(Continued from this thread:
Stardust)
@visualspice
Lily was alone in her room.
This was not an uncommon occurrence, of course. Her mother's insistent worrying after her health meant that she spent quite a bit of time alone in her room, overall.
It was, however, the first time she'd been locked in.
"Jorris,
please!" She pressed both palms flat to the door, pleading desperately. She didn't even know if her brother was still on the other side, but she hadn't heard him walk away after turning the key. "Please, listen to me,
I'm not a mage. I promise, I'm not, please, just--
please."
"I--"
Her brother's voice choked off. She heard a soft
thump, and then his voice was closer, as though he was pressing his brow to the door. "I'm sorry, Lily," he murmured. "I know--I know it's not your fault. But you're dangerous. We--we need to get you help."
"
No!" She reeled back, tears gathering as she began to pant, looking around wildly. As if there would be some sort of new escape presented to her. "No no no no no, you're wrong, I'm not a mage, I don't have magic,
I don't have magic!"
With a scream, what had previously been a slightly overcast but ultimately pleasant enough day abruptly changed to a raging storm. All the partially-open windows of the Hartnets' townhouse were blown inward in the sudden gale, rain and wind ripping into the house as Lily wailed. Servants cried out, running for cover, Jorris and Lily's younger siblings shrieked and ran for the interior library, and Lady Hartnet--who had not moved from her bed since Jorris had sent for the authorities that morning--began to sob.
Lord Hartnet had been moving to answer their front door, expression grave and shoulders bent, when the sudden storm blew the door open and nearly knocked him ass over teakettle. He just barely managed to catch the edge of it, squinting out into the abruptly driving rain to see who had been sent to deal with their unknown, unregistered daughter.