Chapter 28:
You could feel something tickling your cheek and twitched your nose. There was a soft melody being sung somewhere and it was waking you up. You yawned and stretched out on the bed hitting something beside you. You opened your eyes, looked up and saw Alcina sitting against the headboard. She had been rubbing your cheek while you slept and you realized it was her hand that was tickling you in your sleep. She smiled down at you and kissed your forehead. "How do you feel, Draga?" You didn't respond at first and rubbed your face, wiping sleep away from your eyes and moved to lay on her chest. Alcina held you and rubbed your back comfortingly, kissing your forehead and making patterns on your skin.
"Is it bad?" you asked, voice scratchy and deep from your much needed nap. You closed your eyes and burrowed your face in Alcina's dress as the Countess lifted your shirt and inspected the lashes."
"There are a few marks, but it is not nearly as grotesque as it was before," Alcina said.
"Well that's good to know. It feels better too."
"I called Donna and inquired about some pain relieving herbs she might have for you."
"That's okay, it feels more like an itch now if anything. It doesn't really hurt."
"Even so, I would like to have some stocked in the Castle for you should anything happen."
"What kind of herbs does Donna have?"
"An abundant supply, I believe you aided her in planting some of them. You do not recall which herbs you planted?"
"Well to be honest, I wasn't really paying attention to what I was planting. I only did what she told me to do, take a flower, stick it in the earth, and plant it."
"You didn't realize some of the plants weren't flowers?"
"I mean they all had some kind of leaves or… petals and shit on them. I thought they were all flowers." Alcina laughed and you smiled from her chest.
"You never cease to amuse me, my girl. No, Donna's garden is filled with various plants, herbs, spices, mosses and fungi, and of course, flowers as you mentioned."
"Oh, wow. I never realized how much of a gardener she was."
"It is part of her duty of being a Lord. Donna prefers using plants to experiment with the cadou."
"Oh… I don't know how that would work," you said.
"I know that she was able to animate her doll into a type of being, but that is as close to reanimating anything she has ever gotten to. I always suspected my sister was satisfied with her work after she was able to give life to Angie. I do not think she dabbled much with the cadou after that, unless of course Mother Mir-" she sighed, catching herself again and shook her head. "Miranda ordered her to."
"How long has Angie been… like, alive?"
"A while now, Donna was able to give her a conscience not long after she herself underwent the cadou treatment."
"So Donna just keeps the herbs and fungus stuff around for like what? Fun?"
"More so of decoration, those plants certainly add to the ghostly element her Mansion gives off."
"Tch, yeah that's for sure! The first time I went to that house, I could've sworn I was going to be meeting a ghost there!" Alcina laughed out loud at your words again and she kissed your cheek.
"Yes, most people are intimidated and a little frightened of my sister's mansion." You frowned and looked up at Alcina.
"Well… I don't know if frightened is the right word to describe how I felt. I mean, I wasn't scared."
"Of course, my brave, little Draga would never be scared of anything," Alcina said, smirking at you.
"Nope, I never get scared."
"Oh, really?"
"Never! Alci, I'm an elite trained soldier from the BSA, or whatever they call it! I'm totally-"
"ROAR!" Cassandra yelled, jumping up in front of you.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!" you screamed, jumping off the bed and running away. You tripped and fell down while running, then smacked your head and sighed feeling like an idiot. You could hear both Alcina and Cassandra laughing at you and stayed on the ground so they couldn't see your blush. "God damnit," you said.
"I thought you weren't afraid of anything," Cassandra laughed, walking over to you.
"WELL, WHEN SOMEONE JUMPS OUT AT ME AND IT'S UNEXPECTED IT'S A LITTLE UNSETTLING!" you yelled.
"Come here, Draga," Alcina said from the bed, holding her arms out for you. You glared at Cassandra who stuck her tongue out at you.
"Listen, one of these days I'll get you back so hard!"
"Eat me," Cassandra said back, still laughing. You ran up to the bed and jumped into Alcina's arms, laying on her again.
"My, you seem to have improved since… earlier," Alcina said, looking down. You knew what she was referring to and rubbed her arms.
"That chem fluid really does wonders. My back doesn't sting or hurt anymore. It's just a little sore," you said. Alcina lifted your shirt and felt the rough skin on your back sighing.
"The remaining marks will most likely scar," she said.
"Well, how does it look right now?" you asked. Cassandra walked up to the bed and pulled your shirt over your head.
"There's some pink marks from the less serious, ah… you know, lashes," she said awkwardly, trying to be delicate with her words which wasn't exactly her strong suit, "and there's five red marks. These are the ones that will probably scar, as Mother said from before, but most of them are gone."
"Well, that's good. At least most of them will disappear." There was a moment of uncomfortable silence and the air was thin as the three of you remembered the events and ran through it in your heads like a movie.
"Well, I'm going to check on Dani," Cassandra said and she left the room leaving you and Alcina alone. You could sense Alcina's guilt and shame and you looked up at her. Her face was flushed and she looked like she was on the verge of tears. Her laugh lines and stretch marks seemed more prominent and she somehow looked older. Alcina looked so miserable and your heart broke for her.
"Alci you know none of this is your fault, right?" you asked quietly. She let out a shaky breath and you moved closer to her, sitting up against the headboard and reaching for her head holding it against your chest. "Hey, it's okay now, I'm okay." Alcina buried her face in your chest and started crying. You held her closer to you and kissed the top of her head.
"I am so sorry, Draga! I should have stopped her! I should have never brought you with me!" she sobbed.
"Alci it's okay, you did what you were supposed to do!"
"Supposed to do?!" she yelled, looking up at you. "I was supposed to protect you! And I failed, just like how I failed to protect my daughters!" Alcina hid in your chest again and cried harder. She sniffed and wrapped her arms around you, hugging you tightly.
"You did protect them! You chose me instead of the girls! Alcina I told you before, I wanted you to take your punishment and I would do it again in a heartbeat."
"You shouldn't have to take any punishment of mine! I should have been the one to be whipped, my body can heal wounds instantly and regenerate itself! I was weak, I was a fool!"
"No, you weren't a fool! You were a mother in that moment! Listen Alci, you and I both know I was going to hurt no matter what once Miranda told you to bring me to that meeting. We both know you would always choose your daughters over me, everyone knows that! And I would've chosen myself as well. Even if Miranda didn't give you a choice, I would have told her to let me take your punishment. I would never want to see you get hurt like that."
"And you think I wanted to see you like that?! Being whipped unconscious and screaming and wailing in agony?" Alcina looked at you again. Her face was stained with tears and she looked devastated. "I will never get that image of you out of my head! When you looked up at the ceiling, I could not watch you any longer! I sat in that chair like a damn coward when I should have protected you!"
"Well, what then? You think Miranda would just let you stop her?"
"I should have tried! Even if that damned, infernal, wretched, bitch killed me!"
"Okay no, absolutely not!" you yelled, grabbing her face and forcing her to look at you. "Listen to me Alcina, I did not work for three years in this hellhole, no offense, and have my memories wiped, watch a bunch of my friends and fellow maids die, to then finally get with the woman I've loved since the moment I saw her, just for you to die! I said it before, and I'll say it again! I will take your punishment for you every time! I would take 100 lashes for you before I watch you take even one." Alcina shook her head and grit her teeth as more tears poured from her golden eyes. She took a shaky breath, rested against your chest again and you held her.
"Draga…." she whispered.
"Yes?"
"I… te iubesc, I love you too." You opened your eyes wide and felt your heart beat a little faster which made Alcina chuckle.
"What?" Alcina looked up at you and sniffed, wiping her tears away.
"I love you too," Lady Dimitrescu said, smiling at you.
"Are- are you sure?"
"Heh, quite, darling."
"L-like… love me like a friend, or…." Alcina roared out laughing and sniffed again.
"A friend? Is that what we've been for this entire time?"
"Well, no! Of course not, I just…. Alcina, are you sure? Because I mean there's a lot of other people out there that are better than me."
"Frumosul meu soldat, I doubt I could ever fall in love with someone else other than you. I only want you, no one else." You furrowed your brows as if you couldn't believe her and took a breath.
"You know I'm a little crazy, right?"
"No, no, my love. Angie is crazy, you if anything are perhaps… broken. Broken from what Miranda has done to your memories, broken for what I have allowed you to endure and suffer. But not crazy."
"You fixed me," you said. Alcina looked up at you and you met her gaze. Her eyes were red and puffy, but she seemed happy and content. You dipped your head and leaned down to kiss her on her lips. The two of you stayed that for a while and hugged each other until a squeal from behind the door caught your attention.
"Did you hear that?!" came Daniela's voice, "Mother said she loves Y/N!"
"Daniela!" Cassandra yelled and you heard a loud bang from against the door as if she slammed her head against it.
"STOP LISTENING AT THE DOOR!" you yelled.
"WE WEREN'T! WE WERE JUST WALKING BY AND SIMPLY OVERHEARD YOU!"
"BULLSHIT!"
"You guys! I told you to be quiet!" you heard Bela whisper.
"Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela Dimitrescu!" Alcina yelled, narrowing her eyes at the door. "Come in this room at once!" There was silence from the door, the girls were understandably apprehensive and started whispering to each other at the door.
"Go!" Cassandra whispered.
"It was your idea!" Daniela said.
"Yeah, but I said not to get caught!" Cassandra whispered.
"I told you two to shut up!" Bela whispered back.
"I did! Daniela squealed like a child!" Cass said.
"Hey! I did not squeal like a child!" Alcina sighed and rolled her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Oh my apologies dear sister, you squealed like a little kid!"
"HEY!"
"I'm not getting grounded again! Last time, Mother didn't let me go hunting for like a year!"
"It was a week, Cassandra! And it's the middle of winter anyways! Just go inside!" Bela said, a little louder.
"No way!"
"Yeah!"
"You're the older sister! You take the blame!"
"Five," Alcina said counting.
"Oh, shit."
"What do we do?!"
"Four," Alcina said.
"Bitch! Get your ass in the room you, little squealer!" Cassandra yelled.
"Hell no!"
"Three!"
"Oh, god!"
"Two!" You could hear the girls screaming and then saw the massive swarm of flies that entered the room from under the door. Alcina looked unimpressed. "I asked for my daughters, not for flies!" The flies seemed to cower and shrink down, but remained. Three swarms buzzed around the room and lingered close to the door. "Bela," Alcina said sharply. One swarm moved behind another and inched away from the bed."Daughters, come over here."
The swarm of flies slowly started to come closer to the bed but far enough that Alcina couldn't reach them. "Girls," Alcina said softly. The flies inched slightly closer. "What did we discuss about privacy? Didn't I tell you not to eavesdrop on my and Y/N's relationship?" The flies floated straight up and then down as if they were nodding their heads. "I thought so. Now, next time I will not be so forgiving. I expect my three adult daughters to listen and not behave like little children. Do I make myself clear?" The flies floated closer to Alcina. "Good. Now, you may resume your previous activities. And do not forget to take the blood-wine to feed. Since we do not have our normal source of… sustenance, we will suffice with the Sanguis Virginis and the blood-wine for now. Uncle Heisenberg said he is willing to fetch us some deer from the woods if those are not enough. Now, off you go."
Two swarms quickly flew out of the room and disappeared while one remained behind. "Yes, Daniela?" The swarm of flies flew up to Alcina's side of the bed and seemed to kneel to her as if asking for something. The Countess sighed and nodded her head. "Perhaps if you behave and it can be accomplished, yes. I will have your Uncle fetch a bear, I know how much you enjoy the taste." The swarm flew around the room excitedly making Alcina chuckle and stopped back to peck her cheek like she was kissing her, then left without another word… or buzz, rather.
"Those three are really funny."
"Shh, don't let them overhear you. They do so love having audience," Alcina said.
"I'm glad you feel better, at least," you said, kissing Alcina again. "Alci, promise me you won't keep blaming yourself." Alcina looked down and rested against your chest once more. "Alcina,
Please! I know you feel responsible, but you can't blame yourself for something that Miranda did. I hate seeing you be so mean to yourself." Alcina sighed and looked up at you.
"Alright, Draga. I suppose you are right, perhaps I was harsh on myself."
"You think?"
"Well…."
"Alci, promise me you won't continue beating yourself up for this crap. None of this is your fault or your doing, blame the right person and stop blaming the wrong person." She smiled and kissed your bicep that was hung across her chest.
"Alright, my darling. But you must also promise me something."
"Anything?" She looked serious.
"Promise me that whatever happens, you won't leave me. That you won't die. I cannot bare the thought of losing you."
"Alci," you held her closer and kissed her forehead, "I promise you, i'm not going anywhere."