[A Fractured Song] - Chapter 14 - Fantasy, Isekai (Portal Fantasy), Adventure

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The smooth skin of her arms glistened with water from the bath. Frances submerged her arms again and pulled them back up, flipping them over to examine them.

It was like they’d never been marked in the first place. And just a few days ago, they’d ached or twinged when she turned her arms. Now that the constant pain was gone, Frances wondered how she ever thought that sensation was normal.

Sinking into the hot bathwater Frances blew bubbles in the water, listening to the rhythmic popping drown out her thoughts. She did it for some time until her skin started to wrinkle and she was beginning to get tired of listening to the sound of water sloshing in the tub.

As she wiped herself dry, something occurred to her rather suddenly.

Why was she afraid of Edana finding out about her parents?

“Well… she’d think I was a freak… a waste of space,” Frances muttered to herself, as she pulled on her undergarments. And yet, when she wondered if Edana thought she was a freak, she found herself doubting that her teacher would think that way.

“I mean… Edana’s nice,” said Frances, a little more loudly this time, noticing that her voice was echoing a bit in the bathroom.

She grimaced. What was she doing, talking to herself? She pulled on a yellow dress and exited the bathroom, walking down the stairs to the living room.

Before she entered though, she hesitated. She could hear the crackling of the fireplace.

But normally she could hear her mentor humming to herself as she read a book or tried to compose a new song. This time, she could hear furious page-turning and the sounds of a rather frustrated woman.

She tiptoed to the frame of the door. The slippers on her feet made nary a sound on the carpet. As quietly as she could, she peered in.

Edana was sitting at the living room table, madly flipping through a pile of books. Most of which were strewn open with different bookmarks slotted into them. She was so focused, saying something so quickly under her breath, that she barely noticed Frances walk in.

“Useless! Oh— Frances, sorry, can you pick that up for me?” Edana asked, pointing to a book on the floor.

Very carefully, Frances picked up the book and handed it to her mentor, but she couldn’t help but notice the title of the work. Embossed across the leather cover was the title Instilling Confidence in the Young.

“Thank you,” said Edana, taking the book. She noticed Frances frowning at the book and sighed. “I know you don’t want me to pry, but I still want to help you in any way I can.”

“But why? I… I mean… I didn’t even ask for your help—” Frances cringed. “Sorry, it’s not that I’m ungrateful, but I… why spend so much effort to help me?”

Edana looked up from her book, and closed it, giving her student her full attention. “I’m your teacher, Frances… but most importantly… I’m human. I can’t just stand idly by when I see someone suffering.”

It was a very reasonable and yet, empathetic answer to one of the many questions that had been bothering Frances. It was reassuring, but the girl wasn’t sure if she could trust Edana, even if she was the kindest, most caring person she had ever met.

“I’m not suffering,” lied Frances. She knew that was what her parents would want her to say. Though, she was becoming increasingly conscious that her parents weren’t here to hear it.

“Frances…” Edana put her book down and made a low note to bring one of the sofa chairs over and gestured to Frances to take a seat. Frances did so, noticing the chair squeak as she sank into the upholstery. It was a very well-sat-in chair.

“I think we both know that’s not true,” Edana said, her voice quiet.

Part of Frances wanted to lie, but what was the point? She had tried not to give any signs away, but her mentor had seen something off with those green eyes of hers.

“I don’t need to know who caused it, Frances, but I do want to help. I just want you to let me help you.”

That, Frances, could understand. She loved to learn from Edana, and in the past few days, she’d been nothing but the best teacher she’d ever known.

And yet, she was too much like one of those storybook characters of hers, who wouldn’t hesitate to help someone. They weren’t real, like the humans she knew. The humans that Frances knew always wanted something in return.

Frances shook her head. “I still don’t get it, though. I… I can’t be worth your time. I mean, you’re the head of the White Order. You have so many things to do rather than teach me.”

“I like teaching,” said Edana simply.

“But there are so many children to pick and choose, including any of my classmates,” Frances replied.

“So?” Edana asked.

“So… so many of my classmates are smarter, and some of them are more talented than me in magic! So why pick me, the one… the one who… who has problems?” Frances asked.

“Because… you’re the one who clearly needs the most help.” Edana blinked and stared at Frances with disbelief. “Are you trying to say I shouldn’t help you because you need help?”

“Yes! I mean—no. What I mean is—” France wanted to scream, but she shouldn’t do that. That wasn’t proper.

But her doubts swirled around her, a wild tornado ripping across her mind. So words instead flew from her mouth.

“How could I be worth your time? You’re… you’re so amazing and kind, and smart, and… there must be a million different things you could be doing rather than tutoring me. I mean, it can’t be cheap, in money or in time. And I could turn out to be a horrible student. I could turn out to have no power or talent for magic. After all, I barely made the crystal glow! What… why would you pick me when you aren’t going to get anything out of teaching me?” Frances swallowed and winced. “I—I mean, when you might not get anything out of teaching me…”

She dared to glance up at her mentor, who was silent, her green eyes wide.

“I… Frances… sorry, I would like to answer your question, but can you answer mine first?”

Frances nodded and Edana, leaned down so she was level with her student’s head. “Why do you think I picked you?”

“... because … I don’t know. Idle curiosity?”

Edana blinked again and sighed. “Oh, dear. I— I’m going to answer your question first. I… I’m not sure why you seem to think you’re not worth my time and might not be worth my time, but I don’t teach someone to get something out of it. I teach someone because there is a joy to teaching. It’s not something I get money for or prestige. I just like to help children reach their full potential because I’m good at doing that and it’s wonderful to help them do that.”

The words rang with conviction and sincerity, so Frances was inclined to believe her mentor, but…

“But why me then? I… I can’t have that much potential, and now that you know I have… problems… wouldn’t that hinder your goals?”

Edana wanted so badly to reach out and hug Frances right then, but she managed to just stop herself. Instead, she put her hands out, palms up.

Frances hesitated for a moment, but she took her mentor’s invitation and placed her hands on the woman’s. They were warm, slightly callused, but touching them was… nice.

“Frances… you misunderstand me. I don’t care what your full potential is. You might turn out to be a potter. Your magical talent might be minor. Yet, I still want you to be able to realize all your talents, no matter how small. That’s the joy I find in teaching.” Edana grinned. “And I didn’t pick you just because I was curious. I know I do my best with very specific students. You remember the test right? The run, the obstacle course, the intelligence and aptitude tests?”

Frances nodded… but while she’d known she’d done alright in the intelligence-based tests, she knew she hadn’t done well with the physical or aptitude tests.

“First off, I could see you were smart, which I like to see, but I also noticed that you never gave up on the physical challenges. You pushed yourself so hard that you were cramping, and yet you never complained. A lot of the kids gave up before they were really tired. You didn’t. That’s what made me wander over by you. I was worried about how you were doing.”

“Oh…”

“Mm-hmm. So that showed you were not afraid of hard work. And then there was the hand test… the light you made was so bright a lot of those present were blinking. You aren’t perfect Frances, but who is? And as for magical power, you have lots of it. I believe you are and will continue to be, an excellent student.”

Something fell from Frances’s shoulders and she suddenly seemed to breathe easier. And yet...

“Okay… but what about now?” Frances asked. She swallowed. “I… I can’t even answer your questions about my bruises.”

“So? You’re still my student. I still want to teach you.” Edana grimaced. “I admit the challenge isn’t one I necessarily expected, or wanted, but that’s to be expected in teaching.”

Frances fell silent, and her ears filled with her thoughts, and the crackle of the fireplace. She didn’t know what to say to her mentor. She hadn’t heard Edana’s voice quiver. There was no lie.

She knew Edana was nice and kind. She knew Edana trusted her. Yet, to hear that she still wanted to help her, even after she saw those bruises was such a relief. The cold fear that plagued her, that Edana would suddenly turn on her had faded. As if it had been warmed away by her mentor’s hands.

Frances took a deep breath. Maybe this wasn’t going to go well. But what did she have to lose? Her parents weren’t here, and they wouldn’t believe her if she told them. And if Edana hadn’t been disgusted at her bruises, then maybe she wouldn’t be repulsed if she told her the truth—the whole truth.

“Master… I told another lie. Remember… when you asked me, about what I wanted to get from your tutelage? What I most wanted to learn?” Frances asked, unable to meet her teacher’s gaze.

Edana nodded, her smile not flinching or fading.

“I… I said I wanted to learn more about magic. What I wanted… was to learn how—how to be safe, and how not to be a waste of space.”

The fear was back, squeezing her mouth shut, but Frances knew if she didn’t say it now when she felt she could say it, she might not be able to say it again.

“My mom hits me. That’s why my arms were broken.”

There was a sharp inhale, and Edana seemed to freeze for a moment. Yet, Frances could tell that it wasn’t out of revulsion, but a genuine horror and concern.

“Your mother did this to you? But why didn’t someone, say your father, stop her?”

Frances swallowed her head. She couldn’t tell. If she told, she’d be a bad girl and bad girls get—

“Frances? You’re safe here. Your mother won’t be able to hurt you.”

What her teacher said was true. As long as she didn’t die in this world, she’d be safe. Frances took a deep breath, reminding herself her parents wouldn’t even believe her if she told them. She… she could tell Edana about them. About what they did to her.

“I…” Frances, let her shaking hands fall to her side. “I lied. Mom… gave birth to me out of wedlock. I don’t have a father. Dan—my step-father—hits me too. I’m… I’m a waste of space after all.”

“They… they call you that?” Edana whispered.

Frances nodded, and to her relief, her mentor… her eyes were wet with tears.

“Yes. I… I don’t want to be one, but I am.”

“But… but you’re not a waste of space. You have to know that,” Edana croaked.

She shook her head. “I don’t know! If I’m not a waste of space… then why do my parents hit me all the time? There has to be a reason they hit me and not my step-sister. I mean… maybe it’s because of my bruises?”

“They were the ones that put those bruises on you in the first place.”

“Because I’m a useless waste of space!”

“You don’t believe that, do you? I mean… Do other parents in your world treat their children like that?” Edana asked, tentatively.

“Well, no—”

“Just your parents, right?” Edana asked, desperately.

“Yes, but that’s because I’m a freak and useless,” Frances stammered. But as the words left her lips, she realized she was lying. She wasn’t sure what she was lying about, but she knew she was.

Edana’s eyes widened. “And who told you that you are a freak?”

“My mother and step-father.”

“Who hit you and call you a waste of space.”

Frances wasn’t sure why Edana seemed so certain when she repeated that, but she nodded and said. “Yes, master.”

“But what are parents in your world supposed to do with their children?”

Frances froze and suddenly found it hard to breathe.

Because she knew the answer to that question, but the answer… she’d always tried to shove that answer to the back of her mind.

The mere thought of the answer brought her to tears and tore at her chest as if someone had stabbed her.

“L-love and t-take care of their children, h-hug them and—”

Frances felt her lips fail her as an image crystallized in her head.

Her parents loved her little step-sister, Dorothy, who was five years younger than her. Sometimes, her sister would demand Frances to do things like play with her. Frances always had to comply. If she didn’t, then Dorothy would complain to her parents and watch, one hand in her mother’s, whilst Dan beat her with the dreaded cane.

The memory of her mother, hugging her sister, whilst her stepfather hit her was accompanied by a single thought:

When was the last time that mom hugged me?

With that thought, the cold ache in her chest that felt like a hand of ice pulling her heart down suddenly gave one more wrenching squeeze and shattered. Frances tried to swallow the pain down, as she’d always done. Yet, this time it just didn’t work. The sobs welling up behind her throat burst out and Frances just couldn’t hold them back any longer. Her eyes blurred and she cried, her body shaking, even as she clung onto herself in a vain attempt to keep herself still. She could feel the warm room air on her cheeks, but she was shivering with cold. She tried to bite down her cries, but it was like they were tearing themselves out of her throat.

Something wrapped around her shoulders and rested against her forehead. It took Frances a moment to realize that it was Edana, hugging her, sniffling slightly herself.

“I…” Frances’s first instinct was to flinch away, but her teacher’s touch was so soft. “Why are you—why—”

“Because I want to, because you need a hug, and because you are not a waste of space,” said Edana.

“I’m not?”

“No, you’re not. You’re a kind, sweet girl, who works hard, who…” Edana’s hug tightened. “Who deserves love and affection. Like every other child.”

I do?

Frances wasn’t sure why, but something about Edana’s words struck a chord in her. It hurt, and yet… a weight seemed to drop from her shoulders. Tears, of both agony, and relief flooded anew and she buried herself into her mentor’s shoulders.

And through it all, a teary Edana held her there.

Author's Note: This was one of the hardest chapters to write. How do ya'll feel about Edana and Frances bonding and the reveal?

Also, how's your day been? Got any cool series to recommend? One of my favorite anime series was Violet Evergarden, an anime on Netflix, which was a pretty big inspiration on how to do drama in series.