Chapter Text
The next she woke would be to the sounds of quickened breathing, the thundering of a small heart, and the rattle of a locked door.
Surprised even as she slowly sat up onto her elbows, she would squint into the dim room to see the small figure leaning hard against the door, her one good hand trying to grip onto the doorknob despite them being currently encased in small mittens. The other would be bound in a sling with multiples of bandaging covering her torso and arm. There would be gurgling grumblings from her little one that had her somewhat worried.
“Up and about so soon aren’t we, darling?” she called, her smile growing when the girl at the door stumbled and buckled to her knees with a startled grunt.
She gave a playful gasp, acting surprised her little one fell before she soon climbed out of bed and walked over to the panicking woman who tried to scurry away from her approach. “You should be in bed keeping warm.” she added, tsking as the woman scrunched up when she bent down to scoop her up. From here she would try to check on her wounds, though the girl squirming had her fearing she might drop her. She was surprised at how much energy her little one had after her arrival the previous night.
After cleaning her wounds and stitching up the bites, she had given her a small cleaning and placed her in a pale lavender onesie, one that Cassandra had outgrown soon after she had gotten her. Along with this she briefly patted her youngest’s bottom to check it. Thankfully there weren’t any accidents so soon in the morning.
She could tell the woman was disoriented and confused, with gray eyes wide and darting everywhere around the room, looking for any route of escape.
“You had a very rough night, darling. A nasty mutt had gotten a hold of you and if it weren’t for your oldest sister, mommy wouldn’t have ever known.” Alcina frowned, soon tucking the woman against her hip as she carried her over to the window. With a free hand she would open the curtains and let the blinding light in, soon chuckling tiredly at the small hitched breath of her smallest and how she shielded her eyes.
“But that is never going to happen again. Mommy will be here to protect you from all the big, scary things out there.” she promised, soon carrying her back to bed to place on her back and go about unbuttoning her onesie.
There would be a raspy, strangled cough coming from the woman, leading Alcina to look up in concern as the flabbergasted woman held her throat and tried to speak. Her face flushed red and such gorgeous gray eyes widely staring at her in confused fear. This woman definitely recognized her, her shivering form and quickened heartbeats telling her that the woman knew who she was quite well indeed. The girl’s free hand would be trying to grab at Alcina’s much larger ones, trying to prevent her from taking off the only article of clothing she had despite the embarrassing aspect of a certain nappy.
Alcina pursed her lips and hummed disapprovingly, “Mommy needs to check your wounds, dear. She can’t make sure they are alright if you won’t let her look.” she tried to explain, though the woman would only sputter and rasp more, shaking her head soon after.
“Ah… a shame then. If you refuse to let her look then they might become infected, and you might become a dirty little dog yourself.” she tried once more, this time smirking softly once the girl stiffened and side eyed her bandaged shoulder.
Finally the hand gripping her index finger so tightly would loosen, before letting go completely and the girl would lay back to let Alcina do as she was intending.
“Good girl. Thank you for trusting mommy now.” she praised, cooing as she resumed her task of undressing her youngest and carefully moving the girl’s arm. She would move the bandages lightly, cooing when she saw the girl wince. The young girl would look away in a bright blush, her brow furrowing and her bottom lip quivering. She was such a sight of a pouting toddler and she was adorable. With her trying to distract herself, the mother had turned her attention finally to the angry wounds and delicately peeled back the bandaging.
The bite looked horrible, with black veins settling around it but thankfully not spreading down her girl’s arm or chest as she investigated. Dark purple and black bruising was still prevalent with the stitched closed bite still raised and inflamed.
It was healing as best as it could with what little time she had. Today would be different once she had gotten a proper brew for her little girl. She could use the medicinal elixirs she had in the dungeons, it would make her daughter right as rain with full autonomy of her arm near instantly, but she decided against it.
She wanted her little one to rely on her, and she knew if she healed completely then her little one would have more agency to try and throw herself in harm’s way. She knew just from her sneaking out of her bed and trying to leave her room that her youngest would be a runner. So she would let her little girl heal slowly, with a slow drip of elixir to have her not lose any real usage of her limb. But that would be something for the night to handle the proper measurements. For now she would focus on other things.
Which led to her snapping out of her thoughts to lightly rub her daughter’s belly and cooed with praise toward her.
“You’re being such a brave girl. The wounds are looking much better than they had last night, but you have a long way to go before you can use that arm properly.” she explained as she began peeling off the onesie, much to the girl’s dismay as her skin flushed a dark red in embarrassment. Frail and starved, trying to hide what little decency she had despite the Lady already seeing it all the previous night.
She let her have that at the moment. “I think a nice meal will help warm you right up. And I’m sure your sisters are dying to meet you.” she mused, moving over to her wardrobe to find something for herself to wear. She would need to unpack all her girls’ infant clothes for their newest sister, but for now she would simply redress her in her current one once she got her nappy changed.
Which ended up being almost comical how her youngest was behaving. Again her tiny hand would grip onto her own, trying and failing to tug her own hand away from attempting to help dress her. She even kicked her once but to Alcina it was the lightest tap. Her newborn was feisty and she was so happy she had such energy given the night prior.
‘Energetic days always led to restful nights.’ she would always say when she had to raise her oldest three.
Bela was her first and thus she had so much to learn with her. How her firstborn would throw herself into danger in the pursuit of escaping back to her life in the village, much like her youngest she had stopped trying to run away when a lycan chased her back here. Into the arms of her ever protective mother. She would stick to her side like glue all the way until Cassandra came along.
Perhaps that was why her daughter had decided to bring her little sister to her.
Cassandra was the opposite, ever clinging to Alcina’s leg and dress. She would fuss and cry if left alone, and would terrorize the poor staff until she had gotten her mother’s attention. There were many invaluable pieces of art and irreplaceable staff she had destroyed in her pursuit of making her mother pay her attention. Her neediness had lessened once Alcina had introduced her to hobbies she could put her energy into and she thankfully calmed as she got older… somewhat. Now she was definitely in her moody stage.
And sweet Daniela, ever aloof and in her own world, would be a mix of her older sisters. Alcina would find her in the strangest places, napping or reading or playing with a maid forced to be a princess. Her imagination was grand and thus she could be somewhat unpredictable. Alcina found she was her hardest to raise, being as the moment she thought she understood her mannerisms, Daniela would throw a wrench in her assumptions with some new tidbit.
As she was busy redressing her youngest, she couldn’t help but think of what personality she would have. Would she be like calm Bela? Or needy Cassandra? Or would she be like her unpredictable Daniela? She couldn’t wait to find out.
“Come here, you.” she hummed, soon scooping her up from bed to take her over to her vanity. She had so much to do to fix her daughter’s mangy appearance, and the first thing she was going to attempt would be tackling that rat nest of beautiful white hair.
-_-_-_-_-
The morning led to somewhat of a frustratingly horrid hour. With the rat nest being far worse than she assumed, and how her youngest resisted every step of the way, she was surprised to find out they would almost be missing breakfast. And she despised being late for anything, especially when it led to her daughters’ waiting for her arrival as well.
She sighed heavily as she looked down at her ever flustered young girl, smiling softly at her and the slick wavy hair of white that cascaded down to the small of her back. She would lightly run her fingers through the combed tresses, cooing more as she looked at her youngest through the mirror.
“You know, you have such wonderful hair. I’m sure it will shine in no time once we give you a proper bath tonight.” she hummed, chuckling at seeing the girl flush red all over again, with gray eyes looking down at her own lap to keep from staring at her own golden.
Once she had gotten her as presentable as she could, she had placed her back on her bed and lightly tapped the tip of her little girl’s nose. “Don’t hop off this bed, mommy will be back shortly to take you down to breakfast.” she requested before she turned to get herself dressed for the day.
She wore her usual silk dress, with her signature ebony curls in their usual style, and her makeup ever pristine. All the while she would keep an eye on her youngest through the mirror, seeing that the girl was thankfully listening this time and was more focused on the buttons on her onesie. The mittens she had placed on her proved to be a nuisance to her little one, who was trying to bite them off.
“You lost your voice during the storm, didn’t you?” she asked once she applied most of her makeup, smiling at the sight of the girl jumping and looking over with those terrified gray eyes. They both knew she wouldn’t be able to verbally reply, so all she saw was the girl shrugging, unsure herself.
She had a feeling it was during the attack, the mere thought of her screaming out in pain as some mangy mutt tried to shred her to pieces had the mother’s chest twinge in pain, her fingers flexing with claws ever so slightly presenting themselves. If she ever saw that particular beast she would take immense pleasure in ending its pathetic life for almost stealing from her such a special opportunity.
Unnoticeable to the girl on the bed, but it had the mother inhaling deeply to ground herself and nod. “That’s alright. We will find ways for you to communicate until your voice comes back.” she promised her.
How she could would be another conversation entirely that she was sure her youngest wouldn’t like at all…
-_-_-_-_-
Breakfast hadn’t started thankfully, but the sparring of her two middle daughters would begin like clockwork.
While normally breakfast would be civil and there would only be word battles shot across the table at each sister. There would be times where her girls would spar over the most trivial things. The last pancake, an extra glass of wine, or just teasing about one’s day in the castle, sometimes tempers would flare and the only way to let off steam would usually be brawling.
But it was certainly unladylike to have them rolling on the ground trying to scalp one another over what appeared to be who would be sitting near her today.
“ Girls. ” came Alcina’s warning, surely looking like a sight herself with her youngest sitting on her hip who looked ever petrified to be there. Mittened hands trying desperately to ball into her dress. Bela would look over and seem to sag in her seat in relief seeing the girl in her arms, however Cassandra and Daniela…
“Who’s that , mother!?” came Daniela’s surprised cry, trying to untangle herself from her older sister to look at the little human her mother held. Cassandra was of the same mind as she dematerialized into a cloud of flies to race her sister to her mother, both even in cloud form trying to push one another away to materialize back and get a closer look.
Alcina was so sure her youngest’s poor little heart would give should she let them get any closer, so she simply took a step back and walked around them to her seat at the head of the table. She took a moment to try and rub her youngest’s back, frowning more as she watched her youngest’s petrified stares at the incoming cloud of flies, her grip on her dress so tight she feared her blunt nails would cut tears right through her mittens and into her favorite dress…
“Girls, behave yourselves. You’re going to give your baby sister a heart attack with how chaotic you two are.” she lightly scolded, though the tone she held was calm and sweet, wanting to ensure that their excitement to investigate wouldn’t be hindered by any chance of her assumed annoyance.
Though she knew all three would be surprised to hear her proclaim that, with Cassandra making an indistinguishable noise and Daniela squealing in excitement.
“ I’m not the baby anymore!? ” She couldn’t help cheering as she buzzed over to Alcina’s side to look at her new sister, with Cassandra materialized into her seat with a scowl on her face, suddenly wanting absolutely nothing to do with the little human.
Alcina would coo more, smiling softly at her second middle daughter and reaching over to stroke her blood stained cheek, smiling more at her sweet girl nuzzling into her gloved hand. “It appears so, my darling. And with this I expect you to be a proper role model to your baby sister. She’s had such a rough night and I want her to calm down today, alright?” she explained, glancing from Daniela to her other two daughters, her oldest would nod while her oldest middle child rolled her eyes and went about piling her plate with food.
Oh, she could already tell that she would be difficult about this…
But she would offer her a sweet smile regardless, she would give her the chance to come around and hoped it would be soon, considering she didn’t want any unneeded stress between her daughters and herself.
“Did she sleep well?” Came Bela’s calm question, being soft as she went about making her own plate and glancing up at her. Daniela would buzz away to her own seat and grab her plate, she’d switch seats to be closer to Alcina’s free side and tried to speak to her stun locked sister.
Alcina nodded as she held her youngest snugly against her front, being as she didn’t have any of the girl’s furniture out yet, so for now she would ensure her smallest girl would stay in her lap. She was acutely aware that her youngest would fight if she was placed anywhere else that might not be safe.
“She slept so snugly, didn’t wake up at all during the night once she was fed and warmed..” she assured, knowing her daughter had wanted to stay in case she had gotten overwhelmed, but compared to her other children her youngest was still a saint.
“That’s good… I worried about her.” the oldest confessed, ignoring her younger sister scoffing beside her.
Alcina smiled at her and chuckled softly, “It warms my heart to know you care so much for her already.” she praised, smiling more at the sight of her flustered daughter trying to appear the regal image of her firstborn.
“Now I’ve made you wait long enough, eat your fill and please use your utensils.” she begged, having noticed her second youngest eating with her hands… again.
-_-_-_-_-
It seemed today would be nothing but battles with her youngest, with her skin forever blushing as she attempted to move her head away from Alcina and the spoonful of porridge she presented to her. Her daughters would watch curiously and try to act civil with one another with the exception of Cassandra, all for the sake of their mother who was trying her best to remain patient.
With mittened hands her youngest had tried to feed herself, however Alcina refused and assured her that she would help her instead. Much to the horror of her youngest who seemed to like her independence very much.
“Darling, you need to eat. You’re much too frail and I will not allow you to waste away.” she urged, having to pause to clean up what had slipped off the spoon and dribbled onto her daughter’s chest. She would sigh in exasperation at hearing the stubborn grunt, along with the small snickering of a particular daughter of hers who was so evidently not so happy about the newest addition to the family.
She could hear the snide remarks Cassandra was doing under her breath and between chews, however Alcina would let her have her moment considering she was trying to feed her youngest.
“You surely can’t feed yourself, little thing. You need to gather your strength up from your horrible night.” Alcina persisted, briefly placing the bowl of porridge down to grab her own coffee to lightly sip from. She was neglecting feeding herself at the moment due to wanting to ensure her daughter had a full belly.
Holding her so close she could feel how frail she was.
“We’re not leaving this table until you’ve eaten enough for me to be satisfied.” She had warned, showing her daughter that she could and absolutely would be just as stubborn as she was being at the moment.
Of course that rewarded her with an admittedly adorable stink eye, before the girl would look back at the bowl in question and scowled more. Finally the girl would reach for the bowl, surrendering for now for both of their sakes. Though something told her that her youngest was just wishing this to be over so that she could return back to resting, given how her form was ever trembling since coming into the dining room.
Smiling and cooing more in praise, she would grab the bowl herself and make another spoonful for her. She kissed the top of her smallest’s head and praised her sweetly as she began to slowly, and as carefully as she could, feed her. She would ensure that she ate the entire bowl, and trying to focus on her youngest but when her older daughters tried to add her into conversations, she happily obliged.
This was certainly bringing up memories all over again, when she had fed all three of her daughters here on her first days with them. Oh, they were just as defiant as her youngest, and she couldn’t help the light laugh as she looked down at the little human in her lap.
She surely couldn’t wait to make more memories with her.
-_-_-_-_-
True to her assumptions earlier in the day, Alcina had battled constantly with her ever stubborn newborn. From feeding and changing, to her trying to stumble on weak legs away when a maid slipped into her study to place down her usual tea and daily paper, to her even trying to open a window of all bloody things.
She was certainly going to be harder than Daniela and Cassandra combined, with a tinge of Bela when she first came to her.
While the little human would normally try to run and hide from her, her youngest hadn’t dared to run into any rooms, instead she would keep to the hallways and would hide to the best of her abilities when Alcina called for her older daughters for aid. She knew from experience that her youngest was looking for a way out, as foolishly as she was to attempt it given her wounds and lack of proper clothes.
Which was her current situation now. Having just the briefest break from watching her smallest to answer an admittedly unimportant business call, her daughter had managed to bully her way past a maid who hadn’t been informed of the newest addition of the family. Now she would be stalking the halls, trying to pinpoint the exact location she could hear that tiny heart pounding against raggedly breathing lungs.
The buzzing of her daughters was drowning out most of it, with them also trying to locate their smallest sister and Daniela singing in hopes of comforting the little human. Cassandra would be the only one not too enthused to look and would be the only one walking about in her physical form, sickle twirling in her hand as she whistled hauntingly.
So much was happening in the span of a day that she was a little flabbergasted herself. She had forgotten the trials and tribulations of rearing such a young thing, so very adamant and stubborn in her first days. Her daughters for the most part were accepting of the newest member aside from her middle child, and she was expecting some pushback given Cassandra had done the same when Daniela came around.
Her then youngest had even tried to lock Daniela out of the home before, and had panicked when her younger sister was beginning to crack. It was by sheer luck she was returning home from a visit to Mother Miranda she had found her smallest falling apart.
That was the first and only time she had ever truly unleashed her rage upon her daughters, and even then she held back. But the incident had brought them together with Cassandra thankfully calmed afterwards after assurances she would not be replaced… and aiding her little sister during her recovery.
She would have to keep an eye on her the most with her new youngest. Humans were much more fragile than her daughters and even the slightest gust of wind would send them flying away. She would not let anything happen to her daughters.
“ Mother, I found her! ” came a call from Bela, a breath of relief leaving the giantess as she briskly made her way to her eldest. She was a little glad she had found her, given Cassandra’s mood and Daniela being far too excited for her own good, she didn’t want the poor thing being harmed more than she had the previous night.
She would make it to a hall very close to the front lobby, having her frown and tsk at her youngest as she was held in her older sister’s arms, hanging there limply with a pout on her face, like a very grumpy cat being picked up by a toddler. Her eldest would be smiling brightly as she presented her like a special toy, leading Alcina to coo and chuckle as she hooked her arms under the human’s arms and lifted her to her chest.
“Darling, you shouldn’t be running around on your own. You don’t know what could be lurking through these halls and I would hate to see my youngest hurting herself.” she scolded lightly, nuzzling against the human and ignoring the pushing the girl was trying to do.
“Thank you Bela for finding her. I didn’t think she would have so much energy considering what transpired last night.” she sighed dramatically and pursed her lips, purposely feigning exasperation and cocking her head to the side to smile fondly at the ever pouting human perched on her hip, glaring right back at her attempts at being playful.
Bela laughed and looked at her sister as well, “I don’t think she’s so bad. Cassandra was much worse, anyway. Always escaping to go running to you.” she teased lightly. Since the maids weren’t safe around her sister’s temper tantrums, it fell on her to watch her while their mother took her calls. Suffice to say it was still a humorous memory.
“Ah yes, she was ever the mommy’s girl.” Alcina cooed, soon turning and beginning to walk back to her room. Behind her she could hear her daughter fall into step smoothly with her to continue their conversation.
“That reminds me, have the maids find all of you and your sister’s belongings. She will need something while I make calls to gather her own items.” she requested, looking over her shoulder at her daughter who tilted her head curiously.
She wouldn’t need much, just their clothes they no longer fit in, any toys to entertain her youngest, and finally her own furniture. While she adored carrying her all around the castle, there would be times where her hands would need to be free and she knew a certain little thing would take the opportunity to flee into unknown dangers outside her view. She absolutely refused to chance that happening.
“As you wish, mother.” Bela replied, grinning as she instantly combusted into a storm of flies and flew past her down the hall. The action alone would have Alcina cooing and nuzzling her youngest once again who had clung to her for dear life, her little heart thundering so hard suddenly at the sight of her older sister.
“All is well, little one, you’re safe here.” she tried to console, kissing her on the cheek and chuckling softly at her little girl stuttering and hastily wiping the lipstick stain off her cheek. With her youngest so overwhelmed with everything today, she hummed softly as she held her snugly against her chest for a moment, cupping the back of her head to prevent her from pushing away her affections.
“Let’s return to bed, my dear sweet. I want to ask you a few questions.”