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God, Material Components is boring as shit , Adaine thought, diligently taking her notes nonetheless. If the occasional note made its way to Kristen, well, that would have to be forgiven, because even Runestaff herself hated this goddamn class. She wanted to reach for her crystal, which had been vibrating more than usual, but Runestaff preferred the disrespect in her classroom to at least be analog.
So when Jawbone showed up in the middle of class, Adaine didn’t really think to guess what it meant, bad oracle behavior be damned. She just wanted some fresh air, and her mouth watered for whatever treat he had inevitably pulled her from class for. Not like it wasn’t a weekly occurrence.
Although it is strange he didn’t pull Kristen too , was the only warning given to her before she raised her eyes and looked down the hallway.
Jawbone tried to step in front of her and explain, but Adaine gently pushed him aside and stared ahead.
“Darling daughter. Hello.” Arianwen Abernant stood a good distance away, but Adaine could see that she looked truly worse for wear as far as high elves go. Small cuts riddled her face, her hair was pulled into a hasty bun, clothes clean but not pressed, and a quick arcane scan told Adaine that her hands were in the magical handcuffs that she herself had once worn.
Adaine looked at Jawbone, tears gathering fast, and throat closing up. “What is she doing here? She was in the forest, I-”
“She can explain how she’s here better than I can, kiddo.” Jawbone hugs her tight and whispers in her ear. “I wasn’t given warning either or I would have warned you, sweetheart. You wanna do this here or in my office? And do you want me to stay there?”
Adaine nods toward the office and tries to steady her breathing. “Stay close, please?”
“Okay. That’s some good breathing kiddo, now, remember you’ve got an emergency pill you can take.” He nods to Arianwen. “Adaine would rather have this conversation in my office. I’ll show you the way, and I’ll be right outside if she needs anything.” He remains characteristically civil, but Adaine can feel the heat of his eyes on Arianwen, like he’d have her head if his girls said the word.
The walk to Jawbone’s office is awkward and long, but when they arrive, Adaine makes a beeline for his chair. Part of it is the childlike urge to sit in dad’s chair and feel his comfort, and the other part is the desire to feel the authority in this conversation, a motive she knows Jawbone wouldn’t approve of, but one she feels she’s earned nonetheless.
Arianwen primly sits in the chair opposite Adaine, and moves to speak. “Adaine-”
“Why and how are you here?”
“Cassandra does not wish to bring harm to anyone, and I was on the verge of dying in the forest. She deposited me in Sylvaire, and I paid handsomely to make it here to Solace. I was apprehended at the docks, however. I am to be imprisoned, but concessions were made for me to speak to you.”
“And Aelwyn, I’m assuming?”
Arianwen’s mouth thins. “Yes, I spoke to your sister.”
“What did she say?”
Her mouth thins further. “I hope you will allow me to keep that private.”
“Fine. So why the fuck are you here?”
Arianwen’s back straightens, and she looks incensed. “Adaine!”
Adaine does not dignify the motherly reaction with a response, just stares intently, demanding an answer to her question.
“Very well then. I came back here because I love my children, and I wish to make amends.”
Adaine is not moved by the statement, sensing something held back, anger building further.
“Why now? Why not change at any point in my entire fucking childhood?”
Arianwen’s eyebrows knit into a pained expression and she makes some strained effort to arrange her hands properly.
“Adaine, you must know that you were not easy to raise. You were colicky, and stubborn, and messy-”
Adaine’s voice raises- “Why did I have to be easy? Why wasn’t it enough that I was yours?” And her voice cracks.
Perhaps to any other parent, the statement would have hurt as badly as a fireball to the chest. Perhaps if she wasn’t in a building that abjures offensive spellcasting, Adaine may have tried the fireball instead. But Arianwen, saddened by the question somewhat, does not internalize it as she should.
“I do not know, Adaine. Perhaps I have failed as a mother. But I wish to do better.”
“Fucking perhaps?! You pitted me against Aelwyn my whole life, you made me feel like shit for things I couldn’t control, you tried to FUCKING kill us!”
“Oh Adaine, you killed your father, do you think you have the moral high ground regarding violence against family?”
Fire lights in Adaine’s eyes. “He nearly had me killed! He tried to rearrange my mind! He nearly killed Aelwyn! It’s not the same, and how DARE you pretend like it is!”
Arianwen collects herself and tears form in her eyes. “And yet I loved him.”
“More than you ever loved us, it’s clear.” Adaine stands up and walks towards the door, hand on the knob. “But I’m fine. I have Jawbone, and Aelwyn, and Sandralynn, and I have the best friends in the world. I don’t fucking need you. Goodbye.” She walks outside, slams the door shut, and immediately collapses into Jawbone.
He kisses the top of her head and begins, “I heard some of it. You wanna go home?”
Adaine can’t manage words, but nods.
“Okay kid. Why don’t you walk to the car, and I’ll be right out.”
Mercifully, the few students mingling in the hallways do not bother to look at her as she makes the trek out to the faculty parking lot. The chill in the air usually invigorates her, but today it is a reminder of what she doesn’t have, and her fingers struggle to turn the key in the car lock.
Jawbone is out and helps her within three minutes, but the panic attack sets in, and she can hardly breathe as they make the trip back to Mordred Manor. Jawbone opens his mouth as if to speak a couple of times, but simply drives in a warm silence. When he pulls into the garage, he turns the car off but makes no moves to leave. He sends a few texts off, Adaine can guess that they’re to Kristen and Fig about needing to get a ride, and then sets his hand on Adaine’s shoulder.
“I’m proud of you.”
“What? For falling apart like this?”
He wipes a tear from her cheek. “You know I don’t like to see you hurt like this, but it’s morally neutral. No kid, I’m proud of you for having the courage to say what you needed to say.”
“Thanks, dad.”
A tear forms in his own eye, and he pats her shoulder. “Anytime. Why don’t you go up and see your sister, and I’ll fix lunch, how does that sound?”
She nods, exits the car, and hugs him at the driver’s side before heading upstairs.
She hears the sobbing at the door and hesitates to open it.
“Adaine? Is that you?”
“Yes. Should I come in?”
Adaine hears Aelwyn choke back a sob. “Yes, please.”
Adaine enters the room and scrambles up the stairs to Aelwyn’s top bunk, crawling to cuddle up next to her.
Aelwyn casts an abjurative ward around the two of them, a relic of hard times past, before speaking.
“Did you get my texts?”
“No, sorry. My teacher hates when we take out our crystals, and I was distracted in the car.”
Aelwyn nods and tries to shake off the tears. “That’s alright, Adaine. I just wanted to warn you.”
“Thanks.”
“How did it go?”
Adaine shakes her head. “I yelled, she didn’t apologize, and she threw father in my face. I never want to see her again, and I made that clear.”
Something different passes over Aelwyn’s face, something resembling worry. “What did she tell you?”
“That I was a hard child to raise.”
Disgust. “You didn’t deserve- you weren’t-” Aelwyn focuses herself from the indignation. “What did she say about what she’s doing here?”
Adaine collects her thoughts and tries to remember.
“That she was left in Sylvaire and made her way back here, but she was imprisoned in Bastion City and made some allowances to speak to us.”
Aelwyn nods and pulls her sister in tighter but makes sure to retain eye contact.
“She lied.” Shakes her head. “Or rather, left out information. She is in the process of being extradited to Fallinel for…” A tear slips from her eye. “For execution.”
“WHAT?!”
“This is information you were owed, Adaine. You deserved to give her a piece of your mind, but perhaps you may have wanted to leave on better terms if you had known all the information.”
Adaine slowly collapses into Aelwyn’s shoulders. “I don’t know what I would’ve wanted, what I want.”
“Perhaps you have some time to collect your thoughts. Bridges were burned between Solace and Fallinel after the war, so they may not be hasty about the process of extradition.”
“Why are they even complying?”
“Adaine, you may not know this, but they have taken hard line stances on providing immunity to the two of us. Mother is a different case, and I don’t believe Solace is exactly opposed to the stance Fallinel has taken on her.”
Aelwyn holds something back, and Adaine has an instinct not to push.
“What do I do, Aelwyn? Do I go to the prison and pretend I’ve forgiven her? Will that make me feel better?”
“Perhaps it is more about preventing future hurt, than healing the past.”
“Okay. I’ll think about it.”
The two sisters cry together until the familiar smell of Lydia’s famous cornbread and chili wafts up the stairs.
The rest of the day passes with relative normalcy, though at dinner, Fig goes to say something and is immediately elbowed by Kristen and shot a look by Sandralynn, which Adaine imagines means that the other residents have been instructed to leave the Abernant sisters be for a few days.
She wants to be back to the sleepovers and shenanigans, but honestly it all feels too raw right now for her to not appreciate the quiet.
***
Saturday rolls around and Adaine drives down to Bastion City. Sun glints off the sides of the buildings and it all sends her nerves reeling, but frankly the drive was too scary for her to allow herself to back out now.
She shoots Jawbone and Aelwyn a text to let them know she made it safely, and walks in the doors.
The receptionist recognizes her immediately, having taken her in for statements after a summertime excursion with the Bad Kids went south.
“Ah, well if it isn’t Miss Adaine. How can I help you today?”
“I’m here to see Arianwen Abernant.” Adaine’s hands shake.
“Well you’re in luck, sweetheart, visiting hours just started.” The receptionist notices the hands, and gestures to an open box of donuts behind the desk. “Here kiddo, why don’t you take one of these before you sign some papers?”
Adaine takes the donut and signs the papers swiftly.
She is led by two half-orc officers to a small room where she can talk to her mother through a telephone and a pane of glass. It all feels so cold, which though not an uncharted feeling regarding Arianwen, is certainly clinical in a new way.
She picks up the phone and Arianwen does the same. Her mother looks so small like this, eaten up by her uniform, unable to wear the heels or put on the airs of superiority that once enlarged her stature.
“Oh dear, this is certainly a formal way to accomplish this, given I no longer have magic at my disposal, I am not exactly a dangerous woman.”
Adaine nods. “Aelwyn told me that you’re sentenced to death in Fallinel. Is that true?”
“I suppose. Your father used to complain about the speed of paperwork between our countries, so if it ever happens, it would be miraculous.”
Adaine winces at the mention of her father. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Arianwen sighs and waves her hand dismissively. “I suppose I may have gotten around to it had you not stormed out and screamed at me the whole time.”
“I would have preferred if you had led with that information before we had even reached the office.”
“Well, I shall try to do better next time dear.” Arianwen moves to tighten her bun, as the sarcasm settles.
Adaine grits her teeth and moves to hang up the phone.
“No! Darling, please stay, I- Why did you come today?”
Adaine gingerly raises the phone back up to her ear. “I don’t want to have regrets. Y’know, when…” Tears gather in her eyes, and she feels so small.
Something changes in Arianwen’s demeanor, she looks pained and reaches out for Adaine, stopped by the glass. Desperation washes over her and the tears spill out alongside the words.
“Baby, I- I’m sorry. I should have protected you from him, I should have believed you every fucking time you told me I was picking your sister over you. If I could undo it all, I would. I’d take it all back for a second chance at seeing what a beautiful and strong young woman you are before- before it was too late.”
Adaine just sobs into the phone.
“And it is too late. You have found a family of your own, one that I must imagine has made the effort to see you as you are. You don’t need me. But perhaps I can do one thing. One that I should have done every time I saw you cry.”
Adaine knits her eyebrows together.
Arianwen begins to sing through the telephone and puts one hand to the glass.
The lullaby is one Adaine doesn’t recognize, but has the wispy melody of something that must have originated in Fallinel. She puts her hand on the glass to meet Arianwen’s.
Adaine finds herself lulled to sleep by it, and only wakes to hear the sound of Arianwen’s desperate voice as the officers come to take her away.
“Please, let me say goodbye!”
“Bye-” Something aborted and desperately sad nearly escapes her mouth. “I’ll be back next Saturday.” Adaine waves, teary-eyed, to Arianwen on the other side of the glass.
The trip home is slow going and emotional, but she makes it home safe, collapsing into Aelwyn when she walks through the front door.
“Oh Adaine.” Aelwyn runs her hands down her sister’s hair. “How was it?”
“She sang.” The words are barely audible from Adaine’s sobbing position in her sister’s chest, but Aelwyn knows exactly what she said.
“Oh dear.”
“She never did that before.” Adaine looks up with tears overflowing to make eye contact with Aelwyn. The gaze that meets hers confirms what she knew already. “Not for me.”
Aelwyn nods and heads to the kitchen to make them some lunch, clearly holding back tears at the last comment, and Adaine lets her.
Oddly, she feels better. Like a gaping hole in her heart has had the beginning stages of plaster on it. She returns to their room to write in her journal.
***
The next days pass by with relative ease. No panic attacks, a movie night with the Bad Kids, and most importantly, straight As on the report card she receives in homeroom on Wednesday morning.
She sends a quick text to Jawbone and Aelwyn letting them know the good news, and prepares the nerve to call Arianwen at the prison and let her know after school.
There is an odd sinking feeling that comes with being the Oracle, but that happens everyday, assuming some tragic fate befalls a Fallinel citizen, and she just takes another pill to sate the nervous feeling. Of course, there’s also a fitness test in gym class today, so it could be that.
A knock comes at the door during Verbal Components, and Jawbone steps through. Adaine’s mind pushes away all that it could be. After all, Jawbone is prone to little “skipping school dates” because he thinks she works too hard, and straight As calls for Basrar’s 9 out of 10 times.
“Hey there. Can I grab Adaine real quick?”
Adaine grabs her bag and heads out, closing the door behind her.
“Ice cream sound good, kiddo?”
“Sure.”
They head off to Basrar’s, Jawbone raving about her grades the whole car ride, and everything feels okay until she sees Aelwyn at the door waiting for them.
Her face is an open book, and something is wrong.
Adaine rushes out of the car and to her sister. “What’s wrong?”
Aelwyn catches her and gestures to a booth. “I’ve ordered your favorite already, so we can have some privacy. Come in.”
Jawbone follows the two, sliding in beside Adaine and across from Aelwyn.
“Please tell me what’s going on.” Adaine can feel panic settle in, and Aelwyn reaches out a hand for her to squeeze.
“Solace has completed the extradition process. Our mother is currently on a ship to Fallinel.”
“What?” Adaine whispers. “But she- what about- we were supposed to have time!” Her voice grows and settles, as she catches eyes from a small family across the restaurant.
“I know.”
“Can we send letters? I need time!”
Aelwyn bites something back, and Jawbone speaks instead.
“Darlin’, Fallinel isn’t- Letters aren’t going to reach her. There’s no trial or bureaucracy to wait for.”
Adaine puts her head in her hands and sobs, which triggers Aelwyn.
“This is barbaric, I mean perhaps our mother is not the best example, but I don’t trust any government to kill its citizens, especially not without trial! And what about us?! Her victims and her daughters alike, and they don’t give a FUCK how we feel about it!”
Jawbone nods. “You’re right. This isn’t fair. It’s not.”
He encourages the girls to eat what they can before paying and driving them both home.
The night is silent as Tracker brings up their dinners, and the sisters sit in their abjurative bubble together. After a while, Aelwyn clears her throat.
“I don’t know if this will help or hurt. But you deserved to hear this every time you cried, and you deserve to hear it now.”
Aelwyn begins to sing the same Elvish lullaby, and somehow, through the pain, it’s even sweeter.
Soft and sweet
Your cries shall be
A sign of a heart
Healthy and true
But as you cry
Darling know that I
Know that heart as you
The moon shines brightly on you dear
The moon shines brightly on you
Know that a tear from one so dear
Will shine the whole world right through