The Return to Innocence

A fan fiction by MushrooomsPTook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. You might as well say it owns me!

A Storm Brewing

Physical evils destroy themselves, or they destroy us. -Rousseau

Blood-curdling screams erupted in my ears. I squeezed my eyes, trying to block out the agonizing cries as I grasped the tiny hand, lifting it to my lips for a kiss. It was pale and clammy, beads of sweat glistened on the fingers. I loosened my grip, feeling the child tense as she twisted her body around so that her head was drooping off the bed. Bert lifted the bucket to catch the contents that poured effortlessly out of her mouth. I ran circles over her back to help ease the passing and glanced up at William. He was preparing another concoction of medicine.

Once the wave was over, Alice pulled herself up again and wailed loudly, saliva drenched her face. I took a washrag and wiped it away, kissing her forehead and rubbing her shoulders. I didn't even know if it helped, but at least I received some comfort from it.

Bert held a flask of water to her lips, and after some persuasion, Alice sipped obediently. She pulled away quickly when she saw the spoon William held between his fingers. But I held her shoulders firmly. "Come on, Alice. One more. You can do it." But Alice refused, turning her head back into the comfort of the pillow.

Two slender hands appeared from above and grasped the sides of her head, gently turning it into place. I looked up at the owner questioningly. "It has ta be this way, Miss Alayna." It was the nurse. "The doct'r can't work unless we hold her down."

Alice struggled, but William was quick and slipped the spoon in her mouth the moment she opened it in protest. She swallowed obediently, but parts of the red liquid sputtered out when the child began to cry again. The nurse released her hold on her and I moved in to cradle my cousin, kissing her head and wiping the tears.

But the doctor was not finished. "Turn her onto her stomach," he said. I looked at him in question, noting the syringe in his fingers, but nonetheless, I obliged obediently. He lifted the nightgown and I watched with wide eyes as he lowered the needle and pricked her skin. Alice squirmed wildly, her shrieks becoming louder. The nurse caught Alice's flailing arm and pinned it behind her back so that the doctor could make another attempt.

As he lowered the needle, I looked down at Alice and caught her wet eyes staring into mine. She voicelessly mouthed my name and I responded immediately. I shoved off the nurse and pushed the doctor away protectively, and wrapped my arms around my cousin. "No!" I cried, when he moved in. "Can't you see you're hurting her?"

"Alayna," said William, fixing his focused gaze on mine, "if she doesn't get this into her body, she could die." My mouth trembled and I very reluctantly released my cousin from my protective embrace.

Tears streamed down my face as I watched William prepare the syringe. He ordered me to hold Alice, and I had to, despite her wild protests. The nurse held down her lower half, while I secured her arms. I bit my lip, squeezing my eyes in an attempt to ignore my cousin's pleas. She frantically tried to free herself and I felt my firm hold weaken.

But the doctor caught my eyes. "Don't give in."

I took a deep breath and forced myself to tighten my grip, mentally shielding myself from Alice's brutal cries ("You don't care about me, why do you hate me!"). As the doctor prepared the syringe for a third time, Alice's cries turned to desperation and I made the mistake of looking into her eyes.

"ALAYNA!" she shrieked. "THEY'RE HURTING ME! WHY ARE YOU LETTING THEM HURT ME!"

I couldn't bear it. I released her, and the nurse had to double her efforts to control the screaming child. I tried to push them off, yelling at them to stop and to leave her alone. William shouted at Bert to get me out of the room and he obeyed. I felt his firm hands grab me from behind, pulling me away and forcing me out the door, despite my struggling. I kicked and protested, screaming at the doctor, calling him a murderer, and crying out to Alice. She looked at me with wild eyes, and in them I could see the desperation that cried out to me to come and rescue her. That was the last vision I had of her for a long time, and Bert pushed me into the room across from hers and closed the door.

Immediately, the small space turned into a fury of flames and I recoiled as they quickly closed in around me. I could still hear Alice's cries, but they were muffled and distorted. I circled within the enclosed area around me as I began to breathe in the smoke-filled atmosphere. I was not afraid, yet fear surrounded me. I looked at the floorboards beneath my bare feet; they too were inflamed, but I made no effort to remove myself from the situation.

"Alice," I said hypnotically. My voice sounded distant and lethargic. "I'm here, I'm coming." The flames that framed the doorway began to distort into odd shapes. "I...know this place."

I closed and reopened my eyes with heavy eyes as I gazed upon the beauty of the flames. They twisted and writhed, swirling around to create a circular image. "Alaaayna," came the muffled distortion of Alice's voice. "Don't leave me here aloooone." The flames continued their manipulative dance as they formed a shape of a hand, beckoning me to come toward it. "Come find me. Come and play with me."

I walked towards the door with ease, despite the flames licking around my heels and I grabbed hold of the doorknob and turned it. Suddenly, the door flung open and I was knocked off my feet. The flames around the doorway spun faster as they gathered to its center creating another image. The image of an eye. Alice's voice dropped several octaves and echoed throughout the entire room, the eye simulating her voice. "I see you..."


I sat up abruptly, shaking and breathing uncontrollably. My bed was drenched with my perspiration and my hair was stuck to my forehead. The roaring sound of flames vanished as I glanced around the room. It was dark and quiet, the redness from the floorboards had disappeared. I lifted my eyes warily at the closed door, but it was as it had been when I first shut it.

I took a deep breath and slumped against the headboard, glancing over at the motionless lump in the bed next to mine. A series of deep breaths assured me that Alice was alive and well. I sighed heavily and looked down at my lap, loosening my white fist. In the center of my palm lay the ring. I watched it silently as my breathing gradually became even again. I cocked my head, noting how different it looked, and yet still the same ring. I'd been carrying it for five years now, except this was the first time it seemed to sparkle with a beauty I had only realized.

I lifted my other hand and with great care, began to stroke the sides of the ring. I vaguely heard the bed next to me shift as I continued to caress the trinket in my palm. It was only when I felt a sharp itch in my neck that I broke my gaze. I fervently scratched my neck, wincing as it only increased the itchiness. I continued to scratch, ignoring the pain that began to throb at the skin. I looked down at my left palm and in the center of it the ring was staring back at me.

My concentration was broken when I heard a click from outside. I quickly hid the ring and shot my eyes up towards the door. A similar noise sounded seconds later and I peeled the covers off me in haste and tiptoed to the door, unaware that the occupant of the bed next to mine was watching me.

I cracked the door open and peeked out. A hooded figure was bent over, cloaked in darkness, with a hand resting on the doorknob to Melchior's room and a burning candle in the other. He looked first left and then right suspiciously before turning and pacing noiselessly down the hallway. I waited for a few seconds before slipping outside the door and pursuing the light.

I wrapped my robe around me and crept closely beside the wall and at a safe distance, watching the figure shuffle his way past several rooms, whispering something incoherent. I held my breath as I tried to silence my footfalls in my pursuit. But as he neared the staircase, my ankle twisted underneath me, and I let out a fatal gasp. The figure stopped, whipped around, and held the candle up.


I had just finished making my bed when a rapid knock came at the door. "Miss Alayna?" called a muffled voice. "It's me, Nob. May I enter?"

I walked swiftly across the room and opened the door. The young man held a tray of food in his hands and a white cloth was draped over his shoulder. "Good mornin', ma'am," he greeted.

I sighed but smiled gratefully. "Oh, Nob. You really didn't need to bring breakfast. Here, let me take that. Won't you come in?"

Nob stepped inside the room sheepishly. "Only for a moment. Very busy downstairs this mornin'. It's only me and a couple of the lads righ' now."

I set the tray on top of the dresser and looked at its contents with wide eyes. It consisted of eggs and bacon, pancakes, toast, ham, an apple, and about a tablespoon of butter. "Goodness, Nob, I think you made enough to feed an army. Alice went out a bit earlier to see Bert, so it's just me." I held up the little note that she'd left me while I'd still been asleep.

"I know. But I was instructed to feed ye a proper breakfast. 'Parently, yer not ea'in' enough, Miss Alayna."

I raised an eyebrow at the young deputy. "Indeed? And where did you get this information?"

Nob lowered his gaze and shifted nervously. "I...am not permitted to say, Miss."

I sighed and broke off a piece of the toast. "That's all right, Nob. It's not too hard to guess." I popped the bread in my mouth.

"Are ya a'right?" asked Nob and I looked at him inquisitively. "I mean after last night?"

"Why? What happened last night?" I broke off another piece of the toast and fingered it nonchalantly before nibbling on it.

"Well...don't ya remember?"

I shrugged. "Remember what? Arriving into town? Meeting you and Bert? Going to bed? Not a lot happened last night."

Nob stood there, mouth gaping open, staring at me as I picked up the apple and cradled it in my hands. Then he flashed a smile and sighed. "O' course. Just was wonderin' if ya slept well is all."

I smiled back. "I slept fine, thanks for asking. And now, I won't keep you any longer. I'm sure you've got plenty of things to do. I'll let you take this with you." I shoved the tray of food back into Nob's hands, keeping only the apple.

"Oh, but miss—"

"And do me a favor, will you? Stop listening to my cousin. She means well, yes, but she tends to exaggerate her concerns."

Nob glanced at the tray in his arms before casting his pleading eyes on me. "But Miss Alayna..."

"Nob, please. Go." I gave him a nod towards the door. "You have customers waiting downstairs."

The young man let out a defeated sigh, but reluctantly obeyed. Slowly, he exited the room, shutting the door after him. After he'd gone, I plopped down on the bed, looking out the window, and watching all the townspeople below as they hurried to their destinations, fighting the cold air. I rubbed the side of my head where a minor headache began forming. I cast a glance to the door and allowed my mind to recall the events of the previous night. I looked down at the apple in my hands.

The sound of the door swinging open prompted me to wipe my eyes quickly before turning around. Alice stood in the doorway, her eyes red and swollen, the memory of tears visible on her face. In her arms was Charming, and he lay motionless.


The ticking sounded in my ears, each second becoming louder than the first. I lifted my eyes to the clock that was set upon the fireplace. The warmth that emitted from the hearth caused me to shiver involuntarily and the hold on my hand tightened. I glanced at the small form next to me, her brown eyes meeting mine with a concern that made me uncomfortable.

"You all right?" I asked.

She broke the gaze, now setting her eyes upon the clock as well. "It's been almost an hour. Why hasn't he come out?" I opened my mouth, but closed it immediately into a hopeful smile. "Do you suppose he's...?"

"No." I shook my head for emphasis. "Never. He'll be all right, you'll see. Any moment now, Doctor William will bring Charming out of that room, just as he was before. Good as new."

Alice stared into my eyes for a long moment before a forced smile broke across her face, and she nodded. "Good as new."

I pulled her into my embrace and pressed her head against my shoulder. Kissing her brow, I returned my gaze to the clock, quickly fixing my eyes to the second hand. Who knows how many minutes went by before I realized the ticking had grown louder than before, and I watched as each second passed, echoing like a pulsing drum. Confused and dizzy, I closed my eyes. The pulsing continued, but above it came a new sound, the sound of a voice, a dark voice.

Ash nazg durbatulûk,
ash nazg gimbatul,
Ash nazg thrakatulûk
agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.

"Alayna!"

I opened my eyes. The doctor was standing in front of me, watching in confusion. I glanced over at Alice, but her faced showed concern. "What are you doing?" she asked accusingly.

I blinked and bit my lower lip. "What do you mean?"

She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "What is going on with you?"

Thinking she was joking, I let out a baffled laugh, but her expression did not change. I swallowed nervously, wishing to wash away the awkwardness, and suddenly realized that the ticking had stopped. I looked over at the clock, where the time had frozen. It read 01:01:01.

"Miss Alayna?" said the doctor. "Are you a'right? What are you staring at?"

"Your clock," I said, pointing toward the fireplace. "I think it might be broken. It...stopped."

The doctor frowned briefly before whipping out his spectacles and walked carefully up to the fireplace. He slipped on the glasses and bent over to examine the clock. "Ah, so it has." He gave it a firm tap. "There we are. No harm done."

I could still feel Alice's eyes on me, so I took a deep breath and cleared my throat as if nothing happened. "Um, doctor? What can you tell us about Charming? Is he all right?"

"Ah..." was his response, but his face was grim. He pulled up a wooden chair and sat in it across from us. "Well, I think I've discovered the source fer yer friend's illness."

"What is it?" asked Alice.

"A bite. Most likely from a spider, a large one, though not life-threatening. I've applied some salve and bandaged the area, so he should be looking better by morning."

I glanced over at Alice before turning my eyes back to the doctor. "So he's fine then...right?"

The doctor inhaled deeply. "Yes, he is. Or at least he would be, if I knew exactly who my patient was." William gave me a sympathetic smile before withdrawing a black feather from his inside pocket. He handed it over to me and I took it, examining it with my eyes.

"But this is a feather," I observed.

William nodded. "Yes, but not a swan's." I lifted my head and looked into the doctor's eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Alayna?" Alice stammered nervously. "What does he mean? What is he saying?"

I didn't respond, but threw myself out of the chair and despite William's protests, rushed past him and burst through the door of his office. There, on a table surrounded by medical supplies and various bottles with handwritten labels, lay Charming's unconscious body. I rushed over to him, seeing how small he had become, feathers of both black and white scattered around the floor. Half his face was covered with small black and red feathers, while the other half still retained his swan features. Above his left wing was a bald spot and in the center of the area was a lump, red in color. The feathers that encircled the area were black, but there were few of these. All in all, he was still mostly a swan.

Behind me, Alice approached softly, most likely horrified by the discovery. "What's happened to him?" she asked shakily.

"He's changing," I replied. "He's reverting to his formal self."

"How? How can this happen? It's impossible, isn't it?"

The doctor sighed. "It should be. But then again, look outside. Should be impossible for us ter have freezin' temp'ratures in the middle of summer. Should 'ave been impossible for Miss Alice 'ere to have lived five years ago when she go' sick. I guess certain things happen, whether good or bad, that we can't explain. I guess the question we should be askin' ain't how...but why."

I leaned over to stroke Charming's face and gave him a small kiss on the top of his head. I then turned around to face William. "Nothing can be done for him?"

"I wish I had an answer for ye, but I've done all that I can for him today. I want ya ta leave 'im here with me tonight, just ter be safe." I nodded, and not knowing what help I could offer, I turned toward the door, but the doctor put a hand on my shoulder. "Miss Alayna, I know it ain't my place to say anythin', but are ye all right?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Are you sure? I am a doctor after all. I can help."

I brushed off his hand. "No, you can't."

I pulled open the door and walked through the waiting room with heavy footsteps, when I heard a whisper echoing from across the room. I looked to my left to see the fireplace and the clock staring back at me once more. The time had stopped again, and it had managed to freeze on 01:01:01 once more. Withdrawing my gaze from the clock in concern, I took a deep breath and continued out the door.

"Do you mind telling me what happened back there?"

I slowed to a stop and turned around to face Alice, shielding my face from the bitter air. For the most part, we'd been walking separately in silence, hurrying to get back to the inn, where we would be sheltered from the monstrous weather. "What are you talking about?" I asked.

Alice, too, came to a stop, directly in front of me. "You know what I mean. That whole ordeal with the clock? What's going on?"

I flickered my gaze once to the ground then back up to her eyes. "Nothing."

"No. It's not nothing. What was with all the black speech?"

My eyes widened in surprise. "You heard it too?"

"Yeah, from your mouth!"

I stared at her in confusion. "No. No, that was the clock. I was watching it before it stopped and it started reciting the poem of the Ring. And then as we were leaving, it said something else."

Alice shifted in her stance impatiently. "Yeah, well, while you were watching the clock, I was watching you, and I saw and heard you speaking the language." For a moment, we stood face to face, watching each other in an unspoken dialogue. "Alayna, there's something going on, I know it." I shook my head, dismissing her, but she continued. "Last night, you were talking jibberish in your sleep, and then this morning, Melchior said he found you sleep walking in the hallway."

"Because obviously, you trust Melchior," I interjected sarcastically.

"No. But I know trouble when I see it. You haven't been eating, you're growing thin, and you don't talk to me like you used to."

I took a deep breath, taking my gaze off hers and looking at the clouded sky exasperatedly. "I'm fine. I promise you, I'm fine."

There was a long moment of silence and I began to think Alice had given up on pressing me with her relentless questions. But then... "I saw you last night."

"What?"

"You were fondling that ring of yours again. I've seen you do it in the past, but you're doing it more often."

I let out a desperate cry. "Oh, come on, Alice!"

Her eyes began to sparkle and her voice started to break. "I'm getting really worried. I know I shouldn't; you're right, it's probably nothing. But sometimes I get these thoughts in my head, you know? Thoughts like, well, what if it's not nothing... I just want to help."

"Well," I shrugged. "You can't. Because...well, I don't need help, because I'm fine. I'm alive, I'm breathing."

"Then can I see it?"

My eyes narrowed in suspicion. "See what?"

"Your ring?"

I stared at her accusingly, cupping a hand over my chest protectively. "Why?"

Alice sniffed, but her gaze was not deterred. "I'm going to ask you a question, and whatever answer you give, I'll accept, because I trust you." Alice closed her eyes, inhaling deeply, and opened them again. "When we were in Middle-earth..." she paused long enough to bite her lower lip. "When we were in Middle-earth, did you ever... Okay, you know what, forget this. Did you take Bilbo's Ring, yes or no?"

I stared at her incredulously. "How dare you."

"It's just a question..."

"I'm not a thief!"

"I know, but please, just answer the question!"

"NO! I never saw it, I never touched it, and I certainly didn't steal it! There, are you happy?"

Alice bit her lip, but her eyes were swelling with tears again. "Okay then. All right. I believe you."

My expression softened and I broke eye contact, feeling quite ashamed. "Okay then." I lowered my gaze, feeling uncomfortable with what just happened.

"Alayna?" Alice said quickly. "You said the clock said something else. What was it?"

"It said, 'It is coming'." I forced a broken smile. "Come on. Let's get out of this cold."

I turned my back to my cousin, ending the conversation and leading us back to the inn. But as I did, I felt like I was carrying a greater weight now, and it was more than guilt.


A/N – Good news, everyone! I'm alive and I'm back! But just so you know, I never really did leave. I've been thinking a lot about how I was going to write this chapter and other chapters to come. In fact, I pretty much decided to change courses in a way, only because I really had no idea how I would make the next sequel interesting. Don't worry, there's plenty of story left in this one, but I figured I would need to start sowing some seeds. Anyway, there's one excuse for why I've been away for so long. But probably the main excuse is that I turned 30 this past December and had a minor mental breakdown, and decided I wasn't happy with a few things in my life. So I got a new job, and in the meantime, I'm working out those other issues.

Now, I seem to recall saying that Bert's son would appear in this chapter. I'm sorry that didn't happen, I guess I sort of lied. But I'm really hoping that we will appear in the next. In fact, I'm hoping that most of next chapter will revolve around him. And I'm also hoping it won't take me another ten years to write it. Please let me know if you like the way this is going. I know there were a few different things that happened here that don't seem to be quite connected to one another, but I promise, they are! It just has to have time to work itself out. In the meantime, be good, stay good, and I hope to see you again very soon! Love you all!