Behind the Castle's Door [COMPLETED]

Thirty-Fourth Door

Miranda and Irish were in the kitchen that evening discussing Eve's birthday preparations for the next day. It was nearly ten o'clock in the evening, so the two of them reasoned that there would be no more people downstairs because they were all asleep, and that this would be the ideal moment to have their secret talk. Miranda faced Irish with a cup of milk in her hand, telling her about the chat she and Alcina had earlier.

"I felt guilty," she sighed. "I can't bear seeing Eve cry like that because I was selfish."

Irish shrugged her shoulders. "Of course you are; just so you know, you're really selfish."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "All I wanted to do was make things right."

"If you truly want to fix this mess you've created, tell her what you did; she'll be furious, but you've earned her wrath."

"But how am I supposed to tell her? How am I going to explain that I was the one who made Alcina say those hurtful words to her?" Miranda let out a sigh.

Clementine had just stepped down the stairs in her pajamas, yawning as she made her way to the kitchen to grab some milk. She was awakened yet again by Alcina's words, which caused her to overthink. She was about to walk into the kitchen when she heard voices that caused her to come to a halt.

"Why don't you tell Eve tomorrow?" Irish remarked.

"I'm not sure how I'm going to tell her. I can't just say, Eve, darling, I'm sorry I was the reason Alcina said those words to hurt your feelings because I didn't want the two of you to be together," she sighed. "Can you tell me how to tell her without shocking her?"

Clementine's ears burned from hearing Miranda's remarks; she knew Miranda might be overprotective at times, but this was too much; she felt enraged and wanted to smash the door down. She opened the door with her fists clenched to avoid breaking anything. When they saw her, Irish and Miranda's eyes widened in terror.

She clenched her teeth and said, "You don't have to tell me anything; I already heard it."

"Eve." Miranda gulped. "Let me explain."

"What exactly are you talking about, mom? You're interfering with my life?" She sneered.

"I'm not meddling with you life—"

"You are!" She screamed angrily. "I'd always suspected there was something wrong with Alcina's statements; they were ambiguous to me, and she even told me she was lying, but I never believed her," she said, raking her hair with her fingers. "I can't believe my own mother would do something like this."

"I'm sorry, Eve, I was just trying to protect you," Miranda nibbled the inside of her bottom lip.

"Protect me, please? Are you kidding me? That wasn't protecting any longer! You're manipulating people around me that makes me happy!" As she yelled, tears dripped down her face.

"I just did that because I don't wanted you to get hurt!"

"It's my fault if I get wounded as a result of my decisions. You need to accept that people have their own choices, mom; I'm old enough to make my own decisions that you don't have to interfere with!"

Miranda stayed silent to where she was standing. Eve's words struck her like they were lightning, and it burned her.

"If I'd only known that meeting would end up like this, maybe we wouldn't have met, maybe I should've died that day!"

"Clementine Eve!" Miranda screamed, her jaw clinched.

"Stop treating me like a kid; I'm not one. Stop doing this, mom," she wiped her eyes. "You said you didn't want to see me hurt, but you're hurting me by making hasty decisions that you think are right," she sniffled.