Where The River Flows Red

Fifteen

Two Feet- Go F*ck Yourself [Bass Boosted]

    The drive to wherever he's taking me was about an hour and a half after we got frozen yogurt. I am not opposed to eating in my car. What I am opposed to is littering. I'm holding the empty cup in my hands which also helps with my nerves. Bless Godrick for not commenting on that. I know he can hear the way my heart is pounding in my chest and maybe even smell it. Which is creepy and gross at the same time. 

    "No questions?" he asked after a while. 

    "I have so many. I don't know where to start," I answered truthfully. 

    "What if we start with what scares you the most?" he suggested. I nodded turning to face him. 

    Godrick is handsome in that everyone is inferior to him kind of way. The kind of facade that only someone who has been troubled and alone can have. The way he dresses, how he speaks with anger, down to the gracefulness of who he's supposed to be. He's really pretty. 

    "How does this royal crap work?" I asked. He laughed. 

    "That's what scares you?" he smirked.

    "It doesn't make me jump for joy," 

    "It's hard," he nodded. "There are times when it's quiet. It's rare but it happens and then there are times when it feels like the world is falling apart. Everybody wants something. It's even harder when those you can't do anything about, are involved. Like the Bournes. I thought they were taking it easy on me all these years and now I understand why. 

    "When I was a kid, dad was always doing something. Always on the move. Mom missed him. I missed him. There is so much pressure on us. This isn't a hierarchy. It's kind of like a Republic if you will. We take the needs of the people into consideration to what's best for them. Obviously, we can't give them exactly what they want. One man's voice isn't what's right for the next.

    "The council is made up of the elders. The oldest of our kind. What they're here for is to advise us and it's ultimately up to us to make the final decision. Like today. That girl had no business in going near Analyse. I talked to Ana before Raven called. She said that Ebony wanted to talk to her that it had something to do with you, so she agreed to meet. She said Ebony wanted her to remember and she pulled out a silver knife. Ana is... she's been through a lot. Her father died when she was very young," 

    "I know," I nodded.

    "Cassidy?" he asked. I shook my head. 

    "No, Elijah told me the truth," 

    "Did he tell you that she was forced to watch? That is was the Starks," my stomach feels like it's about to fall out of my butt. 

    "No," I whispered.

    "There was one other before the eldest now. His name was Claude. Ana didn't know he was a member of the Hunting Party. He pursued her and she let him in. He used her to get closer to her family. They strung her father up and decapitated him in front of her, her mother, and her sister. Kenzie was seven at the time. Ana was seventeen. Ana killed him with the same sword he killed her father with. Just him. No one else. The starks were given the body back. Later Claude came back as one of us," 

    "What?" I asked. 

    "No one knows who turned him but they tried to use him as a pawn to start a war. Claude was brought before the council and when he wouldn't speak I had him executed. I hadn't gone through transition yet. I was your age at the time. It had only been four years since dad had died and war was the last thing we needed. No Claude meant no problem. He had killed Stephen Lockheart and his daughter took what was rightfully hers to claim. That's the way our laws work," 

    "What about our parents? Who killed them?" I asked.

    "Our parents weren't killed by hunters. A lot of people benefit from the end of our bloodline. It's hard to say," 

    "So what? They just stay dead and no one pays for it?" 

    "No. Of course not but because this was done from within our walls there has to be absolution. We have to be one hundred percent sure. You being alive is a problem for them," 

    "Why aren't you a problem?" . 

    "Because whoever did this knows I'm not really a Lockwood," 

    "Do you have suspects?" 

    "There are six," 

    "Six?" I asked a little shocked. He nodded. "Were you there? Did you see?" 

    "I saw dad take you the night you were born. He told me he'd come back. We were down in the cellars. It's a maze down there. I could hear them closing in. I fought as hard as I could but she was taken. In her state, I don't know how long she had. When I woke up the only thing in the room with me were the bodies I had taken down trying to keep them away from her," he reached to wipe the tear the slipped from his cheek. I placed my hand on his when he reached for the gear stick. He glanced at me. 

    "I'm here now," I shrugged. He gripped my hand and nodded. 

    "You have no idea how happy this makes me," he admitted. "I thought I was alone," 

    "So did I," 

    "This is home," 

    The first thing that comes into view is the man-made lagoon. At the head of the lagoon is the massive castle. I had to remember to breathe. The stone walls are a chalky white that goes beautifully with the orange tiling of the rooftops. Godrick pulled right up to the front. I climbed out of the car looking up at how massive the house truly is. 

    "This is your house?" I asked. He smiled. 

    "This is our house," he corrected. "It's a little far from your school so I asked Marie to get you something in the city," 

    "Marie?" 

    "Professor Sterling. Elijah's mother," 

    "It's like the universe wants me to be a snobby socialite," I smirked. He laughed. 

    "No, the universe knows you're a princess and eventually you will be ready to be a queen," I looked at him. He looked at me the same way Silas did and for an instant, I feel guilty. 

    "Master Go-go," I looked up to see an elderly woman at the top of the steps that lead to the doorway. 

    "Kitty," he smiled motioning me to follow him. "Look who I brought to see you," 

    "Oh, my lord," she cried out when we reached the top. "Lady Anastasia," 

    I didn't have it in me to correct her. She reached for the end of my braid before swirling in her hand. She came closer pushing the loose strands of hair behind my ear. The way she looks at me, the tender motion makes me feel warm inside. 

    "Kitty, she's had a long morning," Godrick interrupted. 

    "Yes, of course, she has," she nodded, letting go of my hair and stepping back. "Come, come. You both must be exhausted. Will she be staying with us?" 

    "Just for tonight. She has school and work tomorrow," I have school and work today as well. I want to say that but come on. That would be super rude to say. Just thinking it made me shudder. 

    "School and work?" she asked looking at me. 

    "Harvard Engineering. Already has a Bachelors's in physics, business, and creative writing. Is interning at Bourne Corp for cyber organic medicinal innovations," is he bragging. I pressed my lips together. 

    "Oh my," she said. "You're quite the little achiever," 

    "That's only half of it," Godrick scoffed, looking at me. 

    "It's not as exciting as he makes it out to be really," I laughed. I can feel my face burning up.

    "Modest. Just like your father. It was never good enough in his eyes. Could have saved millions of lives and it would never be sufficient," I smiled because that's exactly how it always feels. "Are you hungry?" 

    "I am," he confirmed and she smiled. 

    "This one is always hungry," she laughed, playfully smacking him on the chest. "Go on then. Show her around. Don't wander too far. Lady Analyse is in the library," 

    "Thank you, Kitty," he smiled. 

    "Thank you," I waved at her as she looked between the two of us.

    "Do you have a preference, my lady?" I shook my head. 

    "I literally can eat anything," she smiled looking back at Godrick. 

    "Alright then," she bowed before walking away. 

    "What was that?" 

    "I'm a little picky about my food," he said turning around to walk inside. 

    This place is unicorn majestic worthy. The outside is stone and walking in is like the house was carved in a massive piece of marble. Gold and silk for days. Everything is detailed, hand-picked, and placed by whoever it is that designs majestic places like this. I can feel the brattiness taking over already. 

    "Ana," I looked up to see Analyse behind a massive wooden table with stacks of books on it. She poked her head out from the top. 

    "Hey," she greeted us. 

    "You're okay," I beamed, going over to her. She stopped me before I hugged her. Her white blouse is sticking to the bloody gauze under it. "I'm so sorry," 

    "It's not your fault sweetheart," she waved me off. Her breathing is uneven meaning her chest must hurt when she breathes in and out. 

    "How are you feeling?" Godrick asked. 

    "Like hell. This anxiety is killing me," she complained, slowly sitting down. The worry in his eyes makes me feel like hurting someone. 

    "I have these," I said pulling out my anxiety meds. "They make you feel a little numb but it's better than moving around when you're in pain. Trust me," 

    "Why do you have these?" she asked taking two after reading the label.

    "About seven months ago Silas's crazy girlfriend kidn*pped us. Her dad almost killed me,"

    "What?" Godrick asked. "Grey did that to you?" 

    "What? No. They just recently became a thing," I shook my head. He sighed but the anger lingered in the air. 

    "I've never been kidn*pped," she said before dry swallowing the pills. 

    "I've never been shot," I shot back and she laughed. Her hand came up to her chest, her eyes tightened tears streamed down her face. 

    "f**k," she groaned, taking in deep breaths. Her entire body is shaking. 

    "I think you should be in bed," I suggested.

    "I've been telling her that since Master Go-go left," I laughed at his nickname. Kitty came in pushing a cart with dinner trays on them. "Lunch is served," 

    "Thank you, Kitty," Godrick's voice is strained now. She walked out. He poured some juice into a glass and handed it to me and I handed it to Analyse. 

    "Thanks," she croaked, taking it. 

    "What were you doing?" I asked. 

    "Looking up this brand," she said, lifting her blouse. 

    I stumbled back. Everything began to spin. Pain. The pain started in my temples and then on my back. Everything became dark, all there is right now is the ringing in my ears. 

    "I am so sorry, baby," 

    "Daddy! Daddy, I'm scared!" 

    "Take her Alias. Bruce will find her," 

    "Master, she's a youngling. You can't hand her over to the Bournes like this," 

    "We have no choice," 

    "Daddy! No Daddy!" 

    "We'll be together again. You'll meet mommy and your brother. I promise my love. Be a brave girl okay?" 

    "No, Daddy. I stay," I begged, he shook his head. 

    "Not this time baby. I'm sorry," 

    "Sir," the other voice shouted. 

    "Daddy! No!"

    I gasped for air. Like I couldn't get enough of it into me fast enough. I sat up and pulled my knees up wrapping my arms around them to keep myself from shaking as the pain began to fade. I looked around, my visions blurry but I can make him out right in front of me. The ringing began to fade and I finally heard him. The image of my real father faded into the face of my brother. They look alike.

    "What was that?" I asked taking in deep breaths. The skin on my back burns. I want to reach for it but it hurts to move. 

    "Go," I heard Analyse."Look at her back," 

He got up and went around me. I felt him lift my t-shirt. I cried out as the fabric was peeled off my skin. 

    "Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop," I cried out before taking in deep breaths. 

    "I have to take this off Amelia. It can get infected," is that my name?

    "Hold my hands," Analyse suggested before kneeling in front of me. I tightened my grip on her as he took the sweater and pulled it over my head and unclipped my bra. 

    "Kitty, get Cassandra in here now," Godrick roared. 

    "What is it?" I asked finally able to find my voice. Analyse looked at my brother and then at me unable to speak. 

    "It's like my brand. Only it covers your entire back," she informed me.

    "What?" I ask panicking. 

    "It's going to be okay," Godrick tried to calm me. He pulled his phone out. "Raven get down here... I don't care about what you're doing. Anastasia was branded. I need you to bring Bruce down here..... No, I don't care if he knows the way. I can't move her. Do it now," 

    "Oh, s**t," I looked up to see a woman standing in the doorway. "I need cold water and some towels, Katherine. Master Godrick. You're going to have to hold her,"

Godrick sat down in front of me pulling me onto his lap without hesitation. 

    "I'm going to need you to hold on to me, Amelia. Can you do that?" he whispered into my ear. I nodded. "It's going to be okay, baby girl. I promise. Just hold on me to me," 

    "Ready?" the woman asked. 

    I wrapped my arms around him holding onto his shirt as tight as I can. I nodded. The stinging pain shot through my entire body dulling my senses again. It was me. The little girl. I'm the little girl who was crying. 

    "Listen to me, Anastasia. I'm going to lock away your memories. When the time comes they'll come back. I know you don't understand this yet baby. You're going away from me," 

    "No, Daddy," 

    "Yes, Ana. Daddy can't protect you anymore. You won't remember this when you wake up, sweetie, but I love you more than anything in the world. One day Ana, one day we will see one another again and we'll be together again. If he finds you before we're together again. Tell Godrick he's my son just like you are my daughter. Lucious has no relation to him. He's mine. You two are special. Tell him to follow the clues," 

    "Daddy," I shouted trying to hold on to him. He gripped my body lifting my dress and the pain shot through me again. 

    My body arched up. I'm unable to take in a proper breath. Memory. It's always been a friend of mine. I remember everything with clarity. The vivid colors. The words of things that I barely glance at. There were times where I wished I could forget. 

    My body went limp as it all rushed into my head. I stayed like this on top of my brother as he whispered words of comfort into my ear. He sounds like him. He smells like him. The image of my dad became him and he was all I had known for three years after my birth. I pulled back looking into those green eyes that looked back at me with worry and tears in them. 

    "You're my brother," I whispered calmly. He nodded. "No, I mean. You're my brother. Dad said that man wasn't really your father. We have the same parents," 

    "What?" he asked. 

    "I remember," I said pulling away from him while holding the sweater to my chest. "We were running. I didn't understand them. Dad, talked to me like I was an adult sometimes but it wasn't because I understood him. He was recording things in my memory," 

    "You'd have to have a photographic memory for that," he shook his head. I looked up at him and nodded. 

    "I do. I remember everything from the moment I opened my eyes. I remember her. I remember the cellar room downstairs where she had me," I looked over at Cassandra and Katherine. "I remember she was the one who delivered me. I remember you. You were really small then. Dad took me because mom ordered him to. They think I'm the first. I'm not, you are. I was born to help you," 

    "What happened? Who killed him?" he asked kneeling in front of me. 

    "They're not dead. He said we'd be together again. He swore it. He told me to tell you to follow the clues right before Alias branded the spell on my back," 

    I looked around to see that everything that was around me had been pushed away. The table where the books had been on is flipped, books are scattered everywhere and so is the food. Other furniture close by was pushed back or flipped over as well.

    "That s**t was insane," Analyse burst out, holding her chest. 

    "Oh yeah. I can move stuff with my mind," I remembered, looking at him. He laughed. 

    "You were able to do that as a baby?" 

    "It started when I was two. They found us in Madrid. The house was on fire and we were trapped. The ceiling almost caved on us and I held it up. I got us out of there safely," All of it feels surreal. It's like watching a movie zooming forward in my head. 

    "I'd go insane if I remembered a bunch of s**t like that," Analyse whispered. I laughed. 

    "Amelia," we all looked up to see Silas and my dad rush in. 

    "Can I put my sweater back on?" 

    "Yeah. It's gone," Godrick nodded. Analyse clipped my bra back in place and I pulled the sweater back over my head.

    "Are you okay?" Silas asked looking me over. "What happened? Who hurt you?" 

    "No one. I'm fine," I answered. looking up at him. Elijah and Raven walked in behind them. "You were not right," 

    "About the compulsion?" he asked. I nodded. "You remember?" 

    "Yeah," 

    "Is it a secret?" 

    "It was. I can do this," I put my hand out thinking about the chair coming over to me and it did. He jumped back. 

    "Okay," he said looking at me. We both laughed. "That would have been super convenient all of these years," 

    "Right we would have gotten away with so much more," he laughed. 

    "Alright, you two. Enough," dad scolded. "What happened?" 

    "We aren't exactly sure," Godrick answered. "I thought you had done this to her. I was going to kill you," 

    "It was the brand," I said looking at Analyse. "I can break it. If you want me to," 

    "I think I'm in enough pain right now thank you," she scoffed, sitting in the chair I had pulled close to me. 

    "It won't hurt," I promised.

    "If you can do it without hurting me why did you almost kill us from the pain you suffered?" she asked with a smirk. I smiled. 

    "I didn't remember how. I do now," 

    "If you make me cry in front of these hunters I will freeze you for two whole days," she warned. I laughed. `

"Deal," I agreed, kneeling in front of her. She lifted her sweater. "Ready?" 

    "Ice. Antarctica cold," she threatened. her eyes are glowing light blue. 

    I pushed her back so she was reclining on the backrest. The symbol is of two keys with a shield around it. I closed my eyes placing them over the mark and reached. It was like stepping into a massive room or a giant building with hundreds maybe thousands of doors. I stood in the center and found what  I can physically describe as a cellar latch. I pressed against it and then pulled but it wouldn't open. I opened my eyes and looked up at her. 

    "I can't get in," I shook my head. 

    "That was some serious invasion of space," she said sitting up. "It felt like you reached into me and were moving s**t around," 

    "Just the spot where your memories are locked in. Do you remember the night they...?" she nodded grabbing her wrist. I sat back looking at Godrick and Elijah. 

    "Iv..." I shook my head stopping Elijah from saying her name. 

    "Were you wearing a bracelet that day?" I asked and she nodded. "Do you have it?" 

    "No. Ebony took it with her," she shrugged. 

    "A gold bracelet? Twisted chain with a plate that says besstrashnaya koroleva," she nodded. 

    "You've seen it?" 

    "She never takes it off. When Mrs. Stark threw the pictures on the table she wasn't wearing it anymore," 

    "f**k. Photographic memory doesn't begin to cover you," Analyse looked me over with concern.

    "We need that bracelet," I turned to look at my dad. 

    "I thought we drew a line that shouldn't be crossed," he tried to remind me.

    "I'm not asking you to cross that line dad. She said she wanted to break the spell. If she was serious and all of this is a misunderstanding, then ask her to give it to us and we can move past this without involving the council," 

    "No, you can't bargain that," Godrick interjected before glaring at me. 

    "Yes. Yes, she can," Analyse stopped him.

    "Ana, she nearly killed you," he turned his gaze from me to her. 

    "Ebony is in a coma," I sighed, looking away. "I'm just putting that out there. She might actually die. Analyse is walking around, being a badass still," 

    "What your sister said," Analyse smirked at him. Godrick looked away and nodded. 

    "Well, someone has to give us a ride back. We were kidn*pped," Silas scoffed. "They put an in and out paper bag over my head," 

    "That was all I had at the time," Raven laughed with a shrug. "I apologized when we got here," 

    "I had a purse on my head. It actually smelled nice," my dad smiled at her.

    "Take them back. It was useless to have covered their head. They have trackers embedded in their forearms," Godrick rolled his eyes. 

    "Oh," Raven giggled embarrassed. I laughed.

    "We're in Barrington," Silas shrugged, looking down at his feet. 

    "How do you know that?" Elijah asked. 

    "We're hunters, not I accidentally found a vampire and killed it-ers," what?

    "What?" Elijah asked annoyed with him. 

    "Don't argue with him. It gets worse," I laughed. "I can't believe you just said that. All of this insane and it all somehow makes sense,"