POV Narrator:
Friday, 14 July 2018, Luna Nova
The summer holidays had begun, in the meantime Akko would spend in Japan, already in Luna Nova, little by little the academy of witches was emptying with the students kind of going back to their families, traveling to see their relatives, besides enjoying the time off, the few girls who stayed in Luna Nova often didn't have a very strong connection to their family, able to afford to go and catch a ticket to see their family again, or even not have a family at all, as is being the case with Diana, who barely has a home after her family's mansion was destroyed in an unexpected fire. In her room, Cavendish was already half alone, since Hannah went to stay with her family and Barbara too, even the two invited the Scot, but she decided to stay, focusing on one thing she wanted to accomplish.
This thing was to solve issues from the past, what she was already spending her days investigating the whereabouts of her mother, trying to gather more and more evidence, including taking more similar witches, so she could get a greater resemblance and thus find who could be her possible mother.
POV Diana:
One of them is dead of suspicion, at least in this I was able tae find out the information, I was able tae eliminate some good girls based on what could be my mother's taste, which I even try tae think that there might even be an improbable one, like this Laura McLaren who is very far from the Luna Nova standard, it's a lot of coincidence, her eyes are the same as mine, she also has freckles, although mine are nae as apparent as hers, I still have some, but this other one here, Eliana Canavarro, has a beauty tae be praised, in appearance and made could be someone well up to being my mother... Anyway there are few left now, Heather Hill, Lena Nowak, Kimberly Hunter and Brenda Campos, the six big suspects I found closest to being my mother.
Soon I feel my mobile phone vibrate, I think it's weird, there's nae internet around here, I decide to take a look, when I see there's a message from an unknown number.
[?: I'm not going to warn you again Diana, stop this search or your mother will pay dearly, better you stay behaved in yours or she will pay with her life, pass me the leadership of the Cavendish family I might consider you meet her, what do you think?]
I just ignore the message, I'm nae going tae fall fae yer tricks Daryl, I decide to just block the screen, but I get scared, I even look at the window, she must have my contact and also she can use the intranet here, which implies she can get tae me, then I get scared, when out of nowhere a snake jumps on my window, it breaks the glass, it was a big creature, which I dodge and grab my wand.
"Daryl! Reveal yerself" I say tae the snake as I aim my glowing wand and soon it is revealing itself, sort of looking at its own nails.
"Oh it's been a long time my niece, six months we haven't seen each other, I even forgot to congratulate you, you're 16 now, a much older girl, how do you feel not having a mansion to live in anymore, are you used to the riffraff?" She said in a debauched way and I admit tae being a bit scared.
"Get out of here! I won't hesitate tae shoot" I say half trying nae tae shake my wand.
"You even seem to have taken on the ugliness too, I can't believe you're going to get these hideous teeth, what's up girl, don't come and give your auntie a hug, I'll give it instead" She said sort of making a spell all involving my room.
Everything is kind of dark and full of fog around, with some mirrors, I was finding it strange, until my aunt appeared, kind of involving me, looking like a snake, I was being squeezed hard, trying tae force myself tae let go, but it seemed that my aunt was huge, sae much that I saw her on the other side kind of still looking at me as I passed looking around.
"Keep this warning here Diana, don't try to do anything or your mommy will suffer the consequences of this, I'm already warning you that my threats are not lies" she said and I was already working on it, my mobile phone was in my pocket, I had left the recorder on, luckily.
"I'm nae afraid of ye, ye're nothing but a frustrated witch, ye're nae even capable of killing a fly" I say teasing her while I was still trapped and struggling tae get out, but it felt more like I was going tae be crushed.
She was laughing and laughing a lot, as if showing a more sadistic side, when the whole room was getting kind of in a deep darkness, all I could see were two red eyes looking like a reptile glowing in this darkness, then sounds of snakes passing near my face, I try tae keep calm, where everything is strangely returning to normal.
"Oh Diana, you really are not an innocent child, let me tell you something, I'm more dangerous than you think, don't you think I can make it happen? You wouldn't be the first victim and you wouldn't be the last. The best thing for you to do is to be smart and follow my orders," said my aunt.
"What are ye saying with first victim? What did ye do Daryl?" I say already almost in shock thinking the worst, will my aunt...
"Oh Diana, that's just what you must be thinking right now" She said as she went on to show a picture of my mother, which I went on tae turn white and in shock.
"Mum..." I say half squeezed and already thinking the worst.
"Oh Bern, how could you take a place that was mine, you may not have been aware of this, but I sickened your mother at the most opportune moment, using one of the house maids, I went about delivering some medicine that had a special poison in it, I've been preparing this since before you existed Diana... My plan involved getting rid of your other mother and then your mother and making it look like it was all a sickness, it was all her getting sick, but in reality... I killed her, she got sick because of me, unfortunately you got in the way of everything and weren't so obedient or cooperative, the idea was to manipulate you into giving up, but after everything, you resisted like an idiot" I dinnae believe it... I dinnae believe it, it can't be real that she did that.
I kept seeing my mother appearing, my aunt delivering the medicine, I remember this maid, she was even fired, sae that's why, they were poisoning my mother, she was getting sick, getting unwell... I couldn't believe that this image passed in front of me, it was being repeated, again and again, I started tae cry, tae collapse emotionally, the snakes squeezing me nae longer hurt, what hurt most was my emotional.
"See, I'm not kidding Diana, either you give up this plan or I'll get rid of your other mother, you decide that," she said and I only cared about my mother, so much that I was released, which was a bit of a relief.
"You're a monster... My mother... Why did you do this to me?" I said already devastated and she took my face making me stare.
"I can do it again, make up your own mind," she said, and I got really angry.
"Murowa!" I cast a spell which she then defends herself using a magic barrier and then jumps backwards where I see the snakes revealing tae be my cousins, I was kneeling on the ground already destroyed.
"What is it Diana? You're devastated for your mother, I guess you don't want to negotiate, do you? Go and cry in your dead mother's arms," she said,
"Why did ye do it? Why did ye do that? She's your sister," I say, already a bit crestfallen, a bit in shock.
"You won't know, but your mother deserved it, you deserved it too, but you can think about it, I'll be back one day and I want answers, Diana Cavendish" she said, and went out of the window, sort of flying off on her broomstick with my cousins.
I just kept looking down kneeling on the floor and in shock, I dinnae expect my aunt tae show up and still reveal such a bombshell, where I just keep crying, I dinnae want tae believe it, it was all a trap of hers tae affect me, I am sure it was, my mother died of sickness, she wasn't murdered, nae that it isn't that, I try tae strengthen myself and nae think about it, obviously my aunt just wants to fool me, I won't give up mum. I get up and go where is the table with the suspicious mothers, I keep the papers and think about the first thing, I wipe the tears and go walking in the corridors, Chariot needs tae know about this, after all it is a big danger that Daryl is sae loose like this, it can be a risk fae everyone, I arrive in the door of her room and soon I am received.
"Oh Diana, how wonderful to see you here, What Happe..." I couldn't resist, I went into her arms and hugged her all emotional, getting in shock.
"It was horrible Chariot, Daryl showed up here and..." I say half crying while feeling pats on my back.
"Oh Diana, calm down, breathe, tell me what happened, I'll help you with this" she said.
Diana ends up telling Chariot everything about what happened recently...
"Oh that's right, you're not the only one threatened by Daryl, she also threatened me," said the teacher, which I was shocked to see.
"Really? But how? Did she get yer number too?" I say already half confused, how is she going tae threaten Chariot.
"I can't even show the messages because they reveal too much and if you get to know, Croix's life will be in danger, she is connected with the prison staff, she even sent a message showing that they assaulted Croix the other day as a message, she is living hell over there Diana... I'm almost thinking she's even overpaying" Du Nord said leaving me shocked, I dinnae know Croix would go through this, although I can't empathize with that bitch even a little bit after everything she did tae all of us.
"Oh this is horrible really, now I am scared, is this story all true? Should we tell the headmistress? Daryl can't get away with this" I tell her and she nods.
"No way, if we tell her, we'll risk your mother's life and Croix's, you'll find your mother one day, I'm sure, I know Daryl, she may have this cruelty, but she wouldn't be able to stand up to your mother... She may even cause harm to Croix and prevent me from telling you the truth, but I promise I'll protect you, I'll find a way to also get Croix's protection" Chariot said and I was already getting a little discouraged.
"Damn, I feel all helpless when this happens, Chariot I will still manage, I hope this really won't affect Croix and my mother, I can't be afraid of the truth and neither will I cede the leadership of the Cavendish family tae her" I say well motivated.
"This is how it's done Diana, don't give up, I know the truth will come and Daryl can be scary, but she's too scared of the truth" Du Nord said sae much we even shook hands.
I go kind of walking in the corridors, going back tae my room, I'm still a little afraid tae go back there, I look at the corridor even as if it was a forest all winter and scary, in the middle of the dawn, it can't be that I'm really getting scared tae go tae my own room, sae much that I even turn my face and decide tae go to the canteen, better to eat something. I go down the stairs and go to the canteen, I'm getting something tae eat, it's pretty empty, but this I want to feel a little less empty at least, less fearful too, who knows so I can stand tae go back.
"Diana?" A woman's voice said, I found it strange, it didn't sound like anyone's voice I heard before, sae much sae that I turned my back and ended up seeing a redheaded woman, she was holding a bag.
I wonder if... She looks like one of the suspects I put together, she just showed up... Very strange, Kimberly Hunter... That's her, the wavy red hair, blue eyes, some freckles on her face, she must really be my mother, but I still think I'm just hallucinating, sae much sae that I just turn my face and go back tae eating, I must be under the effect of a Daryl spell.
"What is it Diana? Are you really going to ignore your mother?" She said placing her hand on my shoulder, already on my side.
I turn my face to see her up close, very strange her presence here, it can't be, it would be too convenient, is that why Daryl showed up? She was afraid of my mother, sae much that she gave her faces tae finally reveal herself, I'm even a little shocked, looking at the face and the features, up close it really doesn't look like much, but it must be influence of the Cavendish family magic.
"Mum?" I say confused.
"What's the matter Diana, cat bit your tongue? Come here and give your mother a hug…" I get up and go quickly giving her a hug.
I even notice that she's a bit taller, I go hugging her with a whole intensity, feeling a weight relieving itself from my back, I dinnae know... I thought the sensation would be even more intense, as if I would feel familiar, but nae even that, I just end up... I end up nae feeling something like that, but at the same time it must be something in my head, I haven't seen my mother since forever, that must be it.
"Oh Diana, it's been so long... I'm really sorry, I can't believe I was absent from your life for so long... This curse of the Enatite spheres has really complicated me, you have no idea, but I finally found a cure for it," she said, and I was just sort of trying to comfort her.
"Ah, but I can understand, ye must have been through the worst, I imagine my aunt made yer life hell fae ye tae go through these things, but I'm glad ye're here with me" I tell her.
"I'm going to tell you many more stories, do you want to know?" said my mother and I started getting all anxious.
"But what about Daryl? She just showed up threatening me, dinnae ye think she'll come after ye?" I tell her.
"Let her try, for I will show her my power as a witch, after all I am a Hunter, you are a Hunter too and we are both strong" She said all up.
I'm all happy, I sit down on the chair and finish eating the snack I got at the canteen, then I see a gift package that came from my mother, placed on the table, even she brought it, I can't wait, I finish eating and make a point of opening it, which I see everything with the smallest details, when I see that it is a picture frame, with a photo of me when I was a baby and my mothers together, how incredible, sae much that tears are falling on the photo.
"I don't believe it, you really are my mother" I say half crying.
"I told ye Diana, come on, let's go for a walk around Luna Nova, show me where you are, then if you want I can introduce ye tae yer sister Brooke, she will love tae meet ye, ye have nae idea" Said my mother that now I am sure she is, even the photo shows how much she loves me.
I take the gift with me and from there I get up, walking with her through the corridors, sort of reintroducing Luna Nova, as she talked about each thing having the most nostalgia, I felt like I was the happiest person in the world, it really was a rollercoaster of emotions, but now it's only been going up, which is really good.
"Oh, this is where I kissed Bern for the first time, we were both very close, so much so that Miss Finnelan was always picking on us, unfortunately to this day I see how they erased our history" said mother Kimberly, I'm even safer, I'm a Diana Cavendish Hunter now, I dinnae even know.
"And you must have been really close, I also like lassies like ye and my mum Bern, I got the taste and passed it on... This is where I kissed Akko fae the first time" I say pointing tae the wall, that was quite a ball day, I never expected it tae roll out of nowhere.
"Akko? Ohhhhhh tell me more about this girl" I can't believe I'm already having a first gossip moment with my mother, I'm going to talk about the lassie I even like.
"Ahhhhhh Akko, ye have nae idea, she is a kind of troublesome girl, causes a lot of trouble, even a little silly in the head, but I love her, she who revealed me many things and helped me tae open more about myself... I feel like the luckiest witch in the world tae have her as passion, even if we are just friends, I'll show the pictures when I get home" I tell her.
"I probably have, because I'm a connected mum and I see my daughter's activity on social media, you may have already posted on instagram, this Akko is a Japanese girl right?" She already knows what cool, sae she still made sure tae always see things in my life and try tae be minimally present.
"Atsuko Kagari, but we call her Akko, as an affectionate nickname, she is a lovely lassie and yes she is the Japanese girl with the crimson red eyes, an inexplicable beauty in that look" I tell my mother all delighted.
"That's my girl" she said stroking my head.
We get tae my room and I introduce her, I even use a spell tae fix my window that my aunt broke when she came inside, already my mother is amazed, seeing that she has the biggest space, she must be remembering my other mother too, how much she must have come here, I even look smiling at her delighted.
"Wow, it's been a long time since I've walked this way" she said in amazement.
"I made a whole plan tae find ye mum, ye have nae idea, tae think that ye were one of the suspects really impresses me" I say showing the papers and she went looking at everything, even taking out her mobile phone tae take some pictures.
"Wow you are really ingenious Diana, I even want to record this whole moment, you are really as smart as Bernadette, I never thought you could be that good," she said all delighted,
"Ye know how it is mum, I will never give up on ye, I did everything tae find ye, I dinnae know where I came from and I'm glad that I can see that finally ye're here with me, even though I'm still afraid of Daryl, I now have a north tae follow, I'm proud tae have you around" I say with a big smile on my face tae her, suddenly everything that happened with Daryl is gone.
"I don't care about Daryl, she's already ruined everything in my life and now she's going to pay dearly for it, we both are going to catch her and send her where she deserves to be, even more so since she burnt your house down and almost killed you, I can't let that happen" Said my mother all motivated.
"Yes! We're going tae finish her off!" I was feeling all happy.
Then I sit on the sofa, where I prepare a tea, fae both of us tae drink and talk tae each other, she showed a picture of Brooke, she is so cute, looks really like my mother, but has nothing tae do with me, I think it must have been a dating after my mother, or I do nae know, will see the Hunter have strong genetics too, I'm glad you have a sister.
"Brooke is another daughter of mine with Bernadette, even though she doesn't look like much, but it was because she came out of my belly, just like you also came out of your mother's belly and we ended up not looking much like me" She said, which I still find kind of strange, out of all the suspicious women I only felt some strong resemblance tae Laura McLaren, even then she must have had something.
"So tell me what happened? How did you meet my mother? How you came to be cursed? Even how you made me" I ask her half curious, which I quickly see her swallow her tea half tense.
"It all started in 1987, in September, I was in my third year already, Bernadette was a beginner, I started to make friends with her because I thought she was really cute, it was then that our love started to blossom, I used to go to the library, I used to meet her all the time, with the reason that we studied together, she was too intelligent, only that there was another girl that she rivaled, this Laura McLaren" she said showing me her picture, what I loved tae hear, even though I found the story a little strange.
"Ohhhh, this Laura McLaren I've heard stories about, a student who used to get into trouble a lot and who was also the one who rivalled my mother fae having such great achievements with her, despite her behavior" I tell her who nods in agreement.
"Exactly, I was kind of helping her to overcome Laura, but that witch always seemed to have a trick up her sleeve, something didn't smell right to me, especially because they were friends, which I made a point of trying to talk more with Bern, at this time I also revealed my feelings, we started to date, I even want to tell you detail by detail, but I'll sum up, I don't have much time, if you want you can come over one of these days" said my mother.
"All right, ye can tell her in brief" I tell her all delighted, I imagine my mother must be full of commitments.
"Ah coming back here, years later, something strange happened, your grandmother Clarie died, for mysterious reasons, Bern and I rushed to do the ritual of the family leader, which in the dispute who won was my wife, already Daryl was jealous of all this and promised us both that he would give the change for everything and make us pay, but we did not give a damn for the threat, what she ended up materializing, years later when I had you and Brooke was newly born, she injects the curse in me and in you, what we ended up being forced to separate and the worst of all is that she showed how it was being done, I collapsed that day, since then I promised that I would find the cure and be able to return to your arms" My mother said and I went into shock.
"So that was it? Wow, my aunt was jealous of all that my mother has achieved and she couldn't accept it" I say shocked.
"Yes, you have no idea how it was, but anyway, I have to go home now, but I'll leave the address, if you want to visit me, just drop by, me and Brooke will receive you with open doors" she said and I even got a big smile on my face, she leaves the address written down and I can't wait tae visit her fae good, tae meet my little sister.
I hug my mother again, still very emotional, she made me all happy, finally seeing her, it's a short moment, but one that I also enjoyed, the next we see a fog forming and the window breaking, I can't believe she came back and still broke the window.
"Again?" I say furiously.
"Oh, I had to break your window more than once, but how cute, now mother and daughter are together, mother and daughter will be together to get out of here" Daryl said all intimidating, until my mother stood in front, she cast a spell.
Which I see my aunt getting hit, soon my cousins appear tae hold her back, sort of broomstick, using the metamorphie faciasse tae turn their arm into snakes, but my mother holds them back anyway and whips them both like a whip towards my aunt, which I go on to watch in amazement.
"Go, Mom! Hit them! Blow up the face of these three" I say cheering.
Daryl counterattacks, but my mother dodges, my cousins flee tae the forest, a bunch of cowards, but I myself cheer fae them both, seeing my mother and my aunt in a duel through the air flying on a broomstick, sae much sae that I decide to help, aiming my wand, I can't miss the opportunity.
"Take that one too! I want tae see if ye can guarantee yourself with two" I launch a very powerful murowa from afar,
My aunt hits her with the broom rebounding towards me which I end up using a barrier defence tae rebound upwards on the spot, right at that moment my mother hits her with a well placed kick tae the face knocking her off the broom, but I go looking down seeing a mist and her disappearing, but what a bastard, as always my aunt being a coward, now she has run away, but at least I know she will be nae match for my mother Kimberly who comes up to me.
"You are well my child - she said and I nodded.
"Better now! Ye taught that bitch a lesson! Ye're awesome mum, ye're a knockout! I dinnae know ye were sae strong like that" I say, impressed with her, then getting a little embarrassed, scratching the back of her neck and then stroking my head.
"Now you know that with me you will always be protected, you can leave me alone, I will never let you be unprotected" said my mother, who then flew away.
Then I fix the window, I jump excitedly tae bed, I can't believe it, I could finally realize my biggest dream, I even take a picture of the portrait, all happy, I'm going soon, soon tae her house, I can't wait, nae matter how much my aunt threatens me she won't be able tae stop me, next tae my mother I am unbeatable, I have the best mother of all! Yes!
"Ahhhhhhhhhh, Kimberly Hunter is my mother! I am the daughter of Kimberly Hunter and Bernadette Cavendish, I am sae proud of me" I say happily, then look at the window.
I just keep thinking, thinking about how it will be tae meet her, I'll also take the opportunity and show the recording I took of my aunt tae agent Morris, fae sure she can take the proof of this confession, it can't be true that my aunt really killed my mother, it would be too inhuman even fae her, a monstrosity without size, that's why I'm sure it didn't happen, fae the nine lesbian witches, I'm sae lucky for the mother I have.
I go through the things on my phone, the pictures I took with her, I could never imagine that I was the whole time sure of who my mother would be, until one more message came.
[Daryl: I hope you have fun with your mother, for she will be in danger just like you, you chose the worst path to follow Diana, you could hand over the leadership of the Cavendish family and now I will make your life a hell on earth, you will bitterly regret everything you have done, you wretch, you and Kimberly will pay dearly and this time I will show you what I am capable of doing, even with poor little Brooke, you will stand up to the wrath of Daryl Cavendish]
I dinnae care about yer intimidations Daryl, nothing ye say, has any effect on me, nae even now the threats to Chariot, yer hands are tied, ye know that in a little while I will make ye wake up with the sun square, fae everything ye did, ye are a monster and ye will pay fae this, fae the honour of the Cavendish family and also for the honour of my mother Bernadette, she would be disgusted tae see what ye have become today, I dinnae believe ye ever spoke how much ye appreciated her when she died, I don't believe it... Now I am sure, ye are a disgusting human being.
[Daryl: I'm warning you Diana, from here on things are going to get tricky for your side, you're going to feel now what real cruelty is, what I've done so far has been light, your mothers have been through much worse at my hand, lay a finger on Kimberly Hunter's house and you'll never see your mother again]
Ye say that, but ye dinnae warrant a fair fight, sae much sae that ye picked up fae my mother, I am nae intimidated by yer messages Daryl, I close the window and even sit on the bed, looking at the photo with my mothers and I, now finally feeling some extra comfort.
POV Narrator:
Diana has found her mother, but things are still pretty tense, after six months Daryl has turned up and repackaged, to cause terror, which Cavendish is going to have to face if she wants a life in peace with her mother, where things are getting tighter, in a summer that is getting hotter and hotter.
See you, mother witches...