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A gunshot rang through the vast backyard of the huge mansion. A lean, young girl was responsible, and she lowered her rifle as she saw a clean hole through the center of a target.
She smiled and looked over her shoulder. She saw her father, and he looked openly proud. Her mother though, she just nodded and motioned for her to go again.
Not discouraged, she lifted her rifle and aimed. She steadied the gun and let out a slow breath as she closed one eye. She trained her open eye on the same target, and she pulled the trigger. The shot rang out, and a bird squawked and flew away with an angry flap of wings. The bullet didn't make a noise, and she looked at her target. She lowered the rifle, and trotted up to it, her blue ponytail bouncing against her back. No new marks. She must've hit the same spot.
She turned to her parents, and her father smiled again, his deep black eyes warm. Cassandra's eyes widened a fraction of an inch, and she smiled softly. Caitlyn sucked in a sharp breath. It wasn't often Cassandra smiled. And if she did, she must've been in an exceptionally good mood that day.
“You're getting better, dear.” Cassandra said, walking up to her daughter. She placed a delicate gloved hand on her cheek and nodded. She looked over her shoulder at her husband and said, “Tobias love, if you'll take this target down please, it'd be appreciated.” Her hand dropped from Caitlyn's face and she placed her hand instead on her back between her shoulder blades.
Tobias nodded and walked up to the wooden target. He lifted it with a grunt and headed to the spacious shed in the far corner of the big yard. He nudged the door open wider with his foot, and entered.
Cassandra began heading to the humongous mansion, Caitlyn in tow. She opened the door. “Inside you go.”
Caitlyn stepped inside and she looked up at her mother.
“If you'll change and put your rifle away, we can go to our ‘spot.’”
Caitlyn nodded eagerly and bounded up the grand stairs and hurried down the hall to her bedroom. She entered and shut the door with a soft click. She set her rifle on the foot of her bed, planning to put it up when they get back. She padded to her closet, and threw open the big, beautiful wooden doors. Caitlyn pulled out her white, elbow length shirt, little white bow tie, navy blue sleeveless throw on, and a mini skirt that hugged her legs. She pulled her hair out of its ponytail and brushed it out until it was neat. She slipped on her black leather shoes and slipped out of her bedroom. She went down the stairs and saw Cassandra talking to Tobias. Cassandra leaned in and kissed her husband's cheek and pulled away. Cassandra walked over to Caitlyn and led her to the front door.
They left the mansion, and began the trek to their safe space. Cassandra kept her hands clasped in front of her as they walked. Caitlyn walked beside Cassandra, her hands behind her back. The soft breeze made the wind chimes tinkle at the park and she took a seat on the bench. Cassandra patted the spot next to her and Caitlyn sat. She glanced up at her mother, and hesitantly rested her head on her shoulder. She watched the lavender petals swirl in the wind as they touched the ground.
Cassandra wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Caitlyn sighed. Cassandra glanced down at her and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. Caitlyn picked up a petal that Ha landed on her thigh, and twirled it between her pointer finger and thumb.
“The flowers here are pretty.” She mumbled.
“Don't mumble. It's unbecoming dear. But, yes. I do agree. This place is a site to see, isn't it?”
The wind stirred Caitlyn's navy blue hair softly, and Cassandra took notice. She gently pushed the hair out of Caitlyn's eyes. Caitlyn let go of the petal and it fluttered to the ground. The wind gently moved all of them in sync across the ground and Caitlyn sat upright. She placed her hands in her lap, and twiddled her thumbs. Cassandra saw her from her peripheral vision as she watched the clouds glide across the bright blue sky. “Yes, dear?”
“Oh nothing.” Caitlyn said, really meaning it. She might twiddle her thumbs when she was nervous or wanting to speak up, but right now? No.
Cassandra nodded once and watched as the afternoon sun hit the big structure and gold plating on the towering council building. The light flashed and she had to blink. A bird cared and Caitlyn searched for it. There it was! Oh. It was a big crow. Her nose scrunched, and she also looked up at the council building. “Does it ever get boring? Being a Councilor, I mean.”
Cassandra looked at her daughter; neatly trimmed eyebrows raised. She looked back to the building, lips pursed and forehead creased in thought. “Mm. I suppose it can rough at some meetings, but that's to be expected after all. But I'll have to say no. I actually enjoy it. Somewhat. But you'll be there in my place, representing Clan Kiramman when you're of age.”
Caitlyn's bottom lip jutted out at the thought of her mother either dying or just retiring, based on the implication. “Being a councilor sounds boring.” Caitlyn grumbled, fingers wringed together tightly.
“I suppose I can see how you would think that.” Cassandra said, rubbing a hand down her daughter's head, smoothing out her navy blue hair. Caitlyn stood from the stone bench and walked forward. She crouched, scooped up a handful of the still falling purple petals, and she lifted her hands into the air and threw them, eyes closed as she grinned gleefully. They all fluttered to the ground around her, and Cassandra cracked another rare smile.
Caitlyn's eyes fluttered open, and she blew out a soft breath, and let go of her tightly clenched hand. The petals grasped in her trembling hand drifted downwards, almost as lifelessly as her mother as she rested forever in her bed of the lavender petals. They fell onto her beautiful, smooth, peaceful face, and it felt like someone squeezing her throat she desperately held the tears back. Her eyes stung ferociously with them.
From behind her, she could hear her father's heart wrenching and pained sobs as he held his forehead with one hand. His normally neat navy blue hair was disheveled. Caitlyn fixed her attention back on her mother's face and the lid of the white, gold trimmed casket began to close. She inched her head forward to see her for the last time, and her bottom lip quivered, and her eyebrows knitted together slightly, betraying her stoic facade.
She flinched as the casket closed forever and she stared at the golden Kiramman Crest on the spot where her mothers head rested inside. She stepped back as enforcers stepped forward and hoisted the casket off the ground.
She stared forward as she watched as the enforcers held the casket up on their shoulders and as they entered the Kiramman graveyard. Caitlyn let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and wiped from under her eyes. She fixed the skirt of her enforcer uniform.
•~~~•
Caitlyn stepped forward, her rifle slung over her shoulder. She stood on the endless ground of dead and gray petals, and glared at the pale, powder-blue haired woman in front of her. She raised her rifle, and her pointer finger pulled the trigger. The bullet zipped through the air, and went right through, breaking her silhouette. She continued to laugh, her body molding back together, and her eyes flew open.
Her fingers shook as she clenched the hem of her skirt, and she stared at the giant wind chimes in the middle of the clearing; the shade from the huge flower tree behind her covering her in a soft darkness. She sighed, and a spot of powder-blue flashed in her peripheral vision. She snapped her head in that direction, and saw a blue jay instead. Caitlyn dropped her head, and her hands covered her face. Finally, after holding the pain and everything inside for two days, did she break. Fat tears slipped down her cheeks and between her fingers and dropped onto her uniform.
Even if her and Cassandra didn't always get along, she was still her mother. It fucking hurt. It really did. So many things left unsaid, but now they would never be said. That only made the tears fall harder.
At least she let her and Vi have a meeting with the council-which inevitably went south-and allowed her to follow her when Vi had stormed out of the big building. At least she knew her mother approved of that.
She sucked in a breath, the much needed tears finally subsiding. Shadows had long since lengthened on the ground and she looked up. Sunset. The wind chimes had also stopped. She stood and wiped her eyes, and continued to stare at the darkening sky. But then a light breeze stirred the petals, and fluttered around her, and Caitlyn almost felt like bursting into tears again. Cassandra Kiramman. She was around still, just not as she was before.
Caitlyn gave the sacred park a sad smile, gathered her bearings, and left.
The petals drifted to the ground again, and remained there.