Chapter 22 – Staring into the Void.
Callie hugged the pillow and stared at the wall. It was passable. A pale green with a mosaic of identical leaves. It was chipped in a few spots, around the window sill and down by the skirting, though it looked as though someone had attempted to cover up the damage at some point. Probably to avoid getting in trouble with their parents. The building wasn’t that old, and yet it also showed some age, like it had been deliberately made that way. But so had her family’s estate.
The pain came back quick and fast, Callie squeezing her eyes shut and rolling over on the bed, into Uriah’s waiting arms as he wrapped them around her and pulled her closer. Uriah, her strength. Her lover. Her husband. But he was hurting as much as she was, the pain evident and clear even with his silence as he just sat there with her. That had been their life, their home, made together, and shared. They’d been living there as partners for seven years, even if they had never openly admitted the depth of the relationship at the time. And now it was all gone.
They were in a guest room in the Morestone estate, while Felicia was with Julia in her own room. After they had been to what had been their apartment, Julia had all but dragged them to her own home, marching in through the front door and declaring to the first servant that she’d spotted that she had guests that would be staying. No questions had been asked, and Julia had not said anything more to the servants. Julia had said that they could stay here as long as needed, but they all knew that it could only be for a night or two. Callie’s parents would find out, if they hadn’t already, and even though Julia was meant to be her fiancee, pressure would be applied to the Morestone’s to get them to leave, trying to force Callie back to her parents home.
The family estate was her parents home, not hers. It was just another cage, a chain to bind and wrap around her as they tried to wrest control of her life from her, back into their hands. There was no way in hell she was going to let that happen, but she had no idea what she was going to do about that. She felt lost and empty, a part of her gone. No home, no resources. And the force in the background that wanted to tear her and Uriah apart. She was at their mercy again, and she hated it.
The shower had helped, Callie having spent far too much time just standing under the flow of the water and wishing that it could wash all the pain and troubles away, and the food that had been brought up had been passable. Better than the rations, but it wasn’t home-made by her, and it just reinforced what had been done. Then they’d sat there, in silence, time passing them by.
‘The talk didn’t go well.’ Callie nodded, only half listening to Felicia’s words. ‘It looks like your mother had already planned for this outcome. They aren’t happy at all that Uriah is here. Not so much you, given the engagement, but they’ve made it clear that it’s to be one night only. It might quickly get messy though. They haven’t explicitly stated it, but I suspect that measures may be used to get you two to leave. Even though Julia has emphasised the point that she wants you both to stay here until things are sorted. She’s losing on that one. And... there was a lot of shouting. Julia wouldn’t let them misgender or deadname you, and it’s causing problems. Especially when she pointed out that you two are all but married, Eustance confirming that it’s more than just talk, and that Riddling eluded to that. That of course brought up more issues around the engagement, with Julia just declaring that she is still going to have a relationship with you, just on her own terms and not theirs. That... didn’t go down well. I’m still surprised that she managed to keep everything in, and didn’t let slip any of her changes at all.’
‘How is she?’ Callie thought back. Even with the brokenness that she was currently struggling with, she still cared about Julia.
‘Honestly? Not good. She’s taking what was done to you rather personally, and her parents reaction, while expected, hasn’t helped. She’s raging internally. That new part of her, it’s strong, and I suspect that she’s going to need to feed again soon.’
‘Oh.’ She wasn’t sure what else she could say or do to help right now.
‘Cuddling seems to be helping though,’ Felicia added with a smug tone.
Callie had to smile at that, even if it was fleeting. It really did help. She shifted and looked at Uriah. He wasn’t hiding his feelings at all. “How are you coping?” she asked, wanting to say something.
“About the same as you,” he replied, pulling her closer. “I’m allowed to hate your parents right?”
“Yes,” she instantly answered. Short, sharp, and true. And then sighed. “What are we going to do Uri? What can we do?”
Uriah leaned his head against the wall, staring up. “I... don’t know. They won’t listen, reason or compromise. They want me gone, and your father has shown what lengths he will go to.” Uriah shuddered again, a flash of pain and fear through the bond.
He was right too. Even if she met their demands, they weren’t going to get their home back. It was gone. Their money, who knew, but there was no way that she was going to pay that cost. She would take what they were going through over losing Uriah and the relationship they had, and the truth of who she was. She would never be a man again. Fraser had never truly existed. He had just been a mask that she’d been forced to wear. Nor would she even pretend. She had standards, even if the cost was going to be more than what they could handle.
But, she probably had to try. She really didn’t want to, the fear settling in at even the thought, but she knew that in the end she had to. To talk to her parents. It would likely go worse than what had happened for Julia, but if she didn’t, then there would always be that little bit of doubt. It wouldn’t help solve what they were going to do moving forward, but it was something.
Callie leaned up and gave Uriah a kiss, and then snuggled back into him. At least this was nice. “We’ll go talk to them tomorrow, and take it from there. Whatever hell we end up walking into.”
“Together.”
“Together,” she agreed.
Callie stood at the gate to her family’s estate, and stared in. She couldn’t deny the beauty, the manicured gardens and lawn, the riot of colours that would change every season, and the building that was an artful mesh of modern and traditional styles. But it was a mask, hiding the reality of what lay within.
“He can’t come in,” the guard tried again, standing there in front of them, arms crossing his chest.
“He is coming in,” Callie reiterated. “Do you think that you’d even be capable of stopping him?” Yes, she was going to play on Uriah’s known prowess.
“It is your parents’ orders.” Yes, he’d said that too. They’d already been over this. And the fact that he was there in the first place.
“Look, does it look like I care about their orders?” Callie finally looked back at the guard. “We’ve always been together, and it isn’t changing today. You either move, or you can summon them out here.” Actually, she might prefer that. Not having to set foot in the house would definitely be a big plus.
The guard looked conflicted, giving her a look before he finally sighed and stepped away from the gate. “They are both here. I’ll send a message through that you are coming in, and that I couldn’t stop him from accompanying you.”
“Thanks,” Callie uttered, walking straight past him, Uriah at her side. Her confident strides were all but a show, the reality of what she was about to do clawing away at her. The last time she’d been here she had ended up screaming at them as she’d left the room, and then had broken down in the shower afterwards. It seemed both so far in the past and so very much recent, and while it had been just a week ago, so much had happened since then. So much had changed. She wasn’t who she had been then, even if they refused to accept that.
This place was no longer home. Not for the last seven years, but nor had it ever been. It was where she had been raised, but even then it had felt more like a prison than a place of respite. She had been so eager to leave, overjoyed when she had finally been allowed to do so. But now that had been taken away. And she wanted it back. Even if that was a vain hope.
Her parents were both in her father’s study, one of the servants waiting for them at the front door and walking them there. That irritated her, as she was well aware of where everything was, she had lived here for over a decade after all, but she just held her tongue and followed. The study was nothing special, dominated by a large desk in the middle at which her mother currently sat, a cabinet at one side with medals proudly displayed, the walls otherwise covered in various maps. A smaller table and a couple of chairs sat off to one side, the single large window mostly obscured by her father as he stood there beside it, hands held behind his back. Both of them scowled at her and Uriah as they entered.
Callie stopped and stood just inside the door, not wanting to go any further, Uriah there beside her. He was tense, on edge, his eyes squarely on her father. The fear had become even more real, hatred starting to smoulder inside of her.
Her mother was the first to speak, her look dismissive. “Go get changed, Fraser. Those clothes are unacceptable. Your little friend can leave.”
“No.” Callie said it clearly and with determination. “I will not. This is who I am, mother. I am Callie. I am a girl, and your daughter.” Though to be honest, right now, if she could completely cut their blood ties, she happily would. “And Uriah will be staying at my side.”
If looks could kill, then she would have died on the spot. Her mother positively glared at her, her face a mask of rage. “You are a boy, Fraser. You were born a male, a male you are, and nothing can change that.”
Callie would have laughed if she wasn’t staring at her mother in disbelief. They all had magic, the world had changed so much, and yet that is what she had chosen to say? “How I was when I was born, how my body looks, has nothing to do with my gender, mother. I am a girl, and my name is Callie. It is as simple as that.” Not to mention that her body was in fact changing. Smoother skin, rounder features and a more shapely figure. Hell, she even had breasts now, albeit small ones, but they were developing. And she knew for a fact that her magic would take her the full way, just not how long that process would take. It was something that she was more than a little grateful for. Not that she was going to point that out to her mother. It should be obvious, just looking at her.
“You are our son. You will do as you're told.” Her mother’s voice was cold and commanding now. “Go and get changed. You look hideous like that.”
Callie flinched, her magic starting to stir in protest. That stung. She growled, and took a deep breath. Her father was still standing there, not having said a word at all yet, but she was not liking the look in his eyes at all. She did not trust him even a little. Not any more. “I did not come here to argue my gender with you. It is clear that you do not accept me as I am, even if Riddling, sorry, E’iures, all but confirmed it, along with the validity of my marriage to Uriah. I’m sure that father has already told you of that.”
That got a reaction from her mother, but she didn’t pause, not giving her mother time to cut in. “I want our life back, our independence. All that you have decided to callously strip away. I am not a child. I am an adult. I am not beholden to you, nor I do not belong to you. Not any more.”
“No, Fraser.” Her mother’s answer was quick and blunt. “You are, and forever will be, a part of this family. Even after your marriage to Julia. You will do as you’re told, and since you will not listen...”
“Then I guess this conversation is over.” She’d had enough. It was getting them nowhere, as she’d already known. At least she hadn’t started shouting yet. There was no love here. There never had been. “Let me tell you this though, since I doubt that I’ll be able to stand in the same room as either of you long enough to ever tell you what really happened when Alyther attacked us. I lost my magic, because I was denying who I truly was. I gained it back when I accepted myself. I am not the child that you thought you knew.” She let her magic surge, lancing out from her and over her. Turning, she reached up and kissed Uriah. A final display of who she was. “I am Callie, and I am Uriah’s wife.” Then she was out the door and storming down the hall as fast as she could go, Uriah racing to catch up with her. She could hear her father yelling after her to go back, but she just ignored him. She was never going to set foot inside the estate ever again.
She managed to keep it in till they had left the estate, the walls of confidence and hope crashing down around her. She found the closest park bench that was out of sight of the estate, of which there were plenty, sat, and broke down, her sobs deep, the hot tears stinging her face as she let her magic scour the ground around her, vivid black lines in chaotic patterns surrounding them. Uriah sat down beside her, wrapping his arms around her, her magic knowing well enough not to touch or harm him.
“We’ll make it through this. Somehow.” Uriah gave her head a kiss as she leaned into him, her tears staining his t-shirt. He was just as lost as she was.
“How? What can we even do now?” That she managed to even form coherent words was a miracle.
“I don’t know, Callie. I don’t know. Their control is too far reaching. Perhaps we never should have returned?” Uriah sighed. There was regret there, regret that she shared. Boarding the helicopters may well have been a mistake. But it was done now. They were here. The evil side of being a foundling, of being their child, rearing its head. The net, the chains, still wrapped around them.
‘I know that the timing is really bad, but we have an... issue.’ Felicia’s tone was implying a lot more than that though.
‘A Riddling issue?’ Callie hazarded back.
‘Yes. He turned up straight after you left, before we even had a chance to leave. He talked to her parents for less than ten minutes, and when they re-emerged, they looked so defeated that it was almost heartbreaking. We should have snuck out while they were occupied, but she was curious. And... whatever they’d discussed, it involved her, because we all but got dragged off into the heart of the facility. And now he wants the two of you here as well...’
Callie straightened, trying and failing to wipe the tears from her face. The day wasn’t getting any better. ‘We’re on our way.’
‘He says that he has an offer for you, about what your parents have done. But, I’m scared, Callie. He knows, about me, about us. He specifically asked me to summon you. And this place, it’s covered in arrays. He’s up to something, and it’s not small...”
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a male you are, and nothing can change that.
She has *literal magic powers*, and they are already transforming her body to match her soul. What an asshole.
yup. Refusing to believe what is in front of them.
just another example of how bad they are.
Aaaaaaaa I'm so so so worried about that Riddling is planning
It can't be anything good I'm sure.
And... the next chapter is also now out ^^
They can't catch a break
Nope. It seems like there is always something going on.
but, perhaps...
@mogust oh? I can't wait to read it!
@marter heehee
and for random reference, I'm working on chapter 32 at the moment.
@mogust