Requiem on Water [Book I]

Chapter 9

When a noble life has prepared old age, it is not decline that it reveals, but the first days of immortality.
―Muriel Spark

Chapter 9

Alice's stomach churned as she looked down the overhang. The water stretched out as far as her eyes could see, but because it was dusk, she couldn't quite distinguish the line that divided the water from the sky. Ripples and waves incessantly gushed towards the seashore, breaking into bubbles, only to disperse and retract once more. She listened to the ocean surging and receding. She could hear the seagulls circle high above and weep near the cloudless heavens.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her confusion carved into her features.

"The Realm of the Immortales," said Arthur, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Angst burned in her eyes, because before she hadn't recognized that she had a fear for heights. It was a ridiculous fear for an Immortale to have but she was afraid and anxious even so. The water didn't scare her in the least; it was the plunge which made her stomach churn. She looked pleadingly into Arthur's eyes.

"And I have to jump from here to get to the realm?"

"Yes, the next portal is quite the distance to travel. Is there something wrong?"

"No," she said, perhaps a little too quickly. She heard Anastasia snicker and Cain let out a snort. She hid her face beneath her cascade of blond hair, unwilling to meet anyone's eyes. Alice was embarrassed, not only because Anastasia and Cain were laughing at her, but because she felt inferior, because she couldn't be the strong Immortale that all of them were. "I'm not afraid."

"Alright, we can make the jump together; that is if you'd want to."

She nodded and entwined her fingers with Arthur's. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and allowed Arthur to guide her over the cliff. She was thankful Anastasia couldn't see her frightened eyes, because she knew they were tearing, she knew that blood coated her lashes. But as she took the final step, nothing mattered. The air gushed against her skin, causing her slow beating heart to pick up pace. It wasn't frightening in the least, and while freefalling towards the fierce waters, Alice smiled and let out a fit of childish giggles.

Anastasia followed next, but it didn't appear to faze her in the least. She landed almost simultaneously with Arthur and Alice; Alice was hyped and giggling while Arthur smiled sweetly as he always did. Anastasia was combing her fingers through her mane of dark hair, annoyance carved into her features. Travelling through this particular portal obviously didn't make Anastasia's favourite list.

When Cain arrived, silence fell among them and it was then that Cain couldn't help but sweep Alice up into his arms and carry her towards the Alcazar. Anxiety shot through Alice; her eyes grew as wide as two white golf balls, her slim jaw fell until it almost reached her collarbone. It would have been comical if the situation was different. In normal circumstances one wouldn't fear death, but when it came to Immortales, death was always inevitable. Normally one would take 'sweeping a woman into your arms' as either a romantic gesture, or a joke.

Cain laughed at Alice's startled reaction, and to add a little drama to the effect, he tilted her head backwards and his lips inched closer to hers. She swallowed harshly. She hadn't even kissed Arthur yet. Okay, so she was drinking his blood, which some would debate to be a more intimate act than kissing, but still? Alice had never been kissed before.

"W-what are you doing?" she stumbled, attempting to free herself out of his iron grasp. It was to no avail.

Anastasia snickered and Arthur led out a deep sigh.