Eventually, evening came and the cousin decided to stay at an inn for the night. The inn they chose was Coffin Inn, a nicely sized place that was nestled in the middle of a small fishing town. Luckily the inn had a few rooms available, and after purchasing a room for the night, the cousins went to their room and found two neatly made beds, each possessing a simple thin gray blanket and two white pillows. It was a warm night so neither was worried about getting cold during their sleep.
Wesley sat down on the bed he chose and began the process of kicking off his shoes and massaging his feet, "So Simon," he called. Simon was unlacing his boots and looked up in acknowledgment. "I was wondering, and sorry if it seems inappropriate, but have you and Persephone performed that binding ritual?"
Simon blinked, surprised, "How do you know about that?"
"Well remember how I said we read about Phoenix Shiftesr when we were kids? Well, the book also mentioned the ritual, it didn't go into too much detail, so I'm not sure how it works."
Simon set his boots aside, placing them side-by-side next to his bed, before he shook his head, "No, Persephone doesn't want us to perform the ritual. She worries that I'll regret it considering I will be outliving everyone else by sharing her lifespan."
"Oh," Wesley said, a little dishearted, "I guess that makes sense. Did you want to perform the ritual?"
"Of course I did. Persephone and I had talked about in the past. We even considered it because we believed it would be the only way for us to have children. However, that wasn't necessary." He smiled at his cousin, "Persephone found this golden apple that has these stars on it. It's supposed to grant one's heart's desire." Upon seeing Wesley's dumbfounded look Simon grew worried, "Wesley?"
"D-Did you say you used a golden apple to grant your heart's desire?"
"Yes..."
Wesley's face broke into a massive grin as he laughed, "Oh my gosh! I can't believe it, but I shouldn't be surprised that Aunt Simone is looking out for you!"
"What are you talking about?"
"The golden apple with stars on it," Wesley exclaimed, "That was made by Aunt Simone a long time ago. It's what she was known for!"
"She did?" Simon gasped, as his cousin nods his head enthusiastically.
"Yes! She did! That totally means your parents are looking out for you. I don't doubt it!"
Simon could hardly believe such a thing. That golden apple was his mother's creation? How could he never have known about it? How come no one else has sought it out? There were so many questions and many more were popping up. Simon sighed, falling back into his bed; it wasn't as comfy as the one back at his home and he doubts he'll be able to sleep well without having his wife by his side. His thoughts drift to his parents, who were they? "Wesley, could you tell me more about them?"
Wesley smiled and nodded, "Sure. Well, for starters they didn't have the greatest first impression from what I heard. I know that your mom was on the run from Sylvester, and never stayed in one place for too long."
Simone was a young woman with striking red hair and blue eyes. She was tall, quiet, and preferred to wear dark clothes. Today marked not only the anniversary of when she ran away from home but also her first year as a student at Hexley Hall, a local school to master sorcery. Simone just hoped it would be enough to get away from him.
Classes were dull and she always sat in the back, half-listening to the lectures. She glanced out the window to a beautiful spring day and longed to be outside. Despite her unwelcoming appearance, she was a kind person who just didn't know how to interact with others around her.
Knowing her luck, she'll have to leave this school as well and move on to another one.
Simone adjusted her clothes a little but froze when she heard a familiar laugh from the other side of the classroom. There was the bane of her existence, Luther, chatting with a few friends of his, no doubt they were making fun of her.
Luther was a tall man with red hair like Simone's, his eyes were red as well, which only made her a little more irritated given that that was the same color her father possessed. She always tried to ignore him, finding his antics to be immature. The class hadn't started yet and students were pouring in as quickly as they could. Luther bid his friends goodbye before taking a seat next to Simone's. It wasn't either of their ideas, had the two had their way they would have sat as far away from each other as possible. Sadly, the teacher had assigned everyone a seat and was very fickle about it too. No one was allowed to change seats. Ever.
"I see you're as glum as ever, Moni." Luther chuckled, smirking at her. Simone didn't bother looking at him, her eyes focused solely on the chalkboard ahead.
Luther snorts, "What's your deal anyway?"
She still refused to answer. Luther rolled his eyes and muttered, "No wonder you don't have any friends."
Simone wished she could argue with him on the matter, but he was right. She didn't give anyone much of a chance to get to know her. It wasn't because she didn't want to socialize, she just knew that the second she got comfortable bad things would start happening. Bad things always happened and Simone had learned since she was twelve to never trust others.
Luther continued to make snide comments about her, which Simone ignored to the best of her abilities. However, that only seemed to egg him on further. While their teacher had his back turned to write on the board, Luther took out his wand, and with a snide smirk, cast a little spell on Simone's hair, causing it to turn bright, neon pink, which caught the attention of everyone in the class. The whole room burst into roaring laughter.
It took Simone a moment to realize what had happened. She fumed, shooting up from her seat, glaring heatedly at Luther who was laughing hysterically with the others.
"It's just a joke, lighten up!" He exclaimed, wiping some tears away. His face immediately turned to worry when he saw tears collect on Simone's lower eyelashes. Guilt pooled into his stomach. He was only pulling a joke, hair pranks were harmless and usually made for a good laugh. He only wanted to get her attention. Luther hated being ignored, especially by a pretty girl.
"Listen, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings-" He didn't finish because in a flash he was on the ground, his eye swollen and one side of his face numb with pain.
"Miss Simone, we do not punch other students!" The teacher snapped, finally taking charge of the situation. He pointed a harsh finger at the door, "Go wait in the headmaster's office!"
Simone turned to sneer at Luther before gathering her things and storming out. The door slammed shut behind her, every hanging on the walls rattled as they struggled to remain on their hooks. A few pictures fell and broke.
Luther groaned, touching his swelling eye. Simone sure knew how to hit.
"And you, Luther," the teacher now stood over him, making Luther feel very small and insignificant. The redhead shrunk back at the older man's intense glare. "I can't say you didn't deserve that, young man. Go see the nurse and when you're done, head to the headmaster's office as well. I'll be sending home a note to your parents on your less than gentlemanly behavior."
Luther grunted as he got up to gather his things. All the while, several students snickered at him, while most just frowned in disapproval.
'They hated each other?" Simon asked, stunned by the story. Wesley shook his head, waving it away, "Nah, it wasn't hated, just dislike. See Uncle Luther was one of the popular guys in school and so he wasn't used to girls ignoring him. He just wanted to pull a prank on Aunt Simone."
"Even if it was meant to be harmless, that must have hurt her feelings," Simon said. However, it felt hypocritical. After all, he had unintentionally hurt Persephone when they first met and she nearly took his life for it. Then again, his actions were pure in that he only wanted to comfort her, not harass her, "So what happened next?"
Wesley shrugged, "Well Uncle Luther got into big trouble with my-err our grandparents. They were pretty mad at him and I think they grounded him for it. As for Aunt Simone, she was stuck with pink hair for like two weeks, and she stayed out of school until the spell wore off. Uncle Luther tried to talk to her and apologize..."
Luther waited with a small present in his hands by Simone's desk. He had been doing this for two weeks straight with no sign of Simone insight. He wondered if she transferred schools or dropped out. Thinking back on his actions he couldn't get rid of the terrible guilt eating him alive. He needed to apologize. Surely she'll understand it was only a harmless prank.
He looked up when he spotted a lick of red and smiled politely at Simone. She stopped at her desk, watching him with pure irritation. She looked at him as if he were the ugliest cockroach she's ever had the displeasure of seeing.
"Here," he offered her the present, "I'm sorry for making you cry in class. It was just a prank, and look your hair is all better."
Simone didn't respond, nor did she take his gift. She turned away from him and plopped down on her desk, fishing out her materials from her bag.
"Hey, I told you I was sorry," Luther said again, waving the small gift he had near her face. She glared at him, her blue eyes shooting ice sickles in his soul.
Luther gulped, feeling as though he were facing an angry dragon, "S-So are you going to accept my apology? We don't have to be friends if you don't want to." He honestly didn't want to be her friend. Simone was an enigma that he couldn't quite understand. She stirred things in him, made him feel very confusing emotions, that he wasn't sure of.
"No."
Luther chuckled a little, using his pinkie to clean out his ear, "That's funny, I think I misheard you. I thought you said 'no'."
She looked at him coldly, "Are you deaf or just stupid. I said 'No'. I don't forgive you." She turned her attention to the board ahead where their teacher was writing down their assignments.
"W-Wait, I don't think you understand how this works. I did something mean, and you cried. Then I give you a gift and apologize, and you accept it and we move on with our lives." He nudges the box on her arm, "It isn't that difficult."
Simone glared at him once more, "I don't forgive you. Why is that so difficult for you to understand." She turned away again, "I know you're only sorry that you got in trouble. So take that gift of yours and shove it."
Luther glares at her and tosses the box in his bag, "You really are a wench, do you know that?"
"I've been called worse," she said and Luther snorted in response. He wasn't surprised.
The following days passed with no communication between the two, they refused to even acknowledge each other's presence. The tension between them was so thick, that one could attempt to cut it with a knife, but the knife would break instead.
As the class continued to drag on, the professor spoke up excitedly about a project that everyone was expected to do: hatch a dragon's egg. Of course, dragon eggs weren't notoriously difficult to crack, but this breed was. The eggs were lavender in color with green spots all around them. It was well known that only magic could cause the egg to crack, but the magic needed to be pure and untainted in order to work. The parents of the egg could do this, but sorcerers always had difficulty. The purity of the magic as well as the right amount that flowed mattered most of all to ensure that the egg would crack without exploding or disintegrating. "To control one's flow of magic is very important as you continue your studies in Hexley Hall," the professor said before taking out names from a hat. He read off pairs.
Luther huffed as he squished his cheek on his fist, rolling a pencil on his desk with his other finger.
Simone was reading a book she checked out from the library on protective hexes.
"Simone and Luther!"
Both redheads looked up, horrified to hear their names called upon. The professor smiled, "You two are a pair, be sure to read up on chapter eight in your textbooks on how to properly control your magic. Tomorrow we will practice. Yes, Miss Simone?"
"Do we have to work in pairs?" Simone asked, dropping her raised hand, "I feel that this assignment could be achieved with single individuals."
Luther hated to admit it but Simone was right. Surely he could control his magic enough to hatch a silly egg.
"True," The professor nodded, "An experienced sorcerer could indeed hatch these eggs alone, but I'm afraid that can't be said to any of you. While everyone in this room shows great potential, your skills aren't fully mastered yet. It would be best to share the load with a partner."
"Well, would it be possible to choose a different partner?" Simone asked rather pathetically. The professor sighed and shook his head, "No, Miss Simone, that's not how this will work. Everyone was assigned at random."
Simone huffed, laying her head down in her arms. Luther snorted rolling his eyes, he wasn't happy about this either. Too bad since he would have loved to work with Samuel, his best mate since they were in diapers. What was worse was that Samuel was paired with another good friend, Renold. Luther groaned aloud, not carrying that others could hear him. He thought he heard Simone snort and he glared at her. She returned his look with her equally sharp gaze. Icy blue eyes pierce through his chest, straight into his heart causing searing heat to flood his body in an oddly pleasant way. What was this girl doing? Did she cast a wordless curse on him?
"Let's get one thing out of the way, I don't like you." He said quietly, just loud enough for her to hear. Much to his annoyance, Simone raised an eyebrow, "Is that supposed to bother me?"
"Okay, now I can say I hate you." He growled, 'What's your problem anyway. All I did was change your hair color, it's not that bad."
Simone snorted, rolling her eyes at him, "You humiliated me in front of the class. And then proceeded to add salt to the wound by giving me a gift out of obedience instead of actual guilt."
"Well, at least it was still a gift, the least you could have done was accept it."
"No, I won't accept it. An unwanted gift is nothing but clutter, it's trash that you feel you can't throw away."
Luther growled in response. The so-called trash was a small box of cookies his mother made by hand. Surely if Simone had the heart to actually open the box, she would see that there was genuine guilt involved. Did this girl think so low of him that she believed he took pleasure in other's misfortune?
"You're just mad because you're a lonely wench who has no friends. I'm surprised that your family even has the funds to put you through school in the first place."
He saw her tense up and smirked, "Oh did I hit a nerve? I guess you're as poor and stupid as everyone says. Your father is stupid and so is your mother."
In a flash Simone was on her feet, her wand pointing at him, "Don't you dare speak of my mother like that, you heartless bastard! Perhaps I should turn you into what you truly are!" With that, she cast a spell that turned Luther's head into that of a donkey. She gathered her things before the professor could even speak and left.
Simon gawked at Wesley, he couldn't believe that two people, who were his parents, hated each other so much, "And how did my parents fall in love? It sounds impossible now."
Wesley laughed, "Oh, believe me, most would think that. From what I know, Uncle Luther went home like that, his parents weren't happy. As for how, well I don't know if they worked on the project together or not, I think their teacher assigned them, new partners after your mom hexed your dad. But the thing was that Uncle Luther and Aunt Simone got assigned together for a different project a few months later by a different teacher. I think it was a project that involved brewing potions of some kind. Anyways it was after that, that your dad started to fall for you mom."
"How did that happen?"
"Well... Sylvester had a part in it, I'm afraid."
Simone was jolting down notes as their potions master spoke about what they needed to do for their brew. Normally, Simone loved to learn more about brewing, she had an idea of making special apples that were gold in color and could grant one's heart's desire. Sadly, she was paired with that loudmouth who just loved to turn her life into a nightmare.
Luther wasn't too happy either and showed it by the scowl he wore on his face. It had been a few months and people were still snickering about him having a donkey for a head, calling him insightful names in the process. What he had done was a simple hair prank, nothing that would ruin her reputation, as she had done to his. Now everyone in school liked to make "Hee-haa" noises whenever he passed by, or ask if why he had such a long face. School children are the worst!
He glared at Simone again, feeling an odd mixture of annoyance and curiosity. he couldn't quite place what he felt about her, it was something new and unfamiliar; something he did not like in the slightest. He would have happily turned her head into a cow's, but casting spells on other students were now forbidden in school walls and those who were caught casting any malicious spells were immediately sent home for two weeks, some even expelled.
Luther still didn't understand what Simone's problems were. She could at least take a joke or two. She seemed pretty upset when he mentioned her family and especially her mother. Did something happen to Simone's mother?
He sighed, writing down a few notes as their professor continued to go on about the safety measures. He couldn't have cared less about it.
Simone was also bored with the same lecture about safety and what-not. However, she sensed a familiar aura in the air, one that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and her skin crawl. She could almost feel him breathing down her neck as he chuckled, the heavy smell of his disgusting breath searing the insides of her nose, making her want to vomit. It was like breathing the smell of rotting flesh. She felt dizzy and wrong.
"Hey what's wrong with you?" Luther asked, genuinely concerned. He had never seen someone grow so pale before and Simone's wide, wild eyes made him worry for her sanity. Simone didn't answer, she immediately shot her hand up to gain the professor's attention, "Professor Hopps, I need to leave, I'm afraid I'm not feeling well."
Thankfully Professor Hopps wasn't a cruel teacher, and he could see the paleness in Simone's face, "Yes, yes, go right ahead to the nurse's office, Miss Simone. Are you feeling alright?"
She didn't answer, she clapped a hand over her mouth and rushed out of the classroom, barely keeping herself from purging on the floor.
Luther watched her leave, wondering if she had come down with something. He hoped he wouldn't get sick either since they were seated together. He decided to go back to his notes, faintly noting how the candle that would be used to brew flickered about wildly.
Simone could hardly breathe, she managed to keep herself from throwing up and sat outside the girls' lavatory. Hot tears burned her eyes as she shook with an unholy fear. "Calm down," Simone whispered to herself, hugging her arms and curling forward until her forehead touched her knees, "Calm down, it's okay. You're okay." But nothing was okay because she knew he was here. He always managed to find her. What did his father want? To kill her too?
No, he said he wouldn't kill her, but he needed her for something. The monster was sick and twisted beyond anything she'll ever know. Simone didn't know her birth father very well and hadn't known much about him until just a few years ago when he showed up, unannounced, calling for her mother.
Then he had spotted Simone and realized who she was to him. He had become delighted and scolded Simone's mother for keeping his daughter away from him. Simone's mother was angry and protective, she tried to fight him, but he took her life with a quick flick of his wand, casually saying she should have never run from him and that she should have understood his desires early on.
Simone watched in horror as her mother's lifeless body fell to the floor before turning to watch Sylvester approach her. He smiled lightly, though his eyes were sinister. He assured her he wouldn't kill her. That he would never kill his own child. He was happy to learn his blood still continued on, flowing through her veins now.
Simone didn't wait to hear what he wanted from her, she used her magic to make a desperate escape and ran. She's been running for so long now, it was becoming more difficult to hide. He's been finding her more easily, no matter how hard she tried to hide, he just wouldn't let her escape him. Eventually, he'll catch her and she can't imagine what his plans would be from there.
Loud screams and the smell of smoke catches the young girl's attention, making her heart jump in alarm. She got up and ran to the source of the noise, her eyes burning as the smoke became stronger. She saw everyone racing out of their classroom, plumes of black smoke pouring out of the door. Professor Hopps, urging everyone to go outside, coughing as he did. Simone hurried to follow everyone, keeping an eye out for her father. She knew how this went. Every time she sensed him, something bad always happens, no doubt to draw her out. He wasn't above killing. He's killed a lot of people in her life. Her mother, her friends' everything. She couldn't stay for very long, and when she feels she's escaped him, that maybe he's given up, he shows up and ruins everything for her, forcing her to flee again.
Everyone in school had been forced to leave, while the fire was dealt with by some of the faculty. As they waited outside in the chilly wind, Simone couldn't help but feel responsible for this. It was her father who had done this, and he would surely do it again. She knew she was readily putting others' lives on the line just so she could have a semi-normal life. It was selfish.
Professor Hopps went around calling names of all of his students, as did all the other professors. Everyone was accounted for. Every except...
"Where's Luther?" Professor Hopps asked, scanning his crowd of students. His eyes widen in worry, "Mr. Steven, you were sitting behind Mr. Luther, did you see him leave the classroom."
"I couldn't see!" The short ginger said, "It was all dark and smokey."
Simone gasped, cold ice flooded her veins. Her father's words echoed in his skull from their last encounter. "You can run, my child. You can start a new life, but with every life you make, I'll take on away, until you have no one left but me."
She couldn't allow him to win. Thinking fast she waved her wand and teleported back inside the burning building. Smoke flooded the air, making it hard to breathe and see. Simone covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve, staggering slowly inside the classroom. She nearly fell over on a discarded chair that had been tossed on the ground.
A sinister chuckle was heard and Simone glared at the owner of it. Sylvester the Steadfast. He didn't appear bothered by the smoke and fire that was eating away at the classroom. There laying on the ground at Sylvester's feet was Luther. Half dead. He was still breathing though, but that amount of smoke was surely suffocating him.
"Hello, dear daughter. Did you miss me?" Sylvester asked, giving Luther a sharp kick in his side, earning a strangled gurgle from him. Simone took out her wand and pointed it at him, threateningly, "I thought I told you to stay away from me!"
"Child, is that any way to treat your father?"
"You're not my father." She seethed, hatred burning in her eyes. "You leave me alone, old man, or else I'll-"
Sylvester laughed, cutting her off and clapping his hands in applause, "Wow, you're being very serious. I would be intimidated but I know for a fact that your magic can't do a thing against me. It' my blood that flows throughout veins girl, my legacy is in you. I admire that you have the courage to threaten me, but do you think such words will stop me. You know as well as I do that there is only so much fighting you can do against me, Simone. And the more you try to hide, the more lives you lose. Is it really all worth it? What would people say when they find out who you really are. Just how many lives are you willing to sacrifice, my dear girl?"
Simone bit her lip, trembling, "Then maybe I should just save us both the trouble and end this here and now." She pointed her wand at herself, making Sylvester's eyes widen. She glared at him steely, "I would rather die than become whatever you're wanting. Your legacy, your blood ends with me, old man. I will not allow you to continue this." The tip of the wand began to heat up as she prepared for the spell.
"Enough," he said and the fire and smoke immediately vanishing but leaving behind charred remains of what it had done. Sylvester eyed her and smirked, "You're just as spirited as I was, dear daughter. But don't think you've won yet. I only want you alive to fulfill a purpose of mine, nothing more."
"That day won't come," Simone growled tightly between her teeth, "Get out."
Sylvester smirked and was gone in a flash. Simone's knees wobbled a second later and she crumbled to the ground to cough and catch her breath. She sobbed for a short minute before remembering that she wasn't alone in the room. Quickly, she rushed to Luther and shook him, but he refused to wake up. Simone pinched his nose and covered his mouth with hers, pushing air into his lungs. She preceded to pump his chest a few times before pushing air into his body again. Finally, he choked and spit up some bile, shaking as he came too, his red eyes meets hers, "Simone..."
She nodded and helped him up to his feet, half carrying him out the door to find a medical team.
Two weeks passed since the accident and in that time Simone became a popular subject to discuss. No one quite knew what had happened during the fire incident. There was some suspicion lurking around, students finding it odd that Simone had left just a few minutes before the fire started. And even more so when Luther was found nearly dead in her arms. It was no secret amongst the students or faculty that the two did not mix well.
It was even more suspicious that the day after the fire, Simone had not returned to school and still hadn't shown her face.
Plenty of students and teachers defended her, proclaiming that she was a hero who saved a fellow classmate. There was no evidence of Simone starting the fire, the classroom had been looked over from top to bottom. They could not trace anything back to Simone.
As for Luther, he spent two days recovering at home. When he returned to school he was greeted with a warm welcome back. Luther had noticed Simone's absence immediately and wondered where she was. He still couldn't believe she saved him, even after all the terrible things he said. Luther felt he owed her an apology and maybe a free lunch to talk and hopefully clear the air. He came to school early to wait for her to arrive at her seat, but she never did. He went to all the known locations Simone liked to haunt in but she wasn't present.
Luther had a feeling that there was more going on than he realized. With the mysterious fire putting everyone on edge and Simone's sudden act of heroism, everyone was throwing around their own theories on what had happened. Luther didn't like how some were speculating that Simone was the cause f the fire. How could anyone think that? Surely the investigators would have found something, but they weren't able to link anything to her. And despite her casting a stupid donkey spell on him, Simone never did anything to warrant suspicion. She was a quiet, lonely girl, who gave everyone the cold shoulder. She never bothered anyone so long as they didn't bother her. What would she gain from starting that fire?
The redhead young man shook his head, walking past the Headmaster's office to head to his next class when he saw a lick of vibrant red. Luther froze, standing in the doorway, peering in to see none other than Simone, talking to the Headmaster. Their headmaster was Headmaster Donald the Diligent, he was well in his late fifties with a tall body and long mustache. It appeared they were having a conversation. Luther strained his ears to listen.
"I'm very sorry to see you go," Headmaster Donald said, looking genuinely sad, "Are you sure this is the best course of action for you? You're putting your education at risk, Miss Simone."
"Yes," Simone said without any hesitation. Her tone was even, almost monotoned, as if she didn't care about this place one bit. Luther's eyes widen in shock. Was Simone leaving?
Headmaster Donald sighed and handed Simone a piece of parchment paper with a quill, "Just fill this out and sign at the bottom, and we'll get the rest done. I wish you the best of luck, Miss Simone."
"Thank you, Headmaster."
Luther didn't know what possessed him, but he immediately cleared his throat and knocked politely, but frantically on the door, "Headmaster Donald, I apologize for interrupting, but my teacher, Mr. Kem, insists that there is an issue he must speak with you about. Something involving a Fliegel, I believe."
Immediately Headmaster Donald's face grew pale like a corpse before his eyes shined with anger and he immediately grabbed his wand, "Oh it better not be that pesky little Fliegal Grotta again. She and her nasty attitude always get her into trouble!" He turned to Simone, 'My dear, I'll be back soon. Please just fill out this page and then you can leave." He doesn't wait to hear her answer before rushing out right past Luther.
Luther knew he was going to get into trouble for lying but he had more important things to worry about. "Simone, what are you doing?"
Simone was ready to make the first stroke of her quill when Luther spoke to her, causing her to turn her head in his direction, "I don't believe that's any of your concern, Luther. "She said rather stiffly.
Luther frowned and marched over to her, his arms crossed, "Cut the hogwash, Simone, I see that you're signing a resignation as a student form. Why?"
"As I said, that's none of your concern," she growled back, "I'm merely changing schools."
"To where?"
"Why do you care?"
"Why do you want to leave?"
"Because I can."
"That's not a true answer, Simone."
She huffed, rolling her eyes, "And since when are you in charge of my life? Last I checked you hate me, so shouldn't you be thrilled that I'm leaving. I wouldn't be surprised if you decided to throw a huge party for the occasion."
"I never hated you," he said. Did she really think he despised her so much?
"Oh really? I never would have thought. Your insults are so lovely that it's hard to imagine they're secretly words of encouragement. Like the one, you said about my mother."
Luther winced, deep pain in his chest. He sighed and rubbed his hands together, "I'm sorry I said that, Simone. If you're leaving because of me, then please say so. I don't want you to leaven, especially after you saved my life."
Simone shook her head, "It doesn't matter regardless, I can't stay."
"Why not?"
"I just can't." She looked sad then, "It'll only make things worse."
"Is it because of all the rumors?' He asked desperately, "They're just being stupid. You know how students are, they like to cause drama and make fun of people."
"Like how you've done to me." She snapped like a whip and he winced again. "I'm sorry I was such an inconvenience in your education, Luther. But to answer your question, no it doesn't have to do with silly rumors either. Even if I hadn't left the class, I'm sure someone would have come up with that theory."
"Then what is it?" He needed to know. Simone couldn't leave, not before he had the chance to thank you properly.
"It's complicated."
"Hogwash!"
"It is," she snapped, her eyes shooting icicles into his soul, "Look I don't have to tell you why, just know that it is and be done with it. Why can't you let that go?"
"Because I don't want you to leave." He finally said, stepping closer to her, "You can't leave."
"Why because then you wouldn't have anyone else to make fun of? Poor little Luther isn't able to tell someone how stupid they are. Boohoo."
"Simone..."
"Enough," she huffed, "You're wasting my time and yours. Just let me be and leave me alone."
"Can you at least stay long enough for me to thank you?"
She regarded him like a grew a second head, "Is that why you want me to stay?"
"By gosh woman, you're the most frustrating creature I've ever met! No! I want you to stay because I like that you go to our school! I don't want you to leave. I know I've been nothing but a jerk to you and I'm sorry, but I promise if you stay I'll never hurt you again. I won't make jokes about your family, or you. I'll even sit at another desk if the teacher will allow it. But please stay here."
Simone's eyes watered with tears, "I can't."
Luther gasped as she reach to write on the paper, "Simone, please..."
"Luther!" They both jumped as Headmaster Donald marched in, glaring at him, "So, do you think it's funny to send me on a wild goose chase?'
"Headmaster, I'm sorry, I just needed to speak to Simone."
"I don't care what your reasoning is, stay outside while I take care of this!"
Luther looked at Simone, begging her with his eyes to reconsider her decision. She couldn't meet his gaze. Reluctantly he left the room and sat on one of the chairs outside the headmaster's office.
After a few minutes, Simone walks out the door. Luther rises to his feet and grabs her wrist before she could leave, "Simone, wait."
"I thought I told you to leave me alone." She growled through tears. Luther slid a note into her hand, "My address," he said, letting go of her hand, "If you ever need help or just want someone to talk to, come find me." He winced when the headmaster called him into his office.
Simone looked at the piece of paper he had given her and pocketed it, "Just forget I exist," she said and left.
No one heard from Simone for a month. In that month, Luther tried to find her. He asked around, went through some of the school's student forms (and got into huge trouble for that), but there was nothing about Simone. It was like she disappeared, just like she had wanted. He left notes in her locker for Merlin's sake! Apologies for his actions, begging her to reconsider her decision to leave, promises to be better, to be her friend.
She was gone and it looked like she was never coming back.
Some part of Luther felt betrayed. This woman had saved his life and then had the gull to leave when he realized that he might actually like her, as in like-like her. Oh, the irony of it all. It was as if the universe itself was laughing at his misfortune. Surely he wasn't that much of a donkey to warrant such tomfoolery. If his grandchildren were to ask about his first love, what would he tell them, that he made fun of her and sent her running for the hills?
He could only hope that Simone was okay. Whatever was going on, whoever she was involved with, he hoped that she was smart enough to stay out of trouble.
As he sat in the living room, reading a book by candle light, a frantic knock was heard, breaking the spell of the most recent chapter. Dog earing the page, he set it aside and answered it, slightly annoyed, "Yes..." His voice trailed off as he saw the girl he had been looking for for the past month, "...Simone?"
She looked worse for wear. Her hair was a mess, there were dark bags under her eyes, and she was bleeding from her hands. "What happened to you?" He asked quickly urging her inside to tend to her wounds.
Simone shook, heavy tears falling down her face. She only managed three words, hastily put together between her sobs, as she began to crumble under her trauma, "He... killed them..."
"Who?" Luther was quick to summon a wet cleaning cloth and some bandages to tend to her hands. Her wounds were minor, they looked like defensive wounds, "Simone, what happened?"
She broke down crying, "My father, he killed my aunts," she sobbed, falling into his shirt. She cried for several minutes before her sobs broke down to tiny whimpers. Luther sits her down in a chair and casts several spells to lock the house down, the heaviest protection spell he knew, and even went so far as to place a perspection spell so the house could appear invisible to those who didn't know it was there. He did not want to alert his family of what was going on when he himself had no idea.
"Tell me what happened," Luther ordered gently, wrapping gauze around her hands. Simone whimpered, "If I do, then you'll kick me out and I can't be out there. Not with him chasing me."
"I promise I won't kick you out, Simone. I told you that you have a safe place to stay with me, and I intend to keep my word. Now if I'm going to help you, then you need to trust me. Please, Simone."
It was obvious that Simone didn't know how to trust people, or even rely on them. She only ever had herself most of her life. It was hard living with the knowledge that her father was nothing short of a monster. After Sylvester brutally murdered her mother, Simone fled as fast as she could, racing to the home where her aunts lived. They weren't the most maternal figures in her life, but they at least cared enough to let her in. Simone had three aunts, all older sisters of her mother. Aunt Phin, Aunt Brenda, and Aunt Summer. They took Simone in when she arrived, sobbing and babbling about her parents.
Simone was told the story. Her mother married Sylvester against the wishes of the rest of the family. Then one day she left him for reasons unknown, perhaps because she realized what kind of person he actually was, but she wasn't alone. She left because she was expecting Simone. And her mother and the rest of the family kept Simone as safe as possible.
Simone and her aunts moved from place to place, trying to keep the redhead girl safe, but also want her to have a decent education. Tonight, Sylvester found them in their little cottage and murdered her aunts on sight. Simone tried to interview and received cuts on her hands from the result. Realizing she had no one left, Simone fled to the only person she could think f in such a dire situation.
"Simone, please tell me what happened," Luther begged, He had finished dressing her injures and was now waiting for her to speak. Simone swallowed, preparing herself for the worst, and began speaking. She told him everything.
Luther gasped, "Your father is Sylvester the Steadfast?"
Simone nodded, tears falling freely from her eyes followed by a broken "Yes."
"And he... Oh, Simone, I'm so sorry," Luther gathered her in his arms, shushing her as she sobbed in his shoulder. He stroked her lovely red hair and squeezed her tightly, vowing then and there he would not let Sylvester take her away. "I'll keep you safe, I promise."
Simone sobbed, "I'm sorry to bring you into this..."
"Don't be, I'm here to stay."
Simon's eyes were wide with horror," He killed everyone on my mother's side of the family?" Ice course through his veins as dread filled his stomach. His poor mother must have been through so much. Just like what had happened to Persephone.
Welsey looked sad and nodded, "Yes. I don't know the full story of how he and your grandmother got together. From what I know, your grandma really believed she could change him into a good person, like how Princess Sofia changed Mr. Cedric. But the thing is, I doubt Mr. Cedric has ever taken a life so maliciously."
Simon nodded his head in agreement, "That's horrible. I wish I could say I'm surprised, but..." He bites his lip and looked down at his hands, they were trembling. These hands have taken lives before. Several lives, all malicious. All in the effort to earn his grandfather's approval. Simon dropped his hands onto his lap and sighed, feeling disgusted with himself, "And I suppose my parents fell in love sometime after my mother came to my father for help?"
Wesley chuckled, "It wasn't as easy as you make it sound. Your dad fell for your mom first and it took a while for her to trust him. They courted for a while and it took your father a year to convince your mother to marry him."
Simon quirked an eyebrow, "A whole year?"
"Yeah, your mom was really worried about getting married. I think it was because she was scared to danger our whole family, but the thing was she became part of the family. My parents, Lex and Anene loved her like a sister, and your dad practically worshiped the ground she walked on. There was no way they were going to let Sylvester get to her. "
"So they eventually got married and then had me?"
Wesley nodded, "Yep! I was two when you were born, so I don't remember much, but I do remember that your dad practically begged your mom to name you Simon."
"Why?"
"Because he wanted to name you after your mother. Simone, Simon. Just take out the E. He really loved your mom and she loved him a bunch too."
Simon smiled weakly, genuinely touched by this knowledge. He never took time to think about his parents, he always suspected they died or were so much like Sylvester, but that wasn't the case. As it turned out they were good people who wanted to give him a good life. And that made Simon want to know more about them.
"Did my parents graduate Hexley Hall?" Simon asked curiously.
Wesley nodded, "I think so. Let's see, your dad was given the title of Luther the Legendary, and your mom had the title of Simone the Sophisticated. Pretty cool names right?"
Simon stared in awe, "Wow, those are very impressive titles. And were they happy to have me?"
Wesley yawned loudly "Yeah, your parents loved you a bunch. You were their pride and joy."
Simon bit his lip looking down at the ground, "I doubt they would have been proud of the things I did as a kid."
Wesley smiled, "I think they would have understood that was how you were raised. You're different, Simon. You have a family of your own, I'm sure your parents are proud of you. I mean, you got that golden apple for a reason, maybe that's your mother telling you she's still around and that they both love you."
"You really are a true believer in fate," Simon said and Wesley nodded.
"Hasn't steered me wrong," the blond said, "I get that a lot of people are skeptical, but I know that things do happen for a reason, and me finding you was a reason."
Simon nodded, laying back on his bed, "Well, then let's see where fate takes us next. I'm exhausted."
"Me too," Wesley stretches out on his bed and rolls over to press his face into a fluffy pillow, "Good night cuz!"
Simon rolled his eyes at the nickname, but smiled regardless, "Good night, Wesley." He rolled to his side to stare out the small window, seeing the large moon flowing at him. A feeling of homesickness washes over as he imagines Persephone reading to the children and tucking them into their beds. Tomorrow he'll wake up without the familiar warm bodies surrounding him. He places his hand over his chest, where his scar had once been, "Don't worry, my love. I'll return soon. I promise."