This is a flashback chapter
January 25, 1890
Alois thought long and hard about it. About Hannah.
How could he be so stupid as to get her pregnant?
How was he going to be a father when he was only 15?
How old was Hannah to begin with?
"Pour me more tea." Alois sighed, rubbing his temples.
The day was chilly and rainy. Everything sat still. It was gloomy and quite blue.
Claude moved forward and poured Alois another cup of lemon tea.
Alois took a grateful drink and set the cup down.
Alois glanced out the window into the gloomy world. Oh how he wished he could turn back time and never ever meet Hannah to begin with.
But he couldn't. She was pregnant with his child and he couldn't turn his back to her, to them.
Alois stood and let the shawl around him fall into the chair. He glanced at Claude before walking off.
He needed to see Hannah.
Alois checked the kitchen first, but she wasn't there. He decided to check the foyer but she wasn't there either. When he checked the servants quarters, he found her there in her room.
Her room was a small room with a simple bed, wardrobe and vanity. No special touches or anything.
She lay on the bed, her face in the pillows with only her undergarments on.
Alois knocked the door. "Can I come in?" Alois didn't wait for an answer, he just came right in.
"Please do." Hannah answered softly as she sat up. "I'm sorry I didn't come upstairs lastnight-" Hannah began. Maybe he was here to scold her about it.
But he wasn't. "No, it's okay. You don't have to anymore." Alois took a seat at the edge of the bed and faced her.
Hannah looked down with a solemn look on her face. "Master.." she said softly.
Alois exhaled in a exasperated tone. "I'm tired of you calling me 'Master'. It's annoying." Alois gently smiled. "How about you call me Alois?"
Hannah shook her head. "I..I can't.." She mumbled.
"Of course you can." Alois said "Just replace it with 'Master'. I won't mind."
Hannah inhaled then exhaled, trying to will herself to do it. "I will try my best..Alois.." Hannah said in a shy tone.
"There we go. You'll get used to it." Alois smiled at bit. "How are you feeling?" He asked curiously. "Be honest with me." He added.
Hannah sighed. "I feel like I'm falling and I have to vomit but I cannot." Hannah put a hand over her stomach. "I feel sick."
"Oh. But aren't you a demon? Those things aren't supposed to affect you?" Alois quizzed curiously.
Hannah bit her lip and shook her head. "Pregnancy is something demons don't experience. Usually we turn a unsuspecting human and claim them as our own. Natural pregnancies like this one are rare, for the most part." Hannah glanced at him then back at the bed.
"Oh." Alois moved a bit closer. "May i?" He motioned to her stomach.
Hannah bashfully nodded, moving her own hand away.
Alois placed his hand on her flat lower stomach and pressed a bit, careful not to hurt her.
He closed his eyes and let out a breath.
He tried to imagine the child, their child. What he or she would look like. How they would act. Who would they take after?
"Hannah...do you want to have this baby?" Alois opened his eyes and looked straight into her eyes. "Our baby?"
Hannah took his hand from her stomach and squeezed it. "I could never bring myself to turn my back on my own child, or throw it away for that matter." She gently smiled. "I want this baby as much as you do.."
Alois moved closer and wrapped his arms around Hannah, taking her to the bed. Their eyes locked and everything was still.
At this moment, age or looks didn't matter, circumstances didn't matter, nothing did. All that mattered was them, Hannah and Alois and of course their little one.
Alois locked their lips in a deep a kiss, pulling Hannah closer. Hannah closed her eyes, a silent tear sliding down her face. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him.
'I love you..Alois..'
