Cassandra laughed as she spotted Daniela and Angie racing through the halls. Daniela was in her swarm form, Angie was flying, and the two were seeing who was faster. Although they were evenly matched, Daniela had managed to pull ahead. "STOP CHEATING OR I'LL SHOVE A DOLL DOWN YOUR THROAT!" Angie shouted, and Daniela huffed. "I'm not cheating!" That was a flat-out lie. Daniela always cheated in games, and this one was no different. She was using a few of her flies to push Angie off-balance so she could pull ahead. "Dani, be nice." Bela called out from across the room. Then, she turned and resumed her conversation with Moreau. "So, what did you think of the chapter?" For the past couple of years, Bela had been helping her uncle regain the skills that the Cadou had stolen from him, which included reading. Slowly but surely, they were making their way through the Harry Potter books. Right now, they're on the fourth book (Goblet of Fire for you non Potterheads). "I thought that the reporter lady was really annoying." Bela pushed him a little further. "And what was the reporter lady's name?" Salvatore was silent for a second, trying to remember. "Rosa Skeeter?" Bela smiled. "Rita Skeeter. But you were super close! Do you want to keep reading or save the next chapter for later?" Salvatore sighed in relief, happy that the ordeal was finally over. "Later. Definitely later." Tenderly, Bela dog-eared the page they were on and closed the book. Looking around, she spotted Karl, Donna, Seline, and her mother sitting on the couch, so she joined them. "Hi, Bels!" Seline greeted happily, but not with as much energy as she normally would. Stealing a quick glance at the clock, Bela saw that it was getting close to 10 PM. No wonder she's looking tired. Alcina and Karl resumed their conversation, with Donna occasionally interjecting. "...And that's why I had to make a map of the factory." Everyone laughed at Karl's story, and Donna began a new one about the time she accidentally attached a pair of scissors to a doll. Karl was listening intently, when he felt a small warm pressure on his side. Looking down, he saw Seline snuggled up to him, fast asleep. "Alcina." He whispered, and she looked over. "We probably should head home." She whispered back, and Karl nodded. "I'll go fetch Daniela and Cassandra." Bela stood up and sent a few flies to look around the ground floor, while she checked upstairs. After a few minutes, she found Cassandra, and her fly informed her where Daniela and Angie were. The two were in the doll's bedroom, playing with small knight dolls. "Oh, Sir Lancelot, how will we slay this dragon?" Daniela tried to make her voice deeper, but Angie didn't even bother. "Don't despair, Sir Gawain! For the great magician Merlin has enchanted Excalibur with… Super Sharpness!" Bela laughed, alerting them to her presence. "Sorry for disturbing your game, but Mother says it's time to leave." Angie pouted, but Daniela patted her back. "It's okay, we can keep playing next time! And maybe you can play too, Bels! You can be Sir Percival." Bela shrugged. "I'd rather be Sir Bors the Younger. Y'know, he-" Daniela cut her off before she bored them to sleep. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. C'mon, Angie." The girls headed to the entryway, where Alcina was holding a very tired Seline's hand. She still seemed to be falling asleep, even as she said goodbye to Donna and Salvatore. "…Bye bye, Auntie Donna. Bye bye, Uncle Salvatore. G'night…" Alcina smiled fondly at her youngest daughter. "Thank you for having us, Donna." Quickly, she leaned in to whisper to her siblings. "Meeting with Miranda. Three days from now." Donna nodded, and Salvatore looked nervous. "See y'all later." Karl said, to indicate it was time to leave. And with that, the party was over.

Everyone settled into the carriage, and they began the long ride home. Miraculously, Cassandra was being quiet, so as not to disturb her now-sleeping sister. Karl noticed this and lightly elbowed Alcina. "God, everyone cares about this kid so much." Normally, Alcina would've smacked him for daring to even nudge her, but this time she let it slide. "She deserves all the love in the world. She's changed all of our lives." Karl nodded in agreement, and the two were silent for a little, until he whispered again. "How long do you think it's going to last?" Alcina sighed. That was a question she had been asking herself as well. "I don't know. Eventually, she's going to find out about us. What we've done. What we can really do. And even if she stayed with us through all that, there's no way Miranda would let her live." Cassandra and Bela didn't hear that part, but Daniela did, and she regretted it. Sometimes it felt like being the youngest meant that nobody really noticed her or cared about her. But Seline, she was the first person that really did. The two's shared interest in art meant that they got to spend a lot of time together, and Seline never once acted bored or asked to do something else. I don't want her to go. I don't want her to die. I love her. My sister. "Don't worry, Allie. We won't let anything happen." Once more, the carriage fell into a tentative silence, everyone consumed with their own thoughts.

What if…

I don't…

Why…

How can I save you?

Alcina stared aimlessly out the window. A million thoughts peppered her mind, each screaming for her attention. However, she absolutely refused to let herself spiral into a negative headspace. Not now. Not when they all could see. Breakdowns were saved for when the door was locked and nobody was there to worry. It was better that way… Right? Even though she had tried to convince her mind that she was certain that she didn't need to show anyone how she felt, there was the small doubt gently poking her mind. But for every doubt, there were a hundred more fears. What if they don't listen? What if they don't care? What if I'm just being selfish? No. Alcina Dimitrescu might be stubborn, arrogant, and riddled with small anxieties, but she was not selfish. She was just human. Slightly human, that is. She was a woman who loved her daughters so much that she was willing to shove aside her own thoughts and fears just to make them smile. After all, they were the ones that actually had a future in front of them. She was just doomed to be a puppet of Miranda until she stopped serving her purpose. Donna, Salvatore, Karl, they were all just puppets. And a puppet's feelings don't matter.

A/N: Hello, my muffins! We're back with another chapter of your favorite least favorite RE8 fanfiction! I feel like I do need to explain these last two parts though, so here I go. I wanted to add a certain sense of (for lack of a better word) humanity to the Four Lords. It's easy to forget that these are (once again, for lack of a better word) people, who have their own emotions and struggles. Alcina struggles with knowing when to reach out and ask for help, Donna struggles with social anxiety, Salvatore struggles with self-deprecating thoughts, and Karl struggles with self-worth. All of these are real things, most of which I deal with myself. I've tried to represent these the best I can (in a Resident Evil fanfic), but if I write them badly, please don't attack me over it.

~Xelly~

(Also Roya, if you're reading this, you're still a baka muffin.)