AN: Okay, so, I know that I should have been working on The Long, Hard Road, but then I got this idea for a Little Witch Academia story that was originally supposed to be a long one shot taking place a decade after our favorite witches graduated. The basic premise was the Diana said something terrible to Akko that she didn't actually mean, she had to do something that would redeem her, and there would be a reconciliation. That was the plan.
Well, just under two months and like, 87,000 words later, I'm done. I would like to thank Superevilbadguy a million times over! If it wasn't for her help and her input on key scenes, this story literally wouldn't have happened. If you enjoy this story, I highly recommend that you read her LWA fanfic, Bats and Broomsticks. After this story, you just might need the pick me up...this is gonna be a bumpy ride, and there is a LOT of angst in the coming chapters.
But, the good news is, I'm not kidding when I say that it's done! This fic is ready to go! You can expect weekly updates on Sundays, and I hope you enjoy!
The Passing of a Decade
Today was supposed to be a day of achievement and happiness, of bittersweet endings and partings, of hope filled beginnings, not one of the worst days of Diana Cavendish's life. But she had woken up with some of the worst period cramps she had ever experienced. And then, even before she had had the chance to dress for the upcoming graduation ceremony from Luna Nova, she had received an urgent message from Cavendish manor. Anna had fallen terribly ill, and was currently in the hospital. Diana's first thought had been to go to her, but Aunt Daryl had strongly advised against such an action as a Cavendish who had done as well as she had should observe proper form and attend the graduation…after all, she had her valedictorian speech to deliver. Of course, Diana had immediately thought of exactly where Daryl could put that advice…but then Anna messaged her herself, telling her that she would be sorely disappointed if Diana skipped her graduation on account of 'a silly little cold.' She could go to the hospital after she graduated.
Very well. She would observe her duties. She was an English aristocrat, a stiff upper lip would get her through this day. She took some medicine for her period, finished dressing, and headed out for the day with Hannah and Barbara at her side.
Despite her worries about Anna and the cramps that continued to feel like a hot knife stabbing her lower abdomen despite the medicine, she did get through it. She hoped that no one noticed the sweat upon her brow or how she stumbled over some of her speech or how she was gripping the podium so hard her knuckles were white, but if they did, nobody said anything about it after the ceremony ended. There was the standard farewells after they all gathered in the main greeting hall, and she said her farewells to Hannah and Barbara, who had to leave well before her. But she had reassured them…their families were well connected, after all, and they would see each other quite often.
The tear-filled goodbyes were difficult enough. And then, just to make her day even better, less than an hour after the ceremony had ended, she started to get bombarded with messages from a wide variety of sources questioning how she was going to handle to economic woes of the Cavendish family. Bloody paparazzi apparently felt that now she was nineteen and graduated from Luna Nova, she was fair game. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was just disreputable news organizations, but they were joined in short order by the various noble houses of both the magic and mundane world. Seven offers for marriage, three of which were endorsed by Aunt Daryl, four offers for 'help' with money from some of the more unscrupulous houses, and even two thinly veiled threats that she was surprised by until she remembered some of the activities that Aunt Daryl may have gotten up to in the past few years. She had scoffed at that, anger welling up. Damn jackals, the lot of them, and now that she was available she might as well be a haunch of meat for their feasting. I'll get through this. I am a Cavendish, I will not be dragged to their level!
Of course it was just then, as she was approaching the Blue Team's room to finish up her last minute packing of everything she hadn't already sent ahead to Cavendish Manor that she had heard running feet clattering against the floor, and Akko had called out her name from behind her, catching her attention. She had turned, and watched the bright, bouncy, carefree Akko approach, and her heart clenched with emotions she didn't want to put a name to, for fear of making their inevitable separation that much harder. Her dearest friend had matured a great deal both physically and mentally, and had gone from one of the worst witches (barring emergency situations where her enthusiasm and sheer strength of will made up for lack of technique, mind) in Luna Nova to one of the better ones. Diana herself had helped Akko countless times over the three years that she had known her, and was terribly proud of her massive improvement. She would miss this girl, deeply.
She had raised a hand in greeting, and Akko slid to a halt with a beaming smile on her face. They had made some small talk, which normally would have been fine with Diana, but the medicine she had taken in the morning was wearing off, and what little relief it had provided was fading fast.
Then Akko paused, a blush coming to her face, and Diana had asked if something was the matter, and Akko shook her head, her beaming smile suddenly becoming almost shy and hesitant. She took a deep breath, said something to herself in Japanese, no doubt to bolster herself as Diana knew she was wont to do when taking on a particularly difficult task, and then seized Diana's hands in her own. "Diana, I really, really like you, more than a friend. Can we…can we maybe see if we could, y'know, go on a date? I can stay in England for a while, I already checked with my family."
The words were like a bucket of ice water thrown into her face, and she blanched, looking away from Akko, staring hard at the floor as thoughts of sweet, pure Akko enduring the petty, cruel, hyper-political world of the aristocracy that was already hounding her whirling through her head. Akko had had enough issues just dealing with her aunt and cousins, she wouldn't last a month as her girlfriend, no matter how much Diana yearned for them to be romantic partners. She was too good, too kind-hearted to be subject to that life, and Diana wished more fervently than ever before that she wasn't a Cavendish, that she was just a normal girl who could happily say yes, that she wasn't burdened with the weight of her family name. Then, a darker thought…if only her feelings for Akko were unrequited, that the Japanese girl shared the more conservative values of her home country. And then, just because the fates apparently had a cruel sense of humor and wanted to compound the fear and anxiety already running through her mind, one of the worst cramps of the day seized her, her insides feeling like they were tearing apart, and she clenched her teeth as a cold sweat broke out across her body.
Answer, answer, she needs an answer!
"In what world…would someone like you…ever be with a Cavendish?" The words were quiet, spoken through gritted teeth, Diana's focus still locked on the floor in front of her, resolutely not looking at the brunette witch who had just confessed her feelings. Then Diana blinked and gasped as she realized precisely what she said, her eyes darted up to look at Akko, whose face was flushed, a look of hurt shock on her face. Oh. Oh, no!
Akko then sucked in a breath, pulled her hands away from Diana's and a soft, heartbroken "oh" escaped her lips.
"Akko, wait," Diana started, desperate to try and explain, to tell her that she thought the world of her and that she didn't want her to have to be sullied by her world! But before she could say another word, Akko spun on her heels and fled at a dead sprint, and Diana stared after her for a horrified second before giving chase. Unfortunately for her, Akko was far more athletic than Diana was on the best of days, and today was most certainly not the best of days. By the time she reached the Red Team dorm room, Sucy was waiting for her, the normally stoic girl with an expression on her face that would make a cockatrice flee in terror. Diana's stride faltered, and she nervously bit her lip…but then, as she drew closer, she realized she could actually hear Akko's heartbroken sobs from the hall, and no doubt Lotte was in the room with her, comforting her friend.
"You've got a lot of nerve," Sucy drawled, lip lifting in a sneer that bared her teeth at the heiress. "Making Akko cry like that and just showing up?" She shook her head, lilac hair swishing against her shoulders. "You need to leave. Now."
"Not until after I try to explain to Akko," Diana replied, putting some steel into her voice.
"What's there to explain? Akko confessed her feelings for you, something she hasn't shut up all week about, and you broke her heart. I'll say it one more time, Cavendish. Leave. Now. Or there won't be a body to find," Sucy hissed, eye narrowing threateningly.
Diana frowned, taking one step forward. "I have to try and-!"
Sucy snarled wordlessly as her hands disappeared into her cloak, reappearing with two potion bottles, her thumbs popping off the corks, and the narrow hallway was immediately filled with a harsh, caustic smell. She's serious, Diana realized with a cold jolt, and she staggered back a step, her eyes flitting to the Red Team's door, where Akko's crying hadn't abated at all. But given Sucy's threat…
She stepped further back, shooting a hesitant look at Sucy. If not right now, I can apologize in a few hours, before Akko leaves. A tentative plan now in mind, she turned, and began to walk away. "This isn't over," she shot over her shoulder.
"Oh, I assure you, it is," Sucy replied, her tone dark, and Diana's stride faltered before she shook her head and continued onward. Let her have the final word for now. I have more important things to deal with.
She returned to her room, took some more medicine, and sent a message to Anna stating that she'd be delayed as she had last minute business to attend to. Then she finished what little packing she had left, her thoughts racing as she tried to formulate precisely how she was going to mend her friendship with Akko. She had a heart of gold…if she could just be given a chance to apologize, then maybe…
She glanced at the clock on the wall, her brow furrowing in determination. Akko was supposed to be leaving now. This was her only chance. Gathering up her wand and broom, she jogged out of her room and made her way out of the building before mounting her broom and flying towards the Leyline Terminal, where she could see a group of people. Her eyes narrowed as she recognized the members of Red and Green teams…including Akko. Good, I made it in time!
She landed more roughly than she usually did, stumbling at the dismount, her rampant emotions stealing her usual grace. But she grit her teeth and straightened, running up towards where she could see Akko walking away from her, heading for the portal. "Akko!" she cried out, hope blossoming in her chest when Akko paused on the threshold, head bowed.
Before Diana could say anything else, Amanda was suddenly in front of her, face twisted with fury, green eyes glaring daggers at her. "Y'all really got a set of balls, Cavendish!" she snarled as she shoved her, hard, and Diana stumbled back a few steps, unable to keep her footing as she fell back and landed on her rear with a pained hiss. "Y'all need to buzz off and leave her alone!" Amanda snapped, her native Texan accent becoming much stronger with her anger. Amanda must be truly pissed for her drawl to be that pronounced, and she wasn't alone in her ire…Constanze was behind the American, face grim as she combined her wand with Stanbot, turning it into a magic gun, and she brandished it threateningly as Lotte and Sucy closed ranks around Akko, who had yet to turn around to look at her.
Then, firm, strong arms wrapped around Diana and effortlessly picked her up, and she twisted her head around to look up at Jasminka. She opened her mouth to tell the Russian girl to put her down immediately, but she stopped, the words dying on her lips. Jasminka wasn't smiling, her face grim and determined as she held her. Diana stared up at Jasminka, so flustered by the dark expression on the normally irrepressibly happy girl that she was frozen in shock. Then she blinked as she remembered why she was here. Akko needed to hear what she had to say! She shook herself, and squirmed, trying to escape Jasminka's hold, but her efforts were entirely fruitless.
Then she looked up and saw Akko looking at her, and for the second time she froze in Jasminka's arms, heart jolting painfully in her chest, the expression on her friend's face hitting her with all the strength of a physical blow to the stomach. Akko…Akko should never have such a blank, hopeless look on her face, eyes still red and swollen from when she had been crying earlier. But it was the horrible death-like emptiness to her expression that Diana found most terribly concerning. Before she could gather her wits and say anything, Akko turned, mounted her broom, and flew through the portal, followed closely by Lotte and Sucy.
Diana stared at the now empty Leyline gate, heart sinking to her stomach. "No…" she whispered, arm reaching up towards the terminal. "No, I have to explain!" Then she noticed the dark, predatory grin that Amanda was giving her. Before she could react, Jasminka's arms began to tighten around her, quickly going from uncomfortable to painful to excruciating, leaving her gasping for breath as the air was slowly but surely squeezed from her lungs. "Jasm…inka…sto-op…you're…HURTING…me!" she croaked, but Jasminka continued to squeeze harder and harder. Diana began to squirm again, kicking ineffectually at Jasminka's body, panicking as she desperately tried to escape the arms that were starting to crush her, crying out in sudden pain as her ribs popped and cracked, succumbing to the terrible pressure.
Then a deep, rumbling growl caught her attention, and she looked up, tears streaking down her cheeks. What she saw terrified her: Amanda's teeth growing, elongating into cruel fangs as long as daggers as her body darkened to a deep red, swelling, her clothes tearing as they could no longer contain her rapidly growing body that was spouting scales, her eyes turning a solid, burning green that glared at her with sheer loathing. Amanda had turned into a dragon. "No…please!" Diana gasped with the last of the air left in her lungs, and the dragon tilted its head, regarding her for a moment before its mouth opened wide, revealing those razor sharp teeth dripping steaming, caustic saliva. Then the head pulled back just a fraction before darting forward with all the deadly speed of a snake, maw opening impossibly wide, seeming to take up all the world before snapping shut around her and-!
Diana woke with a startled cry, rocketing up into a sitting position, blankets pooling in her lap as her hand flew to her heaving chest as she gasped for breath, her heart hammering, the fear of the dream still gripping her tightly. She froze in that position for a long moment, desperately sucking in greedy breaths, panicked eyes scanning her dark bedchamber for any threats. When no monsters appeared to devour her, she let out an explosive breath, drawing her legs up and resting her forehead on her knees, suddenly hyper aware of how she was still trembling, how her body was drenched in a cold sweat.
It's been ten years, and yet that nightmare still comes for me, she groused to herself. No less than I deserve, though. Yes, ten years to the day since she broke her friend's heart. Ten long years since she had had any contact with Akko, though she kept tabs on the Japanese witch's activities, especially now that the brunette was a professional monster hunter and tamer and an adjunct professor at Luna Nova. Diana's decision to not try and contact Akko had been one of the hardest decisions of her life, but she had resolutely kept to it, only having but one moment of weakness where she almost wrote her once friend.
Her decade old words had been unnecessarily cruel, but not altogether untrue. She wished that she could have more gently turned down Akko, explaining that she would not willingly expose her to the trials of her world…not because Akko wasn't good enough, but because she was too good. So while she would regret breaking Akko's heart for the rest of her life, the entirely logical and pragmatic part of her couldn't deny that she had achieved her objective: Akko was protected from the cruelty of her peers, at the cost of Diana losing contact with possibly the only person she could have ever grown to truly love. Now if only the bloody nightmares would stop!
Ah, yes. The nightmares…at first, it had just been the memories of what she had said and the repercussions thereof that had plagued her, but recently her subconscious had apparently decided that she wasn't suffering enough and had started to add Akko's friends killing her in extremely inventive and painful and entirely improbable ways. Constanze turning into a giant robot and smashing her under a massive hand, Sucy poisoning her or fixing red hot iron boots to her feet so that she danced herself to death, Lotte summoning spirits that had crawled down her throat to tear her apart from the inside…the nights when she was struck by this dream and the now inevitable death that waited at the end of it were exhausting. It had been more of an annoyance when she had been having them once a month like she had for years, but starting four months ago…she glanced over at her vanity, where the letter from Luna Nova inviting her to the tenth year reunion of her class sat, and she groaned. The nightmares had started increasing in frequency, from once a week to it now being an almost nightly occurrence.
A soft knock at her bedchamber door, and she lifted her head, looking that way before glancing at the clock on her nightstand. Some twenty minutes before her alarm was supposed to go off at six o'clock. Whoever was at the door had no doubt heard her cries while she was gripped by the nightmare, but had waited until she calmed before knocking. She was thankful for the consideration. "A moment, please," she called out as she ran her hands through her hair, taming the worst of her bedhead as she swung her legs over the side of her canopied queen size bed. She grabbed her baby blue satin robe from where it hung on its hook next to the bed's headboard, pulling it on over her grey silk pajamas before making her way to the door. Opening it slightly, she looked into the hall to find Anna waiting, a concerned look on her normally stern face.
"My lady, is all well?" the older woman asked, her tone clearly worried. "I know you do not wish to be disturbed during your, ah, dreams, but I can't help but be concerned…"
Diana smiled reassuringly, not knowing that the expression did very little to hide the darkness in her eyes or the bags underneath them. "I am well, just another bad dream, Anna. Is breakfast ready?"
"It's being readied now, my lady, it should be ready by 6:30 at the latest."
"Thank you, Anna. I trust Aunt Daryl and Merril will be joining me at the table?"
"Your aunt is already awake, so I believe she shall be. Merril was still asleep when I last checked, so she may be delayed."
"Thank you, I should be in the dining room presently."
"Very good, my lady."
Diana retreated back into her room, retrieving her wand and turning on the room's lights with a quick flick of her wrist. With a weary sigh, she gathered herself and set about to getting ready for the day. A quick shower in the master bathroom attached to the bedchamber washed off what sweat remained from her nightmare. As she stood under the hot spray, she took quick stock of the day's schedule. The morning was to be filled with various meetings in regards to the hospitals across the UK and mainland Europe that her family was now behind. Lunch with the Blytonbury Fast Pitch Witches, the softball team sponsored by the Bernadette Cavendish Memorial Hospital, the first hospital she helped establish after graduating Luna Nova, the first hospital where both medical science and magic were used, the first hospital where she had used the expansive Cavendish library to openly heal the sick and injured.
And then, after lunch, she'd be flying to Luna Nova itself for the tenth year reunion. She paused in the midst of shampooing her hair at that thought. Akko should be there. She'd be able to actually talk to the Japanese witch for the first time in a decade. She wasn't quite sure what to think of that. At first, those ten long years ago, she had been eager to try and explain herself, but as time went on, that urge diminished, particularly once she had had the time to process the arguably successful outcome of her terrible faux-pas. Then school and establishing magical treatment in hospitals had taken up all her time, and time went on. But now she would speak with Akko face-to-face for the first time in ten years. She sighed, stepping under the shower, rinsing out the shampoo from her thick blonde and tea green hair. She would apologize but not for the purpose of being forgiven. She did not expect forgiveness. By the Olde Nine, she didn't deserve or even want forgiveness, she knew that well enough. But she had to apologize. If there was any chance that she could explain precisely what she had meant on graduation day, what she had felt, she'd take it.
Shower done, she quickly dried off with a towel, using a spell to dry her hair before she stood in front of the mirror, staring at the tired blonde in the mirror, taking stock of the slight crow's feet starting to developing at the corners of her eyes, at the bags underneath her eyes that had been growing more and more pronounced as the nightmares increased in intensity and frequency. She scoffed lightly to herself as she started to put on her makeup. Only twenty-nine and she was already starting to feel old. How unfair was that?
Makeup put on perhaps a bit heavier than her norm in order to hide the physical evidence of her fatigue, she got dressed for the morning. A pearl white silk button-up blouse tucked into a midnight blue pencil skirt worn over sheer white hose, with a pair of her more moderate black block heeled low pumps. Thus dressed and still braiding her long, thick hair into a simple plait, she made her way down to the dining room where Aunt Daryl was already sitting, reading the morning paper and sipping a cup of breakfast tea. "Aunt Daryl," she said with a nod in greeting, and Aunt Daryl peered over the newspaper, arching an elegant brow at her.
"My lady," she replied, tone slightly frosty, and Diana fought the urge to sigh as she sat at the head of the table, her tea and breakfast already waiting for her. The older woman might accept her as the head of the Cavendish household, but she did so only grudgingly. Of course, her mother's sister had never quite forgiven her for her role in Maril's marriage, despite it honestly being the best course of action for the continuation for the Cavendish line, especially with Diana spending the last nine years in school and even now having very little interest in suitors, even if her aunt didn't know the reasons behind her trepidation…
The doors to the main greeting hall opened wide, and Hannah swept into the room with a broad smile, dressed smartly in a charcoal grey pantsuit, her ever present yellow bow tying her hair back in a loose ponytail. She paused upon seeing Aunt Daryl at the table, her smile faltering slightly. "Madame," she said stiffly, head bowing slightly in respect.
Aunt Daryl sniffed indignantly. "How many times must I tell you, Miss England, that decorum states that you greet the lady of the household before me?"
Hannah pouted, rolling her eyes as she sat down at the chair immediately to Diana's right. "She's my friend, madame."
"And also your employer," Aunt Daryl shot back, and Diana sighed, a finger rubbing at her temple. Did they have to bicker like this every time?
"I'm her personal secretary, not one of the rank and file employees at any of the hospitals. It'd be weird if I was all stuffy," Hannah retorted before her grin returned full force as she turned her focus back to Diana. "Hey, Doctor Doctor, 'sup?"
She's doing that just to annoy Aunt Daryl, I know she is. "Just Diana, please, Hannah, you know this already."
Hannah's grin grew so wide her eyes almost squinted shut with the force of it. "And not tease you? But that's so boring!" Then the grin softened, turning to something very much like admiration as she gently nudged Diana with her elbow. "Plus, it's really cool. You earned two doctorates from Oxford in just nine years!" She sat back in her chair as her breakfast was delivered to her. "Ah, thank you, Brian. Anyway, there's no one else in our graduating class from Luna Nova that can say they've done the same. You're going to blow everyone away tonight!" Without another word, she dug into her plate with gusto. Pausing after finishing off her scrambled eggs, she gestured at Diana's clothes with her fork. "Not fencing this morning?"
Diana shook her head slightly as she picked up her piece of toast. "I cancelled today's session yesterday. One missed day after years of faithful study isn't going to hurt, and with everything else going on today, I figured the more relaxed morning would be most beneficial," she replied with little guilt. While she truly enjoyed fencing, she was glad that she hadn't had a lesson scheduled today, not after last night. As it stood, her fencing master would more than make up for the missed day following the coming reunion, something she honestly looked forward to. She had actually been surprised at how much she truly enjoyed the sport when she first started studying the way of the blade her freshman year at university. It wasn't magic, and thus wasn't something that she was just expected to be perfect at…her skill level was earned not through any natural talent passed down through generations of powerful witches, but instead through her own hard work, blood, sweat, and the occasional tears. She was not the best when she graduated, not by far, but was in the top quarter of the club. Her thoughts turned slightly dark…if she had been as physically fit as she was after a decade of fencing, she might have been able to catch Akko before she had reached her room, and they might have still been friends, or at least acquaintances sharing the occasional letter, far better than a decade of silence.
Diana blinked, suddenly noticing the concerned look Hannah was giving her, and she smiled reassuringly. "Right, well, shall we go over today's schedule in more detail? Will Barbara be joining us for lunch today?"
Hannah's smile was soft and warm and unmistakably loving as she looked off in the distance, no doubt thinking of her fiancée, though Diana didn't miss how Aunt Daryl's lips tightened with displeasure. She can take that intolerance and shove it, Diana thought darkly to herself. In fact, it was likely the standing threat that if the older woman ever gave Hannah or Barbara any issues with their relationship, Diana would have no compunctions in kicking her out of the family post haste. She would not tolerate such intolerance under her roof…especially not since her heart still belonged to one Japanese witch, even if their relationship would likely never start.
"Yeah, she's finally back from France on that archival mission from the British Library. She should be meeting us shortly before lunch is supposed to begin." Her expression turned wistful. "Hopefully she'll be back for a while this time, not like when she was back from Poland for only two weeks before she needed to leave again."
"That's good to hear," Diana said as she brought her teacup to her lips, taking a sip. Barbara was working with the British Library, and had been very busy since she had been hired after getting her Master's degree in Magical Literature. Now she was one of the head archivists who strove to preserve rare magical manuscripts now that magic had been reawakened over the world. A smile touched the blonde's lips as she remembered how excited Barbara had been when she reported that she had managed to get Night Fall archived on the basis that it was an important series not just due to its cultural impact, but also because it was written with a rare magical artifact.
Hannah dabbed at her mouth with her napkin, clearing her throat. "Right, so, this morning is mostly meetings with the various hospital CEOs and Boards in France and Belgium, something about wishing to discuss the contracts we have with them for permission to use the medical research compiled by the Cavendish family. I've got the contracts in question in my messenger bag for review, as well. The first call is at eight with the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse," she said, the French rolling smoothly off her tongue. "Monsieur Archambeau has already been in contact with me, he might be one of our leading supporters across the channel, and should be able to use his influence to help sway any of the more pugnacious hospitals. He does, however, have an unmarried son…he wasn't exactly subtle."
Diana wearily sighed. Nine years spent at university had helped deter the worst of the proposals and offers for unifying families, but now that she had been graduated for a year, and because she was now one of two young unmarried Cavendish women…she couldn't help the glance she shot Aunt Daryl, and the older women frowned darkly. "Absolutely not. You played your part in Maril's marriage. Merril will marry someone of my choice!"
"Or her own choice," Diana retorted, a hint of steel in her voice, and Aunt Daryl recoiled slightly before a confident smirk settled over her face.
"Is there any difference?"
No, not really, Diana had to admit to herself. While Maril was doing much, much better for herself now that she was away from her mother's influence (and being married to Andrew certainly helped) Merril was still terribly sycophantic and truly believed 'mother knows best' and did whatever Aunt Daryl told her. Yes, her aunt and cousins had all improved their temperament since she and Akko saved them from the curse, but the two still remaining under her roof most definitely had very long ways to go before they were what Diana would consider to be decent people.
Hannah cleared her throat, drawing attention back to her with what was almost a glare aimed at Aunt Daryl. "As I was saying, what should we do about the son?"
"Handle it very carefully. I am in no position nor mood to entertain the thought of suitors," Diana told her, tone stiff. Turning her attention back to her plate that still had some food, she missed the slightly concerned look that Hannah shot her. "Who is next on the call list?"
"Ah, right, that would be Hôpital St. Nikolaus, in Eupen." The two of them continued to discuss the day in detail over breakfast, but Diana couldn't help but be distracted as she found her thoughts returning to the reunion that was looming on the horizon.
How was Akko going to take their meeting?
Would she accept the apology?
Or would she have nothing to do with Diana? The fact that both options were equally likely scared her far more than she'd care to admit…soon silence reigned over the breakfast table, broken only by the sound of silverware on plates and bowls, the mood solemn as the lady of the house thought grimly of the coming event.