Many thanks to all who reviewed! This is the first time anyone besides myself has read my writing and I was kinda freakin out at first :-)
Disclaimer: Again, Sciffy rules all, and I do not.
Azkadellia sat in her room in front of her vanity, brushing her hair. She had taken the mirror down the first night the witch was gone, terrified of looking in it to see the witch's reflection again.
Gone were the days of ridiculous hairstyles and skin-tight, revealing dresses. She had dragged the entire contents of her wardrobe out onto the balcony and lit a match to the pile of outrageous clothes. As she stood and watched it burn, she felt a little satisfaction. A small part of the darkness inside was gone now.
Today she wore a simple dark blue dress of modest cut. Bright colors just didn't seem to match her temperament yet. Her long hair was down. It took so long to brush out, she had half a mind to cut it off. As she contemplated what she would look like with shorter hair, she heard a rustling at the door and a folded piece of paper slid underneath.
Her heart almost stopped. Setting the brush down, she walked over to the door and picked up the paper, barely breathing. I'd better sit down for this, she thought, returning to her chair. Preparing herself for the worst, she unfolded the letter.
Dear Azkadellia,
I am feeling so many emotions right now, I fear they will overload my addled mind. I will try to express my thoughts to you, and I hope they make sense.
I never stopped caring for you. You were my dearest friend; so many of my most important experiences were shared with you. We were quite the pair – me with my head in the clouds and you, always so practical. You were my most avid supporter, most trusted confidant, most constructive critic, and most treasured companion.
When I knew something was truly wrong with you, I went to your mother. She was the most good and powerful person I knew. If anyone could help you, it would be her. She listened to me, and I believe she took my suspicions seriously, but she did not act on them. This frustrated me to no end. I saw you growing worse and worse, and I approached her again. She said she believed you might be possessed. I asked what could be done about it, and she said she feared to confront you because the witch was powerful and she worried about your safety.
After DG's "death", I knew it wasn't you inside your body. It ripped my heart out, Az. I saw you at her funeral, showing no emotion at all. I knew you, Azkadellia, and this person was not you. I then devoted my life to assisting the one person I believed could save you – the queen. I even had an idea for a device that could separate you from the witch, but I had no talent in magic and your mother said the witch's power was too strong.
It wasn't until the day we were hauled away by the Longcoats that she told me she wasn't capable of saving you. That she had used her magic to save someone very special. I was completely devastated. Who could be more special than you?
I knew it wasn't you that ordered my surgery, though I'll admit it didn't make it much easier. That look in your eyes was pure malice. I pled with you anyway, hoping you could hear me, wherever you were. My memories after that are difficult to explain. I have a vague recollection of being both in the tower and being Glitch.
Az, we can only be held responsible for our own actions. Punishing yourself for circumstances beyond your control will do nothing but make you miserable. What is past is past and we both need to come to terms with it somehow, and then focus on the present. I am not implying that it will be easy; it won't. But I'm going through so much right now, and I would love to have my best friend back to talk to. When you're ready, I'll be there for you.
Ambrose
Azkadellia's tears were dripping from her cheeks onto the page by the time she finished reading it. She set the letter down next to her hairbrush and rushed to the door. She had to find him. She turned the handle and pushed – to find him standing against the corridor wall, biting his lip nervously. His eyes met hers shyly.
"Hi." He said quietly.
Az threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh, Ambrose."
"Hey, it's okay." He offered, lightly smoothing her hair.
"I'm so sorry."
His tone became serious and he gently pushed her one step back. "What did I say about that? No more apologies, right?"
She nodded, sniffling and wiping her eyes as he fought back the tears building up in his own.
"I don't even know where to start." She whispered, not meeting his gaze.
"It's a nice day outside." He said, offering her his arm. "How about a walk in the garden?"
She looked up at him and smiled – the kind of smile that he remembered from holo-recording – as she took his arm. "That would be wonderful."
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