Episode Six Part Three
Matthew's insignia was what scorched Diana's back. Thomas felt so guilty for not acting sooner but his father nor Diana held any grudge; what was important was that he had rescued her and he was now going to fight alongside them.
Diana sat down on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her. Aurora was by her side. She called Em and Sarah.
"Darling…is everything all right?!" Sarah panicked "Is Diana…."
"She's home safe and sound," Aurora assured in tears. "Tell her Sissy D,"
"I'm all right Sarah,"
"Oh, thank goodness," Sarah cried out joyfully through the phone. "Aurora didn't call us for ages no matter how many times we rang. We thought something may have happened,"
"Matthew and his brother didn't rescue me. His son did,"
"What?" both Em and Sarah voice's rung.
"The same vampire who didn't like you?" Em asked.
Diana did need to say 'yes'. In a way, she believed she had already got the fact pointed out. "He's joined our side. As Ysabeau has too,"
"You see aunts…if you get to know someone first…you realise there's more to them than what we have been told," Aurora stated firmly. "You owe Thomas for what he did today. But right now, Diana needs some more rest. We'll call you soon,"
"Okay, honey. Bye! Oh, and please tell Thomas how in debt we are," Em requested.
"No Em! We are not in his debt!" Sarah argued overline.
"Yes, we are! He saved Diana!"
Aurora hung up so they wouldn't have to hear his rant. She and Diana felt a cold presence and turned around to see Thomas. "You both okay?" he asked.
They nodded.
"We called our aunts to let them know,"
"I know," Thomas said. "I can hear everything,"
"We told them what you did for us,"
Thomas was quite surprised.
"What made you change your mind, Thomas?" Aurora asked. "About us?"
"Me realising how prejudiced as was," Thomas circled and sat on the sofa opposite them. "And seeing a witch harm one of their own. Satu should be convicted for such brutal torture. Why would she think to do that?"
"It was all to see my power. I don't know what I am," Diana sighed.
"Whatever power is inside of you, use it. Don't hide it," Thomas advised cautiously. "And don't hide yours either Aurora. It is all a part of who you two are,"
"All these years we believed it was humans who killed our parents. But it turns out it was witches. The whole time," Aurora said hoarsely.
"How could you two have known?" Thomas consoled. "You know now and that's what matters. But know this. No matter how hurt you two feel, killing whoever caused you this pain won't take it away,"
"But it helps," Diana said determinedly. "It's what Ysabeau said,"
"She is wise. But it takes more courage to spare a life than to take one. It's impossible to do. And it's impossible to let go of a grudge,"
"We're truly sorry about what happened to Argus," Aurora felt it was finally time to speak about how she wished she had done back in Oxford.
Thomas tensed. He clenched his fist.
Diana wasn't afraid to continue. "I saw his grave mark outside. I think he would have been proud of you for what you did today,"
Thomas uncannily found her words comforting. "You both remind me of him. He always saw the best in people. And he was more open-minded than I was. Then Baldwin is right now. He will try to take you back to the Congregation, Diana. His sole concern is not for my father's happiness with you but his position,"
"He's not taking you, Diana," Aurora vowed to her sister. "Not while I'm here," she clutched her hand protectively.
"And me," Thomas stood up. "Baldwin will have to deal with me too. Not that he cares whether or not,"
"But he's your uncle," Diana shook her head.
"Baldwin has always hated me since I was sired. So whatever he thinks he can do, he will not get away with it," Thomas walked off in the direction his father went. As he marched up the stairs, he heard Baldwin and Matthew arguing.
"I'm the head of this family!" Baldwin roared standing up from a seat in front of a desk which used to belong to Phillipe. "To protect the de Clairmont's, I will disown you," he was speaking to Matthew.
Thomas clenched his fist.
"This is no longer a family matter," Matthew stood his ground.
"After all these years of default, you're going to rally the Knights of Lazarus to protect a fucking witch?!"
"It will not just be Diana," Matthew wouldn't back down. "Her sister will be under their protection too. And if you ever call her a freak again, it will be the last thing you do," he and Baldwin circled the table. "You are a knight and you are my brother,"
"We fought at the battle of Acre, helped the Albigensian heretics resist the northerners. We do not come to the aid of our master to protect a forbidden love affair,"
"Diana and Aurora need protection. And I will see that she gets it,"
"Phillipe should never have passed on the order to you when he died,"
"It's a good thing he chose a leader who thinks of others and not himself," Thomas approached them cautiously, focusing more on his uncle than his father.
"This is not your place. Leave," Baldwin ordered.
"He is my most faithful knight," Matthew defended.
Baldwin glared coldly at his nephew. "You're taking his side? You agree to this?"
"I do," Thomas said confidently. "I see no reason to join the side of a selfish vampire who has always hated me since I was sired,"
"Why did you risk your life to save a witch?" the repulsive head of the de Clairmont demanded.
"Because my father loves her. Perhaps their love means a change is coming to our world. And we have to accept it. Whether you like it," Thomas approached Baldwin courageously. He leaned his face forward. "Or not,"
This time Baldwin couldn't hold back his anger. He grabbed Thomas's neck but before he could squeeze, his brother spoke again. "Baldwin de Clairmont, I call upon you to fulfil your sworn oath where you will obey my commands until I realise you. Let – my – son – go,"
Baldwin released Thomas's neck with a grouchy expression.
Thomas wasn't harmed. He glared coldly at his uncle with bitter resentment.
"I'll try and make the punishment for Knox's witch the Congregation's main priority," Baldwin said. "But I can't stop them for long,"
He turned and descended the stairs leaving Thomas and Matthew alone.
Thomas sighed. "What did I ever do to make him hate me so much before this happened? And why doesn't he care the same I do?"
Matthew touched his shoulder. "You've done nothing wrong. You never did my boy,"
Thomas turned back to him.
"I know it must have been very difficult to make this decision,"
"No father it was easy. It was easy to make the moment I arrived at La Pierre. I've realised now how I've allowed that pain I've experienced all my life to change me, to turn me into a bigoted man like Baldwin and the Congregation. I'll always hate witches for what they did to me in my human life, and our families too. But I must evolve like Ysabeau if I want to keep our family together. Your love for Diana has taught me so much. All this time I was just afraid of losing another father that I was willing to do anything to get between you two…but I learnt today I was no different from the Congregation. I promise to be a better son,"
"You already are. You will never lose me. That I promise," Matthew embraced him again and Thomas hugged him back.
As they let go, Matthew touched his shoulders. "I need you to tell me something, my son. When you saw the witch torture Diana, what happened? What did you sense?"
Thomas was quite surprised by the question but answered. "The witch was very weak. It was like trying to open Diana up took away her power. I felt...this powerful force coming out of her…like…like Diana's magic was being realised,"
A grave image formed on Matthew's face
Diana and Aurora remained seated where they were. Baldwin came into the living room. Aurora clenched his fists, ice magic powering from her core. Diana gently touched his hand to keep her from attacking; it would do no good.
Baldwin looked at them. "You've both shown that you have some fight in you. You both will need it. You both may get protection from Matthew and the Knights of Lazarus…but you all must make your next move before it's too late. Until we meet again," he turned and left through the open door.
Diana held her sister close as they wondered what would come to pass.
"You should have an early night Diana…" Aurora insisted.
"I'm fine,"
"No Diana. She's right," Thomas's voice spooked them. "Your body is producing the stress hormone and you look a little dreary,"
Matthew and Thomas entered the room.
"Let's get you to bed," Matthew insisted. He walked over to her and helped her up very slowly. Aurora stood up and helped her to the stairs in the nearby hallways.
"Good night sis," she kissed her cheeks.
"Sleep well you two," Thomas said. "Whatever action you take next must be done soon. And you can't do that without some well-deserved rest,"
Matthew gave him a loving nod and he nodded back. He and Diana then disappeared up the stairs leaving the two alone.
"You should get some sleep too Aurora," Thomas insisted.
"First I'm gonna do a call to Marcus. Do you want to join in?"
Thomas was reluctant.
"He has missed you greatly Thomas. And I want to repay you for how you saved my sister,"
"You don't need you Aurora. Your forgiveness is all I ever want. But I'll do it if you insist,"
They both went inside Aurora's room.
"Quite strange to see a creature like sleeping in my brother's room,"
"It's nowhere near as comfortable as the room back at his Oxford home. Man do I miss being around him," Aurora sat down on the chair and pulled out her phone. She called. Instantly Marcus was on.
"Aurora! Are you okay?!"
"Yes! I'm just glad that my sister's home! You're not going to believe who rescued her?!" her eyes drifted up to Thomas who looked dogged. "Your brother,"
"What?!"
"Here! I'll put him on," she offered the phone.
Thomas was still a little unsure.
"Take it," she implored quietly.
Thomas took it and pressed it to his ear. "Hi, Marcus,"
"Tom…you're back,"
"I had a change of heart,"
"I'm so proud brother,"
"I'm sorry about a lot of Marcus,"
"I am too. What you have done today is a sign that you're beginning to move on,"
"I doubt that"
"Your act of saving our father's new mate proves that you are moving on. I know that you don't wanna hear this but Argus would be proud of you right now,"
The mention of Argus again made Thomas tear up. "I think I would have been too…if it was him. Sooner or later, we need to be ready to help father and Diana in any way we can. And Aurora too. It's a good thing you're weren't here today. You should have seen how Baldwin insulted her,"
"Thomas…let's not dwell on that," Aurora interrupted. "Marcus don't be concerned about what Baldwin throws at me,"
"Aurora can I speak to you?" Marcus requested.
Thomas handed Aurora the phone. "Yes?"
"Miriam and I started looking at your blood samples today. Though it might help lift our worries slightly,"
"Okay,"
"There's so much in your blood that we've uncovered. Much different than Diana's,"
"Is that because of my powers?"
"Possibly. But it's more than that…you have the genes of a daemon which must explain your ability to have
"No," Aurora denied. "That's impossible,"
"I'm sorry but it is. We'll continue looking at the data,"
"No! Marcus please! I've already had enough surprises for a lifetime,"
"We have to Aurora. Those witches wanted your blood for a reason. Matthew specifically requested that we'd look into it. You are in grave danger and your blood will tell us why,"
Aurora sighed. She was already shuddering from everything he had said.
"Marcus is right Aurora," Thomas clarified. "I know you may hate feeling different from other creatures and I'm sorry that I insulted you in such a way, but what makes you different is who you are. You can't deny it. You have to accept it. And accepting it means understanding it,"
Aurora wanted to deny everything they had just said but their words were true. She thought about everything she had been since the day Diana discovered Ashmole 782. Her powers amplified. Her visions. Her uncontrollable emotions. Marcus and Baldwin detect strange qualities in her blood. What did it all mean? The question scared her but it also captivated her. Gaining her courage again, she pressed the phone against her ear and said, "Okay Marcus. I'll listen to whatever else you say once you've finished your testing,"
"Aurora…we're going to get through this. Together. No matter what,"
"I'm gonna go to bed. Goodnight Marcus,"
"Goodnight Aurora. Goodnight Thomas,"
"Goodnight brother," Thomas bid him goodnight before Aurora ended the call. "Thank you," he said.
The next morning, everyone gathered in Matthew and Diana's room. She was all healed and she wearing a pair of clean clothes. "I feel so different. The air in my lungs…" Diana felt like she was breathing freely like she was letting out something powerful…like excitement.
"It's no wonder. You've been liberated," Ysabeau said. "Inside and out. Unbound,"
Marthe said something in a different language.
"I think we've established she doesn't need condoling,"
"I'm sorry. Am…am I missing something?" Diana asked.
"What's going on?" Aurora asked. Suspicion was arising. She could detect it.
"Diana, we believe you may have been spellbound," Matthew stood up and approached her carefully. "Do you know what that is?"
"Yes. But…" Diana paused.
"And about what happened to you at La Pierre," Thomas said next. "It somehow freed your magic. I could sense it when it caused your captor's magic to disappear,"
"Diana, do you know who could have done such a thing to you?" Marthe asked as anxiety painted her face.
"I don't understand," Aurora spoke up. "Only mad witches were ever spellbound. Who would do that to Diana?"
Diana turned around and stared into the mirror. "What am I?"
Another episode is done. Just two episodes to go, then it's the end of Season 1. Thank you so much everyone for your support. Please send some reviews and offer any ideas you might have. I am always open. See you in Episode 7.
