‡ Promise 21: Tea For Two‡

-As told by Lily-

lay face down in my pillow, my body shaking with sobs, with deep sorrow in the pit of my stomach. It was stupid to go outside. I regret talking with Keith, a heartless demon, who had murdered a friend without any remorse. What did I expect? For him to care and to repent to his crimes? It was a dumb thought. Evil will always be evil and there is no chance of light. And in my despair, I suddenly felt my room become occupied.
I lift my head, only to see Fray standing at the foot of my bed. I yelp and sat bolt upright, also noticing a small table in the middle of my floor, with various small creatures rushing around it. "W-what...?" I gasp. "Sorry, deary." she looks worried, "I didn't mean to frighten you." "What are you doing here!?" I shout, "Did Rolmir send you!?" "Quite reluctantly." Fray snorts, "But, I am here to help, yes?" "Go away!" I yell, waving my hands wildly. "I will not." she says, indignant, "Don't be rude. I've bought my babies and we are to have a small party."
It was then that I realized, that the small table was covered with small tea cups and saucers, doilies and small creamer, and a silver teapot steaming in the middle of it. The various living-dolls were placing spoons onto the table and adding the sugar bowl. "No." I frown. "Get over here!" Fray growls, pulling me out the bed, by my shoulder. She was quick and unnaturally strong, as she sat me down in a small chair. Everything is small, as if this set was made for a child, the table and the chairs. The teacups were small and so were the spoons.
All of the dolls quickly pull up their chairs to sit, as if this was a routine they were familiar with. Rupert no longer had a knife in his back, but there were a huge blood-stain where a knife use to be. Many of the other dolls were badly burned or stabbed, their gaping wounds dripping blood into the empty teacups in front of them. One baby doll was completely charred, answering the mystery of Tommy's charred human fetus. "C-Can they talk?" I ask, becoming a little afraid. "What's that?" asks Fray, turning away from a stool where she had placed a box, "Oh, the dolls? Don't be silly! Dolls can't speak." She laughs. "Well," I said, dryly, "They're not suppose to bleed either."
A jester doll, sitting near the end of the table, lets out gremlin-like giggles in response to my reply. "Shut up." frowns Fray, hitting it in the back of the head, so hard that it's face hit it's teacup. Rupert lets out a small, "Hah-hah." in a really cute voice, to the jester's plight. "Right," frowns Fray, "Enough foolishness. This is a party so, all of you, behave." Every doll looks sour, but doesn't dare to go against Fray's wishes. Fray takes a seat at the other end of the small table, right next to Teddy.
"Now, then." She sighs, reaching for the teapot, "Do you take sugar in your tea, Lily?" My mind goes back to the day I broke into Keith's house. "Um, no thanks." I said, "I don't think humans can have your drinks." "Hmm?" asks Fray, confused, and then catching on, "Oi! This is regular tea, you nit. Did you actually think I'd serve you something harmful? Humans and their bloody mistrust..." "Fine," I sigh, "Whatever. I'll take sugar." "How many lumps?" she asks and a cartoon gag comes to mind. "Two." I shrug, picking a number I often heard. I have no idea about tea parties.
"Very well." she says, reaching my cup with ease across the small table, and pouring the tea. Rupert grabs two lumps of sugar and tosses it across the table and into my cup. "Hey!" growls Fray, turning her wrath towards Rupert, "You bloody moron! You don't throw sugar across the table! Did you forget your manners, you twit?" She grabs the doll from his seat, strangling him. "And you've touched it with your bare hands!" Fray screams, "Who wants something that's touch with your dirty hands!? Disgusting! I will rip you in half, you little-!"
"Wait!" I yell, waving my arms, "Stop! It's okay! He didn't mean to be smart or anything. He was just trying to help. It's okay. I don't care. My tea is fine!" Her rage went down a little and she dropped the poor doll back in it's seat. "I'll deal with you later." Fray sneers at him. Rupert quietly sobs, facing down into his teacup. I feel sorry for the little guy. "Yes, well." says Fray, smoothing down her dress and taking her seat, "Let us all drink tea." The jester takes the teapot, pours Fray a cup, and continues to fill the other cups.
"So," I said, my heart pounding less now, "Is there a reason why we're having a tea party, in the middle of my room, 2am in the morning?" "Yes," Fray nods, "We are to chat. Master is worried about you-" "Let's not speak about him." I frown, taking a sip of my tea. It was bitter and needed cream. I gestured towards a Victorian doll to pass me the creamer. She nodded and carefully passed it down. "Fine, then." sighs Fray, "Let's not. But I too am worried. As far as I can remember, as a mortal, grief can sometimes have the nasty habit of consuming a person. I know it doesn't happen as often, but in your case, you seemed to be sliding a bit."
"It's been a week, since her murder." I said, pouring the cream, "Are you going to tell me to just forget it, too?" "What?" Fray chokes, "Is that what he said!? Oi! No, you can't just toss it all away! Tch, Demons... They've never been human, so they can not remember the frailty of human emotions." "But," I said, confused, "Keith's half human." "He wasn't raised as one.", waves Fray, "His mother died when he was just a baby. And his father was the one to raise him, under demon understandings. So what if Keith's half-human? It doesn't very well count, now does it?"
It was weird, learning something personal about Keith, and imagining him with parents. "But, we're not talking about him." Fray reminds me, smugly. "So," I continue, "Why are you here, then?" "You need to join the living again." she says, quickly, "It's no good to make yourself sick, locked in this dark room, love. You've missed a week from lessons. Mortals know so little, as they go, it seems a shame to miss out on even the basic fundamentals." "I know," I frown, sitting up in my tiny chair, "You mean to help me and didn't mean that in a underhanded insult." "Of course not." grins Fray, her face saying otherwise. "Great." I grumble.
"All I'm suggesting," Fray says, getting serious now, "That you should go back to school, back to your friends, and back to whatever it is you do. Staying in here won't do you any good. It won't bring your friend back. And it may kill you in the end." "But," I said, facing my teacup, "I don't know if I can face school or my friends right now." "You should try." she nods, "Facing this room, your despair, is it any easier?" There was a long silence, as I realized that she was kind of right. "Music." she nods, "I forgot to put it on. Teddy, would you be a dear?"
Teddy hops from his chair and heads for the stool with the box. It was a odd and horrifying small box, made of what looked to be flesh and bone. Then Teddy opened it, I quickly realized it was a music box, a small ballerina figure stands before it's tiny mirror. A haunting tune plays, as the ballerina twirls, withers and dies, and then stands alive again. It was as if it were a symbol towards me; I had withered and died, but when was I going to stand again?
"That's a nice box." I said, watching it as if hypnotized. "Yes," nods Fray, "Rose fancied that box as well. But, you cannot have that box, it means a lot to me. Master gave me that box as a gift, many years ago." "Rose?" I ask, but Fray ignores me. "Although," she says, reaching into the top of her dress, "You may have this one." She pulls out a locket from around her neck and tosses it towards me. I catch it, realizing it's weight and how old it looks, and I open it. A sorrowful tune plays, as a black and white photo of a beautiful Victorian woman stares at me.
The locket's song seems to suck all the color from the room, placing everything in terrible dread. I close it quickly and breath, "Cool." "It is yours." nods Fray. "But who's photo is that?" I ask, not sure I want to take something like this. "My mum." she waves, "You can throw that out and replace it with a more suitable photo." "What?" I wince, shocked by her lack of care. "Oh," she shrugs, "The longer you've been dead, attachments you've had in life, you cling to less." "Well," I frown, "I'm keeping the photo in it." "How silly." she laughs, "It's not your mum! Humans... so sentimental." I roll my eyes and toss the locket onto my bed.
By the next morning, I got up and got dressed. I raced downstairs, with my backpack, hoping to catch my dad. He was just about to leave out the door, my mother handing him his bag, as I reached the bottom of the stairs out of breath. "Lily?" asks my mom, confused and concerned. "Dad," I breathe, "Can you drop me off at school?" "Yeah, sure." he says, also confused. "Are you sure, chubby-bear?" asks my mom, worried. She steps closer to feel my forehead for a temperature. "I'm fine, mom." I say, a little annoyed, "I want to go to school."
"Okay." smiles my dad, "If you're ready. Do you need mom to pick you up, after school?" "No." I said, shaking my head, "I'm sure Jody will bring me back home." "Are you sure it's not too soon?" worries mom. "I'll be fine." I nod. And so, I went to school, caught up with Jody and Tommy, and got a make-up test for the one that I missed. And oddly, Fray was right. It was better to try than to stay in despair. By the time I came home, that afternoon, I was feeling more like myself again.
But I can never forgive Keith. As I got ready for bed, I felt darkness moving from outside my window. Peaking out, I saw a light heading into the woods and hatred flared. But then the figure turned and I can see a flash of it's face. It wasn't Keith. It was a strange woman...