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It was late. The air was still and the world seemed quiet, the night bringing an eerie peace to everything. However, in a cozy townhome in the middle of a city, a young girl begged to differ. She cried loudly, filling the dead silent house with a fair amount of noise. Luckily the noise didn't escape the house, but it did awake her parents sleeping just in the other room.
"Hmmgh.." One of the parents groaned, sitting up with frizzy, curly hair. Before she could ask though, her wife seemed to have already gotten up, sleepily walking out the door. She thought it polite to follow her wife, as she was up anyway.
She followed her into the nursery, and the other lady was already picking up their baby.
"Is it teething again?" Marina asked, standing at the door.
"She could be hungry, too.." Samarie replied, rocking their baby as she cried.
"Well if Crystal wasn't so fussy maybe she wouldn't be," Marina joked, taking Crystal from Samarie. Though there was some resistance.
".. W- would you like me to make you some tea?" Samarie asked, watching as Marina sat in the nursing chair.
"Go back to bed, Sam, it's fine," Marina said, moving her nightgown just enough to breastfeed their baby.
"I want to make you some tea," Samarie reworded. "Please.."
".. I wouldn't mind, but you need to sleep. I can handle late nights too you know," Marina sighed, knowing she couldn't stop Samarie.
After a few quiet minutes Samarie came back into the room with a steamy cup, placing it on the table beside Marina. After she just stood above, staring at Crystal with tired eyes.
".. She has your hair," Samarie whispered, lending her hand down for Crystal to grab onto, her little hands light even in comparison to Samarie's finger.
"Mh.. She has your eyes," Marina cooed back, kissing Samarie on the cheek.
A few more moments of silence pass by, until Crystal finished eating. She quickly begins to fall asleep, large eyes fluttering as she drifts off. Marina carefully got up, placing her back into the crib with a forehead kiss.
"Marina," Samarie whispered, looking down at their baby. "Do you ever.. Worry about her being.. Mine?"
"What does that mean?" Marina asked, confused.
"With my connection to the Old Gods I.. I worry," Samarie explained. She glanced down at her scars for a moment, before looking into Marina's eyes. "I don't want her to experience that.."
"Mh.." Marina hummed. "I told you before Samarie, Crystal will be fine. If anything does happen, we're here for her, right?"
"Of course b-but!" Samarie stops, realizing how loud she was getting. She shook, memories, thoughts, visions flooding her mind. She gripped the side of the crib tightly, her hands going slightly blue. "What would happen if.. They found her.."
"They?" Marina wondered. "You don't mean?"
"W- what if they take her, Marina? What if they do all of what they did to me to her?" Samarie worried, tears pricking her eyes.
"Samarie please don't talk like that," Marina winced, unable to stomach the very idea of that. "She'll be okay, the Ninth Circle don't even know you're here, hells they probably don't even care."
"Marina.." Samarie mumbled, tears quietly falling down her cheeks. She looked down at Crystal. She slept soundly, curled up next to her little lamb stuffed animal, a gift Samarie had gotten for her before she was even born. It was still slightly bigger than her, a tiny little thing. Samarie felt her stomach tie up into a knot, her throat getting a sickening taste in it.
"Samarie, let's get you to bed," Marina insisted, gently taking her arm.
"I.." Samarie shook her head slowly. "I don't want to leave her."
".. I understand, but you need sleep," Marina said, leaning into Samarie.
".. I'm sorry.. I'm scared," Samarie murmured, more tears staining her skin.
Marina nodded, rubbing circles with her thumb into Samarie's arm. A display of old scars and sigils.
"You know.." Marina began. "I'm scared too."
"You are?" Samarie asked, hesitant.
"Terrified. I.. I'm familiar with my family's past, now more than ever. I worry about ending up like.." Marina trailed off.
Her father. A rough subject whenever his existence was so much as thought of.
"He's gone. They're all gone. But seeing what I saw back in Prehevil, how insistent he was I became that, how proud he'd feel whenever I'd do something he'd approve of.." Marina paused, taking a breath. "I still feel tied to him. He's my father. I was born his daughter and he died my father."
".." Samarie looked further down, more at her legs now. Guilt swallowed her now.
"I don't mean to bring this back up, I know it's over, it's in the past I just.." Marina thought for a moment, thoughts she knew Samarie could hear as she tried to think of the right way to word this. "I could become something like that, I fear. It's in me."
".." Samarie looked at Marina slowly. "No."
Marina looked back into her eyes, puzzled.
"It's not in you. I know you." Samarie laid her head on Marina's. "You could never. You have a heart."
Marina let out a bittersweet chuckle. "Compelling argument I suppose."
".. You don't think I'll be too much for Crystal, do you?" Samarie asked. "I mean.. Look at me.."
"No, no you're.. You're a good mom."
Marina pulled at Samarie's arm gently.
".. Let's go to bed," Samarie whispered, leaving Marina's hold to kiss her daughter gently once more.
The two ladies walking together, holding hands as their rings touched. They entered their bedroom, getting into soft blankets and cool sheets. They cuddled up closely, accidentally awakening the goat that slept on the foot of their bed. He must've somehow slept through all the ruckus. After a short apology from Marina, it became silent once more.
"Marina I do have a request," Samarie whispered.
"What's that?" Marina asked, tilting her head up to look at Samarie.
"Can we.. Not raise Crystal around the church..? I'd feel better if we all stayed.. Away."
".. For now yes, but she's her own person. She could one day get curious and-"
"I know." Samarie quickly interrupted. "Trust me, if she's anything like you, I know."
Marina cocked an eyebrow. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" She asked playfully.
That broke a small little laugh from Samarie. It felt nice to lighten up. "My point is.. I'd like to keep her as safe as possible for as long as we can.. Would that be okay?"
"Mh.. The church here sucks anyways, this whole city sucks," Marina scoffed. "Glad to know we'll be out of this house soon.. Gods know what the neighbors would do if they found out about Kalev," Marina groaned.
"I'll miss it, this was our first house Crystal lived in.." Samarie murmured. "But.. It'll be nice to live somewhere quiet.."
"Yes, now I'm beat," Marina mumbled, nuzzling into Samarie. "Goodnight Sam.."
"Goodnight, my light..”