Pendulum || TAENNIE FF

⚔Chapter 2: Time's changing

A U T H O R

Heather sits on the corner of her bed, looking at their family portrait. It was the time when they were still a happy and complete family. Everything was perfect and magical back then but everything suddenly faded into grey in an instant.

She gathered all her strength and went to her mother's room. Her eyes started tearing up again after getting flashbacks of her mother hugging her to sleep. Her hugs warmed the sad rainy days and her smiles that would take away all her disappointments. She just can't believe how both of her parents left her just like that. She placed the picture frame on the bedside table and wiped her tears. "I wish nothing but happiness to you and father. I promise to be strong as you always asked me to be."

She was about to leave when she found a book under her mother's pillow. Out of curiosity, she took it out and sat on the bed to read it.

"Tales of Parailla?" She read the title and flipped the page. It was all words with no drawings nor colors. Definitely not her type of storybook. With no sense of interest building, she skipped to the last page and found a handwritten note. "Gift from Lisa." Heather's brows furrowed. "Mother never mentioned her.." She let out a heavy sigh and took the book with her back to her room.

On her way there, she saw Berta carrying her bags and walking towards the door. She left the book on the floor and hurriedly went downstairs. Berta heard her running and looked at the frightened little girl. "Young lady?" She said and dropped her bags. "What are you doing here? You should be in your room." Berta said trying to shake away any possible suspicions of the child.

"Where are you going? Where are you taking all your bags? I thought you live here?" Heather worriedly asked.

"I'm going to see my family. I haven't seen them in years so I want to visit them." But Heather wasn't convinced. She knew Berta had something else going on that she didn't want her to know. "You should go back to your room before your grandmother gets all Evil Stepmother again."

"You're not leaving too, are you?" She finally asked. That's the first thing she thought of when she saw her with all the bags. "That's the last thing I want right now. Please don't go. I need you here." Her tears started falling again. She's been with Berta since she was a year old. Berta's practically her second mother. They've done so many things together and Berta's the only person left who believes all her fantasies. If she's gone, her precious world would be gone as well. "Tell me you're not leaving."

"Young lady.." The woman didn't know what to tell her. She was indeed leaving and she never wanted to leave in front of Heather of all people.

"What is going on here?" Helena came and walked towards Heather. "Am I seeing you getting emotional over this servant, Heather?"

"But she's Berta! She's not a servant! She's family!" The young girl shouted causing Helena to slap her mouth. The sound echoed across the closed room. Berta saw this and wanted to take Heather away from her but if she does, she knew Heather would only get punished for creating a bond with a servant. She treated the girl as her own daughter too and it aches her heart seeing Heather hurt.

"You imbecile! A servant can never be a part of the family! If I hear you talking nonsense like this again, I will not hesitate to send you to finishing school in London. I do not tolerate this type of attitude, Heather." Helena faced Berta and signaled her to leave at once.