The night grew deeper, and the once-bustling ballroom began to quiet down as guests bid their farewells and dispersed into the night. Eager to pay homage to her aunt and express her gratitude, Lauren decided to stay until everyone had left, allowing a moment alone with her aunt.
She had another pressing matter in mind—a meeting with her aunt to delve into the mysteries surrounding her late mother, but that would be for another day. The questions gnawed at her, demanding answers and clarity. But first, she needed to start making her way home.
Spotting her aunt Veronica, stepping into the ballroom, Lauren called out to her, seeking a private moment amidst the lingering echoes of the evening.
"Aunt Veronica," she greeted, a subtle smile gracing her lips as she approached.
Veronica, radiating warmth and affection, returned the smile, her eyes alight with joy. "Lauren, my dear, I hope you had a marvelous time," she greeted, her voice brimming with genuine delight.
Returning her aunt's smile, Lauren nodded enthusiastically. "I had a wonderful time. Everyone was incredibly kind and lovely. Thank you so much for organizing this, aunt. I am truly grateful," she expressed, her sincere appreciation coloring her words.
Veronica, brushing off the significance of her efforts, waved away Lauren's gratitude with a nonchalant gesture. "Oh, my darling, don't give it a second thought. This is what family is for," she asserted, her maternal instinct shining through.
Persisting in her expression of gratitude, Lauren pressed on, her voice tinged with emotion. "But this," she began, gesturing with her finger to encompass the exquisite decorations, sumptuous food and drinks, and the crowd that had gathered to celebrate her, "it's more than I could have ever imagined. I don't know what to say," she confessed, her words soft and heartfelt.
Recognizing her niece's struggle to convey her emotions, Veronica enveloped her in a comforting, motherly embrace.
"That's okay, sweetheart. You don't need to find the right words. Everything is fine. I am here for you, and the Benneth family is here for you. You needn't worry about a thing.
In fact, you can even quit your job if you wish. I promise to ensure your life is one of luxury," Veronica reassured, her voice imbued with a soothing tenderness. With every word, she aimed to ease Lauren's burden and assure her of unwavering support and love.
The final part of Veronica's words elicited a light chuckle from Lauren, a soft and melodic sound that filled the air.
"Aunt, that's incredibly sweet of you, but if I don't go to work, I become easily irritable and grumpy," Lauren explained, her voice laced with amusement.
Veronica nodded in understanding, a warm smile gracing her features. "Alright, my dear, whatever you want," she acquiesced, delighted by how comfortable Lauren felt in her presence.
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Lauren continued, "What I want, Aunt, is to go home for the night. You see, I need to be at the hospital tomorrow for an important surgery," she explained in one breath, fearful that her aunt would try to dissuade her from leaving.
Veronica swiftly dismissed Lauren's concerns, gently taking her niece's hand and guiding her along.
"Nonsense," she declared, her tone firm yet filled with affection.
"I have already prepared a beautiful room for you. You will spend the night here, and in the morning, Morris, the chauffeur, will drive you to the hospital. I have already informed your father about the change in plans, so there is no need for further arguments. Understood?" Veronica stated matter-of-factly, turning to face Lauren as they walked.
Lauren couldn't help but smile at her aunt's determined approach. "Oh, Auntie, you didn't even give me a chance to argue," she pouted playfully, prompting Veronica to laugh wholeheartedly.
"That's the whole point, honey. That's how I approached my business when I started out. You have to be strong and relentless, leaving no room for the opposition to outbid you or outsmart you. It's the only way to reach the top, understand?" Veronica explained calmly, her words infused with a depth of wisdom.
"Now, come with me. I will personally show you to your room," Veronica declared, leading the way with an air of confidence and grace.
As they walked, Lauren couldn't deny the sense of comfort and belonging she felt by her aunt's side. The future held unknown challenges, but with Veronica as her guiding force, she felt an unwavering strength and determination that she knew would carry her through any obstacle.
--
"Up until now, you mean to tell us that your niece still doesn't know she is a witch?" Margaret Ronald, the high priestess of the south American coven asked from where she sat, at far end of the table.
"No" Veronica Benneth replied simply, earning a murmur in the meeting room.
"But she had been a witch all through her life, no?" Another asked.
"Well let's not forget that she had lived with the humans all through her life, never interacted with the witches or any supernatural being, not until recently" Gracie Bruce replied, she wasnt going to sit still and watch them pick her late best friend's daughter.
"Recently? When and who?" Another asked.
"Prince Damien Voltorie of Brennedon" Gracie Bruce replied and waited patiently on the uproar her information will cause.
"What? The heir survived the massacre?" Margaret asked shock written all over her face.
"How was that even possible, the knowledge we had was that everyone was killed, how did you come about this?" Another asked.
"You people dont read the news?" Veronica Benneth taunted while wearing smirk on her face.
"Google Apex conglomerate and you will find your answer, maybe do that later let's face why we are here" she continued.
"How did we not know or hear about this?" Another asked suprised like the rest.
"Concealing spell" Gracie opined,.. "only a spell that magnitude can conceal an information in a public domain from reaching certain demograph" madam Gracie continued.
"Venessa" Veronica benneth mutterd to herself chuckling. Such a volatile kid.
"The outcast? How dare she go against the council and the witches decree?" Madame Margaret asked, visibly annoyed.
"How dare she not? She is literally an outcast, she owes no loyalty to us,and the last time I checked he is literally like a parent to her from what I gathered" Veronica countered, her voice a little bit higher than usual.
"You should have called an emergency meeting when it was evident that the Voltorie bloodline still lives, oh are you sliding with the vampires now, have you forgotten what they did to your coven, to your family" Margaret shouted, banging hard on the table, much to the suprise of everyone on the table.
Everyone including Margerat knows that the massacre centuries ago, was a painful hurtspot for the Benneth, hence no one brings it up, but here she was picking at it, obviously trying to elicit a reaction from Veronica,and knowing that was her plan, she replied her elegantly.
"I haven't forgotten about my own history, as a matter of fact I take what happened to the people of Brennedon as their karma, they paid in blood for what they did to the Benneth witches, now the existence of any surviving soul from their massacre is non of my business, unless they come for me and mine.
But I can't help wondering why you are here crying more than the bereaved, it mostly looks like you know something that we dont?" Veronica Benneth asked, making everyone at the table to look at her.
The tension in the room was palpable, everyone wanted to reschedule the meeting.
"can we go back to why we were here" one of the witches asked, already tired of the power tussle between the Benneths and the Ronalds every single council meeting.
"Now where was I?.... right...so as I was saying, Lauren in all her twenty three years of life had never conjured any magic, no spell, nothing, and we all know that magic has a soul, it is nurtured and cared for like a child" Veronica said looking at all the faces in the room to make sure each and everyone of them can hear her clearly.
" Now in the absence of these two things, the power of magic will be dormant or useless even, but it never leaves, and that is what is happening in the case of my niece Lauren, I will help her reconnect with her magic, that's what I can promise" she continued, while some of the witches nodded in agreement.
"And lets not forget, Lauren is a child of prophecy, the greatest witch to be born, it'll be wise to not question what she can do, because that is tantamount to questioning the supreme goddess" Veronica Benneth said as a matter of fact, loud enough so that they wouldn't say she didnt tell them.
"Now if that will be all, I have a niece I need to care for" Veronica benneth said and left.