happilyeverbeginning | Love Will Break The Curse

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Love Will Break The Curse - Alicia & Nicole

Alicia had never believed love existed. It was the stuff of fairy tales, delusions that weaker people believed in. In the end, the only person you really cared about yourself, and you'd give up your "loved one" in order to stay alive. With this state of thought, Alicia ruled with an iron fist, never allowing emotions to sway her way. If the people suffered for it, they would be suicidal to tell her. She had no one, and needed no one.

That was then. Now there was a weakness in her heart, and she had to get rid of it. She had started to care for someone, and cared more about them than her own safety. If this continued, she would lose power, and she couldn't lose it now, not after everything she had lost and sacrificed. That's what she was telling herself, at least.

It was better than the truth - that releasing Nicole would grant the lynx happiness, a life away from Alicia's miserable existence.

Alicia stood at the window as rain began to pour down. She had summoned for Nicole, and waited quietly, hands behind her back. Yes, it would be best to let her go now. Before Alicia starting having those delusions herself, of thinking that Nicole could return the affections of someone so dark and twisted.

"Enter."

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Despite the pouring rain, it didn't seem to dampen the Lynx's spirits. Something wonderful was keeping her mood aloft as she approached the Queen. "Thank you, Mistress." She provided with a bow.

This time, she'd come with a book in tow which she'd retrieved from the far corner of the royal library. Nicole often spent her free time in the library reading of far off places, spells, or even observing maps that could potentially help her learn of surrounding Kingdoms.

"I wanted to share this book I had found with you." She approached Alicia and slipped by her side. "I think that you'd like it." Nicole gave a grin. "It's about an assassin who is known far and wide for her deadly skills and expensive taste in clothing. There are some descriptive battle sequences." In other words, it could remind the Queen of herself.

Alicia said nothing at first, her eyes gazing at Nicole intently. Yes, this was getting to be common now, Nicole doing little things just to see if they would give the Queen happiness. She was a kind girl - too kind for the job she had and the life around her. Alicia didn't take the book.

Her eyes returned to the rain. "There have been very few attempts on my life, as of late." She said coldly. "It appears the fools may have given up on that quest." A beginning of the show that would say Nicole was no longer "needed".

Having her offering of a book all but ignored for 'business at hand' wasn't unusual. The Queen was busy. Often, if she needed something done there was no point in being indirect about it.

But at the words, Nicole's ear twitched. That sentence was as good as a compliment, however indirect. If there was one thing that she knew it was that the Queen didn't give out compliments so easily. Or at all. So what did that mean?

"I do my job the best that I can, Mistress" Nicole responded as she toiled over the words. If there hadn't been any attempts on her life and The Queen thought that it was important enough to bring to her attention then...

Then it clicked. Witha horrible twist in her stomach she asked, "Does this mean I am no longer wanted?"

"You are no longer needed." That was the key word there. She carefully chose not to use "wanted", because if she had, that would've been a lie. Nicole was wanted, very deeply, and in many ways. Alicia refused to look at her.

"But you will be paid for your services, and I can send you to anywhere you wish in the world. Nothing is out of my reach. And you can take anything you desire with you."

Wanted. Nicole blinked. She generally went along with orders--which made her the ideal servant for the queen--but this just didn't seem ...normal. First, that she would be dismissed with a compliment, and that she would be offered anything at all for her troubles. Not that the Queen was heartless but it just seemed so unnecessary...

After a long shocked pause, Nicole's face turned determined. "What I desire is a clear answer." She motioned a hand. "If there had been fewer attempts on your life now, it doesn't mean that there would be none in the foreseeable future. My job should shift to finding potential threats in order to keep you safe for the future."

She looked down, "Either you've replaced with something more skilled or I have done something wrong that is worthy of dismissal." Neither was a good scenario. "So.. I acknowledge your offer to leave, but I refuse, Mistress. It is my duty to keep you safe and I won't abandon that duty under any circumstance."

Alicia seemed to clench up, her hands tightening up. "You seem to forget who is in charge around here. I give orders. You do not."

Now she finally looked the lynx right in the eyes, trying to summon up as much fire in her expression as possible. Maybe a good dose of fear and anger would frighten her servant into acceptance.

"You are my servant, and so you will obey my commands. Your duty only exists because I gave it to you, and it is within my power to take it away. You are testing my patience and what little charity I believe in. Don't test it any further, unless you wish to suffer the consequences."

"You gave me the order to protect you at all costs; I'm doing what you ordered me to do." Her tone had changed to something that skirted the line of informality. Yes, citing the previous order was a technicality, but Nicole had to wonder if this was some sort of test of her loyalty? Was the Queen slipping in her judgment?

"I acknowledge your order, Mistress, and I politely decline. I will not leave today as I will not abandon my Mistress nor my dear friend."

In a sudden moment, Alicia snatched Nicole's wrist, letting the book fall to the floor. "What deluded you into thinking we were friends?" She hissed. "I have no friends! That's a concept I've not allowed to have! You are nothing but a servant, and now an impudent one!" Her grip tightened.

"I am no longer your mistress!"

Her eyes widened at the snap of pain in her wrist, but she didn't let her determination waver. "Impudence keeps you alive, perhaps I'm just learning from the best on how to use it to my advantage!" She snapped, despite being in the least advantageous situation of the two of them. Nicole hadn't lived with Queen Alicia for so long without gleaning some of her steely attitude.

Honestly! What was she thinking? With this behavior, maybe she was going mad. Nicole knew how deep the insecurity with her mistress could go on the matter of trust.

"If you truly wanted me gone, you would kill me where I stand since I know so many of your secrets." She narrowed her eyes. "So do it. Kill me if I'm so unimportant to you. It's the only way I will leave."

Alicia made a startled noise in her throat. Once again, she underestimated Nicole - or perhaps overestimated herself. After a long, tense moment, she shoved Nicole away and let go of her wrist, turning away. "I could make life hell for you," She warned - but again, another noticeable word change. Could, not would. "I could have you tortured every day, take away all your nice clothes, make you worms and dirt for your meals! It's all within my power. Do you really desire to suffer that much, by staying at my side?"

Damn it all. Surely deep down, Nicole wanted to leave. Happiness couldn't be found when you lived in this place, when you lived with Alicia.

"Surely, if I ask the townspeople, they would think that you do most of those things already." She remarked offhandedly as she knelt down to retrieve her book. And perhaps the Queen might actually do the rest of the things on that list if her pride were significantly damaged. It wasn't something she doubted.

"I've slain others on your behalf. I've thrown some in jail and tossed the key. The day I did those things, I resigned myself from any other life. If I leave now, I would have all of those things waiting for me from your enemies that would seek information out of me." Her expression stiffened in an effort to keep it even. She'd sobbed the first time she had to kill someone; It was hard to think about that even now.

"If you decide to make my life hell, then I'll learn to use hellfire as a weapon."

Alicia trembled where she was. Maybe if she kicked Nicole now as she bent down, she'd get the message - but now Alicia was understanding mere physical punishment wouldn't be enough. Her anger bubbled up, and when Nicole was up, Alicia's hand thrust out to grab her neck - not to strangle her, but let her know the grip was there.

"What's in this for you?" She hissed. "The money, the treasures, the power? What keeps you here in this underworld of sin? There's nothing good that can grow here!"

A pause. Though she would never put a professional partnership in jeopardy for the sake of her own feelings, this had already spiraled out of control. They had gone beyond their comfortable professionalism and were in unfamiliar territory.

"You." She said sternly. "You give me purpose, Acknowledged me as valuable, gave me clothes and shelter, and taught me everything I know. If I were to lose you..." She began to feel a crushing pain in her throat. "I would lose my purpose in being. That is a fate worse than any hell you can conjure."

"Anyone could give you that." Alicia's grip weakened but didn't leave. "There are others who can give you pretty things and ask for your protection! Others who are better than I am!"

This had to be serious if she was actually insulting herself. "You think I don't know what I am? I know exactly. I am a weed that chokes the life out of everything beautiful in order to stay alive, and that's what's going to happen to you if you stay here!"

She gave a laugh, a sincere laugh from the bottom of her belly. "You're admitting that there is someone out there who's better?" She breathed in, but her breath cut short once she stopped to put the details together.

The Queen hadn't found a replacement, The Queen wasn't going to kill her, and she was letting her go with no strings attached when better judgment would clearly dictate otherwise. Such irrational actions and foolish...sentiments...

"By the gods.....You care." Then why did she sound so surprised?

Alicia's hand whipped away, and in seconds it seemed as if she was going to slap Nicole's face with the back of her hand. But her hand stopped mere inches from Nicole's face. Her nostrils were flared, breathing hard.

"Shut up." She hissed, not wanting to admit Nicole was right. "Don't say another word."

Maybe a smack would've done Nicole some good to work her out of the shocked stupor that took hold for the next few moments. She.. She was.. right. She cared.

...What?

Nicole blinked. And then she blinked again.

"Is...caring such a bad thing?" She understood that a lot of mannerisms were adapted because of the Queen's position and her possible enemies. Caring was one of those 'risky' behaviors. "As long as it is for someone who is loyal to you."

"Shut up!" Alicia said again, this time louder, like the cry of a child about to throw a temper tantrum. She turned around, pulling at her hair, unable to look at Nicole any longer.

"Caring is weakness! Caring is what leads to death! I've never allowed myself to trust anyone, not even my family! And if you had a single working brain cell, you'd know that caring for me will only bring you blood and agony!"

For some reason, Nicole couldn't help but let out an audible snicker. The whole situation seemed so.. funny. She'd never seen the Queen so upset, but at the same time she'd never felt such a lack of threat from the words.

In spite of it all, Nicole let out a laugh. Oh, she tried to cover it with her hand, but it was prevalent all the same.

"It's all right." She said once her laughter had subsided a bit. "I.... feel the same way." Like anyone who loved some creature like her was cursed, but at the same time she'd found a fondness for the only other person who felt the same way.

Had it been anyone else that dared to laugh at Alicia, they would've been committing suicide. As it was, Alicia needed something to punch and rip and destroy, but nothing good enough was nearby. She had to settle for digging her nails into her bed post.

"You don't." she finally said after a long moment. "Don't delude yourself."

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Love Will Break The Curse - Alicia & Nicole

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