Crossing the Water

Chapter 5

Aurora sighed as she looked over at her daughter. She knew she needed to talk to Audrey, but the question was...was Audrey ready to talk to her?

After all, she had left her in the clutches of Leah for months. Even if Aurora hadn't known that was what she had been doing, she had done that. She could see Phillip talking with their son off to the side, no doubt going over the fact that he let his sister deal with Leah and didn't let them know.

"Audrey?" Aurora said softly, getting up to walk over to her daughter.

"Aurora," Leah warned but Aurora ignored her. After all, she was a grown woman. She had the right to talk to her daughter if she so chose.

Besides with Leah's behavior not only to Audrey but to the VKs, including poor Sammy Smee who hadn't done anything to earn Leah's ire, the best thing Aurora had was to ignore Leah. Otherwise somethings would be said that no one could take back.

"May I have a word?" Aurora asked, standing in front of Audrey but far enough away as to not make her feel crowded.

Audrey looked dead ahead, as if trying to pretend Aurora wasn't even in the room. "I have nothing to say to you mother," she said, her voice even. Aurora sighed; she deserved that.

"Alright, I won't force you," Aurora said gently. She knew better than most what it was like to yearn for a bit of control in her life, after all she had been raised as a peasant and then immediately whisked away to a castle on the eve of her sixteen birthday when all she had wanted was to spend the evening with Phillip. She had a feeling that was what Audrey wanted as well. Control, that is though it was possible Audrey wanted to spend time with her father. She had a better connection with Phillip Sr. growing up—meanwhile Phillip Jr. was what some of the young men in the room would call a 'mama's boy'. "I'll be over here if you change your mind."

Audrey scoffed but Aurora could feel her eyes on her as she sat back down, as if trying to see if the blonde was serious about the offer to talk. Aurora didn't want Audrey to feel watched so she trained her eyes over onto her husband and son.

"Phillip, why didn't you call us?" Phillip Sr asked, keeping his voice low.

"Dad I—"

"You know what your grandmother's capable of," Phillip stated. "If she can deprive food from children just because they happened to be born on the Isle of the Lost, what do you think she'd do to Audrey or you?"

"Wait, seriously?" Phillip Jr. scoffed. "I've told you at least once a year about Grandmother calling me 'just a spare' yet you and mom always brushed me off and told me not to tell tales. What, now because it's Audrey you suddenly care?"

"Both your mother and I were at the first viewing Phillip and of course we care about both of our children!"

"Could have fooled me!"

"Phillip," Phillip Sr. warned, his voice stern, and his son grew quiet. The elder Phillip sighed and shook his head as he looked at his son. "You are fifteen years old, you are capable of calling us. After all, you had your phone too. Now granted, the fault lies on us as well. We should have checked in on you kids more frequently."

"Or at all," Phillip Jr. muttered.

"Yes well." Phillip Sr. sighed. "You're grounded Phillip. One month. You should have let your mother or I know."

"Audrey slapped me yet she just gets off scot free!"

"Why did your sister slap you?"

"Huh?"

Phillip Sr. sighed. "Phillip it's an honest question. Your sister has never lashed out in violence before so why did Audrey slap you?"

"I...I may have said that she was just the same vain, self absorbed, crown obsessed girl she always was," Phillip Jr. said, his voice soft and his father pinched the bridge of his nose to stem the rising headache.