MENELAUS🦋ҽ.ɯ.

CHAPTER FIVE

a kindness

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"Nieces?" she called out in the foyer.

Only one came.

Y/N walked close to her last niece and looked into her eyes, "I want you to stay away from that man, Daniela. He has caused us to lose too much," she growled before walking away in search of Alcina. 

She gasped as she walked down the grand stairs and saw no one other than Ethan Winters placing a mask on one of the statues, "Come to kill more of my nieces, Winters?" She hissed as she walked over to him. 

Ethan turned away from the statues and looked at her with furrowed brows, "Nieces?" 

"Yes," she placed her hands on her hips, "Are you so ignorant you don't understand the concept of family?" She stared at him with cold eyes. 

Two of her nieces were slaughtered, because of one simple man. 

She would have fought him if she could, but she didn't have any offensive abilities as her siblings had. 

"I only want my daughter back," he breathed, "Just give her back and no one else in your freaky family has to die."

Y/N crossed her arms and glared at him. "There is no baby here," she narrowed her eyes, "Ethan Winters." 

"If that was true I wouldn't be here."

The two stared at each other, hatred in the eyes of one of them and yearning in the eyes of the other.  

"I hope that you're gone by the time I come back," Y/N turned on her heel and started walking back to her room. 

Unaware of the pair of eyes that stared at her retreating form hopefully. 

🦋

Y/N stared at the phone that laid on her nightstand.  

"If that was true I wouldn't be here."

Ethan's words ran around in her mind like an untamed beast. She wanted to believe that he was a dirty liar that tried to excuse his murderous actions with the story of a kidnapped daughter. 

But, why go to such great lengths when your life is in danger at every corner? 

Maybe there was truth to his story, it wouldn't be the first time her mother hid something from her. 

Y/N took a deep breath before dialing her mother's number. She waited with bated breath as the dial tone played. 

"Mother?" she listened to her mother's response, "I'm okay, I only wanted to ask you something."

She twirled the cord of the receiver around her finger, "What is wrong with the village?" 

She winced at the response she received from Miranda, "I know I wasn't-- but mother what is wrong with the village?"

The young woman huffed, "Something is wrong with it, I've seen wolfmen runabout," she scoffed, "I'm not delusional. Mother, I--"

Y/N removed the receiver from her ear and looked at it in shock, "She hung up."  

Y/N slapped the phone. If her mother wasn't willing to talk to her about something so obvious, she definitely wouldn't tell her about a kidnapped baby. 

She bit her lip before picking up the receiver and dialing another number. 

"Donna?" She nodded, "Angie, I need to ask you something about a baby." 

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Y/N's phone call turned up air, Donna wouldn't tell her a single thing and often skirted around her questions. Her mother must have had all her siblings sworn to secrecy.

Maybe there was truth to Ethan Winter's statement. Still, she had doubt in her mind. 

What would her mother need with a baby? Miranda didn't yearn for children, at least not to her knowledge. 

Miranda spent most of her time tending to her sickness and the state of the village. 

The sound of her door slamming open caused her to jump. 

The man who stood in her doorway stared at her with labored breaths. 

Y/N and Ethan stared at each other for what felt like hours. Y/N was trying to assess the reason for Ethan's presence.  

Was he through with killing her sister and nieces and wanted to leave no room for survivors?

Did he come in search of another reason? A carnal desire, a distraction, a hug?

Before she could ponder more, she watched as he collapsed face down onto the ground. 

She walked over to him and stared down at him. She used her foot to turn him onto his back. His chest moved up and down slowly.

Y/N tilted her head at his unconscious form, "So he's not dead." 

 She glanced at the dagger that laid on her mostly white desk. It would be so easy to end his misery. One movement and his story would be over. 

No other chance would be better than this one. 

Everything in her mind told her to grab the dagger and execute the single movement that would allow her to go back to normal.  

She casually walked over to her desk, her fingers gently inched around the handle of the blade. 

She crept over to him and gently straddled his waist. It would be so easy to end his life. 

As her blade laid against his neck, she had time to get a better look at him. 

His face looked so serene and unguarded when he was unconscious. How long had he been wandering the halls of the castle, presumably in search of her? 

A small drop of blood was unveiled from his otherwise milky and blemishless skin as she slightly ran the blade over the column of his neck.

It would be so easy, a few more inches, a tiny jerk of the hand. 

His chest continued to rise and fall, it reminded her of ocean waves and how they moved. The calm cycle that soothed so many and inspired others. 

She squeezed her eyes shut before throwing the dagger across the room. 

Y/N groaned before running her hands down her face. 

How could she even think about taking a human life?

Especially, one that could have a missing daughter. 

She grabbed Ethan's body and dragged him over to her bed, she grunted when she lifted him onto the bed.

She sighed as she stared at his peaceful form. His chest rose and fell gently. Now and then his nose or fingers would twitch, a detail that Y/N couldn't help but find adorable. 

The smell of iron tickled her nose. 

The young woman moved his olive-colored jacket out of the way and saw red sticky liquid on his shirt. 

Y/N lifted it to reveal his chest, a large gash presented itself. She dragged her hands over her face before picking up her dagger, "I hope you're not lying, Ethan." 

She sliced her palm and rubbed her blood over his wound, "Don't make me regret this," she grumbled before pouring him a glass of water. 

Y/N stared down at the man who was still alive despite all odds against him. 

She hoped Alcina didn't find out about her little act of kindness.

Well, her sister did say she was 'the generous one'.