I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road

Outfit Kallisto Ophelia Parkinson

Donna had spent a portion of the morning drinking in the White Wyvern drinking and feeling sorry for herself, but then she had pulled herself up by her bootstraps and put on her big girl knickers. She had come home and taken a potion and sent away the owl to her daughter and then the order to Chutne. She was probably one of the few people who could manage to get delivery service from them, but Donna knew that she would end up crying and she didn't need a scene to be made. She knew that Andromeda would not take likely to a scandal, and Donna was doing her best to maintain things until a word was heard from Greg. She would be telling him at dinner the next day, and she knew that she would have to hold it together until they both knew, until she could decide what she wanted to do. She had a few liquor bottles in her bedroom and some liquid sunshine if either was needed. She loved Kali, she was her daughter and she knew that no matter what happened, Kali would always be her daughter, even if Kali hated her after this. 

She had changed her dress from the one that she had been wearing at the bar and had washed the scent of shame and smoke from her skin. She dressed and looked the part of her usual self but her nerves were so strong she felt ill. She wasn't ready to do this, maybe her death bed was the better time? No. She had to do this, before her sister//daughter decided that she wanted to marry Greg and something terrible happened. The mere thought made her want to throw up, She had an elf set her small table for them and then began to pace around the front room. How was she going to go about this, how did she do this? 

She had no idea and her head was pounding. Stupid Whiskey. She was standing with her head in her hands as she heard the door open and she turned to look at her daughter.

---

words: 380

I couldn't see how every sign
pointed straight to you

outfit  

There was an order and a set pattern to how Monday's were supposed to go. Kallisto kept to this. It was good for her. It made her feel sane and in control. It kept her twin quieter. It was good. She rose early, with the sun, and ran. This grounded her--cleared her mind--and prepared her for the day and week ahead. After miles of cobblestone had been conquered, the witch felt sure she could conquer the rest of the world easily enough. Conquest of her goals were no different than running, really. She just had to keep taking the appropriate steps and what she desired would in time be hers. 

Much to the chagrin of her mother, Kallisto had left the Parkinson home to take up residence in a penthouse in the city. In the end, Michael had accepted her decision, though--he was easily conned to her will. Her brother had always been weak to her whims. She rather believed he had decided he wanted their father's study for his own uses, as well---or at the very least as a place he could retreat from the nagging of their mother and his soon-to-be wife. Kallisto had taken over the study for own research and use after their father died--She had wanted the seclusion for focus, but to have her own home was far better than to have dominion over that study. 

She quite enjoyed the freedom it gave with entertaining guests--there was less need for discretion about the comings and goings of those she brought to her bed, particularly the ladies. Her mother had not explicitly condemned her for those liasons, but small comments were dropped now and again about appearances and the familial reputation: as if Kallisto shagging a witch would be a smear against them like those that Van continually rained down on the Parkinsons. 

It was good for her to have the space, too, because of the complication of her twin. He was strong and vocal at times...and when he grew loud, she was desperate for silence in her surroundings. It kept her from feeling absolutely insane...The twin that lived inside her was not pleased to be sharing lunch with Donna. He had been quite set on seeing Amalthea today. As fond as Kallisto was of the witch, he was even moreso. But, they would write to her later, and hopefully still be able to entertain their lover as they wished to.

Kali had been set to depart from the Ministry--but when she entered the lift, Rabastan Lestrange had been inside. Still considering pursuing the man, despite his relationship with Lady Finley, Kallisto had shared a bit of conversation with the wizard. He was a fascinating man. She had learned in prior talks with him that he had studied psychology at Lufkin's--and she took any opportunity to poke the man's brain. 

Much like the shadows and weight that occasionally showed themselves in her eyes, put there by the secret and struggle that came with carrying herself and her twin inside of her, there were shadows in Rabastan's eyes. Those had surely come from Azkaban. She dared not ask about his time in prison. They were not close enough for such intimacy. But she was curious--curious to how he could adjust to something like a normal life after decades under the pressures of the Dementors. When the dark creatures had come to Knockturn Alley, she had struggled with her own sanity. If she could be counted as sane with the number of conversations she had with someone who lived only in her head.

In time, the pair parted ways and she apparated from the Ministry to her sister's home. Taking the liberty to let herself in, Kallisto found Donna though neatly dressed, seemingly off. The Parkinson's sharp attention to detail noticed a plethora of little signs that something was wrong. Perhaps Donna was regretting the murder she had sanctioned... Or was nervous about her school that was soon to open. 

"Sister, mine," she said in greeting, moving to embrace the eldest of their father's lot. Her lips brushed each of Donna's cheeks before she took a step back, to survey the older woman again. "Are you unwell, love?" Concern laced her voice as she offered up the question. Kallisto cared for Donna deeply--she had always been incredibly close to her oldest sister. 

Donna had no idea of how she was supposed to do this, or why she was doing this. It would come out eventually anyway, and they would both probably hate her just as much as she was going to now. They couldn’t hate her more than she hated herself honestly, and she just wanted to move on with her life, she wanted her to be able just forget that this was ever a secret, but she couldn't it had been twenty years, not two. At least she wasn’t a boy. That was the benefit. Kalli was not a boy. The girl in question stepped into the house and Donna couldn’t help but smile.

She hugged Kallisto back and kissed her cheeks, her small hand coming up to run into the girls hair for a moment, flicking the ends. Moving her eyes to look at those lovely blue eyes, a reflection of her father and it made her ache deep in her chest. A furrow formed between her brows, and she knew her mother would be chiding her for it if she was there. She rubbed the younger woman’s arms for a moment before taking her hand and pulling her over to the couch. ”I have something that is very important that I need to speak with you about.”

This wasn’t how she had planned this. She didn’t want to have to bare her sins, her soul. She wanted Kali to just know. Gods, this was fucked. She fussed with her hair for a moment and then pulled it over her shoulder and folded her hands in her lap as she sat. She patted the seat beside her, her ankles crossing daintily as she looked at the younger woman. ”Tell me what you know of the Goyle family.”

---

words: 303

Kallisto's mind flew to selfish thoughts at her sister's announcement. Had the murder of Donna's husband been tracked to their family? Was she at risk for prosecution by the Ministry? She had maintained absolute discretion in her action. The spell used had been of her own creation, crafted for the task, never to be used before or again. It had been the death the man deserved. Kali had told no one. Unless her sister had betrayed her, there should have been no evidence against her. The death should have looked to be of natural causes--an unfortunate accident--all examinations should have pointed to an aneurysm in the brain. Had Donna regretted the request? Felt guilty and told someone what had happened?! Could her eldest sister be so foolish? 

Kali would not resign herself to Azkaban. She would not. These thoughts ran wild in her mind--her twin ranting and raving about how they should have never interceded on Donna's behalf, despite having their own motivations for wanting to slowly and painfully take the life of Donna's ex-husband. But even as Kali began to seek out some plan for how she could avoid imprisonment, Donna asked about the Goyles. This caused the younger witch's thoughts to do a complete one-eighty.

So, this wasn't about murder. Perhaps it was about marriage... Kallisto had been flirting quite heavily with Greg on and off for a few years now. But every time the pair got close to slipping off for a bit of properly carnal fun, business had demanded his attention. She was a bit scorned by the lack of follow through thus far. Perhaps Greg was as well, and he had decided he wanted to make her his in an absolute and permanent sort of way. 

Smirking at the thought, she looked absolutely wicked and just a touch wanton. "Well, I have made the acquaintance of Greg, though not nearly as close as I would like," she answered, being sinfully suggestive in tone and expression. The more she rolled the possibility around in her head--the more she liked the possibility of marrying him. He was so bloody handsome--surely the shagging would be fantastic. She was so polished and posh and he was delightfully rough. It would make for great fun. She shared this line of thinking with Donna: "He isn't Sacred Twenty Eight--but with a body like that, I could marry down. He's first son after all..."

It had been a simple question. One that Donna would ask about, an easy question that wasn’t loaded or full of something else, she was being kind and loving to her little sister. That was how she wanted this to come across. She just had a lot on her mind, but that wasn’t true. None of that was true. She had a reason for asking these questions, she had reasons for wanting these answers and it had everything to do with the pretty woman before her. Her ears still remembered the first cry that she had issued. Donna remembered laying on the bed, holding her perfect little girl, with ten little toes and ten little fingers. And a head of dark hair. She was in love from the moment she heard the heartbeat and nothing had been the same ever since.

She had to tell her daughter, she had heard tell of them being together by Kalli and by other people and she couldn’t allow either of them to make that kind of mistake. She had to stop this now. She nervously ran a hand through her hair as she looked at her daughter, scared to death, but she knew how she would do this. Unlike with telling Greg, this was easier to plan. She watched as her daughter spoke and she put a hand to her chest before slowly standing, bile rising to her throat and she stepped to the bar and pier three fingers of Scotch, drinking heavily from the cup. ”Melin, please Kalli tell me you haven’t fucked him. You don-” She put a hand to her mouth and shook her head.

”I was betrothed to him when I was young, younger than you… I’ve never mentioned it, or if Papa ever told you. He broke it off, but…” She finished the glass and set it down. ”You can’t see him again. Promise me. You won’t do anything else with him. I forbid it.” She wasn’t this person, she never did things like this, never acted like this. She felt like she was going crazy and moved to sit before the younger witch and took her hands.

”You know I love you, right?”

Kallisto did not like the way her sister was speaking to her. The youngest Parkinson had never taken being told what to do well. She followed the purist rules when they suited her--and only to further her own goals, not out of some true devotion to them. Everything Kali did was for her own good. She was an incredibly selfish thing--believing the worst of everyone and all too happy to step on their backs if it suited her. Self preservation motivated her above all else, with self indulgence following closely behind.

Scoffing, the younger witch rolled her eyes. "Donna--you know better than to attempt to forbid me to do anything," the former Slytherin warned--her voice hissing through the air, cold and hard. Kallisto was getting defensive and was now all the more resolved to get Greg between her thighs. Even if she had not already wanted to, being told she was forbidden bedding him made her desire him immensely. Kali had never known Donna to be so possessive of a man. So what that this bloke had dropped her years ago? That had nothing to do with K shagging him now. Snarky and annoyed, Kallisto shared this line of thinking: "Honestly, you're bordering on pathetic. I've never seen you be so petty."

A frown creased her features--hardening them as Kallisto studied Donna. She was confused by her sister. Why would the woman act this way? Possible motivations came into her mind, mostly offered her by the hateful, cruel voice of her twin brother--and Kallisto formed his suggestions into questions: "Are you really so jealous of my youth? You are still quite lovely, sister, and hardly look your years. This territorial nonsense is not like you at all."

How could she say this, how could she explain it all and not mess this up. She didn’t want her life in ruins around her, to lose Kallisto would be to lose everything and the mere thought had Donna wanting to rip the very heart from her own chest rather than face that pain. She had fought for years to keep their secret that, a secret. Her daughter, her sister was the most precious thing in the world to her. More important than any jewel or clothing, no amount of Galleons would ever replace her. The blood through her veins was just as pure as gold, but it was also a part of Donna’s. She could still remember finding out that her baby was a girl, the sound of the heartbeat from within and those little hands.

Merlin this hurt this was hard and her daughters words stung her, cut like a blade to the bone and Donna took in a long breath, knowing full well that allowing her temper to get the best of her was not going to work. She wanted to storm from the room, to slam doors, but that wouldn’t fix this, it wouldn’t stop her. ”I assure you Kallisto, I am far from jealous.” She let go of the girls hands and crossed her arms, trying to regain her composure for a moment.

She was going to have to just say it and leaning into it would not go well. Kallisto wasn’t Kate, this wasn’t her best friend or Link that she was talking to. She knew what to do so she leaned back into the arm of the couch. ”I had him, we were betrothed, but he walked away. Not because of any fault of mine, but because he didn’t want to be forced to marry. He didn’t think he would make a good husband and until a few weeks ago the last time that he and I spoke was the same day that I found out that I was with child. “ Becoming very interested in hr nails Donna found that she was not able to look at Kalli so she picked at them, an old habit.

”The war was over, so I made the decision to take my NEWTs and I left England, going to school in France for design, or so mother and father told everyone. Her pregnancy was announced shortly after. An accident, a surprise child, a blessing. A lie. In late October I gave birth, to a daughter that I selfishly named after myself and a woman from a tragedy. “ She stood and walked to the window, her long elegant fingers resting on the frame as she looked outside.

”I named her Kallisto Ophelia.” Tears ran down her face and she turned to look at the dark haired girl. ”You cannot marry him, because he is your father.”

There were minor regrets as soon as the biting words had flown from her lips. Perhaps she was being too harsh with her sister. It was perfectly normal for women Donna's age to have insecurities about younger witches. How many first wives could attest to the legitimacy of these concerns? Multitudes and multitudes! She really should not have lashed out in such a way. Donna had just gotten a bit under her skin forbidding her from shagging Greg. It really wasn't that big of a deal. The man was one bloke in a metropolitan of millions---admittedly there were not that many unattached pureblood men running about, but that was not a hard requirement for being brought to Kallisto's bed. She welcomed both men and women and was willing to have physical involvement with those of lesser heritages...and the married were invited, as well. She really didn't have many rules that barred others from admission between her thighs beyond aesthetics. No one ugly made it to her bed...not even just to eat. That was her true standard. She demanded her lovers be lovely.

Kallisto was drawn out of her consideration of self and shagging by her sister speaking again. It would seem that Donna intended to give an explanation about her stance regarding the Goyle. Truly, the younger Parkinson had little interest in what was being said. She feigned listening, but it wasn't until Donna mentioned a child that Kali actually became attentive. The words her sister's late husband had spoken about her parentage came into her mind. All the things the man had said seemed to be grounded in truth. The witch had had time to consider the possibility quite a bit since first hearing of it from the man she murdered. But even the foreshadowing of this truth did not protect the woman from the flurry of emotions that descended on her as Donna put distance between them.

Her life was a lie. Her parentage was a lie. The lie had been told to preserve the reputation of her eldest sister...or her mother as Donna really was... and perhaps her own. Kallisto pursed her lips as Donna turned to face her. Her face was cold and blank of emotion--strongly countering the sentiment showcased by her 'mother'. Vibrant irises of ultramarine shades twisted to turquoise and Kallisto was silent. Her jaw was hard and fixed as she considered how to respond. Neatly folding her hands over her lap, she uncrossed and recrossed her ankles in the opposite direction away from Donna. It was a subtle closing of herself to the woman. Kali's mind was filled with noise as her twin reacted to the news. His thoughts were incoherent as her own. The pair had not come to a consensus on their feelings regarding the possibility of being not a Parkinson before today...but before today they had known nothing of who their father had been. Now, they knew they were not truly Sacred Twenty Eight.

Choosing her words very carefully, Kallisto began to speak--perfectly calm and collected in her tone despite the chaos inside her. "I was warned of the possibility of this by your late husband... Not in respect to Greg, but that you were--in fact--my mother. I rejected the warning as a lie from a dying man--believing that you and Mother...or I suppose Grandmother, would not have lied to me for so many years," a pause came then--coupled with a downturn of her lips. The frown hardened her aristocratic features to an expression that would have intimidated many, though it was not likely to do that Donna. "I mourned the death of your father as the loss of my own. I ache for him still, despite this new knowledge, for it was Myles that taught me the workings of the world. He is my father in the ways that matter--"

Her mind turned to selfish thoughts as it always did...and in a icy snap, Kallisto asked: "Will you ruin me with this?" Unveiling her as a bastard child of a lowlife pureblood would destroy Kallisto's chances to marry well. She was already a third daughter of a first son. That was a considerable block to certain alliances. The Warringtons and Bulstrodes were uninterested in having her marry either of their sons. But perhaps that was not solely due to her status as a third daughter--there was some overture of opposition due to her ambitious nature. Ironic that such strong women would not want a strong wife for their boys.

As a child Donna had been given everything that she could have hoped for, things that she could never have dreamed of were given to her and as a teen and a young woman this somewhat continued. Perhaps it was that which had helped her decision to keep Kalli and refuse the potion. Perhaps it was a secret hope that Greg would change his mind and come back for here and learn about the baby. It hadn’t happened and she had pulled away moving out but remaining close to the girl that mean so much to her. She wanted things to be so different, she wanted this to be so much better, but she knew that it wasn’t and it never would be. With the truth coming out nothing would be the same again, nothing would be able to go back to how it was, and she knew it. She wanted to cry, she wanted to hide herself away, but she couldn’t do that, not now.

She looked out the window and sighed softly, trying to keep the tears that were coming readily to her at bay. She would not blame the young witch for anything that happened here. She had brought this on herself and this was her punishment. ”Yes, Nicholas worked it out after the wedding while was mourning father. He began to compare pictures of me as a child with your pictures. He struck me and I ended things, returning to my own home. You may call her Mother, or whatever you chose. She is more a mother to you than I have ever been.” She had to do this this way, she had to pretend like she didn’t want this relationship to change. Because she knew that it was best for Kali even if it hurt. It was why her mother had raised Kallisto. He couldn’t tell Kallisto that her father, their father, hadn’t wanted her to even be born, she couldn’t say those words. ”Because he was your father, just as Tara Vane-Parkinson is your mother. They raised you.”

Taking a long breath and looked out the glass again, her hands before her, fingers interwoven and her face blank. A skill their mother had when she was overwhelmed with too much emotion. ”I will not. No one will know the difference but you. Greg will know tomorrow. I only took these measures to keep you from making a huge mistake, Kalli. “ She had been there, she knew what she had done, and she knew the fate that would occur to her when the truth eventually came out. ”I am your biological mother, but your parents are Myles and Tara. You are a Parkinson, nothing has changed unless you will it so.” She wanted to hold her baby girl. She wanted to go back in time, to push those bangs from the perfect eyes, but she kept her distance so Kalli couldn’t see that she was trembling so hard that she was barely standing.

Kallisto should have been more prepared for this conversation. She was calculated in all things. But this, still struck deeply into the softest parts of her. She had never truly trusted anyone, not even her family--but she had believed herself to be at least a part of that family. Thoughts spun out in her mind--incoherent and piecemeal. Memories were being revised and rewritten with this new knowledge. This information changed the witch's perspective, leaving her with the feeling that she was standing on unsteady ground.

There was nothing else that needed to be said of Nicholas. Kallisto hated him far more than anyone knew. It had been a pleasure to end his life--and his correctness about her parentage did nothing to tarnish that. She let Donna's comments regarding the man's treatment of her go by without comment. Many men beat their wives; many wives lashed out at their husbands. Kallisto--if put in Nicholas's place--would have found the deceit Donna practiced with the man she was meant to love and honor worthy of far more than a backhand across the face. But her distaste for the particular man dissolved her ability to relate to his rage.

As the conversation proceeded, the brunette furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes at her 'mother'. What did Donna hope to hear from her now? What was her intent behind the comment that things would be as they were unless Kallisto chose otherwise? A selfish wave of self-preservation rushed up through Kali and with a biting tone she informed the other woman: "I do not wish to have my reputation destroyed." A pause came then--followed by a sigh. Delicate manicured nails came up to Kallisto's face and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I need time to determine what is an appropriate course of action. I won't enter into a marriage with this secret from my husband" The urge to leave now was strong, but where was there to go? She could brood alone in her flat...or bring hell's fury into the Parkinson ancestral home. Neither particularly appealed to her. Her thoughts were too chaotic--Her twin was being far too loud. She was unable to even discern the words he was flinging around in their mind.