MENELAUS🦋ҽ.ɯ.

CHAPTER ONE

a drink

~

2021

Snow piled high and made the outside unbearable, however, the fireplace in the cluttered but cozy living room did its job and filled the house with warmth.

The long train of her dark blue dress kissed the wooden surface as it glided against it, "Mother, I'm going to go to the village to hand out medicine," Y/N said as quickly walked past her seated mother.

"Y/N, wait!" Her mother called without raising her head from the book she was reading.

The young woman sighed before stopping and slowly turning around, "Yes, mother?"

"I don't want you leaving the house," Her mother got up from her chair and turned away from the fireplace to look at her daughter, "You were telling me that you were starting to feel sick, you need rest."

Y/N had been feeling her sickness start to creep on her, and her mother immediately noticed. Miranda had slowly cut her off from everyone.

"I have been resting for months," she groaned. Her mother used all her might to keep her in bed, "I only want to go outside, I miss the bustling town, and..." she felt her cheeks heat up at the thought of a certain man.

"The answer is no, Y/N," her mother crossed her arms, "My answer is final, you will not be going to the village."

Y/N breathed and walked closer to her mother, "Can I at least visit, Alcina?"

Her mother sighed, "Okay, however, you still may not go to the village."

The young woman laughed and gave her mother a quick kiss on the forehead. She grabbed her shawl and left out the door,  making her way to her sister's castle.

The young woman quickly came to a fork in the road, the clear path on her right would send her to her sister's castle while the overgrown path on the left would lead her to the village.

She wished that she could take the path on the left. However, she knew the risks and consequences of going against her mother's wishes. She was in a slightly weakened state, but she was on the brink of death to her mother.

Deciding that her mother's wrath wasn't worth the small trip to the village, Y/N took the path on her right. 

🦋

Miranda watched as her daughter walked through the front door, leaving their cabin. 

Y/N had been asking her if she could leave the cabin more often. As much as Miranda wanted to fulfill her daughter's every wish, she knew that Y/N's time was always limited until she found another cure. 

She could tell that Y/N's sickness was returning, even though her daughter refused to admit it. Without a solution, her daughter was as good as dead.  

Miranda stared at the door for another minute before she stood up and walked over to a black rotary phone. Her finger quickly spun the dial as she called a certain black hat-wearing lady. 

"Dimitrescu?" she paused as the woman on the other line answered, "Y/N is coming over to your castle and I don't want you to mention Ethan Winters."

Miranda smiled at the answer she received on the other end. 

"Bye, Alcina," she hung up the phone before sitting down in her seat. 

Ethan Winters, a man she had come to know very well, had exactly what she needed to make her daughter's sickness go away. Funny, how all she needed to do was play house with him. 

She leaned her head back and rubbed her temples, "I need to save, my little crow," she leaned up and look at the large portrait of her and her two daughters that hung over the fireplace, "At all costs."

🦋   

"I don't understand her, Alcina," Y/N grumbled as she recounted her mother's recent behavior, "I should be able to roam all about, like you and everyone else." She argued before taking a sip of her wine.

Alcina frowned, "Y/N, you have a certain..." she paused and swirled the wine in her wine glass, "condition. Mother Miranda is only doing what she thinks is best." 

"Not you too," Y/N sighed before downing the rest of her wine, "I wish I could head down into the village. I haven't seen the villagers in months." 

Alcina scoffed, "Please, you only want to go to the village because of that man-thing you've been interested in." 

"He's not a man-thing," Y/N rolled her eyes at her sister's behavior, "His name is Luca and he is a very sweet man." 

Alcina took another sip of wine, "Of course he is." 

Y/N crossed her legs, "Besides, I care about the village too and I really am concerned."

Silence hung between the two sisters for a few minutes, Y/N understood that Alcina hated men, but she wished that her sister could put away her dislike for even a moment. Luca was a wonderful man, he took care of his family and his sick mother.

His short curly brown hair matched wonderfully with light green eyes. He was a simple man and the son of an artisan, but he made her feel normal.   

Y/N stared at the decorated bottle in front of her before ultimately giving in and pouring herself another drink, "How are my nieces?" 

Alcina smiled, "Pleasant and obedient as always," she took a sip of wine, "Such angels really."

Y/N looked around at her sister's decorated room in awe, "I've missed being in such luxury. The cabin is nice, but..." she gave a teasing smile to her sister, "I've always been a little jealous of your glamourous estate."

"Why thank you," she gestured around, "You can stay as long as you want."

Y/N chuckled, "Then I'd never leave."

The two sisters shared a laugh before the sound of a door opening caught their attention. 

Buzzing filled their ears, a sound both were accustomed to considering the nature of Dimistrecu's daughters. However, there was another sound that wasn't as familiar. 

The sound of painful grunts filled the room before the smell of blood traveled into Y/N's nose. 

"Mother, Aunt," the eldest daughter smiled, "I bring you both fresh prey."