"Well, that went well" Everett sighed, as he sat down on a cream-coloured couch, inviting Nicholas and Perenelle to do so also. He started fiddling with a brown and green woven band around his wrist.
"I see you know her" Nicholas asked.
"Knew her"
"If you don't mind me asking, where from?" Perenelle asked cautiously.
"Well, you see, when we were young, we were, ah, together. I was 20 and Scatty was just 17. We were on the run from Hekate. We had no money, no home, nothing. So we decided to steal a gem we found from her.
"We didn't know this, but it was the Gem of the Humani. We just thought it was some random gem, and that we would sell it. We were going to start anew with the money. Unfortunately, it turned out that Hekate really loved that gem. She sent her Torc Alta after us. Then Scathach had a plan.
"She would surrender to the Torc Alta and, as she knew, would be sent to her shadowrealm prison. Then I would come and rescue her from the prison. You see, Hekate never checked on her prisoners, she thought that the jail was unescapable. That would leave us free and innocent. It was brilliant, but I didn't like the plan, Scatty could get hurt, but Scathach was certain that it would work. And it would've. I had made it into the shadowrealm, and was on my way to rescue her. We had agreed that I would come at midnight, and I could see her waiting for me. Then I stopped. Scathach had faith in me, she relied on me. But I couldn't give her the life she deserved. Did you know that her family despised her? That they ignored her? That they hurt her? They told her that she was nothing and that no one would ever love her. But I did. And I was determined not to hurt her like everyone else did. If we stayed together, then she would become like me. A fugitive. If I left, then she would hopefully forget me, and get back onto the right track. So I didn't save her"
Perenelle and Nicholas were silent. Finally, Perenelle spoke, "You do realise, that by leaving her, you would have hurt her more than anybody else? She would have opened up to you, let you in. But then you left her. I understand what you were trying to do, but it wouldn't have worked"
"When are we leaving?" The three turned in surprise to see Scathach leaning in the doorway, her face a mask.
"Whenever Everett's ready." With that, Scathach turned out of the room. Everett wondered how much she had heard. She had always been silent when she wanted to be, so she might have heard everything. He saw Perenelle stand up and follow her out of the room. Everett then left to pack, leaving Nicholas alone in the room, to ponder over the recent events.
Perenelle left the living room and walked down the hall, checking each room until she walked out of the front door and found Scathach in the front yard, completely demolishing an old oak tree with her twin swords. Her face was emotionless as she lashed out at the tree again. She ignored Perenelle. Perenelle held her arm, stopping her from hitting the tree again. Scathach looked down, avoiding eye contact with Perenelle, who eventually spoke,
"Look, Scatty. I know that this is-"
"I'm fine" Scathach interrupted, emotion unchanging.
"No, you're not," She said forcefully, as she sat down on the grass, pulling Scatty down to. "And I want you to know that you don't have to come, if you don't want to"
Scatty's lip quavered. "Yes, I do, you see, I know where the gem is. Hekate took me when she hid it. She needed the blood of a Next Generation to open the entry. Now only my blood can open it again"
"Then let's do this"