forgotten

[mute_pen]

It's past dark, but when you need the outhouse, you need the outhouse.

Isabel picks her way across the yard of her father's house in the moonlight, hoping to sneak back into bed without waking him.

Comments

[growcrooked]

She blinks and sniffs and looks at Etty.

"Oh," she says, her voice wavering. "You must be the new one."

[mute_pen]

"...I guess."

[growcrooked]

The girl wipes her face distractedly with one hand and swings her legs over the edge of the bed, not particularly bothered that her sheet cocoon is gradually sliding off.

"Did he bring you just now?"

[mute_pen]

"Tonight. I don't know how many minutes. I walked around the lake first."

[growcrooked]

She nods.

"Why'd you come up here?"

[mute_pen]

"I was - exploring - and I heard you."

[growcrooked]

"Nobody else ever did that."

[mute_pen]

"They can't have all been so - despairing as to not even look for tools to get away in the obvious places. Can they? Whatever they are now." A shudder of fear goes through her. "Will that happen to me?"

[growcrooked]

"It takes years," says the stranger. "Years and years. I don't know how many. And then when you're too far gone he'll find another one."

[mute_pen]

"What are we for?"

And -

"They all look my age."

[growcrooked]

"So do I," she snorts. "It doesn't mean anything. You're for the Baron. I don't know what he does with you; I've never looked."

[mute_pen]

"Who are you, why are you here?"

[growcrooked]

"The Baron is my father."

[mute_pen]

"Oh."

[growcrooked]

"I hate him," she adds. "I want to kill him. But we're both immortal, as long as there's a flock..."

[mute_pen]

"He told me how to break the curse, for some reason, but even if I assume he's telling the truth..."

[growcrooked]

"Of course he did. He's not going to let you do it. The last time a man fell in love with Odette, he wrapped me in spells and made me go seduce him."

[mute_pen]

"And now I suppose he's made it even harder to. Meet people, than it was then," murmrs Etty. "- Don't call me Odette. I can't remember what it should be instead, but. Etty."

[growcrooked]

"Don't call me Odile," says the girl, smiling crookedly. "But I can't think of anything I like better."

[mute_pen]

"...Do you want me to think of something?"

[growcrooked]

"If you want," she shrugs.

[mute_pen]

"I'll think about it," Etty says. "...Is it safe for me to be here? Do you ever come out to the lake?"

[growcrooked]

"I've never done it before. I don't know what he'll do if he finds you here. Probably not anything you'll like."

[mute_pen]

"That would be in keeping with the trend. Does he come to this room much?"

[growcrooked]

"Plenty."