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Mother Knows Best (Tangled) – Flemeth & Morrigan

Morrigan gulped as her mother stared at her. She wasn't sure what had overcome her. A moment of rebelliousness? A quick flame of wilful passion? Maybe she was just searching for a painful death.

"You want to go outside?" repeated Flemeth, who was watching her teenage daughter with interest. Maybe this would be her chance to twist the girl's mind into staying with her. She did have her plans, after all. She gasped in put-on horror. "Why, Morrigan…!"

She shook her head. "Look at you, fragile as a flower," she sighed."Still a little sapling, just a sprout. You know why we stay here in this forest."

Morrigan shrugged. "I know," she muttered, "but –"

Flemeth nodded eagerly. "That's right," she said. "To keep you safe and sound, dear." She sighed once more, wrinkled hands on her hips. She was getting old. And Morrigan – beautiful, naïve Morrigan – was just coming into her own bewitching youth. "Guess I always knew this day was coming," she murmured, shaking her head. "Knew that soon you'd want to leave the nest. Soon – but not yet."

Morrigan's face fell. "But –" she protested, fruitlessly.

The witch shushed her tenderly. "Trust me, pet," she soothed. "Mother knows best."

Morrigan was staring, yellow eyes narrowed. "Mother knows best," stated Flemeth, taking hold of the girl's shoulders."Listen to your mother – it's a scary world out there!" She swerved her daughter toward the window."Mother knows best," she repeated. "One way or another, something will go wrong, I swear!"

Morrigan looked doubtful, and her mother threw her arms wide in fake terror. "Ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand!" she listed, her face horrified. "Cannibals and snakes – the plague!"

"No!" cried Morrigan, her mouth already agape.

"Yes!" responded her mother, fervently.

"But –"

"Also large bugs," elaborated Flemeth, feeling some amusement in her daughter's terrified expression."Men with pointy teeth! And –" she mimed swooning in fear. "Stop, no more, you'll just upset me!" She cackled as Morrigan gazed, wide-eyed at her mother.

Swooping down to clasp her to her chest, Flemeth let her wizened cheek brush against her daughter's soft raven hair. "Mother's right here, Mother will protect you," she promised, her eyes glinting with amusement."Darling, here's what I suggest – skip the drama, stay with mama! Mama knows best!"

Morrigan was nodding fervently by now, all thoughts of 'travelling' and 'humans' out of her mind. Flemeth was biting back the laughter with each lie she told.

"Mother knows best, take it from your mumsie," she said, patronisingly, patting Morrigan on the head and smoothing her hair. "On your own, you wouldn't survive." She motioned to the Chasind rags and scraps of leather her daughter had recently taken to wearing."Sloppy, underdressed," she listed, seeming dismayed."Immature, clumsy – please, they'll eat you up alive! Gullible, naïve – plus, I believe, getting kinda chubby," she remarked, prodding the girl's skinny stomach with a bony finger, making her squirm and frown. Putting on an over emphasized pout, Flemeth gathered the girl in her arms."I'm just saying 'cause I love you," she eased,giggling inwardly."Mother understands, Mother's here to help you! All I have is one request…"

Pushing her daughter – who looked faintly traumatised after so much open affection – to arm's length, she looked her in the eye. "Morrigan?"

The girl looked up through thick dark eyelashes. "Yes?" she murmured, half hurt, half resigned.

"Don't ever ask to leave this forest again."

And with that, the Witch of the Wilds spun on her heel and left Morrigan standing by the window of the small hut, alone.

"Yes, Mother," came the dull response, to no one in particular.

When the raven with the amber eyes flutter past the window later that day, Flemeth couldn't help but laugh. She may be raising the girl for her own purposes, but she sometimes wondered if she wasn't already part of her.

Not sure if I could have done more with this or not, but it's nice to be writing again!

Up Next: The boys continue searching for what they want after the Blight ends.