Dorian hadn't even had time to wrap his mind around Julia's confession before Nemia was running away, busting through the doors past Nik and himself. Climbing the steps leading further up the castle. His instinct to reach out and grab her was slower than her movements and all he caught was air.
His eyes slid back over to Julia. "You hid that from her this entire time?" He asked her, disbelief constricting his vocal cords.
Julia hung her head, tears falling silently onto the ground. "I promised her mother she'd have a life outside of her destiny. She was my best friend and I wasn't going to deny her the one dying wish she had made." Julia whispered to the ground, shuddering.
"Shouldn't you have told her the truth after the Silverbacks massacre?" He proded, trying to understand why she couldn't have told Nemia the truth then.
Her head snapped up to meet Dorian's gaze then. Her eyes red ringed and puffy. Glossed over from the tears. "She wasn't even sixteen, didn't even have her wolf yet. Nemia was still just a child when I took claim of her. How could I tell her then? After the only family she'd known was wiped from existence by her brother." Dorian drew his head back. "Yes, I knew it was her brother. I knew everything except Donovan's part in all of this." She added bitterly, her arms curling around herself.
"How could I tell her I knew her real parents? That they were a God touched family, decimated by time with her being the last born... That she was destined in a prophecy that tells the world she is the one that can cause either paradise or destruction?"
"She's not a child anymore though. Hasn't been for years now. You've had plenty of times to tell her by now Julia." Dorian chastised her. Though he had a feeling that Julia's reasoning for keeping quiet before now was more because she was afraid. Wanting to put off the inevitable because she knew Nemia would feel utter betrayal from this. "You were afraid, weren't you?"
Nodding her head softly, she responded. "Yes... The plan was to tell her when she turned eighteen. But she was still so broken, had been following after so many cold trails left by Malcolm. I couldn't bring myself to tell her. As more time passed, as my love for her grew more and more... I couldn't bare how she would react when I finally told her." She lifted her hands, motioning to the stairs inside from the open doors. "Like this... I-" her voice broke and her hands dropped to her side.
Dorian sighed, he understood where she was coming from. But he didn't know Nemia enough to know wether what he said next was true or not, but he felt the urge to comfort her. "She'll come around, Julia. Just give her some time to wrap her head around it. You dropped a bomb she wasn't expecting to catch from you."
With a shaky smile, Julia sighed softly. "I hope so. She's the closest thing I've got to her mother now." She looked longingly up the stairs, the pain of losing her friend years ago seemed to resurface with a vengeance in her look.
Nik cleared his throat. "Uhm... What's with the human and the dog, Dorian?" He asked, distracting Julia and himself from the current topic.
Blinking, Dorian searched and seen Milli sitting on the steps now. Her dog laying on a step down from the one she actually was sitting on and had his head in her lap. Hands buried in his fur much like they were on the car ride here. She twisted her head towards them at the mention pertaining the two of them and smiles brightly, waving her fingers much like how she did when she was introduced to himself.
He somewhat chuckled. "That's Milli and her dog." Dorian turned his attention back onto Nik with wide eyes and raised brows for emphasis. "Nemia... Promised to turn her, I agreed to her going through the transition in the dungeon for safety. As well as we get to take care of the dog while she gets control of the... Hunger." His lips twitched, trying to keep his tone even. He wasn't exactly happy with the situation and found it dangerous but it's what Nemia wanted. So he was going to live with it, no matter the discomfort.
"Well alright then." Nik replied, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
He shook his head subtly and glanced back down to Milli and briefly smiled. "I don't know if it'll happen tonight however. So I'll have Nik show you to one of the guest rooms on the second floor. Your dog will need to go out back however." He glanced back up at Nik. "Take care of that as well, yeah?"
Nik nodded in affirmation. "Will do, Dorian. Don't forget your sister and her family will be here tomorrow."
Dorian nodded. "How could I?" He smiled and stepped to the side as Milli and Nik disappeared inside, letting the dog follow them inside for the time being. His eyes resting on Julia again after they disappeared.
"Anything else you've left out that might need to be explained now rather than later? Also, here's that plant you asked for." He mentioned, adjusting his grip on the dogfood to get a grip on the hook that the plant was originally hanging from and passed it over to her.
She smiled softly at the plant and took it in her hands. "Nothing other than this." She balanced the plant in one hand and sprinkled some of her fairy dust over the top. The plant came to life almost instantly. Whispers coming from it that grew louder until a solid voice broke through, though it had some distortion still. Giving it an unnaturally hollow, distant sound.
"You're perfect, little Nemia. I'm so sorry I won't get to see you grow. Julia will take care of you though. She'll make sure you get to have a wonderful life outside of this. This mark right here on your chest means everything. But you deserve to be a child, not a conduit. If they learn the truth too soon, you'll become nothing but a weapon. I need you to learn how to live, be a child. Laugh and have fun. Do this first so you understand the good in the world before you embrace your destiny, so you yourself will be just and true. The real world is dark and scary, but also beautiful and unique. Be good, my sweet Nemia. Mommy loves you."
The voice cut out and the plant sagged again, no longer moving it's tendrils. A single tear dropped from Julia's cheek. "I caught her first and last words to Nemia, knowing just how much she would need to hear them eventually. Not just to understand, but to heal."
Dorian stood frozen for a moment, his mind reeling and trying to decipher what he's just witnessed. An old, hells, ancient power that Julia had just used with ease. She'd intro herself as Florence before, was that a updated form of Floranciae, the bloodlines fae of old? He wanted to ask, but kept quiet for now. Blinking, he finally responded. "That was a wonderful idea. I'm sure she'd love to be able to hear anything more of her mother."
Julia smiled softly and nodded. "I think so too. Just.." She glanced back inside towards the top of the stairs. "Maybe when she's calmed down."
"That may be for the best. Maybe tomorrow?" He offered gently, to which Julia nodded her head in acceptance. "I'll go check on her now.... Though she may not even want to see me." He winced, the image of her face etched with hurt from his silence resurfacing in his mind. He hoped she'd at least talk to him.
Julia walked over and patted his back softly. "She may not want to see you, but she needs you. Go to her." She pushed on his back gently and he nodded his head. Dropping the dogfood and picking up the garbage bags Nemia had dropped before stepping on in through the threshold of his home. Climbing his way up, following the fading scent of hers to figure out exactly where she had went.
It didn't take him long to come face to face with the door leading into his sisters room. The one Nemia has been staying in the past few nights. He has a feeling that this was the place she'd go to, only really knowing this room compared to any other. He went for the handle and noticed it was locked.
Using his knuckles, he lightly rapped on the door. "Nemia." He called, softly but loud enough to be heard. There was movement just at the door and he noted that the dark crevice at the bottom now flooded with a soft light. She must have been sitting in front of the door.
Then, with a click, the door swung open and he was met with the sight of Nemia. Dried blood caking her clothes that was also torn in multiple areas. Tears stained her cheeks and her emerald eyes were glossed over with red rimming her eyelids and nose.
It was as if someone had reached inside his chest and gripped a firm hand around his heart, squeezing the life out of it while he stared at her. He dropped the bags instantly and stepped through the doorway, reaching out to pull her into his arms. "God's I'm so sorry Nemia." He mumbled softly into her hair as he pressed his face against the top of her head.
He meant his apology with every fiber of his being. Wanting to take away every ounce of her pain and take it as her own so she would only ever feel happiness. His heart ached even more as her small arms wrapped around him and she started to sob into his chest with fresh tears.
"I'm so sorry." He repeated again softly. One hand nestled in her hair and the other running up and down her back softly. Doing all he could to comfort her. Standing there for several minutes before she broke away.
Frowning, she reached a hand up to wipe at his shirt. "Well, now I've stained your shirt with tears and dirt or blood." Her voice wavered, seemingly trying to control her emotions but not completely succeeding.
Dorian shook his head. "Clothes are items that matter so much less right now, don't worry about it." He replied softly, not caring a single bit and trying to make sure she knew that he didn't.
She nodded with a shaky smile. "That they are." She mumbled softly.
He ran his hands down her arms gently. "Speaking of clothes, why don't we go get you cleaned up and changed out of those tatters, yeah?" He offered, motioning to the bags he brought up with him. "I didn't know which bag was yours, so I brought both." He half laughed, trying to bring a less somber mood into the room.
She nodded again. "Sounds good." The mutter was soft and she stepped around him to reach for the bags. He quickly grabbed them before she could.
Glancing back in through the doorway in which case Nemia filles now. He stared at her for a moment. "My sister... She'll be here tomorrow."
Nemia looked over her shoulder at the room and let out a small breath, not quite a sigh but the sound didn't hold a clear emotion that Dorian could read. Only when she turned to face him, he noticed the nervousness in her eyes as she chewed on her bottom lip. "I don't need to be in here when she returns."
Dorian shook his head softly. "I know quite a bit has happened since this morning. What you said at the meeting, I remember, but I want you to know if you need to wait then I'll wait. I'd suggest rooming with Julia but.."
Nemia shook her head softly. "I can't see her right now." Her voice broke and he could see Nemia trembling, his eyes softened and he opened his mouth to speak but her words is what filled the air. "Take me to your room." His heart thumped proudly in his chest but he concealed the excitement by changing narratives from serious to slightly silly.
"This way, mi-lady." He half bowed and shot a cheesy grin at her, easing the tension. He relaxed as she let out a small laugh and nudged him playfully to start walking. Then, he turned and lead her down the hall, around the corner and to the one room that was located in the shorter hall. Not too far from the room she was currently in.
Opening the door for her, Dorian smiled promptly. "And here we are."