A refresh
Alder stands before the mycelium. Aka the mother. Tears in her eyes. This wasn’t the first time she had been down here like this. Over the years she had come down here, almost as a place to mourn the losses of every witch that had died by her action. By signing the accords. And of her family, being as she is the last of her line.
The night was not a good one.
The memories of her long life, flowing back and forth never resting. Never showing mercy, was there about to break the surface.
Nightmare, that want had made her come down here, every time. Now standing before the mother, she knew if she closed her eyes it happened again, the endless circle. Mainly on this day was the worst, it was her sister's day, she wasn't too sure if it was her birthday or her death, it had been so long.
Throughout yesterday she tried to distract herself. With important meetings. Such as the much needed talk with General Stone, about the mission. She thanked the goodness that they managed to save and defend them, the Trim. She then spoke about Raelle and other important things that don't need to be mentioned. It went well until she retired to bed. For her night, to be more triedism.
She flexes her hands at her side. She could feel the tiredness inside of her. The biddies were taking some of it but not enough. Still she was grateful for the small amount removed from her shoulders. She knew she had to get a move on. As the sun rises, the graduation of the Cadets will begin. Or was it another day to go. With a last deep feel of her emotions she turned to leave and paused at someone's stand at the door. Or leaning against it.
******
Raelle sat with them, too, people she loved. Raelle held Libba close after she had spoken about her father.
“He always tries to dominate me, first sex. And it turned into him beating me most of the time and then he would take me, then” she cried out.
And her crying didn’t stop, it had been hours by this point. She confessed just how terrified when her father was seen around and she had seen him. She was just glad he didn’t touch or do his sucky games.
Scylla herself was shocked and some of it, even though she knew some all ready. Both of them held Libba close until her cry turned to a dull and silent cry.
Fredric crawled out of the ground, and settled onto Libba lap. That made her chuckle.
“He likes you,” Raelle whispers to her.
They stayed like for another hour before they finally started talking again about the small thing. Fredric at some point crawled over to Raelle and bit her. Both Scylla and Libba were worried about seeing the blood. After a moment Fredric disappeared into the earth.
“Guys, the mother, want me do something but don’t want to leave you, like ever”
Scylla placed her hand over Raelle face, and Libba mirroring her, “we get it”
****
“Stone said you were with Scylla and Libba for the night” she said for the first time not being formal with her.
She smiled to herself as she remembered the comment Stone had made. ‘She with the girls, tonight’. She almost laughed at that, not the fact she was with them but the way Stone said it. Stone had a way of saying things that even the most stone hearted would warm and break under the pressure.
With a small smile, “there with Izadora and Nicta right now. Spent most of yesterday and last night talking, Libba's father is not welcome, here right” the last bit coming out a little harsher than she intended.
Understanding this harshness wasn’t for her but for the man, she carried on talking softly,“That right, he's been sent to prison for his crime. If that helps”
“For me, no. But maybe if you talk with Libba yes. Also think she needs therapy about it all.”
She said thinking about the way she looked after she talked to her. It felt it was just the tip of the crap he had done to her. She does wish she knew about this earlier and she could have him dealt with. But now he's in prison, she was going to make sure his life is not a good one. Death would be a mercy, that is not what he deserved.
“I will bring it up, '' Sarah said, breaking Raelle's train of thought.
She let out a sigh of relief to get to hear someone else concerned about her outside of her and Scylla.
“Why are you really here”
“I got the whispers that you were having a bad night”
Alder looked down at a small spider-like creature trucking itself away into the earth.
“Fredric,” she muttered.
“Yeah, he likes you. He got worried, so am i, he even showed me where you were, and made sure i would come” she said showing the small bite mark on her hand. Raelle slowly walks forward, Sarah seeing her struggling and steps forward taking her by the left arm.
“Stone, mentioned about your surgery. I see, your still recovering”
After a grunt and getting her footing again, Raelle spoke. “Yea, well with the level of nerve damage that Willa and Hearst caused me. It going to take time for my body to settle but there is a few thing I can still do in the meantime”
They walked over to the wall that shined bright blue.
“I have been meaning to do this for some time. For that I am sorry.”
She looked down at this young cadet, the power of the mother at her fingertips, it seemed it weighed heavy in her like it does to her.
“Do want” she almost whispered it out but stopped and forced herself to speak normally even if it sounded shaky.
“The mother wants to speak with you. So please place your hand alongside mine.”
Alder up at the wall, “why me”
Raelle smiles, “because beautiful, the goddess has seen and heard your cries and wants to live your spirit.” She spoke tenderly, not many people had harsh words or condersenting.
And with that placed her hand on the surface on the bright blue mushroom wall. With a little hesitation Alder followed her lead. She knows the risk of doing this. People have tried touching her before and all of them had died or gotten very ill.
One moment they were standing within the Necromancy facility. But now they were surrounded by trees. A small cabin just a bit in the distance.
Raelle looked around amazed at the place. “This place, look truly beautiful”
“It was where I was raised,” Alder said with tears in her eyes. She could quite believe what she was seeing. This place she long wanted to return to. She hoped that it would happen but as the years rolled around. War after war, that hope faded to wishing. To know she truly didn’t think it was possible but she stood before it. She knew it wasn’t real, but at the same time her emotions came nonetheless.
“It perfect place, i had thought you live in village but the countryside it a nice touch”
“It is a village”
Raelle looked around but saw know other building, “I don't see any other house”.
“The time when I was raised up. A village was more the large farming area, a house or a set of buildings sometime or small pocket of houses. As time has gone on, the way this thing is built and called have changed” Alder explained. Understanding she was raised in the same time but a different time.
“Well it's great, maybe she could recreate this somewhere in the states. For you and Kelly”
She halted at that, she never openly said this but she did wish this to be true, to spend one life with Kelly here. A tear rolled down her cheek she had been trying to hold back since seeing this place.
“Do you think she will like that?” Sarah asked a little unsure, even with being with Kelly for years, she was still unsure about if Kelly would like that. She wiped her tears away.
Raelle looked at her, “yes, I do, maybe have it built before you go public i think thing will be tense for a while, and having a get away would be perfect”
“That brain of use keeps impressing me” Sarah chuckled, which seemed to calm her down.
“Why thank you, but you should really talk with Olly, his, the engineer of the family. All of us have our interests. Mine is investigating and solving the unknown. His the one who come up with the treatment plan with mix civilian and witches work”
“Noted” she said with a bright smile.
Maybe she should talk with Olly, and improve things for all. Maybe his ideas could help bridge the gap that had been missing.
They both moved toward the cabin. There both stopped as almost out of nowhere a tall woman walked toward them exiting the cabin. She looked like she was related to her up close.
“It's been a little while since I saw you,” Raelle says with a smile.
She smiled at Raelle, “it has. You seem better since the last time we meet”
She stood up proudly, “Had surgery, it helps with everything” she smiled, hugged her tenderly and looked to her side.
Alder and this lady locked eyes. It was even longer, never had she thought she would see her once again.
“It's been even longer, sister,” Sarah almost cried.
Sarah just stood there with tears in her eyes, more running down her cheeks. Abigail stepped forward and held her close. Wiping her tears away, just like she used to do when they were young, only making want to cry more.
“Sister” she said, pulling out the hug, “the mother has a gift for you. Come with me”
Alder stepped back, her mind was just overwhelmed. She looked at her and for the first since that awful day she allowed herself to feel. Raelle stepped to her, holding her close.
“Breath, in for three and for one”
Alder breathing slowly back to normal. She just looked at her sister.
“Could we just talk for a bit” sounding like her teenager self.
“Sure”
All three of them head to the cabin. It was a small one room cabin. With a fireplace to the left of them and a table sat in the middle. To the right were two beds, both pressed up against the right wall.
******
Libba walked off after a little time, she didn’t feel right. She didn’t know them all that well other than Scylla. So she headed off and sat outside the room where Raelle and Sarah were. She watched them as they stood frozen.
She was worried, something in the back of her mind just wouldn’t be quiet. It wasn’t long before she was joined by Scylla.
“There you are” and sat beside her.
“Hay”
Scylla straight away picked up on Libba's strange behaviour.
“What wrong”
“I just worried is all”
“There's more to it, I can tell,” she says, nudging her a little with her shoulder.
“You always know,” she says with a chuckle which quickly died out. “It's been a whirlwind of emotions. Talking with Raelle was amazing, refreshing in ways that it is hard to describe. And now she is standing there, frozen. And i have this sick feel something going to go wrong”
Scylla moved around and pulled Libba back into her front and held her close.
“I’m here, ok. If something does go wrong there are two people down the hall that will help. But i understand the worry”
Libba let out a steady breath, it felt good to be valid.
*****
“So, tell me sister. Tell me about your live”
“It's been a long life, I am over 300 years old, sister.” giggle not for the first time within this conversation.
“That is a long time, maybe we can talk more. But first the gift”
And a flash Alder was elsewhere. Leaving Raelle and Abigail alone, it was for them to know what the gift was or hear it. Their job was simply to bring her to the mother. Knowing Alder needed help to do just that.
“Can you tell me about your life or is that long too”
That made Raelle laugh, “no we can talk about my life but i am more interested in your life. And the young Sarah”
“Oh, you what the stories, does she have someone special”
“She does, they've been together for years now. Don’t tell her but her ex talked about her a lot when I first met her. She also know my mother figure”
“What, her?”
“Yes, Sarah is what we call, open to gender. She doesn’t mind that, you're female or male. Just that you're kind and wanting her. All of her. That want Kelly does”
“Oh you're telling everything and in return will tell you about Sarah, the mischief she and i got up with”
*****
Hours ticked by as they sat watching them. All of a sudden Raelle stumbles away, Libba reacts first dart across the room, catching her in her arms. Scylla also rushes in behind and catches Sarah.
“We need help here.” Scylla yelled out toward the open door.
It was long before Izadora and Nicta both rushed inside the room. With scared looks on their faces.
“What happened” Izadora said looking over everyone
“She needs rest, her body has been changed” Raelle muttered out.
Izadora moved to Sarah, “your biddies have all been changed, what happened” worriedness lace her voice.
“The mother has freed me. Given me one life, So i may live with Kelly. And grown old, and finally rest after so many years”
Her eyes lazily opened and closed. Izadora catches her, allowing Scylla to step away.
“Nicta help me with her, she needs rest. I also need to make sure she is ok. You too take Raelle. She needs rest as well. If she still not recovered by morning come back right away”
Raelle and Libba moved to walk, when Raelle's legs gave out. Luckily for them both Scylla was there. And help Libba pick her up into her arms. And with that Scylla with those two right behind heading off.
They got back to the hideout in no time. Libba laid a tired Raelle down in the middle of the bed. Scylla climbed behind pulling her into her chin. Libba pulled the covers over them and tucked herself up with Raelle spooning her.