Chapter Text
She knew what Duke and Pluto were about to do.
And they might've been right. Annabel probably did deserve this.
But maybe telling the truth could save her.
".."
"I need to tell you something, Duke."
Duke and Pluto did not loosen their grip on Annabel. If anything, they both tightened it. Duke's back remained turned, but his words came out sharp.
"You've had plenty of chances to talk about her, Lenore."
"Why now?"
Lenore swallowed hard. She was scared of losing her best friends over this. But also scared that if she didn't stop them, they would kill Annabel.
"Because she mattered to me," Lenore whispered.
She looked at them, at Duke's still back, at Pluto's silence.
"And if you're going to kill her, you deserve to know that."
"So please don't do it, Duke."
"Why would that matter now?" Pluto said, voice cold.
"Just because she mattered to you then doesn't make her less dangerous."
Lenore took a breath.
"She hurt people. I know that. But behind all of that, she is kind, funny, and sweet."
Lenore paused before continuing.
"I loved her.. Please don't kill her."
For a long moment, there was only silence.
Then, Duke turned around.
"You loved her?" he asked, like he couldn't believe it. "After everything she did?"
"Yes," she said, "so please don't kill her, Duke."
Pluto's hand tightened around Annabel's legs.
"You're letting her manipulate you," He snapped.
"Just don't do something you can't take back, please," Lenore said.
Duke didn't answer.
But his grip on Annabel finally unclenched.
Pluto's grip remained, trembling. But something in him shifted. His jaw tightened, and after a moment of silence, he exhaled through his nose.
They both began to lower her.
Annabel's boots touched the ground again.
She nearly fell to the ground, but Lenore was there, catching her and steadying her with shaking arms.
No one spoke
Not Duke. Not Pluto. Not even Annabel.
Lenore didn't let go of Annabel
"Thank you," Annabel whispered to Lenore.
"I'll talk to you later," Lenore whispered back and smiled towards Annabel, and let go of her.
Lenore watched Annabel leave and turned back towards Duke and Pluto.
They didn't look at her at first.
Duke stood with his arms crossed, his eyes on where he and Pluto were sitting moments ago. His jaw clenched tightly. Pluto stepped back, arms folded, and pacing just slightly.
Lenore broke the silence.
"I'm sorry I didn't say earlier."
Duke turned, slowly.
"And now, suddenly, whenever we are about to murder her."
"You had time, Lenore. You had chances. But you chose silence."
"I feared what you would think of me after everything that has happened," She admitted.
Duke regarded her quietly,
"L’amour est une faiblesse dangereuse,” he murmured.
(Love is a dangerous weakness.)
Pluto let out a sharp breath through his nose.
"You're not thinking straight."
He turned slightly,
"She'll use this. Use you."
Lenore didn't look away.
"No, she won't. I knew her before I died. Before she died."
Duke's expression flickered, just for a second, like that last sentence had meaning to it.
Pluto scoffed and shook his head, pacing in a half circle.
"A lot of people, after death, are not who we thought they were."
Lenore spoke again.
"Maybe. But I am not asking you to forgive her without reason."
"I'm asking you to let her live."
There was silence again.
Finally, Duke turned fully towards her, arms falling to his sides.
"If she dares betray you..." He said
"We will not show mercy."
Lenore nodded.
"I won't."
Annabel didn't look back as she walked.
Not once.
Her hands were shaking.
The hallway was quiet. Every step echoed loudly.
She kept walking, her breath sharp in her throat.
Lenore... had saved her.
Had Lenore remembered everything?
Even so, Lenore still loved her.
Annabel wasn't sure she deserved it.
She stopped at the end of the hall.
Her hand touched the closet and went inside I,t and let herself cry. Just once. Silent.
"..Idiot," She whispered to herself.
Suddenly, someone opened the door. It was Prospero.
"Annabel!?"
"What are you doing in there!?"
Annabel quickly wiped her face
"Nothing," She snapped
Prespero narrowed his eyes. "You've been gone for a while after the encounter with Lenore and her friends. Everyone's wondering where you went."
His gaze flickered to her flushed face.
"You're not crying, are you?" He asked.
Annabel stood, brushing past him with a scoff. "Get over yourself."
But Prospero didn't move. "What happened with them?"
That froze her
Prespero was silent for a beat, then finally spoke.
"You better not be hiding something."
Annabel didn't reply.
She walked ahead of him, heart pounding. They couldn't know. Not about Lenore. Not about what just happened. Not yet. Maybe not ever,
Lenore, Duke, and Pluto head to their secret hideout in the academy.
They knock on the doo,r and Morella opens the door.
Lenore, Duke, and Pluto's faces don't change even from what they see.
They walk in and see both Berenice and Eulalie.
Berenice is lying on the table, eating carrots.
Eulalie is laying down blankets.
Berenice looked up at them.
"You're back. What happened. You look like you killed someone."
Duke responded, "Wouldn't that be nice. Could've been free of that murderous floozie for good."
"Oh!? Explain to me, Duke. If you don't mind, how throwing Annabel Lee off a balcony wouldn't have made you the murderous floozie." Lenore shouted.
"Wait, m-murder!?" Morella shouted
Both Lenore and Duke were still arguing.
Pluto grabs Berenice and pulls her towards the stairs.
Duke is forced upstairs to rest after being trapped inside a wall for who knows how long.
Lenore chooses to follow him.
She sat down next to him without a word.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
Pluto was elsewhere.
Lenore sat with her arms wrapped around her legs. Duke was lying down, exhaling slowly.
"... You think I made a mistake," Lenore said quietly.
"I know you did."
"I couldn't let her die," She said finally. "Even after everything she has done to us here."
Duke turned his head, just enough to glance at her.
"And I'm supposed to just trust that she won't stab you in the back the second we let our guard down." He said, voice low.
"Lenore hugged her knees tighter.
"No. I'm asking you to trust me," She whispered
"You do very stupid things, Mon Amie."
Lenore smiled.
"I know."
Duke closed his eyes and began to fall asleep.
Lenore left to go downstairs when suddenly her favorite bird arrived