I know it has been a while since I last posted...well anything. Those of you who have read this so far I thank you for your patience and I am glad to say that I am once again writing. There's really no excuse why I haven't other then having school, work and then just being too tired to open the file. I hope those of you waiting for an update on this story won't be disappointed with this next chapter.
•••
Alice ended up traveling on the ship that would take her to the East for almost 6 months, which many of the veteran sailors said usually took about three times longer if one was lucky. They had had favorable winds throughout the entire voyage though with only one minimal squall that had threatened to tear the ship apart.
The waves had buffeted the ship, tossing it from swell to swell as a child tosses a ball. One of the sails had been ripped in two as the crewmen had desperately tried to furl them back up in an attempt to prevent such a thing from happening.
All the passengers had been told to stay in their rooms in relative safety and so they would not hinder the crew as they tried to make sure the ship survived the storm. Alice and all the other passengers were tossed about in their rooms, Alice had never been more frightened in her entire life. This was her first sea voyage and though she had every confidence the crew would keep the ship afloat, she could not help feeling trepidation that she would never set foot on land again. For the entire length of the storm, she tried not to dwell on such things but the more pressing matter of keeping the contents of her stomach where they belonged.
She had curled up on the top of the sheets, trying to convince her mind that the wild rocking was not a force that at any moment could capsize the ship. She had somehow managed to fall into a deep and troubled sleep, plagued with dreams that she could not remember when she woke up. All she was left with was the feeling she was supposed to be somewhere, but not the somewhere where she was now. It was a pull on her very being that became stronger when she was asleep but was still present when she was awake.
When she opened her eyes, she immediately noticed how quiet it was, the waves were no longer crashing against the side making it reverberate through the entire ship. She also noticed that the ship's erratic rocking had ceased, making it much easier for her to stand without the possibility of being thrown every which way.
There was a knock on the door of her cabin and on unsteady legs she went to open it. A tall, rugged man with eyes of deepest green stood in the doorway. When he saw her ragged state, he averted his eyes down, Alice rolled her eyes at this.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"I came to tell you we will be arriving soon."
She couldn't believe what he was telling her, they were at their destination all ready? He saw the bewilderment in her eyes and added, "The storm actually helped speed things along rather then hinder us. It pushed us in the right direction the whole duration."
Alice couldn't believe how lucky she was, she was not comfortable at sea and the shorter the journey the better. That pulling feeling was becoming a nuisance, making her feel like she should conduct what business she needed to and then leave as soon as her responsibilities would allow. She longed for home, wanting nothing more then to walk to grounds of her home and become lost in the beauty of the gardens.
She suppressed the sudden urge to find a ship heading back for England immediately and instead began to get ready to disembark. She put down her feelings as nothing more then wanting to get off the ship and plant her feet on firm ground once again.
When she had packed away all her belongings, one of the crewmembers took them above for her. She followed him up the small flight of stairs that lead to the deck and was thankful that she would not have to worry about traversing something so small at least until she had to go home.
She watched as the men hustled about doing this and that, preparing for the docking in the Hong Kong harbor. Alice felt elation and curiosity fill her at this foreign place that she would call home while she helped to set up trade routes here, fulfilling her father's dream and helping the company all at the same time. Even though she felt nervous, this feeling was drowned out by the others and she knew it would be quite the experience of a lifetime.
What she was met with however was not what she had envisioned this far off place to be. When they finally docked, the smell that greeted her was even worse then that of London and with months of only smelling the fresh ocean air, she had to try very hard to keep the contents of her stomach in her stomach.
She had had grand illusions of what the orient would like, people dressed in fine silk, women with long flowing black hair but this was not the sight that greeted her. Once again her imagination had run off with her and had deluded her. These were the working people like those in England, they had no need and no money for fine silk. Even though her mind told her this, it made her elation deflate and she found herself asking what exactly she was doing here.
The people who saw her walking down the plank of the huge vessel that had brought her here were wondering the same thing. They rarely saw white people dressed in such finery coming off a ship and even when they did it was not young women unaccompanied by a man. This woman must be very brave to be on her own or very foolish.
Alice was thinking the exact same thing when she could hear her name being called from far off, it was so faint that she thought to have imagined it until she heard the same voice calling the same thing again but this time closer. Alice looked around and saw nothing but oriental faces looking at her as if she was the plague incarnate, refusing to meet her gaze and even going so far as to not touch her or her clothes.
Then Alice saw a man waving his hat frantically in the air trying to get someone's attention while simultaneously trying to push the people in his way to the side so he could get through. When he saw Alice looking in his direction he smiled and called her name again.
Alice was confused as to how he could possibly know her name until she remembered this must be the man who was awaiting her arrival. She picked up her skirts and tried to make her way toward him.
He looked relieved when she finally made it over.
"For a moment there I was worried you wouldn't make it over or risk it since you have no idea who I am."
He smiled at her, a genuine smile that even reached his eyes. He was silent for a moment as he looked her over. Alice felt a tad uncomfortable as his gaze drifted all over her body, his look one that she had seen before from other men when ogling women.
"My eyes are up here," Alice said while she pointed to her eyes.
His eyes snapped up, his cheeks becoming red, "Indeed they are."
There was an uncomfortable silence, which Alice filled to the man's great relief.
"I don't think I caught your name…"
"I didn't give it."
Alice looked at him expectantly but when she saw he was not forth coming she asked, "And what, pray tell, is your name?"
"Ah…yes… sorry. I am Lord Drakon. Lord Ascot sent a message ahead of you asking me to retrieve you and your things while you set up the necessary…business routes. I thought he must be mistaken when he said it would be a woman he was sending on such an endeavor."
"And why is that?" Alice asked, barely hiding the contempt she already felt towards this man.
He looked at her as if it was obvious why he thought it was unusual and a blunder to send a woman to do a man's job. Alice just stood there waiting for an answer to her question and Lord Drakon could see she would not be satisfied until she had one. How typical of a woman he thought.
"I thought he was mistaken seeing as you are a woman sent to do a man's job. A job I easily could have managed seeing as the heathens of this country think alike as to the proper place of a woman."
"And my proper place is what exactly? Doing everything a man deems I should simply on the basis that he is a man and I no more then a woman, which therefore makes the opposite sex smarter then me in every respect? I think not."
She did not give him the chance to say anything, even though it was unlikely he would have thought of a response since his expression was one of pure surprise at the audacity of this woman. He had never had any woman speak to him like she just had and he had no idea how to act in the situation since he was used to women who knew their place and stayed in it. He would not enjoy working with this woman one little bit, at that thought he gave an inward moan. He would have to work with a woman. Well things were about to get interesting.
•••
Alice didn't look back to see if he was following her, she rather hoped that he would catch up and show her the way to where ever it was they were meant to go. She had no idea what she was doing, she was just walking away, hoping she had won that small battle of wills with him and he would no longer doubt her abilities. She felt a tap on her shoulder as he finally caught up with her.
He gave her a dashing smile and held out his arm to her, "I believe we got off on the wrong foot. Now, if you don't wish to become lost, I would suggest coming with me."
Alice hesitated at the complete turn around in his attitude, she would have to tread carefully with him.
She linked arms with his and said, "I appreciate it Lord Drakon."
"Come now. If we are to work together we should not be so formal with one another. My name is Braeden."
"Well Braeden, I appreciate your help."
He smiled again and led her through the crowded streets of Hong Kong. It reminded her very much of the crowded and dirty streets of London, and even though the people looked vastly different, they were going about their lives as any Englishmen would. Alice wondered to herself why Lord Drakon had called them heathens.
"What did you have in mind to accomplish exactly?"
Alice looked up at Lord Drakon, Braeden she reminded herself. He was a good head taller then her with crystal blue eyes that held something deep in them that Alice cringed away from. His hair of midnight black was closely cropped to his head but she could tell that if he did let it grow out it would have been curly. She could feel the heat radiating off of him as she continued to hold his arm, she could not remember being so close to a man unaccompanied, but there was a flash of a memory. It was there one second and gone the next of an unusual man who had been very close to her on more then one occasion with no chaperone present. It bothered her that she could not remember fully, it was there just below the surface, it felt like a dream. A dream that she could not remember for the life of her, a dream she desperately wanted to since it came with the feeling that it was important that she recall what had happened in that dream.
She was snapped out of her musings by Lord Drakon gently shaking his arm. He looked down at her with concern evident in his gaze.
"I thought I had lost you to your thoughts for a second…did you have any idea of how to accomplish this feat?"
"I have a vague idea of how to accomplish my goal but I have no idea who to begin with which is where you come in."
"I know of no one who would be willing to go into a venture such as this with a woman. As I said, the people of this country and those who now call this place home have a specific place for women and it is not in business that only men should conduct."
"You're very threatened by me aren't you?"
He looked at her as if she had just spoken to him in a foreign tongue.
"I have no reason to be threatened by a mere woman. Now, I will help you by telling those you wish to be a part of this deal what it is we plan to do. If you so desire you can come up with the proposal that will need to be signed. Everything else should be left to me."
"All I need you to do is point me towards the right people. If those people are not open minded enough to hear the idea from a woman then they are certainly not open minded enough to imagine the scope of this business deal."
He gritted his teeth and tried not to show outwardly how angry he was becoming with this so-called woman who had been dumped in his lap. When he had received that message, he had crumpled it up in anger, hardly believing that Lord Ascot would not trust him enough to go through with this. He had proven himself endlessly over the years in the employ of Lord Ascot and it had been implied that he would one day become an equal partner in the company. Now this woman, who had no right to be involved in economics, had stepped in to take his place, something he would not sit by idly and let happen. He would teach this mere girl what it meant to be a part of a man's world, a world where women were only good for marriage and raising a family.
Barley hiding the contempt and anger he felt he replied, "Very well. But I must warn you, you won't get very far without the assistance I have offered. No man wants to do a business deal with a woman. The deal would be doomed to failure."
"If you say so. Now, where will I be staying?"
She dropped his arm as he began walking again. He hailed a carriage and as Alice climbed into it, he threw her luggage into the back and quickly ascended and sat opposite of her. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked out the window, not making any eye contact with her and obviously wanting to speak to her no more.
Alice knew something like this was bound to happen, people never did like change and for someone like Lord Drakon she was sure it was life altering. In his world, a woman did not dare to dream of what she dreamed, to come all this way alone and to try to do things without the crutch of a man. She was not like most women and from what she had seen she had no wish to be like most women, trapped in a marriage that meant nothing, with a man who only saw her as a way to carry on the family name. In this world, only men amounted to something and Alice thought it was time for that to change. She would show not only the men but the women as well, that women were a force to be reckoned with when given the chance.
But she wanted to get this done quickly. She knew she didn't belong here, she wanted to go home to England. It was like something was pulling her back, calling to her to come home as quickly as possible.
She was starring out at the countryside, not really taking in any details, only seeing a blur of color. The rocking of the carriage was slowly putting her to sleep and she gave into it.
•••
The setting was at once familiar and strange, the trees odd colors, the plants unusual, the creatures similar to real ones and yet different. She walked further into this strange land, looking around her, trying in vain to get her bearings, figure out where she was. The insects buzzed around her head, she swatted them away in annoyance. The more she walked the more she seemed to not go anywhere. She was no closer to anything.
She began to run but still she went nowhere. She could feel eyes on her from every angle, eyes that threatened and adored. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a figure behind a warped tree. The figure saw her looking and immediately sought shelter behind the tree again. She began to walk forwards, actually gaining ground rather then moving nowhere, the tree became bigger with each step. She walked behind the tree but saw no one there.
"Odd…"
She could have sworn there was someone there a moment ago but there wasn't even an indication that anyone had been standing there. She looked up and a few paces away was the figure. She could not make out anything other then the general shape, that he was a man but nothing more. His head hung down, he looked as if he might collapse at any moment and she felt her stomach clench in panic and her heart constrict with fear.
She raced towards him as he began to fall, she caught him and guided him to the ground holding his head in her lap, unconsciously rocking him back and forth and making soothing noises.
He looked up at her, raising his hand to her face, cradling it and wiping away tears she had not realized she had spent.
"Alice…?" the voice that came from his form was weak, broken, no more then a whisper but no less familiar. She knew that voice, it was important, meant so much to her that it hurt.
She cradled his head to her body, continuing her rocking, the tears falling on his head as his hand fell from her face and his breath came out in one last gust.
•••
Alice felt herself being shaken awake. Her eyes flew open, her hands grasping at her now empty lap. The tears still came unbidden, rolling down her cheeks and soaking into her dress, she tried to get her bearings. She realized she was in a carriage, the countryside still passing by in a blur outside the tiny window. Lord Drakon looked at her quizzically while fishing in his coat for a handkerchief which he offered to her. She gladly took it, dabbing at her eyes as her mother had taught her to do. She suddenly found herself thinking why must a lady dab at her eyes? Why don't men ever seem to cry? I'm sure they have reason to sometimes yet they never do.
Lord Drakon cleared his throat. Alice jumped at the small noise, holding out her hand to give his handkerchief back. He declined it with a shake of his head, "You keep it…if it's not too bold may I ask what were you dreaming about to warrant such a reaction?"
She stared at him debating whether or not to tell this man, a stranger, about a dream that felt too personal to even tell her mother if she ever had the inclination to do so.
"That is too bold sir," she looked away from him, out the window trying to make sense of the scenery. He merely looked at this girl who had openly shown her feelings to him even if she had been dreaming. The emotions had played across her face, curiosity, fear, panic and then the tears had started. Whatever she had been dreaming about meant a great deal to her, most likely a suitor back home she was missing. In this he was sure, Alice's heart belonged to someone.
•••
Months passed in which time Alice and Braeden worked together tentatively at first, testing each other's skills. Both of them were impressed with the other. Alice found that all one had to do was prove oneself to Braeden, she had proven herself over and over again as she convinced more and more merchants to sign on with the venture. To Alice's delight Braeden was wrong in the fact that they did not take her seriously, yes it was hard at first but once she started talking business to them in a manner that they had heard no woman speak before they stopped viewing her merely as such.
Braeden was a great help to her, suggesting those who would most likely be open to the idea and not dismiss her and her idea. He accompanied her and helped with the negotiations so every merchant they went to signed on, they were never turned down. Braeden began to seriously look at Alice, at her beauty, her curiosity, her intelligence. She had everything going for her and he began to feel something for her, what he imagined was love.
He had never felt this way about any woman, most of them were mousy, swooning at almost everything. Alice was nothing like them, she was so unique he felt that he could not let her get away. Maybe that was it, he had to have her since she was something new that he had never before experienced, she was an adventure herself and he had every intention of completing it. His parents would not be thrilled at the idea of a rebellious and self thinking daughter in law but as far as they were concerned he would not let them have any say in the matter. They had for years been trying to get him to marry one of the eligible women in the upper class but he had refused all of them, barely even courting them, making the excuse that work was taking up all his time.
But here was a woman who was working side by side with him, something that he had grown to like. She was shrewd, even more so then he was, she had caught some of the merchants trying to go to someone else with the idea and she had called them out on it right away. He respected her as he had no other woman since she would not tolerate anyone's disrespect towards her, mainly for being a woman. He found her so fascinating and he wanted to know more about her, especially who the man was that she often dreamed about.
•••
Alice had begun to enjoy herself even with the constant nagging sensation that she had to go somewhere other then where she was. She had no idea where that somewhere was but it would have to wait until this venture was under way further.
The dream she had experienced in the carriage plagued her every night, making her jolt awake in bed crying and feeling as if she had lost a part of her. Every time she thought she was one step closer to figuring out who he was, she would awake and the feeling of knowing would dissipate.
During the day she was too busy to worry about her nights, Braeden was fast becoming a friend and she wondered what had changed in him to make him so cordial to her. He actually seemed to enjoy working with her now. She knew her part in this venture was coming to an end and that she would soon be going home but she hoped to still be able to keep in contact with him to make sure all was going well. She every confidence that he would make sure everything ran smoothly.
Braeden even began to take her to places when they were not working, they went to the theatre and the many different restaurants. They talked about themselves but she could feel his questions building up to something and one night at dinner the question was finally asked.
It was a beautiful place, the walls decorated with ornate carvings of dragons flying about the room, wings spread, breathing fire. It was crowded but there was plenty of room to maneuver to their table which was right on the edge of the dance floor, a live band playing a waltz.
Alice shuddered at the thought of that day all those months ago at the thought of dancing, a thought that made her think of a party which was meant to be her engagement party. She did not miss that day, the way something so important had not been left up to her, how she had been forced to dance with that man who was meant to be her husband.
Braeden felt her shudder, he looked at her in a questioning way, "Are you cold?"
"No not at all. Just thinking," it was all she said, Braeden mentally shrugged at yet another aspect of her life she would not divulge to him.
Before they reached their table he tugged her out onto the dance floor, she tried not to visibly stiffen but Braeden felt her hesitation but he did not stop their progression towards the dancing couples.
He put her hand in his, put her other hand on his shoulder, then placed his other hand on her waist and began to move along with the other dancers. Alice had never been so close to Braeden before and she felt herself blush, hoping that Braeden would think it nothing more then her growing warm from the dance. He took it to mean that she liked his touch and as women often do, blushed from the feeling.
He led her around the dance floor, picking up pace until he could feel her breathing heavily. He liked the feeling of her pressed against him, he could get used to this. He felt her trying to push him away but he only held onto her tighter, moving her body closer to his, more then was necessary for this particular dance. To Alice's relief the song ended and Braeden let her go though he did so slowly. She clapped along with the rest of the dancers and allowed Braeden to guide her to their table. He held out her chair for her, she sat as he pushed it underneath her and went to his own seat across from her.
As she picked up her menu she noticed that the waiter had left a bottle of red wine, from the taste of it a very expensive wine, Braeden did have good taste in such things and she savored the flavor of it. She picked up her menu and almost immediately he went to what he had been meaning to ask her for quite some time.
"Are you in love with anyone back home? I couldn't help noticing that first day in the carriage…there was love on your face even though there was also fear. Who is it you fear for so much?"
She looked at him in horror, then confusion. Love? Is that what she felt towards that man? Is that why her heart felt like it was breaking in two every time she watched him die?
"I…" she started, "…I'm not sure who it is….his face is always hidden from me…but I have the strange feeling that I know who he is…I just can't place him…"
"And…what do you feel for this unknown man?"
She paused, no longer able to look into his eyes she looked away, there was too much hope in his eyes that it might be him even though it couldn't possibly be him. Why he would ever be in such a world like that? He wouldn't have even been able to think up such a place and she would not place him in such a whimsical scene. Alice now realized just what Braeden was getting at, that he loved her and wanted her.
"Braeden….I like you but as no more then a friend and coworker…I'm sorry if I led you to believe anything other then that…when this venture is further under way I will be returning home…I'm sorry…"
Braeden took a deep breath, "No need to be sorry," a fake smile now gracing his face, it didn't reach his eyes, "Who ever holds your heart is a lucky man indeed." He raised his glass to her almost mockingly, "I wish you all the happiness in the world. May he be the one for you who ever he is."
He raised the glass to his lips and swallowed the rest of the contents in one gulp. There was an audible swallow, a moment of awkward silence until the waiter came over to fill Braeden's glass.
"Leave the bottle."
The waiter did as was instructed while Braeden finished off another glass of the red liquid. He could feel the warmth from it spreading through him, setting his being on fire, making him feel bold.
Alice said nothing, only looked on as he drank glass after glass, the bottle fast becoming empty. She wanted to leave, didn't want to leave him here on his own in such a state but she was getting frightened by the look in his eyes. There was a smirk on his face that she had never seen there before, it was malicious, she could take it no longer.
"I believe you have had more then enough Braeden…"
He cut her off, "Do not dare presume to tell me that I have had enough. I and I alone decide when I have had enough. I'm no where near done."
"Then I will take my leave of you. I will not watch you do this to yourself any longer."
She rose from the table, making to leave, he grabbed her wrist with extreme force, squeezing it until Alice thought it would surely break.
"I did not say you could leave. That's your problem, you don't act like a woman should. I don't know why any man would want you. I don't know why I wanted you. But someone should put you in your rightful place."
"How dare you," she struggled to free her wrist, vaguely aware that the other patrons were looking over at the display he was putting on.
"Let go of me at once!" Through the fog that covered his mind he was able to make out that people were now staring, the waiter was coming towards him to try and intervene. Braeden let go of Alice's wrist, pushing it away with all the strength he could.
"Fine. I'm done with you anyway. Go if you want. I will follow shortly."
Alice turned on her heel and fled the restaurant as fast as she could, leaving Braeden staring after her as well as everyone else. The women did not know what had come over this blonde haired woman to leave in such a fashion, she had broken that poor man's heart. The men thought he had acted too softly towards her and that he should not have let her leave in such a manner.
Braeden looked after Alice with anger and hatred burning in his eyes. He would show her the way the world really worked and where women truly belonged.
•••
Alice arrived back at the house, the butler opened the door looking confused as to why Lord Drakon was not with her. Alice paid no attention to him as she swept past and up the stairs to her room. She slammed the door closed behind her, locking it for good measure.
She heard the bell ring down stairs, the door open, a shout and loud talking. There were feet pounding up the stairs, another shout that sounded like Sir don't and then her doorknob was being turned. When he found that it was locked he began banging on the door.
"You bitch open this door! No one locks doors in this house! No one!"
"My lord you must not…"
"Don't tell me what to do!"
"My lord you will regret this in the morning. You mustn't harm her."
"I will do as I please! That bitch in there needs to be taught a lesson!"
There was more pounding on the door, there was scuffling too, the butler must be trying to use force to subdue Braeden Alice thought. When she heard Braeden shout again it was from further down the hall, he was being dragged away from her door, she sighed in relief. He had just helped her reach her decision of when the best time to leave was, she would not stay here any longer, the venture was far enough on its way to success that it would keep moving that way without her. She would be on the next ship bound for England.
•••
Hope you enjoyed it. I would love to hear any thoughts, complaints, concerns about it thus far. I will try to keep writing and hopefully will post the next chapter soon.