Thankyou to Nimara and RoseQuartz1 for your reviews.

This short story is for the lovely MissMysteryAuthor, my BFF.

PS. Happy Easter Holidays everyone!

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Sophie did not want to face either Babette or Jacqueline when they were angry, so having to face them both in a state of displeasure was terrifying. She knew that they were not exactly angry with her, but simply disappointed in her, although it did not ease her uneasiness. Sophie played with a strand of her long golden blonde hair nervously as she looked up the two older women "You wanted to see me?" she asked.

"Oui" replied the sisters in unison, not taking their gaze from her.

Babette's expression softened slightly "Ma petite, we know that you have not told us the truth about how you ended up at the castle" she said.

"It would be very helpful mon ami, for we are curious" continued Jacqueline in a kind tone. She saw the teenager break her gaze from the sisters, and Sophie appeared suddenly interested in her silver flat shoes.

"Mon ami…" said Jacqueline kindly "Tell us what happened…s'il vous pliate."

The teenage girl looked up at her "Fine…" she sighed and straightened up, brushing a few locks of hair from her eyes "But this is going to take awhile" she replied.

Babette nodded and sat with Jacqueline, who gazed at the girl with a look of sympathy. Sophie took a deep breath, and then said "I never knew my father, but my mother always told me he was a good man. My mother is a Maya…and my father was a Zemya. Mother tells me that, despite what he was, he was just weak and lonely. I used to live with my mother in a small household in the woodland, and I would go to the village and play with the human children. One time, when I was going home from playing with my human friends, Jacqueline grabbed me and tried to hurt me, but mother attacked her and saved me. She survived, but she has a lot of scars now and he…"

Jacqueline flinched at the mention of the incident, her guilt returning. She had not wished to attack Angeline, but the red haired woman had been unable to control herself. Jacqueline woman offered Sophie a weak smile "I am so sorry about that" she said, accidently interrupting her recount.

"It's alright" reassured the girl. She continued without another word "That night, when I was sleeping, Jacqueline came and kidnapped me. She took me to her castle, and while I was there she explained that she had a sister, and told me about her. I managed to escape, and that was when I ended up here."

"I still cannot believe that you told Sophie about me" thought Babette to her sister.

Jacqueline thought in reply "I had to…she deserved to know."

Recognising the tone in her sister's voice as one of guilt, Babette asked "Why does she deserve to know that Jackie? What are you hiding from her?"

Her older sister sighed, and turned to Sophie "Mademoiselle…I…know who your father is" she said.

The teenager asked anxiously and excitedly "Who is he? I never really knew him. Is he still alive?" Her eyes brightened as she gazed at the woman she had once feared, hoping she had the answers.

Jacqueline leant down to Sophie's eye level and locked eyes with her "Your pere was indeed a good man petite. He…his name was James. I…I am afraid he is dead. He was killed by a Maya who hunted him down and staked him" she said.

"Did…did he ever mention me?" asked the girl.

The Maya nodded "Oui. He said that he loved you and he was very lonely without your mother and yourself" she responded.

Tears quickly formed in the Drancina's eyes "I…I never even knew my father, and, now he's gone" she thought.

Babette chose that moment to read her sister's aura. Jacqueline was guilty, fearful and…concealing something. Curious, the maid then looked into her thoughts to see what was going through her mind. What she found, however, shocked the young sibling. But, before she could even react, she was pushed from her sister's thoughts by a very angry Jacqueline.

The older sibling stood and walked over "You should not invade someone's privacy Babette" she practically snarled.

Her sister did not shrink away. Instead, she stood and met Jacqueline's gaze "I already know about you and James" she said matter-of-factly.

"W-What do you mean?" asked the red-haired sibling nervously.

"You know what I mean. I know that you and James had an affair" answered Babette.

Sophie gasped and turned to Jacqueline, anger suddenly in her eyes "You led him on, then! He would not have had an affair if he had not been tempted first!" she snapped.

The Maya sighed once again "I did not lead him on, petite. He…he suggested it himself. He was not the man you think he was. He was unfaithful to his wife…and I did not even know he was married until after our…rather ravishing night together" she explained honestly.

Trying to distract herself from the information she knew was true, Sophie asked "Jacqueline, why did you come after me? Was it simply a lust for power and control?"

She shook her head, but hesitated before answering. How was she to tell Sophie the truth so soon? The woman sighed "I suppose I have to tell her eventually, and it is better to get the difficult explanations over with at once" she thought.

Babette, who had stayed silent until then, touched her sister's shoulder comfortingly "You can tell us Jackie. Whatever it is, you can tell us" she said encouragingly in a soft, calming voice.

The oldest sibling smiled "Merci beaucoup" she said, and then turned to the teenage girl. Jacqueline took a deep breath and explained "Sophie…I…got jealous when I found out that James was married with a daughter. So, I allowed the darkness of being a Zemya to takeover me even further, and, because my mind was thinking irrationally, I decided that the best way to remove my jealousy was take away the child. In other words…I wanted to take you as my own. Then, when I realised your advanced powers, a part of my mind, the Zemya part, became greedy and power-hungry. That took over, and my plan was changed. Instead of simply taking you as my own…I wanted to have you fight with me."

Sophie remained silent for a while. She was slowly putting the pieces of information together, and finally understood the reasons for Jacqueline's actions…and that her father was not the man she thought. Looking up at the former Zemya she had once feared, Sophie smiled and said "Thankyou Jackie…for everything."

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