Her Fallen Crown

HFC | Chapter XVII

Chapter XVII | Family Ties Pt. 1

Music blared throughout the earbuds as Phaedra ran on the treadmill. The scientist recorded the activity in their notes to note any differences. The more powerful she'd become the more dangerous. It was a test of many she became custom too. Fighting them always backfired but she never gave up on escaping. No matter how long it took. The speed of the treadmill is heightened which caused her to speed up. She studied the room and took a mental note of security's positions at the exits. She zoned out, and plotted her escape as she stared at the first exit she seen.

The thought of breaking through the glass and attacking the scientist caused her heart to race. Fighting and dodging her way to a clear path as blood flew from opposite directions fueled her. The head doctor watched closely as the brain activity bar rose. She knew Phaedra was focused on something more than running. She nodded to the left of her where the scientist pressed the sleep gas button. Phaedra continued to run on the treadmill. It wasn't long before she fainted and fell to side of the equipment. Once the smoke cleared, the doctor sent in a guard to get her from the enclosed room. The guard carried her to her assigned room and secured the door once he left.

Phaedra fluttered her eyes open seeing she's in the home of which her father owned. After wiping the sleep out of her eyes, she sits up and sees the other side of the bed is empty. Something she wasn't use too considering with her new living arrangement. Hearing the tea kettle whistle, she reads the time on the clock that reads six o'clock in the morning. She gets out of the bed and grabs her robe off the chair in the corner of the room. Across the hall, Corrin is sleep and wrapped in the comforter like a cocoon. Phaedra missed that piece of mind with sleeping without a care in the world. It's been a long time since she had that absent thought, preferably before taking over her father's lifestyle.

"Couldn't sleep?" Phaedra questions while entering the kitchen.

"Nah and I'm usually up around this time anyway." Dro says, pouring the hot water in a mug of his choice. Phaedra watched as he sat the kettle back on the stove.

"True." She sighs and has a seat at the table.

"I figured you be up soon as well seeing how you were tossing and turning. You want a cup?" He says while grabbing another mug.

"What is it?" She questions while nearing the table.

"Some herbal tea. My mom use to make it for us every morning to get our day started. Especially if we couldn't sleep the night before." He explains, extending a glass towards her as he has a seat across from her. She thanks him and wraps her cold fingers around the warm glass. The smell of mint and jasmine tickles her nose hairs as she lifts the mug to her lips. After a few blows, she takes a sip and feels the warmth and love in the beverage. Dro watched as she closed her eyes to live in moment. He couldn't help but laugh because he remembers the fist cup he had.

"You drugged me huh." Phaedra squints playfully causing Dro to hold his laughter by covering his mouth. He didn't want to wake Corrin or his brother although they needed to get up soon.

"No, I didn't drug you. The weed remedy wouldn't harm you, but it would make you drowsy. We all need to be alert." He says and she nods while taking a few sips.

"I wouldn't be mad if you put a little THC in it. Maybe next time when all this nonsense is over with." She says, sitting the cup down on the table. Dro knows she's stressed about it all. The day he arrived at her front door a few days after she left, stressed her out even more. Once she calmed down, they talked things out. It was clear Dro wasn't going to let her go through this alone. Neither was Adea nor Spriggs. Phaedra gained an extended family which she wasn't expecting. The Rogue family took her in along with the problems she came with. Many times she's tried to distance herself but the three siblings weren't letting that happen.