I Wish

Chapter One: Alice

“Is it true? What we’re doing is wrong?”

I looked out to the forest that my two sisters and I were destroying. So far we were only one quarter done. Not much when you think about it. My two sisters are jealous of me. Not because I do the work so efficiently but because I am the closest to our lord. I don’t know why I am the closest to my lord though. If anything Helm should be the closest to our lord. The oldest of us three, she loves torching the forest to the ground with fire.

It’s not that I don’t like Helm it’s just that I don’t like the way she tries to get closer to my lord. Her outfits seem to shrink in size the more she sees me with my lord. My second oldest sister, the middle child Mary, tries to keep peace between us. Whenever Helm would yell at me, hurt me, or try to kill me, Mary would always remind her of the consequences of her actions were towards me. It is because I am the favorite that I escape only mildly injured.

My lord says for a child of twelve, I am quite smart. I would ask him if that is strange and he laughs heartily. I smile whenever he laughs. And when I smile, he smiles. I like that very much. He says I am the favorite because I always ask questions. So I keep asking them, because if asking them makes him laugh then I am happy.

He sits behind me on a garden chair. We were on the balcony and I wanted to look outside. I could only hear the silence behind me but I could tell he was thinking. I could tell because I am very close with my lord. One of the talking beasts that live out in the forest had told me what we were doing was wrong. He was the first one I ever let escape my grasp, mostly because I was shocked. What we were doing was wrong? How could that be? My lord is always right! I was taught that!

“Do you believe that?” he asks me, taking a drink from his glass of wine.

I look back to him, my chestnut brown hair seemingly floating in the breeze. Nervously, I fingered the ribbon on my collar and stare at the floor. “My lord is never wrong. That is what I was taught.” I say softly. “But I can’t seem to shake off the guilt that has its grip on my heart and squeezes it so.”

Placing the wine glass on the glass table, he stood up and walked over to me. His black robes look like the night sky and his white silvery hair fell down to his knees in a ponytail. I swallowed and tried not to look into his blue eyes. I’ve always wondered, was my lord a human or a specter?

Placing his hands on my shoulders, he pulled me closer into a hug. I closed my eyes and ceased all movement. He looked down at me and asked, “Will you go against me?”

My eyes widened and I stepped away from him. “Go against you?” I asked startled. “I live only to serve my lord. Not…go against him!”

He smiled enigmatically. “Who told you that what I was doing was wrong?”

“It was one of those talking beasts my lord.” I answered truthfully. “He said we were in the wrong. Is it true? I’ve been thinking about it for so long…how could my lord be wrong?” I let my voice drift off. I felt like I was going to cry.

One hand on my shoulder and his gaze looking toward the burning forest, he asked me “Will you listen to my reasoning?”

I nodded. “I destroy this forest because it took something I loved away from me. That is all I can tell you.” He explained. Was my lord hiding something from me? His favorite? “Do you wish to go against me?”

“The beasts are dying as we burn the forest…” I murmured quietly. “Dying is such a horrible thing.”

“Do you feel pain for them?”

I shook my head. “I have no reason to.” I replied as I turned toward the door. “Is it all right with my lord if I may go to sleep?”

He nodded his head and turned back to the night sky. I left still feeling uncomfortable.

---

My eyes opened during the night. I felt arms tightly wound around my waist. Someone was breathing down my neck. Confused, I turned in my bed and found my lord peacefully asleep. Sighing quietly, I close my eyes and try to fall asleep.

“Were you surprised?”

Opening my eyes again, I see my lord’s blue eyes staring back at me peacefully. I smile and shook my head. “Not really.” I answered. “I just thought after my doubting you earlier tonight you might not have been here right now.”

He frowned and looked concerned. “Does a little bit of doubt scare you so much?” he asked me quietly. “I can assure you that I will let you do anything you desire. Even go against me.”

“That would never happen my lord!” I answered hastily, gripping the silk sheets tightly. “I would never go against your wishes! Not ever! Why would I anyways?”

“Because I told you to?”

I looked up at him, my eyes troubling me with their watering. He unwrapped his arms around me and sat up in bed. He got up and walked over to the window. “Get dressed.” My lord ordered.

Nodding I got up and walked quickly over to my wardrobe. Opening it, I picked out his favorite outfit. It was a black one-piece dress with a white collar. The skirt reached down to above my knees. My collar on my neck never comes off. Not even when I bathe. It symbolizes that I belong to my lord. Attached to it are a pink ribbon and a tiny bell.

Sitting down on a chair, I put on my black slippers. My lord snatched my long hair up. He combed through the tangles and braided it into a long braid. I turned to look at him, my eyes tearing up. What was going on?

“I want you to go on a journey.” He started to explain. I didn’t know what to say. This was hard for me to take in.

“A journey? A journey where and why? Am I unsuitable to be your favorite any longer?” I asked nervously. If I wasn’t the favorite anymore, was I being cast out? I don’t want to be cast out. I want to be with my lord forever and ever!

My lord laughed. “You are still my favorite.” He told me. “It just aches my heart to see you in such a state of confusion. If it means you’ll come back enlightened and your heart feeling lighter then you shall go.”

“But I’ll miss you so much.” I pleaded. “Please, I’ll forget what the bear said to me today. My only wish is to be with you my lord.” I would hate to admit it, but I was going against my lord’s wishes by pleading so.

My lord shook his head. “You would rather live a life of denial than to empty your heart’s sorrow?” I nodded my head in reply. Am I being selfish for wanting to stay with you?

Getting up rather quickly, the chair fell to the floor. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my face against his stomach. I felt his hand caress my hair as I started to cry. “It is better this way.” He told me. “Helm is becoming more and more violent with you anyway.”

“Will I always be your favorite though?” I asked hesitatively.

“Always.” He answered and kneeled down to my level. Brushing away my bangs, he kissed my forehead. The minute I felt his warm lips meet my forehead I felt a wave of energy wash over me. What is this? Is this some kind of magic?

“No matter where you go, you will never be harmed by anyone.” He told me.

I nodded and hugged him again. “I’ll miss you!” I cried.

He hugged me back, tightly. Standing up he walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out a small hand mirror. “Mirror, show me the child I love so.” He commanded it. Smiling in approval, he showed me the mirror’s reflection. It was me in there! Handing it to me, he explained, “You will not miss me as much as you think. Just command this mirror and it will show you whoever you wish to see.”

I tucked the mirror into my dress pocket. Together, we packed food for me and he escorted me to the entrance to the mansion. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” I told him with a smile. “Won’t I?”

Questions always make my lord smile. He smiled at me and waved his hand. “Return to me as soon as you can Alice. I love you too much to lose you.”

“And I you.” I answered with a wave and turned away, walking into the forest.

---

A/N: This is the result of drinking too much juice before going to bed. Yes. This was all a dream of mine. A very obscure dream, some characters not yet featured in "I Wish" were in the dream. This is one of my many more to come M rated stories. Yes as you could probably tell, the lord is somewhat of a pedophile. But I made him that way and soon you shall all see why.