Warning:

Rated '5' because that number is trolling here... again.

Blinking a few times, I find myself standing right next to Meredith. A sharp intake of air comes from me, while the latter paces about the room.
Again, it is night time with the curtains drawn and the silence out.

She has her arms crossed against her chest, while the bedside candlelight creates a feverish look on her pristine night dress.

Meredith stops walking, and scratches her chin with an index finger. Her eyes would have narrowed into slits, if they could, at the forthcoming footsteps from the outside.

"Veritài," she murmurs and gestures a straight line with two slanting ones at each side. A silvery mist comes from her fingertips, which disappears as it touches the door. She pulls it away at it barging open.

As far as I know, 'VeritÀ' means 'truth'.

Dannoso enters the room. His hand is still on the door knob, while his eyes wander around Meredith's room. He shakes his head and opens his mouth, but Meredith interrupts him,
"I didn't do that on purpose."

Dannoso closes his the door and puts his hands behind his back. He travels past her and points out,
"I wasn't going to ask of that matter."

Meredith turns and screws half her eye shut at her father now near the candlelight. His expression is much more relaxed than I had expected.

Dannoso stares at the light for a few moments, before sitting at his daughter's bed. He pats the free space near, as if to ask Meredith to sit down.

She purses her lips into a straight line, but obliges.

Dannoso has his legs spread out, while his bowed head is turned towards her.

Meredith crosses her own legs, but still keeps her hands against her chest.
"Are we not going to converse about Dannato?"

Now that they're together... Meredith looks a lot like him; though, she also has some of her grandmother's features...

Dannoso shakes his head and a genuine smile actually emerges on his face.
"No. I only wanted to see my daughter after such a long interval."

Meredith opens her mouth, but closes it. Instead, she scratches her chin again and mutters, "And Mother said..."

The father narrows his eyes.
"What did Marietta say?"

She shakes her head and comments,
"Nothing. She only told me of Grandmother."

She pauses and her arms fall to her lap.
"What were Grandmother and Grandfather's names, Papa?"

He raises a brow, but chooses to dismiss whatever came into his mind.
"Adelia Eleanor Knightley, and Benito Maleece.
My mother... she once said she would name her daughter Meredith, if she had one."

Sorry? Knightley-

Yep, we're all related to Meredith.
Percival and Dannoso were first cousins.

It takes a few moments to let that all sink in. My shoulders slump, while a palm of mine supports my now drooping head.

Later on, the same hand falls down till it rubs my own chin.

So, that's where mine and Dylan's chin rubbing habit comes from...

Fun fact: Our family tradition of learning Italian is because of Adelia.

Floyd, her brother, was told that Benito died by a sunken ship, and Adelia and her unborn child died at hearing the news.
Heartbroken at his only sibling's death, Floyd then taught his children Italian, in honour of his sister.

That's why we, the Knightleys, still learn Italian.

"Made my mother think her only sibling didn't want her through a forged letter."

The exact combination of chocolate brown hair and green eyes... a combo that I thought only Dylan and Granddad Christopher shared... it makes sense...

Dannoso's sigh disrupts my drooping expression and makes me look up.

"Corvo, I have done and will do many things-- questionable things-- but they have always been for our own conservation and preservation.

"I shan't question your actions, and I hope that, at least, you understand mine."

Meredith fiddles with her hands, but ends up nodding at him.

Did he seriously nickname her Corvo? Italian for crow.

Think of the household name and then of the nickname. You shall find a connection.

My mind scrolls through all that it remembers from Religious Education class in secondary school. We were mostly taught morals in that class, with occasional religious stories.

Isn't the crow the bird that gave Cain the idea of how to bury Abel?

Yes. The crow, in a way, 'helped' Cain with disguising the murder.

Dannoso considers Meredith's birth to have 'helped' him for his 'questionable' deeds.

Well, that's-

"All right, enough of this. Have you practised the incantations I left you?"

Staring at him, she taps on her bed and then draws two waves in mid-air.

The bed rises and falls down with a soft hymn. It rises again and comes back to its place.

"Excellent," he praises Meredith, earning a smile from her, just as the clock from outside strikes seven times.

Both of them still, till the clock ticks away its last sway.

"Off to bed now."

Meredith turns to gaze at Dannoso's now standing figure.
He gestures her to lie on her bed, with a wave of his head.

She reluctantly does so, by pulling her legs onto the bed and throwing a sheet over herself.
Meredith remains straight in her bed, with her arms interlocked at her stomach.

Dannoso bends down and strokes her hair.
Her hair now seems to be somewhere in between light and dark brown, like the bark of an ash tree.

"I love you, Corvo," the echo of his voice masks the later muttering that comes from him.
Whatever he mumbles, it makes Meredith fall asleep almost immediately.

A seven year old me wraps her arms around Dad; he laughs and murmurs:
"I love you, Phoenix."

Stop comparing yourself to them, and questioning your own dad. He was nothing like Dannoso.
My subconscious snaps at me.

Of course, I know he wasn't anything like Dannoso! But the questions I have for his and Mum's relationship... they make me wonder.

What questions, Lindsey? You do know that Dad-

No, she doesn't, Kathleen.

Then how are going to tell her.
She needs to know, so that everything works out.

I'm still here, guys.

In the usual manner; she needs to know, for faith is only strengthened by satisfiable answers.

After assuring himself that she's fallen asleep, Dannoso flicks a hand at the candle to extinguish its flame.

He then walks out of the room with long strides.

Follow him outside, please.

Without even bothering to ask what the two of them discussing about, I head out of the room.
My feet keep moving forward, but I manage to steal one last glance at the darkened room.

I pass through the walls, just as Dannoso draws some runes on the door.

He creates a straight line in the air too, but his has two slanting cuts near the top of the straight one.
After the first rune disappears, he draws another one.

Though, this one has a single ray cutting through a cardboard one.

One wall-length window is still open, which assists the moonlight to seethe in. The rest of the hallway has been engraved with darkness.

Dannoso turns to gaze at the moon outside, and so do I.
The moon seems almost whole. It's just missing a thin curve to complete itself.

Meanwhile, something creeps its way from the darkness.

I squint my eyes and try to decipher what it is. It just looks like a shadow from whatever angle I look at. My palm feels sweaty.

Still gazing at the moon, Dannoso holds up a hand and warns,
"Don't. Come. Near. Me.
Stay where you belong."

The shadow stops and says something in a foreign language.
It speaks in a sort of dialect, that I can't make out.
"Saya enaankho."

Translation: Very well.

You know what it's speaking?

It's speaking a demonic language.

You and Dylan learnt Italian, while Henry learnt that and Latin; I figured I might as well learn Demonic, while I'm free.

"Yer dochter Shisa Koma nisha..."

Your daughter's Coming of Age has arrived.

"Perhaps, I'm aware of the fact," he sneers back at the shadow.

"Ca listamalo yer dochter see olpiana!"

Treat me with respect, or else your precious daughter!

Dannoso rubs his nose bridge, before laughing out loud, sending a eerie shrill throughout the hall.
"My daughter can tear you apart with only a flick of her hand. I worry not for her."

"Jekalamo nee esta protesere runica?
Asta jekalash deramos avanct?"

Then why do you still protect her with those runes? And always remember to draw extras before your trips?

This is all messed up.

This situation or that Demonic has shorter sentences than English?

Both.

"Even after living in the mortal world for five hundred years, you still don't understand the nature of human parents," he equivocates and rolls his eyes.

"Salismo kalemaso wifos andas yeess."

Then why don't you care in the same manner for your wife and twins?

"Are you here to interrogate me, or to tell me something of dire importance?" Dannoso snaps back.

A hissing sound comes from the darkness,
"Listalmo bresthama Azrael rinka Easta Edeneta. Anso linka Gistamos onis yamas. Betaliqa, Mastas, betaliqa!"

The breath of Azrael is upon East of Eden-- I can feel it-- and he shall take one of the Gifted ones with him, as a token of the ceremony.

I can sense betrayal brewed with death, Master. Betrayal by a loved one!

Dannoso narrows his eyes.
"Which 'one of the Gifted'? There are three here currently."

"Galismo jeeka misaass, Mastas. Kilamoo leynas! Yer docheter izza fiftas, Shisa Koma.
Liskamas domono Shisa Koma or..."

You will have to choose, Master. Choose one only!

Your daughter is now fifteen.

You know powers are either dormant at the time of Coming of Age, or...

Dannoso still, before looking at the moon again.
"Then the ceremony must be done tonight-- at exactly midnight."

"Sinas onos fifta mokas!"

But I only have five hours then!

"Better hurry then. I will come to the tower with my preparations, and you shall come with yours," Dannoso concludes.

I sense the shadow moving away and away, till Dannoso is left on his own to ponder on the warning.

"Corvo and I will live forever, while Arsenio will be the one to perish..." he announces, while he himself walks back into the darkness.

Just as the mist envelops me again, the second rune on Meredith's door cancels itself out.

I expect to be somewhere far more more visible than I am now; but here I am: outside of East of Eden and under the moonlight.

The forest has crept everywhere near me; though, there's still a wide pathway to cross through it. Surprisingly, I don't feel dizzy now.

Something crumples leaves beneath their feet, making me whisk my head around. My chest pounds warsongs, as I squint to see who is actually behind me.

It's Meredith-- thrashing through the leaves with a small globe of light emanating from her right index finger.

Her other hand supports her skirts from getting tangled in the weeds, while worry coated with determination paints her features.

"I swear if you were lying, Arsenio..." she grunts, but stops as her irises land on a tower.

It's the same tower I saw during Meredith's childhood memory.

You will have to choose... Choose only one!

Only one Knightley survived in 1890, not two.

If I had a choice, which one would I choose? Myself or Dylan?

There's also a large building on the other side that seems to be like a hall. However, the globe coming out of Meredith's fingers glides forward and escapes her.

The globe drifts away-- as if pulled by some invisible force-- towards the tower.
Meredith takes a deep breath and scurries after the globe.

I also lift a foot, but end up seething at some as something pierces into it.
I wrench out the twig-- that gave my foot a cut-- and throw it away.

Look out!

Dylan's voice resounds; the chandelier tumbles down; a piece of glass slits the side of his forehead.

I think there're going to be far worse consequences than a cut ankle.

I clean the small amount of blood off with my own fingers, and tread to where Meredith is heading. She's almost near the tower and I have run to catch up with her.

A blade of icy wind slithers down my spine by the time I reach Meredith.

If you'd have told me I'm curious and worried for Meredith a few weeks ago, I'd have rolled my eyes at that.

Meredith doesn't stop at the entrance of the tower, rather she follows the silvery globe to the back of it.

Her steps become heavier and heavier, while arriving at the back.
The globe twirls around and stays still at a brick. I can probably touch it by raising an arm.

My thoughts become Meredith's actions as she raises her hand and presses a finger at the brick.

The touched brick falls inside of the tower's chambers.

"Cosa devo fare ora(What am I to do now)..."

Just as Meredith whispers, the bricks underneath the former one fall down, but they don't make any noise.

They form an open door like frame and the bricks then get absorbed into the ground beneath. The globe of light goes within the tower

Peering inside, I see a staircase leading upwards. The staircase faces a wall, which seals it off.

Gathering her skirts, Meredith plunges in and mounts the stairs.

Her hurriedness sets me in motion, and I ascend the stairs as well. Meanwhile, the hole of a door disappears itself to complete the brick wall again.

The stairs are congested into a narrow spiral surrounded by only walls. I pass my fingers through the rough walls, while slogging through the mountains of steps. The walls are almost porous. I keep trekking and my fingers there, till Meredith hurls open a door at the top.

I go through it after Meredith's passing. We are now in a circular hall that several locks and doors in it, with only two torches lighting it up. There's an empty tunnel at the far end that goes downward. It's probably the other staircase near the entrance. The white globe stays stagnant.

Meredith keeps turning her head around at the doors.

What are you looking for?

"Mother, Dannato, Cruento... I hope my journey to be in vain..."

She rubs her chin again, but freezes at the clattering of footsteps near the other stairs.

As if on cue, the globe budges ahead and passes through the fifth door on the left.

Meredith grinds her teeth and and whispers,
"Invisibilia transitum."

The incantation allows her to waft through the door without opening it.

A hurdle still resounds from the other side, but I ignore it and enter.

A virgin window, of almost human height, stands on the very top of the circular room. It allows the light from the moon to come in. The globe goes through the window and gets lost into the night sky.

A lens like glass gate projects the window's light to my back.

I turn around and own skin turns whiter than the light.

The wall has an entire chart of runes and sharpened numerals at the sides. A lamented croak comes my other side. I dread looking there, but I still do.

A large downward triangle passes through a black circle and two slanting lines cross each other before escaping the triangle.

The ends of the downward triangle then curve and a small V is formed in between them.

I look away because all those lines because those runes pass through three nude bodes: two female and one male.

"Please, be alive..." Meredith whimpers. She puts two shaking fingers on the side of Marietta's paled neck to check for a pulse.

My breath chokes in my own throat; but then sighs in relief as Meredith calms down a bit, presumably after finding a pulse. She proceeds to check her siblings' pulse and is satisfied by the answer.

"Mama, Dan, Cru... I don't know how... but I'll get you three out of here..."

Just then the door clicks, making Meredith whip around.
Dannoso enters, while talking to a something I can't see from where I am.

His eyes widen at seeing Meredith, but then they narrow.
"Curiosity is a gift and a curse, Corvo.
Which one is it now?"

Meredith stands up with her chest rising up and down like the waves in a storm.
"How could you..."

He folds his arms across his chest.
"I told you earlier: conservation and preservation. All of this is for the both of us."

"How-- in the name of bloodied sky-- can humiliating your own family be for conservation and preservation!"

Dannoso shakes his head and sighs,
"You shall understand in your later years how much immortality is wanted-- needed even."

He motions to the shadow near him.
A wave of tremulous dust and ash flows across the room till it holds both of Meredith's arms like shackles and prevents her from moving.

I take a single step ahead and am hauled back.

What the-

We told you that you can't change anything by your actions.

I roll my eyes and grumble.

Am I just supposed to watch then, as if this were some bloody play?

Sorry, but yes.

"Take her to the abandoned asylum, not East of Eden. Send her there after the sunrise.
And. Don't. Manhandle. Her."

Dannoso moves further into the room and looks down upon his wife and twins. The shadow drags Meredith, but she keeps struggling.

He then glances at the moon, but his gazing is disrupted by Meredith's screams,
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO THEM! TO MY MOTHER AND SIBLINGS! I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME, PAPA!"

He turns-- a shade of sentiment flashes upon his skin-- before vanishing completely.
"I do love you, Corvo. Because of that, you will not witness the ceremony."

Meredith tries to force her way out of the dusted arms, but to no avail.

She stops struggling now-- stops whimpering.
A blotch of light emanates from her chest.

Dannoso's hands fall to his sides, but then he waves them at her. He pleads,
"Meredith, stop. You don't know your own power. Stop right now!"

She looks down at her chest, but the light continues to grow stronger and stronger.
"I CAN'T, FATHER!"

"Father...?" Dannoso utters.

The small torch from her chest turns into an entire cascade of light and shimmering black dust.
My legs give up on me, just as a glimmering silver shield surrounds me.

The shadow absconds from the behind and slithers away into the hall.

Meanwhile, the light hits the glass gate on top, making it plummet down and straight onto Dannoso. He dodges the falling glass, but a long shard-- instead of hitting the ground-- materialises into a glass rapier and stabs his chest.
His feet stumble, making him hit the ground and using the wall behind him to at least sit up.

Meredith breathes raggedly, as the light dims down to nothing. The shield surrounding my body disintegrates into tiny snowdrops.
We are all left with just the moon.

Her hair gets tangled and plummets down her face, but she staggers her way to Marietta and the twins.

Dannoso watches her silently, the piece of glass still making him bleed on the floor. He whispers,
"Breath of Azrael... Betrayal of a loved one..."

Meredith bends down on her knees and checks Marietta's pulse again, but her elated expression falls. She checks her twins' and her hair starts darkening again.
"No, no, no, no..."

She then turns towards Dannoso and her stable knees tremble. Forgetting how to walk, she crawls towards him and holds her hand to pull out the shard.

Meredith tries to pull out the shard, but-- before she can-- Dannoso holds up a hand.
"I..."

Anger strikes on Dannoso's face, as he opens his mouth.
"You-"

He stops suddenly, as he has a second thought, after paying attention to Meredith's tear-soaked face.

Dannoso takes a deep breath and looks at the window above and the moon.

"Mi ricordo ... ricordo quando eri nato a mezzanotte."

I remember... remember when you were born at midnight.

"Sembri tanto come il cielo illuminato da luna ... e mio padre."

You look so much like the moonlit sky... and my mother...

Meredith sniffles and wrenches away her own tears-- to no avail. Dannoso lifts up a hand to wipe away her tears, but it goes limp. Like his body.

"Papa..." Meredith laments and shakes his shoulders. His sitting body only falls on the side, and the chart at the back turns to ashes before disappearing.

Meredith heaves and wrenches herself away from Dannoso. And Marietta. And Dannato and Cruento.

A single screech shatters the calm and silence of the tower, while her hair turns into an ironbark brown. The same colour as mine.

What do you call a mixture between a third person POV and a first person one?
A FIRST PERSON PERIPHERAL, OF COURSE!
(If you don't know what that is, then 'The Great Gastby' is written in that POV)

Hullo everybody! I hope y'all are well.

... I have some breaking news
I have faceclaims for characters that are now dead...

-- Natalie Dormer for Marietta

-- Johnathan Rhys Meyers for Dannoso

Sorry Johnny, you'll have to be Danny!

The music above: 'Secret' composed by Aytekin Ataş(prounounced Atash) for 'Magnificent Century'(Muhteşem Yüzyıl).

In this chapter, many things happen-- many 'questionable' things happen. We see a soft side of Dannoso and also the worst one.

On top of that, LINDSEY AND DYLAN ARE ACTUALLY RELATED TO MEREDITH BY BLOOD! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!!

P. S. Azrael is the angel of death in Abrahamic religions(stress on the Abrahamic part).
With that in mind, I would just like for you all to remember that versions of the same religious story can be found in Judaism or Islam, too. Not just Christianity.
(I'm referring to the crow part here).

Fun Fact: Kathleen wasn't supposed to have any more scenes after the fourth memory.
Long story short: I fell in love with her and decided to extend her role. Plus, she knows Demonic. XD

And yes, I made that Demonic lamguage myself, but it's pretty rough, since I haven't decided its grammar format yet. I'll do that later(hopefully).

And yeah(again), Dannoso actually got shocked that Meredith called him Father, instead of Papa for the first time...
This was also the first time she ever said Mama instead of Mother...

I also forgot to mention that my becoming an admin for vocabulations! Then I thought I'd tell that here after my 100th day aniversary there(which happened yesterday) so here it is!
If you're wondering, then it's an account dedicated to appreciating English vocabulary.
We've got all sorts of books there; and, if you want something to help your vocabulary grow, then be sure to check it out! :)

Anyways, I hope y'all liked the chapter. And if you did, don't forget to drop down a vote. <3

Here's this week's question:

Would you all like to know more of Charlie and Jenn? What were their reasons?

I'm asking this because I want to know whether or not you all would be interested in them.
I might add a couple of scenes for them(at the proper timing, of course).

NOTE:
I don't actually know Italian; I'm copying all of the Italian stuff from Google translate. I WILL find somebody who actually knows the language to look for errors, but I can't do that till after the novel is conpleted(meaning when I know for sure that there won't be any more Italian). This is purely for the convenience of the translater, because it might be bothersome for someone, with whom I am not acquainted with, to translate on my behalf. I will ask someone to do so in one-go only.
If YOU know Italian, then I'm more than happy to have you look over. :)

Have a fantastic week!
Love,
MS Zame