Alice Liddell 033 // A Waif

[madcuriosity]

Who: Alice Liddell and somarium
Where: The Church of Holy Light
Style: Third but I'll match
What: Alice spends her days at the church until Javert finds her a new home. Alice is attempting to cope.
Warnings: Angst, cute, and the ball of tangents and curiosity that is Alice.
Status: OPEN!

Comments

[black_dogstar]

The dog that wasn't really a dog had noticed the little girl wandering around the church and it had intrigued him. He wasn't really a church go-er nor did he particularly care for them, but, a nine-year-old wandering in and out and around had made him stop in his walk and watch for a little while.

Finally, he decided there must be something wrong, why else would a child be allowed to wander around without someone to look after them? Going up to her, Padfoot gave a little whine as he overheard her question and pressed his nose to her arm.

[madcuriosity]

Ah! She looked at the big black dog with interest. She was quick to pet him, and offered the puppy a smile.

"W-Why hello," she smiled as she scratched behind his ear. "What are you doing here?" she looked all around as she tried to see if there was someone in sight before turning back to the dog and crouching down. The dog was already massive and so crouching down he was even bigger than her. Alice didn't mind though, she was very fond of any sort of dog. She liked dogs of all sorts, unless she was three inches tall and being chased by one. That had been a special case of course. "What's wrong?" she started to pet his neck. "Are you hungry?"

[black_dogstar]

He could sense her distress now that they were closer and he was glad he'd come to check on her. He knew dogs could sooth better than humans could. If he could avoid it, he wouldn't be changing back. Gently, he leaned against her touch and licks her face in response.

[madcuriosity]

Alice loved dogs and cats. Being around animals... it made her happy and it seemed like they healed her heart. She offered a small smile as the dog licked her face and she hugged Sirius close.

"Are you lost?" she asked as she hugged him. "I'm a little lost too," she pulled away only a little bit to scratch behind his ear, a soft sniffle coming from her. "My family ha-has left, you see. In less than a few weeks my father and sister woke up." She leaned her head against Sirius' muzzle. "The Inspector took me in... he-he's very scary sometimes though. He's not mean just... well... very severe. I don't think he's capable of smiling." She moved to scratch under the dog's chin. "Ah, but you said you were hungry," she looked back towards the church. "I... don't know if there are any kitchens in the church."

[madcuriosity]

She turned to look at whomever called out to her. When she saw her country she gave a small curtsy.

"Oh.. hello sir, how do you do?" she inquired softly. At his question she looked about her and then placed her hands on her sides. "Oh, um, I'm to stay here during the day." She wasn't aware that it was until Javert could find her a new legal guardian. "I stay at the church until Doctor Naomi or Inspector Javert picks me up. I-I'm not in school right now." Because she started to break down when she was.

[madcuriosity]

"Oh," she hoped not. She didn't want to live with Javert. Such a thought made her pale in the face. Whilst the Inspector was a very honorable and man of justice, he scared her. He was too intense and abrupt, always towering over her in black... like a giant bat. But even bats were friendlier than the Inspector. She liked bats, and while she didn't dislike the Inspector, like was not something she associated with him. Alice hoped he didn't take her in, to be honest. She'd never be able to hug Javert, she could never run to him because of something in the dark.

She shook her head.

"I... don't know if they have. F-For now I'm staying with them."

[unholydecree]

Entertaining Alice was not something Cesare had been prepared for. There were books in the library but they were not children's books, nor even fiction. There were no toys or other children, nothing to play on, no where hardly to even work your imagination on. There was also the fact that Cesare was very busy during the days with the break-neck pace he was putting the workers through getting the church complete.

That being said Cesare did not begrudge Alice, and neither had he agreed to this simply for Javert's sake. He did genuinely wish to see Alice happier and felt up to the task of taking on the responsibility of having her around the church during the daylight hours. With that in mind, Cesare had gone into town before her arrival today and bought a few toys, activities and supplies that he had hoped Alice would enjoy. Now to present them to her.

Once he had a spare moment he went in search of the child. "Alice? Alice?"

[madcuriosity]

"Cesare!" Alice heard her name called by the man that was quickly becoming someone very close to her heart. He was no longer just a Cardinal, he was becoming more than that. She didn't like him because he was a holy man, rather, that was just something that was another aspect to him. She went over to him quickly and quietly, Basil in attendance. She gazed up at the man and offered him a smile that was slowly becoming a smile for him.

"Where did you go?" she always asked him when he checked up on her. It wasn't quite clear if she actually expected a wild tale of some sort or if she merely wanted her curiosity sated, all that mattered was that he was here and she was with him.

[unholydecree]

"It is very curious, and I shall tell you since you asked! There are some boxes I was hoping that you could help me go through." Cesare gave her a subtle grin and reached down to pet Basil's head, always careful to acknowledge him. He reached down to take her hand and start leading her back through the walkway and toward the entrance.

"They are full of old things and I am most unsure what to do with all the contents. I am hoping to find someone who could make use of them, perhaps you will have some idea once you see what there is."

One box contained a few art supplies, coloring books, a few fiction children's books appropriate for her age, and a few more scholastic choices of reading since she was unable to attend school for now. The second box contained things to start a little flower garden including bulbs, seeds and tools. In a bag next to these were a few more toys like a jumping rope, a few generic dolls and little needlepoint kit (he's old fashioned, he assumed every girl enjoyed needlepoint).

[madcuriosity]

"Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed as she gazed up at Cesare, her hand clinging onto his as best as it could. His hand was much bigger than hers, soft and warm. It was a gentle grip that didn't rush her or squeeze her into submission and obedience. They reached the entrance and she blinked at the boxes.

"Oh my goodness, and these boxes just appeared?" she asked as she looked up at him. Her curiosity started to rise as she neared closer still, to the boxes and wanted to look through them. "Can I open them?"

[selfmotivations]

Barnaby wasn't particularly religious, nor spiritual. Not one to be comfortable with the idea of putting faith in anything but himself, and what he had to do, churches were seldom places he chose to frequent. In fact, they sometimes left him with the suspicion that more harm than good would be done. They made him think of funerals, and that was enough to steer him away

[madcuriosity]

She didn't expect anyone to suddenly respond to her. Honestly, she didn't expect anyone to answer her except Basil in his silent gaze. So what a surprise it had been to have that question directed at her. Was she looking for something? Yes, she was looking for an answer. She was looking for a sense of peace and calm that kept evading her. She always felt nervous now, with a calm that sat at the edges of her fingertips and fell like water droplets at the inkling of someone mentioning the wrong subject, the wrong word, the wrong name. Alice felt so unlike herself she didn't know who she was anymore. Was she still Alice? Was that why her dresses didn't fit anymore? The dresses were Alice's dresses, therefore they didn't fit this new girl she had become.

She just wasn't sure she liked this new girl. She still felt like Alice.

"I don't know."

[selfmotivations]

The answer surprised him, strange as it seemed coming from a girl her age. A little philosophical, Barnaby thought, which suggested something had happened to her. There was, in Somarium, also the possibility that she wasn't quite how she appeared - but Bunny still tended to err on the side of apparent common sense when it came to that. Common sense being what he was used to.

Far be it from him to be the comforting type, but, eyebrows knitting, he took a few steps forward.

"Are you alright, miss? Is something wrong?"

[madcuriosity]

Oh yes, something was certainly wrong. So very much was wrong in fact. She felt like she was going mad from being the only one to notice. However, she didn't know this man. She'd never seen him before, a new arrival but... not one since... she wasn't even sure. He could be, yet she didn't think so. No one else had arrived in the beginning of the month. Simply because she didn't know him didn't mean

[scientize]

It was only natural that Naomi would drop by The Church of Holy Light to visit the two people in her life she currently enjoyed spending time with the most on her one afternoon off and away from patients. Besides, the woman was honestly very curious to make sure that Alice was having a pleasant time there and not finding herself too bored. Beautiful church or not, the doctor could already see the poor girl running out of ways to amuse herself here rather quickly. What was there for a child to do at a church besides pray

[madcuriosity]

"Oh! Naomi!" she turned to look at the woman who was the only female presence in her life anymore. Cosette was gone, she didn't have a female entity anymore and it was affecting her in small ways. Alice mostly had male friends in her life... male... everything really. All older men too. Alice didn't get along with children her own age, although she was always polite. She got teased by the boys and the girls felt she was odd, at the moment. Alice felt that way, but she wasn't hated. The girls liked her imagination and the boys pulled their hair or flipped her dresses because boys always teased girls with crushes.

"Hello, were you looking for me?" she asked, pulling away from her thoughts. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were looking for me."

[scientize]

"It's fine, Alice. I only wanted to come and say hi to you and Cesare. And to make sure that you weren't getting too bored sitting around the church."

Naomi shared a sweet smile with the girl. "Are you enjoying yourself today?"

[madcuriosity]

"Oh, yes, thank you. Cesare is very kind to let me stay, I am trying to make sure I don't bother him or anyone trying to come to the church."