Post by sammy on Feb 5, 2006 21:34:37 GMT
"Why are you taking me back home?" Cathy's disgruntled face appeared on the rear-view mirror. The chauffeur looked equally frustrated and confused, but Daphne paid them both no attention. "Shush." She snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. Cathy leaned against the back of the car seat, placing her feet on the opposite one that should have been occupied by Giselle. Where was Giselle anyway? The thought had lodged into Cathy's mind for a while now. She hadn't made any appearances at school or classes. Cathy thought her sick, until now. "Where's Giselle?" Daphne turned on the radio in response.
The landscaping around Dumas manor was always pretty to look at, even after living there for six to seven years. There was nice bushes by the front of the house, and the gardens on either side of the walkway had exotic plants that could only grow under very special circumstances. Many neighbors would stop to look at their beauty, but few knew how the Dumas family did it. "How did you make this grow?" Someone would say. "I always thought it only grew in tropical climates." Daphne would, of course, make something up, since she couldn't say the real reason why. Cathy always wondered if magic made the plants look better or if they looked even more breath-taking in the climate they were supposed to be in. The grass on Dumas property was always green; Daphne hated seeing brown patches in the front of her house. She thought it signified something dirty. Flowers were always in bloom, and the bushes never died out. "We don't have all day, Catherine." Daphne's voice vibrated in Cathy's mind until she finally came out of her train of thoughts. "You've already wasted plenty of my time, and I'm not in a very good mood. Get out of the car immediately."
Every time Cathy stepped into Dumas mansion, she was reminded of when she first came to it that night, scared, frightened, alone and nervous. The Entrance Hall had been so large on her small eleven year old form that she had been sure she was as small as an ant. And maybe she was. Giselle had still been Giselle back then, and Daphne hadn't changed much either. Only Daddy was changing, and it wasn't for the better. "I'd like you to go to the family hall. We're going to have a little talk there." Daphne told Cathy before gliding up the stairs. Amazing how beautiful yet cruel some things could be. Catherine hesitated in following her, but in the end really had no choice. What had she done now? They only had family meetings when it was extremely important, as that was another waste of time for Daphne.
When Cathy stepped inside the family hall, she realized it had been furnished. There were glass doors leading into the sleek wood floors that were extra polished for today. There must have been about five new silk armchairs sitting around the large fireplace and one whole wall had been turned into glass windows. Not surprised by this turn of events, Cathy made her way to the armchairs as slowly as she dared. Three forms were sitting there. Giselle, Daddy, and Daphne. Sitting in one of the armchairs closest to Daddy and farthest from the other two women, Cathy clasped her hands in her lap. The appearance of Giselle sitting there looking as healthy as ever did surprise her, however. "What's going on?" Cathy demanded, sounding so much like Giselle that the real life thing clapped her hands together. "Lovely way to put it, darling." Giselle. Cathy wished she still didn't have to see her. She grounded her teeth together and said no more. Daddy just gave Giselle a smile, a weak, worn smile that made Cathy's heart falter.
"Don't you think that's why I called you here?" Daphne asked coldly, her beautiful black hair matching her equally dark eyes. It was in curls today, and looked astonishing. Cathy tried to make her face expressionless, but she was sure that trying was the only thing she was doing. Daphne raised an eyebrow, expecting a response that wasn't about to come. Daddy was the one to break the silent battle between the two. "Giselle is no longer going to Hogwarts, Cathy." The effect these words had on Cathy would have been the same if he had reached across the table and slapped her hard. Eyes wide and her mouth once again dangling open, she waited for someone to say "surprise!" and all of them to start laughing at her stupidity. But of course they didn't want to play along with that game. They all sat there, looking dead serious and Giselle looking very smug. "Are you joking?" Cathy's voice was shaking and she looked down at her hands in her lap to hide her feelings on the matter.
The landscaping around Dumas manor was always pretty to look at, even after living there for six to seven years. There was nice bushes by the front of the house, and the gardens on either side of the walkway had exotic plants that could only grow under very special circumstances. Many neighbors would stop to look at their beauty, but few knew how the Dumas family did it. "How did you make this grow?" Someone would say. "I always thought it only grew in tropical climates." Daphne would, of course, make something up, since she couldn't say the real reason why. Cathy always wondered if magic made the plants look better or if they looked even more breath-taking in the climate they were supposed to be in. The grass on Dumas property was always green; Daphne hated seeing brown patches in the front of her house. She thought it signified something dirty. Flowers were always in bloom, and the bushes never died out. "We don't have all day, Catherine." Daphne's voice vibrated in Cathy's mind until she finally came out of her train of thoughts. "You've already wasted plenty of my time, and I'm not in a very good mood. Get out of the car immediately."
Every time Cathy stepped into Dumas mansion, she was reminded of when she first came to it that night, scared, frightened, alone and nervous. The Entrance Hall had been so large on her small eleven year old form that she had been sure she was as small as an ant. And maybe she was. Giselle had still been Giselle back then, and Daphne hadn't changed much either. Only Daddy was changing, and it wasn't for the better. "I'd like you to go to the family hall. We're going to have a little talk there." Daphne told Cathy before gliding up the stairs. Amazing how beautiful yet cruel some things could be. Catherine hesitated in following her, but in the end really had no choice. What had she done now? They only had family meetings when it was extremely important, as that was another waste of time for Daphne.
When Cathy stepped inside the family hall, she realized it had been furnished. There were glass doors leading into the sleek wood floors that were extra polished for today. There must have been about five new silk armchairs sitting around the large fireplace and one whole wall had been turned into glass windows. Not surprised by this turn of events, Cathy made her way to the armchairs as slowly as she dared. Three forms were sitting there. Giselle, Daddy, and Daphne. Sitting in one of the armchairs closest to Daddy and farthest from the other two women, Cathy clasped her hands in her lap. The appearance of Giselle sitting there looking as healthy as ever did surprise her, however. "What's going on?" Cathy demanded, sounding so much like Giselle that the real life thing clapped her hands together. "Lovely way to put it, darling." Giselle. Cathy wished she still didn't have to see her. She grounded her teeth together and said no more. Daddy just gave Giselle a smile, a weak, worn smile that made Cathy's heart falter.
"Don't you think that's why I called you here?" Daphne asked coldly, her beautiful black hair matching her equally dark eyes. It was in curls today, and looked astonishing. Cathy tried to make her face expressionless, but she was sure that trying was the only thing she was doing. Daphne raised an eyebrow, expecting a response that wasn't about to come. Daddy was the one to break the silent battle between the two. "Giselle is no longer going to Hogwarts, Cathy." The effect these words had on Cathy would have been the same if he had reached across the table and slapped her hard. Eyes wide and her mouth once again dangling open, she waited for someone to say "surprise!" and all of them to start laughing at her stupidity. But of course they didn't want to play along with that game. They all sat there, looking dead serious and Giselle looking very smug. "Are you joking?" Cathy's voice was shaking and she looked down at her hands in her lap to hide her feelings on the matter.