Author's Note: I would like to try and write out a longer reunion scene for Elena and Osvald sometime, but I thought it worked a bit better for the fic to keep this one on the shorter side. Anyway, this is somewhat of a transitional chapter, but there's still a lot of stuff I like in here. Some cute things, a Castti cameo, and addressing Osvald's Chapter 4 a bit, to name a few. So here you go.
Chapter Ten: New Beginnings
It felt too good to be true.
Osvald had decided that Elena's safety was his biggest priority. He would've been fine with waiting—no matter how long it took—if it meant she was all right. The thought of her never remembering him was awful, but Osvald had even decided that was fine, as long as she recovered physically.
But the second she'd laid eyes on him, it was clear that most of her missing memories had returned. It had all been something of a blur; Osvald fell to his knees and pulled Elena into a hug. She'd squeezed him tightly and whispered, "I missed you, Papa."
"I'm sorry," he'd whispered back. "I missed you, too. I won't leave you again."
Osvald couldn't remember the last time he'd cried, but he'd been…overwhelmed, to put it mildly. There was a whirlwind of them interrupting each other on accident, trying to catch up and ask questions and explain things. But somehow, they'd gotten through the most important topics. Then it was time to discuss Hector.
"One more thing: you have a younger brother now." Osvald took a deep breath. "His name is Hector. Try not to be shocked by what you see. Harvey used him, too."
Elena nodded slowly and furrowed her eyebrows. There was an odd mixture of confusion and interest on her face as she pondered those statements. But then she took his hand and followed Osvald downstairs, and she handled the situation with a remarkable amount of patience and maturity.
Now, all three of them were seated around Clarissa's kitchen table while she worked on dinner. She'd sent the housekeeper home early, giving them all the personal time they wanted. Elena spread a few books out on the table, showing them off and instantly taking to the big sister role. Hector occasionally blinked in confusion, but he kept up well otherwise.
"And I think this one is a copy of one Papa had when I was four—"
Elena paused and frowned. She rested her chin on her hand, and then perked back up and nodded as she went on.
"I remember now! You got it after you came back from some lectures in Montwise, didn't you?"
"I did." Osvald smiled fondly as he looked at the book in question. "I actually got a second copy and left it with Clarissa so she could read it to you when you stayed over here."
"Quite presumptuous of you, to assume I didn't have any good books of my own," Clarissa teased as she stirred the pot of soup.
"And yet you kept it anyway," Osvald replied flatly.
"Only to keep you off my case about it, I assure you."
Clarissa rolled her eyes, despite her smile. Elena laughed as she turned back to her books, and Hector squinted at them in interest as she went on.
"I can read it to you later, if you want," Elena offered. She pointed at another book and added, "This one's a math book that Lady Clarissa just bought me." She wrinkled her nose as she went on. "The questions aren't very interesting, honestly. Papa's are much better. But it's fun to have something different to do."
"…How much of mine do you remember?"
Elena smiled wistfully. "It's strange; I…can't say any specific ones. But I remember sitting in the kitchen like this, with a big sheet of problems… And I always stayed up too late trying to finish them, didn't I?"
"You did. I always had to bribe you with more to make you go to bed."
Elena burst into giggles, and Hector smiled at her amusement. Gods, Osvald could just sit there and indulge in the memories all night. If only he could—
"It's ready," Clarissa said, setting a bowl down in front of Elena. "Eat while it's warm, now."
Elena hastily moved her books off the table as Clarissa gave everyone else their food. Dinner, too, was a little hazy. Osvald barely kept track of specific details, but he watched Elena and Hector warmly the whole time. Hector's frills perked up as he happily ate Clarissa's soup; Elena sometimes reached over to pat Hector on the arm as she talked. Clarissa eyed Osvald wryly, and he frequently had to remind himself that he had a spoonful of soup halfway to his mouth.
He knew he was being ridiculous, but…Osvald couldn't help marveling at the fact that he had both his children here together.
Finally, it was time to get Elena and Hector ready for bed. Fortunately, Clarissa had thought to prepare some spare bedding earlier. Elena still had her own bed, but Osvald and Hector would have to share. That was fine; it was more than enough that Clarissa was letting them stay with her.
"I'll be back in a moment," Osvald said, brushing Hector's hair out of his face. "I just need to talk to Clarissa."
Hector nodded, but he watched Osvald as he curled up under the sheets. Osvald walked over to Elena and tentatively leaned down to hug her. She immediately reached up for it, and he held her a few seconds longer than necessary. Then, he went downstairs before he could talk himself out of it.
Clarissa was waiting in the living room, and Osvald sank down beside her on the couch. She remained silent, but she gave him her usual pressing look. It was obvious she had something in mind, and it was usually best to let her talk when she got in that mood.
Eventually, she said, "So…what are your plans, Osvald?"
"I'd…like to get a new house." He sighed, rubbing his face with one hand. "And it would be nice to send them both to school."
"Both of them?"
"Yes. I want Hector to have as normal a childhood as possible. And that includes letting him interact with other children."
It would be messy. Osvald knew that. There were so many oddities surrounding Hector that it would be hard for him to adjust. And then there were all the moral and ethical implications surrounding the fact that his very existence proved that human chimeras could be made…
Well, Osvald had saved enough of Harvey's notes that he could defend himself if necessary. (Not to mention he could prove he'd been elsewhere at the time of the experiments.) And it would take someone who had both Harvey's intellect and lack of inhibitions to actually replicate Hector… The odds of it happening were low.
So, yes, he knew it would be difficult, but Osvald wanted to try.
He took another deep breath and went on. "But if I'm going to be a father to them, I'll need a retrial."
Osvald was technically either a wanted man or a dead man to most of the population. It would be a little hard for him to make any large purchases or other important decisions at the moment. Proving his innocence would have to come first.
"…And I don't know how long it will take. We'll have to impose on you a little longer."
Clarissa's expression softened. "Didn't I tell you? I do like to keep busy. And who knows? You may try to hold your own in a debate with me while you're here, just like the old days."
It was partly said in jest; he knew she was trying to lighten the mood. But it was certainly possible, and Osvald let out an amused breath as he leaned back against the couch.
"Who knows, indeed? I…thank you."
"Were it anyone else, I may have expected a longer response. But from you, I know you mean it."
Clarissa rested a hand on his shoulder, and Osvald sighed again. There was a complex feeling in his chest; guilt and gratitude and a slew of other things. But he knew he didn't need to describe them, either. Clarissa knew, without needing words, that he appreciated her offer.
And so, after a few seconds of silence, both of them stood up and headed off to bed. Osvald went back to the guest room. Elena was already asleep; she'd always been quick to doze off. But Osvald could tell from the way the covers shifted on the other bed that Hector was still awake.
"I'm back, Hector," he murmured as he pulled back the blanket.
Hector muttered sleepily as Osvald lied down beside him. He immediately grabbed Osvald's arm and buried his face in his shoulder. A smile flickered over Osvald's face as he draped an arm over Hector. It was harder than ever not to spoil his children right now… If Hector wanted to latch onto him, he could.
"'Night, Papa," Hector mumbled.
He was asleep within seconds, and it didn't take much longer for Osvald to drift off as well.
Elena woke up the next morning feeling like she'd just had a very good dream. At first, she didn't want to wake up; she wanted to hold onto the fragments for as long as possible. Then, as she blinked and sat up, she realized that it hadn't been a dream at all.
Papa was back. There were a few small holes in her memory, but most of the big things had come back to her. Mama was still dead, but…Elena had a little brother now.
She got out of bed, straightened her sheets, and padded over to the table. As Elena reached for the comb she'd left sitting out, she glanced at the spare bed. Papa was obviously awake already; there was a large empty space on the bed, and he wasn't in the room. Hector was curled up under the blankets, mumbling to himself as his arm stretched out beside him.
Elena frowned sympathetically as she combed her hair. She could see how someone without prior warning might be alarmed by his appearance. Still, he looked so harmless while he was sleeping, and the way he spent so much time clinging to Papa was sweet. Besides, Elena knew it wasn't Hector's fault—Harvey had done that to him.
Finally, she set the comb down and woke Hector. Elena smiled and shook his shoulder, and Hector yawned as he sat up. He blinked at her before tentatively returning the smile and taking her hand.
"Good morning," Elena said cheerfully. "Papa's already up. Let's go downstairs and find him."
Hector nodded as he climbed out of bed. They left the room and went down the stairs, still holding hands. Elena watched Hector out of the corner of her eye. He stayed quiet as they walked… She'd noticed that he tended to wait before talking. She knew he was listening, however; he'd watched everyone so closely that he hadn't missed a single word. So it was less that Hector didn't want to talk, and more that he just needed some prompting.
"You'll like it here," she found herself saying. "Lady Clarissa's been tutoring me, and she's gotten me some good magic books, too. I haven't read them all yet, but we can do it together if you want."
Hector frowned in thought. "I haven't tried magic yet. Papa showed me some math, though. And he got me some books."
Of course; that sounded like Papa, and Elena grinned. He probably hadn't wanted to overwhelm Hector with too much information at once. They'd get to magic soon, Elena was sure.
"Well, we can ask for some more problems later—Papa!"
They'd reached the foot of the stairs and turned into the kitchen. Papa was sitting at the table, resting his chin in his hand and staring down at a sheet of paper in front of him. His eyes were narrowed slightly, as they always were when he was deep in thought.
Papa sighed and scratched at the paper for a few more seconds. Finally, he nodded and set his quill aside. Then, he glanced up, and his face softened as his eyes fell on the two of them.
"Ah, sorry I was gone. I…had something important to work on."
"Papa does that when he's thinking," Hector said, sounding proud of himself, as he sat down beside him.
Elena grinned and sat down across from Hector. "I know. He always has!"
Papa smiled briefly as he folded the paper and slipped it into an envelope. "You two are the same way. You—" he patted Hector on the hand— "either stare very hard at something or furrow your eyebrows when you're thinking. And Elena always tilts her head to the side and scrunches her entire face up."
Elena blushed faintly. "Do I really do that? I hadn't noticed."
"You do. I suppose you get tuning everything out when you concentrate from me, too."
"It's a horrible family habit."
Clarissa was standing at the stove, working on breakfast. She'd occasionally shot looks at Papa, but otherwise stayed quiet as everyone spoke. There was a faint grin on her face, indicating her comment was in jest, and she gave the pot another stir. Finally, she reached for a few plates and began to dish up the food.
"What do you say after breakfast, we take you out for some late birthday shopping?" Papa suggested as they ate. "Hector can come along too, and you can spend some time together."
"Ah, well…you don't need to." Elena wasn't sure why she felt so modest. "I mean, it's been a few weeks, and Lady Clarissa already made me a cake—"
"Nonsense. I need to get this in the post anyway, and you wouldn't want me to pass on the opportunity to make up for what I've missed, would you?"
Despite the sternness of his phrasing, his voice was warm. Last night, Elena had thought there was something off about Papa. His face had looked so much older and wearier than she remembered, and he'd seemed nervous, almost hesitant, at some points. But now she could see that he was mostly the same Papa she knew, and Elena felt the last bit of tension easing from her shoulders.
"Well, if you'd like to," she finally said, letting herself grin again.
"I do, so it's settled."
Hector swallowed a bite of food before asking, "Five birthdays?"
"Ah, it's six for Elena, actually," Papa corrected. "She's just barely six years older than you are."
"Eleven, then," Hector said after a moment's thought.
Papa nodded, and there was a hint of regret in his eyes. Elena knew there was nothing she could say, as much as she wanted to. It was no one's fault that Papa had missed six of her birthdays, and she hadn't even realized that he'd missed five of them until it was too late. That made her feel guilty—and she thought for a moment that she understood how Papa felt.
But now they could fix it, and Elena decided she'd focus on that instead.
Osvald spent the early morning writing a letter to the court at Timberain. He knew he needed to explain things to his children, but…he wanted to finish his request without worrying them. So he'd gotten it out of the way before breakfast, and he'd tell them once he got a reply.
At least he sent it with little issue, and Osvald felt considerably better by the time they started shopping. The only real "problem" was that he'd decided to have Hector wear his shoes and hood, which made him a little fidgety, but he understood Osvald's reasoning.
"I'd like you to go without them eventually," Osvald explained. "If we're going to live here, you should be comfortable. We'll just do this for a few days, until you get used to being here."
Hector nodded and accepted that, and he was soon distracted by all the shops they passed. They went to a small bookstore first, where Elena picked up four new books—two on basic magic theory, one mystery novel, and one gardening handbook. Hector looked especially curious about the last one, and Elena held it up for him on their way out.
"Mama had a garden at our old house," she explained. "And I know we can't really have one with Lady Clarissa, but maybe…"
Elena had always loved watching Rita in the garden. Osvald put a hand on her shoulder as they turned a corner and approached another store.
"I'll make sure you have room for one later."
Elena perked up considerably, and it was further helped when they started looking around the next shop. It was a small gardening store, and here she picked out two potted plants. They would be easy to take care of for now.
They returned to Clarissa's home considerably more weighed down than before. Hector carried the books, still staring at them in fascination, while Osvald and Elena carried one plant each. Osvald saw Clarissa sitting in the living room, with a pile of tomes spread out in front of her. She knew what time they'd expected to come home, and it was best not to interrupt her while she was working. Instead, they headed upstairs to put Elena's new gifts away.
She promptly set the two plants next to each other and ran downstairs for a pitcher of water. Osvald couldn't help a smile as he watched her tend to them. He was proud of her interest in magic, of course—but for a moment, Elena had reminded him of Rita. And that, too, was something precious.
So for now, it was easy to appreciate the small details like this.
The next few days passed similarly. Clarissa had been unsure if Elena was ready for school yet, so she and Osvald tutored her on various topics at home. They worked Hector into the schedule, too, slowly giving him more complex books to read and problems to solve. And in the afternoons, Elena often spent her time reading to Hector when they weren't busy with their own homework.
It was sweet, Osvald thought as he glanced up from the fire tome he was reading. Hector was clinging to Elena's arm and peering intently down at the book she had in her lap. It reminded him of all the times he'd read to Hector shortly after finding him. And it was a good bonding activity for them, too, being something they both enjoyed.
Still…Osvald couldn't help noticing that Clarissa's housekeeper often gave Hector disturbed glances as she worked. He couldn't entirely blame her, remembering with a stab of guilt how strange he'd thought Hector was on first glance. However, Osvald wished she'd be less blatant about it. Hector noticed several times, and he drooped and got distracted from whatever he'd been working on.
It was clear that Clarissa had given her a few words, though. She never said anything directly to Hector, but in some ways, that made it worse.
At least they had a distraction several days after Osvald returned to Conning Creek. He'd decided it was time to get Elena and Hector some checkups. They both appeared to be physically fine, but it would be good to have that on record when they could go to school.
Osvald would've preferred to have Castti do it, but he still wasn't sure how to contact her. He'd meant it when he said he trusted her judgment, especially since she could empathize with Elena on the memory issue… But the Apothecary Guild was well-known for its quality care, and Rita had worked there herself. Osvald was sure they'd be in good hands, and some of the apothecaries probably remembered Rita, too.
There was a small crowd gathered near the guild, but most of them seemed to be standing around chatting. Osvald held his tongue and tried not to complain; they entered without incident, at least. There were a few patients off to the side receiving checkups, and several other apothecaries were gathered near the back. Some of them glanced up and gave Osvald curious looks as he led Elena and Hector up to the counter.
Finally, one of the women said, "You're…Rita's husband, aren't you?"
"Yes," he replied simply. Then, he cleared his throat and added, "I need to get appointments for—"
"We heard you were…well, dead," a man interrupted, frowning in thought. "After…"
Osvald sighed in annoyance. "Which obviously isn't true."
"Oh, please; he's clearly got Elena right here." A tall, dark-haired woman leaned down to examine her. "You…are Elena, aren't you? You've gotten so much bigger since I last saw you."
Elena nodded thoughtfully, and then her eyes lit up in recognition. "Ms. Lyla! I remember you. Mama used to talk about you sometimes."
Lyla smiled as she straightened up. "See? You have no reason to be so curt with him, Allen. I never thought there was one. Not with how much Rita talked about him."
Osvald was admittedly relieved. He'd heard enough during his investigation to know that some of the townsfolk had doubted the official story. Still, it might be helpful later—
"Osvald?"
He glanced over at the small group nearby. Castti had just peered around one of the apothecaries she'd been speaking to. The number of people explained why he hadn't noticed her sooner, but Osvald couldn't help feeling ridiculous.
"…Castti? What are you doing here?"
She raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh, I've been recruiting for Eir's Apothecaries, and I thought I'd stop and ask for advice since I was nearby. I have to say it's more surprising to see you here."
"Yes, well…" Osvald cleared his throat. "If you have a moment, we can speak outside."
"Very well; we're almost done here, anyway. Everyone?"
She gestured to three people who must've been a part of her new group. Osvald awkwardly nodded in the direction of the Guild's workers as he led Hector and Elena back outside. They could come back later if Castti wasn't free to help them. (He supposed this explained the crowd at the door; a group of newcomers would draw some attention.)
Castti's new coworkers included a tall yet delicate man named Libra, his outspoken fiancée Mari, and a quiet young man called Artur. They politely introduced themselves, and Castti told them she'd meet them at the tavern later. After they all dispersed, she turned her attention back to Osvald.
"I take it you were planning on getting checkups for your…children?" she said curiously, glancing down at both of them.
"I was," he replied. "But I'd hoped to ask you first. If you have time…?"
"Certainly. Do you have a place you've been staying?"
Osvald nodded and led her back to Clarissa's house. After brief introductions (Clarissa was home, working on some more research), they headed upstairs. Hector and Elena perched themselves on one of the beds in the guest room, and Castti knelt down beside the table as she began to spread out her equipment.
"I have seen you before, Elena," Castti mused. "Though you may not remember, considering the circumstances."
Elena frowned in obvious thought, but she shook her head sheepishly a few seconds later. Castti smiled as she set down a vial and reached over to feel Elena's forehead.
"Well, that's fine. There was quite a bit going on. Now, let's see…your temperature feels normal…" Castti gently moved her hands down Elena's neck, and then rested one over her heart. "Nothing wrong with your throat, and your heartbeat is fine…"
She leaned back and hummed. "And what about your memories? Are they all right?"
Elena nodded, but she looked uncertainly at Osvald. "Papa, does she know about that?"
"Well…yes." (Osvald probably should've mentioned it sooner.) "When I…came to get you from Harvey, Castti was helping me."
Elena relaxed as she nodded again. "I see. Thank you for helping Papa, Miss Castti."
"Oh, please; just 'Castti' is fine." She laughed gently. "And I can relate, you know. I still have a few small gaps in my memory, but…all the important things came back to me."
"You, too?" Elena leaned forward, curiosity and eagerness clear in her eyes. "I felt so awful that I couldn't remember Papa, but…most of mine are back, too."
"I'm glad. Now, then, let me finish up…"
Castti checked a few more things with Elena. Then, once she was satisfied, she turned her attention to Hector. He'd watched Castti treat Elena with the same intentness as always, so he knew what to expect. Hector sat still as Castti checked his temperature, though she frowned as she pulled her hand away.
"He's a little cool, Osvald. Is everything all right?"
"Hector's naturally cold." Still, he glanced down at him and asked, "Do you feel any different?"
Hector shook his head, and Castti hummed in acknowledgement. She worked quietly, but she smiled when she felt his frills and Hector failed to hold back giggles. Castti checked his pulse, took a few notes, and finally leaned back.
"I think they're physically fine," Castti mused. "And Elena just needed some time mentally after all. I'm sure she's ready for anything you want her to do. But…I'm a little curious about Hector."
"Well, he's…got some Froggen and Collared Salamander blood. As far as I can tell, it's not hurting him any, but…"
"Ah, that explains some things. I suppose you found him in Montwise, didn't you?"
Osvald nodded, and Castti gathered up her tools as she went on.
"Well, you should take thorough notes, just to be sure. I expect you to keep me fully up to date on any changes you notice."
"A little hard to do at the moment," Osvald pointed out. "I didn't know where to send any letters."
Castti raised an eyebrow, but her tone was mild. "Fair enough; I was lucky to run into you. I was planning on traveling some more, picking up a few more crew members… There's been some talk of rebuilding Healeaks, but…"
She shrugged helplessly as she closed her satchel. "I don't know if I'd want to use that as a base of sorts even if it is. But now that I know you're here, I'll contact you once I'm sure."
"…Well, I know you won't take 'no' for an answer."
Castti winked as she stood up. "You did interrupt your plans just for me, Osvald. I'll take that as permission to fuss as much as I want."
"You'll fuss regardless of what I say," Osvald replied. "But I do appreciate you coming over."
He reached into his pockets, searching for some leaves to pay her with. However, Castti shook her hand in some vague dismissive gesture when Osvald tried to give them to her. Then, she patted Elena and Hector on the shoulder, smiling as she pulled back.
"I'm just glad they're all right. Now, be good, you two…and make sure your father takes care of himself."
They grinned and nodded, waving to Castti as she waved at them in turn. Then, she turned and walked down the stairs, and Osvald sighed as she left. He did trust her judgment, but he could do without a second person telling his children to make sure he behaved.
Finally, he looked at them and asked, "Well, what did you think of Castti?"
"She's nice," Hector said, nodding decisively.
"She reminds me a little of Mama," Elena murmured.
Osvald glanced towards the stairs again. "…She does."
Both Castti and Rita were soft-spoken apothecaries who could nonetheless tease or put their feet down when necessary. Surprisingly, saying it aloud didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. But Osvald wasn't sure if he wanted to dig into that; he decided that tucking it into the back of his mind was far easier.
"Perhaps we could go out for dinner tonight," he said instead. "We'll give Clarissa a break from cooking. Shall we ask her?"
Elena and Hector nodded eagerly, and they all headed downstairs. Yes, Osvald thought… He was glad they were fine, and they'd just have to see where things went from here.
Three weeks after his arrival in Conning Creek, Osvald received a reply from the court in Timberain.
He'd gone out for a walk, needing to clear his head as usual. When he returned, Clarissa beckoned to him, and then she gestured at the envelope on the table. It bore the official court seal, and Osvald promptly tore it open without waiting for any more explanation.
"Well?" Clarissa said after giving him a few seconds to scan it.
"…My trial's a month from today," he replied. "We'll have to leave in about two weeks, maybe a little sooner, to make sure we get there on time…"
And there would be the necessary preparations to make beforehand… Osvald had heard the city guards were going through some changes, and Stenvar had been demoted but not fired (yet). He'd be easy enough to call in, especially with some more…persuasion, if necessary. And then there was…
"I'll have to tell Elena and Hector. Are they upstairs?"
Clarissa nodded, and Osvald left the kitchen. He found them in their bedroom, sitting together on one of the beds with books in hand. They glanced up when Osvald entered. He hated to ruin the moment, but he knew he had to. Osvald sighed, sat down on the other bed, and set the letter next to him.
"Next month, I need to go to Timberain," he said with no preamble. "I have a retrial to attend."
Hector blinked. "What's that?"
"A retrial?" The alarm was obvious in Elena's voice. "What for, Papa?"
Osvald glanced away. "You remember the fire, don't you, Elena?"
"I do, but they didn't blame you for that, did they?" she cried. "You didn't do it, Papa!"
He held his hand up, and Elena fell silent, but she watched him anxiously. Hector fidgeted and grabbed Elena's arm for comfort, obviously picking up on the tension.
"The court was bribed, darling," he replied. "But now it will be easier to prove that. I'll just need to pry an official confession out of Stenvar. And…" Osvald took a deep breath. "You needn't testify if you don't want to, but I will need you to be there. Your presence alone will help me prove my case."
Elena swallowed and looked at the floor. Eventually, she glanced back up at him and nodded. Her voice trembled, but there was a fierce determination in her eyes as she replied.
"If…if they want me to testify, I will."
Osvald exhaled slowly. She really, really shouldn't have had to make this decision, but…
"Papa, what is a retrial?" Hector asked again.
Right; this was one of the final puzzle pieces Hector needed. And there was no way to sugarcoat it, so Osvald simply dove in with his explanation.
"Before you were born, I was put on trial for arson and double homicide. That means the court accused me of setting the house on fire and killing your sister and mother. Harvey was the one responsible, but he paid the judges to arrest me instead."
Hector's brow furrowed. "Is that what happened to Mama?"
"Not quite. Harvey used her for another experiment." Osvald swallowed. "At any rate, I was sent to prison afterwards and had to break out. I am guilty of that, but…I'm hoping the punishment will be lighter if I can prove my innocence for the first crime."
"Is that what…the place you told me is? A prison?"
Osvald simply nodded in response to Hector's question. In the meantime, Elena had cocked her head to the side and squinted in thought. Finally, she asked, "Is that what they were talking about at the Apothecary Guild the other day?"
Ah, right; Lyla and Allen had hinted at that before Osvald left with Castti. Elena and Hector had obviously heard them. Osvald nodded again, not sure what else to say.
Then, Elena hesitantly asked, "Papa? What did he do to Mama?"
She needed to know, and Osvald knew there wasn't a good way to say this, either.
"Do you remember when you came down to Harvey's lab, shortly before I rescued you?"
Elena paused, glancing down at the floor. She frowned and then nodded.
"I do. I was only kind of paying attention, but…" Elena gasped and covered her mouth with one hand. "You were there, weren't you?"
Osvald wanted to smile but found that he couldn't. That had been the lone bright spot of the encounter: realizing that Elena was alive. But there had been so many other revelations, and Elena was clearly struggling to process her thoughts.
"I-I thought you looked familiar, but I couldn't figure out why." Her voice shook. "You were right there, and I still didn't know… If I'd been listening, m-maybe I would have—"
"Elena," Osvald said firmly. He got up, moved over to the other bed, and took her hands. "That wasn't your fault. Honestly, it was a good thing you weren't paying attention. And I could tell you weren't; you were doing that thing with your face you always do when you're concentrating. I was just relieved you were alive."
Elena cracked a grin, but it was brief, and she didn't meet his gaze. Osvald shifted and put one arm around her shoulders. While Hector remained silent, he realized Elena was upset, too. He smiled awkwardly and hugged her from the side, and she managed another smile.
"Anyway…you saw that golem, didn't you?"
Elena looked up sharply. "Was that Mama?"
Osvald shook his head. "No, it wasn't Rita, exactly… Harvey wanted me to think it was. But he used her blood to make it."
"I-I see." Elena's gaze went down to the floor again. "So Mama, Hector, and I were each a different experiment."
She bit her lip, and her shoulders began to shake. Osvald knew there was nothing he could do. He couldn't erase the five years she'd spent with Harvey, or the horrific realization of what Harvey had wanted from each of them. But he could comfort her now, and he tightened his grip on her shoulders and let her cry.
It was the least he could do, and Osvald swore he'd do anything else his children needed once he was truly free to do so.
