Compleo is Latin for, "to finish/complete".

Epilogue: Compleo

The image of Mrs. Etro being crushed under the weight of the West Wing's massive roof, will forever be emblazoned in her mind. It will always amaze her how deeply distorted, devotion could become. What had no doubt begun as admiration had so easily become an obsession that had cost the foreboding woman her life. She can find it in her to pity the woman that had made her life at Manderley so miserable and lonely because of it. Mrs. Etro had been so blinded by her fixation on Rebecca that she had idolized the other woman beyond any logic. She had pivoted Rebecca to such absolute perfection that nothing could ever be equal. For there was no equal to the vision that the older woman had pictured in her mind's eye. She cannot even remotely understand that level of adoration. What a twisted relationship to be entwined in.

The rest of the servants talked of nothing else for several months afterwards, though they were careful not to say anything in front of her or Noctis. She knew, of course, because she would occasionally overhear them tsking away at the lunacy of Mrs. Etro's last actions. They had all carried secrets of their late mistress and it was only after the death of Mrs. Etro, that she found out how the other servants in the house had really viewed Rebecca. Their devotion to Noctis then was apparent. None of them dared to bring up any of the follies of Rebecca to him out of respect, when they had all known how deceitful Rebecca had been. Then, after more months had carried on, there were not many servants left to hear such gossip from. With Manderley in ruins, there was no need to keep a full staff on hand. It slowly reduced to a skeleton crew with a grounds keeper to make sure that the property did not become wild. Noctis soon moved them into the city and into the main residence of the royal family. Noctis did not want her around any more of those awful memories and they have been here within the Nihilsomno castle ever since.

When she looks back on those bizarre days of her life, she is thankful. No matter that those days were filled with fearful uncertainty. With Noctis' emotional distance most times and Mrs. Etro's blatant disdain, she cannot blame herself for being so afraid of her own shadow while there. Now that she knows the entire circumstance, she feels awful about doubting Noctis' feelings for her. She had thought.. well, she has always known that she was not who he ought to have chosen to marry and still had no idea why he did. Just that by some miracle, he does loves her. She can only be glad that he does. Because she loves him. It would not have mattered had he really murdered Rebecca, her feelings wouldn't have changed. That he had not and been forced into an impossible situation because of a demented woman's schemes, made her admiration grow at his dignity and his grace.

It is only now that she is older that she can appreciate just how affectionate her husband has always been, even in those dark days. It had not struck her until after he had told her everything, just how much he had always shown that he always loved her. She had settled on him merely liking her very much, but she should have known better. Those natural displays of affection from him had always been there and plentiful. Something that must have been severely lacking in Noctis' first marriage. Even at the height of her uncertainty and unease, Noctis had always been her constant source of happiness. His black moods aside, he had never been cruel to her and always indulging in her wishes. There had seldom been a moment when he did not embrace her or touch her in some way whenever they were together. Much like he still does. It makes her feel a fool when she thinks of how easily she had overlooked such a major detail. A part of her is saddened to know that, his relationship with Rebecca had never been full of shares smiles or gentle hand holding or comforting embraces. The exact opposite of their own marriage... to think that all that time, she had thought he was missing Rebecca when it was always there for her to see.

Sometimes, in her dreams, she returns to Manderley. Like a spirit, she floats beyond the iron wrought entry gates and flies above the twists and turns that made up their drive until she catches sight of the house. It did not matter that the majority of it had burned away and it was just a blackened shell to the glory it had been before, nothing could mar the perfect symmetry of those walls. Walls that had survived the flames that had wanted to consume them. In these nightly visits, sometimes the clouds cast strange lights over the house and she could swear she could see someone with a lamp, walking about the insides the house. Her heart would freeze in expectation of seeing the dark silhouette of Mrs. Etro roving about those halls. Then, the light from the moon shines brightly again and the illusion melts away into the night.

For in dreams, are the only way that she can return to Manderley. Noctis does not think it wise enough of an investment to rebuild it to its former splendor. Not when the house brings to his mind so many dark memories. He told her once, when she had suggested rebuilding it, that he did not want to taint her any further with the haunting memory of Rebecca and Mrs. Etro. They had been between them long enough and he would not allow them a chance to again. Regardless of how strange and isolating as her times at Manderley had been, she mourns the loss of that beautiful house. It had been a house full of history and priceless treasures and now it was gone. It was destroyed because of two vindictive women. Both selfish in their own way. Neither one realizing who was really the one to lose the most out of all of this. Noctis.

While their life after the events at Manderley was more free and less shrouded in darkness, she often misses the long walks on the beach and the vast gardens there. She misses the quite life and the slower pace of the countryside. But, they can never go back to Manderley again. That much was certain. She will always think back on that house as the start of her new life and no matter how bleak many of the memories were, the end result was well worth the trouble. Because they can live the rest of their lives together and that was really all that mattered in the end.

El fin.

I would like to thank everyone who has been following this story. If it wasn't for your support, I don't think I would have been able to get enough motivation to finish. So, thank you! ^_^