Mother Knows Best

by Maelie Arsenault

Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Who's the baddest bitch of all? It's me
No need to think, no need to think

Seeing her there. Talking to Sareena. Maelie felt a cold fear grip her heart. Leonessa had taken Aunt Kallie and Uncle Mika from her. The life they’d built. And now, she was here to take Sareena. Victor. Mordecai and Clover. Who else must she know about? Nel? Peg and Bella? Igor and Arinelle? As she greeted her rival, he mind raced for something, anything, other than taking Sareena and Victor and leaving town.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Who's the baddest bitch of all? It's me
No need to think, I know it's me

It wouldn’t have worked anyways. It was clear that Leonessa was set on revenge and the extent of her threats were beyond sane. The way she talked; it was like it was all decided. And that confidence that her cruel solution to Fox’s existence was righteous and reasonable. She’d backed Fox into a corner, trapped with the people she loved behind her and nowhere else to hide from this.

Aunt Kallie’s kindness didn’t help her here. Uncle Mika’s subtlety might help but, he avoided trouble, snatch and disappear. Fox was ill prepared to deal with a homicidal noble who knew how to play all the same games she did. The Fox was out of ideas, and Maelie Arsenault was backed into a corner.

But her mother. Her mother had taught her how to deal with people like this.

I never take shit from anybody
Don't know why you think it was wise to cross me
If ya got a death wish, then I'm listening
I'll end the life that you're living
Just call me your genie

She’d been taught everything about people like Leonessa. The shadow games between nobles at court. The banter in public hid deadly intentions. The knives slipped out behind curtains. Striking at each other’s resources, their contacts, their networks. The key to victory in these games was to be the one to escalate the conflict at a time of one’s own choosing. And no one had been better at that than her mother.

I don't take shit from anybody
Piss me off, and I'm leaving bodies
Better get down on your knees and count your prayers
'Cause nothing good comes after here
You're 'bout to meet your queen

She’d almost felt bad for the thieves who delivered the bomb. They had some talent. They were ambitious. But they’d decided that people’s lives were worth less than their delusions of grandeur. Power. Control. They want to play those games? Fox would make them regret setting this board for her.

Lemme tell ya that you're messing with the wrong bitch now
Can't let you forget it's me who wears the crown
And if you dare stand in my way
Then, baby, I'ma cut you down, down, down

She was tense moving through the hideout. She could have called Victor, but she didn’t want him involved in this anymore than he already was. Besides, she had to do this on her own. There was the slightest hesitation to arming the bomb in the safe. The same hesitation when she’d set fire to the Pinkerton offices. But that voice in her head was slowly sounding less like her mother and more like her own, and it told her that these people had asked for this.

You're messing with the wrong bitch now
I'm calling out for blood, it echoes in the crowd
And if you're gonna beg, then do it now
Or else I'm gonna stain my gown, gown, gown

Uh-oh, there you go again, keep making me mad
And it'll be off with your head, it'll be off with your head,
Uh-oh, here we go again; keep playing your games
And somebody'll wind up dead

They’d pushed. Leonessa. Pinkertons. Wildermeres. Vagabond. They’d made the biggest mistake of all.
Threatening the people that she couldn’t bear to lose.

'Cause I don't take shit from anybody
You ain't even seen me go full crazy
Boy, you really love to go and run your mouth
I hope you go down half as proud
I wanna hear you plead

I don't take shit from anybody
Did you really think I would let ya walk free?
Kinda sad that all good things come to end
So baby, kneel, off with your head
I wanna hear you scream

The explosion ripped through the air, far larger than she’d expected. There was no satisfied grin, no excitement in the work, the adrenaline in her veins was not thrilling. She just waited a few minutes, to check if anyone survived, rifle in hand if they did, then she nods to herself and departs for home.

Lemme tell ya that you're messing with the wrong bitch now
Can't let you forget it's me who wears the crown
And if you dare stand in my way
Then, baby, I'ma cut you down, down, down

You're messing with the wrong bitch now
I'm calling out for blood, it echoes in the crowd
And if you're gonna beg, then do it now
Or else I'm gonna stain my gown, gown, gown

She wanted Leonessa to know it was personal now. The letter was brief and aimed to make sure they all understood that she’d pull them apart, brick by brick, if they made her. And while she could have expended resources on divinations to track down Leonessa herself… she simply hoped her nemesis would agree to be done with this sooner rather than later.

She wanted Leonessa’s gang to know it was personal with them too. There’d be no mercy, and if they wanted to avoid her wrath they could run and hide. The one she left alive was only so she could deliver the letter. And perhaps… so she could also tell the story to anyone left that they’d picked the wrong fight. They should reevaluate the costs of taking down Fox.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Who's the baddest bitch of all? It's me
It's me

She sat down in her living room. Rifle to the side, bag of goods she’d already forgotten about on the floor. Her mind trying to read the next moves like a chess game. After a while, Stella came to lay her head in Mae’s lap, her hand reaching to absentmindedly pet the blink dog.

“I didn’t want this, you know. I wanted to be the Fox my Aunt and Uncle raised. The one who was careful of who she stole from. Who smiled as she pulled off great heists.” She lets out a deep sigh. “But… I guess I’m my mother’s daughter after all.”

Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Who's the baddest bitch of all? It's me
It's me

Continue reading...

The Last Rule
November 27th, 1882, - Novandria

The Den

Am I losing?

A Close Call

Plans

New Toys

Mistakes were made

Too close to home

Not like you.

This City is Mine.
February 6th, 1883

Aimless?
March 5, 1883 - Novandria

The Game Begins
February 13th, 1883

Too much like You
March 13, 1883

Safer in Shadows
April 3, 1883

New Beginnings
April 7th, 1883

Ready to Run
April 17th, 1883

Home
April 25, 1883

Can you steal a heart?
May 8th, 1883

Trouble
11th of May, 1883

Heartbreak
14th of May, 1883

Hunter or Prey?
16th of May, 1883

Guilt
19th of May, 1883

Untrustworthy
21st of May, 1883

Why am I like this?
25th of May, 1883

Worthy
8th of June, 1883

The One She Left Behind
13th June, 1883

Annnd it's back...
July 1st, 1883

Learning to Fly
July 4th, 1883

Thrill of the Hunt
July 29th, 1883

From the Embers
21st of August, 1883 // 1867

Mother Knows Best
16th of September, 1883

A Snake, a Star, and a Fox
25th of September, 1883, Novandria

It wasn't him.
28th of September, 1883, Novandria

The New Blade
13th of September, 1883

Something Good
October 31, 1883 - Novandria

The wound that won't close
18th of December, 1883 - Novandria

Promise
25th of December, 1883 - Novandria

Fallen through the cracks
6th of January, 1884 - Novandria

Day to Night
7th of January, 1884

What's Left to the Shadows
22nd of January, 1884, Novandria

The World without Colour
18th of February, 1884, Bellancourt, Montaigne,

Seventeen Roofs
26th of February, Novandria, Eisen

Crossing the Board
4th of March, 1884, Novandria, Eisen

New Freedom
May 4th, 1884

Saved
5th of May, 1884/16th of July, 1858

Mother Knows Best

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