𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘 || peter pevensie [3]

chapter six ~ beautiful ghosts

The laughter stopped a moment and the couple turned around. The woman, a tall, spindly creature with the sharpest of cheekbones, stood. She swept her waist-length curtain of black hair over one shoulder and fixed Maria with an inquisitive look. Maria's insides pressed against the front of her ribcage, but kept her feet rooted to the paving stones.

In a sudden flurry of fabric, the woman hurried towards her, stopping only when she was within arm's reach. She lifted her hand to Maria's face and brushed a few curls back from her cheek. "Is that you?" she whispered, her eyes glistening with tears. "Is it really you, my little sea witch?"

Maria felt something like a laugh and a sob bubble up inside of her and burst from her lips. "It's me, Mama."

The woman threw her arms around Maria, pulling her close, clutching at the fabric of her dress. Maria breathed in a distant, vague, but familiar floral scent, and sighed in contentment.

Then, the woman pulled away and her smile fell. Her eyes widened and she gripped Maria's shoulders. "What are you doing here?" she said, giving her daughter a little shake. "You were supposed to grow old. You were supposed to live."

"I lived, Mama," Maria beamed, tears spilling over. "I promise you, I lived."

Her mother touched Maria's cheek again, this time to wipe away a stray tear. "You have my eyes," she said.

"But she got my hair." The young man had slowly come up the path to join them. "Sorry about that."

"What do are you talking about? It's beautiful," Maria said.

The man grinned, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead. "How did you end up here?"

Maria pursed her lips and looked away a moment. "I fought, and I fell. Just like you did."

"And was the fight worth it?" her mother asked.

"Yes," she nodded, looking back at them. "Yes, I think it was."

A small cough sounded from behind them, and only then did Maria remember that she had come here with a friend. Wiping away her remaining tears, she turned to Aliona, who was stood just outside the door, picking at her fingernails, and beckoned her over.

"Mama, Baba, this is Aliona Vasiliev."

Aliona gave a little bow, but still seemed hesitant.

"Of course," Maria's mother said softly. "I knew your family."

"Poor you," Aliona laughed awkwardly.

"She's my dearest friend, my partner in crime, so to speak." Maria took her friend's hand. "She sacrificed everything for me. Aliona, this is my mother, Paulina, and my father, Sacha."

Aliona conceded to hugs from both of Maria's parents. When she pulled away, Maria saw tears forming in her eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"Whatever for?" Paulina said.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, all of you. I'm sorry that the Elites tore your family apart." Mother, father, and daughter gave Aliona a familial look of sympathy. "I wish that I had been alive when it happened, I wish that I had done more as I was growing up-"

"What's done is done," Sacha cut her off gently. "In the end, you chose to do something about it. That's what matters."

"And we're all here now, together," Maria smiled.