Tq, tq, tq for the reviews. They are much appreciated. So you wanna know who it is? Read on! You may be surprised (you will) Enjoy! BP
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Has to end
"What are you doing here?" Angoline demanded pulling Warren through the doorway. "Is it true, Angoline?" he said removing his cloak. "Did Nadine have Gwendoline brought here?" Angoline nodded grimly. "I'm sorry," said Warren. "I wouldn't have had you involved. She had mentioned her cousin, Tyive, as a place to harbor Gwenivere, but after war broke out in the south, that seemed unlikely." "So that left me," said Angoline sourly, "Nadine could have at least warned me before literally dropping her daughter into my lap. The last thing I need is trouble, Warren, and that's all that will come to me. It's bad enough as it is with war and attacks all around, but this," Angoline gestured toward where Gwendoline was, "I don't need."
"I really am sorry," said Warren sitting in a chair, "I don't know what to tell you. I'm worried myself. Nadine's....changed." Angoline cocked her head at him. "What do you mean changed? I know there has to be something wrong, for her to be this desperate." "I think she may be going crazy," said Warren quietly. "I suspected it after what happened those years ago with the fire...and Gwenivere's death. I thought she would get better after time had passed, and for a while it seemed she was. Then this whole mess with Gwendoline and Dilandau came up. It's gotten to her something bad. I have to stop her before she gets hurt." "What about Gwendoline?" asked Angoline gently, "From what she told me, she loves Dilandau, as odd as that sounds. She was so sincere, and she wants to go back to him. Should we reallly go through so much trouble to stop her?"
"Daddy?" said a sleepy voice. Warren and Angoline both turned their heads to look. There stood Gwendoline, trying to rub the sleepiness out of her eyes. "Daddy what are you doing here?" Gwendoline asked hugging him. "I...came here to see how you were." Gwendoline nodded, frowning. Warren noted it was completely unlike her normal dreamy yet placid self. "I'm not very good," she said quietly, "I don't want to be here." "Your mother had you brought here," said Warren, "I guess she, well she must have assumed-" "Why can't she just leave me alone for once?!!" Gwendoline exploded, "Why can't she just stay away." Warren stared at this trembling creature, whose face was twisted in rage. Was this his daughter. "Watching, watching, watching," she growled, "always watching." her hands were clenched into tight fists.
"Calm down," said Angoline, "it's okay," "It will never be 'okay'" said Gwendoline darkly, "not until she's dead." Warren and Angoline looked at Gwendoline, their eyes wide. "She's your mother Gwendoline," said Angoline incredulously, "How could you want to see you're mother dead?" Gwendoline didn't answer. Her eyes blazed and her fists were clenched so tightly, blood dripped. Warren said nothing, only continued to stare at her. He had seen that look on Gwendoline's face once before, only once. The last time she wore that expression, someone died....
***********
"We've spotted him!" shouted a soldier as he and his two comrades rode up to Lord Dilandau and other members of the search party, "Flying west. He didn't appear to be carrying anyone." Dilandau nodded. "We will head in the opposite direction that he flew from. Everyone, scan the area in a one mile radius, all homes will be checked. Got it?" "Yes sir!" said the soldiers. Dilandau smiled to himself. They were getting close.
***********
Angoline went and grabbed Gwendoline's hands, in an attempt to calm her down. The look that Gwendoline gave her was so momentarily intense, Angoline flinched, expecting violence to come. It didn't. Gwendoline unclenched her fists, revealing hands pale from the tighness, and deep wounds from her nails, but Gwendoline seemed oblivious. "I think I'll go to bed now," she said calmly. She turned to leave the room, but then turned to face her father. "Keep her away from me," she said simply, and then left the room.
Angoline turned to Warren after Gwendoline had left the room. "I had no idea that Gwendoline harbored that kind of resentment in her heart. Certainly this isn't just over some disapproved romance Warren. Is there something else?" Warren sighed. "It goes back to the fire. I think...Gwendoline set the fire." Angoline gasped. "How awful," said Angoline sadly, "No wonder she's this way. The guilt must have gotten to her." Warren shook his head. "No, there was never any guilt. Gwendoline treats Gwenivere's death as a seperate event from her setting the fire, saying the fire took her sister away. She hardly seems upset about it though, her sister's death. Nadine had never really been as close to Gwendoline as before that fire. Before it, it was Gwenivere who was her little angel. Afterward, Gwendoline couldn't go five feet without havong someone watching. Especially since Gwendoline developed an interest in fires. Nadine was always afraid the girl would burn herself up." Angoline nodded remembering Gwendoline's words.
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Gwendoline lay in bed, a tear streaming down her face. She wanted Dilandau, she didn't want to be in this place, this dark lonely place. It was almost like the closet. She could still remember the smell of it, creeping in from the surrounding darkness. i You stay in here until your ready to be a good girl.... /i She had tried and tried to be good. But Gwenivere always got her into trouble. Gwenivere always did things and she was the one who got into trouble. Her mother always kept Gwenivere beside her, always made sure Gwenivere got everything. Well, now Gwenivere was gone, taken away by the fire, and it was only her. In the beginning, she didn't mind the attention, but then, there was the watching. Someone was always watching her. She hated it. Gwenivere's death wasn't worth it. Lying there, Gwendoline almost wished the fire would bring Gwenivere back. Back so her mother would leave her alone, and let her be. She wasn't Gwenivere, she didn't want to be her little substitute, because that's all she was, and all she'd ever be.
Tears of hurt at painful memories trailed down Gwendolines face. She only wanted love, but now that she had it, her mother wanted to take it away, just like everything else that she loved. Gwendoline glared into the darkness. She had better stay away. She rubbed her sore hands subconsciously, she'd better stay away, or she would join her darling Gwenivere.
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There was an urgent banging at the door. Angoline rushed to it, but hesitated before opening. "For God's sake," hissed her sister, "Open the door!" Angoline quickly opened the door and let Nadine in. "Warren," said Nadine when she saw him seated. "What are you doing here?" "I came here to take you home," he said, "since I knew you'd come here." "I...I can't go home now," said Nadine, "Gwendoline needs me." "Gwendoline needs for you to leave her alone right now," said Angoline, "and I think it would be wise if you did so. She is very upset with you right now."
There was the sound of stirring in the other room and the three grew silent. There was a bit more movement, and then nothing. "She wasn' harmed was she?" Nadine asked. "The man bound her to her bed, saying he had precise orders to make sure Gwendoline didn't get away. Gwendoline wasn't happy at all, in fact she's-" "here," said a voice. The three turned to regard Gwendoline standing ominously before them. Her expression was completely unreadable. Outside there was the sound of many horses, being driven towards the house.
Gwendoline smiled in satisfaction. Dilandau had come for her.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Has to end
"What are you doing here?" Angoline demanded pulling Warren through the doorway. "Is it true, Angoline?" he said removing his cloak. "Did Nadine have Gwendoline brought here?" Angoline nodded grimly. "I'm sorry," said Warren. "I wouldn't have had you involved. She had mentioned her cousin, Tyive, as a place to harbor Gwenivere, but after war broke out in the south, that seemed unlikely." "So that left me," said Angoline sourly, "Nadine could have at least warned me before literally dropping her daughter into my lap. The last thing I need is trouble, Warren, and that's all that will come to me. It's bad enough as it is with war and attacks all around, but this," Angoline gestured toward where Gwendoline was, "I don't need."
"I really am sorry," said Warren sitting in a chair, "I don't know what to tell you. I'm worried myself. Nadine's....changed." Angoline cocked her head at him. "What do you mean changed? I know there has to be something wrong, for her to be this desperate." "I think she may be going crazy," said Warren quietly. "I suspected it after what happened those years ago with the fire...and Gwenivere's death. I thought she would get better after time had passed, and for a while it seemed she was. Then this whole mess with Gwendoline and Dilandau came up. It's gotten to her something bad. I have to stop her before she gets hurt." "What about Gwendoline?" asked Angoline gently, "From what she told me, she loves Dilandau, as odd as that sounds. She was so sincere, and she wants to go back to him. Should we reallly go through so much trouble to stop her?"
"Daddy?" said a sleepy voice. Warren and Angoline both turned their heads to look. There stood Gwendoline, trying to rub the sleepiness out of her eyes. "Daddy what are you doing here?" Gwendoline asked hugging him. "I...came here to see how you were." Gwendoline nodded, frowning. Warren noted it was completely unlike her normal dreamy yet placid self. "I'm not very good," she said quietly, "I don't want to be here." "Your mother had you brought here," said Warren, "I guess she, well she must have assumed-" "Why can't she just leave me alone for once?!!" Gwendoline exploded, "Why can't she just stay away." Warren stared at this trembling creature, whose face was twisted in rage. Was this his daughter. "Watching, watching, watching," she growled, "always watching." her hands were clenched into tight fists.
"Calm down," said Angoline, "it's okay," "It will never be 'okay'" said Gwendoline darkly, "not until she's dead." Warren and Angoline looked at Gwendoline, their eyes wide. "She's your mother Gwendoline," said Angoline incredulously, "How could you want to see you're mother dead?" Gwendoline didn't answer. Her eyes blazed and her fists were clenched so tightly, blood dripped. Warren said nothing, only continued to stare at her. He had seen that look on Gwendoline's face once before, only once. The last time she wore that expression, someone died....
***********
"We've spotted him!" shouted a soldier as he and his two comrades rode up to Lord Dilandau and other members of the search party, "Flying west. He didn't appear to be carrying anyone." Dilandau nodded. "We will head in the opposite direction that he flew from. Everyone, scan the area in a one mile radius, all homes will be checked. Got it?" "Yes sir!" said the soldiers. Dilandau smiled to himself. They were getting close.
***********
Angoline went and grabbed Gwendoline's hands, in an attempt to calm her down. The look that Gwendoline gave her was so momentarily intense, Angoline flinched, expecting violence to come. It didn't. Gwendoline unclenched her fists, revealing hands pale from the tighness, and deep wounds from her nails, but Gwendoline seemed oblivious. "I think I'll go to bed now," she said calmly. She turned to leave the room, but then turned to face her father. "Keep her away from me," she said simply, and then left the room.
Angoline turned to Warren after Gwendoline had left the room. "I had no idea that Gwendoline harbored that kind of resentment in her heart. Certainly this isn't just over some disapproved romance Warren. Is there something else?" Warren sighed. "It goes back to the fire. I think...Gwendoline set the fire." Angoline gasped. "How awful," said Angoline sadly, "No wonder she's this way. The guilt must have gotten to her." Warren shook his head. "No, there was never any guilt. Gwendoline treats Gwenivere's death as a seperate event from her setting the fire, saying the fire took her sister away. She hardly seems upset about it though, her sister's death. Nadine had never really been as close to Gwendoline as before that fire. Before it, it was Gwenivere who was her little angel. Afterward, Gwendoline couldn't go five feet without havong someone watching. Especially since Gwendoline developed an interest in fires. Nadine was always afraid the girl would burn herself up." Angoline nodded remembering Gwendoline's words.
************
Gwendoline lay in bed, a tear streaming down her face. She wanted Dilandau, she didn't want to be in this place, this dark lonely place. It was almost like the closet. She could still remember the smell of it, creeping in from the surrounding darkness. i You stay in here until your ready to be a good girl.... /i She had tried and tried to be good. But Gwenivere always got her into trouble. Gwenivere always did things and she was the one who got into trouble. Her mother always kept Gwenivere beside her, always made sure Gwenivere got everything. Well, now Gwenivere was gone, taken away by the fire, and it was only her. In the beginning, she didn't mind the attention, but then, there was the watching. Someone was always watching her. She hated it. Gwenivere's death wasn't worth it. Lying there, Gwendoline almost wished the fire would bring Gwenivere back. Back so her mother would leave her alone, and let her be. She wasn't Gwenivere, she didn't want to be her little substitute, because that's all she was, and all she'd ever be.
Tears of hurt at painful memories trailed down Gwendolines face. She only wanted love, but now that she had it, her mother wanted to take it away, just like everything else that she loved. Gwendoline glared into the darkness. She had better stay away. She rubbed her sore hands subconsciously, she'd better stay away, or she would join her darling Gwenivere.
************
There was an urgent banging at the door. Angoline rushed to it, but hesitated before opening. "For God's sake," hissed her sister, "Open the door!" Angoline quickly opened the door and let Nadine in. "Warren," said Nadine when she saw him seated. "What are you doing here?" "I came here to take you home," he said, "since I knew you'd come here." "I...I can't go home now," said Nadine, "Gwendoline needs me." "Gwendoline needs for you to leave her alone right now," said Angoline, "and I think it would be wise if you did so. She is very upset with you right now."
There was the sound of stirring in the other room and the three grew silent. There was a bit more movement, and then nothing. "She wasn' harmed was she?" Nadine asked. "The man bound her to her bed, saying he had precise orders to make sure Gwendoline didn't get away. Gwendoline wasn't happy at all, in fact she's-" "here," said a voice. The three turned to regard Gwendoline standing ominously before them. Her expression was completely unreadable. Outside there was the sound of many horses, being driven towards the house.
Gwendoline smiled in satisfaction. Dilandau had come for her.