Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rapid knocks on the front door had Eda instantly on guard. Hooty was currently supervising Luz and King as they walked around Bonesborough. Usually she would disagree with their plan to travel at night with all the risks of the demon realm, but they'd agreed to be super careful and to take Hooty with them. And she knew her sister had her own key to the owl house, gifted to her by the owl lady herself just before leaving to reconnect with their parents. She grabbed her staff, wearily opening the door, shock instantly filling her body.
"Hey calamity." Eda stared at the bard in front of her in a mix of fear and horror. They had a large gash on their face, multiple cuts and bruises and she didn't miss the way they were favouring their right side, nor did she miss the barley conscious teen under their right arm.
"Rainestorm" She hurried the two into the house, helping them place Hunter onto the sofa. Was he always this small? She helped Raine settle into an arm chair opposite.
"Owlbert grab me the first aid kit." Her palisman hooted, flying off to fetch the medical supplies. Eda herself grabbed a few painkiller potions. She moved to help Raine but the bard shook their head, nodding towards Hunter,
"Help the kid first." Eda stopped for a moment, studying their face before handing them a painkiller potion and nodding, carefully stepping over to the teenager. The bags under his eyes were dark and heavy, he looked like he hadn't slept in years. His face, like Raines was scattered in scares and bruises the one difference is that hunters held scars from many different times. Some were smaller, clearly having faded over the years, some were more recent, the skin around the large gnashes still red and angry. He was smaller than the last time she'd seen him and the wonder passed her mind of the last time he'd properly eaten. Her heart clenched as she fought back tears. He was just a kid, no older than Luz, child soldier and she berated herself for not seeing that sooner. She decided against giving him a potion, instead planning to use one of the healing coven patches. While it wouldn't work as well, she didn't want to run the risk of him waking up and panicking he was poisoning him or something. The blood from a wound under his shirt was still seeping through the material and her heart broke again. She knelt down carefully, beginning to tend to the child's wound, Owlbert flying over with the healing coven kit, her voice only breaking slightly as she voiced the question that had plagued her since the two first showed up on the doorstep.
"Rainestorm, what the hell happened?" She gently pulled up the edge of Hunters shirt while she waited for Raine to talk, her breath hitching at the sight of the blood sticking to the shirt. She gently wiped the blood away, wordlessly applying the healing salves and patched, glad that Hunter wasn't awake for she feared the painkiller patches had yet to kick in.
"After I saw you, I managed to get away from Darius. He was distracted by Eber playing the live stream of you, Luz and King. But Kikimora was there, like always with one of Alador's Abominations. She used my sigil against me. There were these red vine things coming from it that just twisted their way up my arm and body. Titan Eda the pain." Their breath stopped for a moment as they tried to shake the memories from their brain.
"We don't have to do this now if it's too hard." Eda offered them an escape, shooting them a worried glance before turning back to the teenager in front of her.
"If I don't say it now I don't think I ever will." She nodded, giving them time to continue, and a few moments passed before the bard began to speak again.
"Everything went dark. Then I woke up in a cell, a small note in my pocket. It had been a few hours, not long since i'd seen you. The note was from Darius."
"What?" Eda span around in shock.
"He's part of the rebellion against Belos, Eber too."
"Yet they captured you?" Her anger towards the other coven heads growing underneath her worry. Titan when she got her hands on them.
"They needed to find a way to see if I was too, and with my previous raids Belos was already catching on. It was the safest way for him to get the message to me. He didn't know what was going to happen." They fell into a silence again. Eda gently pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and laid it gently over Hunter, finally having finished what she could on his injuries. The sight of the multiple other scars that not only were on his face and arms but all alone his torso too, accompanied by what looked like a very recent stab wound made Eda use everything in her power not to storm over to the castle in that second. How could someone do this to a child? She had a very good idea of who had done it and that only made her rage even fiercer. She quietly moved to kneel in front of Raine, sliding the healing equipment along the floor towards her. She rinsed a clean cloth in warm water that Owlbert had brought over, gently holding Raines face in her hands as she dapped at the wound on their face. A comfortable silence surrounded them for a minute. In the quiet of the night, Raine couldn't help but notice how close they were. Eda kneeled in between their legs, their face in her hands as she cared for them, her thumb softly tracing patterns on their cheek as she worked. Her voice wavered as she spoke next, not meeting their gaze in case it held the answer to her question. The answer she knew most likely but prayed to titan wasn't the truth.
"What happened."
"When you're seen as a traitor. The emperor doesn't see too kindly to seeing you're well cared for. Got a few hits and scrapes here and there." And there it was. It took everything in the wild witch not to break there and then, but she couldn't, she had a new kid, and her bard counting on her. She didn't see how people could so blindly follow the emperor, how his coven couldn't see the abuse and pain he inflicted on people. How he gave no care for life upon the isle. Eda stayed silent, not trusting her own voice, instead working on healing Raine.
"It was like that for a while. Then terra came by." That made Eda stop for a second.
"Terra?" Fear ate away at her, she knew all too well how evil the plant coven head could be.
"She started giving me this tea to brainwash me." A split moment of hesitation, a moment of fear, of betrayal. A sudden terror that this was a trap. That the bard sitting in front of her wasn't her bard, instead a corrupted brainwashed coven head used to get to her.
"Hey." Raine whispered softly, their hand moving to tuck a strand of hair behind Eda's ear.
"I figured it out pretty much instantly. You remember that trick, from back at H.E.C.K." And suddenly her fear felt stupid. Of course she remembered that, it was one of her favourite memories, the day she met her old partner in crime.
"Of course I remember." She replied quietly. Raine smiled and Eda continued, as did they.
"I began to change the tea. Playing the part of the brainwashed bard when I was let out the cell. It was only once or twice, the other times I was in the cell alone, apart from when the guards came past. I had to go and speak with Belos. Without Terra." Another moment of silence and how Eda wished she could take the last few weeks from them.
"He wasn't happy, called me a traitorous little bard but that I was needed for the day of unity. Didn't escape that meeting without a few scrapes either. Once you step against the emperor, no one cares for you." Eda knew that one all too well.
"Hunter was there too, I don't know if he know I saw him but that night, when I was stuck in my cell, he snuck down." Fondness seeped into their voice.
"He passed me some bread and water through the bars. This happened a few more times and then one night, he didn't turn up and I knew something was wrong. That worry only furthered when Darius showed up, cloaked but I knew it was him. He told me Hunter needed me and that he couldn't risk his position by helping, but I could. He lead me to a cell where Hunter was. Titan Eda he was in such a state I didn't know if he was alive. I grabbed him and Darius lead us through a small back-way escape he'd found. He told me to run and to look after Hunter. I just nodded and ran to the first place that came to mind. Here." Eda was finally done with their cuts and bruises, grabbing an ice pack for their leg despite how much they said it was fine. She needed a moment to know what to say. There were so many emotions swirling around in her brain that she didn't know how to deal with.
"The Bats?" She asked quietly.
"Still stuck. Darius promised to keep an eye on them until I could get them out." Eda nodded, the pain in their voice understandable, titan knows what she would do if it were Luz and King trapped. Eda just sat for a moment, staring at the bard in front of her. How had they ended up here. From their early days back at Hexside, carefree before the curse, before the covens and the breakup, before everything. how had they gone from two innocent kids, just trying to navigate the world hand in hand, to this. Alone, hurt and both running from something neither knew really how to take down and at huge risk of petrification. Eda wanted nothing more to hold Raines head in her hands, to kiss their forehead and let them play the Violin until the world around them fell away, letting all their fears and worries fall away too. Instead she just sighed,
"What happened to us Rainestorm."

Chapter Text

It took a while for hunter to wake up. Eda had sent Luz and King straight upstairs once they'd arrived. Telling them she'd answer their questions later but for now they needed to stay upstairs. Her tone must have conveyed how serious things were because Luz nodded, grabbing king and heading upstairs. Even Hooty didn't bother them. 
Raine had fallen asleep in the armchair not long after she'd finished healing them, their exhaustion winning out. She draped a blanket over them like she had done Hunter before sitting and waiting. There was nothing else she could do, she'd never felt this helpless, not even at her petrification. 
Owlbert hooted in her ear and her eyes trailed to where he told her to look, she didn't know how'd she'd missed it the first time. Hidden in the shadows behind the sofa was a small, red, wooden Cardinal, watching Hunter closely, golden energy seeping from his wing as he healed the crack that had been made.
"Hey." She called quietly, not wanting to startle the clearly worried palisman. The birds head turned towards her as he chirped.
"He's gonna be okay." The bird nodded again, moving to sit on the arm of the sofa next to Hunters head. The boy in question suddenly sitting up with a look of terror painted across his face. His eyes scanned the room wildly before they landed on Eda. He moved quickly, moving off the sofa and curling up in the corner of the room despite his injuries.
She sat back in shock for a moment before moving to sit on the floor, moving a little towards him.
"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you kid." The words barley processed in Hunters mind with his thoughts running at a hundred miles a second. One moment he'd been in his room at the castle, worriedly searching for flapjack and hoping the palisman had just flown out the window before he prepared to take a meal down to the head bard. He didn't know why he was going against his uncle to care for the witch, but Whispers had cared for him during their short time at the castle. The next moment there was Kikimora, knocking on his door, a sickeningly smug grin on her face as she told him the Emperor wanted to speak with him. He dismissed her as nonchalantly as he could, but inside he was panicking. And suddenly he was in the throne room, His uncle yelling at him for his betrayal, that he had been corrupted by the ways of Wild magic. Not that in that moment any of that mattered to Hunter, all he could focus on, all that mattered was the fact Flapjack in his uncles hand. He could still hear the sickening crunch of wood as his uncle began to squeeze. He'd made a choice in that moment. Probably the wrong one. He'd launched forward, the attack leaving his uncle shocked enough the palisman dropped from his grasp as Hunter caught him, holding him protectively. He'd never seen his uncle so furious. He'd yelled, transforming into a green monster that made him no longer the man that always stood before him. The next part was a blur. He could remember one of the spikes piercing his body, the pain that instantly shot through him. Seeing his uncle turn back through blurred vision. Hearing his voice and how annoying it would be to have to make another, feeling one of the guards carry his body through the castle before dumping him in a cell. He'd awoken briefly, seeing Darius cloaked, being held in Head Witch Whispers arms as they raced through the castle. The next thing he knew he was in a random place, a woman in front of him staring at him like he was a, well he didn't know. She looked heartbroken. Her voice began breaking through the haze of his mind as she slowly spoke him through a breathing exercise. Soon he was able to place who the woman in front of him was. The owl lady.

Eda saw the minute the recognition passed across his face, she held her hands in front of her, doing everything she could to be perceived as non threatening.
"Hey its okay kid, you're safe here."
"Why did you bring me here! You cant hold me hostage! This is treason!" He yelled out, trying to mask his fear.
"Raine brought you here." 
"Head witch Whispers?" Eda nodded, tilting her head to where Raine lie ,by some miracle, still asleep, covered by a warm blanket. Hunter seemed to relax slightly at that, not a lot, but slightly. 
"Kid we're not here to hurt you. Raine brought you here so you'd both be safe." He stared at her, trying to find any inch of hostility or lies. He couldn't trust her. This was just some plot. She was the enemy, so was Head Witch Whispers. They were the enemies... right? He clutched his abdomen in pain, the adrenaline of first waking up finally wearing off to let the pain seep through. There was no way he could outrun anyone right now. He had to play it safe. Stay until he was better enough to leave. That was it. Not because the way the owl lady was still whispering reassurances just loud enough for him to hear, or the way the sincerity and genuine worry in her eyes made a warmth seep through his heart that he'd never felt under his uncles care. 

Eda held her hand out slowly, not wanting to frighten him. She didn't miss the way he flinched away from the movement and for what felt like the millionth time that evening, she cursed the Emperor for doing this to a kid. Hunter eventually took her hand, letting her lead him back to the couch. 
"Just rest kid. You're safe." So why didn't he feel safe. Why did he feel the emperors eyes on him. Why could he still feel the guilt slowly drowning him. He'd betrayed the Emperor, his uncle. He'd attacked him and run away. Why Why Why Why. Why did he do it. He should have just apologised and denied all knowledge of the palisman- his palisman, Flapjack!. As if sensing the teenagers growing worry, Flapjack carefully rested on the teens chest, chirping as Hunters hand came up to hold him close. He could feel the tears sliding from his eyes and down his cheek. Imsorryimsorryim-i deserve it. The voice in his head was the last thing he heard before he let the darkness creep over him once again.

With both Raine and Hunter now asleep, or at least unconscious, Eda let herself crumble, she let her hands shake, let the feelings come flooding in, let the tears fall. How had she ended up here. Everything from the last few hours caught up to her as she grabbed an extra blanket, wrapping it around herself and leaning up against the chair Raine was asleep in, she knew she would regret it in the morning but she wasn't going to leave in case one of them needed her through the night. She briefly let her thoughts wonder, how was she going to handle this? Yeah she'd been looking after King and Luz but Hunter was a severely traumatised kid and the last thing she wanted to do was make it worse. Even the owl beast was cooing in worry in her head, worry for their new little owlet. Whether it was the owl beasts influence or her own maternal instincts, all Eda wanted to do was sit and hug the child, protecting him from every horror of the world, but it wouldnt do much, he'd already seen and experienced most of them. She just had to hope that with time, he'd learn to trust her, allow her to help him heal. Until then, she'd do everything she could to prove herself for the kid. She wasn't going to fail anyone else. 

Chapter Text

Eda woke up the next morning, the bones in her back cracking as she sat up. Yep, sleeping on the floor was not a good idea. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders, letting her gaze sweep over the two sleeping figures. They'd both slept through the night, though she'd awoken in the early hours to Hunter tossing and turning, muttering apologies under his breath. She'd sat with him, whispering reassurances until he calmed. 
The sweet smell of breakfast drifted through the Owl House and it was only then Eda noticed the hushed voices coming from the kitchen, and with a smile she got up and made her way towards her kids. She leant against the door frame for a moment, watching King and Luz making breakfast, King sat on Luz' shoulder while she worked.
"Are you sure you know how to make these?" King asked,
"Of course I do king, I used to make them in the human realm all the time."
"But this is using Demon realm ingredients."
"It'll be fine. Besides, Eda deserves something nice, the other two too if they're up for eating."
"You think moms okay?"
"She's strong King." Eda felt her heart melt, what in titans name did she do to deserve these kids.
"Morning troublemakers." She finally made herself known to the two of them, watching with a smile as they span around, trying to act like nothing was happening.
"Eda! Funny seeing you awake." Eda smiled, walking over to them and ruffling Luz' hair before scratching King's head. 
"Whatcha making?"
"We're trying to make pancakes for everyone. We know you spent all night down here with Hunter and Raine and I assumed they would both be hungry when they woke up." `
"You're a good kid." Luz glowed at the praise.
"Sit, it's nearly ready anyway." Eda did as she was told, taking a seat at the table as king moved to join her.
"How are Hunter and Raine?" Luz asked quietly,
"They're okay."
"Eda." Luz met her gaze,
"You don't have to lie to me." Eda sighed, looking down,
"I know kid i'm sorry. They're better now than they were, and they're safe here, I will make sure of that, but it's going to be a long process." Luz nodded in understanding before putting 3 servings of pancakes on the table, leaving 2 on the side for when their two guests awoke. Eda took the first bite, noticing the way Luz watched in anxious anticipation.
"These are amazing Luz!" The human smiled wider than Eda had seen her smile in days.
"Oh thank heavens I was worried I was going to give you food poising or something."
"What-"
After that, breakfast was spent in an unusual state of calmness. Usually mornings in the owl house were a chaotic affair with the ingredients for breakfast usually ending everywhere, laughter and joy filling each room as the small family started their day, but now it was quiet, sombre, contemplation taking over each member of the small family while the two new members stayed unconscious in the other room." 
"I can stay home today. I can get Willow and Gus and Amity to drop off my school work."
"I don't think thats the best idea kiddo. I get where you're coming from but today is going to be tough. Go to school, have some fun for a day, let me handle things there." Luz thought about arguing for a moment before nodding,
"Fine, but if anything happens, you'll call me right?"
"I promise." 
Soon breakfast was over and Eda washed up while King and Luz ran back upstairs to get ready for their day. The witch stared down at the water as the cleaned up the plates, letting her resolve break for a second, letting her shoulders be weighed down by the actions of the last few hours.

Neither Hunter nor Raine had awoken by the time Luz and King headed off to school, the human hugging her tightly and making her promise again to let her know if there were any changes. Her and King were going to meet Willow who had planned to take them so Eda could be there if Raine and Hunter awoke. However it wasn't long before Hunter sat up quickly, his eyes wide and glazed over as his body shook. Eda was by his side in a second, offering words of comfort. 
"Kid i need you to follow my breathing okay. You're safe I promise, you're not at the castle." It took a while for him to calm down, his eyes frantically scanning the walls of the owl house as if they were some illusion that was going to vanish at any second. Flapjack was sat on his shoulder, head pressed into the boys cheek. 
"Eda?" His voice was quiet and shaky but the sound make the older witch let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"It's me kid. You're safe."
"I'm not safe. He's going to find me here. He knows, he knows everything. I'm not safe he's going to find me." If it was even possible, Eda's heart broke even more.
"He wont get you here Hunter I promise." Hunters eyes quickly turned towards her,
"Why are you helping me, what do you want?" 
"I want to help you." His stare hardened.
"Why. Are you going to hand me over to Belos for something?" The genuine fear in his voice sending waves of emotion through the witch. How had no one seen this sooner, why had no one helped him. 
"I would sooner die than let you back into his care kid. I just want to help, thats all. No ulterior motive."
"But why?"
"Because I know what it feels like to feel like you cant trust anyone, not even yourself. I know what it feels like to be alone and just want someone to care for you without them using you or betraying you." Hunter quietened for a moment, his body relaxing, accepting her answer. They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment before Eda stood up, heading towards the kitchen.
"Im grabbing you some water, Luz made pancakes before she left if you're up for eating them?" The teenager nodded, left alone with his thoughts for a moment while the owl lady went to grab it. Maybe he could be happy here? Sure he'd spent most of his time that he'd known the ragtag group trying to either take them in to the emperor or fight them, but despite that they still seemed to genuinely care for him. It was like there were two battles going on in his head, stay with the owl lady, have a safe place, have a family or go back and apologise to the emperor, try to win his favour back. He knew which side was winning, after all, his Uncle wasn't a kind man. 

It didn't take too long for Eda to come back with the Food and drink, also carrying potions with some bandages.
"I just used a healing patch last night to try and control the worst of the damage, but if you're okay with it I think bandages might be a better and faster option for your stomach?" She placed the food and drink down on the table in front of him, sitting at the other end of the couch as to not invade his space, no one had ever done that before. Even be it a small thing, no one had ever respected his boundaries like this. He nodded, the pain in his abdomen making itself known.
***
"Do you want me to do the bandages or would you like to do them? I don't want to make you uncomfortable kid." Hunter took a moment before replying, images of previous guards and even his Uncles wondering hands after a bad mission entering his mind before he remembered he wasn't back there, he was in the Owl House with the Owl Lady, and he trusted her. 
***
"You can." Eda nodded, handing him a dark blue potion,
"Painkiller." He smiled, taking out the cork and downing the liquid while Eda coated the bandages in a light blue potion, healing.
"Can you lift your shirt slightly so I can put this on?" He hesitated,
"Hey kiddo, take as much time as you need. You can do these if you want, the only important thing here right now is that you feel comfortable and safe." His mind was reeling, with gratitude towards Eda and anger towards his uncle. 
"Its okay." He took a breath before lifting the material, not daring to look down, because once he saw the wound, it solidified everything.
"I'll be quick kiddo, then you can eat while I check on Raine" Hunter looked over to the sleeping Bard, they looked more peaceful than Hunter had seen them in weeks.
"How do you know Head Witch Whispers?" Eda smiled up at him, knowing the story would help distract him.
"Well surprise surprise, I may have been a bit of a troublemaker at school."
"That is the least surprising thing." The words slipped past Hunters mouth before he could stop them, he tensed up, waiting for the yells or hit but they never came. In fact Eda just laughed, he stared at her confused.
"You're telling me. Anyway I was sent to a young witches event by our principle, it was to show how good the school was. If I won a ribbon, then I got to stay at Hexside, If I didn't i'd get expelled, and at that point I was willing to do anything to stay with Lily at Hexside." She worked at the bandages quickly, thanking the titan that her story seemed to keep Hunters mind at bay.
"We both wanted to try out for the emperors coven together."
"Wait what?" Hunter stared at her in shock,
"Yep. Me and Lilith had plans to join together but then when the tryouts came, they could only accept one of us and well Lily cursed me. Anyway, at that point I wanted to stay with her, so I went to the event and thats where me and Raine met. It kind of went wrong, and none of us got ribbons but Terra spoke to Faust so I didn't get expelled. Raine moved to Hexside from St. Epiderm and things went from there. And done." Eda smiled up at him as she finished wrapping the bandages as he realized her plan to talk about Raine, had worked in distracting his ever thinking mind. 
"Thank you." He whispered,
"Of course kiddo, eat up if you can, i'm gonna check on Raine okay." He nodded, grabbing the plate of food and watching Eda tend to Raine. She was just as gently with them as she had been with him. He was beyond confused. He'd spoken out of line twice without punishment, and she hadn't told him chores he had to do yet. He knew the shoe would probably drop eventually and that this nice act was just an act, and he wanted to believe in it, and to just let himself relax but it would all go to hell soon.
As his thoughts turned, his stomach rejected the food that was in his stomach, bringing it all back up. His thoughts instantly were clouded, panic ebbing its way through his body and mind. His breathing picked back up as he jumped from the sofa, hiding back in the corner he had the night before, rocking back and forth. 
"I'm sorry i'm so so sorry i'll clean it I didn't mean too i'm sorry."

Eda had just finished with Raine when she heard Hunter be sick, and before she could move he was back in the corner, panicked like he was the night before. Out of the corner of his eye, Hunter could see Eda slowly stepping towards him, he could see her mouth moving but no words were entering his ears.
"Im sorry." This was it. The shoe dropped, much quicker than he thought it would but theres no way he would be allowed to stay now, now that they'd seen what a burden he was. They'd kick him out and he'd be found by the coven and taken back to his uncle.
"Im so sorry." 
Eda could only look in horror as her words fell on deaf ears. She took a deep breath, sitting herself in Hunters eye-line as she began the breathing technique Raine had taught her back when they were still in Hexside, counting showing her fingers so even if Hunter couldn't hear her, he could follow her movements. 
"You're safe kid, it's okay. It's just a little sick, trust me its nothing we haven't dealt with before. You're safe it's okay." Eventually his eyes turned back to normal, his breathing slowly becoming less and less erratic. 
"Kid is it okay if I move next to you?" A nod. Eda moved to sit next to him, leaning her back against the wall, holding a worried Flapjack in her hand. What she didn't expect was for Hunter to instantly move into her arms, wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her tight. She instantly returned the gesture, calmly rocking from side to side, whispering reassurances.
"I've got you. I've got you. Let it out kiddo, you're safe." Thats how they sat as time passed until Hunters tears slowly subsided. The two of them sat on the floor in the corner of the owl house, gently rocking, like a mother calming her son.
"I'm sorry." It was muttered so quietly, that if not for her enhanced hearing due to the owl beast, she would have missed it.
"Whatever for."
"For throwing a tantrum, and for making a mess. I understand if you want to kick me out." It was like she could feel her heart splintering again and for what felt like the hundredth time since the two had shown up on her doorstep, she cursed Belos for what he had done to this kid. He was still a kid, he should be making messes on purpose, pulling stupid pranks, figuring out the way of life, not sat cowering in the corner for something out of his own control. She could feel the owl beast chirping in her head. Since the sleeping nettles, their communication was a lot more clear, and while they still didn't agree on somethings, this one they did.
Protect the owlet
"Hey kid listen to me, we aren't going to throw you out okay. Luz and King live here, trust me, the owl house has seen its fair share of messes. You'll never be in trouble for that. And that wasn't a tantrum, thats was a panic attack and thats something we will always be here to support you through, not get mad at you for."
"You're confusing."  Nothing more was said, they just sat existing in the silence for a few more moments and for a second, everything was calm, even Hunters thoughts.
"Eda?"
"Raine?"