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Lilith stared out the window, looking out over the Boiling Sea. She didn’t know if she’d ever really get used to the new view, not after all those years of staring into the open forests of Belos’s castle. Not after all those years of only coming here to capture her sister.
She sighed, and stood up; what use was it looking, anyways? She needed to make herself useful somehow. Clean something up, or- something like that. She brushed off her tattered new dress (pulled out of Eda’s threadbare closet) and smoothed back her hair, determined; she was going to make up for those lost years if it killed her.
She walked lightly down the halls, as if she were a ghost, as if her very presence was something sneaky and sinister. She almost laughed at how strange it was- her, Lilith Clawthorne, esteemed head of the Emperor’s Coven, sneaking down a hall like a prisoner caught trying to escape?
Well, that used to be what it was.
Now it was just her, Lilith Clawthorne, a witch completely disgraced, stepping quietly like it could apologize for her existence in this home she knew she didn’t belong in. She kept her eyes trained on the floor. Somehow, even looking around at the walls of her sister’s house felt like she was stealing something she wasn’t allowed.
She reached the bottom of the stairs, and beelined for the kitchen, assuming that’s where the cleaning supplies would be- when she was stopped by a familiar voice echoing from the couch.
“Lily? What’s up? Where are you going?” It was Eda. Lilith looked up, almost startled; she thought her sister had left the house. She drank in the sight of the Owl Lady: the familiar face she grew up with overlaid with wrinkles and that ridiculous poof of salt and pepper hair, one yellow and one matching, newly silver eye staring curiously into her own. It was a face so different from the one she used to know, but yet so achingly similar- it tore away at her a bit. This was the face of a woman who had suffered too much, but had kept strong and soft throughout. The way King and Luz looked up to her was proof enough for that.
It was also the face of the sister she’d cursed. And then let suffer for all those years while she actively tried to capture her. For an evil organization that Lilith should’ve known wasn’t in good standings in the first place.
Lilith looked back down again, feeling ashamed for taking up more space than necessary in this cozy home she didn’t deserve to be in.
“Oh, uhm- I just figured I would make myself useful,” she muttered a bit. “Since you are doing so much for me, I just wanted… to repay you.” She could feel Eda studying her.
“Oh, screw that,” Eda said so casually it made Lilith look up again in surprise. Eda closed her book (magic theories, of course) and patted the seat next to her on the couch, where she had spread, taking up more of the space than looked possible for her small frame. She grinned at Lilith with that ridiculous snaggle tooth, and Lilith burned a bit in embarrassment before sitting down next to her sister- prim and proper, as per usual.
“So… how’ve you been?” Eda asked, tone softening slightly. Lilith shifted uncomfortably. This week had been- insane. She honestly still felt like she was processing. But she didn’t want to burden Eda with that.
“Fine.”
“...Cmon, Lily. I know it’s been less than fine.” Eda said, deadpanning. She had always had a sixth sense when it came to someone being upset, even if sometimes she didn’t know how to deal with it- a trait that used to make Lilith laugh, but now just made her miss all the times she could’ve had if she had sorted out her life a bit sooner.
“Well, it sounds like you have your answer,” Lilith responded weakly. “How have you been?”
“Oh, well,” Eda sighed, positioning herself more normally on the fraying plush seat. She stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. “It’s been strange not having my powers. And I still have chronic back pain from the Owl Beast…” (which she had cursed her with, Lilith reminded herself shamefully) “... and Luz is always hungry and I don’t know what to feed her- damn that girl’s growth spurts and delicate human metabolism- but other than that, honestly? Pretty good. I get my sister back, which is pretty awesome if I do say so myself.” Eda bumped shoulders with her, and Lilith just gave her a small, unenthusiastic smile. Eda had been trying to let Lilith know that she was happy to have her around, even if they both were acutely aware they had a ton of work to still do to repair their relationship before it ever resembled normal. And Lilith would do it a thousand times over, if Eda let her. She swore she would put in the work.
Anything to repay the damage she’d done.
Even if Lilith knew she could never stop owing Eda for the mess she’d made.
Eda shook her out of her thoughts. “Hey, you okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, shaking her head. “Yeah.”
“Okay, we got the lie out of the way. How are you actually?”
Lilith chuckled sadly. She knew Eda wasn’t going to give up on this. “I’m… tired.” She gave in. Eda just looked at her, silent, giving her the space to talk.
Maybe Eda deserved to know.
“I’m… sad. I gave up so much of my life, for- for what? For the knowledge that I inadvertently advanced the plans of an evil man? I spent so many years trying to impress him, to hurt you, and none of it will ever mean anything. How am I going to be remembered? As the coward who runs away from everything? I-I don’t even deserve to be here. I hurt you so badly, Edalyn. I made you spend your life trying to fight this curse, while I- while I…” Lilith trailed off, a lump growing in her throat and tears springing to her eyes. Eda’s eyebrows furrowed, and she drew in a breath.
“While I can’t deny that you’re never going to get that time back,” she sighed. “And that you did mess up by cursing me… that doesn’t mean that you can’t spend the rest of your life finding meaning. There’s ways to move on, and sitting here thinking about wasted time only adds to the loss of the time you have left. So, let’s just… move on, yeah? We still have time, so let’s spend it while we can.” Eda smiled at Lilith, and the raven-haired woman felt an overwhelming surge of gratitude towards her sister.
“O-Okay,” she said finally, and let herself sink into a hug that Eda pulled her into.
“It’s gonna be okay, Lils.” She pulled away, and smiled warmly at her sister. “Now… I think it’s time I get to know you better. I mean, I barely even know your favorite color anymore!!”
“Blue,” Lilith supplied, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Just like when we were kids. Is yours still…?”
“Orange!” Eda grinned. “See, everyone finds it obnoxious, but I think they’re misunderstanding it. I mean, I guess that kinda tells you everything you need to know about what people think of me,” she said, and elbowed Lilith playfully. Lilith laughed a bit, and settled a bit more comfortably into the couch, the weight of the last few days lightening a little bit.
“Favorite drink? You already know mine is apple blood,” Eda smiled coyly.
“Uhm… cough-ee? I guess? I mean, that’s what I always drink after a long night to get some energy back.”
“We’ll have to get some; I remember how much of an insomniac you are,” Eda grinned, and Lilith’s cheeks warmed.
“Favorite food? Still-”
“-fairy pies.”
“Knew it! Favorite band?”
“...The UnCure.”
“Still? Damn Lily, none of your tastes have really changed at all.”
“I guess not.” Lilith smiled a bit. Maybe they weren’t so different. Maybe life hadn’t taken everything away from them yet. Maybe they still knew each other.
At least, they had a shot to try again.
“Hey,” Eda said, voice softening. “It’s really good to have you back. I’ve missed you.”
“Yeah,” Lilith said. “I missed you too.”
The sisters sat on the couch together, the world still changing- but Lilith finally felt a bit better. Like maybe she did have a chance to belong in this house. She smiled a bit, listening to her sister ramble on about Hexas Hold ‘Em and Luz and King, and settled in. She was here now.
And she wasn’t going to leave again.
She would make it up to Eda, and she wasn’t going to let her down again.