Lucy! What are you up to? Amelia searched for her daughter in the attic, finding her tumbling through the piles of unused documents and files.

" I found a picture mummy! " She squealed, as she stood up, bumping her head against the rack above her, tumbling out of the carton, hand raised to keep the photograph safe.

" My darling, haven't I told you to be out of here? " Amelia picked up her daughter, the motherly tone natural.

" You have but, " Lucy bit her lip, small hands flailing as Amelia hauled her closer. " But I promise I came here only for my dolly. But then I saw.... " She trailed off, wrangling her little fingers in guilt as Amelia smiled inwardly.

" But mummy! " She exclaimed suddenly, " Won't you tell me who is this! " She squeaked, hopping with excitement as she swung the picture around, while Amelia tried to catch on to it.

" My darling minx, at least let me grab on, " Amelia chided her daughter whose eyes went wide in realisation,handing her mother the photo.

Amelia's breath caught in her chest, imperceptible to her hyper daughter, who was busy in her own world once more.

" Baby, can we go down and see this?" Amelia asked and Lucy grabbed on to her pinky finger, bounding down the stairs.

When they reached the comforts of their living room, the fire crackling gently, lighting a warm light across the blue and green carpets complimenting the cream walls.

As Lucy sat down on the rug, waiting for her mother who had gone to fetch milk and cocoa for both of them, she studied the picture closely.

" Mummy, there are names on this, " Lucy called, straining her eyes, " It says Eve-evelyn and Lucinda, 1921." She began, as Amelia pulled her into a side hug.

" Oh, that is unusual. Must be some great grandmother of mine baby, " Amelia frowned, watching as her daughter smiled, then ran out of the room.

" Lucy? " Amelia called.

" One minute! I've got it! " She answered, rushing back in with a book nearly twice her weight, hauling it over her shoulders as it landed with a muted thud, coughing as dust flew around the room.

" This has our answers! " Lucy exclaimed, flipping through the pages.

" Baby slow down, how will we even read this? " Amelia giggled and her daughter laughed, " Mummy I have better eyes than you! I already read that. I'm going towards your name! "

As she succeeded in her mission, landing on the page where there was a small, beautiful picture of Amelia in a soft pink gown, her neckline adorned with a singular diamond she wore to this day, a gift from her father.

" Mummy, look, that's granny, grampa, you, then their granny, " And she trailed off, flipping through the pages as Amelia watched with patience, supporting her daughter's crusade for the mystery.

In about ten minutes, Lucy gave up with a resigned sigh, " I didn't find Evelyn or Lucy mummy, " She said, her eyes despondent as she frowned.

" Maybe it must have been some friend of your granny baby, before the war? " She said, caressing her daughter's head, " Why don't you go up and finish your work from school, I'm sure Miss Bella will be happy to see your beautiful drawing, " She coaxed as Lucy stood up, all traces of sadness gone.

" Okay, " She said, bounding along as Amelia sat watching the picture.

She stood up, moving to the fireplace.

" Goodbye Evelyn. I hope we never have to cross paths again, " She whispered, pressing a kiss to the photograph as she threw it in the fire, the flames brightening as it burned.

◎

Sometime in early 1921

" Congratulations miss, it's a girl! " The wet nurse said, laying a beautiful baby girl, with dark brown eyes and beautiful mahagony hair into Evelyn's waiting arms, the mother overjoyed.

" Let me in! " A harsh male voice called as Evelyn's father stormed in.

" How could you my darling? A child? You are unwed! Do you not care for our reputation! " He cried, but then his eyes shifted to the swaddled baby.

" What have you named her? " He asked, eyes shifting to the entry of the new man, Arthur.

" Lucinda. This is my daughter Lucinda. " She whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, the exhaustion of labour ignored in favour of love.

" What now dear, " He asked softly, as she shook his head.

" Father, we have long lives, all mages do. By the time the world moves ten years our Lucinda would only be five. I am at fault yes, but we love each other, Arthur and I. We'll move to a better place. Somewhere no one can find us, " She said, eyes hardening.

And so, Evelyn Amelia Carter and Arthur Carter moved to the land of The Queen. The place where they found a new home. With their daughter of course, Lucinda 'Lucy' Carter.

No one suspected them of magic, nor did anyone question their child's slow growth.

◎

In their home, 2007 .

The doors opened, the keys rattling as Arthur walked in to see his wife standing by the fireplace.

" What's wrong? " He asked, enveloping her in a hug from behind.

" Oh nothing, had to say goodbye to an old friend that's all, " She said, turning her head to press a soft kiss to him.

An enigma was she.
◎

This is my entry for the Noirtales July contest.

TheCieloCommunity

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