Cursed Fables - Generation Three - Part Thirty Three
Hi guys…I know it’s been a long time since I posted again, and I’m sorry for it :( My motivation along with my health, was still pretty lousy (the later still being so) but at least I finally have UNLIMITED NET. So I don’t have to be careful with loading pictures, downloading CC….I feel a lot more free on the net. And with it has slowly come the motivation to continue writing!
Plus meeting up with Tyr in the flesh once again helped big time! Let’s just say….she’s got plans ;) And I’ve got to win my crown of evil back after all! So…here is to hoping update will be somewhat frequent again. Plus this is Calen’s last chapter as heir so…new storyline soon! Which hopefully won’t be so scrambled.
Before I let you go off and read however I do have a small apology to make. I wanted the scenes at Calen’s home (Dragon Valley) to be a lot more detailed than they are, however, the save file corrupted on me. So I could only use what pictures I had taken at the time. And I uninstalled Dragon Valley so I couldn’t reshoot.
So I apologise for the rushed feeling, and hope you enjoy regardless!
“Calen. I understand what you’re going through, believe me I do. But wallowing in guilt and sorrow isn’t going to do anyone any good. Especially yourself. Nobody wants to see you self destruct, not me, not your mother not,-“
“But what about Dana?” My words were gravelly and dark. I hadn’t spoken for days so my voice sounded strange, even to me. It was as if a black hole was where my heart had once rested. I didn’t want to feel anymore.
Jace grunted and for a moment stood, slamming his fists onto the table. “Dana would slap you if she saw you right now. She’d tell you to get off your ass and make something of the life she gave for you!” He roared, taking a moment to compose himself before sitting down again. “…I’m sorry.”
I chuckled darkly. “Why? You obviously meant every word.”
“Look Calen. Don’t think for a second that I don’t wish things happened differently. I wanted everyone to make it out of this alive. Now two people are dead. One of which was under my protection at the time. I’ve had to explain to a young girl’s family that she won’t be returning-“
Her family. God what was Duncan going to think of me now? He was probably on a war path, heading towards me with vengeance as his only agenda. Good. Let him come. I deserved whatever pain he dealt me. It couldn’t compare to that which I already felt.
“So why are you sat here with me instead?” I asked finally looking up at him and meeting his gaze. I didn’t even bother to look down or not focus on him. For once I didn’t care if my curse activated or not.
His expression only softened. I could see the pain in his eyes, the bags under them was a sure sign that all of the responsibility's thrust upon him was catching up. “Because your family. And as much as I might want to, I can’t help Dana. I can’t help Quinn or any of the Williams. But I can be here for you.”
“Your mother is worried sick for you. She blames herself for allowing you to do this in the first place, when she herself knows the emotional scars that it can bring. She’s doing all she can to reach you, but it’s hard when you shut her out.” He explained slowly, smoothly.
“She’s lost a godchild too. Her best friend has lost her child and she can’t bare to put herself in Rose’s shoes. She’s scared she’ll lose you.” He added.
Despite everything I didn’t want my mother to feel that way. And I also knew this couldn’t be easy for her, for any of them. And yet they weren’t me they weren’t to blame for it.
I should have killed Christopher without question.
“I’ll apologise to her.” I said weakly.
“And what about what you did for Darcy?”
Jace referred back to the favour I asked him. Before all of this went down I asked him to do a little digging for me. Darcy had often spoken of how she regretted giving her son up for adoption, and not knowing him ate away at her.
So I asked Jace if there was any way to track her son Leon down so she could at least see him. To know he existed.
Like always Jace pulled through and Leon’s adopted parents allowed her to spend a day with them in a town called Twinbrook.
I knew she’d gone, but I hadn't spoken to her since so I don’t know how she coped. I hadn’t spoken to anyone in weeks. I was aware that Darcy had lost someone important to her too…was everyone trying this hard to comfort her too?
“I also killed her boyfriend. Let’s not forget that.” I offered dryly.
Jace appeared tense again before drumming his fingers against the table without any pattern, probably just something to do to pass the time. “I don’t think she sees it like that and you know it. Darcy was prepared for that grim outcome going into this. She’s a lot stronger than most centuries older than her,” He pauses before scratching the back of his neck. “Did you want the results of the scans we undertook on his body?”
Despite my pain and sadness, I was still curious about what was going on. What caused all of this so I nodded. “Judging by what Darcy said he was in the midst of Turning, right?”
Jace shook his head sadly. “Wrong. What we found was….horrifying.”
Fear went through me at his tone. His words. What was there out there that Jace didn’t know? “What did you find?” I asked reluctantly. The strangest part was that I felt more alive than I had in weeks. Like I could function again. With purpose.
“Christopher in himself was strictly human. However….his genetics had clearly been modified. There was traces of Shifters, of Vampires, hell we found genetic coding of Occults we long thought dead.”
The very reality seemed unthinkable. The implications were terrifying. “Someone is making artificial Occults.”
Jace nodded slowly. “It appears so. Whoever this Adrian is….I’ve never encountered anyone like him before.”
“Is he working for the Old Ones?” I found myself asking.
“I don’t think so…and that’s what worries me. Now we have two organisations to watch over. As well as the Rift phenomenon. It’s like the world is falling apart.”
And if it was…how could I allow myself to sit here and wallow in self pity. And yet…it was easy to acknowledge that. It was harder still to force myself to snap out of it. I felt like I was engulfed in chains, unable to do anything and yet able to be aware.
“What’s the plan?” I asked running a hand through my hair. I was shocked at how long it had gotten. How I wasn’t aware of it.
“I don’t know yet…we will have to organise a meeting. However with Quinn absent..I don’t know how the Heads will react. Regardless, it doesn’t concern you. I’m granting you leave until you are cleared mentally to resume work. That is….if you want to.”
Now that was the question. This life was all that I had ever planned for myself. I never saw myself doing anything else. Being an agent and saving people was always the dream. And yet while doing that I’d lost one of the most important people in my life.
My dream felt…tainted.
“Thanks…I’ll think about everything you said.” I stood but then fidgeted, fisting my hands in the bottom of my shirt. “And uh…can you apologise to my mother for me? I will do it personally but…”
Jace smiled slowly. “I understand. Sure I’ll let her know that you’re not exactly zombified anymore. Will you return home with her now?”
Returning without Dana just felt wrong. It brought unimaginable grief. “….I need to don’t I? I need to face everyone. And myself.” The words felt right as I said them, no matter how hard.
“We all need to do things we don’t want to….Stormie is insisting we spend some time with her mother. She’s healing…but she still wants to be there for her. Still..it’s hard for me to see her without Quinn.”
In that way, I guess we were in the same boat. Kindred spirits if you will.
“I understand…and yet family is the glue that keeps us together right?” I quoted, using one of the phrases he has insistently drilled into me when I was younger and feared being around anyone due to my eyes. He must have appreciated the sentiment as he chuckled.
I began to take my leave.
“Oh and Calen….I don’t know if this means anything to you..but Darcy has been asking for you over and over also. She wanted to give you space however she’s been really worried about you. Perhaps it’s best to talk to her before returning home.”
In that moment I felt so selfish. She was going through exactly what I was, and yet no one was there to support her. I should have gone with her to see her son. We talked about a possible future together and yet I hadn’t thought about her all that much in weeks.
I truly was an inconsiderate ass who deserved to be cursed.
“Thanks….I’ll make sure to do that.” I replied to him.
~~~~~
I hesitated outside of her door for several minutes. I could hear faint music coming from her room so I knew she was in there. Perhaps she was drowning out the world like I had been previously? Maybe she was doing what she could to appear normal to those that didn’t know any better. In either case she was behaving better than I had.
I missed her. That fact was hard to come to terms with because I still felt Dana’s loss. I still felt guilt for my part in everything. And yet now that I was finally able to function again I realised I had missed her humour and strength.
So I knocked on her door, not sure how she was going to respond. “Darcy? It’s Calen. Can I come in?”
To my surprise she actually replied. And her tone wasn’t full of resentment or sadness. It sounded….normal. “Sure you can let yourself in.” Before entering I licked my dry lips and attempted to make myself look presentable.
I came up short when I entered her room however. It was immaculate. There were no posters, nothing to claim the room as ‘hers’ so to speak. Everything was arranged neatly and with purpose. As for personal items she’d requested, all I could see was a whiteboard, which had several detailed sketches on, and a piano which she was currently playing.
All of a sudden I felt even worse. Darcy clearly had an artistic personality and I never noticed. And from what I saw, she was really talented too.
“When you told me your father disapproved of your hobbies…is this what you meant?” I asked her, but for a few minutes, she didn’t respond. Her fingers danced across the notes and she appeared lost in her music. The image of tranquillity and beauty was enough to even bring me to smile. For the first time in weeks I felt calm.
She slowly turned, remaining in her seat and nodded. “Yeah. He didn’t want any child of his blowing their future on something so illogical. I haven’t picked up a pen to draw with for so long….I was worried I’d lost my talent.”
Looking over to the board it was clear she hadn’t.
“You’re looking surprisingly well. I’m glad. I was really worried.” Darcy started with, drawing my attention back to her. The concern on her face was undeniable.
I bit down on the inside of my lip before nodding. “Yeah, Jace gave me a much needed kick up the butt. I’m…..sorry for worrying all of you.” I apologised.
She shook her head. “Don’t apologise for grieving…you lost someone who had always been in your life. I know the feeling.”
She did. She lost her child. Her parents. Christopher. “Yeah….I know. I’m sorry for that too. Did they-“
Darcy held up a hand to cut me off. “They told me the results of what he did to Chris. I know….it makes me sick to my stomach that he went through all of that. But at the same time….I’m glad that it wasn’t him. That Chris didn’t say all of those things. Do all of those things.”
After she said all of those things I slowly approached her, getting down on one knee and looking into those deep aqua eyes of hers.
“I know how much he meant to you, and I’m glad you uncovered all of this but….I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look past what he did. The blame lies solely with me, and yes I still blame myself for what happened to Dana. I always will…but at the same time I can’t find myself able to forgive him….that probably makes me a bad person doesn’t it?” I asked weakly.
“Calen-“
“With that being said…before all of this happened I made a promise to you. That no mater how it played out we’d be together because…..because it feels right to be with you. Not because you’re unaffected by the curse, but because we click. I know you don’t need it, but I want to protect you. I don’t want you to be hurt and at the same time…I want you to touch me. I want you to be the one who is there when I’m broken. The only one that can put me back together. You’re my rock Darcy..”
When I looked up at her again her cheeks were ever so slightly flustered. “C-Calen I feel the same way but…so much has happened and-“
“I’m not asking to jump straight into a relationship with you. So much has gone wrong in my life but..you’re the only thing that feels right. I want to start over. I can help the world without putting those I love at risk. I want to just be…normal. But I can only do that with you.”
Her eyes widened. Clearly she had been doing more research into the agency than I was aware of. “You want to leave? Is that even possible? I mean….I want a normal life too. I’m done with the Occults. The Council will put a stop to Adrian’s plans. I know they will but…is it so easy to start over? To be done with it all?”
Knowing my family..probably not. But I wanted to try…I had to do best for me. For everyone around me. “It’s worth a try. Jace will help us start over. We can find a quiet town, you can paint to your hearts content and I’ll find find something to keep me busy. Dana said she wanted me to live on…and this is how I see myself doing that.
She seemed to think it over, for a moment she put her hands in her knees and just seemed to escape into her own little bubble. “How would your family react?”
I knew the answer. I didn’t hesitate. “They’d understand.”
Slowly she scoots over and pats the seat beside her. I join her and the moment I do, she wraps her arms around me tightly. “Thank you..for everything. For protecting me, for believing in me…for what you did with Leon. It….it helps to know he’s safe. That part of Chris’ humanity lives on inside of him. And….I would love a normal life with you. Somewhere away from all of this. If that’s what you want.”
It is. Perhaps my decision made me weak. Perhaps I was a coward for leaving all of this behind. But it was what I wanted. What I decided. No one else. No curse.
Just my well being and Darcy’s. We would help each other heal, and whatever happened after that could be dealt with in the future.
But I was so close to her, for a single moment nothing else happened, it was just the two of us, connected on a truly spiritual level. I stopped thinking with my head and let my feelings lead.
I pushed the hair out of her eyes and kissed her. I expected her to stiffen or even pull away, but slowly she responded in the same way. She held me as tenderly as I held her.
I didn’t plan on kissing her today, so there was nothing to compare it to. No imaginations or fantasies.
But it was still breath-taking.
Now all I had to do was break our decision to everyone else.
~~~~~
Returning home was a lot harder than I imagined it would be. I’d expected everything to be different but I wasn’t prepared for my little brother to be so…big. And not just physically. Mentally too.
But when it came down to things, he was just as happy for us to be reunited, and for the first evening we merely played video games, and I was keen to avoid the subject of my mission entirely. I wanted one day where the horrors and guilt didn’t play a hand to the conversation. To my thoughts.
“Wow little bro, you’re reflexes aren’t half bad! You must have missed me so much that you couldn’t pull yourself away from this, right?” I teased hoping to knock him off his game.
For all the good it did me.
“You wish you had skills like me. I had the best teacher after all. And for the record that wasn’t you.”
Now my curiosity was peeked. “Someone is better than I? I call bull.”
Liam laughed, easily dispatching of my avatar. Again. “Call it what you want. But Duncan was round here a lot after you left. I guess my company isn’t that bad eh?”
My heart plummets all over again and I find myself unable to focus at all. Just like that, all of the thoughts and apprehension was back full force. I’d have to face Duncan soon.
“Oh.”
Liam looked over at me for a second but soon his attention is drawn back to the screen. “Oh? That doesn’t sound like one of your better comebacks. Do you actually concede victory on this one?”
I set the controller down on the seat beside us. “Sure. You win. I’d rather not fight with you anyway…I’m just glad to be here with you right now.”
I was trembling, and strangely part of me longed to be comforted by my brother, it was always the other way around when we were kids. But the admiration from my brother had always been welcomed. He’d always made me feel better about myself, as selfish as that thought was.
He scoffed. “God you sound like a girl right now. Besides…it’s not like you won’t be seeing much of me in the future. Hell, we could even be partners one day.”
My blood ran cold. For him to say that, it could only mean one thing. “You aim to join the Agent programme?”
He smirked at me before setting his own controller down. “Already signed up. Taking the aptitude test next month.”
“Are you crazy?” I found myself replying, shaking my head in denial. “There is no way I’m letting you do that.”
I’d planned to walk away, to leave before either one of us said something we’d later regret, but I had failed to consider how strong willed my little brother now was.
“You won’t let me? Excuse me but when did I give you permission to run my life? Answer, never! What right do you have to come back here and demand things like that?” He cried at me, shoving me backwards to the point where we were now standing on the other side of the room.
Not that I struck him back, I was a lot older and wiser. A lot more worn out. “I’m your older brother and I know what’s good for you.” I replied evenly, trying to make him see what I knew.
He laughed bitterly. “You know nothing about me! For years I was bullied at school and yet you didn’t suspect a thing. So I’m already damn better at putting on a emotional mask than you. I wouldn’t break cover on my first mission!”
“Don’t you DARE bring up my mission.” I warned him, eyes narrowing and my fists clenched. I wasn’t ready to discuss that with him. Not ever.
“What happened to you will not happen to me!” He countered his voice as determined and angry as I had ever heard him.
“I know that, because it’s not happening.” I insisted, forcing my voice back to it’s normal tone.
“Boys…that’s enough.” I turned to see my father standing in the doorway. He had been writing some important reports up for his ‘mother’ and asked us not to disturb him. Clearly our argument was louder than even I expected.
“Sorry Dad.” I muttered.
“Tell him that!” Liam snarled pushing past me and heading to his room.
I waited for the impending sound of his door slamming, and cringed when I did indeed hear it. Dad approached slowly, expression as neutral as I thought possible in the situation. I fidgeted with my hands once more, a habit it seemed I had annoyingly picked up.
“Did he…really get bullied a lot while I was away?” I asked hesitantly. I remembered vaguely thinking something was different about Liam before I left. I’d asked him once while he was doing homework and he seemed to deflect my question entirely. Though I’d never thought much of it.
I’d always promised to be there for my brother…so how could I not notice one large detail?
Dad’s shoulders slump. “We only found out a few months ago, his tutor called us in for a meeting and discussed that she’d seen all of the signs, a few students had come forward…yet Liam himself had never approached us about it. Once you left he just seemed to…distance himself more.”
“Damn….why wouldn’t he tell us about it? And why would he be bullied anyway?” I asked rhetorically out loud. Though bullying never made sense anyway. I couldn’t let down the fact that I had let me brother down, and that there now seemed to be a wall between us. “Why does he want to join the agency anyway?”
“The same reason as you.” Dad answered slowly.
“No, just no. Liam wouldn’t need to join a secret council agency in order to fit in. He’s a good guy. He works hard and…he’s human. Completely human. He has a bright future ahead of him….he doesn’t need to loose anyone!” If only I had been in his position. I would have given anything to be able to live as Liam does. I’m not saying I regret meeting Darcy. Or that everything I’d learnt was a waste of time.
It was merely painful. So soul shatteringly painful.
“What you say is true, Liam is technically human in every way possible. But the life around him is anything but. With your mother and I still being involved with field work…with you leaving and taking down a major case on your first case. That adds pressure to him. He’ll never live a normal life. I think he accepted that pretty early on in his life.
“But…he…” But my fathers words made sense even to me. How could anyone have expected my brother to live a human life when all he had ever known was that of the supernatural world? It was a horrifying prospect. Would any children that I had feel exactly the same way?
Darcy nor I wanted no part in that world. Which only made my decision more easy for me.
“Your brother will be fine. He’s just rather hot headed…like his mother,” The small smile on my fathers face is telling. The love he felt for my mother even so many years down the line was obvious. “But how are you holding up Son?” He asked placing a hand on my shoulder, and I was grateful for the warmth it provided.
“I’ll survive,” I said with surprising conviction. “And I know what I need to do to move on with my life. Dad, I met an amazing girl during my time in Sunset Valley and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. But it won’t be as simple as that…I know all of you will support me, whatever decision I make. So I’ll tell you all about it once my mind is made up. But there are things I need to do first.”
My father nods, a surprising amount of understanding on his face. “You really have grown Calen. A lot faster than I’d have liked.”
The compliment actually makes me smile. “I guess that’s the Tale curse in it’s own way huh?”
He laughed before telling me I should rest, and I agree, for a moment debating talking to my brother on the way. But I’d give him space to calm down first.
So I headed to my old room, which now felt completely foreign to me, and slept.
~~~~
I left the house early the following morning, my family hadn’t woken up yet, but I didn’t leave a note. I didn’t plan on being out for long.
My feet knew the path I walked without any conscience thought of my own. I’d walked it several times growing up. The Miller household was my escape, my sanctuary and at times my home too while my parents were away.
Now my heart grew heavier with every step.
Because of who would be there to greet the door when I got there.
Because of who wouldn’t be there.
Their house was quiet as I arrived. It was strange because it had never felt that way before. There had always been an air of life around the place. But that too was gone it seemed. I approached the porch slowly and rang the bell. I didn’t know who I’d rather be greeted by. Duncan or his mother.
It turned out to be Duncan that trudged slowly down the stairs. He looked a lot paler than normal. Thinner too. But then looking at my own physical state, I could more than understand why. His expression was completely blank as he approached, leaning up to unhook the key from it’s usual spot.
I’d prepared myself for the anger. For the rage. Knowing Duncan, I was sure he would lash out at me. For him not to do that….that hurt most of all.
Slowly, the door swung open, neither of us made a single move for a second. The wind picked up but I didn’t care about the goose bumps on my skin.
“Duncan…,” I didn’t want to break down in front of him. I knew it would make things worse for both of us, and yet despite my will, my shoulders shook as I feebly tried to stop the sobs I felt coming. “I’m so, so sorry.” I breathed. Although those words would never be enough.
Then the old Duncan seemed to spring to life. He moved so quickly, than even I couldn’t trace his movements until his fist collided with my face.
“How dare you….how dare you come back here after everything you did!” I didn’t even argue with that. I stood there as he winded back for another punch, and sent me hurtling to the ground. Still I made no move to defend myself. I figured that he would only listen to me after all of his pent up rage was released.
He stood over me breathing heavily, body physically trembling. I looked up at him and wiped at my cheek with the back of my knuckles. For a mage, Duncan can really punch. “I miss her too.” I said quietly.
Despite everything, the two of us were virtually brothers. I would always know what he was thinking, I understood how he was feeling. We both loved Dana.
He seemed to let those words sink in, before shrieking and punching at my face, again and again. After that, he grabbed my hair with one hand and forced me up slightly.
“Don’t say it, don’t fucking say it! It feels like half of my very soul is just….gone. She knew…she told me she was going to do this and I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand her!” He cried, tears stream down his cheeks, just as they are mine.
I want to comfort him, I want to make all of this stop, but I don’t know how. I hate the feeling of helplessness and yet it’s unavoidable.
“You know Dana….once an idea gets in her head-“ I started, voice breaking.
“She won’t stop until she carries it out.Even so…I should have stopped her. I should have seen it coming….I could sense everything she was thinking…everything she was feeling except for anything regarding you….why?”
How could I explain what Dana and I had, to anyone else? Especially her grieving twin. “Dana loved me. Even when she tried to stop loving me….she couldn’t. She proved time and time again that she was the strongest person I knew….because she always put others before her. It’s what she’d want from both of us..”
“She…she loved you?” He spat out the words, they sounded so strange coming from Duncan. I had always figured with his many girlfriends he’d be able to grasp the emotion better than I. But judging by his confused face, I was so very wrong.
I nodded. “My eyes forbad it. They force everyone to forgo their feelings in order to protect their purity. But still her feelings remained.” I explained. Not sure if he wanted to hear it.
“….Did you love her?” He asked, slowly rising and allowing me to breathe properly once again. I wince at the question. My head in my hands.
“I loved her. Though…I don’t think I loved her in the same way. I couldn’t. Dana was to…bright for me.” The words strangely rang true. I’d always wondered what made Darcy and Dana different. Both were kind. Both were smart and funny. And both were strong willed.
Yet Dana….Dana was always planning. She was always looking to the future and didn’t like to sit still. Darcy was optimistic too…yet she saw things at a slower pace. A pace I could keep up with. It was our sense of understanding.
“So she died for nothing?” Duncan whispered weakly, finally moving away from me completely, he stood so his back was to me. Probably so I couldn’t see his expression. His emotions. “You ruined this family.” He stated coldly.
It was like a blow to my heart.
“First your father is spared instead of mine. And now you let Dana take the bullet for you. I always said this would happen!” He cried, his voice was so broken, so devoid of the happy go lucky attitude he normally held. I’d have given anything to see that one last time.
I nodded while his back was turned and pulled myself up. “You want me to leave?” I asked hesitantly. Please say no.
“I can’t face you. Not now. Maybe not ever. Go.” He replied after a long pause. Ironically enough, as my world broke apart, the city around us began to spring to life. The sun rose completely, the wildlife sprung to life.
Yet I felt like I could crumble at any moment.
“If that’s what you want….bye Duncan.”
“Bye…Calen.”
Goodbye brother.
~~~
After the events that unfolded I waited another week or so before I gathered my family together. Liam and I had spoken since, but neither of us had mentioned our fight from the other night. Neither apologised for it either.
“First off, I want you all to know I love you deeply. Family has always been the most important thing to me, and I’m proud of what you two do. I’m proud that my little brother wants to do something so honourable despite all of the negative things that it’s caused. And I realise I can’t stop that. It’s your choice.”
I took a deep breath, making a mental note not to fidget. I couldn’t become weak now. “And that’s why I’ve made my choice. I want no part in this world of the Supernatural. I can’t deny that it brought me to the girl that I’m sure I’ve fallen for, but it’s hurt us both. And I’m not just talking about Dana…I lost parts of my childhood to it. I know the chances of my child inheriting a curse of their own is high…but I think I can deal with that without dragging them into danger. That’s what I’m counting on.” I finished, impressed with how sure and determined I sounded.
“I….I can understand that. And I’m sorry for the part I played in it.” My father spoke, a small, but proud smile on his face.
“The same goes for me…but…how do you plan to avoid the supernatural world? Talk is already spreading of your concern…not to mention anyone linked with Quinn, is watched intensely.” Mum wondered. Here goes…
“I’ve already spoken to Jace about this, and he backs my decision completely. However, there is only one way to ensure that I’m not followed or tracked down in the future. For all intensive purposes, I’ll be dead.”
Their faces were horrified. “You can’t be serious!”
“How would you even fake your own death!?”
I reach over to put a hand on my mothers knee. “No harm is going to come to me obviously. Jace can call some favours and change the reports to say I was injured. There will be a follow up to say I later succumbed to them. I was attacked by as fabricated Occult. There is no telling what they can do after all.”
“B-but if you’re to be pronounced dead-“
“I can’t return here,” I finished for her. “I’ll take up a new identity. Find a normal job out there. Live a normal life in peace. All away from the Council, from the Tale name.” From you.
Mum was the first one to react,, she pulled me upwards and held me tightly in her arms. “I don’t want to lose you.” She cried holding on to me desperately.
My arms come up to squeeze her back. “I won’t disappear completely….I promise. I’ll contact you all. Somehow. And I’ll come up with something so you can contact me too. I just….I need this Mum.” I confessed slowly.
As I looked over her shoulder I could see my father was also trying to grasp this, to come to terms with it.
Liam looked detached.
We’d probably part on bad terms…he’d probably hate me.
I failed you little brother. I hope you live the life you want.
“If this is what you want….then I have to support it.” She finally blurted burying her head into my shoulder.
I knew in order to get strong, I’d need to reach my lowest point first. This was it.
~~~~~
Things got better. Albeit it slowly.
Jace helped us with the move and getting our finances sorted before we were cut off from the Council completely. He insisted he made sure I was safe and secure before backing off. It’s what Quinn would have wanted.
We decided to move to a large town called Union Cove. People from all different backgrounds moved here, the community was warm and bright, and the scenery was beautiful. As was the house we moved into.
It was smaller than I was used to, and the colours at times were awfully bright but I didn’t mind in all honesty.
I was just grateful for the peace and serenity that the two of us felt.
I managed to send pictures to my parents, both of which said they were happy for the two of us.
We took things slowly after moving to the Cove. For the first few months Darcy slept upstairs, and I slept in the baron spare bedroom on the ground floor because we decided not to rush anything. Both of us were still hurting.
But with time, I began to feel alive again. Not complete, and not completely healed, but I could function and feel. Darcy appeared to mirror these feelings. Sometimes she’d slip a hand into mine. Sometimes I’d pull her closer to me while we watched a film.
One lazy Sunday, she asked if I wanted to sleep beside her in the bedroom, since then it became a routine of ours. I treasured every precious moment that I managed to share with her.
Darcy was well and truly my light.
It was hard for the two of us to grasp our new lives at first. Out of habit, we’d call ourselves by our true names in public, and then hastily make up a reason for the elaborate nickname but slowly we managed to settle in to our new way of life.
In our home we still remained Darcy and Calen anyway. In a way, it made it even the more special. A secret between the two of us.
It was fun to discover things as a couple too, I learnt small things about her that I didn’t know before, such as Darcy could find a way to burn salad if she tried hard enough. I also learnt a lot about myself in the process, such as apparently I speak too fast when I’m excited and remind her of an annoying child.
The perks of living with only one other person.
As for what we both decided to do with our lives, we actually stayed pretty true, to what we both wanted to do. I wanted to help people like I always did, but because of what happened, was a lot more cautious than I was as a teenager. So I turned to security and helped protect my community through that.
Luckily, Union Cove was a quiet town, so the worst I usually had to deal with, was littering and mild disturbances.
Darcy was the one who truly thrived. She was finally able to do what she always wanted, and made money off the paintings that she created, all down to her own preference and inspiration.
She confessed that she loved the freedom, and had never felt more at peace with herself.
And she was actually pretty successful at it too, becoming somewhat of a celebrity amongst the local art world.
In the end, Union Cove was the much needed cure that both of us needed. But when we look back at it Union Cove wasn’t what really healed us.
It was the love, and admiration we held for our daughter, who was determined to heal the world.
So, that’s the end of the purity generation. I feel like it’s the weakest of the generations, but if I’m honest I really struggled with purity. What can you do with that? But I managed.
And Renee, here is next in line to the auracy curse. Which…in case I didn’t plug it enough, is healing.
AGAIN. NOT AN EMOTION.
But I have plans, have no fears. And also don’t fear, we won’t jump straight to the teen years, we’re going to flux between her childhood and present day.
Hopefully it will be good!
Until next time…Happy Simming!