Lilith can't sleep.
She twists and turns in her bed and struggles against her sheets. The covers are hotter than they usually are, or that just may be her thoughts.
Speaking of thoughts, the ones in her head just wouldn't stay silent.
Amity said that it was like the memories were sinking into her skin. Like she was reliving their memories and could feel the energy radiating off of them. That didn't just happen to anyone.
She even knew their song.
Lilith rolled over in frustration as her thoughts began to race against one another.
The lullaby was written by her long ago. It was a rare song only some of the Emperor's Guard knew. They would sing it when Amity grew bored and begged the court to sing. Steve usually compiled and would happily dance with the girl. She smiles softly at the memory.
But that still didn't answer the question.
There were so many things that fell into place.
Odalia had never announced that she had a third child. Never paraded it around or made some grand party about it like she did with her twins. But then again, the Blight family always did have something against three children. She would want to conceal it for as long as she could, she supposed.
Lilith clutches her sheets at the thought of that.
She said she heard it in her dreams. Not from her parents (though if she did she would be concerned how they found out anyway) or from someone else. It came into her dreams . That had to mean something.
They looked so alike too. The same shade of eyes and though she's overlooked it, her brown roots were the same shade too. And her little habits explained so much. Like how she always had to press her face at her puffy sleeves or how she used to yank at her earrings. There were just too many leads.
No one just dreamed songs. No one just perfectly guessed songs that they've never heard before. That just wasn't possible. Lilith was sure of that.
But... the Blights had no use or reason to keep Amity. It didn't make sense. The more she thought of it, it led to more questions than it did answers.
She sighed, shifting for the last time to face away from the left. Lilith spotted the music box sitting at her nightstand, reflecting all of the moon's light. Smiling, she reached out to grab the small trinket and traced all of its cracks and dents. All the little flaws she loved so much.
She wonders if Amity can still recite all of the lullabies she's heard before.
Titan, she's gone mad. She's already melded them into two people.
Letting out a caged sigh, she puts the gilded box back down in defeat and forces her eyes shut. She doesn't need to do this now. She has important things to do tomorrow. It was best to get to sleep as soon as possible.
Yet she couldn't help but dream of having the little girl in her arms again. Singing their song and dancing in the empty ballroom in the castle.
It was late december. All the trees had been decorated for Slithermas, twinkling lights curling around the branches. The Winter Solstice would begin soon, and the ball would be held later that week. Amity's giggles echoed in the big empty ballroom.
"Pretty pretty tree." she sing-songed as she approached the center of the massive room. Clinging onto a big ornament in fascination.
"Try not to break it my dear." Lilith said, approaching her 2 year old.
She was dressed in a thick felt dress that reached her knees, a Slithermas gift from her grandmama (rest her soul). The embroidery on the skirt is impressive. Grandmama had done her best, Lilith appreciated that. Even if she didn't always see eye to eye with her.
"Dance! Dance!" she cried as she grabbed hold of Lilith's hands. Handing her the green and gold music box.
Lilith sighed, she was tired. But alas she picked up the little box and turned it's knob. The familiar tune began to play and her daughter squealed in excitement.
"Sing!" she begged as she began to dance with her mother. Lilith laughed at her little girl, the fondness growing in her heart.
"On the wind
Cross the sea"
She spinned Amity and she laughed. Because that's what Amity always did. She laughed and smiled.
Hear this song and remember
Soon you'll be home with me.
The memory comes to a stop because there is no more to it. They had danced and gone to bed. The music no longer played and there were no more dances.
"Once upon a december..." she whispered to herself, drifting off to sleep.
She sleeps peacefully that night, because there is nothing more to dream about.
--x--
"Eda no."
"But-"
"We are not eating grass."
"But King already did it!"
"That's why he's lying on the floor feeling sick." Luz reasoned as she pointed at a groaning King.
Luz had come home from school with her friends (the gods had given her extra luck because she somehow managed to get Amity to join them), and here she was arguing over grass of all things with an elderly lady (she would never say that out loud).
Amity looked like she would snap at any moment. She glared at the cursed bird tube with eyes that threatened murder that Willow tried very hard to calm down. Augustus seemed incredibly uncomfortable just looking at it. Not that she blamed them. Despite living with the thing, she still found herself feeling very uncomfortable.
Luz really did not think this through.
"Come on in guys." Luz beckoned to the inside of the home. They all hastily entered the home, all gawking at the interior.
The owl house was quite a wonder, even for those who were not from another world. The warm color scheme and homey feel always did spark joy in their hearts. It's much like when she first came here
"So this is the owl house?" Amity inquired (this made Luz very happy).
"Yep."
"And you sleep here?"
"When the night critters allow me to." she said simply. Reminiscing the horrifying bugs that sometimes kept her up.
Gus looked like he was going to say something, clearly concerned for his friend, but was interrupted by Hooty before anyone could continue.
"HEY GUESS WHO FOUND A FRIEND IN THE WOODS!"
His long body dragged a disgruntled body into the living room, uncoiling to drop a distressed Lilith onto the floor. She heaved as she was dropped and looked like she would kill the next person to speak to her.
"Lilith?" Eda questioned before being rudely interrupted by a certain green haired girl.
"YOU ATROCIOUS ABSENT-MINDED ABOMINATION WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY MO- MENTOR?!" Amity bellowed angrily. Cutting herself off before calling Lilith mom... again .
It happened too many times to be considered normal. In all honesty, it wasn't her fault that it just came out like that.
"First of all, this is my house so don't interrupt me. Second, no need to yell sheesh." Amity blushed at the comment.
"Lastly, how did you find my house."
"Oh, so no 'hey are you alright?' or 'sorry about the witches duel thing'. Because no, me finding your location is more important."
Eda deadpanned, "Lily I cannot stress enough that I am a wanted criminal that your husband is hunting down."
There was a silence at the bickering two, a silent staring contest taking place. Amity was using every bit of self control you had to restrain herself from obliterating the bird tube into bits. The other 3 children looked at the chaotic sight before them with great discomfort.
Eventually Lilith sighed and handed her sister what seemed like 25 snails which the Owl Lady smuggly took from her hands. Lilith grumbled something beneath her breath as she did.
Amity had made her way next to her mentor leaning on her sleeves. Lilith places her hand over her head without hesitation. It's a common exchange, one that's happened over and over again.
Luz finds it fascinating just how soft Amity becomes in the presence of her mentor.
"Answer the question, Thy Royal Highness of the Elite Court" Eda teased, using her former swords woman title from her youth. Even going as far as mockingly bowing to her.
Lilith groaned and Amity let out a laugh. The Amity Blight laughed. Luz doesn't know why it's such a big deal to her. She's heard Amity laugh before, in the library when they were being sewn into a book (she tries not to think about it too much).
Amity is so much more loose with her mentor, she realizes. Like the other day at the castle, when she just sank into her mentor's touch. How much Amity no longer seemed to be so alert of everything.
Kind of like Lilith was her safe space.
"Oh she knows." Amity snickered, snapping Luz out of her thoughts.
"I will hex you."
"Then I die a happy woman."
Lilith glared at her apprentice. Amity on the other hand gave her a wicked grin. Like the cat meme (the one with being threatened by knives) Luz always used back at home. She smiled wickedly as the older woman scoffed and turned to face the rest.
"I wanted to give you this." Lilith said, drawing a circle in the air.
Giant cradles of bottled elixir emerged from the ground and all Eda could do was gawk. If she was calculating correctly, that was worth weeks, hell, even months worth of elixir. Eda looked flabbergasted at the sight, pinching herself to make sure that it was not in fact a dream.
A great silence filled the room and Lilith could only fidget with the ends of her cloak. Eda could not believe that this woman just handed her months worth of elixir. Elixir was not cheap, and the fact that she used a lot if it certainly didn't help. But it helped to have connections every now and then.
"... If I had known that you would've bought me my meds I would have given up my location sooner" Eda finally said.
"Don't start."
Eda let out a hearty laugh and proceeded to bring Lilith into a headlock. Ruffling her perfectly brushed hair as she did. The older woman struggled and yelled as the woman began to torment her.
"Edalyn!" she yelled in irritation.
"Should we do something?" Willow asked.
Amity shook her head, "Nah. It's normal for siblings to do this. We only intervene if it exceeds level 4 magic."
Gus choked, "Level... level 4? Isn't... isn't that combat magic?"
Amity looked as though her soul was dead when she replied, "You don't wanna know what happens when we exceed that."
Her eyes darkened in a way that invoked fear in all of them but the wrestling two women.
"...OKAY WHO WANTS SNACKS?"
--x--
Eda doesn't really appreciate her violin time being pushed back so far but she guesses it's worth it if Luz is happy with all her friends.
And her sister is here.
Lilith is actually there. Like present present. She isn't in some newspaper or photo. She isn't on stage far from her making some speech she doesn't care about. She's actually here. If Eda reached out she could feel her skin and she could talk to her and she would talk back to her.
It's almost surreal.
Eda remembers Lilith's singing, and her impeccable violin playing that went along with it. She remembers them practicing for hours for a talent show and she remembers winning.
She also remembers the horrifying way the other contestants held the bow and how Lilith had to hold her back because some kid decided to play with the bridge. She remembers so many of those things and yet everything is still so far away.
Eda is afraid that she's going to lose all of this.
She'd lost everything so suddenly. One moment she had heard her sister sing everyday to the point she was sick of it, and then the next thing you know she hadn't even heard from her in 26 years.
Edalyn is so afraid that this will become a memory. That they will fall back to their routine of running and hiding. That when Luz leaves no kids will nag her or visit her in the middle of the day.
She's so scared of getting hurt.
But then why does she choose to let them stay?
"So do you still play that violin of yours?" Lilith asked, picking up a mug.
Luz spit out her tea, "YOU CAN PLAY THE VIOLIN?"
"... yes?" Eda immediately regrets her answer.
"AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?"
"... I did not see how it was relevant to our partnership."
"YOU GOTTA PLAY FOR US!" Luz said excitedly, practically jumping in her seat.
The other 2 bastards actually agreed with him, while greenie mostly stayed silent. Lilith let out an amused chuckle and leaned into the couch. A smug grin growing on her face.
"I am not playing for you guys."
"Scared, Edalyn?" she teased, deviously grinning.
Oh she was going to pay for that.
"Hell no. If they want a show they're going to get one." she challenged.
She started to smile evilly later on. And Lilith could practically smell the petty revenge coming. Lilith tensed as Eda stood up to pick up the violin case that was hidden in its usual spot on the shelf.
"But you're gonna have to sing."
"Absolutely not." she countered, but immediately felt the pressure when all four kids looked at her with sparkling eyes.
"Please Auntie?" Willow begged, she used her puppy dog eyes and Lilith was weak for them. Samuel knows this. Willow knows this. That sly child.
Gus and Luz joined her too, bombarding her with empty bribes and beckons. Lilith's eyes made their way to where Amity was sitting. Eyes silently asking her what to do.
"I'd... I'd like to hear you sing." She finally said.
That was all Lilith needed to get to her feet and toward her sister. Her sister smirked slightly.
"Oh shut it. What're we playing?"
"Dunno. What do you feel like singing?"
Lilith thought for a bit, she looked around the room to see if anything evoked an option. Spotting a lamp, her eyes trace back to Amity.
They always go back to Amity. She always finds herself smiling and adoring the little girl. It's always Amity. No matter what she really was, she'd always be her Amity.
She knows exactly the song to sing.
"Do you remember the song Grandmama used to sing to Grandad?"
"Ya sap."
"Oh shut up."
Everyone nestled on the couch as Eda began to twist and adjust the pegs. Abusing the string until her preferred noise came out. Lilith unbuttoned her cloak and cast it aside. Smoothing out the folds of her dress.
Eda cleared her throat, bringing the violin to the crook of her neck, nestling her head on the shoulder rest. She brings the bow and holds it in the right position (she isn't an animal, as wild as she was, she had standards. Looking at you Alador). She can smell the resin and the wood of the instrument filling her senses and she can't help but smile at the familiar presence of her sister again.
She drags the bow down the tight string and she switches. She presses her fingers onto the fingerboard and she closes her eyes (a skill she liked to brag about).
"I know you
I walked with you once upon a dream"
Lilith's voice is low and mysterious, just like her exterior. But it was also very familiar. As if her voice was from another world, though they have all seen it before her. Some would even say it sounded heavily romanticized.
"I know you
That look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam"
Eda forces herself to remember to play, opening her eyes to look at the black fingerboard. Dragging her hand down, from the D string erupted a great noise. She shook her wrist to play a vibrato.
"And I know it's true,
That visions are seldom what they seem"
They had done this before. If the Owl Lady was remembering correctly, they had done this about 45 different times. The song was basically implanted into her mind.
But there's something incredibly nostalgic about doing it again.
" But if I know you
I'll know what you do"
Eda is quick with her fingers as she notices the pauses coming closer. She notices Lilith has closed her eyes, bringing herself to a state where she could only hear Edalyn's playing and her own voice. It was mesmerizing to see.
"You'll love me at once
The way you did once... upon a dream."
Lilith started to harmonize with the violin and Eda began her riffs. The children (who they forgot were there) stared at them in awe. The two sisters were practically in a different state of being. It was fascinating to see Edalyn in such a state of poise and elegance. While the witch was normally noisy and wild, she seemed almost tame now.
As for Lilith, never had Willow or Amity seen her in such a state of peace. She was usually uptight, hyper aware of every small detail and sound. Here she looked almost free, bursting with energy and uncaring.
"But if I know you
I know what you do"
Luz did not think this was possible to be so entranced. She would've sworn that they were in the Bard Track if not for looking through all of Eda's photo albums.
"You love me at once
The way you did once upon a dream"
Eda's playing is sweet, and it goes nicely with Lilith's voice. It feels natural, yet foreign all at once. Lilith comes to a stop and Eda does her riffs again. Though not apparent, she was gloating. Lilith could only smile at her sister's arrogance.
"I know you
I walked with you once upon a dream
I know you
That gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam"
Amity feels a bit of deja vu. Like she's heard that voice before. Which is strange, up until today she had no idea the woman could sing.
"And I know it's true
That visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know you
I know what you'll do"
Lilith's singing is rusty, but to be fair so was her playing. They weren't nearly as good as they used to be. But the audience seemed to think otherwise. They all looked on with excited eyes and beaming smiles.
"You'll love me at once
The way you did once upon a dream"
Eda finishes the song off and looks at her surroundings. The kids are blabbering about how nice it sounded and sending out more suggestions. Lilith is blushing at the compliments being thrown at her.
She liked this. Even if she knows this will be nothing but a memory soon, she likes it. And she's going to let it stay.
Because to not feel pain is to never be loved.
And Eda is so very loved.
--x--
"I married an ugly man."
"I can't tell if you're being serious or gay."
"Both actually."
She lets out a snort and offers her another shot of Apple Blood, which Lilith happily accepts. They both turn their heads upon hearing Willow and Gus laughing and screeching at the other two for being fangirling about something regarding Azura.
Lilith was surprised how fast Amity had dropped her walls upon hearing Luz "shipped" Hecate and Azura, which Lilith recognized as two of the characters from her favorite book. Going far as tackling the human out of sheer happiness. Both girls proceeded to scream about something regarding "fanfiction" and going red in the face with Willow's teases.
Lilith liked this. She liked this a lot. She liked having her sister there, happy and mostly healthy. She liked hearing both Willow and Amity so happy with their friends. She enjoys singing and doing duets with Edalyn. She enjoys hearing the human marvel about magic. She likes all of this so much.
She was going to keep it that way as long as she could.
"AUGUSTUS JAMES PORTER GIVE ME MY HAIRBAND BACK THIS INSTANT!"
Gus seemed to be running for his dear life clutching a black band which he seemed to regret deeply. Panting, he reached a dead end in which he fell to the ground and started to scream for mercy. Which Amity obliged to, only due to Willow's cries for her to not kill him.
Lilith's heart stops again.
Amity looks everything like her daughter. Her hairline divided just as hers had. Her bangs covered one of her eyes and were fairly short. She looks like a spitting image of her.
Dear lord that was her.
Amity takes note of the staring and begins to look away. Trying to avoid her gaze. Lilith walks over to her and brings her hand to her face. Amity doesn't flinch or move away like she used to. She instead looked into her mentor's eyes in confusion.
"Are you okay Lilith?"
Lilith caresses her cheeks and she doesn't know what to think. It's her. At least that's what her heart says. But Lilith knows her heart is damaged, and a damaged heart cannot always be right.
"You... you look lovely with your hair down, dearest. That's all."
Amity's eyes soften. "Oh... thank you."
"You're welcome dearest."
Lilith slowly draws her hand back, running her fingers through her hair. It's incredibly soft. She wonders if it would fluff up if it got wet. Just as it did many years before.
"I'm going to go outside. If you need me, don't be afraid to call out alright?"
"Okay." she whispered.
Lilith offered her a small smile before heading out the door. She got past the wretched bird tube and sat outside of Eda's garden. She fell to the ground and began to tug at her hair strands.
"Titan what are you doing to me." she groaned.
What the hell was she going to do now? She doesn't even know if her suspicions are correct. She wanted to tear her hair out thinking about it.
Dear lord what was she even supposed to do?
"What happened back there?" her sister said suddenly, snapping her out of her thoughts.
She jumped, "Edalyn! Oh, it was nothing. I just wanted some fresh air and I-"
"Cut the bullshit and tell me. You can't hide from me."
Lilith stared at her in surprise before, sighing. Hugging her knees, she rested her chin on them. Combining her hair, she took her diadem off, running her fingers through the cold metal.
"I thought of something completely crazy and incredibly stupid."
"Shoot your shot. Nothing surprises me anymore."
Lilith looked at her sister and gave in. She was right, she could never hide from her. And if she tried she knew there was a 59% chance of her feeding her straightener to Hooty.
"I have the slightest suspicion that Amity may be my daughter."
Eda looked at her in shock, but Lilith continued.
"I mean everything adds up! I mean her eyes, her face and now her hair! And how she told me she feels like memories sink into her like that doesn't happen to just anyone Edalyn!"
Eda looked flabbergasted at the thought.
"And her little quirks too! Like how she seems to always have to shove her face into my sleeves, which I don't mind by the way. Or how she used to yank at my earrings as a child or how she seems to know literally every song I've ever written I-"
She finally cut herself off and saw Edalyn's face of disbelief. She caved, fearing what would come next.
"You must think I've gone mad."
Eda shook her head, now was not the time to let her feelings affect the matter. "Oh yeah, I think you lost your head. But you know what I say about the mad right?"
Lilith smiled, "All the best people are."
"You bet all the best people are! Bonkers even. Wild if you will!" Eda teased as she threw her hand around Lilith's shoulder. Lilith laughed at the embrace, leaning back into her touch.
"What... what do I do now?"
"Depends. What does it change?"
"What do you mean? Nothing changes."
Eda gave her a look, "Do your feelings towards baby Blight change at all?"
"Heavens no!"
"Then I don't see how this is a problem." She took a whiff of apple blood and stared into the darkening sky above.
Lilith sighed. She's right, probably. She'd make sense of it one day. For now...
She was going to enjoy the day. With her sister and apprentice. Today's a good day. She isn't going to let some stupid thought ruin that.
"Can I have some of that?"
"Go for it."
This is nice.
--x--
"You called your grace?" Siora asked softly as she approached the Emperor.
Belos sat impatiently in his seat. Things were going all right for the most part, but he was afraid that his wife's recent encounter with her sister could ruin things. He finally had gotten his work under the wraps, he could not afford any more inconveniences.
"Yes. I wish to discuss the circumstances of your prophecy."
She shook at his voice, "Yes... my lord."
Picking up her Oracle, she cast a spell in the air. The orb began to emit a great light and sank into her eyes. She saw visions.
A bloodied crown sat on a throne, chipped of it's gems and gold pieces. Siora went over to touch it, but thorns immediately took its place. Lotus corniculatus began to bloom all over, the soft petals calling her over.
Lotus corniculatus... where had she seen it before?
The Trefoil from the Isle Tarot! The flower...
The flower of revenge.
The prophecy was beginning.
A white raven flew and met with a hummingbird, resting gently on one of the petals. The white raven was the empress, she believes. As for the hummingbird, if she remembered correctly... hummingbirds resembled healing and endurance.
The empress was drawing closer to the truth. The emperor would fall soon.
Later all she could see was red. A sickening horrible red, the cries of a banshee could be heard from afar. Siora could not bear to see anymore of the horrible visions.
She's violently brought back to reality and shaken to the ground. Panting for air, Emperor Belos grew more impatient.
"So? What do you see?"
"My lord... the prophecy has begun."
Belos grew angry, "But I have done everything you have asked me to."
"Yes, but it seems as though they have united with a force that was not your own." she explained calmly, careful not to anger him further.
His voice is colder than any of the visions she had seen in her lifetime, "There must be another way. And you will find one."
"You cannot tamper with fate. It is dangerous and will only get worse the more you resist! If you were destined with a broken arm and you continued to resist, you could end up with a broken body if you're not careful."
Siora could not believe this man's orders. How could someone not know the base fundamental in which Oracle magic was built on.
"Leave."
"What?" she squeaked out in fear.
"You are to dismiss yourself from my court. And be evoked of your coven. Now leave, before I think of a worse punishment for you."
Siora could not believe her ears, but obeyed nonetheless. She picked up her skirt and began to make her way to the door.
She had to go to Adam.
Running out of the castle, she ran into the path leading to her home.
Revenge was unnecessary. Siora did not dwell on silly things such as revenge. But there was a spark of satisfaction knowing what fate would befall on the man who had made her a criminal. If he would not heed her warnings, then may a worse fate find him.
Until then, she would have to hide until the princess found her mother.
--x--
This is different.
This didn't feel like when she hung out with Boscha or her posse.
No, this felt nice.
She's nestled against Luz's side, both cuddled close so they could read the 5th volume of the Good Witch Azura. Gus is at the other end of the bed, smiling as he wrote down notes about the Theory of Illusions. Willow was there too, on her desk feeding her plants.
She doesn't realize how relaxing it is. To not be on guard all the time. Or not to be so tense. Here she was okay. Every now and then Gus would make a joke that she genuinely found funny or Willow's dads would knock to hand them snacks.
She likes this. Even if it's different.
Luz is kind. Gus is lively and Willow has always been patient. She likes them all. She likes how they don't care why she doesn't feel like taking photos or participating in their games. They were perfectly fine with her doing whatever she wanted. It was nice.
Like she was actually part of the group.
"Are we friends now?" she asked, voice small and fragile.
Luz didn't comment on it, instead leaning closer to her side. Placing her head on top of hers she smiled at her with a big dopey grin.
"I'd be surprised if we weren't." she beamed.
Gus followed suit, "Oh definitely!"
"Of course you dork." she teased sweetly.
Amity smiled. She liked this. They were her friends. And not the ones who were assigned to her from birth. They chose her and she chose them. It was a mutual agreement. No parents or treaties were involved.
It was just them.
Willow's room was always nice and homey. It was built nicely with different oaks and birches. With little trinkets Amity had brought her all those years ago still sitting on her shelves. How full of life and energy it was. It kind of reminded her of the owl house.
She liked being cuddled next to Luz with Gus at the end of the bed. She liked having Willow throw little paper stars at her just because she knew how she scrunched her nose every time she did. She smiles in satisfaction and cuddles closer to Luz.
This was nice.