Blue Moon

Valeriana couldn't believe her ears when Talen finally told her she could go home. The collar came off so easily and the look on Talen's face. Regret? Remorse? Pain? There was something else there too. Something she didn't exactly pinpoint an emotion to, but couldn't help but notice it.

"But Talen..." He held up his hand. But I promised you wouldn't have to go it alone.

"You don't belong here. And I have caused you enough trouble, enough pain." Valeriana didn't exactly know what he was on about.

What happened to the girl and the man from when she blacked out? She didn't even remember waking up. There was something really wrong with all this. All of it was wrong.

"Talen, something is wrong..." Talen's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"What are you talking about? You are going home. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Of course I want to go home, but..."

"But what?" Valeriana watched him. There wasn't anything that she could feel from him. This couldn't be right, could it?

"Talen, where is the girl and your guardian? The ones that were in the house." Talen looked more confused.

"What are you talking about Valeriana? What girl? The maids?" Valeriana felt like her head was spinning, making her feel uneasy. She didn't understand how she got here in the first place nor why Talen wasn't understanding her.

"Talen..." Though she wasn't sure how to explain it.

"You're fine now. Do you not want to go home?"

Of course I want to go home, she thought. But this doesn't feel right. And I made a promise.

"Go home, Valeriana..." He turned away from her. She reached up to grab his arm, feeling a shock go through her. He looked back, his eyes glowing sightly. "Now. Before I change my mind."

Valeriana gulped slightly as a car pulled up behind her. Braum opened the door and Valeriana looked back at the door as Talen's figure retreated. Before, Talen had seem to not want her to leave, even after the apologies for the collar and now just letting her go. A test.

She didn't want to leave, but Braum ushered her into the car. She didn't have time to protest as he drove her out of the woods and towards the city. She kept looking back, expecting to see Talen running to stop the car. But he never came. Valeriana sat there in silence, not having a conversation with Braum, who she thought had picked her up before hand whens he couldn't move, but she couldn't be sure.

Her mind was still a bit groggy, like some of her own memories from what had happened had been snatched away. She remembered the girl just standing there and saying that Talen had to go through a test. But what kind of test? None of this made sense to her as Braum traveled down her familiar streets.

"Braum, what is going on with him?"

"What do you mean?" Valeriana furrowed her eyebrows. Even as stoic as Braum was, if something was troubling Talen, he would tell Valeriana, right? Even Braum is acting funny. What the hell is going on?

Valeriana had been lost in her thoughts when the car stopped.

"We're here." Valeriana brought her attention back to the window.

Home. She thought she would never see it again. The stout, two story home wasn't exactly a dream home, but she grew up here and played on the front lawn. The patio wrapped around and looked a bit rundown from all the people that use to sit near there and actually have barbecues that have been long forgotten since her brother's illness. The pain was chipping off the house, some of the shutters had leaves stuck on them from the recent fall.

Wait... Her mind thought as she looked at the house and the trees around it. The ones in the shutters were already dead and look like they had just fallen. But the leaves on the trees were already in full bloom, just the time that she got taken to Valorin Mansion. It's Spring... This shouldn't be already dead on the window shutter.

Everything was making Valeriana uneasy as she watched Braum pop right in front of her door to open it. She almost jumped as he opened the door.

"Your destination, Valeriana." That uneasy feeling started to eat at her again.

I should be happy to be home again. Why do I feel like this isn't home? It was a gnawing feeling in the back of her mind. She slowly stepped out of the car to her old home. Braum had already gotten back in the car and drove off, leaving her stranded in front of her home. Her bag was beside her and she knew she never had it when she was brought to the mansion in the first place. She took a few steps until something burst through the door and went at her full force that she almost fell over.

"Val!" Her brother was clutching onto her, tears forming in his eyes.

He was holding up both of them as he looked at his sister. Valeriana hadn't noticed how tall he really was, since the only time that she saw him was on the couch or bed, too sick to even stand. He was a good half foot taller than her. What happened to my little brother? He pulled back and took a good look at her.

"My god I have missed you." He hugged her again.

"Josef..." Valeriana wasn't exactly sure why this was so wrong.

Her brother was walking around and was actually conscious. She chewed on her lip and looked back to where she had come from. And what about Talen? Josef grabbed her shoulder, bringing her back to the moment.

"Sis, what is it?"

"I'm not home..."

"What do you mean?" Josef's gaze on her and facial expression contorted to something more and more confused. It pained her to even see it. "This is home. You are home Val." He grabbed her shoulder, looking in her eyes. "Why do you think you aren't home? Come on sis. Let's get you inside.

He collected her bags and ushered her inside.

You shouldn't be awake...