Work Text:
Kurain village was thrown into chaos. Not a day goes by without reporters snooping around, asking questions. Not a day goes by without letters and threats filling the village’s sole mailbox. Not a day goes by without Morgan thinking none of this would have happened if I had been the Master.
Morgan has never been one to need much sleep. This morning, like many others, she is leaving her bed before dawn and going to the Training Hall to attempt a channeling before anyone can see her. The only ground for picking Misty over her as the next Master was their difference in skills and spiritual power. It was the only reason. Politics, rules, administration… Morgan was more suited for running the village than Misty ever was and ever would have been. And it led to this fiasco. Tarnishing the good name of Kurain, tarnishing the good name of Fey.
Ever since Misty was chosen, Morgan’s life has been a living hell. So she can’t say she sympathizes with her sister’s turmoil. Misty got what she deserved. And if there is one chance, one small chance that Morgan can take over the Master position, she will. It won’t bring her back what she lost, Morgan knows. Maybe she just wants to win at something for once.
As Morgan makes her way to the training hall, her eyes are attracted towards the gate, the entrance to the village. There is someone standing there. Morgan doesn’t need to get close to know who it is.
“What are you doing?” Morgan says.
Misty doesn’t jump. She doesn’t seem surprised. She turns slowly, languidly, and when Morgan gets a clear look at her sister’s face by the moonlight, she sees Misty’s sad and defeated eyes. The sight makes Morgan want to slap her.
Misty ruined the village’s reputation and Morgan’s life before that. There is no comfort in the village elders finally realizing that Misty isn’t the best Master for the village and maybe they should have reconsidered what unsuitable means. And now, Misty dares look sad? Morgan has been putting on a brave face for decades, perhaps for all her life.
Morgan doesn’t even have to ask. Misty tells Morgan everything. Misty always believed they were sisters, they could get along. She never realized she was the problem. And still, Morgan listens as Misty explains how she plans on leaving. How the mistake she made is weighing on her. How she is ruining everything for the next generation. How the village elders don’t want her here anymore. How dangerous it is to have her name and face known. How hard it is to stay and endure.
All Morgan hears is a little girl who’s never once faced hardship whining loudly because she just found out the world is cruel. No, not sunshine and rainbows like the stupid story books Misty always loved so much. But a place where people are mean, where life is unjust, and where no amount of faith, confidence or work will get you what you deserve.
And then there is silence. Misty expects Morgan to say something. Morgan is certain that Misty wants to be held back. Morgan should beg her to stay. Tell her she’s needed here. But all Morgan wants to say is why are you still here? Honestly, Morgan thinks the village would be better off Misty. Misty is too liberal. She got too involved with outsiders and look where it led them? If Morgan had been the Master…
Mystic Morgan, eldest daughter of the Fey clan’s main branch, is deemed unsuitable for holding the Master title.
Morgan takes a deep breath, then she looks at her sister and says, “Then go.”
Misty’s eyes widen in shock. Morgan wishes she could rejoice, but Misty’s stupidity already cost Morgan too much to find solace in her hurting.
Morgan continues, “You were always good at running away when it got too hard. With the insouciance and insolence of the youngest child… no one could tell you anything. You either smiled your way out of trouble or you ran. I guess smiling isn’t helping you one bit right now, Misty.”
“Morgan…”
“You’re leaving, aren’t you? So what are you still doing here?”
Misty looks down. There is a beat as she battles to find the right words. “I haven’t decided just yet.”
Morgan bursts into laughter. So Misty has been standing here in the middle of the night because she hasn’t decided yet. What kind of excuse is that? Misty has already decided. It’s clear enough to Morgan from the bag. From how her feet are already turned towards the exit, even if she keeps glancing at Fey manor. All Misty wants now is insurance. There is one small thing holding her back– two small things.
Morgan points at the bag, “You look sure enough to me.”
Misty is avoiding Morgan’s glare, desperately. Out of the two, Morgan has always been calmer, smarter, more determined. But Misty is the most gifted. And that’s all that matters when you’re a Fey.
Morgan and Misty have never been good at communicating. As children, they couldn’t understand each other. There was a wall. Or no, not a wall. A pit. A dark, dangerous pit between them, one that Misty would try to bridge without understanding that Morgan was the one who dug it. Misty never understood Morgan. Morgan could never tell what Misty thought. It never could have worked.
So, Morgan and Misty exchange platitudes. Morgan asks questions she doesn’t want the answer to. Misty babbles answers that only raise more questions. Where do you plan on going? I can’t tell you. Do you plan on ever coming back? I don’t know. Maybe. You won’t.
Misty keeps quiet, then she says, “It’s not an easy decision.”
“Oh no. It looks like you gave it a lot of thoughts,” Morgan says in a scoff.
“I can’t stay here!” Misty cries out and Morgan relishes in finally having her sister’s composure break. “It’s not safe. It’s my mistake. I’m responsible. If I remove myself from the village, it can heal. Kurain can go on as it used to. No one will be associated with me, with my failure. I will be forgotten. The future can be brighter. The world can move on.”
“The world…” Morgan says. She scoffs again. “You think that you leaving will make any difference? How important do you think you are? When you make a mess, you either fix it or don’t make one at all. You don’t run away from it.”
Misty doesn’t reply. She looks down and says, “This is for the best. I don’t expect you to understand.”
Morgan stares at her sister. Misty Fey, Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique. About to leave, possibly forever. She looks weak. Small. Like a crumpled grape. Like a rotten fruit. Mummified, all water drawn out of her. What is she now? A ghost? An empty shell? Maybe that’s what she’s always been. She has no backbone, she has no determination. Misty Fey, hazy and vaporous. Quiet and unassuming. Guess what? When facing hardships, she’ll always run. This is the person that was chosen to lead a village. This is the person who ruined everything.
Morgan can’t stand the sight of her.
Misty’s eyes keep glancing at Fey Manor, where Misty’s rug rats are sleeping and it makes Morgan inexplicably angry.
I lost everything for this.
“Please,” Misty says. Morgan doesn’t even look up at her sister. She doesn’t need to. She can hear it in her voice, she knows exactly what Misty is going to ask before the words come out. “Take care of my daughters for me.”
Morgan’s face constricts in pure anger. Her daughters? Her daughters? And where does she think Morgan’s daughters are right now because of her?
“You might be angry at me,” Misty goes on, “but they have nothing to do with me. They're just children. They don’t deserve that hate. They’ll need you. We've had our differences, but that's all I'm asking. Please, take care of them.”
Misty has it all wrong. Morgan isn’t angry at her. Morgan couldn’t care less about Misty. No, she’s angry because Morgan knew this was going to happen eventually. She knew. And yet, the village elders put Misty in Morgan’s place. And Misty refuses to take accountability for her mistake. She runs away instead. Now, that’s on brand. That’s how it’s always been. The insolence of the youngest child.
“Go if that’s what you want to do,” Morgan says as she turns her back to her sister. “But don’t burden me with the consequences.”
“Please,” Misty says. It’s supposed to be a plea. But Morgan hears it in her voice. It’s the Master’s voice. Misty found her dignity back. She’s not pleading. She’s asking as if to say it’s the right thing to do, you’re not a monster, you’ll do it. “Please take care of them.”
Maybe Morgan is a monster after all. She doesn’t stay long enough to see if Misty left. She doesn’t have to.
She knows she did.