CHAPTER 414: ENOUGH!

"You ate all of the meat!" Arabella half asked, her pitch as high as her eyebrows were up her forehead, "That is a feat!" she squeaked.

"I waited for you!" he tried to explain, "But there was nothing else to do and the meat was too delicious. I couldn’t stop myself!" he pouted.

Ada held his left hand while Arabella held his right one as they walked the hallways.

From time to time, the boy would turn back with narrow eyes as though checking the distance between them and Katherine... Who walked many feet behind the three.

"She won’t hurt you," Arabella whispered.

"She is sad," he murmured back.

Upon looking back, it was true that Katherine walked with her head low, paying little mind to the rest of the world around her.

"Can you smell it on her?" it was Ada who asked.

In response, Remus merely hummed a yes.

"That is quite fascinating," she added after him, "Would you like to hear a song, Remus?" Ada carried on trying to keep his mind busy.

"No," the boy said simply.

To the backdrop went their voices as Arabella’s eyes refused to let go of Katherine. The recent exchange with Morgana spun round and round in her head, reminding her just how little they had figured out through time.

Then there was Silas’ declaration and tone...

"Lord Silas," Ada’s voice brought her back to reality.

As it turned out, Silas came around the corner just in time to meet them on the way.

"You may take your leave," he addressed Ada.

Without another word, Ada curtsied, smiled at Arabella then left.

"Let us go," Silas turned around, "The doctors are expecting us,"

To say his tone was frigid was an understatement. Remus tightening grip around her hand was the proof she needed that her mind played no tricks on her.

They followed in his tracks until reaching the medical wing where Doctor Zarveth and Damiana did indeed await their arrival.

"Please, take a seat, my Lady," Damiana smiled while guiding Arabella towards a chair.

"Speak up," Silas glared at Remus, "Tell them what you told her about the smell,"

An invisible thorn stung at Arabella’s heart upon noting Silas’ stance. It was as though he stood behind tall and thick walls, allowing no one to reach him.

"What smell?" Remus tilted his head innocently.

Seeing how strained the thin line that held Silas’ patience grew, Arabella cleared her throat and extended a hand for Remus to take, "He means what you told me about the way I smelled the last time you came to visit,"

"Oh, it hasn’t changed since then," he reached his hand for hers upon joining her, "I still smell it on you,"

"Well, could you perhaps describe it since we are not catching this scent that you seem to perceive," Doctor Zarveth too seemed to note the veins that threatened to pop under Silas’ skin and so decided to voice their questions himself.

In response, Remus gave him one nod before turning to face Arabella. He slowly brushed her arms out of his way then leaned forward, bringing his nose closer to her chest.

"Stand back!" Silas took a step forward which made Remus flinch and cower further into Arabella’s arms.

She wrapped around him protectively and glared back at her husband. The vampire clearly had something to pick from between his teeth, but he suggested inviting Remus for that purpose alone so whatever it was, he would have to bite down on whatever blade held his jaws open.

"Let us all take a deep breath," Dr Damiana stepped between Silas and Arabella’s chair.

"It’s alright, boy," Zarveth picked up the thread, "You can proceed with your doings,"

Eventually, Remus dropped the glowering and turned his nose back towards Arabella’s chest.

After a few sniffs, however, he looked up at her then back at the doctors, "It is here, in her chest. I can still smell it,"

"Could you perhaps describe it?" asked Damiana.

"I don’t know how," he shook his head slowly.

"Try," Silas took another step forward.

"I don’t know how. It is acrid and unpleasant to focus on," the boy squeaked.

"Is that it? You are giving up because it is a little unpleasant," Silas half asked, his chin rising, "Even if it kills her? Would you still be afraid to put in more effort? Or would you simply let her die?"

Remus let out a tiny noise, reminiscent of that a wounded animal would make. It broke Arabella’s heart.

"Father would know better how to describe it. Let him try, please," the boy whined.

"Like hell I would allow him anywhere near-"

"That is enough!" Arabella leaped to her feet while still clutching Remus’ hand.

"No, it is, in fact, far from enough," he seemed calm, but everyone in that room knew not to confuse it with true peace of mind.

"Yes, of course, physically, you have the ability to keep us from leaving this room, but I assure you, it won’t be without lasting consequences between us, so here is your choice to make," she practically hissed.

Her feet moved, cutting the distance between herself and Silas. Arabella walked ahead with the expectation that his arm would rise to block her path, but that never happened.

Silas stood frozen and allowed her as well as Remus passage without a word.

Only the wincing of the door was heard as she pulled it open. Everything else in the room went dead, cold and silent.

Her stomach never stopped churning as her feet stomped the floor beneath them. Arabella brushed the pair of eyes that stuck to her figure aside to focus on comforting her heart. The last thing she wanted was to break down and allow her tears to escape right then and there in front of a child who, by all means, was already scared and confused out of his mind.

As the last words she hurled at her husband came out, they made sure to lacerate her insides on the way, leaving stinging and gaping wounds in their wake.

There was no other way to put it, was there? He had crossed a line, did he not?