Once Upon A Lie

Forty-four:

Forty-four:

Mal took her to a place that she had never been before. Careyeva. They didn't stop until they got to a grand house at the edge of the town. Alina had been in mansions before. Lived in one even. But the one that they were in front of was even larger than hers, or Aleksander's for that matter.

"Saints!" she breathed. "Mal, where are you taking me?"

He smiled at her over his shoulder. "That's a surprise. Come on."

His motorcycle roared up the drive, and Alina was certain that they were going to be chased off by guards of some kind. When none came, he parked in front of the home, which had a large, ornate golden fountain in the driveway. There was also a footman waiting outside with a stern expression on his face.

Mal took her hand, and led her inside. "Hi, Alfred," he said to the footman, giving him a little wave.

The footman's lips twitched into a little smile. "Hello, Malyen. Whose the young lady?"

"None of your business, Alfred."

"Hmmm."

They slipped into the house, and went up a great marble staircase, and didn't stop until they were in a room that was entirely decorated in pink and gold. At the center of the room was a lovely blond woman, with the bluest eyes that Alina had ever seen. She wore a pink blazer, with a white blouse, and a skirt. And she smelled heavily of perfume. There was a tiny, little dog in her lap.

"Malyen!" the woman exclaimed. "Did I know that you were coming today?"

Mal blushed a little as the older woman rose from her seat, and pulled him into a hug, kissing him on both cheeks. "No, Aunt Beritvoa, you didn't."

"Then, this is a lovely surprise."

Alina tilted her head to the side. "Aunt?"

Mal nodded. "She's my mother's sister. She married a royal, who had the good sense to die quickly, and leave her his entire fortune. She's a Baroness."

The Baroness smiled at her. "That's how you do it, young lady. And might I ask who you are?"

Alina blushed. "Oh----I'm Alina Starkov, Baroness."

The Baronesses eyes widened at the mention of her name. "Ah! The movie director and artist. That's your father, no?"

"Unfortunately," Alina said.

Mal's Aunt raised an eyebrow. "Not impressed by your father's accomplishments? Well, that bodes well for you girl. That means that you won't be impressed by rich men."

"Funny, I think she told Genya that on her fifth birthday," said Mal.

"Third," Aunt Beritova said, "and I may have whispered it into the womb when my sister was sleeping now and again. What brings the two of you here? And shouldn't you be at school?"

Mal coughed. "Teachers holiday."

Aunt Beritova narrowed her gaze, but said nothing. "Ah, of course. And as for the first question?"

"Alina said she had something important to tell me," said Mal, "and I thought that important information is always best served over tea. And no one does tea quite like you, Aunt Natasha."

Natasha smiled even wider. "Malyen, you do have your fathers charm. It's a wonder you aren't more trouble. Well, take whatever you wish. I do have the tea all set out, as you can see."

"Thanks."

Mal poured the two of them drinks, got them little finger sandwiches, and petit fours. He smiled up at her as she did it.

"Um Mal," said Alina, "when I said I wanted to talk, I was thinking of some place a little more....private."

"Oh, you needn't worry about me dear," said Aunt Natasha, "I am a good keeper of secrets....although if you feel you must talk privately, you could always adjourn to the garden."

He looked at her. "Want to adjourn to the garden?"

"Yeah. I'd like that."

"I'll keep the tea warm for you," said Aunt Natasha.

The two of them left the room, and Mal led the way out to the garden. It was a large one, complete with a maze. "When I was little, and my mother went away on her long 'vacations' she'd sometimes leave Genya and me here," said Mal, "This garden I know like the back of my hand."

Alina wished she had something like that. But she could only think of one thing, Aleksander, and that was not the kind of thing she wanted to know like the back of her hand.

She locked eyes with him. "I'm sorry you were alone so much."

He shrugged. "What's past is past. What is this thing you were going to tell me?"

Her stomach was in knots as she thought of the right words. "When I was running from Nikolai's guard, I went into the church of The Starless Saint. The Apparat was there, and I told him about Aleksander. The only way he would let me leave the church was if Aleksander married me, to preserve my honor."

Mal furrowed his brows together. "Why?"

"Because I...I slept with him."

His face fell. "Alina.....how....how could you? After everything that he did?"

She sighed. "I wish I could explain it. It's like we're the sun and moon. He rises, I fall. I rise, he falls."

"That's no way to live."

"I know," she said firmly, "and The Apparat pressured us into a secret ceremony. And we haven't told anyone. We're going to get it annulled as soon as we're of age. And Aleksander said I could do as I like, when it came to relationships. He knows he was wrong to control me before."

"Why are you telling me this?" Mal asked.

"Because, I like you, Mal. You're sweet, and simple, and I...I've thought about all of the things that you could do with your cock to me too."

Mal's eyes widened. "Is that something a married woman should be saying?"

"Probably not, but my husband says its okay. Um...what do you think?"

He was strangely calm. She thought that maybe he would scream and yell or storm off and never speak to her again. Instead, he said, "I think I like bad ideas. And we could be a fun one to have."