POV Narrator:
Saturday, 26 January 2019, Luna Nova
Merrill Cavendish was finally released after a few weeks in jail for being the accomplice of the crimes that Daryl committed, she ended up helping a lot in the investigation, besides already being kind of walking in steps towards change even before being arrested, when she was granted her freedom she was incredibly welcomed by Laura McLaren who was very attentive as an aunt, taking her niece to Dublin to have a second chance at life, with a car trip that was quite unforgettable for the young Cavendish, McLaren spent some time with her family and then decided to leave the car there and return by broom to Luna Nova, but without spending a good part of the afternoon and some of the night with her family before coming back to spend a promised night with her daughters, which would be a time playing video games together, but she will have to face the two girls a bit angry and jealous of the attention given to Merrill.
POV Diana:
Damn mum Laura dinnae arrive soon, she promised us that we would have a night playing with family, she had tae leave, now she took my cousin tae her house, soon Merrill, I'm here with Chariot and Hellene waiting fae an hour since the time that she promised, I dinnae even start the videogame and I dinnae make the popcorn, until we hear the door open and mum shows up, me and sis are sitting on the chair with arms crossed.
"What is it? Am I a little late?" said mommy with a straight face while we stared at her, Hellene even puffed up her cheeks.
"Ye were 56 minutes and 32 seconds late from the time ye said ye were going back tae Luna Nova" I tell her.
"Did Merrill make you spend dat much time, Mama?" Hellene asks.
"Oh no shit, you two are jealous of your cousin... Come 'ere and give us a hug, you know dat now her life is different" Mom said and we were just kidding, we got up and hugged her, all cute.
"Ye know I was only joking, right mama?" I tell her and she pats me on the back.
"I know you were, you understand de situation, in fact Merrill 'as improved a lot as a person, she came in wanting to start school and do a supplementary, she dreams of being a fashion designer, your cousin 'as a cute dream, now let's bring it to reality, she deserves dis second chance, she was as victim as us, she dedn't even 'ave a choice to be who she is, so let's give Merrill dis chance to improve as a person" my mother said.
"I agree with ye mum, I still have the childhood resentments with her, but I remember how she has apologized tae me many times when she was younger, she genuinely felt bad fae what she did, I remember the face she used tae get, she used tae pretend very bad tae be on their side, I really hope that Merrill will repair herself, also Maril, they dinnae deserve the mother they had, they were as victims as us, what we should do is tae give them the love and affection they lacked sae they dinnae end up corrupting themselves and sinking into depression, Daryl one way or another is going tae go tae jail" I tell mum.
We are all together in a family trio, the only thing missing was really mum Bernadette, tae form the quartet that should be our family, but she is watching us from far away, I'm sure of it, we can now start tae play.
Out of nowhere a stone is thrown on the window of the room breaking it, in it there was what seemed tae be a pot, when we open it there's an envelope and inside it a CD, another one of Daryl's letters.
"Things are getting serious around here Diana, I think it's a good thing I don't get wound up because Brooke is going to suffer"
"She really won't stop threatening us" I say as I read the letter.
"Soon Daryl's 'ideout will be found and Brooke will be rescued, de most important ding is to 'old on as long as we can Diana" Mum said.
"I kind of resent it, what if Brooke is tortured every day fae it? I will feel deeply guilty about these things" I tell Mum.
"I know 'ow you feel my girl, I've been drough a lot of similar things, during de time of de witches revolution attempts, Daryl won't kill Brooke right away, if we find her, it will be the end for Daryl, now let's see de sick movie of dat one" Said mama Laura.
The shooting starts, Daryl was entering Brooke's captivity, it looks like an abandoned factory, I'm sure it must nae be here in Arcturus, it's impossible tae have one around here, she opened the door and aimed the gun at poor Brooke, wanting to traumatize our friend even more.
"Boy turn here" Daryl said teasingly and still aiming the gun at Brooke's hand.
"What is this? Are you going to bully me again?" Brooke always being full of words, she really is a warrior
"Diana let this message be very clear, either you will give in as leader or he won't come back in one piece from here, I think you better think before you waste your time here" The message as always being left, what a horrible human being.
She shoots Brooke, changing the aim tae her foot, poor thing, nae! She is torturing Brooke, how horrible, this bitch is going tae pay dearly fae what she is doing tae my friend, I can't believe I am being blamed fae all this, she dinnae deserve tae go through these things, I look at the look of despair of the poor lassie, going through this, I even feel kind of bad.
"Fuck you, you bastard, you can shoot all you want, Diana won't give in, Diana for all that's good don't give in, don't let yourself be taken by this woman's blackmails, be strong, I know I can die in this, honestly I wouldn't be sad for" Daryl still punches her, what a bitch, I dinnae believe it, she's suffering sae much.
"Awww what a cutie the boy is willing to die because of you, but don't listen to him, or you want the life of this poor innocent little girl who had so much future to go away, don't be narcissistic Diana, it's just a piece of paper, you know where to get it" She ends the shot there, intimidating both of us even more, but I won't give in, even though I'm feeling guilty.
Again the footage cuts and shows another one where Daryl is in the lair or wherever she's hiding, I just know that it's a very strange and suspicious place, this factory room, it even gave me a strange feeling in my chest seeing Brooke like that, she suffering what should be happening nae her, I'm sure Daryl would kill Brooke, even if I delivered the signed contract.
"Diana, you see what you did, how ugly, your little friend Brooke is all hurt, what a friend you are being to her, anyway I think you better tighten your pace, I'm not very patient and your friend can't tolerate a lot of pain, I think Brooke won't last the second week, you have until the 18th of February, tick tack the clock," said Daryl.
Then the video is cut and the screen is drizzling, now I got really tense, fae the nine witches, the situation is nae the best for us, now she appealed tae torture our friend, even if we can last until the last day, she will be completely mutilated, I'm afraid even a tear fell from my eye.
"Nae! She's going tae get us like this, I dinnae want tae resist, but we have nae choice and the worst of all is tae see that Brooke could end up dying in this situation" I'm so fucked up I dinnae know what tae do
"She will kill Brooke anyway, I can't trust dis woman, we have to find de 'iding place before she ends up doing worse, I dedn't find anything in Arcturus, only abandoned places full of creatures, but nothing dat resembles a factory" Mum said.
"What if she is dis time hiding out? Hellene asks.
"It is impossible, she would need to cross the Ley line and on top of dat she would give away 'er position, de only access near de Ley line is in Luna Nova, de others are too far away, de hills of Doras are 1000 kilometres from 'ere, so it would be unfeasible" said mum.
"Unless there's someone behind all this, or maybe she's under our noses, either way it's good that we're looking, she's going tae torture Brooke every week and it's going tae be horrible tae see happen, she dinnae deserve this" I say indignantly.
"'Ey sis we're going to go inside de evil lair of dis witch and save Brooke from 'er hands, we're going to arrest Daryl" Said my sis.
"If you continue to train as you do in de morning you will walk well, anyway... Let's forget about it for a while, I know it is important to talk about dis thing, but even so, let's enjoy a family moment, you both know 'ow much I love you" said mum Laura and she even wiped my tears.
Since I got tae know her better and found out that she is my mum, this has been the best one month of all my life, mum Laura is a sweet person, she helps us, she dinnae lie tae us, on top of that she treats me in a
loving way that just reminds me a lot of mum Bernadette.
We hugged again, after mommy got up she went tae get the popcorn fae us, Hellene and I stayed only smiling, watching her getting ready looking like two children, we even turned on the videogame, waiting fae her return.
"Aren't you going to play?" Mum said.
"We just want to wait for you mum" We said together.
"Ahhhh you are such soft arses, it seems dat out of de blue with me you have become two babies, not dat dis is bad, so soon mum will come, do you want to make popcorn with me den?" She said and we both nodded.
"Aye!" We said together.
"Dey are just like you when you were younger and I used to go to your house" Mum said tae Chariot.
"Oh I wasn't that sly with you, I used to be with my mum, but not with you Laura, I still remember the day I grew big enough to pass you in height, it was so cute" Mum got the biggest look on her face at what Chariot said.
"You like to make fun of my lack of 'eight, but I am not one of the short ones among de McLaren, my mother is two centimetres shorter dan me, Vicoria was five centimetres shorter, de great Isabel from what I read in the Cavendish history books was about nine centimetres shorter dan me, so I am about average for a McLaren" said mum, putting the popcorn in the pan.
"Wow and why are you all short?" asks Chariot.
"Genetics and magic, we McLaren are Halflings and we are descended directly from elves, when dey still existed on earth, before dey fled here, Kara was de first of de nine witches, but dey were kind of spawned in dat time, until de elven migration of 1200 dat 'appened almost everywhere in de world, and in Ireland it only 'appened in 1255, until den de ancestors of de family were an elf named Marceline and a Halfling named Laurren, both had Mary McLaren who ended up getting more human characteristics, with de exception of stature, we were halflings 'eight, a little taller dan elves, de tallest in the family was my great grandmother Elisabeth, she was 1,59m but dat's because she's trans, she may not 'ave grown so much because she started transitioning early, but dat still made 'er tall, anyway that's the secret for me being so short, it's genetics, de magic holds the Halflings traits in us" said mum.
"So I would be a Quarterling?" Hellene asks.
"Only Diana would be, you grew up in de McLaren household and came from me, which makes de Halfing gene dominant" Mum replies.
I'm surprised, I dinnae know that detail, I'm half Halfling and half human, I have part elf in my blood, that's cool, I never thought I'd be one, anyway I'm going tae help mommy make the popcorn, she'll love my company around here, I'm feeling all childish here, it's like a part of me coming back, nostalgic feelings and all, the smell of popcorn rising, what a good thing,
"Dey are enjoying it, aren't dey, get de special seasoning dere Hellene" said mum.
"Special seasoning?" I ask mum.
"McLaren thing when you are older we will tell you what I do, but for now you are too young to know de special seasoning and wash your hand and your shoes, gir" said mama Laura.
Wow, there is a whole family thing, I love it, it is like feeling included in a new world that I dinnae know I was part of, I am loving every minute here with mommy Laura, at last I think I am going tae help mommy here, I think I am going tae make the juice, I get some lemons and I start tae open them using magic, then I start squeezing tae take the juice out, these things I know how tae do with precision, besides cutting some little ice cubes that I make in the shape of a star, what leaves a charm on top of the lemon, I smile seeing the art that I made.
"Look at dis girl, de ice cubes are really cute, all dat's missing is de sugar to make it sweet" said mum, and soon Chariot arrived with sugar cubes, hers are cute and bear-shaped.
"Wow what cute cubes, I love it Chariot" I say looking at the other shapes.
"I do it myself with the sugar, I do it by myself, one of my favourite activities I used to do with your mother when I was a child" Chariot said.
We kept doing it and soon the popcorn was ready, we put it in a big bucket for all of us, we followed mum, she was getting a Witchtale cartridge, where we sat all together beside her, just tae watch the game, she put the cartridge in the super nintendo and the screens appeared, ahhh I love Witchtale, until in the menu I see the saves.
"Dis last one on de bottom I will never delete, it was de last time Bern was at home, we played to zero together, May 18, 2007, it was just before she became bedridden, I could already see 'er getting ill, it was a moment that I 'ad no idea would be de last" Mom said.
"It was before Mom Bern's last save at home, she played one last time with me, it was on June 1st 2007, she was already in bed, she askedAnna tae install the Super Nintendo and there I went playing with her, I dinnae have many memories of the day, I was dying of anxiety tae go to Japan, I remember I won a VIP ticket on my birthday fae the Chariot presentation in Tokyo" I say while she started on another save.
"I gave you this ticket as a gift and gave it to your mother, I knew you couldn't miss out on my big debut in the world, little did I know it would be my last too," said Chariot.
"Croix ruined everything that day" I say indignantly.
"Her obsession with dat boss ended up making 'er walk down dat kind of path, unfortunately Croix wanted to take de law into 'er own hands and I don't take credit from 'er, I would do de same ding knowing dat dere is someone who is putting deir hands on any attempt of ours to renew de witch world" Mama Laura said.
"You and Croix are the most obsessed with this, I am afraid of how you can end this, I know it is important and everything else to end this such a boss, but gee girls we can also try to change by other actions" Chariot said and I saw my mother shaking her head this boss always puzzle me, who could be them? I dinnae know, but I hope we got them.
"No! I'd rather not risk it, I've tried many times Chariot, all my life, how much I dinnae campaign to restore de Broom Gran Prix, 'ow much Eleanora and I dinnae campaign to promote April's Magi Tech and in de end she was murdered, she's missing to dis day, I tried to act peacefully for years, I tried to act peacefully for years, but after you lose even friends because of people who want to ruin your dreams, there's no way to be peaceful, I found out by Eleanora dat dere is a boss, Croix who ended up getting obsessed, then I found out by Daryl, everything became clearer, de boss of all dis needs to fall out" Said the mother and she's right that such a boss ruins our lives is a hell even.
"Let's just play, go on Mum, show us" said my sister all excited.
"Ah you really do want to see me play, but I warn you dat I will want to see you try too" we nodded in agreement.
Mum Laura was soon doing her route, she decided tae go fae the pacifist one, we were loving tae see her playing, she simply goes holding the control with a softness, I thought she would suffer tae dodge, but nae, she is nae rusty at all, I remember that the first boss is made tae lose, but she is still dodging.
"Mum, are ye really going tae try this?" I ask her.
"Try what? Is de game de kind dat starts off difficult? I've never played Witchtale" said my sister.
"You've seen me play several times, but you've never played, dis part dere's no way to win, unless you're very good, den dere's an extra cutscene, de tricky thing is dat when you face dat damn broom afterwards, it gets impossible, but dat's what I want, de game already tests you to show if you're just a beginner or a veteran" Mom said.
"Aye, I've already done that, it's extremely difficult tae pass the Broomy part, that bastard screws us if we play well, ye're just unlocking the extreme mode that way mum" She dinnaet care and kept smiling on top of it.
"I know, I created this game, dat's why I'm going to appeal to de true difficulty, I knew dat beginner players wouldn't risk it, but when you're more mangled dis is de way dat me, April, Scarlet and Bern made it for anyone who wants to have de true Witchtale experience" Mom said.
"Ye lassies are crazy, ye made an even harder mode and I thought it was the very hard one, but it's the real way tae play" I say shocked I've never seen that.
"I've spoken in interviews in de 90s and it was full of curious people trying, we've 'ad letters from people saying relieved to complete de extreme mode" Mum said.
She just passed without suffering any harm against Broomy, even I couldn't get tae that point, mummy is crazy, ah came aunty Rylda, I hate that woman too much, how I want our character tae sink her face in sae badly, now comes the usual dialogues, I love the lore of this game.
"Rylda? You made dis woman named after our aunt? Really, Mom?" Hellene realized a gigatonic secret dat I 'ad never noticed before.
"Yes, it was based on your aunt like Queen Riecla, de soldiers Riema and Liamea, dey're all names inspired by people from de family dat ever messed with our noses and dat's because we 'ad no idea that Daryl was going to cause worse, I dedn't reveal dis in any interview, but de names of de evil gang was inspired by dose people from de family" Mom said and it was like a movie going through my head, how could I never notice that there was something sae heavy like that? Mum Laura is brilliant, that's why this is my favourite game, there's a whole lore surrounding the Cavendish family, that's so epic.
A few good hours playing together, eating popcorn and some sweets, the night was falling, the girlswere feeling sleepy, thinking only of sleeping, after so much watching their mother playing, whichwas already incredibly halfway through the game and without dying once.
I'm already a little sleepy, I think it's better tae sleep, but it's sae cool tae play here and watch mommy playing, I see that Hellene has already fallen asleep, mommy pauses fae a while, where she takes off my sister's prosthesis and then takes her in her arms tae the bed, I watch everything half feeling like a sly child.
"Looks like the youngest one slept isn't it, reminds me of when you were newborns, Hellene always slept first" Chariot said.
"Go to sleep my lettle angel, tomorrow mommy will play more, you still 'ave to rest your little body a lot, you are always so dedicated" said mommy and I went getting a cute smile on my face, then mommy turns tae me seeing my sleepy face.
Mum comes tae me, I seem tae have activated some strange instinct, I gave my arms she starts tae hold me, smiling at me, laying me down on the bed, then putting a blanket on me, she takes an armchair using magic making it float right in front of me, which I feel very comfortable, I end up seeing in this my mother Bernadette, when I was only five years old and she used tae put me tae bed, it was moments like this that I loved tae spend with my mother when I was a child.
"Time to tell my Diana a lettle story to get 'er to sleep" Mum said and I am honestly nae a child.
"Mum I'm already 16 and I'll be 17 in April..." She puts her finger over my mouth.
"Shshshshsh, let Mama Laura cook, now I will tell you a story, it is about an ideal world of witches, when modernity and tradition meet and work together for a better world" I remember this one, Mama Bernadette already told it tae me.
"Civilladura Lelladebura" We spoke together, she even smiled at me.
"When traditional and modern powers mingle , the gate tae an unknown world will open" I end up complementing, still remembering everything very fresh in my head.
"Now let Mummy tell you de story" I nodded in agreement, I felt like I was a child, if Mummy Laura really wants tae bring back that time I was younger and live with me, she is succeeding.
I've been kind of feeling sleepy, I dinnae know why, but at the same time I'm just entering into the imagination, immersing myself more and more into the story, I sincerely wish that the world was like in this story that my mother told me, it was such a perfect world, it's still going through my head, my eyes are closing and I'm entering more into the world.
And it didn't take long, in a few minutes Diana was falling asleep while her mother Laura continued totell the story, noticing how she was getting drowsy and sleeping until she confirmed that herdaughter had really fallen asleep?
POV Laura:
A tear even falls from my face, I never dought I would do dis, even with Diana so grown up, she still slept like a baby, my adorable baby, I run my 'and through 'er lettle Cavendish hair, reminding me of my beloved wife, I love 'ow it brings back good memories, dat smile, dat damn smile, a cutie, my daughter Diana. Made me remind of my lovely wife, I miss you so much my Cabbagedish.
"She slept, didn't she?" Chariot asks.
"Like a lettle angel" I say, wiping away my tears.
"Laura, laura always all emotional, you are a cutie, both of you are proud of the fantastic mother you have become and you always have been" Du Nord said.
"One day it will be you too Chariot, at your age I was already about to do Diana heh, I remember well de day even, 29 years old, intending to be a mother at 30, I dought I was even too old, but you know... I dink it made me more mature, my mother Joanne was a mother at 23, Bernadette's mother was a mother at 20, dey were always immature people, my mother at least recognized dis, she always talked and dialogued with us, always... I think it impacted on me and Chelsea so much, we were very irresponsible teenagers and children, my father who raised us and great grandmother Elisabeth, but I never stopped admiring de effort my mother Joanne made for us" I say while stroking Diana's hair.
"A lot of this stuff you passed on to me, I even saw what you wanted to do by telling Diana this story, you did almost the same thing to me when I found the fifth word, that moment I even thought Croix had taken it better, it was before the sixth" Chariot said and I just nodded.
"One day deir time will come, you managed to reveal in a selfless moment when Croix in 'er thirst to find de boss nearly killed 'erself climbing Wagandea, she thought de boss lived in the treetops" dose were simple times, but now in new times I want to see if with me de girls find everything.
"And how do you think Diana can figure out that word? And as for Akko, she's the one who was chosen, she's been sticking out a lot lately" Du Nord said.
"Claiomh Solais was never meant to be used and discovered by one witch alone, Bernadette 'elped me discover de fifth word and she was de one who ended up making me want to play it forward, but unfortunately after dat I gave up a lot, dose were times I dedn't imagine could get worse and dey did... As for Akko, I see a bright future yet for 'er, ultimately I feel dis girl is going to be the mother of my granddaughters or granddaughter, she and Diana have a chemistry dat I only saw when I was with Bern" I say with a smile on my face.
"It amazes me that you show such enormous respect for Akko since you met her, being the great witch that you are, today I'm sure you're the greatest" I'm even a little bit unfazed.
"Come on Chariot, I'm just a mother and a witch who tried several times to change de system, but de system wanted me to conform to it, dat's all I am, anyway... Akko is a great witch, I watched everything from de crystal ball, she saved my daughter's life, she made a whole journey to 'elp Diana, see... Chariot, dis girl 'as everything to marry Diana, I see de potential of dis union, when I was not 'ere yet, when she was living a life without any hope, dis girl arrives, she came and changed everyone's life 'ere, specially my Diana's life, I really want to see dem together one day, I will still 'elp dem a lot, I want to see dem getting into trouble and everything else, I ultimately see a lot of me in dis naughty lettle girl, you know? She has the energy I 'ad when I was young" I say reflecting as I look at Diana.
"Ahhhhhh, I think I'm going to sleep now, good night Laura" Chariot said going to bed.
"Good night lettle Chariot do you want to 'ear a bedtime story too?" I tell her that she just laughs and goes to sleep.
After dat I turn off even de lights, I sit at de window watching de stars, de sky, I always dink it's strange 'ow de Arcturus sky 'as other constellations, it gives de impression dat we are not on earth, but in another dimension or even another planet, but strangely connected to earth, anyway, I dink it's a lot of reflection.
I see all de children sleeping, I dink it's also time for de oldest one to have a nap, dis night was very cute and
comfortable, I could feel more connected to de girls, every day I feel 'appier, 'appy that I could finally achieve de greatest achievement of my life.
"Bernadette... We did it my love, I know you are not 'ere to see dis, or you must be in your afterlife watching everything, I am still all disbelieved dat I made it, in de end I am 'ere with Diana and Hellene together, in front of me, both calling me mommy, now I will try to dream with you one more time" I say looking at de stars and smiling at dem.
POV Narrator:
And so it was the quiet night of Laura and her daughters, where they could be more relaxed, talking together and also playing, a unique family moment that Laura can live this time among her daughters, even having those huge worries around when Daryl can attack again or cause terror, as always. The fifth word is already entering a matter of time to be revealed, soon it could be a reality.
See you, family witches...