Alice looked at Peter’s face as it turned pale when Ruby said, “My name is Ruby Webster, and I’m your older sister.”
“You-you what?” Peter asked, “No, that can’t be true…I don’t have a sister.”
Ruby walked up to Peter and said, “Oh Peter, I only remember you as a baby. You still look like our father.” Then she sighed and said, “Unfortunately, I was taken away when I was little.”
“You what?” Peter asked, still confused.
Ruby seemed uncomfortable, though, and began to walk away from the group. “Never mind, I’ll tell you later. I will see you soon, children.”
They all stood there in silence and were shocked at what had just happened in the last five minutes. “Well, that couldn't have gone any worse,” Richard said in silence.
Nobody argued with him.
Peter stood there in shock, and that was when Alice realized something. Before, Peter and Alice had nobody. Everybody they’d ever loved had died in front of their eyes. Now, Peter had discovered his sister. He had some family after all.
And what did Alice have? Nothing. Alice was all alone and had lost everything she’d ever loved. Right before her eyes.
“Excuse me,” she mumbled as she ran back to the ship, the tears filling her eyes.
Below the deck of The Bowen, Alice began to cry, curling her body into a small ball.
“Alice? Alice?” she heard Helen call, then Helen ran down the stairs to Alice. “What’s wrong, Alice?”
Alice covered her face from Helen, turning away. She hastily wiped the tears from her face and tried to calm her voice. “Nothing, Helen, nothing.”
Helen walked over to Alice, sitting cross-legged on the floor.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Helen asked. Alice could see the genuine concern on Helen’s face.
“Maybe,” Alice said. She’d relied so much on her own conscience to be able to help, but maybe somebody really could help her. Maybe talking could help.
“Is it alright if I just sit here with you?” Helen asked.
Alice slowly nodded. “Yes. Yes, that’d be nice.”
Helen sat next to Alice and leaned over to give her a hug. When Alice stiffened at her touch, Helen backed away and asked, “What’s wrong? I won’t hurt you, Alice.”
Alice looked away, trying desperately to keep the memories at bay.
“I…I don’t know if I want to talk about that.” Alice said, not daring to look at Helen.
Helen nodded, then asked, “So why were you upset after Peter found his sister?”
“I…I don’t know. I’m not jealous, it’s just that…” Alice sighed, “It seems like everybody’s got somebody and I don’t. Before, Peter and I had nothing. I mean, we both had to watch as our family died, and that gave us some sort of connection, you know?
“Now, he has his sister and I’m left with nobody. Nobody at all. Even you, Helen, have your parents. Richard has his father, Luke has his mother and brothers, everybody has somebody and I don’t!”
“You are not ze only one,” came Adalene’s voice. She stepped down from the steps, that same fiery passion in her eyes.
“Do you know vat it is like to vatch ze life leave your mother’s eyes? Do you know vat it is like to feel ze veight of ze vorld on your shoulders? Do you know vat it is like to know zat you vill have to be in charge of a country, ven nobody vill listen to you?
“To be a queen but not make any of ze decisions for the country? Vhere ze only power you get is on ze battlefield?”
Angry tears were forming in Adalene’s eyes now, “Do you know, Alice, do you know? You may have watched your family die, but you did not watch everyone you cared about die vile you were ze only one who lived, who vas powerless to do anything about anything! I vas.”
Adalene’s voice was rising with every word, the fury and anger making each sentence like a dagger to the heart.
“I had to lead a country, vith my mother no longer zere to guide me. I had to vatch as my sisters were killed on ze battlefield, but I was unable to die myself! I tried, but I could not. I could’ve left ze throne, but zat vould’ve left my kingdom in chaos! It vould be selfish of me to do zat.
“But ven ze council vould not help you, I decided to be selfless. To leave my kingdom and home behind, to give away my mother’s necklace, a thing I have worn for two-hundred years! I gave all of zat up for you children, and you vant to talk about having nobody?”
The tears had streamed down Adalene’s face, leaving her eyes and cheeks pink, and she wiped at them furiously.
“You do not know ze price to pay for the vorld, Alice, but you vill learn. You vill learn.” And with that, Adalene stormed up the stairs and off of The Bowen…
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