(This scene is from the night Alina first came to Mr. Traviz’s house in Chapter 1)

::COOKIE::

The night was cool and clear. Light breeze ruffled the tufts of hair on my head. Smiling to myself, I leaned back into the chair and looked up at the sky. Manhattan Island was not like France, that much was obvious. I hardly ever got to relax like this when we were home. It was always “Cookie fold this” and “Cookie clean that”. I liked this sort of extended vacation.

From the balcony, I heard the front gates swing open. He is home already? He should have been gone for at least an hour again. Worried about the young master, I got out of my seat. His jogs never finished this quickly.

When I looked down, I saw him walking toward the house with a grim expression on his face. He wasn’t alone. This was the most surprising thing. A little girl was walking about two steps behind him, constantly casting worried glances in his direction. What on earth is going on?

She was incredibly scruffy looking and resembled a hungry alley cat; cute yet thin. Tucking a lock of white hair behind my ear, I wondered what to do. If I knew my employer, he would never bring a stranger into his home unless there was a good reason. I had raised him far better than that. I went downstairs as I heard the front door open. I needed to talk to him about this. He couldn’t bring a street rat into the house. There were hundreds of them in Manhattan Island and we did not know what she was capable of. For all we knew, she was a drug addict or a thief or mentally ill. I would not have that in this house.

Frowning, I thought about it. There truly had to be a good reason for this. Perhaps I shouldn’t jump to conclusions just yet. There had to be something about this girl that he trusted because he was neither the friendliest nor the most trusting person in the world.

When I finally made it to the staircase, I saw that he was talking to her. Judging by the conversation it seemed as though she was going to be staying here. I pulled the sheets and blankets out of the cupboard and began preparing the guest bedroom. It wasn’t long before their voices neared and he showed her the bedroom and where he slept.     

I finished in the room and went downstairs to keep myself busy. When I entered the living room, he was walking out of the guest bedroom. He closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall. A stressed sigh came from him and I frowned. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?” I asked coming to him. His eyes were shut and he nibbled on his lower lip, a nervous habit he’d developed in his youth.

“I don’t know Cookie. I don’t know what I’m doing and why I’m even bothering. This girl…she’s just a child and yet she’s been through so much,” he said softly.

“You can’t believe everything she says Master Traviz. Commoners can sense weakness and latch onto it. Are you sure that she didn’t feed you a bunch of lies? Street urchins are crafty people these days,” I tried to reason with him.

“I know when I’m being duped and I don’t think that girl is capable of deception. She’s ignorant to the point of unnatural innocence.”

“Unnatural innocence? What’s her name?” I asked.

“…Alina,” he said in a pained voice.

“Master Traviz,” I groaned, “No, please don’t do this to yourself. We were making so much progress. You can’t bring her back by helping someone with the same name. They don’t even look alike. Haven’t you tortured yourself enough?”

“Just give her a proper bath for me. I don’t think that she’s had one in a while. I suppose she can wear one of my shirts until we can get her clothes. She’ll stay until she gets back on her feet,” he instructed and left, but not before I saw the hurt in his eyes.

“Yes, sir,” I nodded in resignation and went into the bedroom.

It was impossible to go against him when he had made up his mind. I had seen that determined look at his face too many times before and it almost always ended with him getting his way. There was no doubt that things would end that way again. I was glad that he still came to me with everything. I had always been like a mother to him, though I was his maid. I had been his nurse and I raised him as best as I could despite the nonsense his tutors filled his head with. They stripped his humanity as much as possible but I did my best to rebuild it. Sometimes I wondered if it was my fault that he was banished from his family. If I had allowed him to grow up like every other man in his family, he would never have wanted to stray away from the norm.

Royal blood was always hard on their children and I couldn’t bear to watch him suffer the way that he was. He had always wanted to be a teacher when he was younger. He would pretend to have classes with his stuffed animals, explaining literature and arithmetic to them. I saw his passion for it and I saw his dreams being shattered each day as he saw what he was meant to be. His parents would never let their heir leave the throne to become a mere teacher. They only had children so that they would have heirs. His entire birth came with a purpose and he knew that. It hurt me to see him forcing a smile for dignitaries and Dukes, Kings and the Pope. This wasn’t what he wanted and that was obvious to anyone who cared to notice. Even the girl he was arranged to marry was horrible. She was spoilt and arrogant and the young master tolerated her, but he was forced to act as though she was the apple of his eye. He would not embarrass his parents, but he trusted me. He would tear off his clothes in a huff and complain every time he was free of their company. He deserved happiness as much as anyone else.

As I thought to myself, I prepared the girl for her bath. He had not lied when he said that she was dirty. He didn’t mention the smell though. I didn’t wrinkle my nose so as to not offend her. A shower alone wouldn’t do much. She needed to be scrubbed.

I looked at her naked frame and saw a skeleton covered in a thin layer of skin. A gasp stuck in my throat. When last had this child eaten? She looks anorexic. Bones poked horribly from frail shoulders and her legs seemed too thin to hold up the rest of her body. She was so small and boney. I guessed that she was about fifteen or sixteen. No one older than that could look like this.

Running a warm bath for her, I scrubbed her clean and talked to her. She looked up at me with grateful, innocent brown orbs. Her eyes were so pretty but I could tell that they had seen a lot. I washed her hair with some of my shampoo and she smiled at the bubbles. It was hard to keep your heart from melting when looking at her. My eyes burned with emotion and prospective tears as I saw her playing with the bubbles in wonder. I would enjoy taking care of her. Mr. Traviz didn’t have enough of a childhood to be fit to take care of anyone. I would gladly do it. Slowly I found myself growing attached to her. I could hug her right now. She was too cute.

I put her in the shower when I was finished scrubbing and then dried her skin. I couldn’t allow her to wear Mr. Traviz’s clothes. They were meant for men. I lent her one of my night gowns and chuckled to myself. She was drowning in it but she didn’t seem to mind. Her little frame tottered around in the large dress. She was so adorable.

 I could tell that Zacky would like her. He was Mr. Traviz’s nephew but the two were nothing alike. I was actually looking forward to his visit. I hadn’t seen the boy in a while. He was still in France with his father and I was sure that he was drinking his warm milk and cookies now. It was a habit that I had gotten him into, but his father couldn’t seem to break it. His maid sneaked him some every night. He was such a child for a grown nineteen year old. I still babied him anyway. He was my Zacky and I would stuff him with milk and cookies every night despite the phone calls that I constantly got from his father. Zacky was already forced to marry a girl he never chose, work in a job he never decided on and do whatever he was told. The least that they could do is let the boy have some bloody milk and cookies.

At the moment, I was downstairs heating up the last of the chicken noodle soup for Alina. She had a cold and was coughing and sneezing. I would have to get some cough syrup for her tomorrow. I got some crackers and put everything on a tray.

“How are things going? Is she alright?” Mr. Traviz asked behind me.

“It’s good. She just has a cold. I’m getting some soup up to her to help her feel better, but she seems to be feeling right at home,” I said patting his hand.

“Good. That’s good. Whatever she needs, give it to her,” he said and scratched his head in agitation, “God knows we have a lot of damage to undo.”

“Master Traviz, are you trying to get some sort of guilt-free conscience by trying to save this Alina? I’ve told you before. Her death had nothing to do with you,” I said in my most soothing voice.

“I had decided to help this girl long before I knew what her name was. Good night, Cookie,” he said and turned to leave.

“Aren’t you going to see her?” I asked, assuming that he would have since he had saved her.

“No. I can’t. Not yet,” he murmured, “Not when she looks about ready to die. I’m sorry.”

He stalked away leaving me in the kitchen. Why had he decided to do this? It’s obviously going to hurt him. What does he plan to do? Avoid her like a plague? She lives here now and she sleeps a few doors away from his room. He would have to see her eventually. Surely he would see her at dinner.

I gave her the tray and watched her grateful eyes. She looked at the bowl as though she had never seen so much food before. Before I could say a word, she tasted it and sighed happily. It brought a smile to my face. I chuckled as she then attacked the hot soup. She really was hungry. I talked to her to try to find out more about her. I almost regretted it moments after. I had never met a person with a more tragic past.

Her mother was a beast and she was too forgiving to see it. Any normal child would hate their mother after all she went through, but she seemed to still love that woman. How could anyone starve and abuse a young child for so long and then throw her out of the house for the love of a man. It’s your daughter. No man should ever come before her.

I pet her hair and then carried away her tray when she was finished. I took the dishes to the kitchen and cleaned up. She should be alright for the night. I would let her get some rest. Now it was time to talk to him about this situation. I had a feeling that he didn’t think this through entirely. He had always been impulsive as a boy. Not much had changed since then.

I went to his study and knocked on the door. He told me to come in and I entered. He was drinking some strong brandy and typing on his laptop. “Are you preparing for the next term of school already?” I asked with a knowing smile at the laptop. He returned the smile and that was answer enough. Being both a teacher and one of the deans was a difficult job but he managed well. I was proud of him. He may not be a King over a city in France, but he was doing what he loved and he was good at it. I wanted to hug him sometimes but I knew better. He didn’t do well with displays of affection.

When I was hired, I was forbidden to hug or kiss him as a child. Forbidden. He wasn’t to be shown any sort of affection and he was used to it. He had issues with being touched and he was very awkward with hugs. I knew that it was normal for members of the royal family to keep emotional distance from each other, but to forbid it was a bit harsh. I had tried to hug him once when he was younger but he had pushed me away and ordered me to never touch him that way again. He was only seven at the time, but the discomfort and anger in his eyes belonged to someone much older.

I wished that I could have had him as a real son with him far away from his original family. He would have been so much better off. To teach a child that love didn’t exist and to raise him to believe it was cruel and wrong. He should not have grown up thinking that men marry who his parents choose and the purpose of marriage is to make alliances with other families; that love had nothing to do with it. He shouldn’t think that he was supposed to have children just for the sake of carrying on his legacy or that a father’s job was simply to make the child and find it a spouse. He had no idea that when you have children, you were supposed to raise it and take care of it.

Sitting in the chair, I saw a man who was well learned in arts, cultures, literature, arithmetic, geography, languages and Lord knows what else. What I couldn’t see was a man with any shred of a childhood or normal human emotions.

“So what are your plans for Alina?” I asked and saw him flinch at the sound of her name, “She lives here now. You can’t avoid saying her name forever you know.”

“Do you want to bet money on that?” he asked with a raised brow.

“You’re going to have to call her eventually,” I said wearily, “What are you going to call her? ‘Girl’?”

He acted as though I didn’t say anything and continued to type on his laptop. I sighed and looked at him. It had been years and he was still yet to get over Alina’s death. It had been a brutal suicide and there was nothing that he could have done to stop it. No matter what I told him, he still blamed himself, suffering with the guilt.

“I’m going to enroll her at the school,” he said finally.

“You mean West Montgomery Prep? Are you insane? I’ve only known her for two hours and I already know that she wouldn’t survive in that place. Send her to a public school instead,” I told him.

“No, I want to make sure that no one harasses her. She’ll be under my watch in W.M.P,” he said firmly and I knew that the matter was closed.

“She’s had no schooling before,” I rolled my eyes, “How can she go to school there.”

“I will tutor her personally,” he shrugged, “I have a few months, I can at least get her at a close enough speed so that she won’t be completely oblivious in class.”

“You can barely look at her or say her name without coming close to falling apart. How do you expect to teach her every day for months at a time?” I demanded, “I asked you if you wanted to see her and you almost broke down.”

“I know what happened, Cookie. I’m relatively sure that I was there,” he said with slight irritation and a blush, “I’ll give myself a month before I start. I should be up to it by then. Summer vacation is coming in a while so I have time.”

“Why are you doing this to yourself?” I asked.

“This has nothing to do with me, I’m doing it for her. Have you heard what she’s been through? The girl is on the streets now and she can’t live with us forever. If she’s going to have any hope of getting a job and making something of herself, she has to get through high school at least. It’s the least someone – anyone – can do for her,” he frowned, “I’m a teacher. I can’t sit and watch her living like that; ignorant of everything. For a seventeen year old, she knows nothing.”

“She’s seventeen?” I gasped, “She is too thin for a seventeen year old. We need to get her a check up at the hospital. Heavens knows what illnesses she may have.”

“Fine, you’ll take her tomorrow. I have to go to the school. I can’t come,” he said without looking at me.

“The school. Sure,” I scoffed.

====================================

Time passed quickly and Alina and I had grown closer. She had become a lot healthier looking and I still took care of her as if she were my own. Mr. Traviz had worked a miracle and taught her so much in such a short space of time. I would think that it was impossible if I hadn’t seen it myself. The sort of memory devices he used really seemed to be working. It was months later and she was now going to school with Zacky and, as I had predicted, they had become fast friends.

It had taken her a while to warm up to him, but everyone did eventually. He was too charismatic to hate. I knew that she might be afraid of him at first and I was right. He did have a mildly frightening look and he could be intimidating, but that was something natural about royalty in France. The children were bred not raised and it showed in their eyes. They had the harshest, most intimidating and commanding eyes that could ever be seen on a child. They changed from as early as ten years old. I found it frightening to look at the small children looking up at me with eyes that belonged in horror movies. They reflected to souls of tyrants. It lost its playfulness completely.

Now it seemed as though Zacky had warmed up to our Alina. He too had questioned his uncle’s intentions when he had first heard Alina’s name, but he soon let go of that. Mr. Traviz was been so cold to her and she took every harsh word that he uttered to heart. He hurt her over and over and never seemed to notice no matter how much I pointed it out to him.

Again, we were all together at the house. They had come back from school for the weekend to spend some time with me. I missed them more and more with every passing day of the week and looked forward to the weekend a lot. Sad to say, I lived for those two days.

Zacky came inside with his white cane tapping on the ground as he walked. “Darling!” I said happily. He turned to my direction, his face lighting up. Pulling off his sunglasses, he folded them and stuck it into his shirt collar before making his way to me. I ran and hugged him and he returned it easily. I had gotten through to him like I had never managed to with Master Traviz. He accepted affection without problem and his father wasn’t very pleased about it. I couldn’t care less though. Zacky watched me with unfocused eyes and I smiled into them. He was blind but very capable. There was not much that he couldn’t do and it never ceased to amaze me how independent he was. I kissed his cheek and he chuckled.

Master Traviz was walking through the door and he smiled at me slightly. That was usually the most that I would ever get out of him, but for him that was like him diving on top of me with hugs and kisses and poems declaring his love.

Alina would never understand that about him though. She was used to open displays of affection, something her dean wasn’t capable of. He tried sometimes, but he always fell short.

She came in last and hugged me with a grin, “Cookie I missed you so much!” I hugged her tightly. I had missed her a lot too. It would be a lie if I said that I didn’t love her. If anything happened to this Alina, I didn’t know how I would take it.

Dinner was already done, and I shared it out. Surprisingly, Mr. Traviz was eating with us. This was something rare. Oh, he missed me too. The small things that he does to show that he cares are so precious. He can never seem to voice his feelings but he always tries to in the smallest ways. I knew him well enough to be able to get the feeble attempt at him silently saying how much he missed me and I appreciated it. I smiled at him and he dropped his eyes with a heated face. He knew that I got the message.

We all sat down together and ate with much talk. Alina and Zacky told me about their week at school and I listened with interest. Zacky kept mentioning all of the things that Prince Dmitrius Richmond did and said. He was sounding like some people when they got a new girlfriend and boyfriend. Everything that happens reminds them of something amazing or funny that their girlfriend or boyfriend said. I teased him about it and he just shrugged it off. It would be sort of funny if he and Dmitrius wound up together. I didn’t put anything past my Zacky. He would try anything once.

It seemed as though Alina had grown close to Dmitrius too and Master Traviz didn’t seem too pleased. I found this curious. He didn’t seem to care when Zacky talked about the other guy, but his face transformed into a scowl whenever Alina mentioned him. I watched him closely. He rolled his eyes and scoffed when she told me about Dmitri teaching her how to swim and how they went to the beach together near school. Oh my…was he jealous of Dmitrius Richmond? Or better yet, the idea of Dmitrius and Alina? I had never seen him get jealous before. That was saying a lot considering that I knew him for twenty-nine years. He sighed in annoyance and left the table as another story about the infamous Dmitrius started. “Hey uncle! Can I have your chicken?” Zacky called out, “Alina pass me that plate.” It seemed as though I was the only one who noticed when he felt a certain way because Zac was completely oblivious. If he wasn’t he was just being his usual self, not caring.

Excusing myself, I went to his study and entered without knocking. He was looking out of the window, brooding with a glass of brandy in his hand. I had learnt one thing over the years. He drank certain things when he felt a certain way. He drank brandy when he was upset, whiskey when he was relaxed, wine on occasions and dinners and champagne when he was happy. I looked at the glass of brandy as he drank it.

“I’m really not in the mood, Cookie,” he sighed, “Can we talk later?”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing…I guess the storytelling session downstairs was just getting irritating. I don’t know,” he shrugged.

“So irritating that it drove you to drink brandy?” I asked skeptically.

“I don’t know,” he repeated.

“You’re jealous of Dmitrius, aren’t you?” I smirked.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he sniffed indignantly and swallowed the rest of the glass, “I don’t get jealous. Ever.”

“Are you sure? You looked a bit jealous down there,” I chuckled.

“I have never felt jealousy before. I’m just…just…” he trailed off, “Well I’m not exactly sure about what I feel, but I do know that I am not jealous of him.”

“You don’t know that you are because you don’t usually feel jealousy. You’re used to having everything you want. It’s new to you dear,” I said and pat his back.

“Nothing is new to me. I told you that I’m not jealous of that stupid boy and I’m not,” he snapped.

I remained silent and just let him think to himself.

“I mean who does he think he is? Walking in and dating her like that,” he fumed.

“Yes, how dare he?” I humored him with a smile, “So he’s dating Alina huh?”

“It seems so. You should see them at school. It’s repulsive. He’s always hugging her and kissing her and cuddling up with her and…” he breathed out impatiently, “I don’t like it.”

“Do you have feelings for Alina, Master Traviz?” I asked tentatively.

“I – what?” he asked slopping brandy on the table as he poured a second glass. He swore and cleaned it up.

“I asked if you had feelings for Alina.”

“No. Of course not. My feelings for her are absolutely platonic. I’m her dean and her guardian, Cookie,” he sniffed and added in a lower voice, “Not to mention the fact that I’m twenty nine and she’s an eighteen year old who calls her teddy Fluffle Bear.”

“Do you honestly think that?” I asked.

“Oh I’ve heard her call the bear by name before,” he nodded, “It’s kind of cute actually.”

“You know what I meant,” I said slightly amused, “That your feelings are platonic.”

“I’ll admit that I’m attached to her. But no one can say no to those big, brown eyes. And she’s sort of cute how innocent she is although sometimes I want to tap her over the head for letting people take advantage of that fact. And…have you ever noticed her smile? She has this dimple that just…” he stared into his glass deep in thought, “but other than that I’m not in the slightest way attracted to her.”

He frowned until it almost resembled a pout. One of these days, he’ll get over himself and realize that he likes her. I won’t meddle in this. When the time is right, the two of them will realize that this is bound to happen and just accept it. Sadly, it won’t be permanent. His family would never allow that if they ever accept him again and at the moment, he would do anything for that to happen. When the moment came, I hoped he knew that he would have to choose.

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I bet if you guys knew all of this was going on in his head then you wouldn't have hated him as much in the beginning. Hehee. I suppose all his little quirks between Chapters 1-9 make a tad more sense now. Doesn't seem as bi-polar.

Anyways not all of the One Shots will be like this and they might not be so directly linked to Alina or Mr. Traviz (haven't called him that in a while) but yeah...

Next in the One Shots... Zachery Benson ;)