POV Narrator:
Friday 15 June 2007, Edinburgh, Scotland
Laura was already leaving everyone there with emotions full, a situation that was even being very happy, suddenly started to come in a roller coaster that practically only went down, getting worse, year after year, this because it was already coming to the end of the whole story, but that one would not end up having a happy ending, since it was the reality of what ended up happening and led to the death of Bernadette.
Bernadette's situation was not the best, the poor Cavendish had already become very ill, to the point that she had taken her daughter to a trip to Japan where she would not accompany her, who went in her place was Carter, the butler, Diana would not end up being there during Bernadette's last moments, But who went in the place to spend those last days was Hellene and also Laura, who went to the Cavendish family residence. Little Holly stayed at the McLaren family residence having the care of her grandmother and also anxious to see the Shiny Chariot.
POV Laura:
I arrive at de mansion, I went by broom, it's been so long since I've pulled over 'ere, since dat fateful day, which doesn't leave my mind, I take a deep breath, landing dere and already seeing Anna with a very melancholic expression in front of me, she even gave me a 'ug, which was a very rare moment.
"How nice to see you here Laura, I missed you so much, Madame Bernadette was waiting for you" she said.
"I missed you too, but you know I can't stay" I say in a melancholic tone.
"And this little girl? Hellene has grown up quite a bit apparently" she said looking at my girl who was about to turn four years old.
We walk in dere, I missed dis place a bit despite everything, but I still feel quite uncomfortable, I walk around, I see there was no one there, luckily, but of course I was goin to 'ave Daryl's presence right at de arrival of de corridor to Bern's room, 'er and 'er daughters, which Hellene with fear 'ides behind my legs.
"Look who showed up, they kicked Diana out to Japan to see each other one last time, how cute," she said intimidating me.
"You are a 'orrible human being" I tell 'er goin straight.
"I know that, what are you going to do? I don't give a damn what you think of me, now enjoy your wife who looks like a mummy so skinny" said Daryl and I almost busted 'er face.
I preferred just not to pay attention and dat's what I did, I noticed dat de two girls also looked at Hellene, who continued to be afraid, and Daryl showed de usual malicious smile, 'ow I 'ate dat woman.
I get to de bedroom door, open it and see Bern, since she got worse she can't even travel to Ireland, it's been more dan two months... She's pretty din even, I even get a little emotional, despite everything I go towards my beloved, giving 'er a 'ug.
"Love... I was missing you so much" I tell 'er crying in 'er arms.
"I've missed ye too, I love ye, Freckles" said the cabbagedish.
"Mummy!" said lettle Hellene who came to join in de hug.
We stayed together, in a moment of 'ug, with Hellene too, dat was as if I felt my energies coming back, I was seriously feeling everything getting better again, even though I know dat from now on it can only get worse. Seeing Hellene all smiling and receiving affection is also very good, despite everything Bern is not as din as I dought she was, but it still worries me, 'er very pale skin, de state she's in, she's really bad.
"how nice that ye came, I wanted tae be with ye, but also with Diana, unfortunately I can't bring her here, I also dinnae think she should be here going through something like this..." Cabbagedish said.
"Fucking Daryl drove us apart... I 'ate all of dis, we were supposed to be 'ere living being a 'appy family, I would give anything for us not to end up like dis" I say dat while she coughs.
"Ye have nae idea how much I would give too... I love ye sae much and ye too Hellene, I loved seeing ye both here" she said 'ugging us and I even went as far as touching 'er cheeks, unfortunately since she got sick I couldn't even kiss 'er.
"What are we goin to do now? I wanted you to survive, but de chances are low" I tell 'er.
"I know that one day ye will find a cure for all this and Chariot is almost there, she found all the words in one year, only the last one is missing, who knows with her request the curse will be broken, or even things will change completely, she is even getting attention... Maybe even I'll come out of this alive, well anyway... " She coughed some more and put a cloth that later blood came out.
"Love... " I say 'alf-heartedly and see dat Hellene shows de same emotions.
"If I go from this... Even if it takes ye a long time tae find the cure, I know that ye will always find a way tae take care of Diana, I know that ye will... I trust ye, I know it's going tae be hard times, but dinnae give up love, we'll overcome all the obstacles... Even if I'm nae here anymore, I'll be watching ye from up there" She said 'ugging me and I got even emotional, I don't want 'er to leave.
Some time later Laura goes to get some food for Bernadette, while little Hellene spent her time in her room with her mother who was playing video games and charming the little girl who was kind of forgetting that her mother was in that situation.
I'll take it and make something special for Bern to eat, something dat she won't forget, like de old times when I made 'er those sandwiches, I was de best at it, I even made de hamburgers myself, it was so good and so much simpler dat time, I dedn't even 'ave any notion that things would be like dis.
Only de way wasn't de best, Daryl was in front of me, I was already clenching my fist in anger, I already 'ad my suspicions about something, dis deplorable 'uman being.
"Won't you stay longer with your beloved wife? She'll soon leave this, oh go figure you've lost interest, you know the inevitable will happen" she said intimidating me and I was already pressing de record button on a device I took with me knowing she might say something revealing.
"Get out of my way, I just want to make something for Bern to eat" I tell Daryl who gets de same look on 'er face and bars me from moving on.
"Don't leave yet, I want to tell you a little something" She said and den pushed me into a room.
"What do you want with me? It's not enough dat my wife is dying... She's your sister, you 'ave no empathy you monster!" I tell 'er and she gets de biggest wicked smile.
"I have no empathy with those who steal my place from my family, now feel if you're going to take your time delivering food to your beloved, or do you really think I won't tell anything? I just wanted to wait for the best time for this" She said and I was already getting a bit dumbfounded, she's not going to confess right in front of me de crime or is she? By de nine witches, I sit down on de couch she shows de same face.
"What are you talking about? Are you going to go super villain and tell me your whole plan before you kill me too?" I'll tell her right now to see if she comes, I'll be on de defensive if she tries anything.
"I won't try anything, I want to see you suffer with the truth for the rest of your life, suffer in life for everything you've done, I know you'll never get close to your beloved daughter in time, hahahaha... Anyway let's start from the beginning isn't it, I've been planning this for years, when you guys arrived I just let things cook, during the reformatory time with the help of my friends I gathered the money to get a fertility stone by performing robberies and helping them in their mission, the girls are not Paul's daughters, nor any man's, I preserved their witch purity, I wouldn't let even that get behind, like Diana and Hellene who are pure witches, I couldn't let my daughters be half of them, so I got someone for that, someone you might already know since Luna Nova, but I won't tell you, because if you find out I will kill her like I am already doing with Bernadette... That's right Laura McLaren I killed your wife and I killed my sister, just like I paid them to murder your little sister in jail, all to bring down your emotional as much as possible, but it had a motivation, I didn't do it for free... It all started after Paul found out about the girls not being his. Remember that time, I was frustrated at not having anyone to get money from, but someone came in to help with that, a person who is aware of your plans, she asked me to affect you in every way and she pays me very well, although I know as "the boss" the mission was given to me to become the leader of the Cavendish family and in that I was presented with the book, I started by destabilizing and alienating you both, then I followed with the plan to start producing the best poison that ever existed, so you would never notice, I made Bernadette sick all this time, but before that I needed to affect you too, I knew how fond you were of your family, the intention was to
kill your parents, but when your little sister was arrested, it made everything easier, I paid for them to kill her in prison, so you would be well felt, more unstable, then I could focus on killing Bern, I knew you would go after the cure, so her death was necessary too, to prevent you from finding the cure for the curse, because I couldn't risk it and also aiming for something bigger, a maid... Julia, who was fired just now, she who delivered the pills with adulterated medicines, poisoned Bern month by month, in a poison I call death of a year, it's not the best name, but it worked and very well, only that was not the end of this plan yet. Without you around Diana, without Bernadette there won't be any more influence for her, she'll be in my hand, handing over the leadership to me sometime, knowing I'm the ideal leader for this family and so I'll conquer my plan once and for all, simple as that" I was shocked, but now it all makes sense, she did it at de behest of someone at de behest of de same person who's been taking away de efforts for our witch revolution, de same one who killed Scarlet and Eleanora.
"You are a monster, I will take you to de police and you will pay for your crimes!" I say furiously, squeezing de arms of dat armchair tightly.
"I know that you recorded everything, keep the recording with you in the tape recorder that is in your back pocket, go on, try then, you know that you can't arrest me now, if I am arrested Diana's custody goes to you, which automatically would kill you and Diana with it, you can't do anything, you have nowhere to go Laura McLaren, I've left you with no choice, you can't reveal this evidence until you find the cure for the curse, which you will never find, Diana's entire influence is in my hands and there's nothing you can do about it"
"I will make you pay for all of dis Daryl, I will arrest you and put an end to it, you will see, it won't be long before de cure comes, you just 'anded over some very compromising evidence, but now tell me, why? Why all dis? Your life was already full of luxury" I ask her.
"The hole is deeper than you think it is Laura McLaren, your stupid witch revolution would never work, the people against it know this and are making sure I don't make it happen, I make a lot of money and power to keep this alive, know that I care little about these people's views, of keeping traditions, but what I do care about is maintaining the status quo, the one that will continue to benefit me, while your revolution takes that away, what the witches up there don't want is for this to go forward, if you just continued to be a quiet lesbian witch in yours without messing with power none of this would happen, in fact it would still happen... Bernadette would have an arranged marriage and I would kill them both anyway, just for the chance to be leader of the family, what I care about is power is bossing and just the boss allows me to have even more power than a Cavendish ever would, You're just a weak sheep trying to face a pack of wolves, you know you're going to die, but you still insist and go to the wolves, in the end all the wolves will devour you and you'll see that it was better to have continued in the pasture with the other sheep" said Daryl and I even stand up, I was kind of out of patience.
"You and dat fucking boss are going to pay dearly for everything you caused de witches - I say walking to de door and without looking at the damn ding, leaving dat room practically devastated.
Tears were falling, I don't believe I could 'ear all dat and not end up emotionally collapsed, I clenched my fists, I punched de wall, everything is connected, de system really wanted to put me down even in my personal life, but it won't stay dat way, I'm not a nail dat will let de hammer of de system nail me, I'm going to continue to 'it head on with it all.
POV Narrator:
Daryl took the recording later to Rosemary, where she put it together in a dossier of evidence, as well as making the snack that would be one of Bernadette's last meals, those being the last days and Cavendish herself got to know the truth, also getting very shocked, but already without strength to get up and attack her sister, already feeling too much pain just to get out of bed, indicating that something was wrong.
Sunday 17 June 2007, Edinburgh, Scotland
The morning of that day was beginning, Laura, Bernadette and Hellene were practically sleeping together in the same bed, spending what were the last days, while Diana went about enchanting herself on that hot summer night in Japan. Her mother was about to experience the worst moment of her life on that cold, rainy summer morning in Scotland.
POV Laura:
What a night, spending de days around 'ere 'as really been a challenge, I never know when it will happen, it gives me a fear to wake up and see Bern on my side not waking up anymore, I look to the side I see my
Hellene sleeping like a lettle angel in de middle of de two of us, which I soon give a kiss on the forehead of my dear lettle girl and den go to give a kiss on de lips of Bern, but it gives a strange and cold feeling.
"Love? Cabbagedish Patch? Bern? Bernadette! - I'm starting to touch 'er forehead, it was cold... I don't believe it.
I put my hand in front of 'er nose, simply nothing, I see 'er chest and it was also still, she was not showing any sign of life, no breathing, I go to 'er pulse, nothing, I don't feel anything, my pulse I felt and went into despair, it can't be dat dis is 'appening... No, no, no no! I place my head on Bern's chest, there is no sign of a 'eartbeat, dis can't be 'appening, I use my magic to see if I felt anything and nothing, I felt nothing.
"No! My cabbagedish! Bernadette is dead!" I shout to de whole world and start crying over 'er body, wetting it with my tears with a silly 'ope dat dey had some 'ealing factor that could revive my wife, I am still in disbelief.
"Mum?" Hellene woke up and she must 'ave already noticed something, I look at 'er and see dat she was already with a crying face.
"Mama Bernadette..." I say half-heartedly, not knowing 'ow to react.
"Did Mama Bernadette die?" She was already crying and I agree with my 'ead, already crying a lot, which she comes to me too.
I lost de most precious ding in my life, de most special person for me, someone I loved for 20 years, someone who does not deserve to 'ave dis fate, this is a 'uge injustice in this world, I do not even know how I can go on with my Bernadette without being 'ere, even when we were separated by the curse it was still good to see 'er when she appeared, but now... It's all gone, my hopes, my will to live... Everything... I am now far away from de one I loved most in dis world.
POV Narrator:
Bernadette Cavendish Steward died on June 17, 2007, in her sleep, something nobody noticed, because it was in the middle of the night, departing this world in peace after being poisoned for a year by her younger sister in a plan for her to take over the Cavendish family, which made things much worse.
Monday 18 June 2007, Edinburgh, Scotland
Soon on the next day the body was buried and the wake started having all the preparation, until then Diana didn't have the slightest idea and continued one last day in Japan before leaving for home, but the other side of the family, were all there, to say goodbye to Cavendish, including even some of her friends, which was a very sad moment since it was raining a little on the day and it was necessary to put a covered part for everyone while memories and speeches around Cavendish were being spoken, even Daryl was there.
POV Laura:
It's my turn, I decided to be de last one to say something, and I really go, I see all my family even gathered dere, I also see many strangers, I'm sure dey were Daryl's guests just to spoil de day more, I was already kind of crying, I get to de stage, I look at de picture, I'll always 'ave great memories with you my love.
"What do I have to talk about 'er... If not de most special person who 'as marked my life, I know dat many of you 'ave lived special moments with 'er, even shaped your personalities, just like me, she made me 'ave more motivation to continue my dings, she gave me encouragement, she matured me, a wife dat I will never forget, even if dey erase all the history dat we had together, which will probably 'appen, being dat our only mistake was being two witches who loved each other, dey fell so 'ard on us dat dey reached dis point ... Bernadette, I will always love you my love, I will always remember all de moments dat I lived with you, how you and I complete each other, 'ow you transformed my life, 'ow I transformed yours, even with all de eventualities, we were always strong to go ahead, you are de best mother and wife dat a world did not want to 'ave you, but I know dat in the other world dey will see a lot of you, I 'ope dat you are very 'appy dere, I 'ere I will not stop dinking for a second and I will keep all de memories very alive, you... You are my life... When you passed away, a part of my life also passed away, Bernadette Cavendish Stewart, I love you"
De people were den kind of starting to walk to the 'ole, de grave dat I dug myself, spending de whole night awake for dat, so dat de tribute would be up to de 'eight, I made sure to carry de coffin alone, using my magic and my strength, but soon April and Rose arrived to 'elp, what we're getting to de grave, even with de rain, wetting all my dress, I really didn't expect it, but okay, I'll get wet anyway, do de honors of putting de earth on top, one day when I come back 'ere I'll get de remains and put dem in the cremation.
My back 'urts since yesterday, but nothing is bigger dan de pain of losing my wife, dat's it, I was putting de earth on top, looking at de gravestone and even dere they erased dat she was one day my wife, dey only put the name and the dates, de other gravestones around are also half erased, but whatever.
"Goodbye Bernadette... I will never forget you my love" I say dis looking at de earth already above.
"Bye mommy" said Hellene 'ugging me.
"She dinnae deserve tae leave sae soon" Rose said.
"Yes... We'll make de person who made 'er stay dere pay dearly for it" I say looking at de lapstone, wet and crying.
"It looks like it's raining pretty 'ard today" April said.
"Yes it is raining even under my 'at" I say while crying.
POV Narrator:
And it wouldn't take long for the news to reach Diana, but by then she was already in Scotland and Laura was in yet another phase of mourning, practically devouring ice cream after ice cream, with no motivation to carry on doing nothing, just to keep growing the plant to find a cure, she was already emotionally broken, then things get much worse with the scandal of Shiny Chariot's career, which ends up ending too, just to make things worse.
2008, Due to Bernadette's events things were pretty morbid that year, Laura was so emotionally overthrown that she tried multiple times to commit suicide, but always ended up giving up when she remembered her daughter, motivating her to continue this mission, In the middle of that she also had the mission to hide Chariot and she started to take the identity of Ursula Callistis already that year so that the WCI would never discover her, this because until then she was only a minor girl, starting to study to specialize to be a teacher to hide the identity well, such as letting the hair grow.
2009, the things are a little less sad, Laura was still sunk in a deep depression, but she came back to the activity, giving the last details for the game in homage to Shiny Chariot, where she made a point of leaving the homage to the deceased wife in the credits of the game, that was released in that year, ended up not making any success for being released only for Playstation 2, Besides also come out at the wrong time, amid the polemics of the career of the witch, the game was criticized mainly for this, which ended once and for all the golden age of the company that no longer have support from other larger than them that asked for some services around adjusting games or make ports, returning to the state of an independent developer and alone again.
2010, the search for the cure was continuing, Laura was trying what she could, she decides to start a contest, in it the one who ended up being drawn would be able to have a moment to talk to her online and even help in the participation of the creation of a new game, what conveniently the one who ended up being drawn was exactly Diana and that ended up creating a relationship there between the game's creator and the daughter that had no notion of her being a mother.
The eight year old girl was feeling welcomed, with the constant conversations with her favorite creator, where she also learned new things about the games she liked and really this participation was useful to create a new game, this time a 3D platformer, with very cartoon graphics as was always emphasized by the studio.
In 2011, the development of the game was starting and Diana helped a lot, giving Laura drawings to do, McLaren was becoming a kind of mother to Cavendish, who also let off a lot of steam about what she was going through, how it was a complicated coexistence, but those little moments with her mother without knowing that it was, were special for the girl, who endured the bullying.
2012, the game was already being finished, Laura kind of ended up not being able to find the petals, even trying year after year and circulating the whole forest, she never managed to be able to find anything, which only took longer, especially because her daughter was already 10 years old, she practically lost her whole childhood, and Hellene was also stealing things from the mansion, afraid of what could happen to the Cavendish family relics.
2013, Laura never found the petals, even for years going after them, it was never something she got and to make matters worse, her daughter eventually entered Luna Nova, no longer able to stand living in the mansion, studying there still as a term before main teaching, but that she was welcomed as one of the most
prestigious students, with Diana in Luna Nova, it would be impossible for Laura to step foot in Arcturus, what she would have to really cultivate the seed, which was already about to blossom after so many years.
2014, The Hourglass quest was released, a little 3D platform game that has many elements reminiscent of the Nintendo 64 era, but with updated graphics and mechanics, this time coming out on multiple platforms, first coming out for the PC where it even sold well and the company could breathe a little more. It was the last year of cultivation for the cure of the curse, Laura was giving everything for that, hopeful for the day to come.
2015, the petals blossom, Laura starts producing the first stage of the antidote, where she would only need to wait two years for the antidote to be totally ready. Soon also begins the development of another game this time an attempt to return to the origins, a Metroidvania, with use of 2D graphics, but this time Laura wants to risk an artistic approach far beyond what she has always done, instead of looking like a game, look like something beyond.
2016, would be a still year if it wasn't for an event that happened to a 13 year old girl, who took Beatrix's tapestry and swapped it for the original, at that point Hellene had lost her hand and almost died trying to save the mansion's things, all by Daryl's hands, the priority that year became about developing the
prosthesis for the girl, so she could move her hand and that was where April's geniality and creativity was put to test, taking 4 months to be ready, it was a prosthesis of the highest quality, which responded very well to the girl's movements.
2017, Diana starts studying at Luna Nova's main school and the antidote is ready, which already makes there the cue for Laura to call someone to bring the cure, this person who brought was precisely the teacher who would newly arrive, convincing the girls that she would change things with a plan to find the one in charge, since she also ended up being affected, Croix Meridies, who in the beginning of the following year brought the antidote to Diana.
And it was with this that Laura closed the summary of the story of what happened in all those years for everyone who ended up being shocked and even quite impressed to know how the truth was, one that was not expected to be shocked was precisely Maril that disguised as Brooke saw a side of her mother that she had never seen before.
POV Diana:
That was the most shocking story I've ever seen, I can't believe Mum Laura all along did all this, she's always looked after me all these years, she was thinking of me and Mum Bern, and I can't believe Auntie Daryl went over the top in cruelty, I dinnae even know what tae say, just that things now make total sense being like this.
"And dat was it, I know it sounds like a very 'eavy story, but dat's because it was, it 'appened in de years I was with Bernadette... I went through some really terrible dings but now it's all getting better, now I'm with my darling daughter"
"Mamma ... I love ye" I tell Mama Laura hugging her.
"Now it all makes sense to me too, I was not the only one the teachers and the headmistress put under, you were too Mrs McLaren" Akko said.
"I've been drough a lot, believe it or not, de worst thing isn't de mundanes saying magic is old fashioned, dey're right, it's de system dat forces it and 'ammers for dings to be different" Mum said.
"Look I had already noticed this by the way the headmistress talked about ye when I asked, she always talked about how ye were a student with the worst behavior, how ye always stayed in detention, but I had nae idea it was because of that, nae tae mention later, it scares me that things connect, there must be someone who runs Luna Nova and who also sent my aunt tae do all this" I tell her.
"And dat someone one day we will find and put an end to it" Mum said motivated.
POV Narrator:
After all this story telling, things got heavy between all of them, the girls had no notion that the story would be very heavy, but little by little the animation was coming back and that came with the snow falling outside, where they take the opportunity to go out and have some fun, to distract themselves from these emotions that came with Laura and Bernadette's story, that really came to shake the emotional of many people.
See you, story witches...