What? Lucy echoed once more as Emma went back to work. W-we're leaving? W-wait Emma isn't this is-

"-abrubt!" And Seth ended, supplying one another without even knowing it. It infuriated Emma further. "Let's talk about this, surely-"

"There is nothing to talk to." She hissed as she stuffed the last of the metals she could find use of. "We have stayed our welcome longer than it already has. It is only a matter of time before they would look here. We have to go." Emma directed her words to the two, but more so to the disbelieving young lady.

B-but they haven't found us yet! Lucy insisted from within. S-surely we can-

"We are never safe, you imbecile." Lucy flinched as Emma grinded her teeth. "We have been lucky. That is all there is to it. Sooner or later, they will find us, and when they do, we will be dragged back."

No! I won't accept this! I-

"You said you would do anything." Lucy falls silent, the sinking realization and horror radiated like a bonfire. Emma did not blinked in the slightest. "Well, I'm saying we are leaving. And that is final." She declared for the two to hear, uncaring of their growing horror.

"W-wait lady Emma. Surely you are not planning on travelling at this time!" Seth implored. "Winter is almost here. If you travel now, who knows what perils you will face." Emma stopped in her tracks, taking in his words for a moment.

"It is a risk I will have to take." The soldier reaffirmed her conviction as he turned to face the young man. "You don't understand what those animals will do to us if they drag us back in." Lucy internally flinched as Seth blinked back in confusion. "All of this," Emma gestured over her wounds, her scars. "Would be for naught. Hel, I wager it would be worse."

"T-then let me hide you. I have the resources to do it." Seth said, grasping for straws.

S-seth's right! If w-we took his aid, they would never find us! And Lucy as well.

Just let Seth-

"-help you. You don't-"

-have to keep living like- Emma grabbed Seth by the collar, and from within, she did the same to Lucy as well. Her teeth clenched in barely restrained fury- no, insanity. Her breath hitched tightly, whispering beneath the cold moon as the words and vapor escaped from her mouth.

"I am not going back." She held their gaze, spatting out the words that ran amok within her head. "Whatever you two had planned in mind, forget it. That day will never come." Their eyes trembled, a shadow flickered from deep within.

E-Emma, Lucy weakly cried out.

"L-lady Emma," And Seth does as well, his hand reaching out towards her. The two were truly in synced much to Emma's frustration. Suddenly, she had to deal with two flower heads instead.

"No," She reaffirmed to the two.

But!

"But!"

"I said no!" She snapped, but the two love struck pair stubbornly stood resilient. Their love and desperation to stay with one another revolted Emma to no end. She couldn't help but despise the weakness that had consumed her once, and yet, she could not help but feel a pang of envy.

"Think for a second, damn you. You two are risking not only yourself, but the entire orphanage too." The two paused as the shadow of doubt clouded their eyes.

"T-they have nothing to do with this. Surely your family can be reasoned with?" Seth replied, skeptical albeit hopeful.

T-they wouldn't dare. Lucy, who endured torment with Emma, however, knew all too well what she truly meant.

"Do you know the due for scarring a noble?" Their eyes widened. "What about kidnapping one?" The two paled as the implication finally settled in.

T-they didn't do it! They have done nothing but help us! Lucy desperately reasoned.

"They have no proof!" Seth shouted in outrage, but the fear and uncertainty in his voice was clear. "How could they-"

"They don't need to have proof. We've already been framed. How can you two be this naïve?!" Emma snapped back at the two. "What did the sellsword say, flower head? They kept muttering about that pig. Who could this pig be?" Emma said as she watched the cogs turn in their heads.

W-what? What are you... no. I-it can't be... Memories flooded back to the scarred maiden. Information that had been buried from the recent light of Seth's true, or rather, future identity, had finally come at last. And despite trying her best to deny it, Lucy remembered all to well what the sellsword had said. As if on cue, Seth whispered in a horrified low tone.

"T-the mayor." A dumbfounded look plastered over his face as he gathered the pieces. A terrible realization hit the two as they saw the horrible picture they had missed that Emma had revealed. "That bastard." Seth trembled in rage; his eyes darkened with malevolent light as he finally connected all the pieces.

"It was him, wasn't it?" Seth looked back at Emma for confirmation. The steel and fire within his eyes caught the respect Emma had to willingly surrender as she nodded her head.

"The sellsword we fought confirms it. We are not safe here. If that pig knows, then it is only a matter of time." Seth's hands curled into a fist, trembling with restraint that was now beginning to infect Lucy.

But... but why? We haven't done anything to him! Her anger sparked terribly into a searing flame. In moments like these, Emma was begrudgingly reminded that the flower head did not make it this far purely on luck. If only she had the spine when it mattered the most.

"Why wouldn't he?" Lucy flinched at the uncaring tone. "All he has to do is drag us back in one piece and he gets acquainted with the duke. Not enough to get into the inner circle of the capital, but enough to pull him out of this backwater town." Emma replied plainly as if it was a fact that could not be changed.

But he is dragging innocents into this! Children and women! Lucy cried out in injustice as a dry chuckle escaped from Emma.

"I doubt anyone back there would have cared less how we were found. Just that we are." Emma mused derisively, turning his attention to Seth this time. "You know, you might not remember this at all, but they are just as I remembered them. Self-serving fucks." And Seth could not help but nod back in agreement. 'So even you understand.' Emma mused to herself.

B-but... but no one would stand for this. Unfortunately, Lucy still clings on to hope, much to Emma's frustration. Surely father-

"He is not our father." Lucy and Seth jumped at the coldness of her voice. "He sired us, but he is no father. Get that through your head. We have no father." Emma spat out with vitriol, silencing the young maiden from within. "...Not that we have a family to begin with." The soldier buried her thoughts quickly, but not quick enough for the flower head to escape notice.

...We do.

"What?" Emma said.

...We... we have a family here. Emma went still before she whispered back in disbelief.

"Why can't you understand?" There was no response, boiling Emma's blood even further. "We have to go. We are being hunted down. Why can't you understand this?!"

Because they are here! Lucy shouted back. They are here! Our family is-

"They are not mine!" Emma roared. "You were the one they took care of. You were the one they loved. You! Mine had already died!" She screamed loudly at this cruel, unfair girl. Why was she the only one? Why not her as well? She gets to pretend for a while, wasn't that enough??

Emma has had enough. She had tolerated her for far too long. She was so sick and tired of always taking care of her and her moronic choices. "I am leaving." So, this time, she will be the one to make the decision. "Whether you two like it or not, we are going. I will not be dragged back to that hell." Emma snapped as she turned to leave.

"W-wait! I-"

"There is nothing left to speak of. I'll die on this weather or live for another day, but I will not be dragged back." Shrugging off Seth's warning, she continued to trek.

However, she was quickly put to a stop when she turned to see the sister who shared her name and the child Lucy had clumsily rescued. Fear ripe in their eyes as if she was going to kill them. Good timing. Emma thought as she turned to Lucy from within. Say your goodbyes. We are leaving soon.

֍

Lucy numbly blinked as the control was given back to her. She felt the older girl waiting with a sense of urgency. "S-sister Lucy?" But her guard was down. Lucy looked back to sister Emma, to Iva... to Seth.

No, She quietly answered as Emma went stiff.

What do you mean, no? Lucy- oh, you selfish brat! Emma curses loudly. The control Emma had given in consideration was wrenched off violently. Unfortunately for Lucy, Emma refuses to let go as she did so before. As always, you couldn't even keep a single promise.

Lucy ignores her sneer as she stumbles towards Sister Emma. "S-sister Emma, I-"

"S-sister Lucy, p-please wait." Lucy froze dead on her tracks. A slight tremor echoes across her body when she saw the hesitant eyes within the nun. "L-let's talk f-first." The nun tried to hide it, but Lucy's sensitive ears could not escape it.

"W-what do you mean?" Lucy broke at last, taking a step forward. "S-siter Emma, I-" Emma stepped back, shielding Iva away from her. Emma's eyes widened into shock. It was as if her body had betrayed her. And yet sister Emma offered no apology.

"S-sister Lucy please." The slight shiver in her tone frightened Lucy.

Why? Lucy thought, her mouth agape from the shock. Why are you looking at me like that? She took another step forward. Sister Emma was saying something, but she could not hear it. W-what did I do? Her right hand rises, reaching out to the panicking sister. Why are you-

"Lucy!" The scarred maiden snapped out of her trance as Seth held her in place.

"S-Seth? W-what are you doing? Why-"

"You are scaring them." The bluntness within his voice made Lucy blank out for a second.

"M-me? N-no, t-that's not true. W-why would I be scaring..." Lucy met Sister Emma's eyes, the one who always looked back with such warm affection, who show her the warmth she never thought she could find again, flinched at her gaze. "...them." Her words fall dead in her mouth.

'No, this can't be happening.' Lucy denied, trying to take another step forward, when Seth firmly squeezed her shoulder. A look of pity mirrored her disbelief.

"I know you didn't, I know, but you have to pull it together. T-they don't know yet. They don't know about Emma." His words finally calmed her down. It was making sense. Finally something was making sense! It was because of her! Yes, she must have scared-

Blaming me now, why don't you? Lucy flinched, but she ignored her once more.

"Sister Emma, it's ok. It's Lucy." Seth reassured the nun. Lucy waited in anticipation for the calm to grace her eyes, but it didn't came. Sister Emma was still afraid of her.

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"S-Seth, may I talk to Lucy... alone, please?" Sister Emma replied apprehensively as Seth and Lucy blinked back in surprise.

"Sister I-"

"Please... I need to talk to her." Sister Emma trembled, but she held herself together, eyeing Lucy with a resolve she rarely seen.

Seth turned back, giving Lucy a reassured glance. "I'll be close by." The young man whispered before walking away, leaving Lucy with Sister Emma and Iva.

"...D-do you have anything you have to say for yourself." She tried to hold it in, but the betrayal within the nun's voice filled Lucy with shame.

"I-I was only trying to save you. I didn't-"

"Y-you p-promised me that you wouldn't pick up a weapon again." The sadness, the disappointment in her tone, Lucy wanted to run away.

"What am I supposed to do?!" Lucy snapped, Sister Emma flinched, but she didn't avoided her frantic gaze. "I-I can't just leave you to die! I-I could-"

"You could have waited for Seth." Her voice was still soft, but there was a firmness within them. "Call on the guards, hire other sellswords, or even call sister Rose for help, but you didn't." Sister Emma never raised her voice, but Lucy was beginning to shake. The scarred maiden could not meet the older woman's gaze anymore. She was simply too afraid.

"Y-you didn't do anything but risk your life instead. What... what would you have me do if they stabbed you?" Lucy's eyes snapped back to see Sister Emma's eyes watering with tears. "I told you to call for help. I told you to drop that blade." She glared disdainfully at the daggers on her hips.

"I-"

"No! You will listen to me young lady. I have enough of your lies." The nun finally raised her voice, scaring even Iva by her side. "I thought you wanted to stop? To run away from this, yet why are you here, drenched in blood? Was that also a lie?"

Lucy stuttered out a reply, horror evident on her face. "I-it's not! Y-you have to believe me, sister Emma!" The scarred maiden cried out for understanding.

The nun's eyes glistened with anger and scrutiny. Her kind eyes were nowhere to be found. "And yet you throw yourself recklessly to death's embrace." Lucy cowered before her gaze. It was simply too painful to endure. To know those once loving and gentle eyes hate you was simply too much for the love hungered girl.

"I-I'm sorry." Lucy weakly replied as the nun flinches. "I-I... I just don't want to lose you." The sister's eyes weakened as she watched the merciless killer reverted back to the young girl she had known and taken care of.

"I c-can't lose s-someone again. I... I am so sorry." Lucy lowered her gaze; she could barely hold it in anymore. "P-please d-don't hate me." Her voice was barely above a whimper, failing to hold in the urge as tears trickled down from her eyes.

Lucy was about to break down when she felt the ever so familiar warmth. She looked up in shock to see Sister Emma and Iva giving her a hug. "You lied to me," Lucy flinches at her voice, "but I don't hate you, dear." Sister Emma's voice was still stern, but it was softer than before.

"What you have done today, I'll make sure to discipline you properly, but I will never hate you, dear. Never." Lucy blinked before sobbing quietly in her arms. Relief flooded her entire body, the tension finally escaping from her body. She could finally calm down and just broke down in her arms. A mistake Emma did not let go unpunished.

֍

'Why her?' Emma tried to hold bitter poison from within, but for all for her experiences could provide her, she was still human. Still vulnerable, even if she wanted nothing more than to deny it. 'Why does it always have to be her?' Emma glared from behind the wall.

She watched Lucy, even after all the failures and selfishness she had made for herself, easily forgiven and love by the nun with the same name as her. The nun who showed so much love from the very first day they met. A love she had never known that not even Kier could give. The love of a mother.

It was... unfair. She had endured just as much, even worse than the flower head, but why was she the only one? Why not her as well? If someone had described to Emma what this love could be, she would have mocked derisively at the lies of it all... and yet she was here, trapped to watch what could have been hers as well. It was simply unfair.

So, when the moment finally came and Lucy let her guard down, she made sure to take it. She would tear down this dream before it could hurt her more than it already had. W-what the- no! Emma! Lucy cried out in dismay as Emma took control once more.

As if recoiling from their touch, Emma quickly pushed off the two. "S-sister Lucy?" Sister Emma asked in shock. "Is there something wrong?" When Emma did not respond, the nun's eyes soften to care once more. "H-hey hey," and it terrified her. "There is no need to be-"

"I am not Lucy." Came Emma's sharp yet simple reply. The nun's eyes blinked in confusion, trying to understand what was happening before her. "My name is Emma. Emma le Larum." A spark of fear and confusion filled her eyes once more, barely understanding what she said. The little girl, Iva, could barely keep up as well.

"I-I don't understand-" Sister Emma trailed off when Seth finally stood between the two. "Seth? What-"

"Does it look like I am going to stab them?" Emma said with annoyance as Seth stiffly shook his head. Behind him, the two looked back in utter bewilderment.

"No, but it wouldn't hurt to be safe." Seth coolly replied as Lucy gave off a derisive snort.

"E-excuse me, but what is going on? Sister Lucy why-"

"Sister Emma I... I believe Lucy switched places with lady Emma here." Seth replied.

"P-pardon? What do you mean by that?" Sister Emma asked looking back and forth between Lucy and Seth.

"...It seems, lady Emma Larum and Lucy shares the same body. According to her, Lucy got lucky and controlled their body most of the time... until now."

Sister Emma's eyes slowly widens in shock.

"Y-you mean-"

"It means Lucy is not here right now." Emma cut off in impatience. "I am currently in control. The flower head can wait." The sharpness and stiffness within her reply finally broke through the nun and the child. Their guards raised up once more as Sister Emma finally spoke.

"L-lady Emma," The soldier could not help but flinched at the completely different and change in tone. Why was that? Emma was just as, if not more, than Lucy could be. Yet it was so different between them, why? "m-may I ask why-" Just why?!

"We are leaving. This place is not safe anymore. Neither for me and Lucy nor for you." Emma buried the injustice of it all once more. Her sanity was far more important than envy now. She will not be chained! As expected, their eyes widen in horror, but not as much as Seth. It seemed the young man was better than Emma had given credit him for.

"W-what? I-I don't understand-"

"Lucy did not mention it because she was afraid of being abandoned if she told you the truth." The nun's eyes widen into horror once more. "But I am not. We are being hunted down by my family's soldiers and elites, the cobalt guard. They, if my guess is correct, are being aided by the royal family's own men. As much as Lucy wants to deny it, we are being hunted."

Emma paused, watching as the stunned nun slowly but surely devoured the information with horror. There was so much more, Emma had not even begin to explain why, but they will know. Stop it! Even if the flower head tries to stop her.

Stop lying to them! I-

'You are dragging these people into our hell you dolt. They are better off without us.'

No! Let go of me! Lucy tried to take back control, but Emma was ready. She pushed back against Lucy with ease. The flower head had forgotten what it was like. Emma... Emma was still there. Still being hunted by their screams. What would a rusty flower head could do to her? She remained sharpen. Her? She had grown soft.

"You're lives are in danger." Sister Emma and Iva's eyes widen.

Stop it!

"If they found us within your care, there is little doubt what they would do to you." They paled further.

Lies!

"And so, we have to leave." Emma said as a matter of fact despite Lucy's desperate pleas.

P-PLEASE STOP! PLEASE-

"I am sure you can understand why-"

"W-wait! J-just wait lady Emma." Sister Emma interrupted, much to Emma's shock. "T-the night is getting colder, we can talk about this on the morrow yes?" Emma could hardly believe what she was hearing.

Y-yes! She's right! I-if we leave now, we-

"Are you daft?" Sister Emma flinched but did not turned her gaze away. "We are being hunted. You are endangering us all for nothing! The sooner we leave, the better." Exasperated, Emma looked at the sister as if she had hit her head.

"B-but it is dark right now, and darker still beyond the town! Please at least-"

"We don't have any time!" Emma shouted as the nun and the child jumped back. Seth flinched, but he remained firmed in between them just in case. "They are going to find us and when they do, you all be dead! Why can't you see that?!" Emma roared in disbelief.

'And you, be quiet! You have done more than enough!' Emma snapped at Lucy's plea as she turned back to the sister.

She thought the nun would have understand more so than anyone else, yet here she was, helping the flower head... it's unfair.

"B-but... L-Lucy could not give her goodbyes then." It was so unfair. "P-please, at least give her this." Her amethyst eyes quivered against her piercing sapphire. Her hands squeezed tightly into a ball, ready to bark out a retort when Seth intervened.

"You'll need supplies." Emma frowned at the ever-opportunistic merchant, but Seth continued. "Winter is almost here, surely you don't plan to go without proper provisions, yes?" A memory so many weeks ago flashed through her mind. How she and the flower head almost went mad with only the cold water sustaining her. She... did not want to go through all of that again.

Her already disapproving gaze hardened further with her frown as Seth took her silence to continue. "Besides, surely you don't plan to go with those clothes on, would you?" Kalva be damn, the young man makes sense when it was convenient for him.

Though not lacking in any way in warding off the cold now, it was hardly suitable for travelling when winter was so near. And yet, Emma could not help but voice out her frustration. "And if I do, what would you do?" Emma challenged, catching Sister Emma and the child by surprise.

"L-lady Emma p-please-"

"Oh, I don't doubt it." Seth replied, masking off his shock far better than the two. "But I wager you would avoid it if you can. Well, lady Emma, you can avoid it now. Just for a day of delay." Emma stared for a moment longer before letting out a soft sigh.

"...One day. After that, we're going." Emma finally relented in defeat as everyone but her sighed in relief. "And I am in charge, the flower head can have her turn when it is time to say her peace." This brought a trouble gaze from Seth as the nun and the child were still trying to understand what she meant.

W-what?! No, I-

'I gave you a chance, and you tried to chain me, you ungrateful brat.' Emma snapped back.

A chance I have no choice but to accept, and you call this being fair?!

'Fair? Since when did our lives became fair-'

"T-that... can I please t-talk to her?" Emma was broke off from her internal war as she turned to face the nun. "Y-you are leaving soon after all, I would like to spend what little-'

"I can't trust her after the stunt she pulled." Emma sharply replied, prompting Sister Emma to close her mouth. "She might bury me for good this time if I let her."

I-I won't! Just let me talk to them, I promise I won't-

'Promise? You 'promise'? Since when did that word hold any worth to you?'

While preparing her next words, Emma felt a tug on her leg. She looked down to see the child, Iva, if she recalled correctly. "J-just a moment? Please?" Iva weakly requested.

"...Why would you want to?" Iva and Lucy flinched. Memories of that faithful day flooded their minds.

"B-because... I want to understand why." Iva weakly replied. The little girl could barely control her tremors from showing. This side of Lucy, this lady 'Emma', she was far more frightening, felt far more violent... and yet...

"...Would knowing why would make it better?" And yet, Emma replied with a surprising amount of caution. As if she was careful not to make her cry. Even Seth was caught off guard.

"I... I don't know... I just want to." Iva confessed. Emma seemed to ponder for a while before finally responding.

"...Ten minutes. I don't care if you are done or not, you only got ten." With that Emma let goes of control, but not without preparations.

Well? Aren't you going to do it? Emma hissed as Lucy quickly took the chance.

'I'll just talk to them, I swear!' Lucy thought in reply.

Right, of course. Everything is fine now with your promise. Emma replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm as Lucy took control once more.

֍

"L-Lucy?" Sister Emma asked in caution as she watched the stiffness and seemingly eternal frown slowly dissipate away from the young lady. Lucy blinked; her eyes softened once more as she quickly embraced her.

"T-there there." The nun cooed softly, gently patting her back as her young charge quietly sobbed.

"I-I don't want to go." Lucy whimpered, her voice utterly hopeless and defeated.

"We'll find a way. I-I'm sure we can find a way to convince her." Though uncertain, Sister Emma made sure she buried the doubt deep within. She needed to be strong for her. After all she had done, she needed someone more than ever to lean on.

"S-sister Lucy?" They turned to the voice of Iva. The poor young one was barely holding it together. Whatever hostility she had before, it seemed she had finally grown attached to Lucy just as the rest of the children did.

"A-are... are you leaving?" Iva weakly asked, trying to hold back her tears. Lucy could not bear to meet her gaze as she went back hugging to Sister Emma. Iva with a disheartened gaze, gently pulled her leg again. "H-hug." The little girl said, surprising Lucy.

The young lady seemingly hesitated at first before lowering down slowly and embracing her. "T-there th-there." If it were any other day, Sister Emma would have smiled at the young girl's attempt of comfort by copying her. Alas, it only provokes more tears for the three.

They stay still for a moment, quietly treasuring what little time they had left for each other. If she could choose, Sister Emma would have prayed to all the Gods for the moment to last just a little bit longer. Sadly, it had to end.

"We have to go. It is getting colder here." Lucy looked up to see Seth with a heavy smile. The young man was holding it in. He was trying so hard to act nonchalant as usual, but Sister Emma could tell. Even if he were to somehow manage to hide it, the way Lucy's eyes watered betrayed the true extent of the bond between two.

With a heavy nod, Lucy quietly picked Iva up in her arms. An act that seemed to surprise the two but did not deny it nonetheless as they trekked slowly back to the manor. They wracked their brains for any excuse, any reason to delay her journey further and possibly convince the colder lady from within.

Lucy looked worse and worse with each step she took. Although she was purposefully walking slowly, the three did not called her out on it. Instead, they even tried to match her own slow pace. Just a little bit longer. They need more time, just a little bit more. Surely they can come up with a plan! They have to! They-

"Hey... it will be all right. We'll come up with something." Sister Emma looked back to see Seth giving Lucy his signature smile. Although it was far weaker than before, the young lady seemed to appreciate it nonetheless.

"Thank you." Lucy softly whispered as they continued to trek back, despite their wish to just stop. To keep this time for themselves. It was then an idea popped up inside of her head. A far fetch plan, almost worthless... but it could work. If it somehow worked... Sister Emma smiled.

"H-hey Seth," If it could just work... then maybe they could convince them.

"Yes?" Seth asked sluggishly, but quickly perked up when he looked back at Sister Emma's brightful eyes.

"Do you think it is possible to-"

"What's that?" Iva suddenly cut off, pointing ahead of them. Sister Emma pauses, barely containing her excitement at her ingenious plan when she saw it. Smoke rises from the horizon where... where the manor was.