(if we could rewind)
"DEBRA AUDE CARTER FORMERLY KNOWN AS OBONE. EVENTUALLY WENT ON TO MARRY JAMESON CARTER, FAYE CARTERS TWIN BROTHER YOUNGER BY FIFTEEN MINUTES. I have assumed that when Debra and Faye were found that night, they had already been close friends. Seeing as Debra was in a relationship with Faye's brother at the time. Debra had shown no signs of any memory regarding the night she witnessed.
"I have been assigned to watch her and monitor any strange comings regarding the aftermath of her mesmer. After graduating Debra went on to become a successful store manager in her home town of Charlottesville, Virginia. Jameson had worked as a psychiatrist at a local university and they kept an occasional contact with the now Faye Matthews and her husband Edwin. Shortly after they ended up having a daughter. Azalea Vivian Carter." AZ pauses a bit. Sel and Bree instantly notice and move to ask but she raises a hand up in reassurance.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. My throat is kind of dry." She clears it and then continues on. " However, on December 16, 2010 after 12:15 am; only two weeks before Azalea's birthday when a rogue suspect had broken into-" AZ stops again and blinks her eyes, trying to focus.
"Into the Carter's home. Debra was there to protect her daughter Azalea from witnessing more of the tragic event. From how they found her body, it was right in front of Azalea's closed room. We had assumed the young girl was sleeping. The suspect had ended up killing Jameson on the spot. Already the police were on their way and they had ended up leaving the scene in panic, at least that's what the official report says. When they got there. Azalea was hidden under the bed, almost half asleep and confused."
"I had ended up speaking to Azalea briefly after bringing the bodies in the ambulance. She was rather traumatized and not able to talk as much. Understandable as a six year old who had witnessed her parents murder. Any piece of information as to why this prompted the homicide has not been found. We don't know as to why The Carter family had been targeted but The Order discloses it as a simple murder case. And from then on nothing more. To this day. Azalea remembers nothing from this event and had been taken to move in with her Aunt Faye and Uncle Edwin over in Bentonville, North Carolina. The case unfortunately remains unresolved. This is the final entry in Witness Twelves file ...." AZ lowers the file down. She couldn't speak any longer and all of a sudden the memories pile up from the night she lost them.
The two in front of her wait. They stare and look at her with so much carefulness. She can see that Sels eyes are filled with sympathy, he slowly moves to reach his hand out but stops when he sees the look of rage in her face.
AZ clenches her teeth still looking at the paper. Her eyes are narrowed with fury.
"What do they mean by simple murder case?" She grits out, eyes wide. "I know what the fuck I saw that night what do you-." She lets go of the paper and moves her palms on his rug, as if to steady herself.
"AZ..." Bree says softly. She's in pain as well from the strain in her voice. All three of them had discovered the unimaginable when hearing about the heartbreaking news regarding their parents.
"Like I said earlier I signed up for this...and for what cost." AZ mumbles her voice was hoarse but she was trying to keep it together.
She flips the page and very much it was that Sheriff lady who had spoken to her. From the long tied blond hair, her pale skin and hazel eyes. Her demeanor in the picture was much different from how she presented herself in front of her that night. This picture felt cold and distant in contrast.
"That's it." Bree says wearily, A humorless laugh leaves her in a low huff. "Now we know." AZ straightens the papers and places them in front of the circle they created. She doesn't look when Bree stands up to the door.
"Wait, Briana." He stands and moves to walk towards her but stops when he notices AZ is still. "You guys can sense aether, see it and you can feel it. But you both also resist illusion. If mesmer doesn't work for you both then for your mothers it probably didn't work for them either."
"Yeah." Bree tightens her throat. "I already thought about that."
"And?"
"And?" Bree whips around, fighting back tears. "Don't you get it? She did the smart thing. The thing I should have done in the first place. She hid. She hid every time one of those Scions or Squires pretended to be her friend and 'tested' her. She hid what she knew from everyone for twenty-five years, so this medieval boys' club, this feudalist fever dream, this whole... fucked-up world of yours could never find her!" Bree gestures to AZ whos still not saying anything.
"And my aunt was the same way. You heard the report she and my uncle did everything in their power to protect AZ. She didn't want to put her in the same predicament which is why they ended up moving farther away. So she could provide a life AZ would be proud of. But it didn't work like that. Never free and end up being murdered for it...and for the Order to just..." Bree shakes her head.
"She hid it from me. Or she tried to. But it didn't work, because I'm a selfish daughter and I had to come here and dig." With that statement AZ gets up and it gathers their attention.
"Bree I..." She starts. "I don't regret it."
"AZ... but." Bree pauses.
"I know Aunt Faye hid this from us and for good reason. But we got the answers we needed-"
"Is that really what you care about? AZ! We just found out about what happened to our parents and what really happened and the Order screwed them over. Even with how much information we found out. They're never coming back!" Bree cries and AZ winces. Her cousin was right.
"But you're not selfish Bree. Aunt Faye wasn't right to keep secrets from us."
"But she did it for good reason! If your mother was still alive and acting like my Mom did, how would you feel?" Bree asks and AZ takes a minute to think. What would be the difference? Would she still snoop like she was now?
The answer would be no.
"She didn't want us to find the Order"—Bree turned, snarling at Sel—"Because she didn't want us to become your target, but we did anyway." Bree tug her shirt down to the still-healing purple bruise on her collarbone from tonight's trial. "Didn't want me to get hurt, but I did anyway. I had to barge in with the barest shadow of a plan and no clue what I was doing." She turned back to AZ.
"She had said that she had promised Uncle Jameson and Aunt Debra to look after you. Because she wanted to honor their legacy through you as well. She took you in as her child, my sister." Bree grabs her hands. "It had broken her that when we applied she would lose us both but in the end...we had lost her."
AZ scatters her words. Now feeling overwhelmed. "I'm sorry Bree I shouldn't have led you here tonight....it's my fault." Bree grabs her cheeks in comfort. AZ could see the trails of tears on her cousin's face.
Bree slips her hands away and turns to face Sel. It seemed she had her mind made up.
In a desperate whisper she says. "Take her away." AZ stills and Sel looks bewildered.
"Who?" He asks.
"Wait..Bree you don't mean.." But AZ gets her answer when her cousin gives her a solemn look. "Oh.."
"I don't want this anymore." Bree explains. "I don't want to feel this anymore." Sel suddenly understands seeing the determined look on Brees face and the conflicted look on AZs.
"No.." He says quickly. He then looks at AZ. "You too?"
"I don't know.." She says with her head down. "But Bree made her decision. Can you respect it?" She lifts her head up.
AZ felt sour, guilty. She shouldn't have brought Bree to read the files. And everything. That was the final straw for her as Bree realized what truly happened to her mother while still being in her grief period.
But what did she want? AZ looks at her hand. Did she want to follow what Bree did and have her memories erased even after finding out about her parents and what her mothers role was in this? But in her she felt there was so much more to discover. The Order was lying, It wasn't a simple murder case. They didn't seem to even care about looking for the culprit no matter how much they tried to say otherwise.
Bree pleads. "You can do it. Please. I won't break the mesmer. I'll—I'll let it happen."
Sels lips curl into something like disgust. "Please don't ask me that." AZ looks at Bree.
"I don't want to prevent you from your decision but are you sure?" Bree scoffs. "I can't do this anymore AZ I'm barely hanging on I-" She puts her face in her hands.
"I don't know how you were able to live with that knowledge of Uncle Jameson and Aunt Debra for all these years I-" Understanding came over AZ and she gave her a sad smile.
"Trust me there were times I wished I didn't." She meets eyes briefly with Sel before looking down again.
Bree stares, determined. "If I can't have her, I don't want to remember her."
"You don't mean that," He hisses.
"Yes, I do!" Brees' eyes swim with tears.
He takes a deep breath, holds his ground. "Even if I wanted to—" He shakes his head. "I'm not powerful enough. The older or more traumatic the memory, the stronger the replacement has to be. Like for like. 'Memories of equal weight."
AZ watches as Bree breaks. Tears streaming the memories of her mother resurfacing filled with guilt, regret and sadness all in one. She moves to reach for her but Brees is already bolting out the door. AZ watches as her cousin doesn't give her a second glance. She's out in seconds.
AZ STARES AT THE DOOR WHERE BREE HAD LEFT. THE ROOM IS SILENT. SHE COULD FEEL SEL GAZING AT HER FROM BEHIND. Wondering what she will do. Instantly the memories of her Mom and Dad, her Aunt resurface and it hits her what truly had happened. Bree had left and she's leaving for good. After discovering this, there was no way she was going to come back to the Order. The mission was over. The truth tonight settled it once and for all. She feels him step closer but she moves out of his reach following her cousin.
She was surprised he had let her. But she didn't dwell on it as she had to catch Bree. She saw that her cousin was already at the end of the foyer door. She holds her breath getting ready to leave.
AZ jumps when she feels Sel grabs her shoulder. "You aren't in any shape to walk home alone." He seemed to be addressing Bree only but his hold on her said otherwise. Seemingly knowing what she was thinking.
So she stands there with him, there in the grand foyer, a shadow with searching eyes, and suddenly it all becomes so clear. He was born to this world, for better or for worse. And Nick and the Scions and the Squires and the Pages... They grew up living inside the Order's legends. Suddenly, all the cousins can see is the hundreds of years of history that don't belong to them. A war that doesn't belong to them.
Bree is fuming. She meets eyes with AZ with one more silent communication and AZ knows she's made up her mind. "We never should have come here."
AZ moves from Sels grasp to meet her over to the foyer but his hold on her lingers for a second. Seemingly pleading. "AZ..." He whispers from behind her.
Bree opens the front door—and comes face-to-face with Nick.
It took him a second to process everything. From Brees tearstained face, AZ and Sel behind her. AZs face filled with sorrow and Sels' hand on her shoulder. Felicity and Russ are right behind the Scion of Arthur with curiosity edging on their faces.
Sels hand loosens on her shoulder but he still keeps them there.
Nick is not pleased. From confusion on his face it morphs into anger as he demands. "What the hell is going on here?"
Brees' breath falters at the look in Nick's eyes. In them is the small beginning of some strong, sharp emotion, straining outward like a blade against cloth. "I need to go home." She makes it as if to move around him, and he catches her around her good elbow before she even takes two steps.
"What?...why?" AZ moves forward this time and Sel lets go as she moves to meet them.
"Nick buddy I don't know if you realized but we have been past due on leaving for a while now." She slides up next to Bree putting on her convincing smile. Well at least trying to but her lips wobble a bit and instantly The Scion knows something terribly wrong happened.
His eyes swarm towards Sel. "What did you do to them?" AZ puts her hands on her hips.
"He didn't do anything, he was just.." Weakly gesturing to the Kingsmage. "Escorting us out."
"AZ, I'm sorry." Nick shakes his head then looks at Bree who was still visibly upset. "But I just can't believe that." AZ meets eyes with Sel again, a hopeless look on her face as he addresses Nick wearily.
"I didn't do this," Sel says wearily. "Not that you'll believe me."
The last part is not helping your case here dude. AZ internally facepalms.
Bree nods her head. "It's true he didn't do anything." Nick doesn't budge. However Bree manages to slip out of his grip. She pushes between him and Russ and moves down the stairs.
"Then why are you crying?" He demands. AZ moves in his way and raises her hands up, to prevent him from following Bree even further.
"It's my fault." Nick looks confused as she explains. "Look we got into a fight and I said some stuff that hurt her feelings. Please just..." She looks back at Bree who caught the lie but she didn't say anything else as she tightens the door knob.
"Just let her go to cool down." She begs him. "That's all we need right now." Nick purses his lips. Bree doesn't meet his gaze as she looks at Felicity.
"Do you think you can drive me home Felicity?" The redhead looks a little bit perplexed when Nick cuts in.
"I can drive you home." He insists.
Bree can't look at him. "Felicity? Please?" Felicity glances between her, Nick, AZ, back to Sel, then to Russ. "Russy, can you get my car?" Russ doesn't hesitate. He jogs down the stone steps toward the Lodge garage.
"Russy?" AZ whispers in confusion and Felicity could only give her an awkward smile.
"Bree!" Nick tries to get her to talk to him. But she doesn't budge. She looks at her cousin. Even though they technically were supposed to act like they just fought due to AZs lie.
"How are you getting home?" AZ shrugs. She didn't realize Sel was behind her in a minute, since he loved doing that apparently.
"I'll take AZ back, don't worry." Immediately Nick had noticed the change in name. Like a protective big brother his eyes darted between the two as if he made a discovery that he was not expecting. She could see some hurt in his eyes. Realizing the closeness that apparently all three of them had shared.
There's movement inside the Lodge. AZ looks from behind Sel, to see Tor and Sar, both in pajamas. A crowd is gathering. Bree turns back to Nick and takes a shaky breath, "It was all an accident Nick." She was referring to her mothers death. "The car,"
She whispers, fresh tears burning at her eyes. "That night. The hospital. No one... just... an accident."
Understanding passes through Nick's face. The blood drains from his face. The devastation. He reaches for her, but Bree raises both palms, and his hand falls. That simple gesture—pushing him away—looks like it breaks him as much as it breaks her. AZ closes her eyes and turns away.
"How? How did you—" He stops. Turns again to the Lodge doorway where AZ and Sel are watching them, Sels face is unreadable.
This time when Nick faces Bree, his eyes hold a stony look. "So you both?" He turns to AZ. "With him?" She steps forward.
"Look, it was mostly me." AZ tried to explain but as she does she sees Bree walk backwards on the lawn. "I'm sorry. This was all a mistake." Her cousin whispered.
Tires over gravel. Russ pulled up behind her in Felicity's Jeep. Nick shaking his head no. The car idles. The air leaves Nick's chest in a broken rush. Because he knows Bree doesn't mean tonight. He knows she means she's leaving forever.
AZ watches as he rushes towards her cousin in desperation. "No, wait!" He shakes his head, "Please. I need you. You have to know I'd choose you. I want you, Bree. If Camlann is coming, I want you."
Brees' face had fallen in so much regret and resistance. "No. You don't." With that she climbs into the car and leaves him behind, standing alone in the gravel as they leave the driveway.
AZ sees Nick standing there. And really she doesn't know what to do. How to approach him. But she can sense he has so much anger and betrayal held that really she thinks she should hang back. But then she's running away from facing her problems again. Sel moves in her view. His yellow eyes gazed at her. However her eyes are still on Nick, who had just lost the girl who meant so much to him.
"I can take you back. Or you can stay here." He says softly. "It's your choice." AZ moves her mouth to respond but stops when she sees Nick turn around from his spot to face her. His look was pleading and she knew he was asking for her to explain everything.
But tonight was a lot. She would maybe text him later to let him or not. But it all depended.
"Yeah..." She says as she turns away from the Scion not before she gives him an apologetic look, Sel was right behind her as they walked back into the house.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG SHE WAS STANDING IN THE LODGES GARAGE WITH HER MOUTH AGAPE. BUT IT WAS long enough for the Kingsmage to run up the engine to the smooth onyx colored Tesla The Order owned. One of the Teslas they owned. She had ridden in the car with Sar only once but seeing the whole line of Teslas sprawled out in the garage had her astonished. "These rich fucking white people." She says as she gets in the front seat. "I knew Sar was telling the truth about the garage of Teslas but I thought she was tripping for a second." She says she moves up in her chair.
"They do come in good use from time to time." He comments and AZ gives him a look of disbelief.
"Ya think." She feels the smooth cover inside the engine. And leans back in the chair. "God with these seats you can instantly fall asleep in em."
"Well don't do that now." Sel warns with a look of disdain on his face. "I did enough carrying you around already. I'm not doing that for the millionth time today." AZ scrunches her nose.
"What? I am not that heavy."
"You're not, very light may I add but you move around way too much." AZ leans forward in her chair and looks at him accusingly.
"False accusations I do not!"
"Moved too much, I was considering dropping you on our way for a second."
"Now that's just rude. Had you done that then we never would have made it to that house and found the information we were looking for and then ...." She drifted off, suddenly remembered what transpired and her mood went sour again. She leaned back into the chair. Her silence didn't go unnoticed by Sel whose eyes were on the road.
"Do you feel guilty?" He simply asked, making another turn.
"What do you think?"
"Just answer the question, Azalea. Do you?" And she takes a deep breath.
"I mean. I'm glad we were able to find out the truth but they all took an emotional toll on us. That it just feels unearned." She narrows her eyes. "But it was always going to feel this way, I don't know why I was expecting a different outcome." Sel is silent before speaking once more.
"Yes this evening went south than we expected but like you told Briana, I don't regret it either." She looks up to face him. "Being in the dark about my mother and her getting killed by uchel has haunted me forever."
"Yeah but also finding out the truth about what she did hasn't made it any better." AZ points out.
"I feel betrayed." He says honestly. "But there's a small hope in me that I'll be able to speak to her to find out, just this once." AZ gives him a look of understanding.
"Yeah we can like...break her out or something." She jokes a bit, and Sel lets out a small chuckle.
"Afraid it won't work like that." She gives him a wry smile. Before leaning back in the comfort of her seat.
"Do you think it's true?" AZ asks after a while. "About what we read, what you found out about her?" A tense silence in the car before Sel responds, his voice honest.
"I don't know..." It was a strange feeling but one that AZ thinks she could take. Sel had not been the easiest when they met rather their relationship was so sour she had never expected to even be in the same car with him having a conversation about their trauma. AZ looks at him and is drawn to just speak and have her feelings about things flow while he listens.
He ends up dropping her off right outside her dorm and she gives him a gentle smile in return. He nods but AZ can see a faint quirk of his lip. She gets up slowly from the seat and moves to say goodbye again until something at that moment pops up in her head. Her theory and Sel sees that look of determination on her face.
"About my mom..my parents." She pauses and notices his attentive stare so she continues. "But that night I saw what happened or what I think I saw." Sel narrows his eyes and leans in.
"I'm listening, continue." She nods and elaborates.
"My final verdict is that the suspect is still alive. And not human." Sel turns off the engine and AZ moves back into his vision only sitting on the side of the car seat. "When I had witnessed their death I ended up seeing the way the suspects back had vanished almost like in thin air. It wasn't human and their footsteps felt too light. Kind of like..."
"A Merlins." Sel said. "But this was about years after my mother was locked up." AZ nods.
"She's out of the picture. I know she couldn't have done it." She pursues her lips. "But whoever did I know they're out there." Sel notices the look of silent rage that filled her face as she clenched her jaw and gritted her teeth, eyes wide.
"And so you want to see if you can find out more about that night and see if the information can lead you to them?" Another nod. "So what would happen when you do?" Sel watches as her eyes meet him and replaces the anger with a look of a menacing smirk, but one that was deadly serious.
"When I find them. I'll personally send them to hell myself." Her lips curl a murderous glint in her eye. "Not the Legendborn, The Regents or The rest of the Order. But me."
This was a ALOT to pack in but it looks like AZ isn't backing down 😌 she seems to want to get her lick back and imo we should let her ‼️
It HURT me writing this because poor Nick man also he deserves a hug aswell. ALL of them need hugs cause goddamn the Order putting them all through this shit I just wanna put everyone in my pocket and take them on vacay for eternity.
There was a lot of info this chapter as well and to take in. It's not the end of this story no not yet I have a lot more planned so stay tuned 😌 hope yall have been well and that I didn't make you guys wait for too long.
C,OUT!
also look out for more memes coming your way 😉