Chapter 2: The Truth comes out
In an almost deliberate attempt to impede them the winds blew against them blinding them with snow. Lilith held her hand in front of Amity in a meagre attempt to shield her. Both were using their staves as walking sticks to help them move forward. Had it not been for Lilith's strategically placed light glyphs they most certainly would have been lost.
In a short but gruelling while later the two come across an old suburb on the edge of Bonesborough. It was filled with old slightly worn houses. This particular suburb was right on the edge of the woods giving full access to the forest beside them.
Lilith came upon a mediocre two-story house and walked right in "Mother I'm home." Amity came in silently hiding behind her.
"Ah, sweet flea you are just in time for dinner. I figured some nice hot stew is just the thing to warm up your bones after…" Gwendolyn looked and saw Amity, who was pulling her hood down in order to hide her face "Who is this young lady?"
"This is my former star student, Amity Blight," Lilith answered. Amity said nothing trying not to draw too much attention to herself. At this point Lilith had taken off her winter clothes, revealing she now wore a more modest dress with a brown vest. Amity heard from Luz how Lilith once wore a raggedy dress as a form of penance, did this mean that Lilith felt she atoned.
"(Of course, she would feel like she atoned, she probably does not even understand how wrong she was.)"
"Why hello there sweetie." Said Lilith's mother "My name is Gwendolyn Clawthorne, and this is my husband Deltarune Clawthorne."
A wild-looking man with a scar across his left eye. Sensing her distress he gave her a warm smile "You can just call me Dell."
Not wanting to be rude Amity took off her winter clothes revealing herself to the Clawthornes. When they saw her battered and bruised body with ripped hair all they could do was stare in silence. Amity felt her eyes welling up being seen in her condition, she felt humiliated and exposed and vulnerable. She knew they were probably judging her right now.
Just when she is about to start crying Lilith places a gentle hand on her back "Mother would it be alright if Amity eats in the guest room?"
Gwendolyn still in shock over seeing a child in such a condition took a moment to respond "Oh, uh yes certainly. Dell sweetie can you set up the guest room and get her a spare shirt to act as a nightdress" Dell nodded and went to do as his wife said.
As Lilith walked Amity to her room Gwendolyn prepared bowls of stew for everyone.
Before reaching the guest room Amity squeaked "Can I take a shower, please."
Amity hoped she was not asking too much, Lilith was already burdening herself enough by taking her in.
"Of course, my dear, everything will be set up when you are done. Don't worry about a thing."
Amity tried her best to enjoy the hot shower, after almost freezing to death the warm water was very soothing. She took far longer than she should have but she was so depressed that she just couldn't get out. She knew they would probably be mad at her for using all the hot water, but she really needed some alone time to process things.
When she was done, she found an oversized shirt, a dressing gown (likely a remnant of either Lilith's or Eda's childhood) and a Hi-Potion. Amity drank the Hi-Potion, the fizzy minty flavour stung her tongue and throat a bit, but it was worth it to rid her body of his soreness. The potion was nothing special, likely an over-the-counter potion. Healing potions like that were perfect for dealing with cuts bruises and sore muscles. They couldn't fix broken bones or make her hair grow back but she will get what she could get at this point.
A short while later Amity was in the guest room. She remembered overhearing Eda saying how they should turn her old room into a guest room "Make something useful out of it" she said. As she lay curled up, cocooned in the blanket her mind wandered.
After Eda ran away, Gwen kept her room as it was for Titan knows how long. If Eda hadn't said otherwise, then the room would likely still be Eda's. Amity could not help but wonder if her own mother would do the same. Amity wanted so desperately to believe that she would, but recent events made that VERY doubtful.
Lilith poked her head into the guest room "I brought you some dinner, my dear." She said bashfully. Any other time Amity would be aghast that Lilith would speak to her in such a soft and timid tone, but in her current mental state, she could not be bothered. "I was wondering if perhaps you would like it if I joined you?"
"I'm not hungry." She mumbled, but an immediate loud grumbling sound from her tummy proved otherwise.
In preparation, Lilith used an ice glyph to create a table in which she placed two steaming bowls of stew, a plate full of baguette slices and a bowl of raw veggies as well as two glasses of water. Once Amity sat up the two of them ate in silence.
Eating together was not an unusual occurrence, the two of them would often have lunches or tea time together. Unlike with Luz and Eda who would chat, laugh, and have a gay old time. Lilith and Amity ate in introverted silence.
"You enjoying the food?" Lilith asked hoping to ease their tension.
Amity found she WAS enjoying the food, Odalia made sure only to buy the most expensive, highly processed, gluten-free, ultra-vegan something or other food. But Gwendolyn's food tasted natural.
Plus, it didn't have any abomination bits inside.
Lilith inhaled "Amity I feel now is the time for us to address the behemoth in the room."
Amity swallowed and it was not just because there was food in her mouth.
Lilith tensed her body as she stated "Amity Blight I never liked you."
Amity dropped her spoon.
"I always respected you as a witch and valued you for your prowess but as a person, I never cared for you."
Amity held her chest, it felt as though a great clawed hand was grasping and squeezing her heart.
Lilith and Amity were not that close, they are just tools to get power. That was the unspoken rule between them. Amity knew in her head that Lilith only ever saw her as a student. But actually, hearing her say it out loud hurt her more than she ever dreamed it would.
Lilith looked down at Amity her face full of regret "I am so so so sorry for treating you the way I did. I wish I could make amends to all my students, but since you are the only one here, well."
Amity chuckled dejectedly "I get it I am just the nearest kid around."
Lilith gently held Amity's face "That's not what I meant. Amity I always meant it when I said you were my favourite student. I might not have always been honest with you, but I never once lied about that."
The look of remorse, the sincerity in her voice, the comforting warmth of hands on her face. It was all so alien to her. She had no defence against it.
"What do you want?" Amity asked feebly.
Lilith was at a loss for words, it was such a simple question, yet Lilith had no answer. Truthfully Lilith had no idea what her end goal was in this scenario. Lilith knew she had to talk to Amity about their past, but she had no idea what to actually say, she just knew she had to say something.
Lilith had to wonder what was she hoping to get out of this conversation. Would they get a chance to start over? Be able to form a maternal bond similar to Eda and Luz's? Bury the hatchet between them or just place the last nail in the coffin that was their bond.
Going with her gut Lilith said the first thing that came to mind "I just want you to know that it wasn't your fault. The way I treated you, the way THEY treated you. It…was…not…your…fault."
Those last words echoed in her mind, it brought to mind a thought that was always in her mind, like a rock in a shoe. It brought to light that a part of Amity felt deserved to be beaten by her mother, that she deserved to be ignored by her father, that she deserved to be bullied by her sister, that she deserved to be mocked by her brother. These feelings burst out of her and caused her to cry.
In her desperation, she grabbed onto Lilith and cried into her chest.
Before she even realized what she was doing Lilith held Amity and started stroking her hair shushing her.
Lilith was starting to have second thoughts about the conversation. Perhaps it was better to just keep her mouth shut.
No.
Amity needed to hear the truth, even if it was painful.
The adults in her life used and manipulated her, Lilith was ashamed to admit that she was among those. She would not do that anymore, she swore from now on to always be honest with her. Amity was a strong young lady she could handle it, given time.
Was she really though?
As Lilith held Amity in her arms, she felt so…fragile. Like she would break at any moment. The last thing Lilith ever wanted was to break Amity.
A while later Lilith was at the table with her parents. After a good long cry, Amity tucked herself into bed and Lilith let her be.
Gwendolyn banged her fist onto the table "What do you mean we can't go to the Coven guards?"
"Mother I am a traitor to the empire, and father is still technically a wild witch." The coven system was invented fifty years ago and as a result, witches who were past the age of fifty were forgiven for not being a part of the system. The covens were more interested in young blood anyways "Odalia on the other hand, is part of the Empire's upper crust and currently in good favour of the Emperor so naturally, the guards will not be on our side."
"But we have evidence of abuse?" Dell said.
"It doesn't matter, Emperor Belos controls the courts and the media. He has a platoon of "experts" lined up for these types of situations. No, getting the Emperor's Coven involved will only make things worse."
"BAH, what are we giving them our taxes for." Gwendolyn spat.
"Look all we can do is let Amity stay with us for the night. Then first thing in the morning we will escort her safely to the Owl House."
Gwendolyn and Dell stared at her "I thought she was going to stay with us?"
Lilith sighs despondently "Eda is much better with kids than me. And Amity's girlfriend is living there too. She will be much happier with them than with me."
"Aren't you and Amity like Eda and Luz?" Gwendolyn asked.
Lilith slumps onto the table "Sorry but no. Me and my student's relationship was more…transactional. We were never anything more than teacher and student."
Gwendolyn raised a critical eyebrow "You didn't abuse your students, did you?"
Lilith's head shot up her face red and livid, her whole body went tense with the accusation "I never abused my students. Yes, I was tough on them, yes, I was not as nice as I should have been, but I never abused them." Lilith hissed. Ever since she left the Emperor's Coven spread all kinds of salacious rumours about her. The thought that the people of the Boiling Island thought she would harm children made her stomach queasy.
"(What am I saying, of course, they would believe I would harm children with what I did to Luz, Willow and Gus.)"
Painful memories of past crimes tried to drill their way into her head. Lilith had to prevent herself from spiralling she needed to focus on the conversation.
"You alright sweet flea?" Gwendolyn asked.
"Honey, you were about the spiral again?" Dell asked.
"I' am fine just, fine." Lilith lied "Look I was a toxic influence on her life. She is way better off without me. She just doesn't need me."
Gwendolyn put her elbows on the table and held her hands together all the while putting on an accusatory face "Lilith do you want to know why in all the years you were head of the Emperor's coven I never visited you?"
Lilith said nothing.
"It was because I assumed you did not need me. You had your dream job, you lived in the palace, and you had the adulation of the whole islands. I assumed I would only hold you back or bother you. Had I known how much you truly wanted me in your life OR about how horribly Belos treated you I would most certainly have tried to stay in contact. To sum up I thought you were better off without me."
Lilith took a moment to let her mother's words sink in.
"Lilith Meadowyn Desiderata Clawthorne that poor sweet child needs you in her life now more than ever and I think you need her just as much."
A series of repressed thoughts came into Lilith's mind. Thoughts of getting Amity out of the awful mansion and raising her. Thoughts that Lilith always believed to be flights of fancy not worth taking seriously. Thoughts that she pushed down in order to keep herself strong and focused.
"A lovely thought mother but I had my chance with her, and I blew it. It would be in bad form to try and force myself back into her life."
Gwendolyn leaned back with her arms crossed and a disapproving scowl "Soo disappointing."
Her mother's words stung. Lilith had the misfortune of having the only mother on the Boiling Isles who was not proud of her being in the Emperor's coven, never mind leading it. The more Lilith confided in her about her misdeed as head coveness the more her disappointment grew.
"(She would have been proud of me if I had been a good person, a good sister and a good daughter.)"
Sensing tension Dell decided to step in.
"Look this has been a day lets all start settling down for the night, shall we?"
A tense moment happened before they both muttered "Alright."
It was the next morning and Lilith entered the guest room with a tray of breakfast.
"Good morning my dear how would you like some breakfast in be…" Lilith gasped in horror as she saw Amity dead. Her innards ripped open as though a massive spear impaled her. Desperate Lilith rushed to her ad and tried helplessly to stop the bleeding.
She saw her mother in the hallway shadows, silent and still "Quick mother we have to stop the bleeding." Gwendolyn said nothing.
"Mother please we need to find out who did this to her!"
"You did this."
Lilith gasped at what she said "What are talking about I would never…"
"You did it before."
Lilith looked back only to find that Amity was replaced with Luz impaled on a spike. Her dead face looked at her with terror and confusion "Why did you kill me? Why? I never did anything to you?"
"No, no Eda saved you, I knew she would save you, I never would have if I thought…"
With a trembling blood-soaked hand she reached out and held a "star student" badge "If I gave you a badge would you have let me go? Would you have spared my life for a little piece of paper?"
Lilith gasped at the sight of it and tried to run out of the room only to be intercepted by two kids melting by blue flames. She recognized them as Luz's friends Gus and Willow, though only really knowing them by second-hand means they were by all accounts, wonderful friends and wonderful kids.
"We almost died because of you!" Willow yelled while burning alive.
"You were willing to kill children just to beat your sister." Gus scolded while his skin melted off.
"No, I wasn't, I didn't, I I I…"
A massive gilded birdcage fell out of the air and landed next to her in a thump. Inside was Hunter curled up, scared and deformed "Why didn't you protect me?" the mutilated child pleaded "You knew what Belos was doing to me, but you never stopped him? I thought you were supposed to be the island's hero."
Hands reached out from the bars beneath her grasping at her clothes "Why did you have us arrested? Was Belos happy? Did you get the fame and glory you wanted?"
With a loud roar, Eda pounced, turned to stone trapped in her Owl Beast form. The statue moved toward her to kill her.
"Eda no!" She pleaded "I'm sorry please!"
"You dare ask for forgiveness after all you've done!" Owl statue Eda snarled rancorously.
"But sister…"
Owl statue Eda furiously raised her claw "I have no sister!"
Lilith cowered awaiting her fate.
But nothing happened.
Lilith found herself in a black void.
"Tell me was it all worth it in the end?" Lilith's whole body shook in terror as she remembered that voice, she slowly turned around and saw her former master Emperor Belos.
Lilith ran but Belos slithered in front of her "You gave up your family, your morals, everything to be at my side? Did you enjoy it?"
His comment triggered painful memories of when he and the other coven heads would bully and humiliate her.
"I asked you a question." Belos snarled, causing Lilith to whimper "Was it worth it?"
"Was it worth it?" Owl statue Eda asked.
"Was it worth it?" the impaled Luz asked.
"Was it worth it?" the disfigured Hunter asked.
"Was it worth it?" the seared Willow asked.
"Was it worth it?" the scalded Gus asked.
"Was it worth it?" the murdered Amity asked.
"Was it worth it? Was it worth it? Was it worth it? WasitworthitwasitworthitwasitworthitWaSitwOrthiTwAsITWorthIT…"
Lilith awoke with a loud gasp, she took a moment for the shock to wear off before she realized that she was in her room having another horrid nightmare.
Ever since she left the Emperor's Coven, she had nightmares frequently. At the Owl House she could have cuddled with Hooty if things got bad but here, she was alone.
"No." Lilith sobbed.
Sapphire looked to her mistress wishing she could do something to aid her.
"It wasn't worth it." Lilith cried "It wasn't worth it at all." Lilith broke down and started crying. Sapphire flew from her perch and landed next to her hoping to offer some sort of comfort.
Suddenly a loud sound was heard. Lilith and Sapphire stared at each other and nodded.
Lilith leaped out of bed armed with her staff.
Someone was in their house!