"I'll meet you two back home," Lena murmured to Wolf and Fiona, kissing them both on the forehead and playfully waving them away. "Shoo! Gotta help clean up after dinner."
The other two chortled and Lena watched quietly as Fiona was lead off by her father. Shortly after, Lena returned to helping the other kitchen hands with the dishes. As she brought in a few plates, her mind traveled over the events of the feast.
Jake and Aikachi had hit it off and were busy helping others make the last repairs to the damaged bunkhouses. She could even hear the distant clanging of the hammers from a few alleys down.
Everyone attending were in good spirits; even Gordon was enjoying himself. It was one of the few times Lena had seen the boy with an expression other than mechanical on his face.
The food was plentiful as was the chatter. Jake even volunteered to say Grace to Hamasis.
After dismissing herself, Lena moved through the now empty dining area; she could still smell the reminiscent waft of their meal hanging in the air. Time to head home. And Lena promptly turned to move back toward the bunkhouse.
She passed familiar faces as she took a mental headcount, responding to each one of them with a slight nod and a smile.
Gordon and the scouts tending to the milk cows at the edge of the meadow.
Sarah, Brightcrow, and Winifred keeping watch over the children playing on the porch.
Jake and Aikachi helping a small crew of juveniles to lift a damaged frame from the bunkhouse.
Everything seemed normal, though Lena knew that her Matriarch was nowhere to be seen. Though she didn't worry much; she was most likely atop the hill, to which Lena expectantly turned her head.
And saw nothing.
In fact, Simone had for the most part vanished, even before the dinner was over. Lena almost felt guilty for not following, though part of her kept telling her that Simone needed her space.
She needs a lot of space, Lena thought, furrowing her brow.
She looked by Hamasis' statue. By the docks. Nothing.
Lena shook her head at the thought of exploring the sandbars; she knew well enough that Simone had never ventured near the shore without an escort…
Pace, pace, pace.
The scenery looked all the same, moving up and down the rock ledge.
Pace, pace, pace.
Until the scenery around her became but a blur.
Simone had no idea why she was pacing. She stopped, suddenly feeling sick. Like someone had punched her in the gut. She wrapped her arms around herself and reluctantly sat down, thoughtfully glancing at the deltas beyond the cliff.
Not a boat in sight. As her blurred vision began to fixate again, Simone suddenly realized that she had no idea how she had ended up here. Looking around slowly, Simone gathered that she hadn't ascended to the cliff since she and her colony had first come to the island many years ago.
Many years ago…
Ago…
Simone shook her head, trying to fight the whirring feeling, to shut off that distant ringing in her ears. It was harsh, high pitched, and it hurt. Slowly, the pitch began to break into different tones. Highs and lows. Harsh and soft. Until they finally became voices; distant voices that were slowly becoming words. No, not voices. A single voice. A female voice.
And a voice that Simone recognized. Her throat tightened so quickly that she choked, staring off into nothing, almost as if she were in a trance.
Oh, gods, this always happened before her fade-outs. This is the first time she'd actually tried to pay attention to the voices; they were driving her mad and she needed to know what they were, damnit!
You…!
The voice was getting clearer. Enough to where Simone could make out words.
You are not worthy! Taking in a little strumpet with her bastard offspring! How dare you stand up to my authority!
She knew. Oh gods, she knew. Simone's chest tightened and her teeth clenched as the voices suddenly vanished. Left her head in the form of an earsplitting ring that cut off almost as soon as it began. Like something had… choked it….
Drowned it…
All she saw was water now. It enveloped her body in its inky coldness, sloshing around her, pulling her in. It covered her eyes, blinding her. Tightening against her skin and holding her under its surface. Just below the surface as if taunting her. And two strong hands holding her down.
Die. Die…! Die, my daughter, die!
"No..!" Simone threw herself to her side in a heaving bellow. She clawed, fighting. She could still feel the hands and water on her and damnit, Simone was going to fight!
Suddenly the clenching moved from Simone's neck to her shoulders. Tightly clasped on and shaking. Simone didn't care, she knew it would do the same job. But she was going to fight back this time. She wanted this madness out of her!
Simone couldn't see a thing even though her eyes were wide open. But she could hear the voice.
Die. Die…! Die, my daughter, die!
"I'm taking you with me!" Simone roared, lunging.
Blackness. Silence, save for the distant birds chattering in the cypress branches.
Slowly, her vision cleared. She flinched as the color brightened and returned to normal, and she looked down.
Underneath her, and clasped around the neck, was Lena. Her eyes were wide in terror; she had never seen Simone actually have one of her trauma seizures. But she had no idea of just how violent they could turn her otherwise gentle companion.
"Lena..!" Simone choked, her face untwisting into shock and quickly moving away. She tried to sit up straight, but the Matriarch seemed to have trouble even holding her frame up.
Simone's younger companion kept her distance for just a moment to examine her friend. She didn't know whether to be scared, angry, or to just pity the Matriarch who just now seems worlds away. She knew little of Simone's past – but now she knew enough.
"Come here," Lena murmured, gently taking Simone's hand.
Simone threw herself into Lena's embrace and cried.