"They're not letting up," Scarlett whispered, horrified, as yet another patrol scanned the streets for the fugitives. Bethany nodded grim agreement.
"They don't want you getting off the planet and finding refuge like your mother did," the older woman said. "She got out only by the quick thinking of your legal grandmother, but it was a near thing, and even now, Arjun's still determined to get his hands on her again. Since she's not in reach, though, he's settled on you and your son." She sighed and gently stroked Winter's hair. "And as you say, they're not letting up. They don't care too much about the child, but you're too valuable to let go, according to the council, but it seems if they can't have you..."
"... then no one will," Scarlett finished, rising. "Let's get back to my house. Mom should still be there."
"Are you sure that's a wise idea?" Bethany asked, concerned.
"Her mother gave her life to save mine," Scarlett told her sternly. "The least I can do is repay the favour to the woman who raised me her whole life to be everything my father didn't want me to be, despite his best efforts."
To that, Bethany had no answer, and she nodded acquiesence.
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Getting to Saanvi's house proved almost as difficult as getting to the station, but Scarlett and Bethany managed it, and Saanvi almost collapsed in relief when she saw them coming through the back door. "I've been worrying myself into a near coma," she confessed, once they were seated at the table, cups of tea in front of them. Winter chose this moment to wake, and Scarlett glanced anxiously at Bethany.
"You've still got milk," the older woman advised her. "Just try it and see."
To Scarlett's relief, the nurse was right, and as Winter ate, she then informed her mother of what had happened at the hospital. By the time she'd finished, Saanvi was in tears. "My mother was alive?" she whispered, stunned.
Scarlett nodded. "I guess you were told she'd died," she said.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kVVrOYZ9g
"Yes," Saanvi admitted. "But only after questioning Chika until I was blue in the face. She wouldn't give me a straight answer, but I suspected I was being lied to. Chika would never confirm it for me, of course, so it still comes as a bit of a shock." She took a deep breath. "At least the staff weren't the hidebound, crotchety bitches I thought they were."
Bethany gave her a tight smile. "No offence taken," she said. "Of course, the truth has come out now, but we all hated being forced to be harridans in order to keep the council off our backs. I'm glad the subterfuge is ended, but it still sticks in my craw all the same we had to do it in the first place to avoid suspicion!" She sighed. "But that doesn't make our case any easier. Scarlett insisted we come to you to repay the favour when Heather sacrificed herself, but I don't see the good it's going to do."
Saanvi sighed. "I can't go with you," she told the other women. "Arjun has laid a geas on me that will kill me from the inside out if I flee with you. It's his way of making sure I never muster up the courage to leave, and he has me over a barrel."
"Is there no way of breaking it?" Scarlett demanded, her hands gentle as she burped Winter, who soon went back to sleep, and she kissed his hair as she waited for her mother's answer.
"I've tried, and almost died for my troubles," Saanvi said, smiling sadly at the girl she'd raised so faithfully ever since that same girl as a baby had been entrusted to her care. "I'm glad you wanted to try and repay the favour my mother did for you, but there is literally nothing I can do. I can't even go to the station without starting to feel ill; Arjun's amplified it in any case. If I step foot outside of the house, I'll die."
Scarlett swore. "We're being blocked at every turn," she said crossly.
Saanvi reached across the table and took her hand. "At least you have your son," she said, but whatever she'd been about to add was interrupted when a shadow darkened the door, and the blood drained her face as horror filled her eyes. Scarlett and Bethany turned, and they too went pale when they saw Arjun standing in the doorway. Worse, his hands were curled around an invisible sphere, and Scarlett felt herself go paler, if that were possible. "I see you've all gathered yourselves in one place," Arjun said urbanely, his even tone at odds with the fury burning in his eyes. "That was an incredibly foolish move on your part, and one that will cost you dearly."
Scarlett rose, her heart hammering as she looked at her son. Winter slept peacefully, but Scarlett could feel the subtle tension in his body, and her eyes filled with tears as she made a difficult decision. "Let my mother and son go free," she said evenly. "I'll stay here, and you can do with me as you will. I won't oppose you in any way; you can bind me with all the geases you want to ensure I stay in line. I'll comply with every demand of yours without complaint. Just let my mother and son go free, and I'll submit to your will."
Arjun studied her, smirking as Saanvi and Bethany went pale. "I don't see why I should," he said. "Unless, of course, your mother swears an oath to never seek to oppose me once she's left Pandora. That includes consorting with known criminals on the other side of the galaxy. She can go wherever she wishes, but she's expressly forbidden to go wherever my enemies are gathered. I'll let her go free of the death spell, but I will put a spell on her to cause the same effects if she does not swear to me here and now she'll stay far away from those who've turned their backs on my generosity."
Saanvi rose. "I'll do as you wish," she said steadily. "I swear to you on my life and that of my grandson, that I will stay far away from any gathering of known criminals. Just so long as I am free to go wherever I wish."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9omf1raPIq
"I almost believe you," Arjun said conversationally. He let his isolation bubble go and snapped his fingers, causing Saanvi to flinch. "That will prevent you from ever talking about what has transpired here," he said, a cruel smile curving his lips. "If you do, you'll die from the inside out, very slowly and very painfully. The same goes for your grandson--"
"You leave my son out of this," Scarlett snapped. "He's innocent, and I won't have you controlling his fate."
Arjun glared at her. "He is still my grandson," he said coldly. "If I wish to bind him the same way as I bound Saanvi, then I will, and be damned to what any weakling thinks! Be thankful I do not alter his memories so he has no recollection of you at all; the boy does deserve to know of his mother, even if she's painted as an ungrateful brat who still doesn't know how to submit unless whipped!"
"That's enough!" Saanvi said angrily. "Arjun, just accept the fact that you've lost. Lay on me all the geases you want to stop me from speaking the truth, but leave my grandson out of this."
"If you're that desperate to get what you want from him, I'll consent to him being sent back here when he's old enough," Scarlett added, hating the thought of abandoning her son to his grandfather's wiles, but confident enough he would prove a handful should he be forced into a path not meant for him. "And good luck to you - I hope you choke on it!"
"Quiet!" Arjun roared, glaring at her. "Or I swear to you I'll kill him here and now! I am only agreeing to this to make Saanvi happy, since she also does not know a good thing when she sees it!"
"Considering your good thing was years of abuse and gaslighting, I'll pass," Saanvi said dryly. "Just let it go. Curse me all you want and have done with it, but leave Winter alone."
Arjun swore. "Fine," he said angrily. He snapped his fingers again, and Saanvi flinched. "Just to ensure you never set a toe out of line again," he said, smirking depsite the rage in his eyes. "The moment you leave the confines of this house, all of your memories of what has transpired here will vanish. All you'll know is that I tried to kill Winter, but Scarlett took the blow in his stead, and you were forced to flee. You will not recall anything about the filthly lies you've been told, and should anyone question you, you will tell them what has 'transpired' here. Be thankful that is as far as I am going to go; I can go much farther if you want." His smirk turned cruel. "And just for the record, no magic on earth, not even that of the vaunted high queen of the elves, will be able to break this curse."
"I hate you," Saanvi said baldly, as she took Winter from his mother's arms. "Be thankful that is as far as I am going to go; otherwise I'd shoot you like the rabid dog you are."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfBqnci2LU
Scarlett couldn't help but smirk as Arjun looked momentarily uncomfortable, but soon her smugness was replaced by pain as she bid a tender farewell to her mother and son, with Bethany guarding her back so Arjun couldn't interfere. "I know you'll be able to break the curse," she whispered to her mother. "Arjun is not as powerful as he claims, and Winter's inherent nature as a night elf is far stronger than even the most powerful sun elf known to Pandoran kind."
Saanvi kissed her on the cheek. "I'm counting on it," she whispered back.
Arjun grunted impatiently, and Scarlett took a deep breath as she stepped back. "Be safe," she said aloud. "Look after my son, and tell him all about his mother, and how she risked her life to save his."
"You can count on that," Saanvi said, smiling through her tears. Bethany guided grandmother and grandson upstairs so Saanvi could pack, while Scarlett faced her father, steeling herself for the nightmare to come. Arjun, however, made no move and said nothing, and it was only after Bethany, Saanvi and Winter had left that he stirred, giving his daughter a stern look that sent a shiver down her spine. Yet somehow, she sensed something different about that look, but right at that moment, she was too frightened to puzzle it out. 74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxpZ0yQ2ze
Arjun soon relieved her of her confusion. "Thank you," he said.
Scarlett blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I said thank you," Arjun repeated, slightly impatient. He sat, gesturing for his daughter to do the same. "I've many things to explain to you, and precious little time in which to do so. You're going to hate me for a very long time, and I don't blame you. But like your legal grandmother, I had to do things the way I did them because I was - and am still - being watched."
"You're not making sense," Scarlett protested, as she sat down across from her father. "But fine. Talk till you're blue in the face, but unless you've got a very complelling argument, I don't have a lot of room for forgiveness."74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTsvT1q91j
Arjun smiled thinly. "I don't blame you," he said, "but I promise, it will all make sense. I'll make us some tea, and then we'll talk."
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