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“Not wrong. It is perfectly understandable.”
They went on, and had almost reached the door to their rooms when a sound made him turn. Maggie was running down the hallway towards them, her movements uneven, and her face contorted. He realised, just before she reached them, that she was not seeing him at all – her entire attention was on Iris.
“Evil witch!”
The words came out as a shrill gasp, and Maggie lashed out at Iris, her hand curled - like a cat clawing at a mouse. Leon caught that hand, just as it passed his own face, and pulled, hard.
Maggie lost her balance completely, and crumpled against him.
“Maggie, sister… you must not do such things.”
“Why not? She doesn’t belong here. Send her away, or I will make her go away, one way or another.”
Leon felt the sharp chill of fear run through him – there seemed little doubt as to what Maggie meant by those words. He caught Maggie's face in his hands, and held her, making her meet his eyes.
“Maggie, she does belong here. She is my wife. I married her, and I want her here. You must accept that.”
“I won’t. I won’t share you with anyone but Mother. We are family, and that’s all we need. She’s making you turn away from me, making you hate me. She’s a witch.”
“Maggie, I do not hate you. You are my sister, and I love you, but I can’t let you hurt other people. It simply isn’t right. You have already tried far too often – don’t imagine that I don’t know of it! If you cannot accept that, if you can’t behave, then I will have no choice but to lock you away in the second floor of the East Wing.”
He waited, watching her face as she processed his words, seeing the rebellion shift to sheer horror as she thought about it. Beside them, Iris stood frozen, silent, barely breathing as the drama played out.
“Noooooo! Not the East Wing! You can’t, you wouldn’t…. It’s…. it’s not green!”
“I can, and I will, if you do not promise to behave.”
For just a moment, there was a look in her eyes which suggested rational thought, and hope flared within him.
“I’ll promise. I beg you, don’t lock me away in there.”
“Promise - and actually fulfil that promise – hold fast to it, regardless. You must not attempt to harm Iris in any way, is that clear?”
Maggie tried to look away, but he held her in place, even though his heart broke at the need to do so. After long minutes, she gave a small jerky nod.
“I promise not to try to harm Iris in any way. Are you satisfied? Will you leave me with my freedom?”
“I will – but this is your one last chance. If you fail to hold by that promise, then you will be locked away, despite any protest you may make – and I will not redecorate that wing in green, no matter how often you ask. Now go back to your rooms, and rest, and think on this, to make sure that you remember.”
He released Maggie, and she stepped back, turning to face Iris, and hissed like an angry cat.
“That promise holds me not to hurt you – but that doesn’t mean I can’t hate you, witch. Never forget how I feel about you.”
With that, she spun, a motion spoiled in its drama by the wobble which resulted, and hurried off towards her own rooms.
>>>
The lock clicked on their door as Iris dropped onto the couch, her breath ragged.
Leon came to her and gathered her into his arms. She wanted to cry, to run away, to pretend that none of this existed. But she refused to allow the tears to fall. She looked up at her husband’s face, and forced a tremulous smile.
“I had not thought that you would be having that conversation this soon after our return. Will she truly hold to that promise, do you think?”
“I can but hope so. I do not want to have to lock her away, but what I saw out there… the look on her face as she flung herself at you… She was not even aware of my existence. There was nothing rational in that, nothing but the intent to harm. And I will not allow her to harm you.”
“Leon… what will happen if you do lock her away, in rooms that are not all green? Will that break what little grasp she has on reality completely, do you think?”
Iris waited as a cascade of emotions crossed Leon’s face. He swallowed.
