Scarred

Chapter 35

Eva's POV
"What's going on? Where am I?" I murmur. I don't even remember what happened, I remember going to the training grounds and from there on, absolutely everything is a blur. Suddenly, a little girl appears in front of me. Her figure is slim, verging on scarily so, her long hair a lilac colour, almost the complete opposite of her bright gold eyes. Wait a second... that's me. Just as I reach that realisation she runs off. "Hey, wait up!" She leads me to a painting, one that contains several familiar faces. Mum, Dad, Sammy and-
"Granny," she smiles. "Great-granny."

Before I can respond, she pulls me down to the floor, making me sit beside her as she places a hand on the painting. The lifeless painting somehow gains movement, and that's when a loud crying sound echoes across the room. It takes a moment for me to figure out where it's coming from, but when it does, things make a little more sense. A baby sits in my great grandmother's arms, and that baby is... it's me.

"She's so loud," Sammy almost grunts as she looks at her, at me...
"Just give her a moment and she'll be alright," Eva replies, lightly tapping the baby's nose. In a few moments, the sobbing turns into quiet sniffles, and eventually, the baby seems like she's beginning to drift off.

"She's beautiful," Eva smiles. "She'll grow up to be someone brilliant, I can guarantee..." Her grip on the baby begins to loosen, she begins trembling and goes pale. What's going on?

"Granny!" Mum tries to run over, but Dad keeps her lying down on the bed as tears begin trickling down her face.
"I think we'll have to name her Eva. It seems appropriate."
"G-granny..." Sammy mutters, biting her lip.

"Look after her Alice, you too Caleb. And I know you can't stay for long, but if you ever see her again, promise me you'll keep an eye on her Sammy."
"I-I will," Sammy sniffs. "I promise I will."

Her eyes go dull as she stares down at the baby, and I freeze up. Dad rushes out of the room, returning in mere seconds with a doctor by his side. He takes the baby from Eva's arms and immediately thrusts her into Sammy's. As she stands helplessly - the baby now beginning to cry again in her arms - he checks her pulse, her breathing, everything.

"I'm too late. I'm sorry."

The scene completely freezes and I find myself trembling as I stare at it. The younger me glances up at me, gently taking my hand. "The queen..." she mumbles. "She killed great-granny, she poisoned her."
"What?!"
"She's mean. She's really mean."
"She... yeah, she is," I sigh, standing up, still holding onto her hand. Quietly, she begins to lead me to another painting, one with the same people as before, minus Eva and Sammy.

"So what's this one then? Do you know?" I ask her, sitting down.
"When dad had to leave."
"Right..."

Placing her hand on the painting, she joins me at my side, clinging onto my arm.

"You're going to be alright, right? Eva... she'll be alright, won't she?" Dad asks. Mum laughs slightly, taking his hand and she glances down at the sleeping baby in her other arm.
"Look at her, of course she'll be alright. I won't let anyone lay a finger on her. We'll find somewhere to live, we'll be safe," she smiles.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"You can't tell anyone who her father is. Not even Maven. I can't let anyone know who I really am, who Eva really is. Not even she can't find out, not yet at least," he sighs. "No magic either, can't have her having an outburst."
"I know, I know. I'll see you again... no matter how long it takes, we'll both get to see you again. That's a promise."

"Of course it is... it's so difficult, I don't want to say goodbye," he breathes, tears beginning to trail down his cheeks.
"Let's not say goodbye then, how about instead... see you later."
"Right, see you later..." As he walks off, tears fall down mum's face.