The Swan in the Water

Chapter Thirteen

Another month has passed and the final remnants of winter slowly disappear. The pale frozen white ground was replaced by a soft green landscape. As spring began to make the estate be more colorful, the same happened for Aunt Darcy's clothes. Dark roses, deep plums, and forest greens trimmed in black were the colors that Aunt Darcy's wardrobe often fell upon, completed with her signature black veil. Liana, however, never once left the deepest jet, still in deep mourning for her parents.

"More tea, Madame?" Aunt Darcy sat in her library, enjoying a glass of tea and a book.

"Yes, please." Aunt Darcy then thought about what Liana had said the month before. She had always known that Charles loved her but she could never figure out why. It was obvious that no man in her thirty-four years of living had truly loved her so why him? She never particularly found herself beautiful and she was too sharp for her own good. Perhaps what he was after is her fortune? No, he already knows that it's quickly dwindling. What could it be?

"Madame?" Pulled out of her thoughts, Aunt Darcy looked up to Charles.

"Yes, Charles?"

"I was just wandering if something was the matter," Charles explained. "You were looking at me with a distraught expression. Is there something wrong with the tea?" Aunt Darcy shook her head.

"No, your tea is as perfect as always," Aunt Darcy said with a smile, "I was just thinking."

"What about?" Charles asked. Aunt Darcy sipped her tea.

"Nothing really," she sighed, "just some thoughts." Charles nodded and went back to arranging Aunt Darcy's finished books back on the shelves.

Meanwhile, Liana was taking a stroll around the beach of the lake, staring at glistening surface.

"What do you see?" She heard a whisper.

"I don't know," Liana answered. "What do you want me to see?" Anaille's image replaced Liana's reflection and she sighed.

"You're thinking of something," Anaille pointed out. "What is it?" Liana stopped then sat on the beach to look at Anaille in the water.

"How can I live with Aunt Darcy knowing the pain she caused my mother?" Anaille rolled her eyes.

"You've been doing just fine for a month," Anaille shrugged. "Besides, what she did was not even that bad..."

"Not even that bad?" Liana repeated, jumping up from the ground. "Do you not understand that my aunt tried to stop my dad from marrying my mom?"

"I believe you just jump to conclusions far too quickly," Anaille sighed. "Are you feeling homesick yet?" Liana scoffed.

"That implies that I had stopped." She sighed, "What am I to do?"

"If you want to see your parents, I can always send you back," Anaille suggested. Liana shook her head.

"I meant here. I am complete disgusted by Aunt Darcy and I think she noticed." Anaille rose as eyebrow.

"Think?" Anaille laughed, "Dear, she's always known you had something against her. Your aunt is extremely intelligent, just not intelligent enough to figure it out why." Liana hummed in agreement.

"I guess you're right."

"Of course," Anaille said with a smirk.

"Anaille, if you don't mind me asking," Liana started, "how did you die?" Anaille's smirk changed to a frown then a deep scowl.

"I do mind," Anaille said in annoyed tone. "It doesn't affect anything involving you so it doesn't matter."

"Sorry," Liana apologized. Anaille rolled her eyes.