Chapter Twenty-Seven: Trials and Tribulations
Will sighed with relief.
They were back.
The portal would close. It was over. The time travel-horrific thing was over. But not before she came flying right through it again, startling them all.
"NO, THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!"
Violet breathed hard, facing them with unsettling glee in her eyes. Her eyes no longer belonged to her, Cornelia suddenly realized, recognizing the same look she had seen in Mary. Whereas Mary's eyes had been still free of this 'condition', unlike the rest of her body, Violet was fully marked.
She was fully under Azor's dark influence. Azor's Touch...
"This is absurd at this point,"- Caleb raged, pulling his sword out. "How did she escape Melinda?"
"Don't look now but I think that..."- Irma gasped, not even able to finish her words.
What happened before their very eyes had them so struck, they couldn't react.
Azor began moving inside Violet, aggravating her body, making it tremble at first. Then it jiggled. Violet screamed the entire time; long, painful screams that only got deeper.
Cornelia knew she had to do something but she didn't know what because what she was seeing right now was like nothing she had ever witnessed before and the same applied to everyone else. Even Nerissa looked open-mouthed. Repulsed but open-mouthed.
At first, it looked like Violet was reaching for her mouth but even in the beginning, there was something sinister and not right about it.
Then came the gore.
Azor literally stripped Violet's body off herself, as if it had been inside the platinum-haired woman all along, treating her body with all its insides like a second skin. Like a suit.
Because of the way this horrendousness was done, it looked like Violet did it herself, and thankfully she appeared to have quickly died, became after being forced to pull at her own mouth, her screams stopped.
Cornelia looked away before she could witness, what Will would deem the most grotesque, gory scene she had ever seen in her life, worse than any horror movie... Even Irma had to agree as she covered her eyes in shock right after she saw what was left of Violet falling down like a snake's skin.
Lillian screamed and looked away too but it was too late; she barfed then and there.
"What are you doing? You have the Heart, stop her before she has fled!"
Will was so shocked she didn't even notice the two women who emerged out of the big portal right before it finally closed.
Only Caleb's sharp reactions stopped the Demon Rose from making a run for it.
He threw his enchanted sword at her, piercing one of her limbs.
Azor hissed in pain and fell back; she was still in the process of taking her human form after the gory murder she had just committed in order to be able to do what she had done. Finally, move her main root to their time. And she had used the deranged Violet as a living host to achieve it...
But Caleb's sword seemed to have interfered with the process because instead of a hand, her pierced limb looked more like a claw-like dark root that was bleeding some sort of disgusting dark green muddy semblance of blood.
"The Heart, Will, we're strong enough to put an entrapping spell on her here, in Heatherfield. Our magic is back to its normal levels!"- Nerissa yelled, pointing her Seal at the monster. "Follow my lead!"
Will didn't need a second invite, she summoned the Heart of Kandrakar and joined Nerissa's convergence.
When her spell was complete and all mystic lights died down as well as Azor's monstrous hisses, all that was left were the gory remains of Violet's body...and a single withered rose in a small transparent sphere floating above.
"Nelia, we have to do something, we can't leave h-her out in the open like that,"- Lillian cried, still not fully turned towards the remains.
Cornelia blenched but nodded before lifting her hand and accelerating the process of natural decomposition on the remains, leaving nothing but thicker and greener grass where there had been literal carnage a few moments ago.
Their estranged aunt was a terrible person indeed, but even she hadn't deserved to go out in such a sickening way.
"OK..."- Irma breathed heavily as they all just stood there, contemplating the situation. "WHAT THE FU-"
"Who are you?"- Nerissa turned to the two unknown women after the entrapped sphere with Azor inside was by her side.
It was now that Will registered as well. The two young women stared back in silence. These two had just...come to their time from the past?
The redhead suppressed the urge to face-palm and groan; just when she had thought that things wouldn't go wrong again.
"My mother asked you something,"- Caleb demanded. "Who are you?"
"Why did you cross through that portal, you're going to rewrite history again, that's what we wanted to evade all along!"- Irma whined. "What is it with you people, doesn't the ominous green sparkling vortex drive you away?!"
But Will knew that perhaps they had seen more ominous in their lifetime. In fact, they all had. For example just now collectively witnessed - Violet's death. But these two had known of the Heart. Of Azor.
"Where are you going to take that?"- the taller of the two unknown women demanded, pointing at Azor. "Kandrakar?"- she guessed. "It's accessible?"
"How do you..."- Will closed her mouth. She had been about to ask how do two women from the late 1600s know of Kandrakar but the last part of her words sounded louder in her ears. Accessible? What were...
"Yeah, I guess, but you shouldn't be here,"- she shook her head in the end. "You,"
"We are going to come with you,"- the tall woman interrupted. "I assume Himerish will be there?"- she added with an odd tone to her voice.
"Alas, Himerish is not among us anymore, how do you know him anyway,"- Nerissa crossed her arms on her chest. Then she suddenly realized: "Are you guardians?"
Cornelia gasped. Melinda had said that the other guardians were gone but never fully elaborated...
"That we were. Looks like in your time, we no longer possess our powers to the fullest extent,"- the shorter guardian spoke for the first time.
She was slightly robust, with tan mat skin and straight brown hair while her friend was thin, with a crooked nose and pale, with unruly ginger curls in an updo and fair eyes.
Fair eyes full of rage.
Will gulped. The last thing they needed was more ex-guardian drama.
"So, you decided to cross through time and space knowing that this might distort the timeline just to get a chance to talk with Himerish?"- Irma noted, annoyance creeping in her voice.
"Do not presume to berate us when you're too at fault for this!"- the ginger exclaimed.
"Conjecta!"- her friend pulled her back. "Not now. We will not leave things like this. And we will have a word. On Kandrakar."
Will groaned and focused on the Fortress of Infinity. It looked like the consequences of the Heart of Earth saga were yet beginning to pan out.
"Then Halinor said that they were the original guardians of Kandrakar and Conjecta had a fit. Apparently, even though there were guardian teams long before CHYKN, the power distribution was never between five members, duly as the five elements. It was either one person holding all the power and maybe adopting sidekicks or three people, each having more than one element to wield...Anyway, we kinda knew that already, things were different in the past. Conjecta said that the Oracle used to think differently and that the old Council had to follow up with other parties that didn't agree that the elements should be quote-unquote separated. Yeah, it makes little to no sense to me either,"- Will stopped her narration for a minute to take a sip from her pumpkin-spiced latte. The Gallery barista made it really good. "Melinda's team was one of the first to decide to separate the power of the elements between five wielders. But it backfired in their faces. Conjecta said the Fire element somehow got their friend Rose killed. After that, Melinda got busy training Mary, the living Heart of Earth before the switch. The guardians had sort of a fallout and left her but promised each other to never let another one of them die unfairly like Rose...Only it happened again with Reya right before Azor came to our time through Violet's body. Kadma wanted to banish Conjecta and Fiona back to their time and put an end to it but they argued that since our intervention caused the death of their friend, they were in their right to seek further judgment whatever that means. In the end, Halinor and Kadma seemed forced to let them on stay on Kandrakar and keep trying to sort it all out. I don't know what happened next because they sent us all away and honestly, I was too tired anyway."
"God,"- Taranee commented, shaking her head. She and Will were both in the City Gallery, each running an errand of their own but mainly because they were going to lunch with the other girls afterward, and Hay Lin, who they were picking up, was currently here, in the Gallery, on a sort of temp job. "And Azor?"
"Well, Kadma said that since we were able to entrap her "main root", the other roots that she has already spread around Heatherfield through the painting -spell will soon wither out and die, so whatever damage she has done is done. Hay Lin reported the painting destroyed, now everything should be fine... Lillian renounced her power temporarily, at least until her trial, which is coming up. The power is being safe-kept in Kandrakar but they let her go...So, we'll see how that one pans out."
Taranee nodded. She hadn't told her friend yet, but in their absence, she and Hay Lin had been to Kandrakar as well. Only to receive no adequate information regarding their babies. It was as if they were irrelevant, despite some of the elders' claims about their fate before the entire time-loop, change of events thing even occurred.
"Phobos's trial is going to have a date soon too,"- Will added, clearing her throat. "I spoke to Kandrakar's new scrivener. It's going to be a big trial, so it will take some time,"
"Oh, Will that's..."- for one, Taranee didn't know what to say. It was hard on her friend for sure. And not only that. Having to deal with Lillian after her colossal betrayal and conspiring, figuring out her situation with Matt and Phobos after the climatic events and changes...
Phobos's trial, that was most probably going to result in incarceration for him, was just another problem to add to her pile.
"I'm sorry. I know you have other feelings for him and see the good in him, but he's still responsible for a lot..."
"I know, that's not what I'm scared of though,"- Will sighed. "Elyon's getting ready. Yeah, it is a big deal because things have changed. Basically, he wasn't a criminal anymore but now Coronia will be trialed too and it can be a messy trial... they didn't keep him, and that changes shit. Elyon has a team of law people working on this, they hope to be able to return him to Meridian where he's her liability but we'll see how that goes..."
Taranee didn't say anything at that. She came from a family of "law people", and was more than acquainted with law herself. She didn't exactly understand which jury or prosecutor in their right mind would allow someone like Phobos in the hands of his biased sister whom he'll hardly ever face the punishments he deserves with. But then again, Kandrakar had a way of surpassing even the wildest of dreams (or nightmares) of some people with their decisions.
"They're going to summon the Coronians...and Leonida."- Will voiced out her biggest concern. "And I don't know how that's going to affect Phobos. It's not that I'm scared he'll go back to her, he's totally free to do that...if it were possible. But it isn't, Queen Magana was categorical; she has written Phobos off of their lives and banned us from her kingdom, and I doubt that anyone will be able to change her mind. You know she despises all of us now..."
"Yeah, I think so too,"- Taranee admitted, reminiscing about Andan's funeral.
After Elyon's first husband had died untimely last year, the kingdom that Meridian had an alliance with, the same kingdom Leonida came from, Phobos's ex-accessory and lover, had cut all ties with them.
Magana took the inexhaustible power of the Coronian Golden Spring into her own hands again, brainwashing her daughter and moving on. Erasing Phobos from her mind. She had been willing to keep them together but Avani's hijacking was the last straw that made her snap. Magana had lost a son; she wasn't going to lose her daughter again. It had been a gloomy and sad day for them all, especially the Coronians and Elyon. They hadn't heard much of them since.
Taranee was about to ask how Phobos was doing on Meridian with his sister, out of pure sympathy for Will, when she saw him there, by the Renaissance paintings in the Gallery. In Heatherfield. Her jaw almost dropped:
"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you he's here,"- Will turned around apologetically before walking towards the prince. "Halinor said that it might be a good idea to remove him from Meridian right now because there is some tension...People do not like the idea of him being permanently exonerated or given any status on Meridian again..."
I can't imagine why, Taranee thought sarcastically as she watched the redhead make her way to the former prince of Meridian, who looked as if he was estimating the art in his dark jeans and casual fine blue sweater, a look which, if Taranee had to be completely honest, did suit him and his features. Together with the fair longer hair and precisely formed beard, it made him turn heads.
"I'm doing it again,"- Will said nervously and through gritted teeth, once only Phobos could hear her. "My friends will soon be calling me out for being delusional."
Phobos frowned, barely gracing the Fire guardian, who was watching them from the other end of the hall, with a glance.
"Let go of me, I told you,"- he simply said. "You succeeded in the unthinkable, freed yourself of the bond between us thought to be irreversible. I'm just a rock dragging you towards the deep ends now."
Will frowned. He was like that ever since Lillian's truth had been revealed. First, he was grumpy she left him alone on Meridian for a while to deal with the Heart of Earth crap; then when he obviously realized that Matt would try to get back with her, he just dropped it; he pretended he was alright, that he didn't care, but she knew he was mad at her and, to a certain extent, rightfully so.
"I'm not going to give up on you, Phobos, that bond and this thing between us weren't-"
"Weren't supposed to happen in the first place, but alas. You know what's best for you, Wilhelmina and so do I. You already made that choice once, remember?"- the man hissed before turning his back on her. "You first glazed me with the blade, then made a small wound. Right when it started healing, you plunged the knife in, steady, promising to heal the pain and leave but a scar. But you pulled it out again; roughly. Deepening the wound more than ever before. I'm not blaming you for you're a victim of the circumstances. But be done twisting the knife already, I beg of you."
Will was left speechless after that poisonous speech and felt her eyes starting to burn. What had she even thought when bringing him to Heatherfield again? But it was not safe on Meridian, she had no other choice. And here they were now, in this messed up situation, falling into old patterns maybe.
"Sounds like blaming to me."- she muttered blinking intensely, fighting away the tears before they could flow.
"What's up, Tara?"- Hay Lin approached her friend with a frisky step.
She wore a beautiful lavender-colored dress and two strands of her long, loosely curled hair, were pulled up with laces of the same color.
Hay Lin had let go of every dark thing from the last months that had been filled with a lot of good but, indeed, a lot of bad as well. But she was optimistic as always, as a big bad was finally taken down, she could look forward to better times and, most importantly, an undertaking of hers that was going to be presented in front of her friends and Heatherfield very soon...
Taranee wasn't ready to let go of some old things quite yet though:
"I think I'm witnessing trouble in paradise,"- she nodded towards Will and Phobos.
"Poor thing. She's been torn more than once over this,"
Taranee gave her a pointed look. She too felt bad for Will. On many occasions. But tolerating Phobos for longer than ten minutes was something beyond her capabilities.
"Say, did the "slasher" person just do a disappearing act after Halloween?"
"Yeah, thankfully, he couldn't severely hurt anyone but he almost did hurt Halloween and all our work,"- Taranee pushed her glasses back. "The police are after him, but as far as I'm concerned, they have no lead. No trail. I don't know if they'll ever get him unless he strikes again. Which, honestly, I hope he doesn't."
"Well, it is what it is,"- Hay Lin was quick to shrug it off. "Let's go to lunch!"
Lunch was good. They were all still a little tired but kinda relieved too. The Heart of Earth story? Draining. Hard on everyone. And the more it was into the past, the better.
Cornelia talked about how her family was coping with Lillian's remorse; they were slowly but steadily accepting her back into their life. Of course, their mother's memory of Fanu was reset though she was still most willing to give her daughter another chance.
Even Grandmother Hale promised to come around soon.
It was going to leave a mark on the Hale family, for sure, Lillian's undertaking, especially on her sister, but for the most part, it was just the remaining consequences to be concerned with.
Irma and Martin were slowly getting back to their normal life in Heatherfield, free of all Eye of God-related drama and whatnot while Hay Lin and Taranee were following up their daily routines as usual, minding their progressing pregnancies, careers and errands, family, and so on.
Nothing out of the ordinary, really.
Oh, except for Hay Lin's big thing that was happening tomorrow night.
She didn't let her friends in on the details yet but they kinda knew. She had mentioned it a few times over the last months, plus she had always wanted not only her own label but an opportunity to make money while practicing her many artistic talents...
Will? Once again, given all her circumstances, she felt like the odd one out.
First, she got last to their table because of having to deal with Phobos's tantrum, then they had all given her looks...
She knew already what they were thinking and probably what had been discussed right until she joined.
Will sighed and pushed her red hair back. All sense of familiarity, acceptance, and understanding seemed to have evaporated with the conclusion of their most recent major mission. It had brought them together as guardians and friends because it was at any cost and so many lives and fates depended on it. Now that the situation was successfully resolved, everyone was once again staring at the elephant in the room. Namely the Phobos thing. And they stared condemningly.
A good twenty minutes into the lunch with the other girls, she felt she had zoned out.
"Will? Will?"
"Huh?"
Yep. She had zoned out. Definitely.
Will just blinked and almost knocked her drink over as her friends stared at her:
"Hay Lin was just asking whether or not Matt will make it to her opening tomorrow night,"- Cornelia repeated eloquently but there was something covert in her tone.
She and Taranee stared at their friend like hawks, waiting for her reply, and Irma couldn't take it anymore:
"Oh, I guess, I mean he shouldn't be too bus-"
"Alright, why don't we all loosen up and pull the sticks out of our asses, OK?"- Irma interrupted, mainly focusing her attention on the blonde and the dark-skinned woman. "The last thing I want is to be part of some passive-aggressive, mean girl shit or even worse, mean soccer mom shit-sit. So, pretty please, cherry on top, can we not do this? Will, you can be open with us already, don't feel the need to stutter and be ashamed of anything because you'll be judged, because we're your friends and I speak on these judgy bitches' behalf as well." - she made a meaningful pause. Cornelia and Taranee looked at each other.
Will couldn't help but snicker. Leave to Irma to break through the tension. She wanted to help. She wanted things to be back to how they were. She really could read through a tense situation and make people unwind.
"We're not just some friends, we're best friends. And we've been through tough shit together. So, this here, your situation, you being torn between two guys... We're here for that. We're here for you, and whatever you make up your mind for. But you have to be open with us, babe,"
"Irma's right, Will,"- Hay Lin interfered gently. "Unlike her, I can't make statements on Taranee and Cornelia's behalf and maybe they'll still need time to come around, but we're willing; we're all willing to stand by you if you let us. And that's what matters most, doesn't it?"
"I can agree with Hay Lin," - Taranee finally said. "Will, you know I love you and I've always wanted the best for you. But I know my limits. So, in the end, even if I'm not concordant with your decision, I won't hold it over your head or try to change your mind."
"We all love you,"- Irma emphasized, satisfied, and shifted her attention to Cornelia and only Cornelia this time. She was still silent, just looking over at Will. "Right, Corny?"
Will nodded thankfully at them all but she was waiting for the final judgment deep in her heart, and she knew that only Cornelia could really read that out loud to her:
"And because we love so, so much,"- the blonde breathed, voice thick with emotion.
Irma sulked, already knowing she wasn't in fact, going to stand united by them, opinion-wise. Not on this...
"I don't want you...heck we don't want you, no matter what they say, we don't want you leaving Matt, the love of your life, for Phobos!"- Cornelia exploded, silencing the rest of the table like a bunch of kids caught out after curfew. "Especially not after this only came to be because my sister and your brother made you victims of their cruel plan with Avani, Will; they orchestrated this! So, no, I don't agree that maybe it was meant to be, that you're actual soulmates and whatnot. This was fabricated. It's a lie. It may feel different now but it started as a lie and it's always going to be just that, a lie! A fraudulent mistake that just shines differently, but it will actually be a dreadful thing to live with forever, Will, I know that one day you will be so sorry, you will hate not only yourself but us for letting you go headfirst into the abyss with this choice!"
"OK, Cornelia, we got your point,"- Irma cut her off, vexed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She should've known better, to stay silent about this.
Now Will was on the verge of tears, and the others were just silent again because Cornelia was speaking instead of them:
"No, you didn't! And I'm not going to stand by and let you three be so sickeningly supportive of something you don't even believe in!"
"Maybe you should stop thinking of us as a hive mind!"- Irma didn't remain obligated. "We're not... I'm not fucking supporting anything but my friend and I see nothing wrong with that!"
"Everything's wrong with that because our friend may or may not ruin her life for Phobos!"
"OK, you know what?"- Irma threw her napkin across the table. "I don't want to talk about this anymore, just shut up and eat-"
"What do you think, Irma, that you're being more benevolent and supportive? Phobos is not just a bad choice, he's going to be the end of everything as we know it, you know?"- Cornelia didn't give up, her eyes already red.
"I said what I said, I don't want to discuss this, you're ruining everyone's lunch-"
"No, you ruined it by trying to, I don't know, condemn me and Taranee for being reasonable when Will needs our support, I agree, but as in guidance towards the right choice which is not PHOBOS!"
"Cornelia, I'm going to-"
"You're going to what? Hit me? Make a scene?"
Like high-pressure water, the eruption that threatened to follow rose Taranee's blood pressure. She could feel it and so could Hay Lin, not only because of the air around them, full of tension. But because they both knew the other two guardians so very well and this topic had proven to be more than sensitive...
The Earth near thundered with Cornelia's next, unrelenting jab:
"I don't care what you do, Irma, just don't make me part of your idiotic, misunderstood cause of support and care when a literal villain in the flesh is trying to once again take our friend away!"
"CORNELIA, SHUT UP FOR ONCE!"- Irma stood up angrily but Will was faster than her. In the commotion, she managed to speak above Taranee and Hay Lin's desperate attempts to calm the other two down:
"Guys, please don't fight because of me, I get both of your points. But I'm not going anywhere anymore, so relax, please!"- she demanded. "Sit down, Irma. Cornelia, you too..."
"But-"
"I'm not mad at either of you and I am grateful for both of your friendships and both of your different types of support. Look, we're grown women and we're guardians, but as your friend, I hurt you already. As your leader of team, I hurt you enough, my romantic relationships will no longer do that to this group, OK? Enough about me, I'm not that weak or shallow,"- she sobbed but looked at them all with determination. "To allow this. To allow anything to get to us like that plan of Lillian, William, and Avani again. We have to stick together and I will stick by you no matter what."
Her friends stared at her again, but this time - in awe.
She lifted her amber-brown eyes up for a second and she could swear she saw hell across the street. All of Will's senses went numb for a second.
But!? He had headed for the apartment, hadn't he, why was he now...
He had heard her. Will couldn't even open her mouth before he abruptly fled the scene.
She had to go after him now.
"Go,"- Hay Lin, who better than anyone knew the basics of overhearing a conversation just said while the others looked back, spotting the prince in the distance. And given the loud voice Irma and Cornelia had used...
"We'll handle the bill, Will, go, this was just nasty, even to him."
"I wouldn't say so,"- Cornelia barely waited for the redhead to leave. "He deserves much worse! He's doing it again already; he's driving her nuts! I hate that nefarious-"
"Cornelia, please, we just wrapped up the Heart of Earth-Eye of God thing,"- Taranee interrupted her in a meaningful voice. "I know Will's situation is yet to be resolved and it bothers me too but we have to take it one step at a time. Hay Lin has a point. We have to choose Will no matter what."
Cornelia huffed. She did choose Will. What didn't they understand? There was no Will like they knew her with Phobos around which is why he had to be eliminated.
"I have to go. I have to pick up Killian from his daycare and go to the mall."- the blonde stood up and hugged herself in her long coat. "He needs new winter clothes."
The next day, Will huffed and puffed up the stairs, carrying her gym bag and a large garment bag, her outfit for Hay Lin's event tonight. She had just done intense cardio in the gym after a quick swimming session, to try to work out all the stress, then she had dropped by the dry cleaners' to pick up clothes.
Generally, it had been a great idea. She felt tired but collected and much more adequate to face anything. Much more like herself.
Yesterday, with its messy fights and her trying to get to Phobos, after eventually finding him in Cedric's abandoned bookshop... It was all a blur. Nobody said that it would be easy but she had a life to get back to and trials that would decide for Phobos's life majorly, and not only, but one thing Will refused to make peace with was him trying to get her to dump him completely.
Not even his most hurtful words which he was no longer rich on towards her could make her abandon him. Yes, Will's mind was far from made up when it came to her romantic relationships, but her relationship with either of these men on a purely human-to-human level wasn't going to go down the drain, no matter what.
She loved Matt. Phobos was different but he was there. Close to her soul. And they would both have to accept that, period.
"I'm not able to accept not having you to myself after we actually were intimate. Very intimate, very frequently,"- Phobos had said, squinting his eyes. "When you chose to go back to the tengu before we really started this relationship, I could be the bigger person. But not anymore,"
Will's newfound confidence was somewhat washed away as she recalled those words of his while unlocking the door. Both Phobos and Matt had spoken; they were never going to be OK with the other ending up with her. Duh. So, then what was she thinking? Friendships... That was probably the last thing on either of their minds. She was in deep shit. What could she do now, to not only make them but herself the happiest version she could be?
Apparently, the adrenalin from working out had gotten to her brain. Or it was trying to trick her on its own, that things weren't in fact, deplorable.
Whatever it was, seeing what she saw once she entered her apartment, or rather who, definitely didn't make her sudden reality check- anxiety attack attenuate.
Her mother was in the living room. With Phobos.
"Uhh...hi, mom-"
"Will, can I have a word in private with you, please?"- Susan Vandom- Collins looked as if she had waited for just this as she stood up with a look on her face that her daughter was very much acquainted with.
Shit.
"I'll leave you two in private. I hope you enjoyed your tea, Susan,"- Phobos exclaimed in an overly chipper voice. "Here, my dear, let me take this for you. I'll be in our room,"
Will looked daggers at him but gave him her luggage anyway. She was going to deal with him after dealing with her mother who looked at her sternly, like a storm cloud in her navy business-casual dress:
"Will? Can you please enlighten me?"- Susan barely waited for the man to close the doors behind him before she stood against her daughter. "Who is this man?! You're living with another man; you have a new relationship I know nothing about? I'm confused, this spring, Matt said that things between you were not over, then you said you wouldn't go with him on summer tour because of that course you went to abroad, what is the meaning of all this? Are you or are you not over with Matt and if yes why didn't you bother to tell me about it? And about Philip?"
Will opened her mouth irked but just then realized just how many lies and half-truths her mother had been told ever since Avani kidnapped them. More than ever before probably.
And, really, with all the gossip she was always caught up with, she didn't know about the entire story of Lillian's fake pregnancy and Matt. Will rubbed her jaw. Maybe most people didn't know that actually, it never crossed her mind how much effort the Hales must've put to cover as much of their asses as possible during their public defamation lawsuit drama.
"Well? I butted out of your business, I gave you space because you're an adult woman and because I know I can be smothering sometimes, but do you have any idea what it's like for me, watching you spiral like that, playing with your life and future?!"- Susan bombarded her with new lines before she could even muster some sort of reply to the previous paragraphs. "I know you and Matt had a hard time and went to therapy after the miscarriage and after the trauma from last summer with his family and...and ours, God may it never be repeated again, but are you willing to put an end to long-term that relationship, after everything, and be with Nerissa's nephew, was he? This Philip? He doesn't look bad but he's not even your type, Will, and after so many years with someone else, it's hard to make such a choice!"
"Mom, slow down!"- Will exclaimed, annoyed and overwhelmed, going between being stunned by her mother's impressive breath control (she could've been a better swimmer than her), her high-school-like lines about "type", and the fact that Phobos had set her to fail by telling her mother God knows what. He even introduced himself as Nerissa's nephew, like they had originally introduced him at Fields' Birth...
Hard choice indeed. What choice, the redhead pondered further. She herself didn't know what choice she'd make in the end yet.
"I can't slow down, Will, I'm sorry, but Philip really doesn't make things look like you take anything slow. According to him, Matt's the one who's still pursuing you despite you having moved on with him!"
Will gaped at that. That was it. Phobos was too much.
Susan gave her another stern look:
"Don't stare at me, tell me the truth. I'm not sure I believe that man, he seems in love with you or at least the idea of you. When did that even happen? You know a good guy like Matt is actually hard to find, don't you, and what do you know about-"
"OK, mom, when you were in a hurry for me to get pregnant, you said that maybe I should look for another partner if there's any problem, but never mind that,"- Will couldn't bite her lips before pointing that out.
It was in fact true, but two years ago things had been different and she was obviously just being petty, not knowing how to reply to her mother's endless questions and remarks, which were, for the most part, deserved.
Anyone would be outraged in her place.
But...in love? What was Phobos in love with her for real?
"Me and Matt...had a fallout, you know that. Then I had this relationship with Philip over the summer while we were abroad but things changed again and now, I'm not so sure what to do... we're all just still...figuring things out."
Shit.
That sounded like some stupid high school love triangle that barely reflected on most of what had truly happened but Will could only tell her mother as much.
She made a face to herself., cringing. What was this? She had never been like this, having such situations, not even as a teenager, and now...
Susan stared at her again but displayed surprising...understanding:
"OK, that... happens, but Will, for God's sake, sort it out! I don't want to see you unhappy in the end, honey,"
"I'm working on it, mom,"w
Will was surprised that this hadn't ended as a feud between the two of them. Perhaps all that they had been through, especially during those last two years was saying its word. Their mother-daughter communication had advanced.
"Oh, that's right, your situation here took me by surprise and I almost forgot what I wanted to ask you at first when I came by,"- Susan remembered and stopped for a minute in front of the mirror in the hallway.
"Yes?"
Will fixed her messy low ponytail:
"Dean and I are going to take part in the search party for Mrs. Martens tonight. It's out of respect, especially for Greg..."- Susan sighed and Will almost choked.
A search party for one of their greatest and, very much dead, enemies. Swell.
"Then we're going away for the weekend."
"OK..."- Will trailed. Not that they were going to find anything. Violet's magically decomposed remains were already one with the soil.
"I wanted you to take your brother with you to Hay Lin's event, I spoke to the parents of his class, there will be many classmates there. It's a teen-friendly ambiance. And then keep an eye on him during the weekend for me, please? At least make sure he's OK,"- Susan revealed the real intent behind her visit and Will felt her face drop. "You know how he had a rough period and even though he seems adjusted now-"
"No."
Susan blinked in perplexity:
"Excuse me-"
"You heard me, mom, he's not little anymore anyway,"- Will crossed her arms on her chest, trying to mask her sincere irritation and anger for her brother.
William had plotted her downfall, her deteriorating relationships and so many of the consequences were on him.
"Yes, but you know he had a problematic time, I just want you to make sure he's OK, not stay with him the entire time-"
"What did he say about that? Or he doesn't know yet?"
"No, he doesn't... Will, what is the meaning of this?"
Now Susan was irritated. Again. Maybe they wouldn't get away without clashing horns after all.
"I will not tolerate you being a neglectful sister, it's two days and you're going to be here, in Heatherfield, I didn't think that checking on your 13-year-old brother from time to time would be that big of a deal!"
"Yeah, but you know what, it is,"- Will snapped. "I won't be wasting my time on that brat-"
"Wilhelmina!"
"I'm sorry, mom, I am busy. I have to take a shower, then get ready and all, so please-"- the redhead nodded pointedly.
Susan was taken aback to an extent she couldn't even argue back. She just picked up her things and headed for the door.
"Actually, you know what? Tell him to be there tonight. At Hay Lin's venue,"- Will suddenly called from behind. "And we'll see how we're going to pick up from there,"
After her mother left, an angry Will took her teal sportswear jacket off and threw it in the laundry room.
"Hey, Philip!"- she yelled. "Show yourself, smartass!"
Phobos slipped out of the bedroom, like a cat, and rested his back against the wall with an almost challenging look to his face.
Will was livid:
"What the fuck were you thinking, Phobos?"- she demanded. She was so much shorter than him as she confronted him. "Telling you how out of line you are for doing this feels stupid because you know it full well! You know that what you did was a low and dumb thing to do at my expense!"
"What of it?"- Phobos shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing happened, no? Your mother didn't budge,"
"Yeah, maybe because she loves Matt like family and she wouldn't take the word of some stranger over his, are you surprised?"- Will snapped. "Or did you expect that you'd easily manipulate her to be on your side with your sweet act and tea?"
Phobos's green eyes sparked oddly but he just said:
"We shall see,"
"No, we won't see anything, you'll never do that again, talk on my behalf, stirring shit, got it!?"- the redhead nailed her index finger in his chest. "This is not fair!"
"And what's happening is fair to me?"- Phobos hissed, pulling her closer by the wrist.
"What's been happening to us both, buddy, I actually had a life before all this!"- Will spat.
He had gotten on her last nerve.
"Don't think that I'm unaware of what's happening, you're killing time before finally making your decision which is going to be the Earth Knight, again."- the man's face twisted. "I had one as well, against all odds, I had a life, I didn't request to be abducted from Coronia just like you,"
"Yeah, well, get over it because that happened. An entire year ago!"- Will pulled back, breathing hard.
She was still drenched in sweat and needed a shower. She needed to be alone. She needed to clear her head but Phobos was here to challenge and enrage her furthermore.
"And this decision I'm stalling to make according to you it's not an easy one, you know, so don't pressure me and don't do shit behind my back because that will hardly boost your campaign!"
Phobos looked at her poisonously. When had he, the prince of Meridian, be as it may evil, imagined he'd be in such a situation, where the one he desired couldn't make her mind about him?
Women had always been falling in his feet, desperate to have him. He knew that the guardian was not like other women. She was different, special, so very special, and yet this situation was hard to comprehend:
"You were mine already and I do not plan to give you back. Not because of your Lillian's plotting and most definitely not out of adoration and solidarity for the tengu,"- he breathed against her cheek. "No matter what, Wilhelmina, I will fight for you with every needed means."
Will felt her stomach turn at that but didn't say anything more, she just fled to the bathroom and locked it before he could follow her.
"Hey, what's going on?"
When Cornelia arrived at the train station in her silver Steve Madden minidress, she witnessed him holding her arm. Roughly.
He didn't seem to pay attention to her arrival and she wouldn't have that. He kept clutching Lillian's arm, growling something at her like a crazed person.
Cornelia waved and send him on the ground with her telekinesis:
"Nelia-"- Lillian tried to reason with her. "Don't, we were just-"
"What do you think you're doing, Christopher?"- her older sister however had her attention fixated on the boy who was just standing back up.
"Stay out of this,"- he hissed. "This is between me and your whore sister-"
Cornelia slapped him before he could finish.
"Cornelia!"
"You have about a minute before I throw you out of here myself,"- she said icily, meeting his angry eyes dangerously. "I know you were hurt and that she wasn't fair to you, but I won't have you mistreat her as a man. A man who's actually a man doesn't do that. I'm older than you, take that from me and be heedful and thankful in the future."
"Whatever,"- Chris mustered and took off without further ado.
Cornelia looked after him as he walked away, feeling uneasy for some reason:
"What was that about?"
"He actually just wanted me to stay in Heatherfield,"- Lillian sighed.
She wore ripped black skinny jeans and a gray leather jacket. And flats. Which was why her sister was notably taller than her in her six-inch heels.
"Well, didn't you give him closure? And, are you sure about leaving Heatherfield so soon-"
"Not really and yes. You know I already took my goodbyes with the family. That's for the best, Nelia,"- Lillian said and her sister nodded. She actually agreed.
Still, the sight of Chris pulling at her sister's arm like that made her feel strange. Cornelia knew that her sister had done terrible things and hurt many people but he was still not supposed to take it out on her like that, right? He was physically stronger and it wasn't OK.
Her hand felt strange after she slapped him though Cornelia didn't have time to pay attention to that right now. As if she had brushed against something prickly...
"What closure could I give him? I used him. I was horrible to him and took advantage of feelings that were stronger on his part. He'll be better off without me. I mostly...liked his body and him as a friend."- Lillian's confession took her sister aback. It was pretty brazen and if the genders had been reversed... "Now that I'm thinking a bit soberly, I realize I care for him and all but maybe I wasn't willing to learn to love him because you know...I loved Matt..."
"Yeah and OK, so then what. Your train will take you away in about 20 minutes. What's next?"- Cornelia quickly chanted the topic and crossed her arms on her chest like a teacher during a verbal exam.
"I'll go to Midgale and pick myself up from there. I decided to transfer schools. See if Brown would take me after all. And that's it, Nelia, I just have to get away from here and try to start over,"- the younger Hale shrugged. "Oh, I'll be back for my trial, of course, you know I can't go incognito with this jewelry on,"
Her sister nodded, catching a glimpse of the snake-like silver bracelet that Kandrakar had put on Lillian's wrist. The mist-like gas circling inside the big oval-shaped jewel symbolized her power that was temporally locked away due to her relinquishing it willingly.
It was a temporary solution though.
Only after her trial would it be decided what would happen with it for good.
"I've put everything back on your and dad's name, all the money, the assets I took control over in court... I know that it's not enough to make up for your brand but it's all I have. I hope that you'll be able to pull through soon again and be successful. Actually, I'm sure that you will. You're Cornelia Hale."- the younger woman chuckled.
Cornelia didn't reply to that. After everything, the loss of finances was at the bottom of her list of concerns for the future.
"And you? How will you rub along, you can't just move to a new city and then across the country, even if you get a scholarship,"
"I have some savings and I will get a job. It's time I started living in the real world, you heard Halinor and the elders. That's the only way I can somewhat mend my ways and do better in life after everything I started,"
Lillian looked relented and determined. Cornelia could only wish her luck. It was sad, at what point they had had to reach for her to understand it, but sometimes that was the only way.
People learned not to play with fire only after it burned them repeatedly, Yan Lin had said at the Congregation the previous day. May it be that the same applies to young Lillian as well. After everything, we still wish for her to rehabilitate as much as possible.
Soon, Lillian's train arrived and she exchanged last words with her sister and a long hug. It was a hug full of a lot of emotions.
In the end, they had made up and there was little to no bad blood left between them just...a bad experience neither would probably ever forget. But they were sisters and that was more powerful.
Lillian was leaving Heatherfield. She didn't feel like she could thrive here anymore and, honestly, after all her actions that feeling was justified. She needed to leave, be away, find the way to herself, find new, pure relationships if possible, and face justice for her misdeeds. Both Hale sisters were very much aware of that.
But all in its right time.
Cornelia watched the train disappear in the distance before looking at her still-stinging palm. There was a small stream of blood there, apparently, something indeed had pricked her skin as she slapped Chris. Cornelia furrowed her brows, but what, his stubbled beard? As if!
The Earth guardian didn't have time for this, she pulled a wet wipe out of her purse and headed for her car in the background of the sun setting in the distance.
"Really, you like it? I don't know... I thought it would age me. I've always wanted to see myself as a blonde, but I don't think I'll commit to the change before I'm at least 35,"- Hay Lin mused, playing with the ends of the ash-blonde wig.
It was beautiful and professionally laid, and she looked amazing with it. The blonde hues made something with the color of her skin and the makeup. But then again, she had always been extremely beautiful.
"Age you? Hay Lin, you look 12 without makeup. You're gorgeous, babe!"
Irma, Taranee, and Hay Lin chatted some more at her event.
Her event was all about her opening her own art school. She had been wanting that for a while and now, thanks to the Liberal Arts faculty of Sheffield College, she was able to rent a venue and make that dream come true and not only that- form an experienced yet young team of artists to help her further shape younger minds and why not start working on her other big dream, to have a fashion house of her own?
Hay Lin was optimistic yet grateful. She was well into the sixth month of her pregnancy and she now had this big adventure and responsibility, her art school. She was absolutely willing and patient enough to take things one step at a time.
Tonight was to celebrate that success of hers. The venue - a small former academy that Hay Lin had already started redecorating, was perfect. Packed tonight and carrying her own unique taste. It would be a great addition to Heatherfield's many circles of educational institutions.
"I've been preparing this opening for almost a year, all in all,"- Hay Lin revealed to her grandmother and the rest of her family, who were also here, back from China, even if just for a while. "Only Eric knew about it because I wanted to see it happening before sharing it with you guys. Eventually, I decided that everyone should just get to know together hence the event tonight,"
"I think it's amazing, Hay Lin,"- Taranee cheered her on. "You've really gone a long way as an artist and now pedagogue,"
Yan Lin smiled and patted her granddaughter's back.
A few feet away, Eric was with his own parents. He flashed his girlfriend and her grandmother a smile as Louise Lyndon looked around herself, carefully examining all the pieces of work that Hay Lin had already started putting around.
If there was one thing that everyone could agree on about Louise Lyndon, it was that she always looked like she was judging, despite it being masked in her inherent artificial politeness.
It was no secret that she didn't like Hay Lin. From the beginning of her relationship with Eric, the circumstances had never been on the Air guardian's side, painting her as an air-headed bimbo and unworthy partner for her son's aspirations, in the scientist's eyes. There was even a time when Louise considered Hay Lin's relationship with Eric a big problem that was dragging him back from achieving his full potential.
Two years ago, at Eric's first Astrofest when he had learned about Hay Lin's secret, Louise had initiated a great deal of it all, by witnessing the girls transform and then instantly doing all in her power to expose them and break Eric and that 'dangerous freak' apart. Of course, she remembered nothing of those events now, but she had managed to reveal the truth to Eric beforehand.
In a way, Hay Lin was glad it had happened, because otherwise, she could've procrastinated telling him herself, out of fear, nervousness, and self-doubt, especially fueled by Louise's presence.
"Well, Hay Lin, I must say I'm genuinely impressed by you. And even if I've underestimated you until now, I've always known you're remarkable,"- Louise approached the Air guardian, instantly giving her a case of weak knees.
It had been two years since they had seen each other again. Louise eyed the blonde wig somewhat snidely but smiled:
"I think that given the circumstances we have to talk about your wedding."
Hay Lin was taken aback and so was Yan Lin, who stood by near her. If anything, the last thing anyone had expected was for that to come out of the scientist's mouth, and that so out of the blue; the other guardians got together a few feet away, watching shortened breath:
"Mom!"- Eric exclaimed, coming from behind her. "I've been thinking about it myself, you don't have to-"
"No, Eric, I'm sure you have, but I've taken your grandmother's ring out of the family vault,"- Louise smiled, looking between him and the flabbergasted Hay Lin. "I want you to propose to her with it!"
Eric didn't know what to say he just smiled awkwardly. To him, his proposal would've been better off as a surprise, but now over ten people around them had just heard his mother gush about it on her own terms.
Louise chuckled and enveloped both him and Hay Lin in a hug:
"It's going to be wonderful, I was pregnant with Eric myself at my wedding, Hay Lin, don't worry. Besides, with your talent for fashion and fabric, I'm sure that you'll be able to make yourself a dress that will not be outshined by your growing belly."
Hay Lin chuckled at that; she was happy, more than happy with this change of heart on Louise's part, even if she had basically just said that their wedding is to be in the upcoming two months.
"Wow, don't just love a supportive mother-in-law?"- Irma commented so that only her three friends could hear her.
Will, Taranee, and Cornelia in their formal clothes, were one of the main spectators of the scene that had just transpired:
"She almost proposed instead of Eric."
"Come on, you girls. It's better than rejecting Hay Lin and her pregnancy and creating tension. We've had enough of that,"- Taranee reasoned.
"You're right, Tara,"- Will agreed and excused herself for a minute. "Who wants more virgin mojitos?"
But as she made her way to the refreshments table, the redhead saw someone she was not in the mood for. Her brother, absently playing on his phone instead of being with his peers at this "teen-friendly event".
She hadn't seen him the entire evening, but then again, they were only an hour in.
"Will,"- William almost jumped in his seat when she whizzed past him, headed for the already served drinks. "I didn't mean to be here tonight and bother you but-"
"Yeah? Then I suppose you have some devious plan up your sleeve that requires your presence here, ha?"- his sister interrupted him coldly, without looking at him.
"No,"- the boy shook his head. "Mom said you insisted. Look, Will, I don't expect you to just forget about what I did but I didn't do it because I wanted to see you hurt..."
That was the straw that broke the camel's back. She just loved how they always excused their selves like that. Her father. William. Lillian too, though she didn't give a rat's ass about her anymore.
The truth was they had all hurt her more than anyone else had ever hurt her. And this betrayal, she would indeed never forget:
"I don't care what anyone says, William, you are going to face a trial in Kandrakar too."- she said through gritted teeth, finally looking him in the eye. "I know that you were elated to know that the Council thinks that you're too young. That it can slide. But I don't think so, and I won't let it slide."
William blenched but didn't say anything.
His sister gave him one last death glare:
"That's why I called you here tonight. Because I wanted you to know that you'll be punished for your crimes just like everyone else,"
And with that, she turned her back on him and went back to her friends.