Torment ( Book Two )

Chapter 41

Chapter Forty-One

Amber used the remote control to flip through channels on the large television in Luna’s room. Nothing interesting was on TV and Amber sighed with boredom. She had called Lucy in hope to talk to her but she didn’t answer. She was too busy enjoying college life, making Amber jealous. She knew she needed to wait to go but due to her current boredom, she wished she had started already. 

Amber began to think more on college as the television played an obnoxious reality show. How was she going to attend college with a wife and a daughter? Plus, she hardly spoke to either of her parents as it was and she would receive tons of unwanted attention due to her royalty status. Luna promised that things would calm down but yet her life was still so chaotic. 

The door opened and Amber sat up from her spot on Luna’s bed, expecting her girlfriend to enter. However, it was Sally who walked in the room. 

Sally’s face lit up when she saw Amber and she grinned widely, running over to her. “Miss Amber, Miss Amber!”

Amber smiled. It had been two days since she spoke with Sally and got in trouble with Luna over the blood situation. She had not seen much of Sally since then and was happy to see her now, even more so since Sally was excited to see her as well. 

“Hi, dear. What’s the excitement all about?”

Sally sighed lightly and stood by the bed. “That’s the problem: there is no excitement.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s nothing to do,” Sally explained, picking at the bedspread with her fingers.

“Have you finished your lessons?”

Sally was being home-schooled by one of the older servants because Luna didn’t think she was prepared for real school and she didn’t want to be separated from her in fear of losing her again. 

“Yup.”

“Well, what do you want to do?”

Before she could answer, Luna walked into the room. 

“Mom!” Sally cheered but stayed next to Amber.

Luna cracked a smile. “Hey, pumpkin.” She walked over to them and pecked Amber’s lips and then kissed Sally’s forehead.

“Can you entertain me?” Sally asked hopefully.

Luna laughed as she walked over to her desk. Her laugh made Amber blush. 

“How about you entertain me,” she teased.

Sally sighed playfully and continued to pick at the bedspread. Amber observed over her time with Sally that the girl always seemed to need something to do with her hands.

Amber lifted her eyes to watch Luna dig through one of the drawers on her desk, obviously searching for something. The television show was getting on Amber's nerves so she turned down the volume.

Luna muttered something under her breath and slammed the drawer shut.

"What's wrong?" Amber asked.

"I can't find the paper Mr. Klune signed. I need it," she explained, walking towards the bed where the girls were.

"It may be in the library," Luna continued, stepping behind Sally. "I need to check there."

"Do you have to work more?" Sally asked.

Luna looked down at her and smiled sadly. "Yes, dear. I'm sorry. Maybe-"

Luna stopped speaking to gasp. Amber had no clue what was wrong until she followed Luna's gaze and saw that Sally had torn a hole through the bedspread due to picking at it.

Sally also realized what she had done. "Oh my goodness," she muttered. The hole she had made was quite large and Amber was fearful for how Luna would react.

Luna was simply starring at the tear. Her eyes had gone darker and her lips were parted.

"I'm so sorry, Mom," Sally said quietly, biting her fingernails and looking up at Luna nervously.

"You tore my bedspread," Luna observed out loud.

Amber stayed silent, not knowing if she should interfere.

"I'm sorry," Sally repeated.

Luna finally looked at her, glaring hard. "Do you know how much this cost?"

Sally shook her head. 

"It costed a lot of money, Sally. I do not appreciate you ripping it," Luna scolded, her voice shaking as it always did when she was trying to control her anger.

Sally looked at the floor and Amber wished she could help the situation but she had no idea how.

"You don't have anything to say?" Luna asked her daughter.

"I already apologized," Sally reminded her with much attitude.

Amber sighed, knowing Sally just got herself into more trouble.

Luna held a hand behind her ear. "Is that sass I hear? That better not be sass."

Sally glanced up at her before quickly looking back down. "Just tell one of the servants to fix it."

"You fix it!" Luna snapped. "And this can't just be sewn back together, Sally! It's a mess."

"It was an accident, babe," Amber spoke up.

"Yes, but she doesn't even care!"

Sally perked up. "I do care! I feel guilty and I'm sorry."

Luna glared at her. "You ought to be."

Sally fumed and stomped away from Luna, heading towards the door. "I'm going to my room."

"Good idea. Stay in there for the rest of the night, young lady."

"Luna!" Amber snapped. She was blowing this situation out of proportion.

Luna ignored her and said to Sally who stood at the doorway, "Go on."

"Wait, Sally," Amber said quickly before the girl could move. She looked to Luna. "Let me take her outside."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "What for?"

"To talk to her. Let me calm her down."

"She needs to go to her room," Luna argued. 

Amber got up from the bed to stand close to Luna. "Please," she whispered, holding onto her girlfriend's hand. "I'm going to be her mother, too, in less than three months, and I'm terrified, Luna. I need to get closer with her and interfere in these situations. I want to be a mother to her as much as you are to her right now."

Luna raised her chin high and was silent for a long moment, staring at Amber. She lowered her head again and Amber saw her eyes had pooled with tears. 

"This is why I want to marry you," she whispered.

Amber blushed and the two shared a deep kiss.

Luna smiled afterwards and looked past Amber to Sally. "Miss Amber is going to take you outside."

"Okay..." Sally mumbled.

Amber turned and made her way to the door to join Sally.

"When you return, you are to go to your room," Luna told Sally. "Do you understand?"

Amber was becoming frustrated again. She didn't see why Sally needed to be punished but she had a feeling it wasn't because she ripped the bed; it was probably because of her attitude.

"Whatever," Sally muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Luna asked harshly, lifting her chin again.

"Yes, ma'am, I understand," Sally said quickly.

"Good."

Amber pushed the door open and the two girls left the room.

...........................................

Ten minutes had passed and not a word had been said. 

Amber had taken Sally in the backyard as promised. It was a little chilly outside but the sky was clear and the trees were dropping leaves and the air smelled like autumn.

Everything was grand besides the fact that Amber had no clue where to start as she watched Sally kick at a large rock. She wondered how Luna always knew what to say to the child. Maybe she just said exactly what was on her mind. Amber decided to try that method.

"You're going to scuff your shoes doing that," she blurted out.

Sally stopped kicking, sighed, and turned to face Amber. "Are you going to lecture me or not?"

Amber was appalled. "You have to get rid of that attitude, Sally."

Sally continued to walk along the path they had started on. Amber walked next to her, trying to give her a stern look.

"Why?" Sally finally responded.

"Because it is only going to make situations like these worse with your mother. Plus, it's rude."

"Mother is very sassy and I don't see why I can't be," Sally said.

"She's older and she's the queen so she can act however she wants. You're still a child."

Sally folded her arms. "I don't like being a child."

Amber chuckled. "Being older isn't that great, either."

Sally glanced up at her and the girls walked in silence for a few moments.

"Miss Amber?"

"Please just call me Amber."

"Mother wouldn't like that."

Amber sighed. So many rules. She was going to have to speak with Luna about her strictness with Sally.

"I have a question," Sally stated.

"I have an answer."

"Is sexual orientation passed down from your family?" 

Amber was shocked by her question. It sounded too mature to be coming from her.

"I'm not sure. I don't think so, though. Why?"

"I just wonder if I'm going to like girls or boys."

Amber hesitated before bending down on her knees to get eye-level with Sally who stopped walking.

"Are you upset that your mom likes girls?" Amber asked. She was still trying out the method of just saying what was on her mind. "Do you wish you had a father?"

"No," Sally shook her head. "I don't mind if I have two mothers instead of a mother and a father."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Well, you shouldn't worry about if you're going to like boys or girls when you're older. Whether you like boys, girls, vampires, demons, wolves, or witches, your mother and I will always love you and support you."

"A person can't be in love with a wolf!" Sally declared, giggling.

Amber smiled. "What if that wolf could change into a charming young prince?"

"That'd be so creepy!" Sally said, laughing hard.

Amber laughed with her. Sally was a sweet girl once she warmed up to people. She was adorable and Amber hoped she was doing things right with her.

Their laughter died down and Sally tugged on her stuffed bunny. "I can't wait for you to be my mom," she said quietly.

Amber's eyes instantly filled with tears and suddenly she wasn't so afraid of being her mother anymore. 

"Me neither," she whispered back. 

Amber stood from her spot on the ground and they continued to walk, leaves crunching under their steps. 

Amber was searching for something else to say. Should she discuss Sally's misbehavior more? Should she talk about sexual orientation again? 

Suddenly, the sky darkened. The wind picked up slightly. The good air changed to bad air. The earth shifted. Something wasn't right.

Amber began to slow her pace and Sally looked back at her. "What's wrong?" Her voice seemed to echo as everything moved in slow motion.

Amber couldn't breathe. Something, someone, bad was coming. No, it wasn't coming, it was already there; it was already happening.

"Sally," she heard herself say. "Sally, come here."

Sally ran to her side and Amber held her close against her. 

They needed to leave now. They needed to get back inside. Amber glanced behind her shoulder and realized they were quite far away from the castle. 

The wind howled and birds began to cry. The sun stayed hidden, cowering from whatever was coming. Amber still struggled to breathe. 

The feeling of pure horror filled her veins. 

"What's going on?" Sally asked, sounding terrified. 

Could she feel it too?