Music Recommendation: Heavens, what an afternoon- John Lunn

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Eve opened her eyes, finding herself back in the Moriarty mansion, sitting in the room with Lady Katherina's things. She had spent more than three hours with the woman in the past, but it felt short. It was her first time meeting Lady Katherina, and if it weren't for her ability, she would have never been able to meet her.

When she looked at the mirror's reflection, she noticed she wasn't alone in the room.

Vincent leaned against the side of the door, watching her with a peaceful expression. He asked her,

"Did you have a good dream?"

Letting go of the comb she had been holding until now, Eve turned away from the mirror and faced Vincent. She said,

"I met her."

Vincent felt slightly envious of Eve's ability to meet someone who didn't exist in the present. It was a blessing, but he was happy to hear those words from her. He asked, "How was she doing?"

"She was with you," Eve replied, standing up and meeting Vincent halfway as he had left the door's side. "You were two months away from being born. She said she was very proud of you and loves you. She knew…"

When they got closer, Eve kissed Vincent's lips. She said, "Your mother… she knew I was going to come."

"I thought so," Vincent curled his hand around her waist, pulling her close. He said, "Her letters always had a sense of something as if she knew what was about to come and happen. I wasn't sure before, but after knowing your ability, I felt you probably told her."

Eve hugged Vincent closely, placing the side of her head on his chest to rest, and she closed her eyes as she relished the feeling of his arms around her body and him near her. She said,

"Did you know that your mother's ancestors had a mixture of witches in them?"

"Mm," Vincent gave a short nod while he tightened his hold around Eve. He said, "I heard it from my father before, but confirmed it after Marceline's actions. It explains why she's the way she is."

"She is very kind, beautiful and sweet, Vince. She was very excited to meet you," Eve let him know. "Maybe one day, I will learn to take you along with me to the past. I am glad she is your mother."

"Me too. I cannot wait for that day," Vincent smiled, taking a deep breath before releasing it.

As days passed, Lady Ravette and Strix decided to take a ride in their carriage. A ride that led towards the House of Purgatory. When the carriage stopped, the coachman quickly ran to the door and opened it for the elderly couple.

Lady Ravette stepped down from the carriage and stared at the place. She remarked,

"Do you remember the time when we first met here, Strix?"

"How can I forget, Rave. It was love at first sight for me, maybe the tenth for you?"

"Eighth," Lady Ravette corrected him, and she wrapped her hand around her husband's arm. "I remember it very clearly, when you thought you were helping me, but I was fine by myself. Brings nostalgic memories, and some very good ones."

"They indeed do," Strix held a proud look on his face, and he then said, "I realised that we never mentioned it to our children or grandchildren. To know that we spent a week or two here."

The elderly couple started to walk inside the House of Purgatory and soon met the warden, who was in charge.

"Mr. and Mrs. Moriarty, welcome to the House of Purgatory," the warden greeted the couple with a deep bow. "It has been a long time since you last visited here."

"Well, there was no need to visit here. But as you know, we have a family member added to this place recently? My granddaughter Marceline Moriarty?" Lady Ravette questioned the warden, her eyebrows raised as she looked around. Her eyes fell on some of the 'prisoners' in here, who walked up and down the corridors.

"Ah yes. It was Vincent who brought her here," the warden replied and then said, "Would you like me to bring her here for you?"

"That won't be needed," Strix was the one to reply to the warden. He said, "Take us to where she is."

The warden looked surprised and carefully asked the couple, "You aren't here to take her from here?"

Strix waved his hand in front of him and replied, "Personally my wife and I believe that if there's any good place in the whole wide world, it is the House of Purgatory, regardless of what people talk about this place. After all, it is where I met Ravette. My beautiful wife."

The warden couldn't believe this, as he hadn't heard about this story before. To think that both Senior Mr. and Mrs. Moriarty had been once sent here to be disciplined. He dared not remark on it and just led them towards Marceline Moriarty's cell room.

The warden came to the front of Marceline's cell room and called her, "Marceline, someone is here to see you."

"I like the element of surprise," Strix murmured to his wife, who gave him a small nod. He told the warden, "You don't suppose that we plan to speak by standing here, go get us the chairs."

The warden, for a moment, was about to open the lock of the gate, but he immediately stopped and walked away from there to fetch two chairs for the elderly couple.

In the meantime, Marceline's life had turned upside down, and her true nature had surfaced, as she had shed her 'kind self' that she once proudly wore. On hearing familiar voices in front of her cell room, she got up from the bed and made her way towards the front, when her eyes widened, and a wide smile spread on her lips.

"Grandpa! Grandma!" Marceline was excited to see them. She didn't care how they knew she was here or how or when they came out of the coffin. She was happy to know that someone cared about her. She said, "I am so happy to see you both here!"

Lady Ravette watched her granddaughter, who stood on the other side of the grilled gated door. She said, "And it is good to see too, Marceline. I heard that you have been a very naughty child. Hard to let go of bad habits, hm?"

Marceline shook her head and answered, "I have been good and obedient, grandmother. I barely did anything, but help people."

"Don't be hard on her, Rave. She is our grandchild," Strix was kinder than his wife, even though he was of pureblooded blood and his wife was a turned vampire. He asked his granddaughter, "How are you doing, Marcie?"

Marceline suddenly looked sad, and tears began to form in her eyes. She said, "It is very lonely here, grandpa. I miss home and everyone else. I wish to go home."

"All in good time, child," Strix consoled Marceline, who felt hope glimmer before her.

Marceline said, "I have been only trying to do good things. Grandmother, I made sure Vince didn't marry a human, but he did anyway and brought disgrace to our family. You should look into it right away!"

Both grandma and grandpa Moriarty shared looks with each other.

Lady Ravette replied, "You mean Genevieve?" "Yes, her!" Marceline's eyes widened as she continued, "You don't know her. She's a witch, who has been causing disgrace—"

"Marceline dear, I should stop you there," Lady Ravette interrupted and said, "You shouldn't speak ill about your sister-in-law and should learn a thing or two from your younger sister. Vincent and Eve are made for each other, and I can't think of anyone better suited for him."

"What?" Marceline whispered in disbelief. "You have met her?"

"We have, and frankly she's quite lovely. Beautiful, educated, talented, and very loved," Strix nodded, giving his approval.

"You don't know what she di—"

"It seems like you haven't learned anything here, Marceline," Lady Ravette gave a pointed look at her granddaughter and said, "Did you forget that she's a Moriarty now? A woman your brother cherishes with his life and instead of accepting her, you are throwing childish tantrums. The next time you see her, you make sure to apologise to her and mend your ways, hm?"

"W—what about the pain she caused me? I have no leg because of her!" Marceline pulled the front of her dress to show the missing leg, replaced with two wooden sticks.

Strix clicked his tongue, "Naughty granddaughter, we heard all about it and the way your grandmother and I see it, you brought it on yourself."

"First, you try to attack your sister-in-law. Second, you fail to understand that witches are not to be trusted, and third, you fall for such silly things, going and getting yourself cursed," Lady Ravette rubbed the truth salts into Marceline's wounds. "A Moriarty is always smarter than that, Marceline. What were you even thinking?"

Marceline, who had been happy to see her grandparents, started losing hope again. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then said,

"I was thinking of protecting our family, our name and our status that you stood for, grandmother. How can you blame this on me? You tried to kill anyone who was human."

"To turn them into vampires," Lady Ravette deadpanned while giving a pointed look at Marceline. "You could have turned Eve into a vampire, not that it matters anymore as she has proved that she's much stronger without being a vampire."

Marceline's lips trembled, and she pleaded, "Please take me out of this place, I don't want to be here. I have spent enough time here. I will not hurt Eve ever again. I promise!"

"We know you won't," Strix nodded, and for a brief moment, Marceline turned happy until he said, "But. I don't know why you want to leave this place. The House of Purgatory is a good place to learn. Your grandmother and I found this place to be quite precious, isn't that right, Rave?"

"Very true," Lady Ravette gave a solemn nod as she agreed with her husband.

"No… you can't be serious," Marceline whispered, and she wanted to pull her hair out of frustration alone.

Lady Ravette said to Marceline, "Don't care about what the society thinks of this place. The House of Purgatory is where your grandmother and I met, it is how you were born after many years. I am sure you will find someone here."

Marceline grit her teeth and remarked, "I don't like anyone in here!"

Strix turned to his wife and whispered not so gently, "She seems to be lacking in social skills."

Lady Ravette replied, "Seems so. She was a quiet little thing when she was young."

"I am standing right here…!" Marceline's voice turned high-pitched at the end. She said, "I will be good. I mean it!"

"You aren't listening to what we are saying, Marceline," Lady Ravette's voice turned stern and her eye held a glare. She said, "Use this time here to grow. As Vincent was the one to bring you here, it is his decision to bring you out. I will put in a word for you."

Strix said to his wife, "Which was the cell you used to be in before? It must be on the other side," he said, looking at the end of the corridor, and then turned back to Marceline and said, "We will come to visit you soon, Marceline. In the meantime, I hope you make memories here."

Lady Ravette, as if remembering something, let her granddaughter know, "It is sad that you didn't marry before your brother, or you would have the mansion in Holy Oak."

Marceline's mouth fell wide open, as she had always wanted to have the mansion. It was the initial plan when she didn't know she was being taken here to be imprisoned. She stuttered,

"You g—gave it to Vincent?"

"No. I gave it to his wife as a simple wedding gift." Before Lady Ravette left the front of the room, she said to Marceline, "Your mother might have been weak, but she was a good woman which you should have been proud of."