Liar, liar… monster.
[7x08 & 7x09] ; AU. "You told me we were cured." Drizella really shouldn't feel guilty but, as she heard Alice's voice, she couldn't help but do it. And there are the tears in her eyes too, and at that moment, Drizella realized that she really wanted to help her. And be forgiven, too." Alice/Drizella. Rainy Rook.
She was the villain of the story.
It was a thing which was established now, since a long time.
Well, not that long, but most of the people now knew her as someone evil.
Which was not Alice's case, not for now, in fact.
Soon she would know, but she was so… innocent.
Yes, it was a characteristic not anyone would have applied to her, because she was most of the time suspicious toward people, but Drizella succeeded to gain her trust, with time.
She manipulated her, clearly, not telling her everything about her, just saying that she was a witch, and that she intended to help her cure her and her father from the curse Gothel put on them.
A thing she wouldn't do, never.
First, because she couldn't do it, she wasn't powerful enough to break a curse which was that powerful, or, in fact, she still didn't learn to use her power to do it.
But, she was now training herself with Gothel, who easily and rapidly saw how angry and in pain Drizella could be.
And how easy it would be to make her fall definitely into darkness.
So, after Henry and Alice defeated her, after she failed cursing Henry's heart, she didn't think about the young woman who put so much hope in her.
She certainly didn't expect to see her again after all of this.
§§§§
Gothelwas gone since already two days, and wouldn't come back before three, according to what she told Drizella. This one was waiting for her, and still trying to use her magic in a better way, when she heard a noise.
Someone walking in her place, and when she formed a fireball in her hand, she saw an angry Alice just in front of her.
The beautiful young woman had a broken look, and she seemed so furious that Drizella even didn't try to attack her, still not ready used to it.
Alice approached her.
"You told me we were cured. You promised me things would be alright, and that it would be okay for me now. But I embraced my papa in my arms, and it hurt him. You lied to me, Drizella."
Drizella really shouldn't feel guilty but, as she heard Alice's voice, she couldn't help but do it. And there are the tears in her eyes too, and at that moment, Drizella realized that she really wanted to help her. And be forgiven, too.
"You manipulated me. I hurt my papa because of you, because I believed you. Believed that you were more than just a pretty witch, and that you wanted to help me. I talked with Henry, Ella and Regina. They told who you are and what you did. And I don't care. My papa was a pirate before he had me. I am not here to blame you.
- So why are you here ?
- I just want to understand. Why didn't you help me ? Why are you here, working with Gothel ? This woman is a demon and a monster. And she is my mother, so I guess we can be on the same page about knowing what it is, to have a bad mom."
Drizella's eyes opened wide.
"Wait… Gothel is your mother ?
- Yeah… No. She isn't my mother, she just gave me birth and abandoned me to death, so she would be able to escape from her tower. Without my father, I would be dead today.
- She abandoned you ?
- She trapped my father in order to have a baby, to free herself from where your mom trapped her and after it happened, she left without looking at me even for one second. She never came back, until she did, to curse my father and separate us."
Drizella froze and began to tremble, understanding she had been doing a mistake by going with the witch.
Alice didn't even seem to be angry at her, but at Gothel, for sure.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I wanted to use you, but I didn't know what you lived."
Alice just nodded, accepting her apologizes.
"So, she is as bad as my mother, in the end, she whispered.
- I would even say that she is worst. I mean, your mother at least loved you, for a time, even if she changed and became cold toward you. Me, well… she never felt any love toward me. I was just a way to flee for her, Alice added with bitterness."
Drizella looked at her.
This girl knew what it meant, to be alone, more than anyone else.
"I'm sorry I lied to you. I thought that… I thought that, maybe, if I helped Gothel, she would help me then getting my revenge against my mother, but…now… I feel like it doesn't worth it anymore. And I feel like I just acted like a fool."
Alice frowned.
"Why ?
- Because you… your life… I thought my life was terrible, and it is, right, but, you… It's worst. I live with someone who doesn't love me, I lived with her, but I fled, and I spent my life wanting her to love me. But you… it's worst, because you have been separated from someone you love."
Alice nodded.
"Yes, Drizella, it is. And then, tell me, what do you intend to do now, hum ? Come back to the place where you were ?"
Drizella then froze. No, she couldn't come back there, with her mother, she just didn't want to, she fled from her, for a reason.
She wasn't going to come back there, even though she wanted now to go away from Gothel.
"No, I won't, she said. But, she then added, I will try to fix my past mistake. I will help you to find a cure for you and your father."
There was no gratitude in Alice's eyes, just suspicion, and Drizella didn't blame her for that.
She betrayed her once, she could do it again.
"Are you sincere ? Or will trick me again ? She asked, as if she was afraid of being hurt and betrayed again.
- Yes, of course I am going to do it ! I have no purpose to betray you now, especially that you know who I am and that the other do it too… I just want to help you Alice, Drizella said, being the more sincere she could be."
The blond woman looked at her with wonder, walking in her direction, slowly, examining her carefully, and Drizella blushed under her look. Alice's blue eyes were on her now, and she couldn't escape it anymore, she had to be observed by this impartial look.
Alice had no idea of what to think about it.
Drizella was seen as a villain by Ella and Henry, and the other, and as she saved Henry from her, Alice knew that it was right, she wasn't naive.
But Regina, Rumplestiltskin, and her papa too, they had been villains, but they changed, redeemed themselves.
Maybe Drizella could too ?
And by the way, Alice didn't care about her succeeding to redeem herself or not.
The only thing she cared about was to save her papa.
And be finally able to embrace him.
And then, a bright smile shined her face, and Drizella's cheeks blushed even more as she saw it, and something again woke up in her, just as it had been when she met Alice, something which didn't wake up since so many years.
Something about herself, and that she hadn't been able to think about, being still before that for so long a lost little girl craving for her mother's love and affection.
But now, her mother wasn't in her thoughts anymore, not even Gothel was.
There was just Alice.
Alice and her happy and strange smile.
Alice and her blue eyes.
Alice and her hair, and her beauty, and her grace, and… was she falling in love ?
She started.
No, she wasn't, when she met the young woman, all alone, chasing rabbits and a cure for her dad, she was interested, for sure.
But… nothing happened, and Drizella felt relieved at this time.
It meant she wouldn't get attached to someone, and wouldn't be hurt.
But now…
There was just her and Alice.
And she was afraid of what could happen.
"Alright then, the other woman said, and Drizella realized she had just been catching her breath since the moment she smiled. I agree to that. But be careful ! I have some magic of mine too."
Drizella raised an eyebrow.
"You know that I am more powerful than you, she said, proud of herself."
Alice laughed, and Drizella just stayed numb, taken by the beauty and the purity of her laugh.
The so called "step-sister" had a sad smile.
She had to get rid away of the girl.
Very soon.
This one was too pure for her, if she stayed with her, she would corrupt her in the end.
And Drizella wanted everything but this.
She was herself broken by her mother's influence and by Gothel'.
And she was beyond saving, she believed it.
She wasn't going to let them make another victim.
§§§§
Some days passed, where the women lived together, chasing for a cure, and beginning to know each other.
Alice was… Alice.
She was herself, a little strange, and funny, but, when you took time to know her, it finally appeared as a mask, just a facade.
Just a game, in order to hid the really her.
Not the funny and amusing Alice, no.
The broken one.
The one who was so afraid to be alone, the one that had been left by her father, even if he didn't want to, the one who didn't want to be abandoned again, just as it happened with her "mother".
The one who was left alone during so many time, and who may be a little crazy.
And she wasn't the only one, to have problems.
Drizella did, too, and it was something Alice was noticing more and more, as time passed, and as the other woman let the mask fall too.
Drizella was broken, in a different way, but it changed nothing of the pain she lived, the fact that it had been worst for Alice.
Their pains were different, but Drizella had been destroyed too.
They both were.
Lady Tremaine had been a terrible mother after Anastasia died, and it was something no one was going to contradict, and Drizella had been, in a way, the one that had been the more touched by it.
As Ella, of course, who lost her mother, and her step-father AND who had been then humiliated for years by her step-mother.
The two sisters terribly suffered, the first one because of her step-mother's hatred, and the other one, because of her mother's indifference.
It was so sad, Alice thought, that the two sisters didn't unite with the other against Lady Tremaine.
Maybe that a lot of pains would have never happened.
§§§§
It was good, not to be with Gothel anymore.
After she left her mother, Drizella thought that everything would be better, especially with Gothel, now that she found someone like her, someone full of darkness, and also someone who understood her.
(She thought about Regina with sadness. She wished this one could have understood her.)
But Gothel didn't.
When she talked with Alice, she was talking with someone who really looked like Ella or even herself, used to be.
(Or Ana…
Don't think about her, don't think about her, oh by the magic, just don't do it, it's too painful, you can't handle this…)
Someone kind, innocent, wanting just to help people and be happy, and not wanting revenge.
(Just as she was just before Ana died…
Oh, please, don't think about her…
I miss you so much Ana, tell me, why did you leave me ?
Why can't I be enough ?
Will I ever be enough for anyone ?)
Lost in her thoughts, Drizella didn't see but just felt Alice's hand on her cheek, and she started.
"Hey, you okay ? She asked. You weren't saying anything, I was afraid…"
Seeing Alice really seemed to care for her, for herself, and not just for what she could give to her, Drizella had a bright smile, to which Alice replied, happy to see her new friend now more happy than before.
"Yes, I am… I was just thinking about my sister. Anastasia."
Alice's look became then more serious. They were both sitting on the ground now, taking some rest, after a long day of walking, and Alice took Drizella's hand in hers.
"I heard of her, by Ella. Do you want to talk about it ?"
Drizella squeezed Alice's hand, feeling a tear rolling on her cheek, realizing that Alice really did care for her. Anyone else would just have asked things about her sister, with curiosity, without wanting to know if she wanted to talk about it or not.
But Alice didn't.
It was the reason why Drizella began to talk.
"We were children. It was in a different time, when I was still happy, when we were a family. My mom, my father, Ana and Ella. We were somewhere, on the ice. And… Ella walked on it, in a dangerous place, and Anastasia followed her. She… plunged into the sea to save her when the ice broke, and… she almost get drowned. Since this moment, she is between death and life."
Drizella's tears were now rolling freely on her cheeks, and she gasped for air, stopping for some seconds.
"And my family was tore apart. My father died, and my mother turned in this cold and evil woman that she is now. And since that moment, all my life and Ella's, well, they… just turned into a true Hell."
Alice squeezed then even more firmly Drizella's hand, with tenderness, listening carefully to her friend, who was finally letting go all her pains, or at least, she was dealing with her past wounds for the first time, with someone.
"I'm sorry Drizella, Alice told her. For all these terrible things you had to go through."
Drizella looked at her, still crying.
And she smiled.
"Thank you. But you don't have to be. It's not your fault. And your past life was really hard too."
Slowly, Alice gently interlaced their fingers, and she smiled to her, with hope and confidence.
"Just hope that our future will be much better."
As much as she tried not to, Drizella couldn't help, but hope.
§§§§
Weeks passed, and it was just a dream for the two broken women who were searching for someone who would understand them.
And it looked like they found it in the other.
Their researches brought them into a certain place Drizella had heard of when she was still with Gothel.
A lake which was supposed to bring back what was lost and which could cure almost anything, and Drizella had a great hope that maybe, in this place, they would find it.
(In the other Enchanted Forest, David found it, after all, at lake Nostos.)
The most they approached from the lake, the most Alice seemed to be thrilled, and Drizella was feeling sad.
One day, just some hours before they were at the lake, Alice looked at her girlfriend's face, and asked her :
"Hey, Drizzy, what' wrong ?"
Drizella smiled to her.
"Nothing, sweetheart, I am all fine.
- No, you're not. What is it ? You're still thinking about your mother or your revenge ? She asked her, a little worried by this possibility."
Drizella made a no with her head, and had another sad smile.
Oh, how far from the truth Alice was.
"No, it's not that.
- And then what ? You seem to be afraid of something, love, just tell me."
And there was so much kindness in her voice, that, this time, Drizella gave up.
"Yes, I am afraid… I am afraid that when you find your cure for you and your father, you will let me alone. I am afraid that when you won't need me anymore, you will think I am just useless for you, and then, you will leave me. I know I shouldn't feel that way, but it happened always that way. Mother chose Ana over me, and… I am so afraid you do the same thing…"
Alice blinked and stayed silent for some seconds, surprised to see how much her lover opened to her in such a little time, and then, she acted.
Walking in her direction, she put her in an embrace and stole her a kiss.
And she smiled, taking her face in her hands.
"I love you Drizella Tremaine. Do you hear me ? Being reunited with my father won't change it. Who you are, it won't change it, you see ? I love you. Despite it, despite everything you did. You're my pretty witch, alright ? And nothing is going to change it."
Despite her fears, Drizella tried to give her a confident smile, before kissing her too.
"I love you too."
And Alice's smile was so brilliant, that the formal villain realized that it totally worth it, to let her revenge on the ground, and not to think about it anymore.
Maybe that she could find another way to punish her mother for what she did, something which didn't imply to cast a terrible curse…
Yes, maybe.
Or maybe not.
§§§§
The lake would just be there in one day of walk (Drizella didn't use her magic for this, as she didn't want to be caught by Gothel. It already happened once. And she didn't know really where the lake was.)
And now, Drizella felt like everything would be okay. Her pain, the one her mother inflicted to her, was still there, but, living with Alice helped her to see that she was luckier than her, and that for her, it would be more easy to heal.
After all, she still had Ella, and maybe Regina too, and she was hoping that maybe, she would be forgiven for her crimes.
(When she talked about it, Alice just snorted at the word "crime". She then told her things about Regina, Rumplestiltskin, Hook, and other people. Regarding to what they did, she did nothing.)
The anger, the hatred, the despair, were still here, but with Alice's love, she was healing.
They were slowly healing each other.
And at that precise moment, the hell began.
Again.
§§§§
Unlike most of people could think, it didn't happen because of Lady Tremaine.
She had no clues about the place where her daughter was, and the thing is that, she was missing her more and more, realizing that maybe, Anastasia wasn't the only daughter she had who worth it.
(Ella wasn't her daughter, and she didn't care about her anymore.)
She wasn't there, when it happened.
When the happy life Alice and Drizella were building just faded, abruptly.
One day, Drizella, who just found another clue which could lead them to the lake, found Alice, sleeping. Which wasn't normal, and the witch turned back, facing Gothel.
"Gothel ! Exclaimed Drizella with surprise and horror. What are you doing here ?"
The witch didn't answer, just giving her a despised look.
"You have no idea of how much you're disappointing me."
Before, when she was still alone, the little girl who feared her mother, she would have stay silent.
But she wasn't this woman anymore.
She swore she would never be this girl.
"And then what ? You're not my mother ! And even if you were, I wouldn't care ! I don't want to take part of any of your tricks, Gothel. I talked with Alice, and she told me what you did. I accepted to come with you, because I thought you would be different from my mother. But it's the contrary, you're worst than her !"
Gothel raised an ironic eyebrow.
"Tell me, do you really thing you can defy me ? I mean… you're a powerful witch Drizella, for sure, and you could win against your mother, as she has no magic by herself. Even against Regina or Rumplestiltskin, if they decided not to fight the way I do. But against me ? You will have no chance, little girl !
- I never said I wanted to fight you, protested Drizella, now next to Alice, trying to wake up her. I don't want to be in any fight anymore ! Not even against my mom. Not… not that way, not with your methods !
- And why do you blame my methods ? Which method are you talking about ?"
Drizella gave her a look of anger.
"The one consisting in capturing an innocent woman, and letting her be your captive, far from her family, for six years, and destroying this same family then. The one where you trick a man so he will give you his child, and you will escape, and never go back for the child, except for destroying her life. The one where you try to make me cast a curse, for an unknown purpose, far from the one I had. I don't want to be you, Gothel ! And I will never be you."
The evil witch had a smirk.
"You think so ?"
Then she used her magic on Drizella's throat, and she couldn't breath for some seconds.
Gothel approached her.
"You really think I will let you ruin my plan, just because you're in love ? She asked with a clear disgust on her face."
Had she been able to say something, Drizella would have answered that it wasn't just this, that it wasn't just about romance, but finding who you really were, and finding someone you could understand, and who would understand you.
But did the witch ever understand what love was ?
"Please, she finally said, let Alice go, she whispered with pain. She has nothing to do with it."
Gothel then had a terrified and horrific laugh, and Drizella asked herself why the hell she ever trusted her in anything.
"Don't worry, darling. My dear daughter will have a part to play in this game. She is the rook, right ? Well, then, you will be the queen. But on the other side of the game."
Drizella had a horrified look, Gothel letting her breathe a little, so she wouldn't kill her, but her grip stayed firm.
"What do you mean ?
- Oh, you still didn't understand ? That's very simple ! You and her, will remember nothing of what happened between the two of you. And as you told no one where you were going, then… no one will ever know, she added with a mischievous and sadistic smile."
Drizella began to cry, both because of the physical and the emotional pain, broken by Gothel' words.
No… Oh please no…
No, not again, not her, please, don't do that.
I already lost Anastasia, I can't loose her too.
Oh, please, can anyone help me ?
She was powerless, Gothel was far more powerful than her, and she could just let herself fall on the ground, when Gothel stopped her magic, and she just ran in Alice direction, taking her hand, still crying, while Gothel was looking at her with despise.
She didn't even care.
She was just afraid of what was happening, and she realized what must feel people taken in the Dark Curse, and she swore she would never cast this one.
Unfortunately, she wouldn't remember anything of it.
And a part of her knew it.
And it was scaring her as hell.
"Please Alice, please my love, wake up. Please, tell me you will remember me, but not as the Evil Step sister, but as myself, Drizella. Please my love come back."
But Alice didn't wake up, and Drizella realized that they would be separated with not even a moment to say goodbye.
As a last chance, she tried to use her magic in order to strangle Gothel but this one just laughed at her face, and smile.
Before the witch put the spell on them, Drizella asked her :
"Wait ! At least, tell me, I want to know. The water of this lake… would have it cured Alice and her father ?"
Gothel just smirked.
"Why would you need to know this ? You will forget it in the next seconds."
But her grin wasn't that assured, so Drizella realized that they had both been right, and she swore that if she remembered one day all this story, she would find a way to go back to this lake.
"I love you Alice Jones, washer last thought, as she fell into Morpheus' arms, and that the spell hit her, just it was at this same moment with Alice. I am sorry I can't fight this spell and remember you."
Gothel had a smile.
Right. That a thing finally done.
§§§§
When Drizella woke up, she was back to Gothel' place, and felt a little strange… and dizzy.
"What… what happened ? She asked to Gothel.
- Someone hit you and you fell on the ground. I guess it was someone who just wanted to hurt you and get its revenge. Tell me, what do you remember ? Asked the evil witch, with a smirk on her face, saying these words calmly and with delectation."
Hadn't been she so troubled, she would have saw the witch's satisfied smile, and she would have understood that something was wrong. But she couldn't.
"I… I don't know."
She remembered blue eyes, blond hair, a smile turning into a scream of hatred.
And these words, too, coming from Alice, the one she betrayed.
Liar, liar… monster.
The words turned into her head again and again.
Liar, liar… monster !
LIAR, LIAR… MONSTER !
Shedidn't know why, but, as the false memories took their place in her mind, she felt a tear on her cheek, and she stand up.
"Well, then, let it be, she whispered with a sadness she didn't understand."
This woman called her a monster, then, well, she would be.
And no one would ever stop her.
"So, she asked to Gothel, where were we in my training before I collapsed ?"
Gothel just smiled, again, and Drizella didn't see what was just under her nose.
Then, well… the witch thought. Here we are.
The game can begin.
THE END.