“I'm scared, though...” Andy's small lip quivered “I want you to tuck me in and tell me a story.”
A strange desire came over Alex, she wanted to jump over the bar, hug the boy, and never let go. Her head was throbbing, and she felt as if she was reuniting with a child she lost ages ago. Before Alexandra knew it, her body was moving on its own towards them. Richard tried to grab hold of her, but she was out of his reach before he got the chance, and Alex was standing behind Jay’s broad back.
“I can tuck him in.” she murmured “If that's all right with you.”
Jay whirled around to face Alex. His tall frame towered over her. Expecting to see the anger in his eyes it surprised her to find something else entirely. What Alexandra saw was pain, loneliness, and uncertainty that made her heart sting as if someone was sticking a knife deep inside her chest. Instantly she knew these were the things he was trying to hide from her, so when he spoke to her, his voice appeared angry, but Alex knew better. Jay was not angry, her presence scared him.
“Are you implying that I can't take care of my son?”
“Not at all.” Alex spoke as she placed her hand on Jay's broad chest “I just want to help.... so please... let me.”
“Can she daddy? She looks nice.”
Jay looked over at the small boy behind him and looked back at Alex with a pained expression on his face. “Fine... suit yourself, princess.”
Nodding her head, Alex walked around Jay to the boy. Kneeling, she looked into Andy's little face. Still, unable to shake the feeling that she was familiar with the child, Alexandra offered him her hand as she fought the tear trying to liberate itself from her eye.
“Hello...” she shook the child's pudgy hand, “my name is Alex. What's yours?”
“Andy,” he answered shyly.
“How old are you Andy?”
“I just turn three.”
“Three?” she beamed at him “Man, I'd love to be three again.”
“Really?” the child’s eyes twinkled in the candlelight.
“But of course. It's great to be three. Tons of fun and no responsibility.” Alex stood up and offered Andy her hand again “Would you like to show me your room now?”
The little boy nodded and took hold of her hand. Andy paused in the doorway that separated the tavern and the cottage as he looked back at Jay.
“Night daddy.”
“Good night little man.”
With the door shut behind them, Alex took in her surroundings. The room was small but cozy. A big fireplace was lit on her left with a coffee table sitting in front of it, while a worn-out brown couch was placed haphazardly to the side. A few steps away a tiny kitchen separated the space with a bar counter and three stools beside it. The whole space could have fit in Alexandra’s bedroom, with room to spare.
Admiring the simplicity of the room, the princess felt something tugging on her sleeve, calling her back to reality. Alex looked down, only to realize she had forgotten the child who was standing beside her. His small blue eyes stared up at her, gleaming with excitement as he fidgeted with his clothe.
“Are... are you really a princess?”
“I don't know,” Alex knelt to Andy’s level and gave him a wink, “can you keep a secret?”
The boy nodded while still looking up at her. Giggling, Alexandra ruffled his soft hair. The feeling of the wispy, silk hair of this child on her fingers filled Alex with pure joy, as if it was missing from her life all along.
“All right, I'll tell you.” Alex watched his eyes widen “I really am a princess.”
“So why are you here?” Andy frowned, “I thought you lived in a castle.”
“I do. But sometimes, even princesses need to get away.” she stood up and looked down at Andy “That's why you can't tell anyone, or I'll get in trouble.”
“Why?”
Why indeed, thought Alex. Even she did not possess the answer to this seemingly innocent question posed by the child. These rules of their society always seemed so archaic, and oppressive to her. Alexandra had no idea how to even come close to putting them into words a three-year-old could understand.
“A princess is not supposed to leave the castle.” she gave Andy the only answer she could come up with as it was the only one she knew.
“Well...” Andy looked up at Alex, pouting “... that is sad.”
“I agree.” nodding her head, Alex took hold of the boy's hand “Now, why don't you show me to your room?”
“Oh… Okay... this way.”
Andy took Alex to an old hidden staircase beside the fireplace. The varnish on the wood was scuffed and worn from years of use, and the stairs creaked beneath their feet. The two made their way up in the dark to a narrow hallway. From the left side of the hall, a sliver of light was coming through a crack in the door. Andy led Alex to the doorway and stood in front for a minute before he let her in.
Inside, the tiny room was almost bare. On one wall stood an antique dresser covered in dust and across from it was a rickety, old four-poster bed. The colorful, moth-eaten quilt looked like it had seen better days. A cold breeze blew from the crack in the window pane making Alex shiver as the boy bound for his bed before turning to frown at her.
“What’s that on your shoulder?” Andy pointed up in the air, causing Alex to freeze in her spot.
“What do you mean?”
“The little bug thing flying beside you?”
Impossible thought Alex as she glanced at the pigrie fluttering by her head. “Are you referring to Cosmo? Can you see him?”
Cosmo flew down to hover in front of Andy’s face, and the boy reached out to pat him. “Yes. Can’t everyone?”
“No,” Alex was mystified, “Cosmo is a pigrie. I’m one of the only two people able to see him…”
“Well, I can see him. He’s cute.” Andy scratched Cosmo’s head, making the pig honk with delight.
“I guess you are a special boy then.” Alex smiled, and Cosmo flew up to sit on her shoulder.
“I like special.” Andy smiled while pulling back the covers and climbing into bed. “Could you tell me a story?”
“Yes. Of course, little buddy.”
Laying the boy down, Alex pulled the covers over him and gave him a kiss on the forehead. She did not understand why she did it, only that she knew she wanted to do it. It felt so natural, as if she had done it a hundred times before. Andy snuggled into his pillow and fixed his little eyes on her, eagerly awaiting a bedtime tale. Sitting down on the floor beside the bed, Alexandra leaned her head against the wall, wondering what to do next.
“So... what kind of story would you like?”
“How about...” the child thought for a moment, “a story about a beautiful princess?”
“A story about a princess?”
“Yes. A princess like you.”
“All right... I think I got one for you.” Alexandra thought for a moment “Once upon a time, there lived a princess in a war-torn land. She was the king's only daughter, and the king was very protective of her. The king was so protective he kept her locked up in the tower to safeguard her from what he called monsters.
“But what the king didn't know however, was that the princess had long ago figured out who the monsters were. These were not the monsters the king feared so much. No, these monsters were much closer to her, these monsters were them.
“The princess realized she was nothing like her family and grew discontent with her life. She no longer enjoyed being a princess. Instead, she wished to be like everyone else. What she wanted was the freedom to fall in love with whoever she chose instead of being married off to a prince she did not care about.”
“Does this mean a brave knight will have to save the princess?”
“Is that what you want?”
“Yes,” Andy sat up “And my daddy can be the brave knight.”
Alex had to giggle at the thought of Jay as a brave knight coming to save the princess, and
yet, it somehow seemed to make perfect sense. The mystery of the night kept growing thicker at how familiar this all felt. Pushing these feeling aside, she shook her head and looked back at the child who trained his eyes on her with anticipation.
“All right.” Alex said smiling as she put Andy back down on his pillow. “One day the princess snuck out of her castle and met a handsome black knight. The princess became smitten right away, but the knight was reluctant. He was tired of fighting. All he wanted was to live in peace. But once he got to know the princess, he fell in love with her. When she told him how her family was forcing her to marry the prince, he felt compelled to help her.
“Together, they hatched a plan. They would run away together and live in a land where they could be free. When the time came, the knight rode up to the castle tower, and the princess leaped into his arms. He caught her, just like he said he would. Riding off into the sunrise together they live happily ever after.”
Turning her head, Alex saw Andy was sleeping soundly beside her. Peering into his peaceful face, she felt a familiar tingle inside. Reaching over, Alexandra brushed his blond hair out of his face, and listened to his rhythmic breathing. Leaning over to give him a kiss on the forehead, and it felt so natural, Alex thought she could die. Before, the thought of children had not crossed her mind, but she connected with Andy, which made her want to take care of this boy as if he was her own.
Bringing her legs closer to her chest, Alexandra buried her face in her knees. Her thoughts went to Jay, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not get him out of her mind. Those blue eyes lingered in her thoughts, begging her to find out the story they hid from the world. The man they belonged to seemed harsh, but in that one moment they connected, Alex was sure there was a lot more to his story. This barkeep did not differ from her. She too had a world inside which no one else knew about, a world too dark for just any old soul to visit.
Unable to shake the strange feeling she got every time she thought of Jay, Alex got up and stole one last look at the boy before walking out of the room. Shutting the door behind her, Alex looked at the pigrie perched on her shoulder and frowned.
“What was that about Cosmo?”
“Oink?”
“Don’t give me that. You know what I’m talking about. How come Andy could see you?”
“Weee wee?”
“Right. So I guess there are now three people who can see a creature not of this world.”
Angry at not getting the answers she wanted, Alex stormed down the hallway, heading downstairs. Stopping at the bottom of the old staircase she looked around the chamber one last time. There was a familiar feeling about it. If Alex didn't know any better, she would have said it felt like home, and she yearned to stay there forever. Shaking her head to clear her mind, Alexandra pushed through the door into the tavern.
At the bar, Richard lifted his head to look at her before falling off his chair. Alex gritted her teeth realizing her boyfriend finished the now empty bottle of whiskey while she was away. Jay turned his head to glance behind him, his gentle eyes turning ice-cold the instant he saw her.
“He asleep?”
“Yes,” Alex came closer to Jay. “He's a sweet boy. You've done a good job with him.”
“Don't lecture me princess.” Jay frowned “My boy, my business. Now take your drunk boyfriend and get the hell out of here. And I better not catch you snooping around in my neck of the woods ever again, your royal highness.”
Thinking it was best not to push her luck, Alex nodded and made her way over to Richard. He was lying on his back looking up at the ceiling. A big smile formed on his lips the second he saw her. Helping him up off the floor, Alexandra slung his hand over her neck. Richard reeked of alcohol, and she had a hard time supporting his weight as they made their way to the door.
Unable to resist, Alex stole one last look at Jay who was cleaning the glasses over at the bar. She though she noticed a soft expression on his face. Perhaps it was the light, but Jay did not look nearly as old when he relaxed, and for a split-second, he looked perfect. Watching him stand there, Alexandra's heart skipped a beat, her face grew hot, and her pulse quickened.
“Have a good night Jay.”
Jay gave her a quick glance from the glass, and Alex could have sworn she saw a brief smile on his face. But, in a blink of an eye, Jay turned his gaze back to what he was doing without giving her a reply. Something about the way he ignored her made a hard lump form in her throat, and Alex felt as though her world was coming apart in front of her eyes. With a sickening feeling in her stomach, she turned for the door, not willing to let Jay see the tears falling from her eyes.
As Alex and Richard exited the tavern, the door swung shut behind them, separating her from the man she wanted to be close to. Walking a few steps down the path, Jay’s roar startled Alexandra, followed by what sounded like glass shattering. She almost turned back to make sure nothing happened to him, but Richard pulled her forward, compelling Alex to put Jay out of her head for the time being.
Chapter 5
Jay’s Turmoil
Jay was content to let Alex go until she turned around to say goodnight to him. He glanced up to look at her, standing there with that wanker of a kid slung around her neck. The girl had something in her eyes at that moment, a glisten that gave Jay hope. A small smile formed on his lips as he thought of how nice it would be to hold her close and kiss those rosy lips of hers. But, he knew it was not possible. A woman of her status, no matter how rebellious, would never fall for him. So with defeat, he turned from her, hoping to drive her away.
His plan worked, from the corner of his eyes, he could see the sparkles of the tears forming in her eyes as she turned around. The heart in his chest broke into a million pieces as he watched her walk out the door for what he expected was the last time. Jay had finally met the woman who plagued his dreams, and she turned out to be the one woman he could never have. Letting out a roar of frustration he threw the glass he’d been holding against the wall, causing it to shatter in a rain of glass.
Slamming his fists on the bar, he took a few deep breaths as he attempted to make the pain go away. Alex was everything Jay had ever wanted, and the moment he saw her, he knew he belonged with her. Yet, here he was, letting her slip through his fingers because her status in society was not compatible with his. How could fate be so cruel? It was downright sadistic, he thought, to bring the two of them together only to tear them apart.
Still reeling from the loss of something he didn’t even have, Jay recalled the old man who gave him his powers. Back then, Jay was lost, scared, and still haunted by visions of a beautiful woman with pale skin and brilliant green eyes. He was sitting outside, drinking himself into a stupor while his son slept in a small hotel room. He imagined the mystery woman’s skin pressed against his, caressing her naked body, when a stranger walked up behind him.
“What would you do to have her?”
“Have who?” Jay looked up half drunk.
“The woman in your dreams?”
“She’s just that old man, a dream.”
“No, she’s not. She’s as real as you or I, and she’s waiting for you to set her free.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Am I now? Then how would I know you dream of a surreal beauty with snow-white skin, emerald eyes, and chestnut hair?”
Jay looked at the old men stupefied. He’d never told his dream to anyone, yet this stranger knew everything. What if he was telling the truth, what if she was real? There was no doubt in his mind back then that he would do anything to hold her, to feel her body against his. Nodding his head, Jay let the stranger know he wished to hear more, and the man smiled at him with delight.
“I’ll ask you again Jay, what would you do to have her?”
“I’d sell my soul for a moment with her.” Jay studied the stranger. “Is that why you came here? You some demon looking to collect?”
“Not at all. I’m merely a friend
who can offer you the power to be with her, but only if you accept my totem.”
“Okay, now I know you’re bluffing. I can’t have a totem, I’m not a pure-blood.”
“Oh my dear boy, but you’re close enough. I can give you the power you seek. The power to be with her. All you have to do is accept.”
“All right, fine. Let’s say I want this power, what’s the catch?”
“Nothing from me. But, there will be hardships to overcome if you wish to be with her. You think you’re man enough to handle them?”
“Yeah, I am. Give me this power and tell me what to do.”
That was when the stranger transformed into a wolf, a creature long extinct in these parts, and he gave Jay his totem. The old man said there would be trials, but he never mentioned she would be betrothed to another, and a bloody princess. Maybe he was wrong, or maybe Jay just lost his one chance to be with her, either way, the pain was too much.
Distraught over his predicament, Jay downed a bottle of whiskey before heading outside. He hung his head in defeat and transformed into a black wolf before sauntering over to the cliffs behind his cottage. Sitting on the rocky ledge, he listened to the water crashing below, and he pondered if he could still get her back, or if she was gone for good. With no answers to ease his troubled mind, Jay leaned his head back and howled at the moon.
His lonesome cry sailed over the ocean, carrying with it a lifetime of pain and loss. Jay listened to it disappear in the distance, and then he heard her reply. Her howl was equally sad, and lonely. Instantly he connected with her pain, but he was too scared to reply, he didn’t dare risk exposing her. It was with this thought that Jay walked back to his house, resigned to let her go, so she could stay safe.
Chapter 6
A Conflict of Interest
Stumbling their way down the dirt road, Alex tried to ignore the inconvenience of Richard's weight on her shoulders, even as Cosmo complained of their situation. Once in a while, she had to dig her heel in, trying to keep them from falling as Richard stumbled and pulled in the opposite direction. If this was the effect alcohol had on people, she sure did not understand why anyone would drink such a foul-tasting substance. Thinking maybe her father had been right, Alex continued to drag her date down the winding dirt path.
Dark World Genesis Page 4
