Nightly Lessons Book I: The Book of Beginnings

[Peeker]

"Alice! I told you-- This isn't that funny. Really! ...back in my day, men had long hair! They did things to it just like girls do now! You stop laughing, Alice! I mean it! I told you we'd have fun tonight - well, here's your history lesson!"

....the man couldn't lecture her any longer. He summoned a mirror, and took a look.

"....well... I suppose it used to be in style. ....but I don't think you did it quite right, dear...."

For one thing, he'd never worn bright red bows, much less ones wiith little.... cutesy... dalmations on them. Just because he'd had his hair braided before didn't mean he'd expected her to go quite so....

The man sighed.

Cruelty was another vampiric trait that some little girls just didn't break out of.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice roared with laughter, her night turning better since dinner. The damnable sippy cup had made her disagreeable, and only by messing around with the food had she managed to convince Aleks she had eatten some of the pasta. She honestly hadn't been hungry in the less and the blood alone had been hard to finish.

"You look ridiculous!" She cried out threw her tears. She could hardly believe Aleks had allowed her to do this. His hair had been an obession of hers for some time. She had always wanted to braid her father's hair, although his had been to short, but Aleks... oh ho ho ho! Temptation was just to great. "I wish I had a camera!"

Alice glanced at the clock and smiled. half an hour since dinner and she wasn't the lest bit tired. Aleks was going to be eatiting his words by the end of the night.

[Peeker]

"Well, I'm afraid only I get to decide what embarrassing pictures we keep, love." With a smile, Aleksandr scooped the girl up. "I look very silly, you know. ...and I believe its your fault."

The man sighed. They'd made their way up to the sitting room for a bit, but it appeared that sitting was not something Alice wanted to do.

"Either way...." He smiled, and the braids slowly faded away, as his hair untangled. "...I think we should do something a little calmer now. ...You could use a chance to unwind, love."

In truth, she could use a chance to let her body remind her how tired she was before he put her to bed.

"...so how about we do something quiet, hm? How about we change into something soft, and read a little?"

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice stopped laughing at the mention od changing into something soft.

"No!" She shook her head and looked at him, her eys wide open and looking very energetic despite what her body said. "Aleks I'm not tire. Honest..."

She wanted to do some more playing, running about.. .she felt alive like she was on some sort of a high and yet not. Struggling a bit, Alice managed to get out of Aleks arms and looked at him.

"How about a game of 'Tag' instead?" She grinning taking off befor Aleks could say anything. "You're it Daddy, and no magic this time! It's cheating!"

She'd be damned if she let him put her to bed early when they were having soo much fun.

[Peeker]

Well... she might be suspicious, but he could still go with the original lie until she believed him.

Unfortunately, Aleksandr had the rug under Alice's feet start running along with her - the girl looked like she was caught on a hamster wheel.

"I'm sorry love, I don't have the energy to keep playing like that right now. ...mind if we do something quieter? For me?"

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

"Oh come on!" Alice stopped running and looked peeved at Aleks before returning to his side and pulling his hand the same way a child would to get attention. "Daddy I wanna play more! Please? I don't wanna do quiet!"

She released his hand a did and danced lightly, the same way she would normally.

"The night's still young Aleks, we can do quiet tomorrow," She explained as she finaly stopped in front of him with her hands clasped behind her while grinning like the chesshire cat. "Please? Alice wants to play with her Daddy."

She frowned though when Aleks refused and then turned her back on him.

"Fine then," She sounded annoyed as she walked towards the ballroom. If Aleks wouldn't play with her, she could just goof around with the piano. "I'll play by myself!"

[Peeker]

Aleksandr sighed. "Sorry, dear."

...and he was. He might have to turn her into a child tomorrow, under the pretense of teaching her 'patience', just so he could play with her some more.

...or not. If she was in a bad mood, and heading towards his ballroom...

"Alice? Alice!"

The man hurried after her - stopping only to fix the rug.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice ignorred him as she continued on her way, pretending she couldn't hear him and quickly ducked out of sight when she heard him follow her. ducking into a broom closet and watched in silence as Aleks ran past her heading for the ballroom.

'Hide and seek it is,'

She grinned to her self and ran off the the gardens instead, feeling satisfied that she had avoided Aleks' capture and hurried over the fountain in the center of the gardens. It was a beatuful foutain, made to look like several dragons spitting out water, the main one standing tall with it's wings out and yet, it was friendly looking.


Grinning again to herself, Alice climbed up and kicked off her shoes. She had always wanted to run around and play inthe fountain but never gave in since she was too old for such childish acttions but now... well, why not? the water reached her knees, soaking her dress as she began to walk over the one of the dragon head to look closer at it.

"Pretty..."

[Peeker]

Aleksandr, meanwhile, had his imps looking high and low for Alice, while he went from room to room, doing the same thing

"Alice?! Alice?!"

He could already hear her childish giggling.

Well, great. This meant that she was getting worked up laughing at Aleksandr, and probably at the imps, too.

...and the imps were probably enjoying the fact that their master was worked up, and were not looking for Alice. Little bastards.

The man stormed through the entire house, fruitlessly.

Fine. Magic, then - and not just any magic: magic that would give her a chance in hell of not getting in trouble.

His voice filled the Rastline Manor, echoing and spilling out into the grounds. The sound echoed with magic, though his tone was calm: it had intent, and even at the age of five, Alice would konw what that sounded like.

"Alice Victoria Harker, you come to the Ballroom this INSTANT young lady."

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

"Alice Victoria Harker, you come to the Ballroom this INSTANT young lady."

Alice nearly tripping into the foutain at the sudden yell of her name and looked at the house with fearful eyes.

Aleks didn't sound amused anymore. Gulping Alice climbed out of the foutain, ringing the hem of her clothes, trying to get most of the water out as she pulled on her shoes.

'He sounds pretty angry...' She peeked in through the kitchen door, noticing several of the imps snickering to each other. 'What's up with them?'

Kapad was the ifrst to notic her and instantly flew close into her face.

"Little Little One in trouble!" It began to chant in a happy voice. "Little Little One in trouble! Little Little One in trouble!"

Alice blinked not sure what to say as she walked back to the Ballroom pekeing neverously around the corner to only find Aleks waiting for her.

"Hee hee..." she laughed nervously. "You errr.... called Daddy?"