s a d n e s s.
p a i n.
The memories bit at her with sharp teeth, previously undisturbed. She saw it all, saw it and *felt* it in conjunction with the pictures. She seemed to be moving in slow motion and in fast forward at the same time. Her vision blurred, black and white, stained with red all over all over all over
The pain. Blood, flowing down his cheeks from the twin slashes made by the broken glass. Fumbling fingers, reaching out to scoop of the shards, cuts stinging with tears, momma's going to kill me going to kill me...
She blinked and the scene shifted, swirling until it reset, this time in a darkened alleyway.
b l o o d.
Her blood, dripping down her face. Alanna reached up to touch her cheeks and found rotting maggots. Disgusted, she leaned down and spilled her lunch in the darkness. Momma. Momma!
deadshe'sdeadmommamommashe'sdead... A train of jumbled images forced its way past her mental blocks, swarming in, festering with decidedly bitter intent. d e a d d e a d deaddeaddeaddead
She could feel the grip of his claws in her arm--in his arm--and screamed. No, he screamed, she screamed, it was all one and the same. Screaming and screaming but no one could hear and momma oh momma she's lying there in the ditch and she's not moving help someone help me help me. Momma...
His eyes burned into her, drawing blood with every flinch. His nails dug into her.
The scenery shifted again.
Duo walked into the room, sixteen years old, humming contentedly to himself. He was little too thin, a little too gangly, but there were traces of beauty in the lines of his jaw and mouth.
There was a chair and a bed, and *he* sat on the bed, eyes burning into him, like they always did. Duo stopped. He never visited him, not even when Duo'd come down with fever and nearly died. What could he want? Duo stepped forward, curious, and then Roger held out a medallion, saying a single word, and then everything went black.
Duo walked into the room, sixteen years old, humming contentedly to himself. He was little too thin, a little too gangly, but there were traces of beauty in the lines of his jaw and mouth.
Duo walked into the room, sixteen years old, humming contentedly to himself. He was little too thin, a little too gangly, but there were traces of beauty in the lines of his jaw and mouth.
Duo walked into the room, sixteen years old, humming contentedly to himself. He was little too thin, a little too gangly, but there were traces of beauty in the lines of his jaw and mouth.
There was a chair and a bed, and *he* sat on the bed, eyes burning into him, like they always did. Duo stopped. He never visited him, not even when Duo'd come down with fever and nearly died. What could he want? Duo stepped forward, curious, and then Roger held out a medallion, saying a single word, and then everything went black.
b l o o d.
She could still smell blood on herself, on himself, on his hands, in his long hair, in his mouth, choking him, surrounding him.
Lass!
Lass!
Alanna!
She moaned, it was dark and terrible. Duo...
Momma...
She wanted her momma...
He wanted his momma...
"Alanna!" A sharp blow brought her back to her senses, and she gasped, recoiling from the hard slap. Her hands went out, frantically feeling for the familiar tickle of his stubble, for the strong hands and comfort they offered.
"George..."
"What did you see?" he prompted. She shivered, starting as Duo put a hand on her shoulder hesitantly.
"Do you believe me, Alanna?" His voice was unusually husky, and there was sadness in his eyes, sadness that she could see, now. She could see beyond the wall of cheer and smiles.
He doesn't know how to cry, she realized.
"I do," she replied shakily, running a hand absently through her hair. "We'll leave for Corus tomorrow, Duo, okay?" He smiled.
"Thank you, Alanna. George." He then backed out of the room, following Solo, who had been speaking with a manservant, and was now following him to guest chambers.
"Lass," he said softly, kissing her forehead. She crawled into his lap, every muscle in her body taut with fear, with fear of the remembered pain. There had been such overwhelming darkness in his soul.
Alanna curled up into a ball, one hand over George's, and cried.
End Chapter Two
Ariana
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On to Chapter One: The King's Son