The queen sobbed for what seemed like eternity before leaving her wife's body in the woods. She left the woman in a shallow grave below one of her favorite type of fruit trees. Annabelle collected the car from the bed and breakfast, driving slowly out of the parking lot that had completely emptied after all the commotion. She knew she would never forget the old building and everything that happened in it.
She stood outside the barn later that day contemplating how she'd tell the younger woman what happened. Annabelle thought about lying, about withholding the truth until a later date, perhaps until the blonde was in a better physical state—but she wouldn't be able to look Emily in the eye and not tell her about Victoria's untimely death.
Annabelle didn't fear many things, not even death. Now, she was genuinely terrified to face the eighteen—almost nineteen-year-old woman who waited anxiously in the barn for her return. She released the breath she'd been holding and pushed the door of the barn open.
Emily was fast asleep in the corner of the barn, legs folded at her knees, pulling her into a tiny ball. The temperature had dropped quite a bit and Annabelle could feel the difference. She removed her jacket, placing it over the young woman's body before lying beside her on the bale of hay.
Annabelle was drained, mentally exhausted. The day had taken a toll on her; flashes of the fight, her argument with Victoria, everything that happened in the last few months at the forefront of her mind. The fights she'd had with Victoria over the past decades of their marriage now felt so miniscule compared to the love they shared.
Another tear fell from corner of her eye and she wiped it away harshly. Witches have now taken everything from her. Everything that ever mattered, everything she'd ever truly loved. The woman shut her eyes tightly, begging for sleep to take away the ache that now rest uncomfortably on her chest.
Emily's eyes fluttered open two hours later. She stirred in the queen's arms, finding the woman sleeping beside her.
"Annabelle," she whispered.
The hybrid's eyes shot open. They were red, and bloodshot, staring back at Emily with a look the blonde had never seen before.
"What happened?"
"I-I was too late." Annabelle winced at her own words.
"What does that mean?" Emily's body lurched forward into a sitting position.
"When I got there...She was already fading away Emily."
Tears sprung from the blonde's eyes. She hadn't known Victoria very long but the woman's loyalty proved to be something she'd never experienced before. Emily had no idea why Victoria helped her, but the woman put her life on the line to get her to safety. Her heart felt as though it had been shattered in her chest.
Yet another life she'd be responsible for.
"Please, don't overthink it." Annabelle reached out to hold her hand but the woman pulled away.
"We should have never left her." She cried out.
Hearing the pain in the younger woman's voice was enough for the stinging in Annabelle's eyes to return. She couldn't cry anymore, there was just no time left to mourn. There was a witch after her, a witch that was somehow connected to Emily. Despite that fact, Annabelle had no doubt the witch would stop at nothing to kill her, even if it meant sacrificing the blonde to do it.
"I'm so sorry." she finally spoke again, shaking the thoughts from her mind. Annabelle managed to wrap her arms around the blonde, this time successfully enveloping her into a warm embrace. "I never meant for any of this to happen Emily. I know you think I'm a terrible person but I would have preferred if they'd taken my life instead."
The words echoed in Emily's mind. It was almost a confession of Annabelle's feelings for her wife. To wish that she'd been the one who died instead expressed something she didn't think the queen was capable of feeling. Maybe, she was being unfair. It didn't occur to her that she'd lost a new friend, but Annabelle lost her wife. Although the two were separated, it didn't mean there was love lost.
***
A few days had gone by after Victoria's passing. Since then, Emily had been feeling physically ill. She couldn't keep any food down, and constantly felt weak in the knees. Annabelle had been at her beck and call and the image was so foreign to the younger woman.
She was so used to Annabelle's constant bitching, but it was like the woman had done a complete 360.
After it was revealed that the queen herself was staying in an old couple's barn, the family vacated their home, offering it to the women. It was an offer Annabelle gladly took as the blonde was not fit to travel.
Emily had discovered some old books on a tiny bookshelf in the house. She'd occupied herself with reading while on bedrest, not saying much to the queen as she was still mourning the loss of her friend; or rather, blaming herself for the woman's death.
She lay in the small wooden bed, glaring out the bedside window. Pregnant, and caught in the middle of a supernatural war; just great, she thought. Small thumps in her womb shook her out of the daydream she'd been having. The baby had been kicking much more often, and more aggressively as of recent.
The bedroom door creaked open, Annabelle standing in it's wake.
"I know you probably don't want to talk—"
"You're right, I don't." she deadpanned. As if by thought, the door flew shut on the queen.
Emily's eyes widened before she shook the thought her mind. She couldn't have done that. She rolled onto her side, her small palm rubbing her tummy gently. The blonde would be nineteen soon, but she would be a mother sooner. That is, if she actually made it through the war that was about to take place.
Emily thought about the events that had taken place since she'd been taken from her home. None of it was a coincidence, that much had been revealed by Geoffrey's words. The chain of events was connected. How well connected? She wasn't sure. Perhaps she'd been destined to carry this child from birth.
It was a sick thought, that her only purpose would be to carry a child for one of the meanest, most terrifying women on the planet. Her heart raced in her chest at the pieces falling into place. If that was the case, and the plan was to take Annabelle out, the witch needed her for something. She was the key.
She shot out of bed, wanting to share what she'd figured out with Annabelle, even after running the woman off just minutes prior. Just as she was at the door, the woman tripped on the carpet, hitting her head on the corner of the dresser. The injury rendered Emily unconscious, leaving her body in a paralysed state.
The slow thud of Emily's own heartbeat in her ears caused her to sit up. The room was dark and a little older than she remembered.
"Emily," she heard the voice of a boy. "Emily, over here."
She spun and came face to face with her younger brother, sitting at the foot of her mother's favourite chair. The older blonde smiled down at her from the seat, reaching down to push the strands of Emily's hair aside.
"Mom," she whispered, embracing the woman's soft touch. Her mother looked like she was in her prime, not aged a day since they'd last seen each other. She didn't look sick, she looked the best Emily had seen her.
"Am I dead?" she finally asked.
The older woman chuckled at her daughter. "No, not yet love. I just needed to speak to you."
Emily reached out, embracing her mother in her arms. It felt as though she'd never left. It had been so hard taking care of her brother basically on her own, her spineless father being of no use to the household. She loved the man, but he didn't do much. Seeing her family again, even if it was just a dream was exactly what she needed to forget the pains of real life.
"I didn't plan on revealing myself...but I knew you were too smart to not figure things out eventually."
"What do you mean?" A frown slipped onto Emily's face.
The older woman stood from the chair, taking her daughter's hand in hers.
"I put all this in motion." She began. "From the moment you were born, I knew you would be the one who cleansed our world of the supernatural beings that haunt it."
Emily's blood ran cold, goosebumps crawling onto her skin.
"You see Emily...we come from a long line of strong witches. My sisters were lucky enough to have gotten ahold of a few spell books that should have been destroyed years ago."
"We?"
"Yes, we." The woman breathed. "And I knew that my daughter would be the one to pave the way for witches to rise again, for us to avenge the wrongful death of my sisters."
It sounded like a lot of psychotic babble to the younger woman's ears. "I made sure you'd be the only one capable of carrying that child. And being my daughter, it was much easier to manipulate your way into the castle for it to happen." the woman continued. "That being said, I'm giving you a chance. Help me take Annabelle down, it's what's best for our family."
The younger blonde shook her head. All the deaths, everything that happened the last few months was indeed her fault. She thought about Victoria and the last moments they'd spent together. If she'd never met the wolf, she'd probably still be alive.
"I could never do the things you're asking of me." Emily cried. "I can't be responsible for any more lives."
She didn't understand much, but she knew enough to know that she needed to put a stop to whatever her mother was planning.
"That child is the key, and I'll use it whether or not you agree to help me." The witch shrugged.
"Mother, you promised you wouldn't be mean." Manny whined beside the older woman.
"Quiet Emanuel." She scolded the boy. "The queen is not who you think she is Emily. She burnt your aunts alive for no reason—other than them being witches."
Emily didn't find it hard to believe, Annabelle could be a monster if she wanted to be. The deaths sounded gruesome, and there must have been a reason they'd been killed in that way.
"She's got you brainwashed." The witch sneered when Emily remained quiet. "Very well. If we can't agree, I'll have to keep you quiet." She pressed her index finger to Emily's forehead, pushing her slightly. Her voice echoed as Emily's eyes drifted shut.
The woke to Annabelle's voice, staring into deep, grey eyes.
"Are you okay?" the woman asked.
I'm fine, she tried to speak but heard no voice. Panic set in. She tried to move her arms but they didn't respond. Her mother—the witch had to have been responsible for her sudden inability to move.
The blonde's body was paralysed and she couldn't utter a single word. The queen stared at her with eyes full of worry. "What has happened?" she asked, but Emily could only blink in response.
They're going to kill her; they're going to kill Anna and they were going to use their child to do it.
----
Hi friends, thanks for coming again. If you're new here and have only read the new version of events, welcome to the big league. I've officially re-written chapters 1-14 and now we're up to date with the newer chapters (to be posted). See you again soon.
-Reese.