Cold as Ice

Part 9 (incomplete)

Andi and I both exhausted and scared groggily make our way into a tavern.
After everything that's happened we've finally made it and our original intention of finding our mother still has yet to come but for now we need food and rest.
I open the door and Andi trudges in before me and slumps down on one of the booths I soon follow suit.
There's only two other women in here and a bartender.
One of them has long strawberry blonde hair the others is short.
They have their backs turned to us so that all I can see of them.
A tall man with black hair and tan skin comes walking in the door back also turned to face us.
I conversation is struck up between them and I can't force my eyes to stay open anymore.

"DADDY"
Im awoken by Andreas shouts and stumble towards the man.
I sit up and blink a few times waiting for my eyes to ajust.
He is indeed our father and I don't waste anymore time in worming my way into his embrace.
For the first time since this whole journey's started I can feel any anxiety ease away.
I stop the embrace but Andrea like the daddies girl she is doesn't move.
"Long Time no see Lucia"
"Long Time no see dad"
My head covering is falling down so I just take it off.
"You've changed so much Lucia"
"What do you mean?"
"As much as I hate to admit it I don't see my little girl in you anymore I only see an independent young woman"
"How long has it been?"
"Four years since you left"
I'm 25 and Andrea is 19 those numbers almost seem absurd to me.
"What about Andrea?"
"Andrea will always be the baby"
"I'm an adult dad"
"You'll always be my baby both of you will always be my little girls"
I look down at the floor and hope my small bump can be passed for extra petticoat layers.
Between all the chaos I haven't seen or heard from Thomas so he doesn't even know about my pregnancy.
"Eoghan?"
"Yes Cassidy?"
Andi and I glance at Each other and then at the woman who stands next to our father.
It's the woman with the long hair.
For the first time in 20 years I'm looking at my mothers face.
My memories of her are hazy and unhappy ones.
Andrea just turns her head to dad's shoulder again so she doesn't have to make conversation with a woman that handed her away so heartlessly.
"Lucia-"
She's caught for words.
"Congratulations are in order I suppose"
I feel my face burn up due to her noticing and now my father has aswell although he appears to be biting his tongue.
"26 and already married"
I inwardly leave out a sigh of relief, she's talking about my rings and bracelet.
"Where is your husband darling"
Her calling me darling somewhat revolts me.
"I don't know, so much happened so quickly"
I gradually suck in my stomach.
"Wait a minute"
"Dad how did you get here so quickly"
"I have a telekey"
"ARE TOU FUCKING SERIOUS"
Andi quickly gets out of his embrace and walks next to me.
"ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT WE WENT THROUGH PROBABLY THE MOST TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES OF OUR LIVES FOR NOTHING"
Andi goes off about everything that happened to us since we left that day and I zone out looking intently at my stomach and begin to wonder about the baby that is growing inside me.
"Do you girls want to go home then?"
"Yes"
My words are slower to come out.
"No"
"Lucia you can't be serious"
"Thomas is still out there Andrea I can't leave him"
"Lucia it's an impossible case"
"I can't go back Andrea not until I know he's safe and sound"
"Andrea I'll go back with you Cassidy can let Lucia use her telekey"
"Lucia please we've already been separated for long enough"
"I'm sorry Andrea but I can't"

Although uncomfortable with my living arrangements I am ultimately more comfortable with this modern life.
I pretty much am wearing what I wore before all of this and my hair is down and free.
Any conversation with my mother however is social torture.
I quietly make my way to the neighbours stables and silently tack up a horse sheltered by the darkness.
I mount the horse and quickly start galloping back to where Andi and I where so desperate to escape.
I eventually make it to the war torn land and slow down to a walk covering my mouth and nose at the smell of bodies and who knows what else.
The palace is closer so I go there first and make sure the horse is securely put away with plenty of hay and water.
I make my way inside the abandoned palace and wander around the corridors with cracked walls and doors dust everywhere.
I soon make it to the throne room and look at the portraits and the crown still in the protective cases before them.
I notice that there is three gaps before Andi's portrait and deduce that the crown must have been maid for my father one of the tiaras for chloe and one for me.
I walk closer to my one and smash the protective case and take out the tiara.
I put it on my head and move on.
I search as much as the palace as I can and stop at day three.
I've fed the horse but otherwise I wander aimlessly.
It's a ghost palace.
I eventually leave the place and start galloping towards the house.
The whole place is deserted besides the scattering of bodies.
I don't let myself think of the tragedy but the growing guilt that perhaps I might find my husband like those bodies is growing.
I stop and tie my horse up at the fence for fear of what I'll find in the stables.
I open the door and find Francesca on the floor looking almost grey and feeling thankful for my face covering.
I quickly find a blanket and lay it over her scrawny body and move on in voluntarily numbness.
I find her mother in the scullery and place another blanket over another grey body.
I search the rest of the house and can't find Ginny or Thomas.
I move to the stables an pry open the rack room door with my remaining strength.
The sight haunts me to my core.
Ginny and Thomas are living skeletons.
"Thomas?!?!"
"Ginny?!??!"
Thomas is unconscious but Ginny moves her head towards me.
"Luci?"
I run to them and crouch down.
"Lucia.."
I quickly hold both their hands feeling my eyes well up with tears which soon stream down my face.
Her eyes soon focus on my bump.
She smiles weakly.
My hands soon feel like they're burning but I can't let do of their hands.
I cry out in pain which wakes Thomas up.
"Lucia?"
I grind my teeth as the sensation takes over my whole body.
"Lucia?!?"

I slowly come too and hear the faint beeping and smell the familiar scent of hospital disinfectant.
My vision is blurry and my back is killing me.
"Lucia?"
Thomas's voice reassures me.
I blink a few times and eventually my vision comes too.
"How are you my love?"
"Alive i guess darling"
He pecks my lips and brushes my hair from my face gently.
I look at the other people across from me in the ward and then I focus on my extremely swollen belly.
"They said the babies are ok"
"Babies?"
"Twins"
"Twins?!?"
"A boy an a girl"
"Oh wow-"
"Andi and your family have been helping Ginny and I modernise"
One of the babies kicks and I wince in return.
"Are you ok darling?"
"Just one of the babies kicking"
Thomas is wearing my hoodie from university and a pair of jeans something that is so alien on him.
"Hoodie thief"
"This is mine dear, I'm in an apprenticeship"
"What apprenticeship are you doing?"
"Carpentry"
I sit up properly and he puts the bed up behind my back.
"Two more weeks until you're full term"
"I've made it this far with twins?"
"Yes, is that not supposed to happen?"
"It's not common"
He soon begins explaining all that happened from the second he became conscious and how my mother found us due to my powers being used and how I saved them and rejuvenated them and blah blah you get the point.
I don't dare to ask about they bodies and I don't think those questions will ever be asked, the image of their grey bloated yet scrawny corpses will forever haunt me.
"Andrea and Ginny are inseparable now"
"I'm not suprised"

"Chloe you didn't have to"
"Shush luci you deserve a nice house trust me I know how much work twins are"
She hands me the keys to the house that she bought Thomas and I.
Thomas is working so it's just me , let's be honest she intended for it to be like that.
I open the door and waddle my way around the house thankful for my belly band.
The place is fully furnished with appliances and all.
I don't even want to attempt going upstairs at the moment.
"Chloe this is too much"
"Darling you've lived your whole life in an apartment you deserve this"