After the Dust Has Settled
written by Ella Lehane
Vivian hadn't had a visitor in a long time, at least not until Andy and Aquila crash-landed outside of her father's estate. Though she's busy trying to fill her parents' shoes as host the best she can, they are both much more interested in finding out her life's secrets... secrets she might not want to know herself. (Original short-ish story)
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
8
Reads
512
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Aquila was sitting on his bed, running his hand through his hair. Andromeda was pacing around the room. “I just don’t understand this, Wolf. I mean, can you believe it?”
She laughed. “I mean, it’s not like she’s been using the house as a shelter. No, no, she’s the daughter of the owners of the estate, if you can call a house in the middle of nowhere that. And Lysander, whoever that is. Do you think he’s a servant that stayed behind?”
Wolfgang Aquila shook his shaggy head. “Doubt a servant would stay just to keep taking care of his employer’s daughter, especially after all that’s happened.”
Nodding, Andy flopped down on the bed next to him. “And what is it with those dolls? I mean… she sounds like she thinks of them as real people, you know? I was expecting…” she hesitated. “I honestly don’t know what I was expecting, but china dolls sure weren’t it.”
Aquila yawned then, stretching. “Tomorrow. We’ll figure it out tomorrow.”
She smiled at him, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and stood up. “You’re right. Let’s talk in the morning. Don’t go downstairs without me, all right? This place gives me the creeps.”
Even with Vivian hearing that, she almost didn’t react in time. She stood up and stepped back, just in time for the door to open. Andy jumped with a squeak, nearly closing the door in Vivian’s face. They both stared at each other for a moment, then Andy laughed nervously. “Sorry! I just came to say goodnight to Aquila, and you surprised me.” She frowned. “Wait, what are you doing out here anyways? Dinner was a long time ago. Did you just come upstairs?”
Vivian narrowed her eyes slightly, but then opened them wide and smiled sweetly. “Oh, I had just gone to get some water when I heard noise, so I was about to knock and ask if you needed something. But now I really must go to bed. Goodnight!” She turned on one foot and hurried to her room. Still, Andy remained there for a while, seemingly thinking something over, but Vivian heard a door squeaking soon afterwards, so she must have gone back inside.
She laughed. “I mean, it’s not like she’s been using the house as a shelter. No, no, she’s the daughter of the owners of the estate, if you can call a house in the middle of nowhere that. And Lysander, whoever that is. Do you think he’s a servant that stayed behind?”
Wolfgang Aquila shook his shaggy head. “Doubt a servant would stay just to keep taking care of his employer’s daughter, especially after all that’s happened.”
Nodding, Andy flopped down on the bed next to him. “And what is it with those dolls? I mean… she sounds like she thinks of them as real people, you know? I was expecting…” she hesitated. “I honestly don’t know what I was expecting, but china dolls sure weren’t it.”
Aquila yawned then, stretching. “Tomorrow. We’ll figure it out tomorrow.”
She smiled at him, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and stood up. “You’re right. Let’s talk in the morning. Don’t go downstairs without me, all right? This place gives me the creeps.”
Even with Vivian hearing that, she almost didn’t react in time. She stood up and stepped back, just in time for the door to open. Andy jumped with a squeak, nearly closing the door in Vivian’s face. They both stared at each other for a moment, then Andy laughed nervously. “Sorry! I just came to say goodnight to Aquila, and you surprised me.” She frowned. “Wait, what are you doing out here anyways? Dinner was a long time ago. Did you just come upstairs?”
Vivian narrowed her eyes slightly, but then opened them wide and smiled sweetly. “Oh, I had just gone to get some water when I heard noise, so I was about to knock and ask if you needed something. But now I really must go to bed. Goodnight!” She turned on one foot and hurried to her room. Still, Andy remained there for a while, seemingly thinking something over, but Vivian heard a door squeaking soon afterwards, so she must have gone back inside.
