Unwanted Gifts

“Mother, what is this.”

“Hm? What is what, ma puce?” 

“This.”

Adrienne took her eyes off of the herbs she was grinding to look at the girl behind her. She looked at what her daughter was holding out to her, and she had to stifle a laugh.

“That is a flower; amaryllis if you want a specific. Now, I spent a lot of time getting that to look just right in your hair, so why don’t you--”

“I’m not talking about that, and you know it.” Well, that certainly took her by surprise. She had never cut her off like that before, and especially not with such a sharp tone. The hardened look in her daughter’s bright blue eyes made her stomach drop.

Suddenly, Adrienne did not feel like laughing anymore. 

“What did you do to the flower.”

“Eva, there really is no need to worry about that--”

“What. Did. You. Do.” It was cute, how she tried to hold her ground, how she tried to remain calm, yet every shaky breathe gave away just how unsteady she was just beneath the surface. Really, the girl did need to work on controlling her emotions. A weary sigh left the witch’s lips as she got up.

“I just put a charm on it for you, Eva. The same that I use. I do not see how it is a problem.” She outstretched her hand to put on her daughter’s shoulder only to have it slapped away.

“You took somebody’s life. You...You took somebody’s life. How is that not a problem?!” Eva looked down at the red flower in her hand, her face pinched in distress. 

“It was part of my job; is it not better that I did not let their life go to waste? Would you rather I have let them die without any benefit to this world?”

“I would rather you have not killed them! How is that something hard to grasp?”

“Eva, enough.” The girl froze, chilled by the sudden coldness in her mother’s voice. She had never spoken to her like that before, never felt the need to speak to her like that before, but Adrienne was tired of this nonsense. “I do not need to be preached to on ethics by a girl who barely knows enough about magic to grow a single vine.” The witch could see how much her words stung by the way her daughter flinched, but it was too late to take them back. “I have made my life on this, kept myself alive on this, and what do you want to cry over?” In a fluid motion, she grabbed the blossom from Eva’s hand, despite the girl’s protests, and crushed it, her palm stained red from the petals. “Some nobody that you have never and will never know. That is how humans are. They are disposable, worthless, and easy to make more. That is how life is, Eva. If you do not wish to be provided for by my hard work, then--”

“Then what?”

“Then leave.” 

Silence. There wasn’t even the sound of one another’s breath hanging in the air. 

“...Eva, you know I did not mean that--”

“No.” There was a sharp laugh as the girl backed away. “No, you did. I know how you are, Mother; I know you meant it.”

“Eva, please--”

“And for once? We can agree on something.” 

“Eva--!”

Before Adrienne could even think to say anything else, the girl had turned tail, sprinting out the door of their home. She wanted to follow after her. She wanted to bring her back to the house. 

Instead, she quietly sat back at her workbench and continued with preparing her herbs. Eva would be back as soon as she had time to cool off. Then they could have supper, continue some more of her studies, and continue as always tomorrow morning. Yes, she would come back soon enough.

Adrienne was certain of it.