A/N: So here comes the speaking willow. I hope I got the old forms of "thou" and the verbs right. Thankfully, the forms of "thou" are still comparable to the modern-day forms in German. Using them was inspired by my current reading of the book "The Scarlet Letter".
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They moved on until they were only ten yards away from the first trees. Mirana made her horse stop then and Alice followed suit with the Bandersnatch. A stepladder was brought to Bianca so that the queen could dismount. She did so and took a few steps ahead towards the trees where she bowed her head deeply.
Suddenly, Mirana walked to the side of the Bandersnatch where she lifted her right arm up towards Alice.
Thus, Alice moved her leg over the Bandersnatch's spine and slid down his side on her side. She noticed she was too fast for elegantly taking Mirana's hand for a hold. Instead, she landed directly on her feet, but right in front of Mirana and with her left arm slung awkwardly over the taller woman's shoulder as if she was barely holding herself up on her.
Like this, she was now touching Mirana's front and found their faces too close together as they were looking at each other, surprising herself with her accidental position.
Her face was instantly turning crimson.
It wasn't proper and it wasn't appropriate.
Sorry- She tensed her jaws so as to not speak the word.
If it was so socially debatable, then why did she like it so much?
Why did Mirana have to hold her right elbow with her left hand and her back with her right hand so firmly?
Alice didn't like that she felt so breathless and that she had her heart pounding so loudly. She was looking into Mirana's eyes, but couldn't stop her own ones from quickly flicking down to her mouth.
Her lips were so soft, she suddenly thought. How could one not enjoy the sensation?
She knew that a kiss might mean more – but how could it when it was given on an annual rite as part of the procedure?
Alice's mouth twitched briefly into a smile before she became aware of her sad craving.
Mirana took a step back and let her right hand travel up Alice's left arm until she could grasp her wrist and take it off her shoulder. Instead of letting it go, however, she slid her fingers around the wrist and held her hand in hers.
It happened so smoothly that Alice was left staring.
A charming smile greeted her as Mirana lifted their hands back up between them like she had so often on this day.
You are too cunning for your own good, Alice thought.
But Mirana already tugged her on. And like an obedient lamb, she followed without question. Not that she could have voiced it.
They walked on into the forest, and horse as well as Bandersnatch and the entire body of Marmoreals followed along.
Alice was stunned when trees creaked and turned around to look at the intruders, untwisting their stems. Some wiggled their tops, making their leaves rustle. Some rather crooked trees straightened, almost doubling their size.
Had they all been sleeping? It seemed like it.
She had to admit, for a day without speech, their body of creatures was still rather loud because of the sheer amount.
Then Alice saw their eyes. She was transfixed as she spotted the two holes in the first bark. They didn't have eyeballs, but the hollows were moving slightly. Widening and narrowing like eyes would, following their way past the respective tree with a turn of their stem.
The deeper they went in, the darker it was becoming. The mighty crowns of the trees were effectively shading the ground underneath from the still-present sunlight. It was well into the afternoon; but under these trees, it seemed like the verge of dusk.
At least there was no heavy undergrowth.
Step by step, Alice felt overly observed. Who was watching who in this odd landscape? Who was the curious fascination? The more she thought about it, Alice suspected the animals and humans were it.
After all, they had entered the territory of the trees, in masses unnatural in one spot usually. They were dressed artificially, not in their natural state. And despite being communicative, no one breathed a word.
They were the odd attraction.
Mirana squeezed her hand, what made Alice snap her head to her. She was surprised to find herself right next to the queen, brushing against her arm again and again. She suddenly realised she had felt the same touch for quite some time now as she had been lost in thought. Despite the understanding smile, she took a step to the side and cleared her throat.
Alice could have sworn that she saw a twitch in the queen's body to follow her, but instead she tensed to stop herself. Did she only imagine it or did Mirana look disappointed?
Why would she? she chided herself. It had to be her imagination. Mirana was mostly happy since she had the crown back and could act freely as she wanted. She could have whatever she wanted. How could she possibly be disappointed because Alice had put a proper distance between their bodies?
Alice realised how ridiculous her wonderings were.
She shuddered.
She was cold. Apparently, she had subconsciously approached Mirana for her body warmth in this dark spot. The dress she was wearing was thin after all.
She tried to focus on the warmth in Mirana's fingers, but it was a senseless goal. The cold pierced through her body at once, making her shudder and shiver. It didn't help that she was being watched by dozens of eerie eyes. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of eyes overall if she counted those of the humans and animals along.
Mirana tensed briefly in her step before she freed her hand from under Alice's with a flick of her wrist.
It felt as if something essential to her life had been torn from her, drawing a tiny whimper from her throat without comprehension. She hated how vulnerable the cold made one feel.
But she also couldn't understand it as quickly as it happened when Mirana came next to her with her next step and wound her right arm around Alice's right side, trapping her arm under hers. She pulled her decidedly against herself and placed her left hand against Alice's left shoulder.
Oh.
Alice stumbled around, coordinating her steps to Mirana's as their legs were touching like this.
She had to place her left hand on Mirana's lower back in this stuck position.
I hope no one is making a list of my offences against the queen today. It didn't look good for her at all on this day.
But how was Mirana holding her so easily against herself as if she had done it a hundred times already? They usually didn't touch this much-
Oh.
It came to her again and her mood plummeted. She did this every year. She had done it a dozen times. But not with her.
The taller woman was ignorant of her musings, simply looking down at her.
Alice felt like drawing away, but she couldn't.
Mirana furrowed her eyebrows and her right hand moved to the younger one's wrist. Her fingers gently stroked up the skin and disappeared under her sleeve that reached to the middle of her forearm which she squeezed.
"Nh-" Alice groaned with a turn of her head. Shivers of a different kind went up her arm and spine.
Why did Mirana have to keep touching her like this? Why did she have to keep confusing her?
They walked on like this. She was sure that Mirana still looked a lot more elegant than she did, despite both of them being stuck together.
The trees were still taking them in and she knew that behind them everyone could see them like this and consequently watched them as well.
It was embarrassing, but since it didn't seem to be that way for Mirana, she suspected there was no escaping for her too soon.
And it would be a lie if she said it wasn't effective to the cause.
She didn't know how Mirana did it, but she was comfortably warm. In fact, it would be even better if she had more contact to her body. The difference between the coldness and the warmth over her body became even more distinct.
She huffed, letting go of the tension in her body still keeping her mentally at a slight distance from Mirana.
She noticed with shock how her body melted against Mirana's; her left hand clinging to the bodice of her dress for support.
It was no surprise, she told herself. Mirana's bodice was entirely stiff while her own dress was sheer fabric. It was the simplest of physics that her body was the one moulding around the other.
She couldn't stop the automatic wondering in the back of her mind what it would be like without Mirana's dress. A blush on her cheeks was hopefully the only outward indication to her inappropriate thoughts. After a quick glance up, she knew that at least Mirana wasn't seeing it.
She saw an advantage to her position in this procession for once. Being at the utmost front meant no one could see her face so long as she didn't turn it around.
Her pulse quickened again when Mirana's fingers began to caress the skin of her forearm, still under the sleeve. A look at her face told her that it was seemingly absentmindedly, for she kept looking ahead normally, lost in her own thoughts if she had to guess.
Like herself, Mirana tended to show the nuisance from time to time.
Alice tried not to focus on the sensation on her arm, but it was difficult.
They had to have gone a mile already and Alice began to wonder where the Old Willow was standing. A forest could be large.
They went on past willows, oaks, rowan trees.
A breeze picked up and Alice thought she heard soft laughter carried on it between sighs and the rustling of leaves. She shuddered again at the cold temperature it brought.
Mirana pulled her in closer, and more laughter seemed to roll around them. It was almost as if there were whisperings, but they were incomprehensible to Alice. Her head snapped to the side, but she could see nothing and no one.
It was a tad scary, the blonde had to admit.
The squeeze of Mirana's hands made her look back at her. She was greeted by a sympathetic look. Did she hear it as well?
Her head turned ahead and she was positively surprised. There was light. Alice hoped it would be getting warmer.
When they came closer to the spot, Alice saw that it was a clearing. It was perhaps thirty yards large in diameter. Her gaze went around. Was one of these trees the willow they were visiting?
Mirana went on with the same force, so Alice began to suspect that they weren't at their final destination yet. They headed for the row of trees at the end of the clearing, so Alice was rather sure now. A few steps away from the trees, Mirana suddenly let go of her, however. Surprised, Alice looked at the sovereign.
She only gave her an apologetic smile and gestured through the trees. Then she went on.
Wait!-
Suddenly facing the coldness without a warming body beside her, Alice wrapped her arms around herself and brushed her hands up and down them before she followed the platinum blonde.
Behind her, the Bandersnatch groaned. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw him moving through the trees carefully as they were standing so close to each other here.
The horses and humans and other animals didn't seem to struggle as much as he did, but they also weren't as large as he was. Alice gave him an understanding smile. Just like her, he was here for the first time and probably as confused as she was.
She had to be strong for him. No wonder he was acting up when she wasn't giving him a clear direction.
She took a deep breath and focused back on her mission for this day. They were on their way to the peak of this rite. How rude was it of her not to have her thoughts together?
Mirana's horse came closer as she had come to a stop to watch how her own mount was faring. A fair horse's length apart, Bianca stopped. Her head stretched up to look ahead before she took the blonde in and stepped a few times on the spot, not moving on.
Alice looked at her, then it dawned on her and she looked again over her shoulder to look for Mirana this time.
The queen was already a good twenty yards away, and Alice groaned instead of cursing, turning around and jogging after her. She held her willow crown down to her head with her left hand and her skirt up with her right hand.
Trousers were so much better, she thought once more. With a proper set of male attire, she also wouldn't be cold, she was sure. There wouldn't have been a need for her to embarrass herself like that in front of gathered Marmoreal. Held like a little girl in the forests.
Now she didn't mind being held by Mirana, but she didn't want to have such a large audience to it.
What am I thinking? She shook her head as she jumped over a root in the earth.
This is an exception. She won't hold you like that after today.
Sometimes they were temporarily close to each other, physically.
When the evenings became longer and Mirana made her go to her own chambers, ushering her up and accompanying her to make sure she got there safely. Never not touching her one way or another. Leading her by her hand as she had done today, or sometimes with her hand on her back, or patting her cheek in mock to keep her awake.
When they were alone during the day, Mirana always happened to touch her for some reason. Be it some leaf in her hair, an insect on her clothes, or simply because she was passing her rather closely. Yes, Alice was often outside and she never checked if she had collected half the gardens. She had gotten used to the occasional touches, not minding them.
When they fell into a discussion, coiling down into it, sometimes hissing heatedly as it progressed, they always made sure that they were still good afterwards. While Alice usually did so verbally, Mirana couldn't seem to be convinced without at least rubbing her arm good-naturedly. Alice didn't mind.
Now that Alice thought about it, it wasn't so unusual for them to touch.
But not like today, she told herself.
However, there was something that was similar. The tension between them when they were discussing reminded her of the moment Mirana had undressed her and teased her in the bath, now that she thought about it. They had opposing sights, not able to get away from each other for it meant weakness in the moment, so they were burning with their perspective respectively against each other in the hope of convincing the other.
It wasn't equivalent, only similar. But similar still.
The way Mirana cared for her was equivalent. Now that she thought about it, it was Mirana's way to look after her when she had simply acted upon seeing her freezing. She always seemed to be rather perceptive to when Alice was lacking something. Starting on the day she had been in Marmoreal for the first time. It had only taken the platinum blonde a moment to react to Alice's huff at the display of dresses for her to choose from after regaining her original size with the careful question if there was something else she preferred.
Alice finally reached Mirana, slowing down and letting go of her skirt and crown.
The little run had pumped her with energy, and she wanted to direct it back at the other woman. Her current thoughts probably contributed to it. Only, she didn't know how to.
When she was at the same level, Mirana only looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
She smiled apologetically.
When Mirana turned her head back to look ahead, she actually nodded in the direction.
Alice looked as well and was surprised to see the sun freely behind a few rows of trees left. Was this the end of the forest? Where was the willow they had come for?
They walked on and indeed, when she passed the last tree, Alice was blinded by the bright sunlight. She shaded her eyes with her hands.
She was appalled when she actually heard Mirana chuckle softly. She couldn't even glare at her, for her eyes still hadn't adjusted to the light.
It felt unfair to Alice again. She could have shown her the way to this tree before or at the very least a map of the area and indicated their path. Any inhabitant of Marmoreal knew what awaited her when she came to be the maiden for this rite from a previous one.
She wanted to get back at Mirana for laughing at her, so she ran after her, gone again already. The energy from earlier was still bubbling in her, and it was a tough urge when she wasn't allowed to speak. When she was just behind her, she grasped the queen's wrist, raised as always, and skipped ahead to stand in front of her. Her mouth opened to-
Mirana's finger was on her lips before she knew it, her eyes highly alert.
"Banter in our forest? I cannot remember the last time that happened on this day."
Alice froze on the spot, making Mirana stop with her.
A loud bass voice had rumbled from behind Alice. She took in their surroundings from her current position.
Only a few trees were in this area. The sun was shining openly here. When she had run towards Mirana, she had seen that behind the trees which were now behind her was an open field, giving the trees and their roots all the space they required.
The taller woman placed her hands on Alice's elbows and pushed her to the side. She stepped past her and Alice turned in time to see her fall into a graceful curtsey.
It was fascinating to watch as Alice had never seen the queen curtsey.
Still perplexed, Alice looked up at the trees. The first one that immediately drew attention to it was a huge and massive – white willow. Alice's eyes widened. It had to be over twenty-five yards tall. It was as wide as it was tall, and the branches were still dense enough to impress.
It had to be the Old Willow.
Next to it were only rowan trees and noticeably smaller willows.
"Is she all right? She looketh rooted to the ground. Humans do not do this."
Mirana, still in her curtsey, snapped her head to her and raised her eyebrows pointedly.
Alice wasn't sure, but she faced the tree completely and did a curtsey herself, even if rather stiff, hoping that this was what Mirana asked of her.
She was sure that she wasn't dizzy, but the earth seemed to move under her feet, making her sway.
"Hath another year passed already? It doth not feel like it. Yet here ye are gathered, humans and animals of this land. What hath happened?"
Mirana raised from her curtsey and walked over to the willow with purposeful steps.
As she heard once more the rustling of fabric behind her, Alice dared to straighten as well. Her eyes were trained on Mirana and the tree only. To her, she seemed more relaxed in her movements in front of the tree than when she interacted with her court. Even if the latter was behind her watching her.
Seven yards away from the stem, Mirana stopped and worked the right sleeve of her dress up her forearm. Then she lifted her right arm up high above her head.
Alice noticed the supposed eyes of the willow only now. She had been too busy taking in his entire form previously. The hollows in his bark were so much larger than those of his brethren and Alice thought it even scarier. She hoped she wouldn't get nightmares from the impressions in this forest. The mouthless speech of the willow tree was something else she hadn't seen here yet. His voice seemed to come from deep within his stem, resonating through the earth around him. Underland was wondrous and dangerous alike.
The tree seemed to stretch higher with a groan before he leaned down and pointed a single branch out of the others. It approached Mirana's hand and then Alice saw the flexible tip of it winding around her forearm slowly.
Mirana was so small compared to this tree. What was happening? He was talking and even asking questions, but didn't seem to mind that he wasn't getting any answers.
A jerk downwards went through Mirana's right shoulder, but the branch was still tightly around her forearm. Alice's eyes widened when she saw a drop of blood rolling down between two windings of the branch. Without thought, she took a few steps towards Mirana, but then stopped. The other woman didn't struggle against the tree's grip and no one else was moving to help her.
She noticed her own nervous breathing when she turned around to check. Everyone was silently looking on without a wince. Alice looked back to Mirana.
She didn't move, but the willow did after a moment. At first his other branches twitched up lazily. Then his branches shook quickly as if a human shook their head. He seemed to perk up afterwards, straightening slightly with his other branches and his stem. The earth rumbled again, and Alice began to wonder whether he was moving his roots under them. They had to be of enormous size if they reached well to her.
The branch connecting him to Mirana was ever so slowly crawling further up her arm and thus down her body, despite her sleeve starting where it went.
"Oh."
There was a long pause where nothing happened and no one moved.
What were they doing? Had the willow access to Mirana's mind through the branch on her arm? After his question before touching her, it seemed like it.
What was he seeing? What was he learning?
His stem twitched into a straighter position and she thought he was suddenly looking straight at her. It was hard to tell without pupils to indicate the focus of someone's gaze. His branch untwined from Mirana's arm as he kept his stare up.
Alice's eyes immediately flicked to Mirana and she reigned in the urge to run to her. The platinum blonde lowered her arm slowly and stiffly. Was it hurting? Was it numb? Had the tree inflicted more wounds than the one bleeding?
The willow straightened back to his full height and seemed to even lean back for a moment where he simply seemed to keep pondering.
Then he focused back on Mirana.
"Thou hast brought a maiden of thy land, Ruler. Didst thou tell her of this rite? Her who is not from here. Hath she been obedient to the rules?"
The queen was looking steadfastly at the old tree for a long moment. Then she bowed her head to him.
"What sayest thou? Is she pure? Is she innocent?"
Alice was surprised to hear his outdated way of speaking. What had Mirana told her again about his age? Was it a hundred and fifty or two hundred years? She couldn't seem to recall exactly.
Mirana nodded her head once, quickly. She turned towards Alice and held out her left hand to her.
Alice, unsure about whether Mirana was indicating her or asking her to come, hesitantly took a few steps towards the taller woman. When she nodded at her and wiggled her fingers, Alice couldn't retain herself to a slow walk and jogged over to her instead. As soon as she was within reach, she took Mirana's hand. She had never been able not to.
She took a close look at Mirana's face now that she could. But she could find nothing but the gentle smile greeting her.
A wordless rumble resounded around them and Alice looked at the tree to her side.
She was impressed. For some reason, the willow looked even more massive than before now that she stood closer to him. The mighty stem right in front of her with his eyes larger than a foot each, the majestic crown of fresh leaves. When her eyes travelled back down to the deep, dark holes in the bark marking his own, his last words registered with Alice and she was embarrassed, for some reason. She couldn't tell if her cheeks were showing this through the paint on them, but her eyes left his.
Mirana squeezed her hand and led her closer to the tree, bringing her within five yards of the stem, and indicated for a mossy spot on the ground with her free hand.
Alice was reluctant to get even closer, but she guessed she couldn't deny. Now she wasn't entirely sure, but when the queen picked up her skirts with her right hand and slowly lowered herself onto her knees, the girl complied alongside her. The moss was dry, soft, and quickly warm, thankfully.
"Let me make sure."
Alice's eyebrows shot up as she couldn't believe her ears. He wanted to do what exactly?
This wasn't what her being among the sacrifices was for, was it?
Horrified, she looked at Mirana. She would have told her – wouldn't she?
Mirana drew back at first when she looked at her as well. After a moment, her eyebrows rose and she shook her head quickly. Her right hand came up on top of Alice's and squeezed it.
Alice swallowed, praying that it meant what she hoped.
But Mirana was already taking her right hand away and turned her forearm around, offering the inside to the willow.
Alice's eyes fell on it and she was shocked to see the scratches and fine lines of blood on the pale and usually flawless skin.
When she looked back at Mirana, the other woman had her face scrunched up into an apologetic expression and only faintly raised her left shoulder before dropping it again.
The tree leaned down again and came for Mirana's arm with the same branch from before.
He was going to hurt her again? Alice couldn't believe it. It stirred her blood.
She was so focused on Mirana that she didn't notice the branch hovering in front of herself at first. She jerked her head back when she did. It was tentative but expectant, and Alice didn't know what it wanted. No, she did know that; he had just announced it. But where it wanted to go was the question left. She was about to swat it away.
As her left hand moved up to prepare, the branch directly went for her fingers and followed them like a mirror as she lifted and then lowered her hand to get it away.
Her gaze went up to the tree. But there was no expression readable on his seeming face.
Mirana squeezed her right hand, still in hers, and she turned to look at her. The queen lifted her eyebrows and her right arm, with the branch wound around it again. She nodded her head to her arm and then back to her.
Did she have to do the same? It made sense if she had to judge the movement of the branch towards her own arm.
Hesitantly, she stretched her left arm out and turned her palm up.
It didn't take the Old Willow long to touch his second branch to Alice's hand.
At first it wasn't spectacular. The small tip of the branch and the leaves brushed over the back of her hand and around her wrist. The branch snaked up her arm and Alice quickly had to feel herself what caused Mirana's arm to look as it did. Willow branches were flexible, but not meant to be wound as tightly as a wrist.
After the first winding, the branch became thicker and thus stiffer. It pressed into her flesh and the bases of the leaves pressed even deeper, effectively scratching over the skin. The willow didn't seem to be particularly considerate; even when Alice pulled her arm back from the beginning pain, the branch kept crawling up further, already wound securely around her forearm.
Contrary to Mirana's, the sleeve of her dress was loose and the branch on her arm could simply slide under it. She groaned, giving in and letting the willow pull her arm back to where it was before. It actually hurt a little less.
She only noticed now that Mirana had changed the position of her left hand to her right hand – her palm was fully under hers and her fingers were intertwined with her own. She held her hand firmly like this right now.
Her head snapped to Mirana. Was she afraid that she would simply run and thus tried to hold her here with her stronger grip?
Her heart was beating quicker from the adrenaline of the pain and her breathing was more agitated, but her emotions calmed at least slightly when Mirana looked at her. She didn't smile, she didn't frown, she simply looked at her. But she was looking at her. And she held her hand. In a more intimate way than usually.
The tip of the branch actually tickled when it gently touched her elbow. Just like that, it stopped moving. Without the changing movement to distract her, she felt the pressure of the branch uncomfortably against her ulna and radius. Such a tiny branch held so much strength already. It was impressive. But mostly painful.
The fingers of her right hand closed more tightly around Mirana's knuckles as an offset to the pressure on her other side. Mirana took it in her stride, only adjusting her own administered force a bit.
"There is blood on thy hands, Champion."
Shocked, Alice looked down first at their intertwined hands, then at the one in the tree's grip. There was nothing. What was he talking about?
She was looking at the tree, not understanding. She had been bathed – rather embarrassingly under close scrutiny – and not even his vice-like grip currently had drawn blood that would be on her hand.
But then his word of address towards her registered in her mind.
He meant this in the figurative sense, didn't he? After his announcement to check her state of innocence …
"However, thou picked it up to release us all." He seemed to relax, if that was possible for a tree. "We would be decaying like the trees and plants in Crims if it had stayed any longer as it was. So this is why it doth not feel as if Time hath aged a full year." The tree seemed to ponder things.
Time ages? Alice wondered to herself. Something felt off.
"These were dry years. Let us see where it is taking us." He tore himself out of his musings, straightening a bit. "Thou shouldst keep this wanderer of worlds, Ruler. Her heart is here."
Alice was surprised to hear his words. Wanderer of worlds?
While she thought his phrasing about her preferred home curious, she was glad that he was advising Mirana to make her stay. So far, Mirana wasn't looking like it, but what might happen if one day she became tired of her? It broke Alice's heart to even consider it for a second. But she couldn't tell for a sovereign.
Right now, however, Mirana squeezed her hand and lifted it up between them. When Alice turned to look at her, she was instantly trapped by her bright, attentive eyes as she felt her kissing the back of her hand for the second time this day.
Her heart swelled and ached at the same time.
How can I make you be like this to me every day?
The yearning almost erased the joy over the action.
Mirana's breath went over the tiny hairs on her hand and it tickled instantly, quickly propagating down her forearm and then up her upper arm.
Ah-
It seemed to trickle even further within her.
With a steady gaze into her eyes, Alice slowly gripped the hand in hers firmer.
All of a sudden, the willow laughed. It was a loud, booming sound and echoed around. Alice jumped in her skin and turned to him.
"Ah, I understand. Ye two have the same energy about you." The tree seemed to grin, in an old, knowing way. "The old stories still seem to hold true. Yet still thou hast chosen her for this rite." He was addressing Mirana now, seemingly. "Thou art still young yet thou hast never led any of them astray on this day. On the contrary, this one hath tested thee. However, thou hast not touched her in any other way." Now he was taking Alice in with bemusement for a moment before he looked back at Mirana and continued, "Let her be for now. She shall be thine afterwards if she pleaseth."
With furrowed eyebrows, Alice looked from the tree to Mirana next to her. What was he talking about? Did he mean what it seemed to mean this time?
The queen was staring at him with wide eyes, body erect and rigid in her kneeling position. Alice's hand seemingly forgotten in the air between them, but still held firmly.
"Heed her wishes. Thou wouldst prefer to keep a woman happy."
Alice was even more confused. It seemed to be too unambiguous. She couldn't come up with any other meaning for his words.
Could he mean what she thought?
Her head was swirling.
It would be terribly inappropriate of him to speak such words aloud, but if there was a chance that it was true … That his offering her like a good to the queen in front of her court and further subjects meant mutual interest by declaring them to have "the same energy" …
Her heart was beating anxiously, and when she looked back at Mirana, she saw her face and neck burning all of a sudden. She had never seen this happen before and couldn't believe her eyes. She knew that Mirana used powder on her face, so seeing her blush beneath it said a lot about the actual intensity.
She couldn't deny what it did straight to her loins.
So this was the way in which she actually wanted Mirana?
She could hardly confute it after this day.
Did Mirana want her in that way?
Behind her, Alice could hear a few suppressed chuckles and gasps. But she couldn't take her eyes off Mirana in this moment to glance at them. She was too important to her. This moment was too important.
Hesitantly, after what seemed like ages, Mirana turned her head to look at her, stiffly.
Alice's breath caught in her throat.
Mirana looked so upset and unravelled at the same time. Her eyebrows were knitted, her eyes weak and looking at her as if she saw her for the first time. Her mouth was left gaping, and she was clearly thinking heavily.
What was she thinking? What was she pondering?
Alice wanted to hold her and answer every question if it meant she wouldn't leave her.
But both her hands were currently trapped. Perhaps it was for the better.
The Old Willow sighed deeply. "Ah, youth. Now all this talking about war and love hath my roots rather dry. Wouldst thou mind offering me something to drink?"
Love …?
The word echoed in Alice's head.
Love?
This didn't make sense.
Alice wasn't- Alice didn't-
Her eyebrows furrowed and she leaned her head to the side as she took in Mirana.
The queen herself narrowed her eyes, uncertain, and opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. She had her blood back under control already.
"Ah, have I mistaken the date here? Is it not Chargin? Was I meant to get you married? My apologies. I amgetting old after all. I do not seem to recall you coming for preparations, however."
Mirana's eyes widened immediately, with a fire shining in them, and she quickly freed her left hand from Alice's right in the same moment that her head whipped away from her.
Alice's heart tore apart in the tiny second.
She was frozen, not understanding anything. The tree was speaking nonsense and it drove Mirana away from her. She couldn't talk to her, she couldn't ask her, and she didn't dare to search her touch again. She could only swallow the lump in her throat as she sat back on her heels, inexplicably deflated.
"Ye don't seem to know this yourselves."
Mirana's head snapped up at him and she seemed to glare at him for a moment, but after closing her eyes and breathing thoroughly through, she was her composed self again.
Her body was elegantly straightened despite her kneeling position and her left hand came up at the height of her left shoulder. She turned her head to look over it and then moved her fingers for the nobles behind her to come. When she turned her head back to the front, she had it inclined and her eyes down to the ground.
The thumping of her own heart was the only sound in Alice's ears. But she was sure that she didn't imagine the quick flicker of Mirana's eyes up to hers.
Mirana, what did I do? Her mind whimpered. A tree is telling you that I love you, and you believe him without question, only to turn away from me.
She wanted to hold her and explain herself.
Alice jumped in her skin when they were suddenly in the company of the three nobles with the sacrifices; the Marquess of Mews, the Count of Trington, and the Duchess of Verdigrisse. They were surrounded by more men who were actually carrying the containers with the sacrifices.
A man walked ahead, a hoe in his hand. Alice recognized him as the husband of the duchess.
Alice didn't like being so much shorter than the people around them, but she couldn't get up; she knew it even if Mirana hadn't told her. The tree still had his branch around her arm and Mirana was still kneeling as well.
Give me a sign that we're still all right, Alice thought as her head went back to Mirana. I didn't mean to upset you-
After all, now Mirana knew for sure what Alice's reactions to her painting her body meant.
But Mirana kept looking straight ahead. Alice's nerves spiked as her mood dropped.
The blonde took in the nobles and their people around them. They all watched gravely how the Duke of Verdigrisse raised the hoe again and again to let it hack into the ground around the stem of the Old Willow. They were seemingly ignoring the queen and her maiden.
Only the duchess turned around and looked straight at her sovereign at some point. It was a strict and admonishing look.
But Mirana, sensing the gaze on her somehow, was only staring back blankly. Mouth closed without clenched jaws, eyes holding the gaze but not reacting to the challenge. Even on her knees, she was able to be calm around her nobles.
So calm even that her eyes closed – and she began to sing quietly.
On Alice's other side, the same words were suddenly being sung at the same time, however, much louder. Her head jerked around and she saw the young marquess kneeling next to her.
His men walked towards the willow, carrying the horn shavings. His eyes were following them as his mouth formed the words precisely. It was in a strange tongue again. Before they had reached the tree, his eyes flicked to their corners quickly and Alice found him looking back at her. His gaze moved only briefly to the side, and when it was back on her, he seemed to smirk mischievously.
The grin crept into his singing. He only kept up the expression for a few moments, apparently unable to drop the tension in his facial muscles immediately. His face returned smoothly back into its neutral expression and his eyes were directed back ahead as if nothing had happened.
Great, now this was what she got for kneeling in front of a speaking tree.
Alice saw that the men from Mews began strewing the horn shavings onto the ploughed earth. To the side of the white willow, the Duke of Verdigrisse slammed the hoe down and dragged it once more. He took a few more steps to the side and sank to his knees. His head lowered as well and he was breathing visibly from the distance.
Was he all right?
Alice's eyes flickered to the duchess. She seemed untouched, so hopefully her husband was simply done with his work. When Alice used the chance to take another glance at Mirana, she was sad to see no change. Mirana was lost in her own world apparently, with her eyes still closed, her arm still up for the tree, and her voice accompanying the marquess.
When the horn shavings were shed, his men came back, retreating backwards from the Old Willow with their heads down. They went past their little group. Only a few seconds later, the marquess and Mirana came to an end of their song.
It was quiet for about three seconds before Mirana went on quietly and the Count of Trington raised his voice. Alice was impressed by the volume his voice had. He moved and went down on his knee behind Alice and Mirana. His men started towards the tree with their boxes of ashes.
Alice didn't dare to move as he was behind her. She didn't have physical contact to Mirana any more, but she felt still somewhat caught so close to her after the words of the willow about them.
Did they actually mean what they seemed to mean?
Try as she might, she couldn't think of anything else they might possibly mean.
Ashes were strewn in large handfuls onto the earth by the tree.
She focused on the singing to not let her thoughts run her over.
When the boxes containing the ashes were apparently empty, the men returned like the previous ones.
The singing came to an end. Again, there was only a brief pause before Mirana started into the next song. This time, the duchess sang with her, her voice raised for it to be heard everywhere.
As she lowered herself next to Mirana, her husband got up from his knees instead. With the hoe in his hands, he moved the earth around, smoothing what he had upended before.
Their men picked up the vases with the water and went towards the tree.
Everyone knew what to do. Alice admired the routine. She wished she had been better prepared. Then she wouldn't have made an entire fool of herself.
The willow had offered to marry them! She still couldn't believe it.
Her eyes fell to the ground in front of her as her cheeks burned again at the memory.
Why wasn't she as upset as she had been about the prospect of being married to Hamish …?
She was still upset about the sudden mention of herself getting married, but it wasn't because of the person this time.
Love-
Alice closed her eyes, listening to the two women next to her.
She didn't have the urge to run away from Mirana, despite the situation. Oh, on the contrary. She couldn't await the moment when she was finally able to talk to her again, to explain herself and to apologise, asking her to forget everything the willow had spoken so recklessly so that they could be back to how it was before.
… But did she want it to be as it was before?
Her eyes opened and she saw the Duke of Verdigrisse returning to the side of his wife. He knelt next to her, and the duchess immediately looked at him, obviously checking his state. It didn't interfere with her singing at all. In front of them, the water of the Verdigretian springs was poured around the Old Willow.
Not half an hour ago, she had wished for them not to be as they were on other days. She could hardly stand the thought of being back to their "normal" after having had more on this day. But she would be unable to handle a distanced Mirana. She couldn't live like that.
… Love …
She had never been in love with anyone. She didn't know what it felt like. Was this love?
No one had ever allowed her to reach that sentiment for them. She had always been the odd one out. Mirana and her friends had let her. They were all odd as well. Even Mirana was odd in her own way.
The thought made Alice smile. She was the perfect queen in front of her subjects, but when they were alone, Mirana was just a person like her.
She could tell her everything. Mirana never interrupted her or commented on her thoughts being outrageous. What would she say if she told her of her odd sentiments and sensations of this day?
Her head turned to look at the queen.
Her eyes were still closed, and it stung Alice.
She had been so hurt every time she had thought about Mirana having done everything she had done today to other women.
She had never been jealous like that.
She had craved more and more of her touches, never satisfied on this day with anything she had gotten from her. Her lower abdomen was rolling at the possible images. She was already feeling so empty since Mirana had let go of the last of their touches.
Her attention was drawn away as she felt the branch of the willow on her arm recede.
The Verdigretian men were retreating as well.
She could finally lower her arm and felt the pain pulsing at her wrist. She rubbed the spot with her right hand. How was Mirana faring when she had endured even rougher treatment? Alice was back to looking at her.
In the same moment, Mirana and the duchess stopped their singing.
All of a sudden, Mirana got up to her feet, and Alice had to suppress her impulse to grab her wrist and hold her back from going wherever.
As the nobles around her stayed down, she did the same. But her eyes were eagerly following the queen above her.
Her heart ached, and she hated how much she wished for Mirana to finally look at her again.
Instead, the queen suddenly raised her own voice and sang another song. This time, the three nobles sang along quietly.
Mirana took a step ahead and whirled around gracefully, going down on one knee in the same movement.
Alice's heart raced when she found the queen in front of her and looking fiercely into her eyes as her voice carried the unknown melody powerfully.
The impression seemed to prick her all over her body.
Mirana's hands went to the shorter woman's collar, and Alice's thoughts melted into nothingness when her fingers touched her bare skin here and there. They closed around the chain of the necklace at the back of her neck. In this moment, at the soft accidental caress of her skin, Alice felt oddly like offering herself indeed.
Take me or whatever of me you need.
She felt her cheeks warming at the unfamiliar thoughts.
Mirana's eyes widened ever so slightly before she averted them, but they still stayed somewhere lower on her face.
Her fingers undid the clasp and lifted the necklace from her chest. It took all of Alice's willpower not to grasp Mirana's hands and pull her closer.
Still singing, Mirana got up again and Alice followed her movement until her head was tilted back.
She had never knelt in front of Mirana, she realised.
She didn't mind it, she also noticed as she stared deeply into her eyes.
Mirana was her queen now. Yet she had hardly acted like it so far.
Alice didn't completely behave like her subject, and Mirana had never chastised her for it. They were almost always like friends with each other. Like equals.
What a curious notion to have as she knelt in front of her, next to four of her courtiers, and in front of her people.
Love.
The notion hit her again.
What a crazy, mad, wonderful idea.
Mirana turned around and went even closer to the Old Willow. Alice watched her, lost in intangible thoughts.
The tree had revealed and offered her, and it was up to Mirana to show her thoughts on it.
The taller woman stood in front of the tree, having stopped in front of the earth dug over. She threw the necklace on it, close to the stem. Her head went up to look the willow in the eyes. She stayed like this for a moment before she bowed her head and walked away from him backwards.
Her song continued and Alice admired the scene for a change. It was impressive.
Shortly in front of them, Mirana turned back around and walked towards them. Her path stopped in front of Alice, where she lowered both her hands and offered them.
Surprised, Alice placed her hands in them and let herself be pulled to her feet. Her legs were beginning to feel numb from the long kneeling, so she stumbled more than she got up. But Mirana was steadfast, not letting her go anywhere else. When Alice could finally hold her own weight and stood fully in front of the queen, her song ended.
The silence rang, and Alice looked at Mirana, seeing her chest rise and fall from four songs in a row. It was inappropriate, but with the large cleavage of her dress and the tulle for sleeves, Alice couldn't not look at the bare skin.
The four nobles moved to get up as well, and Alice's gaze was quickly back on Mirana's face. She only smiled softly at her.
Mirana let go of her left hand, only holding onto her right one. She moved to stand to Alice's right, facing the Old Willow. When she fell into a curtsey, Alice was quick to follow along this time. The nobles bowed and curtsied respectively, and going by the noise of rustling fabric behind her once more, Alice suspected that everyone else did as well.
"Farewell then."