If one were to ask Alice Stayne (née Kingsleigh) and Ilosovic Stayne what it was like to be married a year ago I daresay you would have gotten such a surprise! Sarcasm aside, two different answers from two VERY different people. Yet one would never admit his attraction to the petite woman.
Contrariwise, Alice would have merely averted her gaze, blush and bluntly say: "For love,"
And leave things at that, leaving lots for the imagination to ponder on about.
But Ilosovic would either smirk or glare in your direction. A scowl already formed on his well-featured face and say, "For a lot of reasons." smugly he would cross his arms and continue to talk, quickly glancing at Alice. "But she made my exile a lot more... shall I say. Amusing..?" His eyes twinkling with something naughty and lewd. Perhaps his thoughts on the private nights to come? Perhaps.
She was so deeply, and utterly in love with the Knave that she would admit of being foolish. So foolish that she wasn't thinking coherently when she had secretly begged Mirana to let her marry him. A desperate act. But she wasn't foolish enough to show her love so blatantly to the public, but just enough to show the Queen that she was serious.
However, Ilosovic Stayne did not see the doting child in the same light. Yes, she would be a child to him, regardless of age or role. He just couldn't bring himself to stoop low enough to see her for what she was. So much that he had put the girl under a contract.
A contract that could possibly break Alice to an extent; emotionally, physically, and mentally. It was his own defense system that made Stayne feel like he was in control. And that control was to toy with the girl, because even there was a spark within the Knave that had a small slither of attraction for the blond. Something he did not want to ever awaken fully.
When he spoke of the contract to Alice she had been unnerved and silent. Unsure of what was going on and how to have a decent marriage even with this – hindrance. Then it hit her. She knew that marriage with Stayne wouldn't be easy, he wouldn't be easy, and he was a proud, stubborn soul. It hurt her.
"I rule this situation now, Alice." He said monotonously, without so much as a spark of kindness. And to think, they were mere days away from the alter. Only Alice knew this: She never wanted to rule him... Just wanted him to love her.
Again, Alice scolded herself. She scolded her heart for being too complex and mad that her brain couldn't register what it was doing till it was done. She had imagined he truly did find her attractive back when he held her against the wall. Stupid girl.
"You will regret this marriage, Um," He played with her even more, calling her a character that should be nonexistent. But only in Underland were things real and contrary. Stayne walked away from Alice, not noticing the way she trembled.
Sad to say, Tarrant had completely removed himself from the equation. After the battle... He had merely walked out on Alice and without a word removed her from his mind... He had been betrayed by the so called "Champion". Alice had searched for him at the wedding, searched the seated crowd when the ring was placed upon her finger, searched when Stayne conquered her lips. And still she searched when in her heart she knew that he would never show himself to her.
A thousand needles pricked themselves not only into Alice's heart but her body.
Now, Stayne knew from the very beginning that Alice was pure and whole in all manner of speaking. And he took advantage of that piece of information, and on Alice. The girl did not flinch or even turn red when her wedding dress was practically torn from her body, and when she was shoved roughly onto the bed.
When Stayne searched for her she pulled him into a hug, both being naked but she bared herself to him. Her husband thought otherwise. One, he believed she was doing what she thought she had to do. Two, he believed that she still remembered their contract. Three, she was mocking him.
When Stayne had reached his own selfish high after the rough consummation he pulled away, making a very large gap from him and Alice. Alice was too exhausted and shaking to do anything, she was rather close to her own high that she could feel it coming even after her husband had took to his sleep.
Hm, Stayne wasn't asleep. Rather, he was plagued with countless things that had went on just moments ago. She was too quiet, too sweet and accepting. He needed to fix that. Though the new sensation of being the dominant than the submissive gave him certain chills, he was still cautious.
Just as Stayne had his own defense mechanism so did Alice... Imagining six impossible things.
Being interrupted when you're having a long train of thought is one thing, but being somewhat molded to when having said thought is another. Especially when one doesn't like to be touched so intimately. As in right now, with Alice hugging her husband from behind. Her dainty arms wrapping around his slender waist, and her hand ghosting over his well formed torso.
"I love you," She whispered sleepily. I love you. Those words were haunting.
He saw her limping the next day. She was nibbling her bottom lip, trying to fight the temptation of crying out from the throbs going through her lower half. Not knowing she was being watched, Alice started working in the kitchen. Making coffee and readying breakfast like a good little wife.
"Red jam... or blue?" Alice asked herself, she held up a jar of snurlingberry and bluckenberry jam in both of her hands and eyed them. She was unsure, she could recall the trial about the stolen tarts by Stayne a long time ago. Would it be strange to eat red jam?
"Bluckenberry it is." Alice nodded to herself and spread the blue sticky substance on some toasts.
It brought a small smile to Stayne's face. She was purposely trying to forget about last night.
"I'm going," He reverted back to the stoic, expressionless face as he walked pass Alice. She jumped at his sudden appearance but held him back from going any further. "Have breakfast with me." She more or so pleaded with him when she tugged back on his wrist, giving such an innocent smile when he glared over his shoulder at her.
"Not now." And he jerked free, walked through the threshold of their home and slammed the door in his wife's face.
Stayne was appearing less and less with Alice. He just couldn't be around her anymore, she was infectious. And it was driving him mad, like a disease that ate away at a person's flesh, and mind. Ironic that a visit to the Queen would be more than troublesome. Mirana was somewhat on Stayne's death list when she had ordered him and Alice on more frequent gatherings.
Court gatherings, weaponry cleaning, warfare strategics, and honeymoon like things. If one could really call it that. Stayne assumed the Queen caught on and she was letting him know by the never ending presence of his blond wife. Oh well, might as well get some fun out of this.
"Ilosovic," Alice placed her hand on the Knave's shoulder and handed him the books he had commanded her to get from the Queen's library. She was sweating, huffing, flushed... sexy. "Alice," Stayne countered with a lewd smile.
He had quickly grabbed her, the books fell to the ground and he pushed her against the white walls. He was rough, and rushing through the actions, not really trying to remove their clothing just pushing things out of the way for temporary purposes.
"You're intoxicating." He panted, almost growling the words as he reached his high. Alice bit her lip, holding back moans and trembling, she was losing her balance.
Stayne was overridden with lust and anger towards his wife. He didn't know what else to do about it but like this. He took what had been done to him so many times and mirrored it almost without thought. "You've damned me," Alice opened her eyes fully and looked up at Stayne, he was breathing hard now, slightly convulsing around her, she drew him close and embraced him. He noticed that she never fought back or voiced any discomfort. She just continuously embraced him.
He was purposely trying to break her, and he tried to manipulate their relationship. He knew that Alice wouldn't break so easily, he also knew she kept on loving him regardless. His plan was back firing. He couldn't tarnish this... this... thing between them, but he wanted to. He wanted to disfigure and shatter whatever he could get his hands on.
"I love you, Ilosovic." It was always... I love you. Always after the sort of things he did to her. She still loved him. Curse her, curse her and everything about her. Curse his wife. Curse Alice. Curse Um. Curse them all. Why couldn't she just stay down?
"I will never love you, Alice." He whispered, she stiffened. He pulled back just enough to see something flicker past her eyes and then disappear. "But I always will..." Alice pulled him back again, and nuzzled the side of his head, "love you, Ilosovic Stayne."
She kissed him so tenderly. Ever so slowly and loving that it surprised him. He tried to gain control of the situation again; he fought back with her. Fought a war against tongues and lips. Alice was winning. She held onto him and wrapped her slender legs around his waist and weaved her hands through his hair.
Alice wasn't a fool. She wasn't a fool at all. She was ever so clever and mischievous. Stayne smirked, he had lost this war before it even began, didn't he? And she was just slowly enjoying the fruits of her labor.
He had desperately tried to fight back any sort of generosity or kindness Alice had showed him. Her "wifely" duties didn't seem like duties when he remembered the way she looked. Ever so calm, smiling and humming to herself when he was near and even when he wasn't he could still hear her humming to herself. The way she busied herself in the kitchen, sewing the White Queen's emblem onto his many uniforms, and even helping him in the armory when she wasn't even needed.
She drove him insane. And he had showed this behavior by his snarky, one-liners and cold stares. But he could not remember a time he had truly gotten underneath her skin. Save the time he had her against the wall and said, "I like you Um," and in her reply she pushed him away and ran down the hall.
He wanted to have that rush again, wanted to turn the tables on her. So more frequently he took her roughly and by surprise. He could see on her face the first few times she was totally taken aback and she struggled to keep them hidden at most. But now, she was even taking that plan apart. He noticed that before they were almost risking being seen as he had his way with her.
Now, he would catch her in places that were away from prying eyes. Away from the Queen's court and anyone else.
And finally, Ilosovic Stayne just tired himself out. Could you believe it? He became tired of the small things and found no more joy in them. He wasn't giving up, but he just couldn't be one step ahead of his wife. The more he saw her, the more time he spent with her she glowed for him. Glowed brighter than any star he had seen.
Regardless, of height or smallness. She indeed had a sort of muchness to her that just could not be challenged. But it was the things she had said to him at coffee time that made him register what he felt.
"Do you know why I love you, Ilosovic?" Alice asked in a sing-song voice, her little fingers working fast to fill their plates with various sweets. A cheese danish for him, a snurkllimpf for her, and black coffee for both.
"Amuse me, Alice." Ilosovic looked lazily at the blond, not really in the mood for playing another one of her games. Perhaps all the shagging was finally taking their toll on him, never did he think too much of a pleasurable thing was a bad thing. Until now that is.
Alice licked some imaginary crème off her fingers and giggled. Did God ever make something so beautiful it would be here sitting in front of him. "As you wish." Kiss her. Kiss her now. Stayne's mind started to chant.
And it was Alice's turn to feign innocence. Feign that she truly did not know the effects she had over her tall husband. Over time she had finally gathered a courage she did not know she had or even needed. But a certain feisty Doormouse was to blame for the many times she had bandages wrapped around her fingers. Though it was a good rouse to make Stayne believe she continuously pricked her finger with the sewing needle.
"Silly mouse," Alice whispered under her breath and a blush crept over her face. Heavens above, she was about to seduce her husband, a first in many tries that didn't end up with her on her back or against something with her skirts flipped over her head.
"Did I ever tell you that my Father would always imagine six impossible things before breakfast each day?" She had talked very calmly, sipping her coffee — though she still preferred tea; she aquired a new taste for the black substance.
She never took notice to her husband's shifting intake of air, or the way he almost panted over her as she toyed with her dress. A dress similar to the one Tarrant had made her back at the Mad Tea Party.
"And how may I ask does tha—" Stayne started but was hushed by the way his wife brushed her long tresses of flaxen hair away and showed him the uncovered amount of flesh, instantly making him go blank.
Stayne tried to think of a time he had truly ever looked at Alice's skin so closely. He never paid heed to the way it looked so soft and edible. Odd how he missed that about her. He scooted closer. And she scooted away.
"Six impossible things," It was a very airy way she formed the words that made Stayne's eyes gloss over; Alice merely dipped her index finger into a danish and licked up the filling, moaning at the sweetness.
"One," Stayne felt warmth spread through-out his body and he almost lost control. "I killed the jabberwocky." Alice took another sip of her coffee dared to look up at her husband who froze. He furrowed his eyebrows.
"Two," She held up her left hand and her first and second digit to emphasize the number. "Iracebeth was defeated."
He sat stock still, questioning her antics.
"Three," Again the blond teased her husband by bringing a fruit to her lips and biting into it, letting the red juice flow down the corner of her mouth. The one corner that Stayne could see. "I married the Knave of Hearts." And yet somehow he never noticed how her right hand snaked over his leg and was lightly squeezing his crotch.
Not once did he ever think his trousers were becoming awfully tight?
"Four," Alice leaned in and Stayne caught the way she smelled. Was she ever so intoxicating as this? "I saved myself for a villain." Stayne frowned at this, a villain was he? Perhaps slightly uncouth and barbaric, but never something so cruel.
But he looked his wife over and leered, his feelings could wait.
"Five," The blond hiked up her skirt mid-thigh to show that... well, she wasn't wearing any stockings and it was just her bare legs being shown so openly. "Little nymph." Stayne smirked and ghosted his hand just above her legs. He could see she was affecting both of them. "I love it when you touch me,"
And it was Stayne's turn to be surprised. Alice had practically jumped ontop of him and started to unbutton the front of his uniform. She worked with what could be called a skill, totally freeing Stayne of his upper coverings within seconds.
"Six," The noise in the room died down but they were both yearning for each other. Stayne smiled a genuine smile and pulled his wife close, pulling on the bow behind her that secured the dress. He tugged and the woman's upper half was completely exposed, various ribbons falling down to the floor.
"I love you, Alice."