Ripples

Balance XI

Mentions of a coma, family conflict, and Anastasius being cruel and controlled.

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A piece of parchment rustled as Athanasia held it, glancing over her notes. Although Lucas tried to keep his own notes to himself, the proof that her uncle was dying rather than recovering from the voice, the princess was also doing her own reading and coming to the same conclusion. And, when she finished reviewing the words that she had written, she placed the parchment back on the table with a sigh. If he wasn't going to survive... then what?

"Is this not for the best?" It was a terrible thought, but one that she couldn't blame herself for. If he was dead, wouldn't they be safe? If he was dead, couldn't they be a happier family? However, when the princess lifted her head, azure eyes falling upon the figure of her sister, she couldn't help but wonder if they needed him after all.

The queen of the shadows could only remember her past lifetimes faintly. Unfortunately, the most vivid of her memories included her uncle and his brother, her damned and useless father. And, though Athanasia hoped that the presence of the voice could have excused everything, Jennet couldn't agree. She simply found her father as "far too weak."

The brunette understood the inability to fight the voice as a child. However, she felt resentful that he had never been able to regain control during his adulthood. As she was chained again and again to the expectations of others, singing and chirping for the epoch of high society, she had always hoped to be rescued. And when Anastasius appeared, his eyes cold as ice, she really did expect him to be her savior during that first lifetime. Unfortunately, he was the last straw that Jennet began to resent the family that she had, seeking comfort from her sister, the one kind but ignorant.

Now that she was faced with this man, her only family by magic and by blood, Jennet simply felt a deep sense of confusion and discontentment. Helpless and embittered, her memories were painted with these cold tones, but Athanasia had been insisting that Anastasius could be better. She trusted her sister, that was true, but even she was hesitant.

Nine lifetimes of pain could not be erased with a few words from her sister, no matter how much she adored her.

So, she stared at the unconscious figure of that man, always thinking and wondering and remembering. The memories of a cruel man, standing above her as Claude collapsed, could not stop appearing and she hated it. She hated remembering and being so morose. Most of all, she hated hoping that things could be easier.

Athanasia watched as a black fog floated above her sister's skin, something that looked so similar to Aethernitas and felt equally as vile, but it was much more gentle and emotional. The fog caressed her sister as Jennet stood above her lonesome father, blanketing her limbs in a semblance of comfort

"Black magic," the princess realized, tilting her head curiously as the mist flickered around her sister. Unlike the dark shade of Aethernitas, from which she felt fear, fear that had made her desperate and determined to finally control her magic, this black mist was kind- it was a friend that Jennet must not have known she had. "Then again, it's probably not good that she has it. I wonder if there's a way to remove it."

"What's with your face?" The young maiden jumped, hitting her knee on the table. And, as she held her knee in pain, her lover approached her and held her while snickering. "How clumsy."

"Shut up, it's your fault." She grumbled, rubbing a finger on her knee. With a smile blooming on his face, Lucas kneeled upon the rug and leaned down to kiss her leg, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you."

"It's fine," Athanasia replied, holding his face gently before dropping a kiss on his head. "What brings you here?"

"I was bored," he admitted, dropping gracelessly on a nearby chair. His lover found it unfair that he still looked quite handsome. "Anyways, what's wrong? You were looking ugly just a minute ago."

"Ugly- how rude," the princess grumbled, glaring at her lover before returning her attention to her sister. It was unnerving how Jennet was standing, frozen for hours, tireless and determined. She simply stared at her father's face, though Athanasia wondered if she could even see anything. It was pitiful, indeed.

Her lover's eyes narrowed before following her gaze, only to rest upon that statuesque girl and widen with realization. He tilted his head and clicked his tongue, resting his feet upon the table. There was nothing more vile to him than the young Jennet, and even his lover knew that, though she wasn't happy with it.

Like Anastasius, however, it wasn't black magic that he hated, it wasn't even the girl herself that he couldn't bear. No, it was her very existence.

To Lucas, black magic was nothing more than another form of study. Claude used black magic before, and it wasn't inherently evil. Sure, black magic was guaranteed to lead to some sort of curse, but it wasn't supposed to be evil. It was simply a wish maker, a genie with hefty prices.

However, though black magic wasn't evil, it shouldn't be some creator either. Since the child was created out of forbidden magic, Jennet was neither human nor divine, she was simply wrong. And Lucas hated how wrong her simple existence had become, but he accepted her because she was devoted to Athanasia and his princess loved her back.

"Darkness is as much her parent as Anastasius was. It's part of her bloodline, and it's not something that can be easily removed." Athanasia frowned, feeling helpless again. After what had just happened with Anastasius, she didn't exactly feel comfortable with any mist, no matter how amicable it seemed. However, there wasn't anything that she could immediately do. This was the first time that she had ever been able to see aura and magic, much less have to deal with the mess that was her sister's darkness.

"Is there a way to purify it?" She tried, making a mental note to visit the library again. Between researching her uncle's condition and how to purify her sister's soul, she guessed that she would be busier soon. "I had thought uncle to be the last piece to the puzzle. Who knew that he would have led to more trouble."

"We can try, but I've never tried it before." Although Lucas didn't like the chimera, especially now that her magic was becoming increasingly powerful, he didn't like his princess's sad expression either. Besides, it was probably better to do something about that malicious magic soon, if only because it might harm his princess.

"Sister... let's eat truffles together." However, when the brunette turned with a beg, he couldn't help but pity her. Was it her fault that her existence was wrong? Was it her fault that her father had been controlled by a psychopath? So, although he hated her very existence, he thought that it might not be so bad to help. After a soft kiss on Athanasia's cheek, Lucas left. He knew, far too well, that Jennet needed her more than he did at that moment.