~O~
Silenced Tongues
The castle was no longer full of life.
Alcina watched as the doctor listened to Sofia's heartbeat through a stethoscope. The older woman seemed bothered and that agitated her. She didn't like the random change of emotions on her face, nor the blank, emptiness in Sofia's. Her daughters had even stayed to watch what was going on. Daniela had chosen to comfort Sofia with a few gentle pets to her head.
"Well, she has a mild fever. No cuts. The blood wasn't hers." the doctor explained, closing her bag after depositing the stethoscope back into it. "But it doesn't explain why she isn't eating."
Alcina bared her teeth. "There's nothing that you can give her?"
The doctor looked up at her with a careful frown. "She has me confused, Lady Dimitrescu," she told her, "Physically, she's perfectly fine, but I can't help with her mental state. Still, if you don't get fluids into her soon, you're going to lose her."
The thought bothered Alcina more than she wanted them to see. But Daniela saw it; the change in her mother's expression, the quick way she looked toward the lifeless woman in the bed. The silence from Sofia was going to drive her mad.
"That won't happen." Alcina's words were a promise. A cold one smothering the pain. She would not lose another.
She couldn't.
"Yes, of course." the doctor murmured, with a nod.
Throughout the week, Alcina had given orders for them to keep Sofia tended to; her daughters had not understood such an order, taking so much effort into one little maid. Sofia had only laid in bed, staring into nothing. She spoke nothing and ate nothing.
"This is stupid!" Cassandra hissed, to her sisters that evening, "I can't believe mother would put herself through torture for that stupid human."
Daniela frowned at her. "She's not stupid, Cass."
"Why do you defend her so much? She's just one human! We have others." Cassandra bared her teeth at her with an angry hiss.
Bela even agreed with Cassandra, to a degree. "Mother wasn't even upset about the man she killed."
"She likes her, it's not her fault." Daniela argued with them. Her brow wrinkled somewhat. "Mother's hurting, though. We need to do something about it."
Cassandra snarled quietly. "What we NEED to do is put the human out of her misery."
"What was that, my little bug?"
Cassandra's features went slack with unease and the three turned, noticing Alcina dipping her head through the door as she entered the room. When she straightened, they noticed the way she'd hidden her pain well behind grim indifference.
"We only thought that it would be best," Cassandra quietly sought to explain, "She's lost her mind and it's hurting you, mother. She's just laying there and not eating. She's rotting away."
Alcina's sighed quietly through her nose. "Cassandra, some things I haven't taught you." she admitted, "Some things cannot be explained easily."
The three looked concerned by these words and even more so, for their mother.
Alcina rubbed her forehead with one hand. She bid them away with a single wave of her hand. "Now go. I have a headache and I need to speak with Donna."
"Yes, mother..." Bela hesitantly replied.
Alcina strolled passed them, making her way outside on the balcony where Donna was standing. She was happy to see her and Angie, even. The other woman was capable of doing what most of the village doctors could not.
"You called for us, that's not like you." Angie hissed, with a small laugh.
"Well, perhaps I need someone with a more...delicate touch." Alcina agreed, "More congenial than my own. The woman in my care. I need for you to do as you do best."
Donna tilted her head. Such a little gesture told so much about her curiosity.
"Yes, Donna, I am aware of the rumors," Alcina rolled her eyes dismissively. "Just go to her."
Donna nodded, making her way to Alcina's chambers. The taller woman followed her and she was standing at the doorway when she arrived, studying Sofia with a curious note. Alcina watched rigidly as Donna approached, placing a hand over Sofia's head. She was silent as always, just watching the other woman for a few moments.
"She is mute?" Donna questioned, in her own soft, airy voice.
"Well, she was before, somewhat. We've been properly educating her in speech," Alcina told her, lips pursed, "But when Hilda was killed, she was reduced to this. I believe she killed my prey as well. I don't think she's ever killed anyone before."
"Never?"
"No. Not to my knowledge."
Alcina knew Donna well enough that the woman could sense things in others; she was attuned to their emotions and feelings in a way no one could really understand. Perhaps it was the way she was made in Miranda's image.
"I see..." Donna studied Sofia once more. Her tone was alight with wonder. "Poor thing. She's not afraid of death. She wants it. She accepts it."
Alcina blinked, eyes widening. "What?!"
Donna looked back at her. "This woman, she whispers to death and lets it kiss her cheek. She doesn't fear it in any way. She welcomes it, in fact. She fears life above all. It's too much for her. She's been blinded by it enough that she no longer sees it." she explained, "I see it in her heart. Hurt, beaten goat. Her father did this, didn't he? But you gave her a voice and it was taken from her again."
Alcina watched Sofia's blank, empty stare with a rigidness in her scowl now.
"There's a candle that burns for you." Donna continued, gently. "I see that she watched you for a long time, craving death in your love. She holds it close, but the flame is being battered by winds. She can only keep it burning for so long before it finally goes out."
"That's..." Alcina swallowed thickly.
Donna looked up at her. "I have a tea that might help a little. But she must drink it. All of it."
"She will. Even if I have to hold her nose and force it down her throat."
"That won't be enough." Donna argued, "She has to have a reason to live again. She has to want life instead of death."
Alcina nodded her head. She licked her lips, gave Donna a smile of appreciation. "Thank you, Donna."
Angie piped up now. "Get that girl something to eat, too. She looks like skin and bones."
Donna covered Angie's mouth with one hand. "Forgive her."
O
The tea smelled awful.
It must have been those plants that Donna would grow in her garden, blended with something sickly that curled Alcina's nose. She didn't like it, but Donna's methods often worked wonders and the woman could always be trusted with secrets.
Sofia was bodily lifted into Irina's arms, barely reacting when the cup was brought to her lips. Irina hesitantly watched Alcina observing from the corner.
"Come on, Sofia." Irina whispered, "You have to drink this. Lord Beneviento made it for you."
Sofia turned her head away slightly, whimpering softly. The noise cut through the thickness in the air like a razor. It made Alcina tense in her seat, bare her teeth with a hiss.
"It's okay. It'll help you." Irina encouraged.
She leaned in close, whispered something that had Sofia sigh, shut her eyes and accept the offering with a small parting of her lips. Alcina didn't know what was said, but it was enough to make Sofia react and accept the drink.
"What did you tell her?" she demanded.
Irina looked at her carefully. "I told her it might help her forget for a while."
Forget.
Of course.
Hilda laughed with pleasure.
Alcina was sitting on her backside, having fallen with the sword in her hand. Hilda was practicing with her per her mother's orders.
"Swords are fun." Alcina said, "Have you ever used swords, Hilda?"
She chuckled, taking a seat beside her. "No. Not until now, I'm afraid."
Alcina smiled as she looked down at the sword. "Well, we can both get better at it." she told her. "I like sharp things."
Hilda looked down at her with a thoughtful murmur.
They watched the castle from where they sat.
"Hilda?"
"Yes, little Mistress?"
"Could I ask you something?"
"Of course!"
Alcina sighed quietly through her nose. "Do you think I could live out there? Away from this place?" she asked.
Hilda blinked, surprised by the question. "I believe you can do whatever you put your mind to it." she agreed.
"Are you just saying that because you're supposed to?" Alcina stared at her skeptically.
Hilda laughed quietly. "Not at all." she replied. "If I had a daughter of my own, I would tell her the same thing. You have spirit, little Mistress. You can do whatever you wish with the will and the way. I have faith the world will be better for your presence."
Alcina smiled up at her, leaned against her with a sigh. "I wish you were my mother..."
Alcina was cold as she stared at the coffin Hilda had been kept in. She eventually smiled, her features rigid with grief. The Dimitrescu family crest was given a small caress with her hand. It was never so silent without her until now.
"They did well with you," she said, "You were buried in my family crypt, just as I had wanted for you. You were always a part of my family, dearest Hilda."
Someone was groaning somewhere. One of those failed creatures, no doubt.
She sighed quietly, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "What must I do, Hilda? Sofia has grown silent since your death. She's withering." Alcina paused, licked her lips as she fought through the pain. She gave a harsh laugh. "Am I doomed to lose what I love so dearly? My daughters? Are they doomed as well to know this agony?"
Silence, of course. What did she expect? More of the old woman's guidance?
No, she would no longer have that. And Sofia was a mute again.
Alcina sighed, hand at her face.
She did not understand what it was that brought her to this; to growing far too attached to her maid, to need that closeness and feel the way it felt to be wanted. Sofia was a dull thing that proved to be lovely.
And now men came to spoil that all over again.
She made her way back up to her chambers. Maids were departing and she gave them a curt smile, swallowing the emotion building. Two more entered to help undress her - it had always proven to be a more complicated affair.
When she was in her proper evening clothes, she climbed into the bed with Sofia and sighed gently, gathering her into her arms. No resistance from her and not a single sound.
"Come here, little one..." she breathed, into her hair.
She smelled nice. The maids had done their job, at least.
She brushed several locks of Sofia's hair back behind her ears, kissing her gently on her forehead. Sofia's eyes were dull and lifeless, staring into nothing but the space of Alcina's shoulder.
The warmth she drew from the smaller woman's body comforted her, just a little. But it did nothing for the storm in her head and the ache in her heart.
"Speak, damn you." Alcina hissed, clutching her tightly.
She wanted very much to bring life to her again.
But she could only wait.
O
Sofia was dreaming.
She was laying in a dark room, filled with blood and heard ghostly screams all around her. The windows were rattling from a storm outside. She couldn't move. She had a hard time even keeping her eyes open. The sound of crows cawing echoed around her now. The feathers were damp and wet, sticking to her cheeks with a soft, dangerous voice behind them.
"What's wrong, little bird?" a feminine voice crooned. "Are you tired?"
Sofia blinked and there was a flash of a face wearing a crown on its head. No, a halo. A bird watching her through its sharp, almost human eyes.
"It's better if you die, really." the voice continued, "You can't change anything. You're insignificant, you know. She's bleeding in the other room and you don't even care, do you?"
Who? Who was bleeding?
"No, you don't. You want death. It's easy, isn't it?" the female voice continued, with a rolling chuckle. "Life? Life as a mortal. Well, you know what that means. You can't be her equal. You never will be."
Sofia heard the sound of groans and they were distinctly human. She struggled to stand, making her way to the door. When she opened it, she was stunned to see that she was inside Castle Dimitrescu. She could see skeletons littering its halls, the candles burned out completely. The sounds were of thunder outside, rain pelting the glass.
Her shadow moved behind her and Sofia withered when she felt gold-clad nails against her shoulders. She heard the eerie whisper in her ear.
"Are you scared now?"
She was. Sofia was scared.
Mother Miranda scares her.
The only one who does.
"You can sleep." the female voice offered, with a chuckle. "Sleep like Hilda."
The smell of blood was strong and Sofia felt herself pulled toward it. She was horrified to see herself stabbing someone in the chest over and over again. It looked like her, even when it turned to smile at her, holding a knife in her hand.
But the Sofia here was blank of emotion, covered in blood and smiling pitilessly. The man bound to the wall had no face. Just an empty canvas that whimpered with pain.
Sofia let out breathless sounds of horror and quickly rushed from the room. She was covering her eyes with both hands, ignoring the whispers around her. She barely noticed a little girl approaching until there was a hand on her shoulder.
She looked up, startled to see a girl in a pair of overalls, standing there with her face wrapped up in bandages with a single eye looking out at her.
The same eye color as hers.
Sofia blinked, eyes wide when the girl unwrapped her bandages, revealing her face.
It was her.
When she was a little girl.
"Are you okay?" the child version of herself questioned, with a sad smile, "You look sad. What's wrong? You talked to me once. Remember?"
Sofia looked up at her, tears filling her eyes. "Lost..."
"Lost. That's okay." Child Sofia said, with a comforting smile, "You were lost a while, huh? After papa, we stopped talking. Don't worry. We'll talk again."
She reached for Sofia's hand and the woman looked uncertain. She took the child's hand after a moment and they walked down the halls. Shadows danced around them, softly whispering words that chilled Sofia's body. The child smiled up at her reassuringly.
"Sometimes things get pretty dark." she said. "And sometimes they're scary. Sometimes people die and we get lost in the dark, too. It's bad, I know."
They made their way into a vast chamber filled with flowers and smelled of fresh vanilla scents. Sofia was immediately reminded of Alcina - her perfume, of course. She even saw butterflies fluttering around them and moths. It looked like a lovely garden that she could only ever dream of.
And at the center, the giant white bat was laying, wings splayed out, eyes closed. It looked content as it laid there.
"This is where your mind goes when bad things happen." Child Sofia explained. "You remember the Bat Lord. How warm and safe this room was."
Sofia approached the great bat and reached out with one hand. It didn't move and she shut her eyes, tears falling fresh down her cheeks. The bat's eyes opened and it looked up at her; they were yellow, shimmering with strength and resolve.
It raised its head, looking down at the woman crying at its feet.
"She needs you, too." Child Sofia said. "Even if she doesn't tell you."
The bat laid its great head across her back and Sofia laid down at its side. It was purring softly and she clutched the white fur of its chest.
She found sleep again.
