#milena.

“i’m not letting you go through this all alone.”

emmeline could have sworn she was still hungover from a few days ago, the night that had brought the town of hidehill back onto their knees. however, the woman was feeling an immense amount of guilt. she was upset but in a much quieter way, attempting to keep her feelings deep down. "i feel responsible for his death." it was a statement she'd already made but this time, it was in person.

"i miss when you were my best friend."

"why don't we hang out anymore?"

"i can't stand you right now, what do you want?"

She's heretofore been cold to the girl. For weeks now, Milena has been by her side (and thus, by his) and yapping for attention like an excited little pup who has only been fed sausages from the dining table, and never whipped. The reason for their delightful silence now is that she has all but filled the conversation with lead, weighing it down to sink into nothing. Just then, the harp music stops. The princess - her daughter - stands from behind it, and the hall applauds. She drops the fork she'd gripped so tightly that it may have been a murdered man, were it a man, and applauds. After long seconds of applause, she stands. It is only good to remind the King that she is a loving mother. She's a mother. She can't be sent away. But, the last Queen was a mother also. "Wonderful, darling," the words tumble out like gold coins when Daniela comes to her, aching for kind words. His Majesty the King stands as well, and steals Daniela from her into a hug. Carefully, her expression stays steady. Oh, she resents him. That big gold chain on his pig's neck calls to her: choke him. When he lets Daniela go, the girl is right back into her arms, and she's whispering in the language they share that the King doesn't that girls must sleep earlier than adults. When the girl is gone, the King glances at her, sidelong. She can tell in that moment she's displeased him - outdone him. When the Queen sits, again she faces that question. Her wine is bitter, and she drinks heavily. How does she approach the question of Milena? When Alcina decides to look at the girl, she sees she's already being stared at. For one blinding moment, they make direct eye-contact. Milena is small and pretty in every way a girl should be: her eyes are wide and far apart, like a doe. Perfectly prey in nature. Her lips are soft, her hair the colour of sun-roasted wheat. It's a startling sight. She's a yew tree, her pink dress is but a fruit hanging. The Queen goes still. She's taller - her eyes screw down into the girl, before she breaks and smiles one large, false smile. "That's a surprisingly pretty dress." It's weak and pithy as they come, in terms of openings. Never content, she continues. Her fingers reach out, and she brushes a strand of hair aside. As she does so, she sees a disfigured ear poking through. Her eyes avert. She traces the gold lacing that outlines this flat-chested child's decolletage. "I imagine you don't rear your pups in pretty things like these?" Hadn't the girl said something about breeding pups? She isn't to know - the babble is incessant (by Alcina's standards) and she has rebelled against this awful future that Milena represents by ignoring her, and treating her harshly. But she'll be damned if she lets this pining little nothing take her from her children.

"No."