It was meant to be normal.
The Bellwether wedding was supposed to be fun according to Abigail. Well according to everyone, the only people that she really was listening to were Libba and Scylla. Whose views were a little different, Libba was a part of that world yes, but didn’t like all that stuff that Abigail was almost obsessed with. And Scylla didn’t care much for the people and that kind of scene.
However they both understood this could help them network. Open doors for them, getting them into war collage or something along those lines.
She had kept her mouth shut, as Abigail had been talking about the Wedding over last week, going on and on about it would connect them, bring them closer. Or even just being around her family.
Then after Beltane and having such a great time with Scylla and a few others Raelle returns to her unit room. There almost like there where waiting for her, on Abigail bed was Abigail and Tally.
“Hay, guys” she was confused but not wanting to really have a conversation with them did speak further on their weird behaviour.
“So, you know i been talking about the wedding” Abigail began, “well my mother want like you to come along, to see my unit as a united front”
Raelle stopped what she was doing, “really”
“Yes, one front and all that”
She looked over at her, they were kind of trying, but it wasn’t good enough. There was still a heavy divide between them. To be fair, even with Scylla she felt alone, just more understood. Her past mistakes and trauma, still too fresh to be herself fully.
“I’m grateful but I'm not going”
“You're going, it is not up for discussion” Abigail jumps up from her bed, anger clear on her face.
“It clear you know nothing”
With a huff Raelle had stormed out.
She made it across the fields to a small hide away that only a very few know about. Inside was Libba and Scylla, having a night together. Not like this affected Raelle’s feelings.
As she was also dating Scylla same as Libba. She was close friends with Libba and nothing more.
“Raelle,” Scylla said, jumping up to her feet, from her chair that was right in front of the fireplace. Libba also got up seeing Raelle emotions flicker across her face.
“Abigail order me to go to the wedding”
“Did you explain how it makes you feel?” Scylla said, coming over to her, placing her hands on her shoulders.
“No, i didn’t have the change”
She looked over to Libba, “who you mind if she joins us tonight”
Libba thought about it for a moment, she would say this but she liked Raelle a bit. Fine more than a bit but too unsure about herself and if it would work out with the three of them together and so kept that part silent but still allowed herself to enjoy Raelle company.
“I don’t see an issue as only as Raelle tell me what going on in her head right now”
With a small kiss on her cheek, Scylla moved away taking her seat again.
“Ok, you both kind of know a little bit, here the story”
She opened up to them how she feels toward the “royal families'' and how most treat her. However, in her lifetime, she had been treated badly, arrested so many times for just being around.
Which helped a lot, being about to openly talk about what was on her mind and how she felt about the situation. Both of them had calmed her down. And by close to nightfall, she felt much better over the whole situation.
And for the next day she had returned and followed what Scylla had said, and agreed to go to the wedding. She kept her thoughts and emotions in check, Not like either of them noticed her doing so, as they were both excited about the wedding.
And for the following leading up to the wedding, Raelle just followed the rules. Didn’t speak out of turn, just dived head first into training. And at the same time not even speaking with her unit outside training. Again not that they noticed, she did however try to spend as much time with Scylla and Libba as possible. So she would have people to speak to about how she was feeling.
It was weird, normally she would be the listener not the walk doing to talking. But they never made her feel out of place for doing it, nor questioned her when she needed silence to collect herself, so she carried on.
******
The day of the wedding, everything was fine, training in the morning, nothing too much to drain them. And wedding in the early evening 1pm to around 7pm.
The few hours were normal enough, getting ready. Leaving Fort Salem and arriving at the Bellwether house. A large mansion, almost the same side as the mall back at home, just bigger, twice the size. The walls were white, and everywhere she looked it was clean, too clean to say they live in the place. She also got the sense after sometime that no one really lived here outside the cleaners. As a few had to ask around to find rooms.
If she trusted her unit she might have made comments and joked about it all. But she didn’t, as they hadn’t shown nothing for her to trust them with.
The slow downfall was when Abigail started showing her Bellwether side, when she made comments on the place, saying it was just one of six her family own not including her extended family house.
She kind of zoned out to whatever she was saying about her family. That until she walked straight into the back of Abigail. She looked up to see why she stopped dead in her tracks to see Scylla standing there giving a small wave. A moment forever stamped in her heart.
With the biggest grin Raelle rushed over to Scylla, she didn’t care if anyone said anything. This right now was the happiness she has been in days. She pulled her into a hug. In one swift moment picked her up and spun her around, making Scylla giggle. It was rare for her to openly express herself but she didn’t care, right now, this just made this bearable.
Placing her back down, Raelle kissed her tenderly. She is about to say the three words that have been plaguing her for the past week. And been on the tip of her tongue. But as always her unit, are there to stop anything further from happening.
A throat clearing breaks the moment.
Scylla didn’t look at them, her eyes only on Raelle, with a soft smile on her lips. Raelle looked away first, not that she wanted to look away. Standing there with her arms crossed was none other, then Abigail.
“Why in the goddess, is she here for, i told you, it's just the unit”.
She wasn’t going to tell them, she was going to allow them that much. But after being ordered to come to this, which there didn’t have to come along too, by the way. And then not understanding that someone for the Cession doesn’t belong among them, in fact they made it soo, not her or her people form the Cession.
“She, Abigail, has a name, Scylla. As for the rest, she is my Girl” she said with her eyebrow raised. Meaning she with her and knowone going to say anything against her kind of thing.
“And i know that, but why is she here”
“I’m not a high atlantic like you. I hate coming to this kind of thing. And after ordering me here, I brought her alone, to be used effectively as a buff. Toward your people”
“You can’t just bring anyone along with you, it doesn’t work that way”
“How does it work, by been looked down upon, even my unit wouldn’t do anything about it”
It took a good moment for that statement to kick in.
“Find”. Abigail mumbled
“Oh, just to make it clear, she goes where I go, today”. She hoped that was all she would ask, and nothing more.
At the word out Scylla squeezed Raelle hand letting her know she was by her side. They had talked about how the High Atlantic’s say about Raelle. They had also talked at length about Raelle worries about going to such an event. Scylla, being the best, had said ‘trust in your unit, and everything will be fine’.
Trust should go both ways. Rings in her ears as she stares at them.
Abigail knew, questioning if she should allow this, and with what looked like fear flash in her eyes spoke, “She shouldn’t be here, she needs to leave. And right now”.
“Why, you just said it was fine, and no, she has defended me against these people, your people. Or is it that she openly does it, unlike your guys. Not once have you guys stood by me, when the true shitbirds show their heads. And try to make me small. Not once. Scylla however, has come all this way, so i wouldn’t feel invisible at this place because that want your people do, have done”
With tears in her eyes, “what about us, we've got your back.” Tally said.
It was clear she wasn’t fully listening to what Raelle had said. All she could do was raise her eyebrow at that. Quietly questioning if that was the case. But it wasn’t.
“both of you haven’t defended me. Not once. When people speak down at me, I get we are training but some of the stuff wasn’t needed. Or when people say stuff when I am sitting with you guys, the reason I don’t anymore. Or that more than once I've been called an outcross. And all this time, Scylla has.” Looking at both of them. “Neither of you have ever backed me up, with anything, Scylla has.”
Her anger was getting the best of her again. Not wanting to prolong this any further or start a fight. Abigail speaks up, “fine” Abigail says looking straight at Scylla “don’t mess this up for us, understand.”
“yes, ma’am” Scylla said sarcastically only Raelle could tell.
Tally and Abigail both head off without waiting for Raelle or Scylla.
Scylla whispered into Raelle, “you didn’t have to cover for me”. All Raelle did was kiss her. And pulled along.
“That's what girlfriends do, plus I figured you might come after yesterday. Me telling you how uneasy I am, and a bonus there finally now, how i feel about this place and the situation”. Her cession drawl coming out thick at the end.
With a stunned look almost rooting to the spot.
She didn’t have words to say, all she was thinking was, Raelle called her, her girlfriend. If it was up to her she could scream with joy at that. Raelle pulled her along, seeing that she was a bit taken aback.
They quickly catch up with Tally and Abigail, just when Abigail introduces them to a friend of the family. They said nothing about Raelle or Scylla. They just said hi, before leaving with Abigail. Tally follows right behind. And once again left Raelle and Scylla.
“Well, that wasn’t bad.”
But Scylla didn’t say anything. Raelle steps in front of her, raising Scylla's head with her index finger and thumb. With a smile across her face. Scylla looked into Raelle's eyes, with a spark that is not normally seen in public.
“What is it” Raelle's voice was small, almost a whisper. Only happens when she is upset or fearing something.
“what you said either.” Her cheeks turned a crimson colour.
“what did I say”. Raelle leans into Scylla a little now, understanding the situation. With a small smile replied for her, “the girlfriend part”.
“yea, the girlfriend part”.
Scylla kissed her tenderly. She wanted to stay here, but right now they couldn’t because they had to move on. She said with a gentle voice, “you better catch up with the other, I think Abigail wants you to meet her family. The high Atlantic way, and after her little display I can see her getting me kicked out if something doesn’t go to plan.”
“Like anything goes to plan around here”
With a little chuckle both of them head off catching up with Tally and Abigail. And then together enter the main building, Scylla hand never letting go of Raelle. As they entered the very grand looking welcome hallway of the house. Stood in crisply clean army clothes, where Abigail’s high ranking family members.
Seven in total, all of them suffered from being raised with a silver spoon in their mouths. Already had that look Raelle gets from them. Knowone however was looking at Scylla. Even being a dodger form a young age, she joined the military once she turned 18 and to them. That was great, it also helped that her parents had history within the military. And it was easy to track her blood line down. And it was clear in her history she was a full witch and not some, half witch. Or an outcross.
General Petra Bellwether turned to her daughter, “why don’t you introduce your unit to everyone.” there was something in her voice that felt like.
She looked at her, if it what she thinks this is, she has the right to hate them. Hate them all, for never seeing her pass her Cession heritage, her name.
Abigail turns to them not seeing the rage in her eyes, she carries on, “this is my unit, Tally Craven is an up and coming knower and seeker, one of the best.”
She paused, allowing a few of them to comment. “I’m glad a Craven, your mother might be proud stepping up the way you have”.
Tally bowed a little, “thank you”. She didn’t say however that her family, her mother didn’t want her here, had made it very clear on that front. Not wanting it to slip out she just stood at attention.
Taking her que. Abigail spoke again. “and this is my final member, Raelle Coller, a great Fixer like her mother, maybe even better”.
Raelle snapped to look at Abigail this was the first time ever that Abigail had given her any praises. And to do it in front of her family was something else, she could see right behind her however, Petra jaw tight right a little. If she was elsewhere she might have smiled at seeing that.
But this feeling, it didn’t last long, they made sure about that.
Scylla squeezed her hand a little as Abigail's family started with their comments. She tried hard to not listen but with her own doubts, they just played right into them.
‘You have an outcross In your unit, what a shame’.
‘I hope she is as good as her dead mother, know that was a witch’
‘If you get sick of it, I might be able to pull my weight and get you someone else,’ one of them said.
‘You know, you she any like her dead mother, we might have to put her on the front line early’
The comments never ended, it seems, the only thing stopping her from snapping, for doing anything but smiling at them, that brought a few of them to silence. Abigail not once tried to defend her. But this was the only time she understood her silence. She knew that if she had spoken up, if anyone had, it wouldn’t help anything. Might have made it worse.
Finally Abigail thanked them for coming, snapping her thought away.
Abigail quickly headed off with her mother. And Tally also walked off after everything without a word. Abigail’s family also left, not that she cared about them, leaving Raelle and Scylla alone.
“They shouldn’t talk to you like you’re not there. I hate that. I’m sorry I said nothing.”
With sadness in her voice, “don’t be, those guys could have you disciplined, arrested or worse if you step up to them. Plus, they have to show their dominance somehow”.
Noticing her tone, she asked. “are you ok that was a lot”.
“yea it was, thanks for staying”. A tear rolling down her cheek. Scylla noticed her voice creak moved around to Raelle’s front and pulled her into a hug allowing Raelle to bury her face into her shoulder.
“I get that they dislike the fact I'm an outcross but why bring my dead mother into it. It hasn't even been…” she couldn’t get the last bit out, her anniversary was coming up real soon.
After a few deep breaths and Scylla rubbing circles on her back Raelle had calmed herself down. Raelle finally pulled out of their hug. She could stay like that for hours, like this, but she knew that the people would say something.
“what to make me feel even more better”.
With a devilish smile, and a sparkle in her but said nothing. Raelle looked at her, understanding the look straight away, “not that way, but what about an dance.”
That was all Scylla needed to know and dragged Raelle to the dance floor.
And for the next few hours they would fade away. Until the wedding began. Everyone gathers around. In, that moment Raelle knew she was going to marry Scylla, the love of her life. There would need to talk with Libba and a few others but she knew that her end goal was to be with her for life.
After Scylla and Raelle danced, drinking and eating. It was better than Raelle thought it would be. Every single time someone tried to say something after the first introduction, Scylla would pull her aside and insult them in the most sly way possible. This day couldn’t get better.
Their was a few other wedding stuff, which Raelle had to leave Scylla alone and be with her unit only.
Later on, Raelle joined Scylla once again to dance.
Then six clock sharp everything turned. Scylla had just said she loved her.
When a large attack of balloons, at first to the common eye it looked, liked the spree. Who else uses balloons, but never in the history of the spree have there used that many before and attacked a witches place or witches, as the spree are witches.
Raelle and Scylla had stepped up to help the guests inside the house for their own protection. Abigail had rushed inside trying to find her cousin and Tally was off crying heartbroken. Not that wanted anyone with her. She had just found out about Gerit getting married to someone else, and instead of saying something, dragged her along.
It wasn’t until after the attack and everything was setting down that Raelle noticed Scylla was missing. She asked around but got nothing. She was going to lose it. This high Atlantic tells not to worry. Yea right. Just as her mind starts to spinal again like when she was back home in the Cession, Abigail steps out, her face covered in blood saying her cousin was dead.
She was about to join her and Tally when she noticed the broach she made Scylla on the floor. Dread floods her. What does this mean, did she drop it through the attack without noticing? Did she get hurt and it fell off? What does this mean, I have to find her.
****
So, after all that, they just wanted to head home. Well back to Fort Salem and start her investigation to find Scylla. But no, they had to go through a few rounds of questioning. If they know anything. At one point, right after telling her it was her fault. Blaming her for this, likely she made it clear she had nothing to do with the attack. Keeping the fact if it was her, she would have killed a lot of the high and mighty.
She had flat out stood up, looked them in the eyes, “if you really believed it was me. You would be trying to convince me, this was my doing. So with you venom, you people call words. You will have to speak with my people from the Cession, Bearkiller my chieftain. I will have my leave”
There were no words for her, and yes allowed her to leave. They knew of Bearkiller, and really didn’t want to deal with her at all.
As soon as she walked out, she meets up with Tally who was acting weird and less bubbly.
“hay, Tal”.
Tally looked at her and forced herself to smile at her.
“How was the questioning?” It seemed to be a forced question like she wanted to say something else and was trying to stop herself by any means.
“the same as always, they said it was my fault the attack happened, not the fact the spree attacked us. They even tried to get me to confess, it was me. What about you”
“Normal, I guess. Just say what I saw, or if I know about anything. But back to you, there really said all that, and tried to make you confess to something you clearly didn’t do”
“Yeah, it always happens. Less back home in the Cession but if I’m near or somehow involved there blame me, out right. Growing up wasn’t fun, trust me but I learned. Oh, how i learnt that lesson” she whispered tha last part.
“Well, you’re not. They are dumb and just trying to make themselves feel better.”
“Can they do it to someone else?”
“not everyone can take it, like you can.”
Tally and Raelle, just waiting around for Abigail, not wanting to leave her alone after everything. And a little worried for her. Raelle had begun to pace.
“do you think they would be able to find them”. Raelle finally breaks the silence that had taken hold of them. Tally stared at Raelle through the corner of her eye, still unable to fully face her. After what she had done.
“I don’t know, let’s hope so”.
Raelle moved over to the window and placed her hand against it, “I’m worried, I can’t stop thinking about everything. And not knowing if Scylla is hurt somewhere or…. or” she couldn’t get the last words out before tears started running down her face.
“or, what”
Raelle wiped her tears away before staring at her unit mate. She could see something in Tally's eyes that she knows something but wants Raelle placed that on the back burner of now.
For now she just collects the data. She wasn't fully sure if she should say this. It wasn't like there were friends or anything. But with a sigh knowing she had to get it out of her system.
“she said that she would run away, for the army.”
“maybe she did”.
With a sigh, “yea, here a, hoping. But that would mean, she broke her promise to me and the others”.
And with a frown Tally asked, “what promise?”
“that she would take me with her.”
Just when Raelle was about to ask Tally something that was bugging her about the attack. About the dead witches, about that the spree doesn't kill witches only civilians. Abigail, still covered in dry blood. Her clothes are still in disarray. Shoved past them both. Tally moved to walk with her. Raelle understands more than ever what Abigail needs. Pulled Tally away.
“We're going to change and go off. Be back at our room, by night full”.
The first time since everything happened, Abigail gave a small smile. If you didn’t know her, you couldn’t tell. But Raelle could, she was good at that, see micro expressions. And quickly nodded, turned on her heels and walked off without saying anything.
“Tally, losing someone that close. Kill something with you. She needs some time and space, the next few days. We should keep an eye on her, just in case. Just in case she became a shitbird”.
“I don’t think she could ever become a shitbird” she said, trying to hold back her chuckle. But they both know to keep an eye on her. Heading off to whatever to keep themselves busy.