Blood for Blood Chapter Five

The Power of Family

Alannah slowly opened her eyes, smiling quietly at the sight that greeted her. Katarina was staring at her, thumb in her mouth. "You wake, Momma?"

Alannah laughed softly. "Yes, little bit. And how long have you been there, might I ask?"

Katarina looked thoughtful. "Very long time, Momma! Almost three minutes." She stood on her tiptoes, trying to peer over Alannah. "Daddy's still sleeping."

Alannah grinned mischievously. "Is he? Why don't you go see if you can wake him?"

Katarina toddled over to the other side of the bed, and leaned in so her face was inches from Stayne's. "Daddy, you wake?"

Stayne yelped in shock, and sat up quickly, banging the back of his head on the headboard. He winced, rubbing the rapidly forming lump. "Katarina! What….what are you doing here?"

Katarina's face screwed up and she began to cry. "I wake and you weren't there. I misseded you, Daddy."

Stayne sighed in understanding, and gestured to Katarina. "C'mon up, little bit. I didn't mean to sound so cross."

Katarina scrambled onto the bed, and sat between her momma and daddy. "Momma, you got anymore hurts?" she asked, concerned. Alannah hugged her.

"No, little bit. But your daddy does. He's got hurts right here"-she pointed at Katarina's heart-"and he needs help fixing them."

Katarina turned to Stayne, and climbed into his lap, hugging him the way only a child can. She gently kissed his cheek. "Will that help fix your hurts, Daddy?"

Stayne gulped, feeling tears in his eyes. "That does help quite a lot, little one. Thank you." He looked over at Alannah, and held his hand out. She grabbed it, linking their fingers together.

"Thank you." He whispered hoarsely.

Alannah smiled. "No, thank you. Thank you, Ilosivic."

Stayne pulled her into an embrace. "Alannah, have I ever told you how amazing you are?"

"Why yes. I do believe that you have. Of course, I don't mind hearing it again."

Stayne gazed at the wall, gathering his thoughts. "You both are amazing. I still wonder sometimes if I'm dreaming. For someone like me to have such a wonderful wife and daughter is still a constant source of amazement."

Alannah kissed him. "Ilosivic, you are a wonderful father. Katarina adores the ground you walk on."

Katarina nodded. "Love Daddy."

Stayne looked at Alannah, and sighed. "I was so thrilled when I found out you were pregnant. But I was also terrified. I didn't exactly have a loving family growing up. I kept thinking 'What if I turn out like my slurvish father?' He never once showed any interest in me-in his son. The only things that he cared about were his 'standing' in the Red Court. Come to think of it, that's all my mother cared about as well. Power." He laughed bitterly. "No wonder I was so easily swayed by Iracebeth. I must have inherited my love of power from my parents."

Alannah frowned at him. "I thought it was because you didn't want to be executed."

Stayne nodded. "Well, that was a large factor. But as much as I try, I can't lie to myself and say I didn't enjoy being in such a powerful position. I was almost drunk with it. But then came the Frabjous Day, and my Exile-and I realized how little my power actually meant. I was at the mercy of no one, chained to a woman I despised, and a fugitive. I would have traded all the so called 'power' I had for a handcuff key. Of course, it turned out I didn't need one. I was set free by this lovely young woman, and I've been in her power ever since."

Alannah grinned. "You know, I seem to remember that day as well. The young woman must have seen something about you that she trusted. Maybe it was the fact that you looked so vulnerable and defeated, but were bearing your burden with dignity."

Stayne laughed. "You should have seen me a few moments before. I was ready to kill the bloody big head. She just kept yammering. 'You tried to kill me!' I had to remind her-rather forcefully-that she had no more power left. She didn't take it too well."

Alannah giggled. "I'd imagine not. Power was the only thing that mattered to her."

Stayne sighed. "You could not be more correct. But the type of power she wanted-and the type she had-it would have eventually destroyed Underland beyond repair."

Alannah nodded sadly. "That would have been a great tragedy."

"Momma?" Katarina looked up at Alannah, curious. "Who's the bloody big head?"

Alannah mock glared at Stayne. "Just some one your daddy used to work for before he knew me. Nobody for you to worry about."

"OK. What's slurfish mean?" Katarina asked. Alannah's eyes widened.

"Umm…I'll tell you when you're older. MUCH older. And it's pronounced slurvish."

Stayne mock glared at her. "You may as well start teaching her Outlandish now. Time knows you speak it fluently."

Alannah smirked, letting her eyes darken to red and her voice take on a dark Irish brogue. "Aye, I speak that language. It's no hard tae learn, after all. Ye have tae admit, it's quite a diff'rent language. Don't you agree, Ilosivic?"

Stayne gulped. "Yes. Very different." He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "If our daughter weren't here…" Alannah blushed deeply.

"Ilosivic! Behave yourself!" She hissed, embarrassed. Katarina was snuggling up against her. She looked up at her. "Is Daddy being bad?"

Alannah glared at Stayne, who smirked deeply at her. "Daddy is being himself. He needs to behave himself while you are here otherwise momma will make him clean the cottage for a month."

Stayne grinned. "I promise to be good while Katarina is here." He leaned in, and spoke in a low voice to Alannah. "Of course, I make no promise for when she isn't here."

Alannah quietly groaned. "You are impossible, Ilosivic Stayne. You know that, right?"

Stayne nodded. "I know. But you still love me. The impossible…the…." He suddenly sighed. "I'm sorry." He looked at her, a solemn expression on his face. "Alannah, I'm scared. What if I become like Thackery?"

Alannah reached out and touched his cheek, and he immediately placed his hand over hers, closing his eye and sighing softly. "You won't, Ilosivic. I won't let you."

"Alannah, if anything else happens to you-I will. I don't think I'd be strong enough to go on alone." He whispered.

Alannah embraced him. "You will never be alone. I swear by Time that nothing more will happen to us. Whatever obstacles have been placed in our way, whatever trials and tribulations we have been forced to confront, we have overcome. There's more than one type of power, you know-and the power of family is one of the strongest and truest there is. We will never be alone. Ever."

Mirana found them hours later wrapped up in each others arms, Katarina between them. She smiled, and quietly left the room, shutting the door softly behind her.

They slept peacefully, content and secure in the knowledge that they would be together until the end of Underland-and beyond.

Author's Note-I know, the ending is rather cheesy. But what can I say? I like being cheesy every now and then.