Getting here was tough, the journey rough...
But the time had come for all of it to reach its natural conclusion.
For her and her brother to return to some semblance of normalcy after two years of unending lows.
Well...
Atleast that's what she thought.
But fate truly is a cruel mistress Renee.
And in her hand was one more card left to play.
"..."
Perhaps it was due to Renee's slow climb back up the social ladder...
Or maybe the mistress of fate decided she had suffered enough and deserved a little reward...
Either way, for Renee, what happened in the interim as she pursued her final big fundraising push was a welcome sight.
Two months removed from the date she designated as the their final day in the Demon-realm, and consequent departure...
Renee's brother begun to miraculously recover.
First beginning to pace his eyes around their space, before he eventually begun to move around free of any assistance.
More and more each time, from little things like feeding himself... to even responding to his sister when she asked him questions.
There was life yet in old Noah... and as time went by the older of Pendleton siblings even begun showing decision making skills.
One's that warmed Renee's heart to the tenth degree because it showed the attempt he was making to regain control over his pitiful life.
Renee's brother had improved so in much in the month leading up to their departure infact, that he now even had friends.
Was this a result of him being aware of their departure date?
"..."
...A month removed from their eventual departure and Noah had begun consistently going out on his own for fresh air and mingling with the community around their shack.
Truly this was a miracle of unfathomable proportions!
Everything was already getting better, Renee was already well on her way to regaining the life she once coveted.
The only thing that was missing from her venture was, family.
Connections and bonds she only appreciated after they were taken from her.
Fate was a cruel mistress... But she was being surprisingly kind to the Pendleton's youngest. And now, she was even returning Renee's brother to her!!
The one thing she believed she could not 'hardwork' back to her was now also being returned...
As cruel as fate's mistress had been for them recently atleast she seemed to appreciate earnest hardwork.
"..."
...The days begun to pile up quickly, and Renee was in overdrive with her work trying to make sure all the funds they needed were there and ready for them by the time she needed them for their departure.
It helped that her brother was up and running again.
His health near perfect when he begun to aid her in the front office auctions.
Flexing that patented Pendleton eye for detail in a way she couldn't as they, together, drove towards a goal that was no longer hers alone.
Freedom from the Demon-realm.
Freedom... In general.
So call it twisted irony if you like, but it sure was an event in the Pendleton's shack when the life they were trying to escape kind of graciously just offered them a way out...
Like a desperate ex, Renee and her brother Noah in the weeks leading up to D-Day were presented with an offer in the front office auction that would allow them to ramp up their travel plans to the earliest date possible.
The only caveat of course was that the offer demanded an audience with Madame Wednesday....
And while just seeing her name attached to it was enough for Renee to almost instinctively turn it down!
The same couldn't be said for old Noah sadly.
The offer, while not directly made by Madame Wednesday, involved her business. And so needed whichever broker that took it up to work with her directly.
It needed, an audience with her.
So, despite his sister's refusal and consistent pleas for him not to take it. Not to undo all the good work they had done up until this point.
Noah chose otherwise...
At first getting into it with his sister over his trauma and how she didn't understand how heavily he was affected by the parasitic demon.
Before eventually convincing her, if only a little bit, when he cited closure as the sole reason he wanted to take up the offer.
So, Noah wanted closure huh...
"...Peace of mind."
The older Pendleton sibling said.
Peace of mind from the trauma of three years ago...
...Peace of mind from his miserable life in the imperial dome.
...And peace of mind from the Madame of the red light district...
"..."
To Renee, as paranoid as Noah sounded, it felt like her older brother was trying to take the final step.
A step that would finally free him from the clutches of a parasitic demon and the realm in general.
So even though Renee was completely against this...I mean they didn't particularly need the money and after a few more weeks of saving they'd have enough to leave anyway...
She was unable to refuse the gracious Madame's offer anymore...
At the core of everything, Noah was still Renee's older brother. And for the first time since they left their home in Fernworth he was finally starting to act like it.
Finally beginning to take the reins of his life and lead the narrative for both of them as the heir to the Pendleton household.
So whether it was her superseding power to him or perhaps feeling relief from the fact that she didn't have to write their narrative anymore...
Renee, despite her better judgement, reluctantly agreed to this meeting of former lovers.
"..."
The day came when Noah had to leave for the imperial dome.
A calm smile on his face perfectly contrasted with his sister's worried and frustrated expression, quickly made it clear that the tension in the air was not going to be alleviated anytime soon.
He was actually going through with it.
He was actually going back into the lions den to poke fun at the lion and hopefully escape unwounded.
Renee thought of stopping her brother that day...
But she just couldn't bring herself to do it.
She couldn't bring herself to prevent him from getting the closure, he believed, laid in the hands of Madame Wednesday...
Especially now that a fire shone in his eyes that gave the impression he was ready to take on the world!
So, at the doorstep as they said their goodbyes, all Renee could do was wish for the best.
Hugging him goodbye while hoping for his safe return.
...A renewed will to live and Noah was on his way to face his demons.
Literally.
One stride a time for the man who had only recently recovered from his trauma...
Should Renee have stopped him?
Perhaps...
But if she had then the gift she would later receive might never have come into her hands...
"..."
The night blew something chilly that day.
Noah had left for the imperial dome in the early mornings and Renee was busy packing up their things for their trip.
By tomorrow, her brother would return with the money he earned from the job and they would be on their way out of the demon realm.
...There was a plethora of scenarios that ran across the young lady of Pendleton's head at this time... And all with wildly different perceptions of what version of Noah would return.
...or if he would even return at all...
But none of them could have predicted what would actually follow.
*knock... *knock...
!?KreeAakKk!?
The door's sound rang hollow.
Making an unnerving creak as it opened with minimal force.
Panicked... An alerted Renee quickly grabbed a plank she kept for emergency break in's just like this one and rushed to the door!
Had someone decided to chance her when they saw her brother leave?
Plank in hand, the young lady hid against the walls side, ready to pounce on whoever thought themselves clever enough to rob her at such a crucial time!!
Twist, run and swing!!--
"..."
-silence-
"..."
She paused.
The swing... never connected...
"..."
...For the person stood at the door was no thief or grimey robber.
..It was her brother...
But why?
Why was he back so soon?
He should have been here tomorrow, no?
Turning her head lower slightly and Renee finally saw it.
In her crestfallen brother's hands he held a thick cream white blanket.
Wrapped tightly around what appeared to be a red haired baby?!
"N-Noah?"
Renee called out to him in a confused tone. Is she seeing things?
"Why are you back so early?"
She asked..
"A-and who's baby is tha--"
She asked... when...
"Isn't she beautiful?"
Her brother's response froze her in place.
"Isn't my daughter beautiful??"
Noah said once more with a soft tone.
The depth of his eyes presenting Renee with a disillusioned persona she had yet to make the acquaintance of...
...Looking back to the baby, Renee spotted two little black horns on her forehead as she cooed and tucked herself against her supposed father's chest.
What was going on?
What was Renee supposed to say about this?
What... was there for her to say about this??
Renee's core was puzzled.
She had no idea how she should feel about this whole situation and in her defense who would?!?!!
But one look up to her brother's face... And the genuine love and care his disillusioned emerald eyes showed towards the red haired baby, immediately gave Renee the answer she sought.
"...yes"
She said softly, drawing her brothers attention back to her.
"She is very beautiful..."
Fleeting words and a sombre tone, Renee helped her brother inside.
Closing the door behind them and on the saga with Madame Wednesday for what she hoped, was the final time...
"..."
"..."
-To Be Continued-