34 - Ramifications
TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNING: Character (Clun Castle) being transphobic towards others.
Consequences come to those who deserve them. Olivia receives bad news.
"We should get going," Truro turned to Scotsman, his arm still around his back, supporting him as he sat up. "I'm sure that we are being missed."
Scotsman nodded, his hand clutched to his broken collarbone and Truro frowned.
"Will you be alright?" Truro asked, concerned. "Proteus did say that your injuries would not translate to the physical world, but that looks serious."
Scotsman gave a weary chuckle.
"You more than anyone knows that I've been through worse," the famous engine smiled sadly, a deep pain in his eyes. "I shall be okay. Mallard and I… well Sir Nigel Gresley has had stern words with the both of us."
"As he should, this stupidity between the both of you has gone on long enough," Truro humphed. "I've had quite enough of Mallard's ihospitality/i shall we say."
"Mallard is very polite," Gadwall suddenly piped up and they turned to him. The raven lowered his head as he felt their gaze upon him. "He was to me at least. He was always so sweet to me."
Scotsman nodded to him.
"Mallard is very private, he keeps his true self a secret from most but shows himself to those he loves," Scotsman acknowledged. "You were one of the lucky few."
Gadwall stared at him for a brief moment then clicked his beak but said nothing in turn.
"Where did Mallard go?" Truro asked, looking around nervously and Scotsman exhaled softly.
"I'm not sure, but to hazard a guess," Scotsman was thoughtful for a moment. "I think- no- I hope that he went to heal Olivia."
Truro nodded. "Hopefully he sees sense."
"We should go back and check on Olivia, she- she wasn't well when I last saw her," Scotsman's voice waved. "I don't think I could handle losing her and North."
Truro squeezed Scotsman's arm gently, reassuring him.
"I'm here," Truro whispered in his ear softly. "You have Gordon, you have Tornado, don't give into despair, no matter what happens."
Scotsman said nothing, he only nodded in response.
"What will you do, Gadwall?" Scotsman asked the raven perched on his knee quietly. The raven looked up at him, then Truro, then looked away from them.
"I don't know," Gadwall replied, the bird's voice barely audible. "I thought I could help Mallard get better."
"There's still a chance," Scotsman pointed out and Gadwall turned back to look at him curiously. "You can stay with me, see what happens. Keep an eye on Mallard, perhaps you can still help him."
The Raven was silent as it stared past Scotsman and into the strange forest.
"I should go back to Proteus, but I'm not ready," Gadwall murmured. "But I want to be with Mallard. I want my brother back."
"But?" Truro noticed some resistance behind Gadwall's voice.
"I cannot trust Mallard," Gadwall finally answered. "At least, not for a while."
Gadwall cleaned his beak on Scotsman's trousers and looked back at the couple, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Tell me, Cousin, is Bittern still afraid of birds?" Gadwall asked out of nowhere and Scotsman smirked.
"He had an aneurysm over a pigeon in his shed last I heard of him," the Flying Scotsman gave the bird an audacious grin. Truro just rolled his eyes with a sigh, knowing exactly what the two were insinuating.
"You Bloody Gresley's," he muttered, but he was ignored.
Clun Castle was aware that there was a large gathering of engines that had gathered around the Didcot Railway yards as she was returned to said railway by the Sudrian Green Number 3 on a flatbed.
Though it was humiliating, her mind worked quickly, trying to figure out a way to get out of her predicament.
She always did. She was wily and intelligent, or so she falsely thought, and she would once again get out of this Scot free.
Not only that, she could pin the blame on Evening Star and the little upstart, Lady of Legend. Strike two birds with one stone as the humans would say.
"I'd wipe that smirk off yer face if I were you girl," came the snide tone of the tank engine, Trojan, who sat watching her, a sneer playing across his face.
Clun Castle humphed and turned her nose up at the smaller engine. It was irrelevant and it was worthless, not like her. She was up amongst the King Class's, the A4s and the Golden Wardens. She deserved the world, more so than her ridiculous brother. More than-
"You are a worthless pest!" Clun Castle spat venomously at Trojan but the saddle tank just gave a barking laugh in response.
"And you're a nasty piece of-"
"Trojan! That is enough, old friend!" A loud shout suddenly echoed across the yards and both engines looked over to find a grand, spotless engine slowly slinking towards them.
They were of a similar appearance to Clun Castle herself, save for the completely destroyed tender of Clun. They held themself with a powerful aura yet seemed approachable.
Clun Castle's face lit up when she saw her eldest sibling, Caerphilly Castle.
"Angharad!" Clun Castle implored the approaching engine and instantly the engine's face morphed into a deadly scowl.
"You will not use my name Clun Castle!" Caerphilly snapped at their sibling, their teeth bared and complete disdain in their eyes as she stared at her. "You have lost that privilege! You have lost the privilege to address any and all Great Western Engines!"
Before Clun Castle could respond to her sibling, she heard a mocking gasp from somewhere nearby and looked past Caerphilly and found two large engines watching the interaction like a pair of hawks hunting a mouse flailing in an open space.
Dread began to pool in Clun Castle's boiler but she ignored it and glared at the two Southern Siblings.
Braunton and his sister, Taw Valley, were sitting side by side next to one of the sheds. Ah, great. Now whatever happened here would be all over the UK within the next day thanks to the purple freak.
"Angharad please!" Clun Castle blustered dismissively, trying to ignore her siblings' furious expressions. "What is a little drama among friends!"
"Silence!" Caerphilly ordered. "You will speak only when I address you, Clun Castle!"
Realising that sweet talking was not going to work against her sibling she started scowling at them.
"You're not the boss of me, brother," She snarled viscously, dropping all respect and niceties.
Immediately, Caerphilly's expression turned into one of fury.
"Misgendering me will only make your situation worse, Clun Castle!" Caerphilly spat at her angrily.
"Why? You're just as disillusioned as Pendennis Castle and her stupid brainlet girlfriend!" Clun Castle snivelled, giving a pointed look to the Purple Engine across the yard.
Her remarks immediately received a reaction from Taw Valley, who exploded in fury.
"You better shut your fucking mouth about my man or I'll send you to the furnace in pieces the size of rivets!" Taw Valley bellowed at her, the only thing holding her back from attacking the vile castle was her brother who had grabbed her coupling in the nick of time.
"Enough!" Caerphilly Castle bellowed over the noise. "Clun Castle, you have expended any and all sympathy anyone had for you. Lode Star herself has run out of
patience with you and has asked me to deliver her judgement."
There was a pause as Caerphilly waited for Clun Castle to say more. Instead, the engine just stared at her sibling, a petulant look on her face. Seeing as Clun had nothing more to say, her sibling continued.
"You have been given numerous chances to improve and redeem yourself over the years despite many disagreeing that you should not have received them," Caerphilly began, their voice cold and stoic as they looked down upon their sibling. "Over this time you have not once shown any remorse nor any effort to try and change your behaviour. You have shamed the Great Western Railway with your behaviour and thus, Lode Star, King George and Mr Corbyn have passed this judgement upon yourself and King Edward I."
Clun Castle merely rolled her eyes, bored of her siblings' words, she'd heard this all before. This time would be no different.
"It has been decided, that you will be stripped of your true name, your wheels will no longer turn and you have lost your privilege to steam," Caerphilly coldly declared. "You will be turned into a static exhibit and you will no longer be recognised as an active member of the Great Western Railway."
For probably the first time in her wretched life, Clun Castle felt the ramifications of her actions. True terror began to grip her wheels, Taw Valley's peels of laughter echoing in her smokebox.
They had given her a death sentence, for lack of a better analogy.
"No! No! No! No! Angaharad please!" Clun Castle pleaded with her sibling but the other Castle class was already rolling away, her attention already elsewhere.
"Take her away! She is no longer welcome here!" Caerphilly Castle ordered Henry and the Green Sudrian gladly obliged. Henry wanted nothing more than to be rid of the caterwauling and mewling engine that had done nothing but pout and screech the entire way to Didcot from Sodor.
"Angharad!" Clun Castle desperately pleaded but the older engine had retreated back into the railway leaving the disgraced engine at the mercy of the engines that had gathered to watch the show.
"You're done girl!" Taw Valley's calls of derision floated towards her. "Nobody's gonna miss ya!"
The last thing Clun Castle heard was the mocking laughter of the engines before she was locked in one of the sheds to await her fate.
Olivia didn't know when she had lost consciousness but muffled sounds were the first thing she heard as she slowly became aware of her surroundings.
"Lady Olivia, please," a desperate voice called to her as she slowly roused from unconsciousness.
She stirred, her body feeling heavy and her thoughts marred with haze and exhaustion. She felt someone grip her, shaking her a little too roughly but nothing too straining.
She grunted, annoyed at whoever it was that was manhandling her. The person heard her response and ceased.
"You must be more careful Mallard," Pretty Polly's voice chided from somewhere to her left. "She is a strong woman but you could easily make things worse."
"I need to know if my wish worked!" Came the deep booming voice of a very familiar engine.
Mallard. Of course.
"Mallard dear, if I am repaired then that means that Olivia is too," Polly explained, a smile in her voice.
Wait, what did that mean?
With a grand effort, Olivia managed to open her eyes and found herself staring up at a strange sky. Still in the world between, she realised.
"Olivia?" The grasp on her shoulder tightened uncomfortably and Olivia winched in pain.
She heard Polly click her tongue disapprovingly and Mallard quickly released his hand on her shoulder.
"Sorry," he mumbled. "I'm not used to interacting with humans this way."
Olivia nodded at him and offered her hands to him, gesturing to him to help her sit up. Mallard, gentler this time, helped her sit up, mindful of her heavily pregnant stomach.
"Thank you, Mallard," Olivia smiled at him before looking around.
Pretty Polly sat before her on her rails, but her engine was no longer decrepit and had fallen into ruin. She looked… brand new. Her livery was no longer a sad dull faded chipped and weathered green but a striking vibrant Caledonian Blue, just like Tornado.
"Your engine!" Olivia exclaimed delighted. "It looks marvellous!"
"Oh, Livy dearest!" Polly blushed embarrassed. "You flatter me as you flatter yourself!"
"Because it's true," Olivia smiled at her. She then turned her attention to Mallard who was sitting next to her patiently. "Hello Mallard."
"Lady Olivia," he bowed his head respectfully to her. "My wish from Proteus, I used it to bring you back."
Olivia stared at him, surprised then smiled at him, grateful.
"Thank you Mallard," she reached and squeezed his arm in thanks. "You didn't have to do that."
Mallard shook his head.
"I would never forgive myself, I would in Sir Nigel Gresley's eyes," Mallard admitted, though Olivia could tell there was something else behind his words.
Mallard gently reached out and gently placed a hand on Olivia's swollen belly, the baby reacting to his touch with a firm kick.
"I would never be able to live with the guilt of turning my back on you and your child, Lady Olivia," he murmured softly.
"You don't have to call me that," Olivia told him. "Olivia is just fine."
"Your Grandfather is a sir, it would not be appropriate," Mallard argued and Polly gave a soft snort. "I shall call you Lady."
Mallard gave Polly a brief glare before returning his attention to Olivia, treating her with the utmost respect.
Olivia chuckled, knowing that Mallard had a reverence to Sir Nigel Gresley and probably by extension, herself and there was most likely nothing that she could do to stop him.
"Alright Mallard, I can see nothing I say will change your mind," Olivia relented and Mallard nodded to her.
"You're just like him," he spoke softly. "Even through the haze of Black Smoke I could see it. At least, for most of my infection."
Olivia nodded to him with a small smile.
"I'll take your word for it, Mallard," and the A4 creased his brow in confusion. "I would have loved to have met him."
"But Sir Gresley said he had been speaking with you?" He started confused and Olivia frowned, confused.
"What do you mean Mallard?"
"Flying Scotsman and I were taken to this realm, Sir Gresley appeared before us and said that he would ask you to reprimand us if we did not stop our quarrelling," Mallard explained, confused.
Olivia stared at him before glancing back up at Polly.
"I believe Mallard is speaking about the part of him that fused with Sir Nigel 4498," Polly explained. "It allowed him to retain himself, if rather haphazardly."
Mallard looked thoughtful now.
"I see, like what has happened to you and Olivia," he theorised.
What?
"What are you talking about?" Olivia frowned, glancing between the two engines. Said engines gave each other a nervous look, sensing Olivia getting agitated.
"You remember when you were a child and I fused my soul to save you, little Olivia?" Polly started, her voice soft and gentle.
"Yes?"
"Normally humans cannot handle Gold Dust, especially in large amounts," Polly continued. "But North had over time, gradually introduced you to it, making your body used to it among other factors."
"And it worked, you saved me from my ailing heart," Olivia nodded. "Until now that is."
Polly paused, staring at Olivia, deep in thought, Olivia could see that she was pondering how to address this but the woman had had enough.
"Don't be facetious with me," Olivia scolded Polly. "If you have something to say about me, get it over and done with and don't waste my time."
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small smirk briefly appear on Mallard's face. Polly however simply gave a resigned sigh.
"Very well," she relented. "My soul has been fused with yours for so long that neither you or myself can be separated. If I am to return to my engine I am afraid that your soul will have to be pulled from your body as well. Doing so will kill you."
Olivia's face paled.
"But that would mean-"
"You are no longer human," Polly regretfully told her. "I don't think you have been for a very long time."
"If at all considering-"
"Mallard!" Polly hissed at him but Olivia didn't hear them. "This is not the time!"
She was silent.
Her mind began to flood with doubts, anxiety and fear.
Just how long had she been pretending to be human? Ms Parsons had been right all along. She was a vessel, a substitute for the LNER's lost Golden Well. Was her son even human? Was the baby inside her a Gold Dust Construct? An engine's soul that had been meant for the Prince of Wales before Charlie had spontaneously awoken.
Maybe the baby inside her was for Highlander. Maybe it was the soul of a lost engine using her to anchor itself into the physical world.
"Olivia," a kind voice called to her and she looked up at Polly, her entire body trembling. "Olivia, it's alright. We can explain, North wanted to tell you for the longest time-"
"No! No, it's not alright!" Olivia snapped furiously, rounding on the A3 and A4 before her. They flinched at her unexpected ferocity. "You're telling me all this time I've been a fraud?! A Gold Dust Construct pretending to be a human?"
"No, no that's not what I'm telling you at all!" Polly exclaimed, suddenly shocked by Olivia's outburst. "Olivia-"
"Am I human?" Olivia growled out the question, a dangerous anger in her voice that made both engines hesitate. "Is the baby inside me human?"
Mallard and Polly were silent, afraid of the now furious woman before them.
As if to protest its mother's rage, baby Polly began squirming and fidgeting inside Olivia causing her to hiss in pain.
"Don't you start giving me garbage,child!" Olivia harshly reprimanded the baby and to her surprise, the baby quietened. "Ah, so it isn't human. It's already conscious. Was it you pouring all that Gold Dust into her that did this?"
Olivia pointed at Polly accusingly. Olivia was ranting and raving now, her mind awash with fear, conspiracies and distrust in her eyes.
"Olivia please," Polly begged the woman but Olivia was having none of it and turned away from her. "Calm down and we can talk about this! No one has tried to harm you or conspired against you."
Mallard, however, looked furious. He was glaring at Olivia now, a deep hurt in his eyes.
"I used Proteus' lamp to save you!" He suddenly shouted at her, cutting off another rant. "I was going to bring back Gadwall but I decided to bring you back instead! I could've had my brother back but instead, I chose to save you!"
"Mallard! She's scared and confused, don't worsen her fear!" Polly cried at the A4 but Mallard was having none of it.
"No Polly!" Mallard snarled. "I had a choice. I decided to bring Olivia back and I will not have her be ungrateful about it!"
Olivia ceased her anxious ranting and gazed at Mallard quietly. She frowned at him then nodded.
"You could have just made me a vessel for his soul," Olivia pointed out. "Seems like that's all the rage these days, people just shoving Gold Dust in me and creating constructs for lost souls. Just implant his soul in my womb and I'll pop him right out for you! I'll resurrect all your dead siblings if you want!"
"Olivia, please! That's not true at all!" Polly desperately tried to calm the situation but it was to no avail.
Mallard gave a snarl of anger at Olivia's dismissive and sarcastic attitude towards his wishes.
"Don't make light of my love for my brother!" Mallard shouted furiously at her. "I was so close to getting him back only for North to just die in front of me and Gadwall to outright reject me!"
Silence.
Polly closed her eyes in despair as Mallard suddenly clapped his hands to his mouth, horrified at the realisation of what he had just done.
Olivia stared blankly, all her previous anger and confusion gone in an instant.
"North is… dead?" Olivia asked in a small, barely audible voice.
"I- I- I'm sorry, I didn't mean for-" Mallard stammered, as tears began to stream down Olivia's face. "Lady Olivia, I'm so sorry."
Olivia didn't respond, her previously rage-filled eyes now hollow and filled with despair.
"North…" Olivia croaked out weakly. "Great Northern."
Mallard, ashamed at what he had just done quickly strode forward, arms outstretched to envelope Olivia in an embrace to comfort her but as he went to hug her, Olivia faded from the World Between, Polly vanishing with her leaving him standing there grasping at air.
Olivia's hateful glare was imprinted on her face.
Mallard resisted the urge to kick himself for his stupidity. Instead, he let out a frustrated yell and began punching to air as if he were fighting an invisible opponent.
"Why can't I do anything right!" Mallard screamed to no one.
He received no answer.
"I think I need a holiday," Green Arrow muttered to himself, causing Duck to glance at him.
"You? Mr Workaholic? Mr puts Great Westerns to shame, needing a holiday?" Duck chuckled with a smirk. "I don't believe it. Who are you and what have you done with Green Arrow?"
"I'm being serious!" Green Arrow huffed, annoyed. "Maybe I could take a little trip to Ireland? Or Europe! I'd like to meet the other half of Tornado's engineering team."
"What brought this on?" Duck asked, concern within his tone. This was so unlike Arrow. Arrow never once took a day off, he craved work and when he was forced to have days off he was cranky and irritating.
Arrow sighed, his eyes turned upwards, watching the clouds drifting by lazily in the sky as he pondered his friends' words. After a long pause, he finally answered.
"I guess, I'm just tired," Arrow wistfully answered with a sigh. "A lot has happened these past few years."
Duck was quiet for a brief moment. It was true. Green Arrow had been through rather a lot in these short few years. In a way, they all had.
"I suppose you have a point," Duck agreed and looked out at rolling green hills and the vivid blue sky.
The tail end of autumn was such a pretty time of year for Sodor. Around this time, Henry would be raving about the life cycles of trees and marvelling at the intense colours that were slowly beginning to fade as shorter days and cold winter nights encroached on them.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Duck offered and Green Arrow gave a wistful sigh.
"I don't know," Arrow murmured softly. "Gordon and I talked about things. It feels as if a weight has been lifted but at the same time, it made me realise how much I've changed these past few years."
"I didn't know you back then so I can't really say how much you've changed," Duck regretfully admitted and Arrow gave a soft snort.
"You wouldn't have wanted to," Arrow sadly proclaimed. "I was horrid."
"Yes well, most engines don't go around trying to scrap the Flying Scotsman," Duck commented and Arrow looked down at the tracks before him, his eyes full of regret.
"I was angry, I was distraught," Green Arrow muttered, his voice laced with shame. "My thoughts were clouded. I was almost turned into an exhibit piece because of him."
Duck was silent for a long while.
"Yet he was the reason Olivia sold you to Sodor," he finally appealed. "You're here because of him."
Green Arrow said nothing for the longest time. He hadn't seen Flying Scotsman since he had burst his boiler saving Tornado. He knew that Scotsman was giving him space, steering clear of him. Arrow had made it very clear how much he hated Scotsman in the past.
"I should probably thank him," Green Arrow finally admitted and Duck gave him an encouraging smile.
"That would be a good start I reckon," Duck approved. "He's not so bad."
Green Arrow snorted in response.
"You didn't know him when he was younger, he was neurotic and always trying to be the 'hero'," Arrow interjected. "He was so fake. But at the very least he's not Mallard."
There was amusement in Arrow's tone, but also a deep sadness. Duck was about to question the V2 more about what he meant, but they were distracted by the sounds of engines in the distance.
"Hello Duck! Hello Green Arrow!" A cheery voice called to them and filled their boilers with warmth.
"Percy! We don't often see you around here!" Duck exclaimed. "What's the occasion?"
"I'm just showing my Australian friend and Tydfil around the Island!" Percy proudly proclaimed, beaming like the Cheshire Cat.
Duck and Arrow glanced at each other before they noticed the little engine on the flatbed behind Percy. Almost instantly, Green Arrow's eyes lit up in delight.
"What a strange little engine, hello! I'm Green Arrow!" Arrow enthusiastically praised said engine. The little engine blushed and gave a little squeak at the larger engine's sudden interest.
"Hello Green Arrow! I'm Lyell No.1!" The little engine greeted back.
"Are you a mountain engine? Are you from 3801's railway? Are you-" Green Arrow began to excitedly flood the poor girl with questions and she began to squeak, flustered from the attention.
"Arrow, you're doing that thing again," Duck quickly chided the bigger engine and Arrow immediately shut his mouth.
"I apologise, I get excited when I want to learn things," Arrow blushed. "I do apologise for being a bit much."
"No it's okay," Lyell smiled at him. "I'm flattered, really."
Arrow smiled but then noticed Tydfil, awkwardly sitting behind Percy's train, avoiding their gaze and desperately trying not to be noticed.
"Hello Tydfil," Arrow greeted her, but she didn't look at him. "Are you alright?"
Tydfil rocked on her frames agitated before giving Arrow and Duck a nervous glance.
"I'm- I don't know," Tydfil managed to answer. "I'm glad to be out of the sheds at least. Get out of my own smokebox."
"Ah, I know that feeling all too well!" Green Arrow smiled at her friendly. "I can't stand being alone with my thoughts. They go around in circles and drive me insane."
Tydfil was quiet for a long while, her expression thoughtful before she looked back up at Green Arrow.
"Sir Topham told me that you saved Evening Star from being turned into an exhibit," She wondered and Arrow nodded.
"I did. She was my best friend for the longest time," Arrow explained. "I think she'll be your best friend for a long time too."
Tydfil's eyes lit up with hopefulness. "You really think so?"
"Of course," Arrow grinned at her. "Evening Star would not attempt to pulverise Clun Castle into scrap unless she cared about you."
Tydfil considered his words before returning his smile.
"Where is she? Is she okay? I want to see her again," Tydfil asked, the energy returning to her voice.
"She's still in the steamworks being looked over," Arrow explained and Tydfil looked despondent. "Chin up, she'll be out soon. Same can't be said for Clun Castle."
"Urgh," Duck groaned at the mention of the Castle. "If I ever see her again, it'll be too soon."
"Sir Topham says that she's no longer welcome here," Tydfil piped up. "Mr Corbyn says the Great Westerns have had enough of her. She's being stripped of her name and motion."
Duck's face turned into one of shock.
"Wow, she was that bad," the Pannier muttered. "Can't say I'm surprised."
"Oh, this has been coming for a long time, trust me!" Arrow remarked, unable to hide to mirth in his voice. "It's not often that you piss off everyone on the mainland and believe me, I would know, I'm an expert at it."
There was an awkward pause.
"Ah right sorry, didn't mean to bring up all that drama," Arrow pronounced, reading the tracks. "What are you all doing anyway?"
"I'm showing Lyell and Tydfil around Sodor!" Percy explained and Duck chuckled.
"Well, don't let us stop you," the Pannier smiled. "Enjoy the rest of your trip."
"Thanks guys!" Percy popped up as Arrow grinned at all of them.
"I'd like to talk to you and ask you all the questions later if you're up for it, Little Lyell!" Arrow offered the little engine who looked excited.
"I'd really like that Mr Arrow! Ms Grey says you're cool!"
"Well I wouldn't go that far," Arrow blushed slightly before turning his attention to Tydfil. "As soon as Evening Star is out of the works, I'll let you know."
Tydfil gave him a smile of gratitude.
"Thank you Green Arrow," the young Great Western acknowledged and Green Arrow smiled at her.
"You're very welcome, Young Iron."
To say Dr Hendrick had been surprised by Olivia's sudden and miraculous return to health would have been an understatement. Not five minutes earlier, it seemed like the woman had been on her deathbed, clinging desperately to life.
Now the woman was suddenly up out of bed, her face a picture of fury as she rounded on him, cornering him against the wall of her bedroom.
"Lady Olivia, please!" Dr Hendrick begged her but she wasn't hearing it.
"How long have I been a Gold Construct?" She demanded of him. "How long have you been keeping secrets from me!"
Oh.
"Lady Olivia, please calm down so we can talk about this. North told us not-" Dr Hendrick pleaded but Olivia seemed to get even more furious at the mention of North.
"North is dead!" She snapped at him, grabbing his collar. "Now answer me ilittle Wren!/i"
"I- I can explain if you calm down-" Hendrick tried to calm her down but he was interrupted by Oscar opening the door to their room.
"Olivia?" Oscar asked, confused.
Olivia froze and slowly turned to look at her fiance, a concerned look upon his face. He quickly approached her, his arms outstretched and went to embrace her but she stepped away from him.
"Olivia, what's going on? Are you alright?" Oscar asked of her, tears starting to well in her eyes. "Liv please, talk to me."
"I'm not- I don't deserve you-" Olivia croaked out, her voice filled with tears. "I'm a fraud, I'm not even human."
Oscar's expression creased into one of confusion and concern.
"Olivia, whatever's happened, whatever you are, I don't care about that," Oscar tried to reassure her but Olivia shook her head, getting distraught by the second.
"Get out," she suddenly hissed.
"Olivia-"
"All of you! Get out of my house!" She fumed, pointing at the door to the bedroom. "Every single one of you will get out! NOW!"
Dr Hendrick and Oscar glanced at each other before Oscar nodded to her.
"Alright, alright, we'll go," Oscar gently tried to placate her. "But Peony is staying to make sure you don't do anything to harm yourself."
"Fine, sure, whatever," Olivia waved a dismissive hand. "Just get out!"
Oscar nodded at her and motioned for Hendrick to leave before turning to Olivia.
"I love you, whatever happened, whatever you are, I love you for who you are Olivia Gresley," he vowed.
For a brief moment, Olivia's expression softened before she turned away and refused to look at him again.
"Okay," Oscar nodded to himself before moving to follow Hendrick out of the doorway. "I'll be a phone call or text away if you need me."
Oscar received no answer.
Caerphilly Castle is non-binary. Pendennis Castle is transgender, female to male.
Clun Castle identifies as a piece of shit and always has.