Fic: R - Stayne/Alice "Poor Child" - Chapter 6 (part two)
Poor Child Chapter 6 Part Two
Alice, in the meanwhile, was still breathless and her mind was clouded by memories of the past. She could feel bitter tears start to form in her eyes. Questions flew by and pestered her. Why did he have to return? Why had he chosen her? Why did he do this to her again? Why did she enjoy the feelings he gave her? She felt confused and wasn’t entirely sure who to blame for her feelings of sadness and happiness. Had she caused for this all to happen? Had she brought it upon herself? If so, then how? What had she done to deserve this? Why had the knave chosen to go after her? Didn’t he like largeness? And what should she say if she returned home? What should she tell her mother? What would happen if he had impregnated her again? She gasped. It couldn’t. So many women tried. Even her sister Margaret hadn’t given birth yet.
This time she couldn’t stop her tears from running.
And here she was, having a beautiful child of a horrible man who had once again taken her against her will. A man too tall to be called normal and always disappearing and reappearing. He was unaccountable.
Little did she know that it wasn’t his fault for having to leave her side. Nor did she know that he hated to be without her. In fact, she didn’t know anything of his feelings for her and it hurt. She wasn’t even considering to tell him about what his previous action had led to. She wouldn’t tell him about their child. It would be for the best.
While all these thoughts occupied her mind Stayne was studying her. Although his face didn’t show any emotion he felt concerned. Alice was crying again. What kind of a man was he that he constantly hurt the woman he loved most? He cupped her face in his hands in an attempt to calm and soothe her.
“Alice, look at me.” But his words didn’t break her train of thoughts. “Alice, please.” It was unlike the knave to beg or use the word ‘please’, but for her he would. Unfortunately his words didn’t seem to reach her and with a sigh he started to wipe the tears from her face by using his thumbs. A hiccupping sound escaped her lips and her eyes drifted up to meet his again. She had come out of her trance the moment she had decided not to tell them about their baby. With a pleased glint appearing in his eye he nodded at her. She was herself again, she was all right.
His tight-lipped appearance had returned as he reluctantly let go of her to dress himself. A figure could be spotted at the far end of the alley but darted away as soon as the knave bent to pick up his clothes. The person must have been watching. ‘Perv.’ Stayne thought as he dusted his clothes and started to adjust them. It pained him to know he wasn’t free and had to stay in a certain amount of nearness to the ex-queen. She controlled wherever they would go and whatever they would do.
But how could he tell Alice?
He looked over his shoulder to see her straightening her dress. This time she lifted the basket from the ground before he could reach out to offer the item to her. Her eyes were cast to the floor and her whole appearance radiated her shyness. He looked at her, saving the image he was seeing. The blonde hair cascading down her back, the dress concealing the delicious curves he had been so close to before, touching even, the blue eyes and swollen lips of the kisses they’d shared. Suddenly, before he could have reached out for her and breathed her name, she had turned on her heels and had exited the alleyway leaving a grumping knave behind.
Growling and muttering foul words under his breath he followed her. Alice tried to walk as fast as she could to distance herself from the man that confused her so. With a slightly sore feeling between her legs slowing her down slightly she turned another corner and increased her pace with all her might. She should head home to her daughter who would, no doubt, be crying for her and wanting to be fed.
But she just couldn’t return home yet. She was too emotional and too ashamed. Her eyes fell upon the empty basket she was carrying and she made up her mind.
Stayne halted and watched how Alice, now beyond his reach, entered a shop. A huge grin spread on his face. She hadn’t changed a bit. Even after walking away from him she pretended like nothing has ever happened and as if live could go on the way it normally would. How he loved her stubbornness and her persistence. With his hands placed against the wall of another building he peeked at how she entered the shop with her head held high, never failing to present dignity, until she had disappeared from view. This was the moment he had to take action. He immediately turned around and headed back to the inn where he had left the ex-queen.
Slamming the doors and entering dramatically, not minding the looks he received from the other lodgers and visitors, he strode gracefully until he stood in front of the table where Iracebeth was seated.
“The freak has returned.” He could hear people whisper insults behind his back.
“We need to leave, now.” He simply stated as he glared at the ex-queen.
“Why now? I thought you were so keen on visiting the town again? Has something reached your eye? Something blonde.” The sneer was enough to pain the knave even further who by now was tapping his foot nervously. His finger was ticking against his elbow as he stood with his arms folded in front of his chest. “Now.” He stressed and Iracebeth rose from her seat with an annoyed look upon her face.
“Right, right. Now.” She took a last sip from her beer before turning to the other visitors. “Bye boys.”
With a small graceful step she had come to stand in front of him. He sharply turned around to leave, the ex-queen following him closely, when the men around him continued their whispers. With a loud growl the knave had drawn his sword and was now holding a strongly build man within his arm while the sharp blade of his sword was pressed against the man’s throat. In a rage Ilosovic snarled at the spectators who backed away from the scene in fright.
“One more, just one more of you who calls me a monster and I’ll show you how true you are.”
With stuttered apologies he left the inn. A happy queen was bouncing at his side. Her words were calm and posh. “I love it when a man shows off his strength like that.”
Stayne just raised a brow at her words which were really annoying in his opinion. If he could he would have killed the darn witch years ago. But each time he had tried the wound in his arm would reappear and he would be left weak and suffering. So he had sworn to find another way to rid himself of her. If ever.
With a firm pace he reached the street where he had last seen Alice enter the shop. He wandered close to the building. Behind him Iracebeth had continued onwards into another street where she sat down on a bench.
“Would you be as kind as to care and explain to me what we’re doing in the middle of all these shops?” Normally she would be interested in buying things. The crazier the better. But not today when she’s just had her fill and had enough pints of beer to have her knocked out till the very next day.
Stayne walked up close to her to lift her off of the bench but she gestured for him to leave her alone.
“My poor feet, Stayne.” Iracebeth explained and the knave grumped irritated by her words and behaviour. What if he had been too late? What if Alice had already left the shop before they had arrived.
Iracebeth closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the sun as the warm rays caressed her enormous head. She didn’t even notice that the knave had paced further down the street.
Stayne smirked as he saw his obsession pass him only a few feet away. Apparently he had not been too late after all. He’d been right on time. She held a basket filled with vegetables. With a snarl directed at Iracebeth to indicate she should follow him he sped up and made sure he was unseen by wandering in the shadows and at a fair distance away from his prey. Iracebeth, too lazy to rise to her feet, kept her eyes closed and only muttered a few words. “What’s the matter, love?” She didn’t notice any of what was going on.
Alice had by now reached her home again. With a deep sigh she tried to gather all her muchness before entering the house. She could do this. She could be strong. She’d survived such a situation before, hadn’t she? With a determined look on her face she turned the knob and entered the safe haven which was her home. Stayne watched her with a hawk-like gaze as she hastened herself into the house. He made a mental note of that. The house was burned onto his mind and the address hastily written down onto a piece of parchment. He decided to take a step closer but a burning pain began to torment his chest and he cursed under his breath.
“Damned Queen .”
If only Iracebeth had followed him. He knew she must still be on the bench near the shop. Just that last bit of distance was missing. Once again he was left without any possibility to comfort his Alice. Once again she had slipped out of his hands and was now literally out of his reach.
With a cry of anger and sadness he turned around and marched to the one who had caused him all this misery. The one woman who hadn’t lifted herself from her seat and who hadn’t followed him as he had requested. The woman who would tell him they would move onwards and he had to leave this town behind for another incredibly long stretch of time. He knew he couldn’t bare missing his obsession for long, but he would have to.
With pain in his chest, this time not caused by the spell, he thought back of the new memories he would have to comfort him while being distanced from her. How the blonde girl had panted and moaned. How she had whispered his name.
‘My dear Alice.’
She was still his.
AU Bonus Note: I’ve got a question for all readers and I would like for you to respond (mail, pm, review, comment anything) As you might know this story started spontaneously and develops as I write it. I’ve started to see more characters appear and funnily enough they had names attached to them (usually I lack the names). But I’m not entirely happy with them. So I’m asking you to suggest a name for Alice’s and Stayne’s daughter. A female name. Although male name suggestions are welcomed as well as I think most of you will suspect what’s going to happen next ;D Don’t worry This story has a plot and everything happens for a reason. Now send in those names =D