Reborn From the Cosmos

Arc 8-18 (Marcella)

Marcella didn’t have many hobbies as a girl. She couldn’t afford them. Her father’s many mistresses were nothing to him, means to an end or pretty decorations to hang off his arms. But they accepted the marquis' selfishness because they were playing for the future; he would never share much of himself or his business with them, but when he inevitably retired, one of their children would inherit his vast empire and it was enough gold to make sure their bloodlines thrived for a half dozen generations.

But only one child would inherit, and it wouldn’t be based on the nebulous traditions of the kingdom. The marquis made it clear that only the best deserved to take over from him. The smartest, the bravest, and the brightest as well as the sharpest, the trickiest, and the most decisive. Maximillian was a legend and only a legend was fit to succeed him.

So, Marcella’s mother had pushed her. From sunrise to sunset, she attended lesson after lesson, revision after revision. For the first twelve years of her life, her world was the walls of the Guiness estate in Summer Spire. The furthest she traveled from it were the rare hours she was allowed to walk the garden, as being sickly would slow her progress.

Given her lack of options, she found stimulation wherever she could find it. As laughter was frowned on, she could only find amusement in suffering. Before she recognized her affinity for people for what it was, she found joy in making people squirm, in wielding that small amount of power. Indulging in cruelty, when she was too young to truly understand what cruelty was.

It was only after her mother lost interest in her, abandoning her for her younger brother that performed much better academically, that she had the freedom to socialize and realized the shallowness of the joy that came from inflicting pain. She quickly found much better hobbies. Yet, a part of her still enjoyed making others squirm. Enjoyed reaching into them, metaphorically, and making them dance like holding the strings of a marionette.

She felt those urges rising as she sat at a table with the lady pirate that had been the center of the fuss and her sister, both women taking great pains to ignore each other despite their proximity. The sheer ease of poking at their discomfort made it an incredible temptation and Marcella had never been good at denying herself.

She pondered the source of their tension as she sipped her drink. She dismissed it being tension within the group. The other pirates seemed far more relaxed, paying their table no mind once servers had placed warm food and cold beer before them. No, whatever was bothering them was personal. That narrowed it down to a few things.

It couldn’t be something negative. The scene earlier had shown that the lady pirate had no control of herself. If she disliked Maxine, it would be very evident. So, something that would make both women uncomfortable with each other’s presence but didn’t destroy their relationship. They had some rapport if Maxine could exert influence over the temperamental woman. More telling, when they could have chosen to sit anywhere in the dining room, they’d chosen to sit together.

Servers arrived with trays laden with pastries for dessert. When one was placed on the table, both women reached for it. Their hands brushed and it caused quite a reaction in both; Maxine yanked her hand back like she’d been stung while the pirate’s hand remained where it was, the woman frowning heavily.

Marcella almost couldn’t believe her eyes. She recognized that particular brand of disappointed longing and awkward interactions. The truth was practically written on their foreheads, but it was so incredible, Marcella was doubting what her senses were screaming at her. She had to confirm it.

“So, Maxie~ Did your business trip bear fruit or did you call it quits after finding yourself a girlfriend?”

The effect of her words was devastating. The pirate straightened up as if someone had replaced her spine with a rod of iron, her strange eyes wide with emotion and her jaw dropped. Beside her, Maxine winced. It wasn’t just her expression, it was a whole-body gesture, a kind of crumpling, as if someone had placed a burden on her shoulders and she was folding under it.

“Please don’t,” her sister begged, knowing her far too well.

Marcella almost ignored the plea. It would be so…delicious. But she wasn’t that person. She wasn’t cold. She wasn’t her father. Marcella would dominate the world but she would do so with irresistible warmth and charm. That meant her teasing would only be good-natured and there was far too much tension for anything good to come from poking at it.

“I am still waiting for a proper introduction, if you wouldn’t mind sharing.”

“Ah don’t wanna land witch havin’ my name,” the pirate woman grumbled. Marcella didn’t have a clue what it meant but she wasn’t sure it was an insult. There was fear in those words, which was utterly ridiculous. There was nothing scary about Marcella.

“Stop it. She’s not a witch. Well, not the kind of witch you’re thinking of.”

“Ouch, little sister. I thought we were playing nice?”

Maxine sighed. “I didn’t particularly mean it as an insult, just a frank evaluation of your character. Witches aren’t all hags and curses. I was defending you.”

“The witches of the shore must be something terrible if that’s you defending me.”

“They are. But introductions. Marcella, this is Reynela. She escorted me back to the city and is…a friend.” The way she said friend suggested someone was holding a knife to her throat. “Rey, this is my older sister, Marcella Guiness.”

And just like that, Rey’s distrust faded. “Oh! Just fancy-pants stuff. Though are ya sure yer related?” she asked while grabbing one of the pastries. “Ya don’t really take after one ‘nother.”

She took a generous bite before immediately spitting it out. If Marcella wasn’t well acquainted with the skill of her chefs, she would have thought that the other woman had bitten into baked garbage.

Without even a furrowed brow, Maxine grabbed a napkin and cleaned up the mess, taking the rest of the pastry from Rey’s hand. “Normal people prefer a sweet filling.”

“Bleh. I don’t see why. Makes my teeth tingle and squirm.”

“Most people’s teeth don’t move. Stay away from desserts, for your own sake. Wait a minute.” She waved down a server and asked them to deliver dried meat, the kind used in rations. “There, snacks are coming so be patient.”

“Hmph.”

It was subtle but Maxine let out a sigh of relief before facing Marcella. “I apologize for the trouble. Forgive me for jumping into business so soon but there’s no time to waste. I won’t be staying in the city for long.”

“You shouldn’t push yourself too hard.”

Gray eyes narrowed at her concern. “I’m fine.”

She certainly was if she still had it in her to be competitive. Marcella didn’t intend to sound condescending, but she knew there was no other way for her sister to take her concern. “Then? What brings you back to the city?”

“The only thing that involves you is a place to sleep.”

“Oh? So you’re not involving me in your little business?”

“You’ve got enough business to handle. I assume you have some scheme for the city?”

“A scheme sounds so harsh. I'm doing my part to help the people of Quest.”

“Of course.” For a minute, Marcella thought they would devolve into their usual sniping, but her sister shook her head and let it drop. Was it possible for someone to mature in a matter of weeks? Either that, or Maxine had something more important on her mind than their usual feud. “Either way, I just need to check that a few interests weren’t damaged by…the scuffle. And…I was hoping to meet with Lou.”

Both sisters flinched as a sound not unlike a growl, but less beastly and more alien, washed over them. Marcella’s gaze flicked back and forth a few times before she acknowledged that the sound had come from Rey, whose arms were crossed over her chest. And she realized that there may be another reason that her sister was wary of the pirate besides unresolved romantic tension.

“You’re in luck. I’ve just sent a missive to the Tome residence,” Marcella replied, all the while keeping a discrete eye on the pirate. She didn’t miss the way Rey’s jaw tightened or her brows furrowed. That didn’t bode well. “Should she accept, I don’t see why you couldn’t sit in. Just you though, dear sister. Good manners and all.”

The table shook as Rey slammed a fist on it. “Make room fer one more. I’m talking to this lady of monsters.”

A very big problem. “While I’m sure you have something important to discuss if you feel so strongly about it, I’m compelled to put Lou’s wants over yours. I won’t do anything to risk making her uncomfortable.”

“Cheh. Fine! Tell me where she is and I’ll see her myself, leave the fancy-ladies out of it.”

That was an even worse idea. At least if Marcella and Maxine were there, they could try and mitigate the damage. On the other hand, when the temperamental woman inevitably did something to get herself killed, they’d be well out of the way. Lou wouldn’t blame the city for the actions of one person. It would be akin to letting the blind walk into the maw of a monster, but it was better than letting the pirate drag them all down.

“Of course. She’s—"

“Marcella!” Maxine’s gaze carried a heavy rebuke that didn’t need to be elaborated on with words.

“My. If you’re so worried, you should accompany your friend.” Something her sister wasn’t dumb enough to do. Rather than looking irate, she should be thanking Marcella. Clearly, Rey was a problem, in more ways than one. One Maxine wouldn’t even have to raise a finger to be rid of.

And to think her sister called her a witch.