Chapter 19: Turning Point
4997 Words
After Alcina hurries back to the castle Dimitrescu, Karl goes to the town square on his own to deal with the uprising. Which doesn’t post even a slight bit of a problem to him in any way. Because realizing it or not, Hershel and his troop won’t stand a chance against the lord of machines. Especially when those treasons dare to provoke Karl by harming his favorite human.
“May I ask why you folks gather around here despite the weather’s this f_cking cold?” asks, Karl.
The Lycan lord stands proud on his feet by the raised base of the Maiden of War statue, chest-puffing up while casting his gaze all over the coup judgingly. People start to mumble at the scene in doubt of what to expect while discreetly hiding their choices of arms away from Karl’s sight.
Thanks to Karl’s neglect in his duty, his information is barely known to the residents. He seldom makes a public appearance while performing his duty even less even when holding himself the title of lord. So, what the villagers do learn about Karl thus far is that he, in name only, governs over the industrial district where the Heisenberg factory is located. If crossing out that plain fact, there is also 1 odd speculation about Karl that the villagers have been suspecting. They have a theory that the pack of Lycan has something to do with Karl in some way since a major number of Lycans reside in his territory. Though they can’t make head or tail out of the association between the youngest lord and those vicious Lycans yet because of the lack of evidence. Nevertheless, that’s not what Hershel and his men should be concerned with at this moment. For now, they can only hope Karl’s appearance wouldn’t disturb their plan in any way.
“My lord,” The grizzled-haired man, ignorant of Karl knowing his scheme, puts on a show of respect and courtesy by placing his hand over his chest, bowing his head slightly in greeting gesture to the lord then speaks, “It’s been a while since you’ve graced us with your presence—Have you been well?”
“Hmm” Karl hops down to the same layer as Hershel, carries on with his reply, “I was happy up to recently, but there’s some…disturbance occurred which put my mood to sour”
“Oh? What could it be, if you don’t mind me—”
“Excuse me. I hate to disrupt, but it seems to me like you’re trying to avert my question earlier by uttering this useless pleasantry” Karl queries, placing his palms to the end of his mullet’s handle, which is pinning upside-down on the ground, then resting his chin on them as he stands leisurely.
“Certainly, not. I’m only indicating my respect to you in what I believe to be an appropriate way. I apologize if I’d offended you” quick to realize this tactic didn’t work, Hershel approaches the lord with another, “As for the question you ask previously, we simply get-together to celebrate the upcoming new year”
“Is that so?” Karl utters simply. “However, you didn’t do this kind of resembling to celebrate last year or the year before, no? I mean NORMALLY in this festive season, aren’t people enjoy spending time with their family, huddling up close by the fire, and tearing your present boxes open?”
“I mean no disrespect, sir. But since you didn’t come to the town, well, at all. Understandably, you didn’t know. We have been doing this for a couple of years now” Of course, what the old man answer is a lie.
In truth, the townspeople never crowded together to celebrate the approaching new year before. Since the weather around this time of the year is usually unpredictable as well as the snowstorm can be quite extreme, people would prefer to stay indoors just like Karl claims. Occasionally, there’d be a time that it snows less and is slightly warmer near New Year Eve, just like this year. In this said time, people would come outside to play in the snow, go hunting, or foraging in the forest. It’s quite rare to encounter this prospect, though. And Karl knows well enough not to be fooled. He may behave frivolously, leaving his duty to his siblings to take care of, but he isn’t an i***t. The lord imagines Hershel gives out such a groundless excuse because he must have underestimated him.‘Old man and his impressive wording skill, Inwardly, Karl draws what he finds of Hershel from their engagement up until now. He then tests the revolt leader a bit more by says,
“Huh? Interesting. Who permitted you to this again?” asks, Karl. “I’m positive the last time I check, any mustering in greater number than 5 would need permission from one of the lords. Since I’m not the one who allows this, who of my sick siblings you got approval from?”
“Don’t worry, my lord. We’ve informed all 3 of them, filled in any requested form, and were approved” Putting on a smile, the grizzled-haired man reacts with yet another lie.
Hershel answers confidently, assuming Karl would believe everything he said in the end. After all, what would the lord know? Karl doesn’t pay much attention to the village affair anyway. But when Hershel and his men are determined that they’ve succeeded in deceiving the lord, Karl breaks out in an uncontrollable cackle in admiring all those convincing falsities. The lord raises his hands to give the rebels idly claps while says.
“Spectacular. I almost believe you there, Hershel. Almost” Karl fakes wiping a tear of joy from the corner of his eyes, pressing on, “Your lying skill is something, I’ll give you that. However, thanks to that little miss, Tiana—She's not only survived but also slain your tracking dogs on her own. Thus, she got a chance to told me everything”
At the end of Karl’s remark, the confident grin on Hershel’s feature straightens into a flat line. As predicted, it shouldn’t be this easy, Hershel cogitates. He sighs out and nods at his followers in a signal to proceed with plan B, which means taking care of Karl before he’d warn the others.
“I take it as you’re here to stop us then. How exactly are you going to do that, my lord?” the sound of the troop pulling their weapon out overwhelms the scene for a brief. Looking back to his troop readied for battle, Hershel turns to the lord with a pleasing smile and utters, “I’m afraid we’ve passed the point of talking this through, thus your word won’t matter here. Also, we’re close to a hundred on our side, fully armed and deleterious, while you’re alone—”
“Who said I’m alone?” The Lycan lord speaks with a smirk.
Bringing his hand to his lips, Karl whistles a long-breath signal, summoning his pack of Lycans to the scene in a flash! Upon seeing his men’s morale weaken down, Hershel attempts to rally it back as fast by declaring,
“Don’t be scare! You all have your reliable weapons in your hand and you can survive this if you put those weapons to a good fight!”
“Aww. You never know when to quit, aren’t you? Let me enlighten you one more thing. Since the math problem already been solved, so let’s review your prior statement—Fully armed?”
Snapping his finger, Karl uses his electrical field controlling ability to snatch every piece of weapon from the troop and had them float in the air behind him. Hershel and his rebels stand still in shock because they’ve witnessed the youngest lord’s power for the 1st time. But before any of them can make a sound, Karl goes on.
“Wouldn’t this make it debatable now? —As for deleterious...let me demonstrate how to be one”
As soon as the vile smile paints on Karl’s visage, the revolts realize in that instant that they’re doomed. The agitators stumble against each other, trying to flee for their lives, while the lord aims what once their weapons at them. The ambiguous sound of crying in pain, praying, and begging for one’s life echo along with the Lycans’ howling, guns firing, and melee weapons striking noises. Howbeit, among this chaos, one voice is able to cut through. It belongs to no other than Karl who is roaring aloud in the utmost outrage.
“You dare laid your hand on my future sister-in-law, so don’t you think any of you’d get a luxury of passing away peacefully!” Karl bashes his way through the coup, chasing after the runaway Hershel. I’d hunt him down to the end of the world if that’s what it takes—I promise you that, little miss, Karl thinks as the hunt goes on.
--------------------
Back at the castle Dimitrescu. By the time the battle between Karl and the rebellions breaks out, Tiana’s in the middle of her Cadou implantation with the best care Donna and Salvatore can provide. For Alcina, she has to sit this one out with the girls because no one knows what she’d do if Tiana shows any sign of pain while being embedded with the mutated parasite.
Since she can do nothing but wait, Alcina decides to clean up and get changed as well since her gown is still reeking of Tiana’s blood from earlier. She has to get rid of this before she’d join the girls in the living room. They shouldn’t see a terrifying sight like I am, the tall lady concludes. The risk from the Cadou embedment is great enough which is why Alcina doesn’t want to shoulder her daughters with more worry if they were to see and be reminded of what condition Tiana’s health is in.
“Girls” Alcina calls out to her daughters with empathy once she arrives at the living room.
Kissing each of them on their heads, Alcina welcomes her daughters into her embrace to soothe their fear of losing Mama down. Never once in their life that they’d wish to get rid of their sharp hearing sense like this moment. Because even though they’re not in the same room with Tiana, house Dimitrescu’s ladies can still hear the botanist’s struggling to breathe distinctly. The same applies to her weak squeals in torture as well.
“*Sniff* Mother, will Mama…?” Daniela doesn’t even dare to finish her question.
“She's in pain *Sob*” Cassandra grabs her mother’s dress tightly, feeling so hopeless as she can do nothing for her Mama.
“She won’t leave us, right mother? *Sniff*” Bela looks up to her vampire mother with reddened eyes.
“Yes, my dear. Your Mama is a strong woman, thus she’ll pull through. So, hush now” Alcina replies to her daughters along with kisses on the side of their heads.
The mistress’s heart spikes in half-believe even when she’s the one who says that. She can’t help it when she scares for the worst. How would she live if she can't see or can't hold Tiana in her arms ever again? For now, she can only hold on to the promise she gave Tiana which she remembers so well as if it’s carved on her soul. To support that, Tiana's words ring in the mistress's head once more, “You can grieve for me, but not for long. Preferably, I’d love it if you’d only reminisce of me, miss me, and think of happy moments with me instead of drowning in sorrow—Can you do that? Or at least, can you promise you’d try to do that, my lady?” Upon recalling Tiana’s request, Alcina then mumbles the same answer out, “Your wish is my command”
“*Heavy Sigh* Man, that took longer than I expected—How’s she?” Karl bursts through the front door of the castle Dimitrescu, shooting out his question.
Judging by the look, the Lycan lord must have hasted here as soon as the entire coup was dealt with because his boots and outer coat are tainted in gore and small pieces of fleshes as proof from the fight. Though when he sees how his nieces and his vampire sister are doing, Karl instantly gets a hint that the operation isn’t done yet. So, before he’d settle down by the couch nearby, Karl removes his coat and boots and give them to the maid to has her clean them for him. He soon joins house Dimitrescu's ladies, waiting patiently for any update on Tiana.
About an hour in total since the moment her ladyship brings Tiana back to her castle, Donna finally has Angie bring everyone to Tiana’s room on the upper floor. She does so to make it easy for Salvatore and herself to brief them of the botanist’s condition at once. When the door to Tiana’s room was open, the three swarms quickly flood in to be by their Mama’s bedside while the lords talk things through by the end of the bed.
“How, how’s she?” Curling her hand into a fist, Alcina suppresses her anguish while questioning.
“She’s stable...for now—There’s a little complication during the implantation, but Tiana’s a real fighter. So, she's able to pull through. There’s no sign of her body rejecting the Cadou nor does any symptom of her pneumonitis shows up yet after the parasite was embedded” says, Donna.
"So...we should take this as a good sign?" Karl queries.
“I don’t like breaking the enthusiasm, but we all know that the worst is to be expect after this” the fish-like lord utters out grimly. “I advise you and the girls to take a turn in monitoring Tiana’s condition. If anything appears out of place or if you need anything at all—Don’t hesitate to call us, alright?”
Alcina nods solemnly, acknowledging her brother’s sincerity in his words and whispering, “Thanks” The lords linger by Alcina’s home for a couple more hours or so in case the botanist’s state should need additional hands to care for. But since, currently, she only has a mild fever and nothing more than that, the vampire lady suggests it’d be wise for them to go back and rest since she has been troubling them long enough as is.
“Perhaps you may forget, but Tiana is an important person to each of us too. So, there’s no trouble at all” Donna speaks to her sister before she’d depart, “She helps us over our problem even when she doesn’t have to—We’re only doing what right by her, sister. Hence, don’t think too much of it, okay?”
“Yes…Thank you” Alcina whispers.
Right. How can she forget? Tiana has been in the village not for long, yet she succeeds in charming every lord to her side already. That’s my Tia, the tall lady smile at her line of thought. After allowing the girls to remain by their Mama’s side until near midnight, Alcina thinks it’s the time she should put them to bed. Despite protesting a little, the three know they shouldn’t cause their mother yet another problem. Besides, they need to rest so they can assist their vampire mother, taking care of Tiana once Alcina needs her sleep. Hitherto, they cooperate with Alcina in the end.
“Try to get some sleep, girls” tucking the three in, Alcina pat their heads gently and meeting their forehead for a kiss.
“Please take care of yourself too, mother” the eldest daughter pulls her mother by the hem of her nightgown as muttering out in half-sleep. The mistress smiles, bending herself down to tap her forehead against Bela’s then says,
“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow, my dear”
Then her ladyship leaves the three’s quarter quietly and goes back to be with Tiana. Setting the candlestick down by the nightstand, Alcina sits on the edge of the bed to get a closer look at the sleeping Tiana. If it isn’t for her reddened face in evidence of her fever and the rapid breathing rate, this can be considered peaceful slumber. The mistress brushes a strand of hair away from Tiana’s, so she can caress her cheek lightly.
‘I hope whatever Heisenberg did to those stupid revolts serves more than a deserving punishment for being the cause of all your wounds’ her ladyship contemplates with a boiling rage as she sets her orbs on the ripped corner of Tiana’s mouth as well as the other bruises.
To solve her anxious mind down, Alcina claims onto the bed, lying on her side and pulling her girlfriend close to her chest.
“I pray it’d not be too painful for you, Tia. Please come back to me and the girls soon”
--------------------
Time passes in a blur as Tiana going through her Cadou evolvement. She believes she slips in and out of consciousness from time to time. Every time she does gain her consciousness back, though it’s only for a brief, she’d always see Alcina there by her side. The tall lady either sits by or on the bed, taking care of her through and through. The girls also pop in to keep the botanist company while their vampire mother resting by the couch, the furthest corner of the room.
‘Did she ever get fully sleep?’ the botanist asks inwardly when she gains her awareness back once more.
Sadly, Tiana can’t get her body to move nor calls for Alcina or the girls as she’d like. In her given state, she doesn’t even sure if she's literally staring at them with her own eyes. Truthfully, she feels more like…a ghost. Floating around, sensing everybody around her, yet no one seems to notice that she’s there. Even when she’s glad to wake up to see those she holds dear, Tiana finds the price she has to pay for this short moment of happiness can be quite...unbearable.
‘Wait! Not now. Let me be with them a little longer—’
A searing heat washes over Tiana in only a matter of seconds after her latest awaken, forcing a hoarse cry in torture out of her. Only that this time the botanist yelling out for real. It causes the tall figure by the bedside to jolt up from her nap, still, a little dazed as she’s not yet fully awake.
“Tiana?”, the figure calls out in a shaking voice, instantly wide awake by the sight of the botanist’s pupils. “You awake!? H-how’re you feeling? Please say something”
“I—” it’s challenging for Tiana to get a word out of her mouth as her throat feels extremely dry like someone had poured hot sand down her throat. She tries to speak one more, but only a gasping sound leaving her mouth.
Doesn’t know what to do, Alcina shouts for the girls to ring the other lords and summon them to her castle as soon as possible while holding onto her girlfriend’s palm as if she fears Tiana would disappear. “Please hold on a little while longer, dearest”, she begs while brings Tiana’s hand to her lips to kiss it gently. But at the moment she does, the botanist’s hand crumbles into ashes!
“Alci—” / “Tiana!” Alcina’s yell in distress overthrows the name-whispering from the botanist.
Not only her hand, but now her whole physique is abruptly falling apart into cinders. By the time the other lords come to the scene with their nieces, there’s nothing left on the bed but a pile of ashes, leaving a track of the human body behind. As for the vampire lady, she’s stunned, frozen in place in the same posture of holding Tiana’s hand, and appears not aware of her surroundings anymore.
“No!” the girls cry out in despair, rushing to Alcina and wrap her in their arms.
At this rate, they’d not only lost their Mama but seems like they would lose Alcina too! For how long no one knows, tears finally stream down Alcina’s cheeks because her brain is done processing what happened. Though she doesn’t sob, only lets her tears spilling in the silence of anguish.
“Didn’t you say if not an eternity with me, then you want nothing else? –Yet you’re leaving me. Why, Tiana? WHY!?”
After shooting that query, Alcina sends another screaming of bitterness out as she’d lost the figure who is her everything once again. The mistress’s tone is nothing if not agonizing. It's hard and heartbreaking even for Karl to hear his sister’s howl. The only thing that keeping the tall lady grounded at this moment of hopelessness is her daughters’ embrace which holding onto Alcina tight. While everyone sheds tears for their beloved, extraordinary human, a faint voice captures their attention at once.
“Didn’t you promise me you’d, at least, try to live on without me?”
Startling, the lords and the 3 sisters lift their gazes to meet with the picture of Tiana reforming back from that pile of cinders on her bed. One moment she looks so small and fragile, not any different from hatching fledgling. But due to her rapid growing speed, the botanist was reborn to be stronger and larger than before. Even with her new height at the same level as the girls, yet her appearance is still alluring and giving out the lively vibe all the same—What is adding up would be the predator aura coming from those eagle eyes, colored in a golden shade similar to Alcina’s. There’re also 2 pairs of wings with thick layer feathers, folding to the front, and covering her body like a cloak. Lastly, it'd be the long bird-like tail attached to where Tiana’s coccyx is supposed to be.
The botanist feels rather undress for some reason, so she lowers her gaze to study her body. Only then she notices there is no cloth on her. Like at all. What happened to my cloth, she quizzes herself inwardly in surprise. There are still some lucks in her since these pinions are working as a cloak for her. It’d have been awkward to look at the other lords in their face if Tiana was to appear naked in front of them. Tiana then extends her hand out from underneath her wings to pull a blanket up to conceal her naked body, so she can be more a little more relent. Upon relaxing her new form wings, they merge with her bird-like tail, turning into one large plumage mantle. This said mantle flutters from Tiana’s shoulder stretching down to her heels. Wow. These are new, the botanist ponders in excitement while looking over her shoulder to the recently-developed part of her body. Anyway. Tiana soon remembers she’s not alone in this room. Therefore, she turns back to meet the mistress with a smile, says,
“Hi” using another of her hand to touch Alcina’s jowl, Tiana greets her girlfriend after the whole week of slumber.
“T-Tiana” the tall lady breathes out nervously, unsure if her sense playing a trick on her “You’re…really here?”
“Won’t you hug me to test your theory out, dearest? –Oof!” Tiana’s speech is interrupted by the motion of the girls jumping onto her body and surrounding their Mama in a group hug, sobbing and shouting, “Mama!” in unison.
The once grieving cry now changes to the joyous one as Tiana returns to her family at long last. The vampire lady later joins in with her daughters, wrapping them all with her slender arms. She finds her way to the botanist, savoring the existence of her lover who’s come back into her life.
‘I can feel her warmth. I can sense her energy—She’s here. Tiana’s still here’ thinks, Alcina.
A grateful smile creeps onto her face once she confirms the botanist hasn’t yet to leave her side. As for the other lords, they also put on their wide grin and sigh out in relief before addressing the botanist, “Welcome back, Tiana”
--------------------
Once making sure everyone in house Dimitrescu is emotionally stable, Tiana turns her attention to the other lords, who are settling down comfortably wherever suits their tastes in the room, and thanks to them genuinely for all support they provide. If it's not for them, Tiana doesn't think she can avoid her death and has her a 2nd chance in life like currently. She's also stronger than before too.
“Nah, come on, little miss. Remember what I said about not doing a good deed in expecting compensation? –It’s alright” Karl, leaning against the wall in his usual carefree pose, responds to Tiana’s gratitude with a sly grin.
“Hmm. I remember you said don’t die before thanking you though?” Tiana tosses that back which cracks laughter from both Karl and herself.
“It’s good to see you adapt with the Cadou well” Salvatore means what he said since he knows better than anyone how hard it’s if the parasite doesn’t result in the patient’s favorability. He paces around the room a bit before carries on, “How’re you feeling, anyway? Nothing out of ordinary, I hope?”
“Honestly, I feel fine now” Tiana replies to the fish-like lord while rubbing Alcina’s arm idly and nestling close to the girls at the same time. "I'm here with my family, stronger and taller than before. My pneumonitis appears to be subsided a great deal as well. Thus, I couldn't be better"
“I’m curious about her new appearance, though. Does anyone has any idea?” Angie speaks up while sitting on Donna’s lap, tilts her head up to her mother, pressing for an answer, “Why does she take the form of a bird?”
“I’ll need to work and discuss this together with them before I can answer you, my dear” Donna replies. She pats her daughter-doll lightly on the back and goes on, “What can I say now is, the Cadou reacts differently to each individual, depending on the patient’s health condition. And we should take the parasite’s capability into account too”
“Besides, what we implanted in Tiana is the newest strand we ever created after Mother Miranda’s death. That’s why there’s so much we don’t know yet” Salvatore adds, meaning to help his sister explaining to Angie.
“Should we start working this out now? I’m also curious of myself too” Tiana’s eyes widen up in thrill since her natural inquiry was tempted, but the vampire lady stops her by pointing out the fact,
“Of course, I’m certain you’d like to learn more about yourself as we all are. But shouldn’t you dress up and feed yourself first? You only recently awake after spending the entire week on the bed, remember?”
Cheeks burning noticeably red, Tiana slips out a chuckle in embarrassment. Right. How can she overlook this? Well. As it comes to this, everyone agrees on meeting up for further analysis later as they’d prefer Tiana to take care of herself for now. After that, the other lords depart from castle Dimitrescu to their own territories in a brief.
--------------------
To Be Continued >>
- Writer
