1-3 months
Blood and I agreed we wouldn't tell anyone about the baby until the 3rd month, thats how its traditionally done anyway. The doctor said since they've never had a situation where a person with a clock for a heart and a person with a heart have a baby, anything could happen.
My first appointment to see my baby was tomorrow, and as I stared at the ceiling in Blood's bed I couldn't help but worry. What if the baby turned out to look like a clock? What if I can't actually bear him any children? Does he really want this? I know he said he did, but we have no idea what we're dealing with. Out child could have any problem known to man, even genetic deformities. We have no idea whats going to happen, and I'm honestly terrified. What if something bad happens and he can't deal? What if I do something wrong and something happens to our child? I could never do something like that to him..
I slowly sat up and watching my tears fall into my lap, I had to get out of my own head. Everything, good or bad, would be figured out tomorrow. I really can't be left alone with these thoughts of mine. I got up and walked to the kitchen, thankfully the twins set up color coded arrows for me on the floor so I could find my way around this gigantic place.
When I arrived in the kitchen the light was on, a female servant was still up doing the dishes, and I couldn't help but feel bad for her. I went over next to her and started drying the dishes she had set in the rinse side of the sink. She looked over and smiled, thankful for the help. The young woman was beautiful, and seemed quite kind.
" It is quite nice to meet you Miss Alice, you know you don't have to do that. I really do appreciate the help but, it's my job and I could get in trouble if anyone saw you helping me." She whispered to me. I immediately stopped and sat on the island behind her. I didn't want to get her in trouble, shes a sweet girl just trying to do her job.
" I understand completely, may I ask your name?" I asked, hoping to get to know the girl. Shes the only halfway normal girl I've met since I've been here, and it was nice to just be able to be around someone like that. Someone like me.
" My name is Liza, I just recently got this job. Its not so bad. but my coworkers are pretty silent.' She answered, and I thought of the empty stares I recieved from the other servants here and related to her. This castle was full of empty eyes, the only people who actually talk to me are Dee and Dum. It was nothing like my childhood home.
I couldn't help but think of my sister at these times, times when I thought of the world I left behind. She was the picture of perfect, only slightly curvy with large breasts and long legs. She was always kind to others, I don't think she had an impolite bone in her body. While I was the tomboy, I was rude and sometimes mean because I, as I've been told, have no filter. I say everything on my mind, never leaving a detail out. I had to get everything out, I had to be understood, but it was always wrong of me apparently, maybe thats why he never loved me..
I snapped out of my head and looked at her, would she soon become one of the mindless drones like the others? Right when I went to say something I was cut off by Blood, who had walked in while I was drifting through my thoughts.
" What are you doing in here so late at night? And is this servant even helping you or just ignoring you?" He asked irritated. He must have been woken up when I left and confused when I didn't come back.
" I came to the kitchen to get some water, but completely forgot about it. I ended up talking to her instead of asking her for it and got lost in thought, my mistake." I reassured him, I felt awful for even putting Liza in this position. Being accused of not doing her job when she was working her butt off.
" She shouldn't have been talking to you, she should have been asking you if you needed anything and getting it for you. That is what servants are for and if they can't do that then I don't want them. And the fact that shes even in here is a problem! You are dismissed until I decide what to do with you, now get out of my sight." He said angrily, and I could already feel the tears running down my face as she ran out. I may have gotten her in so much trouble, just for talking to her? This is nuts.
He turned to look at me and saw me crying, he sighed and walked over and poured me a glass of water.
" Look Alice, this is how things run here. If you were not here she would have been killed on the spot so be happy that you at least saved her life. No servants are allowed in the kitchen from 2-5am. This world is ruthless, and if you don't catch up you'll be swallowed by it." He stated while wiping my tears away. He was right, this world is ruthless, but is this the place I want to raise my child? I pushed the thought away for now, it was 4am and I had somewhere to be in the morning. I followed Blood back to our bedroom and fell asleep staring at the ceiling.
The doctors examination table was extremely uncomfortable, making me even more emotional. We were waiting for him to come back with the equipment, Blood looked slightly agitated, he hated waiting. But all I could think of is what happens when the monitor plays a tick instead of a beat? Or what happens if it plays both?
My thoughts were cut short by the doctor coming in with the equipment. He sprayed a gel on my stomach and moved the device around on my stomach. He looked at the screen and opened his mouth in awe.
" Mr. Blood and Alice, it seems you are having twins.! Congratulations! Now here are the heartbeats" He exclaimed while moving the device. At first all we could hear was one beat, then a clock ticking. The doctor scratched his head and kept moving the device around, confused as to what could be happening. But I knew right then what had happened.
One of my children had a heart like me, and the other a clock like Blood.
Months 4-6
We finally told everyone, the Queen was thrilled and already started prepping a play room in her castle. She wanted to see them so we gave her copies of the ultrasound photos, but we didn't tell her about the differing beats of their hearts. It was better not to worry anyone until we knew what would happen.
Dee and Dum immediately starting touching my stomach and Eliot swatted them away, yelling about how rude they were, and they proceeded to call him a dumb bunny which set off a killing match. I knew well enough to split them up and leave it to Blood.
Peter was angry about it though and declared a personal war on Blood, not that it would ever go well for him. He did say one thing of interest though. We haven't decided if he is even credible in what he says, but we have to take it into account. He said " A true human child with a clock heart will never survive." I couldn't help but pray every night that he was wrong.
We found out the genders at our 4th appointment, one boy and one girl. The boy had my heart and the girl had a clock just like Blood. I thought it was interesting that our children were he backwards versions of us. Blood definitely needed another girl to boss him around and I was excited to have a son who, hopefully, looks like me.
Months7-9
I cry ALL the time now, just continuously. When Dee and Dum would fight, when Eliot would get angry, and most of all, when Blood would get frustrated, which happened a lot these days. I would cry in the shower over new stretchmarks, and I would cry when I needed new shoes and clothes because of swelling. Blood provided everything for me and dealt with me as best as he could. With his evil background and odd personality he struggled to help me. He tried his best to make me happy with gifts and spending time with me. He didn't want me to stress out more than I already was, so he always hid his feelings, but I knew and it stressed me out even more.
We couldn't decide on a girl name, the boy was decided to be Alexander, a classy yet nice sounding name. The girl we just could not decide on, he wanted Isobel and I wanted Elizabeth. We had debated for days now and with my due date coming up it was stressing me out more and more. She had to have a name.
" Elizabeth sounds classy just like Alexander! Its what I always dreamed I would name my daughter." I exclaimed while rubbing my belly. They loved hearing me talk and were going nuts in there, I swear if they had the room they would do flips all over.
" Isobel is a sophisticated name and I want my daughter to have it. Can we please just name her Isobel, if we have another daughter I would be fine naming her Elizabeth." He pleaded.
He really wanted this, though I don't know why this name held such significance to him, I wanted him to have it. I conceded, the daughter with his heart would have his name. Next time I'll win.
" Fine Blood, she will be named Isobel. But you owe me a foot rub now!" I stated. He run over and squeezed me into his arms and kissed me over and over. I felt like I was on top of the world, he had barely been physical with me since we found out I was pregnant, this was wonderful, that is until a liquid started running down my leg.
" Blood please let go. Blood... Blood!" I yelled in his ear. He let go and looked me up and down and noticed the liquid on the ground. His face paled as he started barking orders at his servants. Dee and Dum helped me into a wheelchair and wheeled me to the infirmary part of the castle. They had a surgery room all set up to have a c-section. Guess the twins wanted to come into the world on their own terms. They set me up in a comfortable bed to wait for my body to be ready to deliever. I was at 5cm already so they said it wouldn't be long, but I was in so much pain it was unbearable. I couldn't believe my mother had done this once, let alone twice. They finally gave me something for the pain and I couldn't feel anything from my stomach down. Thank God.
Hours passed, I slept a bit and awoke to my hand in Bloods, he normally didn't show affection for me in front of others so for him to hold my hand while Eliot was in the room, well it was progress. What better time than when his children will be born, am I right? The doctor said it was time and put my legs up, I looked up at Blood and he looked terrified, it was the only time I had ever seen him show so much emotion. I tightened my grip and began to push, I could only hope everything went okay.
Alexander came first, he had beautiful chocolate brown hair, like me, and blue eyes, just like his father. He came out screaming and and wriggling. He was amazing. Next came Isobel, but as soon as she came out they whisked her away from the room. There was no crying, no hiccups, just silence. I started yelling and Blood chased after the doctor, they brought my daughter back into the room, she had black hair and one green eye and one blue, but something was wrong. Her clock had stopped ticking instantly. Blood dropped to the ground screaming at him to save our daughter, but it was too late he said. Her clock couldn't tick for her body.
All I remember afterwards is blacking out, and waking up hooked up to monitors. I started thrashing, and all these doctors rushed in and unhooked me from a few things, they started sending people in and out of the room as I yelled for Blood and my children. What had happened, where was everyone? I looked down to see my pregnancy belly gone, I was just as thin as I had been before. Blood came in, breathing heavily as if he had just ran a marathon, he was holding our son Alexander, who just stared at me. How long had I been out?
They began to explain things in little pieces, trying not to upset or alarm me, but failing. I had gone into a coma, something went wrong with the pain medication and my body didn't handle it right. If they hadn't of put me in a medically induced coma I would have died apparently, so they did what they had to do. My daughter, my Izzy, was dead. She died at birth, they did everything they could, but she didn't make it. Alexander on the other hand was thriving. I felt empty, I had been out for a week. She was dead, I messed up. I let my little girl die, and for that I was dead on the inside.
Thats when it hit me they were waiting for me to say goodbye to my daughter before burying her.
" What about a funeral? Are we not going to have one?" I asked Blood, confused.
" No, we don't celebrate life here. IF we had funerals every time someone died they would be nonstop.. I can't make an exception." He said sadly. He seemed like he needed it though. Blood left to shower and left Alexander with me, he also left me with Dee and Dum to help me. They told me what a wreck Blood was, he was beheading servants left and right and destroying everything in his path, but he wouldn't let anyone else touch Alexander. He was convinced that someone would hurt him. So I guess I was the only one trustable. He had been up night and day, the only time he wasn't holding Alexander was when he went to see our daughter. She had been placed in her outfit her bought her months ago and put in a casket the color of violets. He went to see her everyday, they said they think he was pretending she was asleep, and not dead.
I couldn't hear anymore, I begged them to put me in a wheelchair and take me to my daughter. Finally, they agreed. They wheeled me to the the greenhouse, where they were keeping her body before burial. I looked to see a purple casket sitting on a pedestal. I slowly stood up with Alexander in my arms and opened the casket, my little girl was laying in there looking at peace. She looked exactly like Blood, she had beautiful raven black hair and his nose, she was his little angel.
Thats when I lost it. I fell into the chair and sobbed as I pulled my son closer to me. A piece of my heart was ripped away and thrown in that casket. She was alive, she lived with me, inside of me, for months. She loved the sound of my voice, but only kicked for her fathers belly rubs. She slept until 4am right on the dot every night, and did gymnastics with her brother every morning. How is it fair that one lives and the other dies?
Alexander began to cry with me, and I felt so bad for making him upset. Blood ran into the room and tried to take him from me, but I wouldn't let him. Not until I stopped him from crying. I rubbed his belly a little and kissed his forehead, and he smiled a little and closed his eyes, he fell asleep in my arms. I handed him to Blood and stood up in front of the casket.
" What are you doing Alice?" He worriedly asked
" I have to hold her at least once. She was with me for so long and I never got to hold her, she can't be buried without me holding her and saying goodbye, I couldn't handle it" I whispered as my voice broke. I reached for my daughter and pulled her out of the casket, she was stiffened, but I held her softly. I told her how much I and her father love her, and how I was so happy to wake up at 4am with her and referee her gymnastics competitions with Alexander. How much I will miss my little baby, and how happy I was that she existed.
No matter how much I said though, I don't think it will ever be enough. I put her down in the casket and fell to the floor in sobs. Blood handed Alexander to Dee and came to me. He looked into my eyes and I saw a tear rushing down his face, and I instantly felt guilty. I felt guilty for letting any of this happen to him, he never cried.
" I should have saved her, I should have been awake. I'm so sorry Blood" I cried into his arms. He looked at me with so much sadness and said
" There was nothing we could have done to save her Alice, you didn't do anything wrong."
We sat there for hours until we heard Alexander cry, we went to him together, and tried to stand tall.
Our daughter was buried the next day in the garden. He headstone the shape of a rose. Afterwards I went into a heavy depression. I couldn't pull myself out of bed, I barely showered and Blood? Blood threw himself into his work. Starting wars with any and everyone, killing randomly.
3 years later
" Mommy! Mommy look! A rose grew on the rose stone how pretty!" Alexander yelled. I came outside in a summer dress and looked to see a rose bush growing on Isobels stone, they were beautiful.
" It is quite pretty honey. I'm sure your sister loves it. You should go get your dad, I'm sure he'd like it too." I replied. He ran past me and dragged Blood outside. He looked and smiled, he made the stone with that intention, and finally the roses had grown. We both held Alexanders hand and lifted him up and down and lifted him in the air, his favorite game as we looked up. We had finally made through it all. We looked at the sky and smiled, Isobel is up there, smiling with us.
Okay so I'd like to thank everyone for reading my story. I understand there are some inaccuracies, which is why its fiction. I just had to get this story out and update it while I can. Thank you for the suggestions in the reviews and I hope this made you feel better in some way. Also sorry for any spelling errors, I typed this up quite quickly so I wouldn't forget this idea I had. Thank you again for reading, you guys rock!
BloodxAlice 2012-2017
