Roses Under Cypresses
Chapter 17
Hannibal felt nothing but a pang of disappoint strike him. For once he would have liked to have been proven wrong with Alana. She had the gumption to stand up for what she believed in. She was resourceful, determined and had a good head on her shoulders, but she never reached out to claim what she wanted. She always waited for someone else to make the move – namely him and Will – afraid to claim what was hers for the taking. Not that he was hers, neither was Will, but she'd never end up happy in life if she did not reach out and take what she wanted. Which was odd, considering she championed everyone else, defended them to the last. Bright and compassionate, but ultimately just as afraid as everyone else while showing off a core of steel that was never used for herself. He couldn't help but wonder what could bring it out in her. He'd seen the worst and best of humanity, and Alana was no different to them. The right set of circumstances could change someone entirely.
"No, Alana, you are perfect like always," Hannibal said, calmly and concisely, as always there was no inflection in his voice. He was not going to give any excuse to Alana for breaking up, he did not feel the need to do so. The pathetic excuses of 'It's me not you' or anything maudlin like that. He wasn't about to lie, not even to make this more bearable for Alana.
"Exactly, we're perfect together!" Alana raised her voice slightly, passion laced her voice, "Delicious dinners, great conversations and…amazing sex. Every moment we're together is perfect." She just didn't understand where this was coming from, they were a perfect couple. The best she had ever had, if she was honest with herself. She wanted to crawl into herself at the thought of yet another relationship just gone, for reasons beyond her understanding.
"We shared a moment together, Alana, but it was just a moment, I did not promise you a future." Hannibal informed her, and that was the truth. If Alana had envisioned a future, then that was entirely her doing. He couldn't help but be curious to know what she'd imagined. Only out of pure curiosity, something maudlin for sure, two children in a quaint little house with a dog called 'Apple sauce' it made him want to shudder in revulsion. Frowning a little at the language, especially when there was a child in his home.
Luckily sound did not and could not carry. He had ensured that his home was perfectly soundproof. Given the…activities he liked to participate in his basement it had been a must. The last thing he wanted was attention drawn to his home if someone passing just happened to overhear the piercing terrified screams of his swine. Sure, the police would be welcomed in and find nothing, but it would remain, and he couldn't have that now could he.
Alana stepped back, aghast by the way her boyfriend was acting. His calm, callous responses, they were tearing her apart. How could he stand there as if she meant nothing? As if all the time they'd spent in each other's arms was insignificant? All the conversations, the closeness, the happiness? She was so, so confused. Given how busy he was, surely, he hadn't met someone else? "A MOMENT?!" Alana shouted, not quite shrieking incoherently, but really angry by what she was hearing. "That's what our relationship is to you? A moment?!" grasping the full glass of wine and drinking it down, closing her eyes attempting to calm herself down. To not say anything she may regret, what vexed her all the more was the fact Hannibal was so unbelievably calm.
Lips pursed in a determined, yet grim line, Alana opened her eyes, ready to fight for Hannibal. She wasn't sure why he was being this way, but she felt sure it was something that Hannibal felt he had to do, had to but did not want to. Nothing else would explain his sudden shift, the last even they had together…well, it left her feeling rather hot under the collar. She wouldn't mind a repeat, let's put it that way, and she'd had such a wonderful sleep afterwards, and woke up eight hours later, well rested in Hannibal's arms.
Only to find that Hannibal was not there, much to her bewilderment.
Alana's jaw dropped in sheer incredulity, never before had she seen Hannibal acting so rudely. It was one thing breaking up with her, it was another thing entirely to just completely disregard her, leaving her alone in his kitchen. What on earth was getting into Hannibal? He was not acting like himself…was he being threatened? Had something happened at work? She hadn't heard anything, Jack knew they were together, and would have likely told her.
She took off in the direction of the living room, only to find that he was most definitely not there. The fireplace lit; warmth suffused the house. The thick luxurious carpets probably helped keep the heat in, despite how tall the rooms were. Where on earth had Hannibal gone? He hadn't even excused himself, in her tight clad feet, she made her way out of the living room and swiftly begun to make her way up the stairs.
That's when she heard talking, it was whispered words, she couldn't quite hear what they were saying. He had gone up the stairs? Was someone there? Had he met someone else? Seething red fury descended upon her, as she marched up the stairs, any gentility gone, facing that green eyed monster that made the saying 'like a woman scorned' as it were. Not even Alana was impervious to such feelings, regardless of her profession.
Alana didn't exactly barge into the room, but it was a near thing, the door thumped against the bedside cabinet that was filled with all sorts of medical supplies at the moment and a jug and glasses of water, with ice floating around in it. Hannibal intended on keeping Mischa well hydrated, since she wouldn't be on the IV forever, they needed to be careful, she was still young, she could pull it out at any given time.
She gasped, loudly, backing up against the wall, staring at the child that couldn't be more than four or five years old surely.
Hannibal turned to stare at her, deeply unimpressed, a thin layer of his person suit vanishing in his ire. Fortunately, he had far better control than most when it came to his emotions. Thus, he did not show Alana the real monster that lay underneath. For if she had glimpsed it, she would have died a horrible painful death. Hannibal wouldn't have even made her into a tableau. No, she would have gently disappeared into the night, Hannibal would never risk actually making a tableau of someone he knew. For he knew attention followed the people the victims knew, and he did not want to have care as he went about his business.
That and Will cared about her. Killing Abigail was pushing it, killing Alana too…was likely a step too far.
Or more accurately to say, was the Will he used to know did.
"Who is that?" Alana asked, before she could crane her head to see the child better, Hannibal was guiding her from the room. Hannibal ungracefully 'oofing' as he propelled them before he seemed to return to the bedroom. As the child spoke in another language. "Hanibalai, neik. Likti.
Hannibal felt his back, where the scorched material lay covering his back. His return to the bedroom had been anything but graceful or natural. He was barely able to cover up his surprise, but he was deeply, deeply unsettled by what happened. "You had no right coming up here," Hannibal declared, still annoyed by her actions, more so because he should have predicted it. Gently and subtly attempting to leave the bedroom, and it was as if an invisible shield was preventing his movements. He could not get his foot passed at all.
Magic.
Of course, what was it, that Mischa had said before he was propelled back in? Hannibal, don't leave. Stay. His brows furrowed, showcasing his deep in thought, of course, Mischa was a witch. It was a good job he had no intentions of allowing her to attend school, substandard education schools were. Tutors however, focused entirely on one person and it allowed that person to thrive in a way a school environment wouldn't. Although, social interaction was a vital part of growing up, but sine Mischa couldn't speak English anyway, not yet, it would be some time before he had to even think about it.
"Who is she?" Alana asked, naturally unaware of how sick the child was, except for the presence of the IV which she had seen. "Why is she here? Where's her mother?" demanding answers, was this the reason Hannibal was distancing from her? The child? had he just found out that the sick poor girl was his daughter? Or had he always known? If so, why hadn't he said anything? It was fine when he and she were just friends…but as partners? She had a right to know.
Hannibal didn't stop the frown at the barrage of personal questions being shot at him by his ex. How extremely rude, not only following him up the stairs, but making her way unaccompanied into a room she's never accessed before. Only to rudely demand to know things when she was no longer part of his life. "Alana, I'm asking you politely to leave, immediately." He wasn't going to leave the room to ensure she did, which left him in a bit of a situation.
Luckily, he had his cell phone on him, he had been about to make a call before Alana came, and thus he'd slid his phone into his pocket. He would need to call Potter and get this situation seen to, immediately. He couldn't very well, return to work like this.
The kind of powers his sister had were beginning to be comprehended by Hannibal who was almost in a state of disbelief over her capabilities. She was asleep, but somehow keeping him confined to the room with just a few words? She'd demanded he stay so here he was…forced to stay.
She was going to be a powerful woman, when fully grown, and Hannibal could just see it. it was an image he placed delicately in his mind palace. Allowing the distraction, Alana wasn't a threat to him, never would be. Well, no physical threat, but he could see her going to the authorities if he didn't assuage her of any concern for Mischa. He was beginning to realize, seeing the very real, and very genuine concern, and that was without her seeing Mischa in her entirety.
If she did, he knew he would have a far greater fight on his hand, luckily though, nobody could be able to force Mischa into the hospital. It would still be an imposition he didn't want forced upon himself. Especially seeing as he couldn't move out of the room right now. How could he continue this? battle against something he could not fight against, see or remove? Surely, he wasn't the first person to raise a child with magical powers?
"Where are her parents?" Alana belatedly asked, that little girl had the blondest hair she'd ever seen, she was a beautiful little thing. Hannibal wasn't one for flings, he'd said so himself, had he kidnapped a child to protect her from neglectful and abusive parents? "Hannibal what have you done? I have to do this, please forgive me," fishing out her phone ready to call the appropriate authorities.
For the briefest moment, Hannibal thought about letting her, it wasn't as if he didn't have everything he needed. Or snapping her neck. He trusted what Harry Potter said to be true. That the identification he'd sent for Mischa would stand the test of all scrutiny. In fact, he mused, he would have actually let her do so, but unfortunately, he was well aware of his current predicament.
He couldn't leave the bedroom.
"Alana, do I strike you as someone who would break the law?" he chided her like an errant child. Even Mischa wouldn't be so stupid as to think such a thing of him. "Let alone break the law and be stupid enough to bring the evidence into my own home?" he did do that, on a regular basis, but he also cleaned up very well, and left not a single trace behind. She didn't need to know that of course, but he continued to stare at her in silent condemnation.
Alana stared at Hannibal, just an edge away from being a full out glare. Pompous and self-righteous, the desire to do the right thing written across her face. Hannibal was making sense, she knew that, but he had to be up to something if he was breaking up with her. It made sense that he was up to something and didn't want her getting caught up in it. "Isn't that why you're determined to keep me at arm's length?" a little bit of vulnerability bleeding through, now that her pious actions were seen for what they were. For naught.
"No." Hannibal stated, as always not censoring the truth to spare feelings. Alana should have left when she had the opportunity, not run upstairs after him looking to make this go away. She knew he did not say things he didn't mean, and did not soften the blow. It's perhaps why they had gotten on so well, for Alana hadn't been one for beating around the bush either.
Alana took another step back, closer towards the stairs, perhaps now she'd leave.
"The child?" Alana straightened up, refusing to leave without answers, or she truly would get the authorities involved, she couldn't allow this to continue. She knew Hannibal was up to something, he had to be, there was no other reason why Hannibal would just out of the blue, after radio silence – for the most part – decide to break up. There was usually a lead up to breaking up, or a reason, Hannibal wasn't giving either.
Hannibal licked the back of his teeth, contemplating the best way to get rid of her. It seemed no matter what he did, Alana was determined to remain and annoy him with her presence. He had not thought he'd regret becoming her partner let alone so soon. He had thought she was slink away and lick her wounds, make a few fumbling attempts at reconciliation. He hadn't expected her to fight quite so enthusiastically. Perhaps he was slightly surprised, even if she had been behaving abhorrently rude.
"She's my…daughter," Hannibal said, the pause barely discernible. The automatic response to call her his sister – even after all these years – so strong. To call her his daughter was going to take some time and effort. Let's not mention how it was going to confuse Mischa. She was a girl out of time, and to be expected to call her brother her father was not going to be an easy ordeal for Mischa to overcome. Then there was the fact he looked like their father, and grandfather and every Lecter male before him.
He prayed she did not remember too much of what happened – her death – at the hands of those soldiers.
"Your what?" Alana called out loudly, stilling at the look on Hannibal's face, as another layer of his person suit becomes frayed at the seams.
Her loudness had startled Mischa, but Hannibal was pleased to note that despite it, she was sleeping again. She was used to it really, sleeping through noise. Their parents had loved to host dinner parties and galas and dances before their world dimmed entirely. Mischa was more used to him than their parents, he'd been a parent to her long before their deaths.
"She's my daughter," Hannibal echoed, displeased that the first person he revealed this to was Alana of all people. Then again, Will would know the real truth, along with Harry. It would just have to satisfy him, he guessed, and of course, giving proper introductions to the ladies in high society.
Mischa was going to put them all to shame.
"Why are you keeping her a secret?" Alana argued, as if suspecting that Mischa wasn't his daughter. As if suspecting something nefarious, once again under the belief that Hannibal wouldn't be breaking up with her if it wasn't.
Hannibal outwardly frowned, showing how rude he was finding her behaviour. Ironically enough, he had 'frowned' more today than he ever had when it came to Alana's behaviour. She had always been polite, courteous and always considerate of others. "Her mother passed away." Giving no further background, he would need to come up with something naturally.
Alana's eyes coated with a sheen of tears, sympathetic and filled with woe for a child she did not know. She did feel a smidge of relief, that there was nobody else that could vie for Hannibal's attention. To have had a child with this mysterious woman, there must have been an unbelievable amount of trust. "Did you know about her?" she asked, traitorous tears and betrayal gleaming in her eyes, desperately needing the answer to be no. "About your daughter?" she clarified.
Hannibal knew a 'no' would help Alana feel better, the curious part of him wanted to say yes, just to see her crumble further. Both had their pros and cons, on one hand, a no, would send her off feeling better…a yes, would turn her even more problematic. At least he was assuming so. Today was beginning to feel odd, to say the least, he'd never been so indecisive in his life.
"Yes," Hannibal declared, his maroon eyes watching her crumble with the monster in him salivating over the mental anguish he was causing her. He was not going to pretend he didn't know Mischa; she was the most important person in his entire life. He was not going to pretend he hadn't been in her life, even if it meant lying a little about which decade it had happened in and what age they'd been.
Alana pressed her hand over her mouth, "How could you? I understand when it was just a mentorship, but has our friendship…our relationship meant so little to you?" devastation consumed Alana whole. The sheer heartache that Hannibal was perpetrating on her, made her feel as though her heart was being crushed carelessly and without an ounce of pity.
"Alana, we both enjoyed our time together," Hannibal explained, actually feeling exasperated despite enjoying her tears. "We did not share everything in our lives, neither of us." giving her a pointed look, knowing a few of her secrets she was keeping.
"But a child?" Alana choked out, "You kept your daughter from me? She will need a mother." Pointing out something unexpected, and Hannibal looked clearly taken aback.
Hannibal felt utterly bewildered by the turn the conversation had taken. It was his experience that most people did not want children that weren't their own. Usually demanding that they be sent away, adopted or just plain ignored. He'd seen it happen, heard of it happening. She could not be implying they stay together and raise Mischa? The only person he could truly see that happening with was Will. "I did." He offered up no explanation, "Please, let me spend time with my daughter, neither of us are fit company at the present moment." Trying politely to extradite her from his love life, although he doubted very much, she'd want anything to do with him in social setting anymore. Oh, well, he would survive.
Alana swallowed thickly, head inclined to the side, in an attempt to stop Hannibal seeing the tears. "Excuse me," she managed to rasp out, destroyed by Hannibal's utter disregard of her. She'd envisioned a future with him…and he…why, he didn't seem to care at all. Had he always been that way or was it just something she was only getting to see now? Perhaps it was all her imagining, Hannibal had always been difficult to read.
Hannibal relaxed, following just as far as he was able, watching her descend the stairs. Soon she was entirely out of sight, but his ears picked up where his sight trailed off. He heard the sound of quiet thumping of shoes on the tiles, as Alana retrieved and put on her footwear that he asks anyone coming to his home to remove them. Then the even quieter snick of the door closing behind her.
He tried to move again, only to find himself manoeuvred right back, now that he was alone, Hannibal found himself utterly enamoured and curious. He had not felt this kind of surge of excitement in decades. Will was a different kind of excitement. This was the realization he was going to find out about a whole other world. Excitement with the likes he'd never experienced before swarmed through him.
One touch to his pants pocket had his eyes widening just so, realizing that he did not have his phone as he first presumed. He closed his eyes recalling he'd put it on the counter whilst on the way to answer the door. Pursing his lips, realizing the problematic predicament he was in.
A few more attempts to remove himself from the room, which proved futile, he glanced at Mischa and his maroon eyes lit up. Nobody could accuse Hannibal of being slow on the uptake, in fact, he was vastly intelligent, and had known more than three languages by the time he was eight-years-old. Due to his father's silent curiosities, something Hannibal had as well, but more geared towards watching fear than curiosity.
Lifting Mischa from the bed, a memory emerged from his mind palace, of him excavating the lodge. Of finding Mischa's body and giving her a proper burial. He still did that, still ate her, yet she was safe in his arms. His maroon eyes darkened considerably as he thought on it. It was a good job those who had taken any part in it were dead. Otherwise, Hannibal wouldn't have borne them breathing for a single second more now he had his Mischa with him.
Well, moment of truth, Hannibal held his breath, as his foot shuffled closer to where he'd been denied exit dozens of times previously. Smug satisfaction consumed him, he was correct then, he had to be within a certain radius from Mischa or the magic propels him back.
Well, it was the perfect excuse to see Will, even if only second hand and to make things better? He still had Silkie Chicken Broth; he was sure Will would love it.
He may not have engineered it, but still, things always worked out well in his favour.
It was good when things came together so spectacularly.
A/n – there we go! Another chapter I hope you enjoyed it 😊 not sure if Alana is in character or not but hey it's a story not the series although I do like to keep them as in character as possible 😉 I wasn't sure whether to make Mischa have magic happen so soon but I thought meh who cares? This is the way the muse sees it happening 😉 I'm really beginning to get into this story, I had feared for a brief time bringing Mischa into it would complicate matters…but I think it might actually help the plot along *smug grin* haha anyway thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews and I promise, that this story has not been abandoned, any of my stories that do get abandoned have ABANDONED put in the summary. I'd never wish for someone to get into any story without knowing what to expect 😊 The reason I'm writing this is because someone feared I may have abandoned it because of the long wait for an update. Know it's not, I just have a lot of stories going at the moment. HAPPY NEW YEAR when the time comes ladies and gents, to family, friends and fur babies and all other pets.