Bruised, by Pretty Poison
Summary: Visits were pointless, they left with nothing except the feeling of being…bruised. There is a place for children who need to get better. They play games there, lots of different games. Briarwood is the pretty poison. There is no cure for Briarwood.
The two women looked the girl over uncomfortably in silence, neither wanting to breach it's protective, predictable embrace. Both felt awkward, knowing in their hearts that this visit was partly pretense. They didn't want to be here to visit this strange girl, they were here out of duty and they were here because they wanted a daughter who said the right things, acted the right way, was normal.
Alexandra Angelline was an imposing woman, the Opal Jewelled Queen of Chaillot. Her daughter, Leland Benedict, was a woman too used to playing a character, almost as if she'd forgotten she was pretending to be someone else. Her clothes were too frothy, elaborate and frivolous, her demeanor and opinions too weak and shallow.
"Jaenelle?" Alexandra spoke to the girl, breaking the silence.
Here was her granddaughter, blonde hair that was so often forced into elaborate styles lying shaggy and lank. Her figure was thin to the point of starvation, and her summer sky blue eyes held an accusing look to them, as if blaming Alexandra.
"Jaenelle… you know you are only here to get better." Leland began, twisting her fingers uselessly, nervously as she spoke.
"I'm not sick!" Jaenelle declared softly. A strange girl, she'd never been normal. She had embarrassed them, her family with her delusions and stunts time and time again. Even in Briarwood Carvay said they sometimes had to force feed her, that Jaenelle tried to starve herself for attention. The gossip about her own granddaughter undermined her own fragile power, power she needed in the face of the blatant threat from Hayll.
"Unicorns do not exist, neither do Dragons, animals do not talk!" Alexandra cut in, exasperated.
Why was Jaenelle treating them like the enemy?
"I don't talk about them anymore!" Jaenelle protested. No, and what she said now was worse, much worse. Making up rumours that Phillip was her father, not Robert, Leland's husband. Oh, Alexandra knew Leland slept with Phillip, loved him even. But Jaenelle was too close to the truth this time. And even though Robert Benedict had to know about Phillip and Leland, it made for more gossip and Alexandra had to protect her territory by appearing strong.
"Dr Carvay will help you!" Leland tried again, saying possibly the worst thing she could have.
"CARVAY IS NO HEALER!" Jaenelle exploded, backing away from them as if they were going to harm her. Not this again. Jaenelle making up sick stories about Dr Carvay. He'd had told them it was another way to gain attention, that she made up disgusting, revolting- horrifying tales about Briarwood for the attention. The child couldn't be normal, thinking up things like that…
Jaenelle was studying them again, something older, stranger in the back of her eyes that try as she might, Alexandra just couldn't place. It unsettled Alexandra to note the prickling feeling on the back of her neck.
"They killed my friend Dannie, you know. They served her leg to us for dinner." Jaenelle was shaking now, angry at them.
They couldn't indulge this kind of behaviour from her! Rising, Alexandra dragged a sobbing Leland behind her, motioning for Carvay as Jaenelle yelled desperately "They buried her in the garden because she wouldn't lick the lollipop!"
Hell's fire! She hadn't been this bad since… ever!
Alexandra took Leland to the waiting coach, settling her in as the woman continued to sob helplessly, uncomprehending of why Jaenelle was doing this. On Alexandra's way back, she happened to glance down to the carpet and froze. Dark red drops stained the carpet, which looked as if it had been scrubbed repeatedly, in an attempt to rid it of the stain. Alexandra steadied her rapidly beating heart forcibly. It was just spilled wine, not blood. She was letting Jaenelle's silly fantasies frighten her.
She re-entered the room to Dr Carvay forcibly sedating a struggling Jaenelle, who still looked at Alexandra with that bruising gaze, and Dr Carvay with utter hatred. As Dr Carvay ushered Alexandra out, consoling her that "Jaenelle needs her rest, she's a sick girl but don't worry, we can help her." Alexandra took a detour, to stand in front of the window opening onto the garden, telling herself that this was for Jaenelle's benefit. The other girls here were no where to be found, not even that other girl, Rose.
Rose had been as sick, no much sicker, than Jaenelle. She'd screamed, abused Alexandra once for not believing in their delusion, screamed disgusting lies. Dr Carvay had promised her that he'd separated Jaenelle and Rose, so the girl couldn't affect Jaenelle more.
Alexandra sighed, looking out on the garden. Part of it had been dug recently, a rectangular section. Funny, it was just the size of a child's grave.
Then she saw it- WitchBlood.
The blood red flower would only bloom when and where a witch had been violently murdered, another symbol of the Blood's connection to the land, of the witches connection to the land.
No, Alexandra wouldn't buy into that nonsense. Briarwood was a respected establishment for sick children, children like Jaenelle, who lied and made up horrific stories to gain attention. She had to be a strong queen, Dr Carvay was right. No children had died. No children were being abused here.
Jaenelle was just a sick child making up more lies.