Happy Wednesday! Its Half term now in the UK. Hopefully i'll be able to get some writing done during it. Untill next week, Enjoy! And thanks again to our Beta, WiredUniverse12!

Chapter 3: Another world

Mildred let out a long, deep sigh. Preparing herself for whatever she might walk into. Her hand stilled on the knob of the door, slowly opening it, almost painfully so. She stepped into the room, taking in the classy gothic look of it all...

She hadn't known what to expect, but this wasn't quite it. The first thing to catch her eyes was the Silky Deep Blue bed covers, almost purple, placed on a Canopy bed signifying that could only speak of money. Paired with the Limoge wood on all the furniture. It was like stepping into an old novel...

It took her a moment before she found herself wandering over to the fireplace, her hands hovering by an old Photo. Black and white, an elderly looking woman holding onto a small child with a long dark braid. It reminded her of the Addams family, almost. She stared at the photo, the little girls equally as dark eyes staring back at her, while sat on what Mildred could only assume was her grandmother's lap. The eyes that bored into her were so familiar, it took her a few moments before she realized it was Hecate staring back at her.

She quickly backed away from the photo, as if it had burned her. She looked at the other photos on the fireplace. Family Photos, solo Photos, school photos... It was all Hecate. The woman who held her past so close to her head, and hid away any remembrance of it, had left her in the one room that could show it all. This was an act of trust she had never been granted before.

It brought a sweet smile to Mildred's lips... Before her own guilt so cruelly snatched it away. "Miss H has her issues... But... I'm sure she can rise to the task of mum." Her mother's voice rang out in her head. She recalled nights curled up on the couch, her mum with an old photo album, telling her stories and anecdotes from her own childhood.

Her favourite was an old picture of Julie with a bus driver. She would often be alone when she took the bus, so she'd have a natter with the bus driver. He was notorious for giving her free rides, and all it cost her was some common kindness... It really stuck with her.

This wasn't quite the cosy-up conversation she and Julie used to have. But it was still opening up her heart in a way Hecate had not thus far. At least, not on her own accord. The current pictures up in their apartment were encouraged by Pippa. Come to think of it, Pippa wasn't overly open with her past either, but she was far more open with her current thoughts and emotions than Hecate.

"Perhaps I should tell her..." Mildred whispered to herself, suddenly overwhelmed by the emotional toll of her mother's parting words. Maybe it was Hecate's child-like eyes staring daggers at her, maybe it was that need to share something back in return, or maybe it was simply that need for a mother again.

"Tell her what, Millie?" Pippa's sudden voice startled Mildred, prompting her to whip around and stare in horror at the pink witch. She spluttered and stuttered as Pippa closed the door, slowly moving over to the bed and placing a miniaturized suitcase down. It was then Pippa Pentangles' eyes descended on Mildred properly, concern and worry growing in them. "Mildred?"

Mildred squeezed her eyes tight, letting out a few breaths. "I em.."

"Yes?" Pippa's hand came to rest on Mildred's shoulder. "You can tell me, Darling." She didn't often use pet names with Mildred. Normally just Millie or Mildred. But, every now and then, she'd call her dear. Or better yet, darling. Those types of things were often reserved for Hecate. It kind of made Mildred feel a bit special to the former head teacher.

"Before my mother turned to stone... We got to talk a little bit..." Mildred spoke timidly, not daring to look into Pippa's eyes. "I... Kinda omitted the truth to Hecate about the contents..."

She couldn't see the kind smile, nor the triumph in Pippa's eyes. "We know." Pippa spoke softly, so softly in fact, Mildred almost missed her speak at all.

Her eyes shot up, wide and surprised. "Y-You know?" She gulped; had she been suffering with this burden alone for nothing?

"Well..." Pippa began. "We know there was more to your talk than you were telling us... but, we're still unsure on the contents…" Pippa gave her another sweet smile, letting her know that everything was fine. Safety... that's what Pippa's smile always meant to her.

"But... but you didn't mention anything... Hecate didn't..." Mildred knew neither of them really beat around the bush when there was an issue. Though, Hecate was known to avoid topics she deemed too emotional...

"Whatever happened... is between you and your mother... and we wanted to respect that, till you came to us..." Pippa practically whispered... her voice carried a weight of a thousand words in only a thought. Mildred paused before she whispered something... "Millie...?" Pippa prompted Mildred to speak up.

"Mum... said Hecate could... be a mum... to me..." Mildred sounded small, even to her own ears. Unsure, timid and childlike. Mildred sometimes forgot she was a child... small and insignificant to the world... only there to be a burden to the grown-ups.

"Tell her, Mildred." Pippa placed a well-timed hand onto Mildred's Cheek. Her face contorting from that kind, beautiful and safe smile, into almost a sorrowful grimace.

"She… won't be mad... will she?" Mildred couldn't bear the thought. She had never been overly good with the boundaries of others and Hecate put up with so many. She didn't want to knock them back to the beginning by this act of honesty.

Pippa shook her head. "You know she won't be mad." Quite honestly, Mildred was more scared of the rejection that might follow than the wrath that she doubts will be there... but it was easier to put Hecate's emotions into a box of content and anger, than try to figure out all in between. Mildred gave a fragile nod. "She's in our room." Pippa let her go.

Let Mildred wandered off down the ever-elongating corridor... ready to meet her maker.

The Limoge Wood i'm referencing in this chapter is the European Oak (Dark wood) variant.

Let me know what you think! Thanks again!