A Song Named Alice

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

As Loki opens the door, he second-guessing in case Raven and Alice figure out what happened to him, but he's already inside when he reconsiders. At the time, Alice and Raven were talking near the closet, but at the sight of Loki, they switch thoughts. 

"Edwin," Raven says as soon as Loki sits on his bed. "Alice and I have talked about this and we've come to a decision. It is your own choice on whether or not to go through with this, but it is our advice to you." 

That's a lot words to practically say nothing to me, Loki jokes to himself. 

He continues. "We were thinking it would be best for you stay at Meg and Erik's place for the time being." 

"Of course this is only temporary." Alice tries to convince him when he says nothing. "You will be able to come back here when you're safe again." 

They wait for his answer, but when none comes after a few minutes, they start to fidget as their nerves get the better of them. Finally, "I don't have a problem with that at all. I figured that would happen." Loki tells them. 

Leaving for the door, he pulls out his pocket watch, and Alice notices a distant gaze in his eyes. "Edwin?" She asks. "Is there something bothering you?" 

Letting go of the handle, he says, "Hmm? No, there's not. I'm feeling quite alright. Maybe you're noticing that it's finally sinking in, the danger I'm in with Asgard and Wonderland." 

After Loki leaves, Raven whispers to Alice, "Something happened between the time I last saw him and now. He's changed, too much for his own good. Perhaps he's telling the truth, he's absorbing the trouble he's in, but there's got to be more to it. His act doesn't fool me." 

"Nor me." She agrees. "He wasn't like that when he was with me, so it has to been when he was alone. Should we see if Meg and Erik can help us with it? They might know what's going on." 

"Yes. I'll tell them about it, sometime when you're with Loki so that he won't overhear me talking with them." 

Alice closes the door, leaning against it while sighing. "That Edwin, he's always trying to do things on his own. He never gives us a chance to help him when it's personal. I may not be able to help him too much, but you could Raven." She turns to him. "I don't understand why he doesn't trust us." 

"It's not that he doesn't trust us," He joins Alice. "He just never gives us a chance. He's been like this all his life, and after what happened two years ago, he's closed up even more. Lacie was the only one who could get him to talk." 

"Hopefully Meg and Erik can help him. Lacie couldn't have been the only one." 

"We shall see," Raven leans his head against the wall. "Ah Edwin, you're such a hassle to talk to sometimes."

Forseti appears in the old suburbs again with three particularly interesting guests-the Fates. He holds out a deck of cards and the Fates instantly know what he wants. Setting them down on a table, he began his obvious questions. "You are the Fates, you know what I want. So tell me, was I right about the Knave of Hearts?" 

Urd whispers to Skuld. "Yes," Skuld answers. "You were right about that card. The Knave of Hearts will be the eventual trigger for the destruction to come. From then on matters will only get worse until the last day." 

Forseti smiles. "What about the Queen?" 

Once again, Urd and Skuld discuss his question in a whisper and Skuld answers back. "You are also correct about her. She might be the one to end the destruction, since she is the third queen." 

"That is all I wanted to know, you may now leave." His lips widen in absolute delight. 

The Fates vanish to Yggdrasil. But before they leave, Verdandi gives Forseti one last piece advice. "The end comes in eight days." 

My cards are doing better than I thought, All Father, how are you doing on your end? You only eight days left. I, on the other hand, have as much time as need be. 

Now Loki, I have put you in checkmate. What will you do? I only need two more cards in order to win. The cards I need are simple. One, I need you to be captured by Asgard and two; I need you to be sentenced to death, and then put to death. Then your secret will be as good as mine. How many cards do you need Loki? I'm sure that it's much more than me. 

As Forseti leaves, he watch the bare trees whistle in the wind. Lacie, oh Lacie, he mocks. How she was SO clever at figuring everything out. She had even won the game before I could get my first card. That was, until that unfortunate incident. She had the answer I need, she knows it all, but she just wouldn't tell a soul! He slams his fist into a tree. She cared too much for that brat, Loki, so she got herself done in. I would have left alone and let her treachery to Wonderland stay unknown, but she wouldn't tell me. No, she wouldn't, so I got my revenge. Wonderland was so nice to make sure of it once I told them about her. He laughs. 

No matter, I will win and then I can make sure that Loki will pay for taking my trump card away. Maybe I'll start by having the Knave of Hearts sent over to Raven. Yes, and it'll be so easy. Not even All Father can stop me! He doesn't have to guts to come here right now when Pleasance's life is on the line. Oh well, Loki's fate will be sealed the moment the Knave makes his move. I told you, Loki, it is checkmate for you. 

Tossing the deck of cards in the air over and over, his grin show its true wicked colors. He leaves for somewhere else to start the beginning of the end.

When his mind is cleared of its fog, Loki goes back to his room. Raven and Alice are sitting on the bed waiting for him. As soon as he appears, they head straight to Meg and Erik's house. For only tonight, Alice would stay here, since she's a part of Wonderland and they can't give away their location. 

This would also be Raven's only night here, so that he can constantly monitor the situation from the outside. 

"Edwin?" Meg says as they all travel to the basement. "You don't mind staying down here, do you?" 

He shakes his head. "I don't see why there would be." 

"Great." Erik says. "Then all three of you will stay down here, since we don't have any guest bedrooms." 

The night drops and everyone drifts off to sleep, a deep slumber laced with dreams. Loki, however, dreams of a nightmare again, about Lacie. The memory haunts him as it replays over and over again, causing a wrenching pain each time it goes through. 

When he can take it no more, he forces himself to wake up from his dream, opening his eyes to a shrouded darkness. Breathing heavily, he slowly sits up, putting his head in his hands. He forces his breathing to slow down, to keep the awful, jarring shivers from taking hold. As he lets his mind go numb, he feels sleep creep to him. 

As he lays his head on the pillow, he lets his eyes search through the eternity of black. In the darkness he feels calm again, feeling nothing in the empty space. He didn't think, nor dream, or relive any memory. 

His last memory with Lacie had never repeated itself before, replaying and replaying in a never-ending cycle of loss and anguish. Not even the night of the incident or the night after when it was even fresher in his mind. 

Yet, he falls asleep to the peaceful darkness, this time an undisturbed and dreamless slumber. But if he did dream, it would have been of happier times with Lacie.