Allianna (technically a rough draft btw)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four:
It was early the next night when they set out for the closest cross to the other world, Whisper Lake. If one swam deep into its debths they would cross over into Kienda
Lake, it’s Venomiran counter part. From there Alex could easily take them back to his manor.
Amnira carried her daughter, nearly fully returned to her original strength and soon to gain the small amount more that her new state would grant her. Amnira was so weak that she might have fainted if she’d tried to walk and she had made no attempt to speak since her preliminary “Mommy?” back in Alex’s room. But Allianna didn’t care. All that mattered was that she had her back.
Mithel watched the two silently, and therefore all was silent but the sounds of the many night creatures in the dark forest surrounding them. Her blue eyes were dark with the memory of her own loss but she ignored it. She had chosen her fate and she would not
take it back for the life of her.
Alex walked on as if he were a shadow. His own speech had been scant since the night before. His mind was running full time. He knew for a fact that at the pace they were going they would reach the lake at a point this night when there would be sunlight waiting for his sireling and her daughter on the other side. He had a decision to make. He either must risk being followed by the partner of the slayer that Mithel had killed and having one of them killed anyway, or get them all back to the protection of his land as soon as possible. To do that he’d have to get Allianna and her child through the sunlight and that would entail giving her his gift before he had intended. He shook his head and looked back at Allianna and then Mithel.
“Didn’t you have something to give to the girl, sheshilla?” Alex asked.
Mithel looked up at him and smiled lightly. “I was going to wait but now seems as good a time as any.” She reached into her bag and withdrew the wrapped doll. “Amnira? I bought this for you in the village near the tavern. I thought perhaps you might like it.”
Amnira turned and looked up at the offered parcel then took it gingerly, her disposition timid. Allianna watched her unwrap it and looked up at Mithel with a tear
filled smile of gratitude. Amnira looked at the doll with awe then cradled it delicately in the crook of her arm and ran the tips of her fingers over the smooth surface of it’s face and the soft silk of it’s gown.
“What is it?”
“It’s a doll,” Mithel supplied.
“She’s beautiful,” Amnira murmered. The seven-year-old little girl had no grasp of expressing appreciation so she could not say thank you. Mithel understood that and knew that the girl was thankful just the same.
“I’m glad that you like her. It is my gift to you since Alex is giving you the gift of your freedom and your mother is giving you the gift of herself.” The statement was meant to draw the child’s attention to her mother and draw to Allianna’s attention the fact that Alex had given the child her freedom when he’d taken her from his sister, the fact that he had kept his promise.
“I have another gift for mother and child both,” Alex called back over his shoulder, drawing to a halt ahead of them and then turning. He slipped his hand into a small velvet pouch tied beside his dagger and withdrew two necklaces.
One necklace was formed as a sword with a bright amber colored jewel and a deep blue saphire embeded in it’s hilt. A cobra and a basalisk entwined around the sword, facing each other. The wings of the basalisk were unfolded behind the sword, accenting the blades hilt. The whole of the piece was not overly large, nor insignificant in size and made of a dark colored silver.
The other piece was a very simple one. It was cut into an ornant leaf and the silver was so light it shown a metallic white. The chain was slim and fine and made of a silver just barely darker then the leaf.
“These will allow you both safety under the light of day. No one can take them off but you and they cannot fall off, nor will the clasp break,” Alex said. He opened the clasp on the one that held the forms of serpents and slipped it around Allianna’s neck, closing it and letting it fall to lay over her heart. He then did the same for Amnira with the lighter one and turned to continue toward the lake.
Amnira watched him, completely speechless again, though this time out of fascination over the two gifts she had just received. Never before in her memory had anyone given her anything, let alone such beautiful things as these. Smiling, though weakly as if the action were ill used, she clutched the doll to her and nestled more comfortably into her mother’s arms.
Allianna stared after Alex in stunned surprise for a moment then wiped a single tear from her cheek. “Alex?”
He did not turn, only flicked his hand to indicate he was listening. Though the sound of his name on her lips caused his eyes to lighten.
“Thank you.”
He nodded then continued on, though not as far, walking closer to them now as if by his own intent.
Mithel smiled to herself. It would not be between them as it had been with Nireleth. Allianna’s sister had been nothing but rebellious, even when Alex had tried to be kind to her. Allianna herself held no real hatred for Alex rather a sort of respect because, with all he had done he had always been honest with her and he couldn’t abandon her because he needed her, in his way, not the reverse. All of those were things her own family had done.
Mithel was jolted out of her thoughts by the sight of the lake, its surface shimmering as if in greeting as they drew close to its edge. “How will we breath?”
“I’ll keep all of you dry and breathing,” Alex assured then blue a handful of blue shimmering dust over them all. Amnira sneezed then clutched at her mother and doll.
Alex stepped aside. “Ladies first, sheshilla. My unselfish one.”Allianna rolled her eyes at the repetition of the endearment in the common tongue, it was bad enough he called her unselfish one in the demon tongue. She she watched as Mithel took off her cloak and folded it to pack it in her bag then dove inexpertly into the shimmering waters of Whisper Lake.
Alex stepped to Allianna’s side and gently took the child from her grasp, holding the girl carefully. “You follow Mithel. I’ll be right behind you with Amnira.”
Allianna shook her head slowly, her heart fluttering in panic.
Alex freed one hand to brush against her cheek. “I will follow with her, you have my word. There would be no point to me angering my little sister to rescue her just to leave her behind or drown her. I can carry her in the waters better than you can and it’s safer that way. What if you were to drop her? She’d be lost.”
Allianna bit her lip and glanced up at him then closed her eyes and turned away. She dove into the lake with the fluid grace of one carrying the blood of water nymphs in her veins.
Alex watched until the few ripples Allianna had caused faded and the water was still. “Ready child?”
Amnira nodded and clutched her doll tighter, unaware she’d slipped her thumb in her mouth.
Alex chuckled softly then stepped to the waters edge and waded in until the water came over both their heads then, one arm wrapped tightly around his sireling’s daughter, turned down into the water and swam deep into the shadows. He swam for what, to Amnira, seemed like forever. Her thumb came free of her mouth so that she could clutch his sleeve with one slim hand. He swam on until finally, seemingly below them, sunlight shown through the water.
Allianna stood twisting her cloak between her hands watching as they surfaced and Alex lifted her daughter from the water then placed her in her arms. She held Amnira close, her eyes closed against tears as well as the sunlight that seemed to burn them.
“I told you I would bring her through,” Alex murmered. He brushed some dry pond grass from his cloak then looked off in the direction of his forest. “Let’s get home.” They all knew nothing for a moment and then they were back in the forests that enveloped his manor. Once again he headed off toward the manor alone.
Allianna watched him as she set Amnira on her own feet. “Alex?”
He turned back, his dark eyes resting on her calmly.
Suddenly Allianna felt uncomfortable. “Do you- do you live there alone?”
“No.”
“Oh...” she murmered.
“My niece, rather, Katerina’s daughter lives there with me. She keeps the place clean and cooks every once in a while,” Alex added of his accord.
Allianna started to say something else but Alex was already walking away and she thought better of it. But Amnira had no such reservations. She ran up to Alex and tugged on his sleeve.
“Do we have to sleep outside?” she quipped.
Mithel smiled slightly then turned and slipped away into the shadows. She preferred to be in the forest.
Alex smiled slightly and knelt to the child’s level. “What’s wrong with sleeping outside?”
Amnira hugged her doll and hid her face in its gown. Her voice came muffled through the fabric. “I don’t like it outside, that’s where the bad things wait for me.”
“What bad things?” Alex asked softly, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek with paternal tenderness.
“The man with the black hood and the little black things with imp wings and the shadows that try to grab me.”
Alex looked at the child thoughtfully. “Do you want to sleep in the manor with Trisallynn and I?”
Amnira didn’t answer immediately, suddenly thinking back to the night before and the man then. What if Alex were like that too? Then she looked back at her mother for a moment before smiling hesitantly. “Could I?”
Alex trailed his gaze to Allianna then nodded. “If your mother will come too. I see nothing wrong with that. I wouldn’t want the dark creatures to grab you and steal you away from her.”
Allianna glanced around and realized the three of them were alone. “I- are the dark things she’s talking about real, Alex?”
“She sees death waiting for the sun to take her and she sees the dark shadows that cause depression as well as the imps that have gone bad and cause people to hurt others. They turn into small goblin like things that can only be seen by a precious few. The same precious few see the shadows and the angel of death. The imps and the shadows like to try and snatch away those that can see them and drag them to Shadow.”
She stared at him then nodded slowly. “I don’t want her to be snatched away.”
Alex scowled. “You don’t have to come, I’ll let her stay inside without you if you don’t wish to stay there,” he hissed.
Allianna looked at him and saw the hurt that he could not mask that lay in his eyes. “You shouldn’t be in that house all alone Alex. If I guess correctly the other girl is
here but you barely see her, barely speak to her. You’re alone there. I want to go with you.”
Alex glared at her for a moment but she could see the hurt receding from his eyes. He turned and took Amnira’s hand to lead her toward the heavy door leading into his home. The path there was paved with smooth gray stones, each one streaked with a violet mineral any Venomiran could identify as Afire, the mineral that some of the glass making fairies used to make violet glass that was lighter than crystal.
The house itself was built of stone, possibly mined from the same quarry that the path stones had been brought from. The door was carved from a very massive oak tree, spanning at least five feet. The knocker was made from the blue ore that the river dwarves mined from the caves beneath the mountain waterfalls.
Alex lifted the latch and pulled the heavy door open with ease. He held it for Allianna and her daughter then entered himself, closing it behind him. The interior of the house seemed to be split in half. On one side dark colors of crimson, black, blue and violet dominated. The other was furnished in mute, elegant colors. Alex made his way silently up the stairs that had a deep violet carpet flowing down it like a waterfall. This was on the side of the house furnished in the gothic colors.
Allianna followed him up the stairs until they came to a room marked “fairy’. He opened it and motioned for Allianna to enter. The room, unlike the hall and the stairs, was furnished in the colors that, well, fairies used. Bright shades of maroon and green and marigold. Gossamer curtains of an amber silk surrounded the bed. The dressing table was made of a light colored wood and carved ornately with fairy wings and stars.
The glass was the hazy violet of the fairy glass. The many brushes and things set across it were in sapphire colors. The carpets on the floor were a soft gold color and the walls were painted a deep emerald color.
“It’s a beautiful room,” Allianna breathed.
“It’s yours. If you need me the master bedroom is the “demon” room. I’ll put
Amnira in the “sprite” room. That’s the nursery on this side of the house.” With that Alex turned and led Amnira further down the hall and around a corner.
Allianna sighed softly and stared at the gossamer room around her. When she finally moved she closed the door quietly and then made her way to the dresser. She opened her pack and began to unpack the things into the drawers. In the end she filled only two, one with her cloths and the other with Mithel’s blanket and her cloak. She took the comb and mirror Mithel had given her and delicately set them on the dressing table then reached into the bottom of the bag and withdrew a tiny wolf figure.
“Kaleb where could you be?”she murmered softly as she stroked the smooth wood of the carved figure. Kaleb had made it for her not long before he’d vanished. She remembered finding the piece of drift wood. It had been contorted into a strange shape and she’d taken it to him to show him. He’d taken it and carved her the wolf, his favorite animal. “Why did you leave me?”
Tears streamed down her cheeks and she sobbed silently. Finally she threw the wolf back to the bottom of her pack and stuffed the pack into the drawer with her cloak and quilt.
Slowly she removed all her daggers and hidden blades from her person and put all of them in a third drawer. She made herself weaponless for the first time in a long time but somehow she felt safe here.
She flinched when the soft tap sounded on the door. Regaining her composure Allianna went to the door and held it open. A young girl stood there in her nightgown looking up at Allianna with keen interest.
Her hair was silver, flowing down her back in one smooth wave. Deep green eyes flashed with intelligence behind dark charcoal lashes. Her pale skin shimmered in contrast to the black nightgown she wore. It was stitched with silver spiderwebs all over and a single earing hung from her left ear, a small silver spider.
“Allianna?”
“You must be Trisallynn?” Allianna asked.
“I am. I’m sorry about what my mother did to your daughter. May I come in?” Her manner was not one of strong mindedness but rather one of fearlessness to ask and state her mind. It did not matter to her if the one she asked refused her, she’d simply respect their wishes. If Allianna said no she’d simply go back to her side of the house.
Allianna nodded, though she was starting to feel somewhat drowsy.
Trisallynn smiled and her fangs flashed lightly.
“You’re turned? You look like you were only twelve when you were turned,” Allianna murmured.
“Oh no, I wasn’t turned. My mother just was when I was born. Although yes I did cease to age when I reached my twelfth year.” The girl smiled then waved one of her slim hands and conjured a cup of hot chocolate. “My father was a drow elf that my mother was with a few times. When he left she had already had me and she led me to the door, opened it and dropped me in a snow drift.
“Fortunately for me, Alex was visiting his sister and found me on his way out only moments later. He brought me here and clothed me, fed me and took care of me, until I was old enough to care for myself. Then he simply made sure there was always some food in the pantry for me. New cloths are always waiting on the table in my side of the house, which he furnished to my tastes. But I’m babbling so I’ll let you ask something if you like.’
Allianna shook her head and perched on the side of her bed. “I’m just very confused with my own life at the moment.”
“I’m sure everything will be alright,” Trisallynn assured.
“Why did you come looking for me?”
“I sensed your pain moments ago and when you entered the house I could feel all your other hurt. I thought you could use a friend.”
“How much about me do you sense?” Allianna asked softly.
“Everything.”
Allianna nodded and drew her legs up on the bed, resting her chin on her knees, her arms wrapped around her legs. “Don’t say anything, please. Not to anyone.”
Trisallynn nodded. “I understand. It’s alright.” She glanced around then went to the wardrobe Allianna had assumed was empty and withdrew an amber nightgown that trailed to the floor in silken waves of gypsy silk. “There are other nightgowns and several evening gowns and all kinds of cloths in that wardrobe. You can use them; I think they were all tailored to fit you anyway. The ones in the nymph room where tailored to fit
Nireleth but she never came in here and he got rid of them when she left.
“I would imagine that Nireleth found a very mysterious trunk full of gowns on the eve of her wedding that never could be explained and fit her perfectly. But again, I’m letting my mouth get away with me. I thought you might like something to sleep in.” She handed Allianna the gown then stood and conjured a black bathrobe made of velvet and stitched with emerald spider webs. “Here, in case you need it. I’ll let you get some rest.”
Trisallynn laid the bathrobe over the back of the chair that stood by the window then left with a silent smile.