Just a Pretense
Extremely Late Update and Bonus Chapter
Alice
An Old Note: Okay, so I've been putting this off – feeling guilty of course for leaving this story. I'm not ending it here, however, I'll have to read again to get in character and I've not really the time.
I want to try finishing off all my stories (mostly the AU ones) before Breaking Dawn comes out (the ones set in the past aren't affected) so I will be continuing, whether it takes me a whole month for a chapter or not (is stubborn. Heh.)... (and so on...)
Relatively New Note: Would you believe I started this chapter two months ago and it took me all that time to come back? See my dilemma, please. If anyone has any ideas how to continue my story, please contact me, because I am completely and utterly stuck. Oh, and if I hid it well enough, Mike is after Bella and wants her lands. That's the basis I'm working with.
Also, I've stopped receiving mail about new chapters from people. I don't know whether it is because I haven't read any for such a long time, or something else, but I do apologise and hope to read them someday. Drop me a line please? Someone? (I feel terrible…)
Disclaimer: Usual disclaimers apply…
--
Alice bustled down the stairs, whistling, as she fetched some sheets Bella needed for her bed. Though she had thought her mistress utterly crazy for wanting to go and become a knight after her family was killed, she was more than happy to support her – Bella was more than a mistress or a friend, she was like family.
She stopped outside the laundry room and peered in cautiously. She wasn't sure how the palace worked yet, but everyone seemed friendly enough. All the same though, she was going to be perfectly polite. She knocked.
One of the women looked up. "How can I help you?"
"I need some sheets, please, for my mi-master's bed."
"Who is your master?"
"Page Bel of Phoenix." Alice replied carefully. She wouldn't slip up again.
"I see, come with me." The woman led Alice into another room where clean blankets and quilts were stacked up. "Choose your own. I trust you can find the door again?"
Alice nodded, smiling. "Thank you."
The woman nodded and left. Alice stared up at the stacks for a while before choosing some blankets and two quilts, one for Bella and one for herself, obviously. She left with the large bundle in her arms, nodding to the laundry women as she passed. Then she began to make her way back to Bella's room.
Climbing the stair slowly, she began to wonder whether she should have just come back a second time instead of taking them all at once. With her precognition, it was all she could do to narrowly avoid a person who happened to be coming the other way as she struggled with her burden.
"Are you all right?" the voice seemed startled.
Alice peered out from behind her stack and saw the horsemaster, Jasper Whitlock, standing there.
"Well, if I said I was alright, that would be an overstatement, but I'm not terrible either, so probably mid- oh!" Alice dropped her head, she had forgotten herself for a minute.
Jasper merely smiled though. "Can I offer my assistance?"
"So you have or are you going to?" Alice asked.
Jasper smiled wider. "I have now." He reached up and halved the bundle. "That should be better I should think. And now," he added, as she looked tentatively, "I can see your pretty face."
Alice didn't know what to say to that, so simply broke into a walk, swiftly walking up the rest of the stairs and down the Page's corridor. Jasper followed without a word, though he smiled still.
Alice stopped by the door, feeling curiously amused – for some reason. She turned back to Jasper. "You can leave me here, thanks."
He nodded and placed his bundle back on hers before sweeping a dramatic bow. "'Til we meet again, lady."
"Why don't you join the Players." Alice muttered. (Players – a group of professional traveling actors, etc. Tortall reference.)
"I might, but then what will become of the poor horses?" He opened the door for her. "I'll take my leave."
Alice nodded to him and he left. Wondering why her heart was thumping, she nudged open the door more and entered the room.
--
Alice trotted down the lane, always having something to do, yet not always something which concerned Bella. The thing with being a maid was that someone always had something they wanted you to do, and since she worked at the palace now too, there was even more of it. Right now, she was to tell the stables to saddle up some horses for the Lady Lauren and Lord Eric.
As she passed a training field, she stopped to look as she saw Jasper there, mounted on his horse and shouting to a group of trainees who urged their horses into a gallop, riding faster. Some looked terrified. Alice saw Jasper frown and felt suddenly irritated then completely calm. The horse continued their gallop, their riders completely comfortable.
"Muster here." She could hear Jasper shout now, as the group drew a little closer. "You cannot be scared of your horse, understand? You have to trust it. You should have formed a bond with it and it will not drop you." He glared at some whisperers. "At least no intentionally. Some of you need to work on your seating."
A group of girls to the farthest side began to giggle and point. Jasper shot a look at them and they silenced but continued to look at something which seemed very amusing to them. Jasper frowned and turned his head, seeing Alice immediately. Embarrassed, Alice drew back and quickly trotted down the road to the stables.
"Dismissed," she head Jasper call as she simultaneously has a vision. She saw him riding over before she even heard the hoof beats beside her. She walked a little faster.
"I never caught your name." Jasper said conversationally.
"Alice, sir." Alice said, as she hurried along.
"Pleased to meet you. Jasper Whitlock at your service." As she looked up, he did a Player's bow from the saddle, extremely dramatic.
"Obviously." Alice said before she could check herself, she hurried on. "The horsemaster is one of the important people at the palace, in charge of horses for trainees and squires. It is essential to have a horsemaster."
"You are well learned." Jasper commented as they reached the stable. "Now, how may I help you?"
Alice curtseyed like she had just met him and hadn't been chatting to him less than a minute ago. "Lord Eric and Lady Lauren would request their horses be saddled. They would like to go on a ride."
Jasper nodded. "Very well, inform them that it will be done immediately."
Alice dipped another bow and then ran back towards the castle, aware of Jasper's eyes on her more than she was aware that she was extremely late. She hurried back up the stairs to see Jessica in the hallway handling the now-clean basins the nobles got their hot water in in the morning.
"Jessica!" She called. "I have something I need to urgently do, so can you tell Lord Eric and Lady Lauren that Horsemaster Whitlock said their horses will be saddled right away?"
Jessica nodded. "Yes'm. I can tell 'em to come down as well?"
Alice though for a second, "Yes, I suppose so. Thanks."
Jessica watched Alice curiously as she ran back down the steps and back the way she came. Jessica set down a basin and headed up the stairs to the Lord and Lady's rooms.
--
Alice hovered near the stables, aware she was not supposed to be there and there were a million things she had to do, but still, she hung around the door, embarrassed.
Finally, feeling depressed, she turned to leave and crashed right into Jasper who was leading back his horse from the field. He looked mildly surprised. Only mildly? Alice blushed and scowled and began to push past him to walk away, but he caught her arm.
"Would you like to go on a ride with me?" He asked in a calm voice.
Alice looked at him steadily, though the colour was still high in her face. "I'm no lady, you know. I'm just a maid. I have no status or rank."
"Why should that matter to me?" Jasper asked with a slight smile. "I wouldn't either if I didn't have such an 'oh-so-important' job. I'm really not such an important person in the castle. I only provide mounts."
Alice looked to the ground but glanced up at him a few times. "In that case, instead of answering formally, I'll just say okay, I'll come on a ride with you."
Jasper smiled hugely now. "Thank you. Let's go and saddle your horse."
"You know my horse?"
"Of course. It's rare that maids have their own horses, you know. That for one proves you no ordinary maid, and secondly your speech proves you're not ordinary either."
Alice sighed and picked up her saddle off the top of the gate leading into the stall and Jasper opened it so she could go up and put the saddle on her horse. He watched as she deftly buckled the saddle on, checking the straps.
"Well?" She turned to him. "You're not helping me?"
"You do it well enough by yourself." Jasper replied, fetching her bridle. "Let's see you put this on as well." He held out the bridle on his palm, facing up and offering it to her.
Alice glared at him and reached out to take the bridle from his hand. As her hand closed around the bridle, Jasper closed his, holding her hand for a minute, then released her. Alice turned away and hid her face as she slipped on the bridle.
"All set?" His voice was casual.
"Yes." She opened the stall and led the animal outside.
"You sure you can ride in a dress?"
Alice frowned. Hmm, she could, but it wouldn't be great. Seeing this, Jasper went over to a cupboard, pulling clothes out.
"These haven't been worn but we keep some here in case we want to change. Do you want to put these on?"
Alice studied to clothing, then nodded and hopped up into the stable loft to pull on the clothing before coming down again, carrying her dress in one hand. He took it from her and placed it in the cupboard with her permission.
Then they mounted up onto their horses and Jasper led the way, riding down on of their trails at a brisk trot. After a while he slowed and Alice caught up to him so they were riding side by side. They rode in amiable silence for a while, Jasper looking ahead and Alice not really noticing the scenery. The air felt nervous, for some reason.
Jasper took a deep breathe and the feeling lessened. "Sorry," he murmured.
"Why?"
"I can manipulate emotion." Jasper said hesitantly. "And feel it."
Alice understood. "I see the future." She replied.
"And what do you see?"
Alice was silent. "What do you want to see?"
Jasper sighed. "Do you like me Alice?"
She glanced at him, that nervous feeling back again, though it seemed more from herself this time, than from Jasper and his power. "Yes." She admitted.
Jasper smiled at her. "That all what I want to know. After all," he paused, "The future can change." (Author: I actually disagree on this point. Ha.)
Alice nodded. "Yes, but there's always something else known as 'fate'. You never know."
Jasper nodded as well, thoughtfully. "Yes, thank you. I would like to spend more time with you and get to know you better. Will you let me know if you have any time?"
Alice smiled. "Of course."
--
End Note: Eh, does anyone believe in love at first sight? I'm not sure. Infatuation perhaps, but I've never experienced anything like that, so I would not have a clue. Notice I said that Jasper asks Alice if she likes him, no deeper. That might appease those who think falling in love needs time and can't be done in a measly Twilight week. They'll have plenty of time with the city ride and such.
I can't think of an ending. Unable to finish off the other story carries off to this side story. I can't sort out all this confusion anymore. xP;
I sign off now.
Leave a review if you can be bothered.