

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Ava had entered her teenage years with the grace and ferocity of une tigresse. And une tigresse she was, wild despite the shackles binding her.

No one was surprised when her uncle made use of her nature, though he was certain hated for it. Hated, most of all, by his wife.

Elise loved her niece, despite her darkness, despite her ruthlessness. She had embraced Ava's wild heart from the very first day that the girl walked in the front door, snowflakes dusting her sweater and boots despite the warm spring sunshine.

And when she saw Ava come home for the first time, braid flying and twisting wildly in the harsh autumn wind, her heart broke for the girl.

She remembered it vividly.

Ava's mouth had been set in a grim line, her entire body stiff. A narrow dagger, the blade finger-thin and deadly sharp, was clutched tightly in one hand while the other was clenched into a fist. There was blood matted in her snowy hair.

Elise remember the first time, and every time after.

She hoped her husband remembered every time just as well as she did. She hoped he remembered the pain in Ava's eyes the first time.

And how, each time she came home, the girl looked a little less pained and a little more deadened, as Lucien convinced her that killing was all she was good at.

Elise remembers the words that broke Ava too.

"Well, at least you didn't kill anyone important."

Lucien had spoken the words with a wry casualness before dismissing the matter with a wave of his hand. The dinner table had gone dead silent then.

Théo and Lilou, her children, had stilled abruptly and cast uncomfortable looks toward her, practically begging for her to say something. Elise was ashamed that she did nothing.

But Ava. Ava had carefully, precisely set down her spoon. She had picked up her table knife, weighed it in one hand, and then thrown it with lethal precision.

The dull blade went through Lucien's shirt cuff and embedded itself in the wooden table. He had flinched, jerked his hand only to find it stuck.

Ava had stood, her chair sliding back and screeching against the floor. She said, "Do not speak another word, dear Uncle. Or next time, anger might steal my aim."

The teen girl had stalked out of the room, leaving Elise with her mouth half-open in shock.

The clock ticked away four second before Lucien yanked the knife out, spitting, "Comment osait-elle! Cette fille—"

"Ça suffit!" Elise interrupted, surprising everyone, even herself. She took a breath before continuing, "Théo, Lilou, vous êtes excusé."

The children hurried out of the room, darting up the stairs after Ava.

Elise rounded on her husband, "Ava est notre famille! C'est déjà assez grave que tu en aies fait ton assassin personnel! N'ose pas l'insulter aussi." She paused, then shook her head, turning away, "Tu me dégoûtes, Lucien."

She left him there, looking completely flabbergasted, and followed after her children and Ava.

Upstairs in Ava's bedroom, she found Théo standing awkwardly in the doorway, waiting anxiously for her.

"Is Father—"

"Don't concern yourself with him." Elise's fury still blazed in her throat, sharpening her words, but Théo didn't seem to notice.

He nodded absently, glancing back over his shoulder. At fourteen, he was barely a year younger than Ava, but his timidness drew a stark contrast with the girl's barely contained wildness. Elise abruptly pulled him into a tight embrace, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead.

"Pack a bag. And—"

"Mother!" His blue eyes were wide and concerned.

"Mon fils, listen. Pack a bag, and help Lilou pack something too."

He nodded, still hesitant though, and said over his shoulder, "Lilou, Mother's going to talk with Ava now, and we need to go pack bags."

Elise glanced past him, into Ava's bedroom and almost gasped. Lilou and Ava sat together on the floor, which was decorated with splintered wood or shattered glass. The bed was torn apart, feather bursting from slashed pillows and Ava's knives stuck haphazardly out of the walls.

Lilou glanced up at them and nodded solemnly. In that moment, she looked so much like Ava on the night Elise taught her the constellations.

Elise's resolve hardened. One child was enough to lose to her husband.

Once Théo and Lilou had left, Elise settled herself beside Ava. Noticing for the first time that Ava's hands and feet were bloodied, she gently took the teen's hands in her own and began picking shards of glass out of her knuckles.

Ava stirred. "No, don't—"

Elise cut her off with a stern look and Ava sighed, exasperated and fond.

After a moment, Elise said, "Talk to me, ma chèrie."

The words burst from Ava's mouth like they'd just been waiting for permission.

"How dare he decide who's important! Who should be mourned and who should be cast away like dirt! He wants to decide everything, Mademoiselle Elise. Who lives, who dies, who cries, and who's forgotten. I can't do this, Mademoiselle," Elise's heart broke at that, "I can't, not anymore."

Ava was sobbing openly now, bloody tears leaving painting crimson trails across her skin. Elise didn't hesitate to pull her to her chest, rubbing her back and letting the girl's tears stain her blouse.

When Ava pulled away, Elise said, "We're leaving. You, me, Théo, and Lilou. Right now. Do you have a bag to pack?"

Ava blinked and gestured around the destroyed room. "I have nothing to pack."

Elise chuckled. "I suppose so. Come then."

She stood, but Ava remained sitting, shaking her head. "No. I'll only endanger you."

"You can't stay."

"I'm not going to. But you, Théo and Lilou need to stay safe. And that means no me."

"You're fifteen, Ava!"

"And already a killer," she countered. "So go. I'll be fine; I always am."

Elise hesitated a moment longer, then embraced Ava fiercely.

"You won't change your mind?" she whispered into her hair.

"No."

She released Ava and looked her in the eyes. "Ava. Know that you are my child, just as truly a Théo and Lilou. And remember that you have always been loved."

Ava smiled, sad and sweet, "I remember everything, maman."

***

Translation Glossary: (listed in order of appearance)

une tigresse — a tigress

Comment osait-elle! Cette fille— — How dare she! That girl—

Ça suffit! — Enough!

Théo, Lilou, vous êtes excusé. — Théo, Lilou, you are excused.

Ava est notre famille! C'est déjà assez grave que tu en aies fait ton assassin personnel! N'ose pas l'insulter aussi. — Ava is family! It is bad enough that you have made her your personal assassin! Do not dare to insult her as well.

Tu me dégoûtes, Lucien. — You disgust me, Lucien.

mon fils — my son