Sebastian Bear (complete)

FORTY-FIVE

FORTY-FIVE

Madeline froze in the embrace of the Mother, her mother. She could feel the warmth radiate through her arms, the gentle shake of her tears. She even smelled like she remembered, warm vanilla peaches. She was hugging her so tight. Madeline could feel the sincerity but there was something else there as well, something cold and harsh like a knife against her throat.

"Look at how beautiful you are," Emilia had pulled away far enough to study her daughters face between a set of cool manicured hands. Madeline kept silent, looking over at close range the slope of her mother's nose, the tears that danced along the rims of her startling blue eyes. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to say to her after all this time.

"You have my nose and my lips I think," Emilia mused pleasantly. "You got those gray eyes from your father and the hair too but it works nicely for you doesn't it. He was-"

"Was what?" Madeline felt a feral protectiveness rush through her at the mention of her father. He had stuck around. He had been there when Emilia had left and how dare that woman even think to speak of him.

"He was a handsome man," Emilia answered carefully. She pulled Madeline in quite quickly for one more hug before taking her hand and dragging her toward the two chairs before the fire. She shooed away the older Brother with a swipe of her hand. Madeline glanced back at his neutral reaction. He obeyed, turning toward the door and disappearing just as silently as they'd arrived.

"How do you like your tea?" Emilia asked. She was pouring a yellow looking batch into dainty white teacups with silver mouths.

"I don't drink tea, Madeline answered honestly. Emilia paused with her pouring, a silent range of emotions playing over her bright red lips before a pleasing laugh fell from her mouth. She took her own cup and sat down across from her daughter, a soft fondness evident in her eyes.

"I just knew we would be reunited," Emilia sighed happily. "I've been waiting for you."

"We were reunited because you hunted me down and dragged me from my... you took me without consent."

"Oh dearest," Emilia started. "They weren't rough with you were they? I told them to use the utmost gentility with my baby. I'll have their heads."

"No," Madeline sighed. "They weren't too rough with me but you could've just asked."

"I don't ask for things, Madeline." Emilia took a dainty sip from her lonely cup. "I take."

Madeline stayed silent. She could see the quiet dare that lived inside her mother's stare. There was something sinister there that almost begged for an argument. She wondered if her mother wanted to show her how powerful she'd become. She had always been that type, even in the good moments they'd shared Madeline remembered her mother's giggling provocations over a game of hide and seek. The defiance was still there masked in fine fabric and perfect makeup.

"Do you like your dress?" Emilia asked. The conversation had turned frivolous in a matter of seconds. There were so many more important questions to be answered but the look on Emilia's face spoke volumes. She wanted to dive back into being Madeline's mother. She wanted to talk about clothes and laugh about silly things.

Madeline glanced down at the fabric covering her bodice. It was lower than anything she'd ever voluntarily put on. She shrugged, eyes as dull as she could muster. "It's tight," she finally responded.

"Are you barefoot?" Emilia made a face at the stocking peaking from the bottom of Madeline's skirts.

"Yes," she nodded. "I lost my shoes when I was trying to escape."