Written For:
- Day 6 of 366 Days of Writing Challenge: Awaken
- 2016 Monthly Prompt Challenge (January): (word) Dollhouse
- Gringotts Prompt Bank/Said Synonyms: muttered, ordered, snapped, hissed, begged
- Gringotts Prompt Bank/Family & Friends: child, sister
Pairings/Characters: Cedrella, Callidora
Word Count: 464
Not Yet A Woman
Regrets collect like old friends, here to relive your darkest moments.
Callidora walked into the large bedroom that she shared with her younger sister, Cedrella, and scowled at her back. Cedrella was sitting in front of the old wooden dollhouse that the three sisters used to play with as children—used to, in Callidora and Charis's case. It appeared that sixteen-year-old Cedrella still had an interest in playing with the little wooden dolls and furniture.
"What are you doing?" Callidora demanded to know, making Cedrella flinch and spin around to face her. She frowned at her older sister.
"Playing in the dollhouse," she muttered, turning back to it. "What does it look like?"
Callidora sighed loudly and closed the bedroom door behind her, before heading over to her bed and sitting on top of the covers. She watched Cedrella's slightly moving frame observantly, noticing the way that she had pulled the thick cloak she was wearing around her protectively, since Callidora had entered the bedroom.
"It's the middle of summer, Cedrella. Take off that cloak."
"I'm a little cold, actually," Cedrella replied quickly. Her response was too quick; too prepared. Callidora smirked, and swung her legs off the bed, walking over to her little sister.
"Take it off," she ordered, and Cedrella whipped around again, narrowing her eyes.
"I said no, Callidora!"
Callidora groaned loudly. "Take it off, and stop playing around with dolls! The only reason mother allows you to keep it around is because she thinks you will pass it on to your own children—which you will be doing, sooner rather than later," she added the last comment in a low hiss, which caused Cedrella's eyes to widen.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she snapped defensively.
"You need to stop acting like a baby and awaken the woman that you're becoming, Cedrella," went on Callidora smoothly. She reached over and grabbed at her cloak. Cedrella tried in vain to keep it wrapped around her, to no avail—Callidora managed to pull the cape from Cedrella's person and throw it to the other side of the room, leaving her looking extremely vulnerable in her skimpy nightshirt.
She wrapped her hands around her body protectively, but it was too late—Callidora had already seen the swollen bump that was in place of Cedrella's usually flat stomach. "I knew it! It's the blood traitor's, isn't it?" Callidora hissed triumphantly. Cedrella's eyes swam with tears.
"Please, 'Dora," she begged, her bottom lip quivering. "You can't tell Father. You know how angry will be," she hoped that Callidora would listen to her pleas, but it was pointless. Her older sister's eyes were glittering cruelly.
"Its time to act your age, Cedrella," she said, heading over to the bedroom door and opening it. "Grow up."
