Chapter Nineteen Fortune and Fate

Author's Note-This is the Last Chapter, so it is going to be a bit shorter than the others. Thank you to all who reviewed and I will have more stories coming.

Nine Months Later

Stayne paced outside the bedchamber, wincing slightly as he heard Alannah's moans of pain. He had never imagined he could be more nervous than he already was, but each time he heard her crying his pulse would race. He was sure he was wearing a hole in the floor, and he wanted more than anything to be in there with her.

Alice sat in the window and smiled as she watched Stayne pace. "Alannah will be fine. She is not the first woman to give birth, and I highly doubt that she will be the last. You are going to end up digging a trough in that floor, you keep pacing like that. Come sit down." She patted the window seat next to her, and he huffed before walking over and sitting.

"I'm just so nervous. What if something happens to her, or to the child, or to both of them? What if it's born with a defect? What if it doesn't like me?"

Alice laughed. "Ilosivic, your child will like you just fine. And if it is born with a defect, I highly doubt either you or Alannah will take much notice, or have you forgotten about your own defect?"

Stayne smiled. "It's pretty hard to forget, but Alannah never seemed to mind." He leaned back and shut his eye. "Overland logic wins again."

Alice grinned. "Thank you. Just out of curiosity, did she ever ask you how you lost your eye?"

Stayne opened his eye and looked at Alice. "She did, why?"

Alice smiled. "Because I myself am quite curious to know how it happened."

Stayne chuckled grimly. "I lost it to the JubJub bird. When I first arrived at Salazen Grum, one of my jobs was to make sure that bag of feathers was fed nightly. I hated the bird, and I was pretty certain the feeling was mutual. However, I was usually able to distract it from attacking me. I had a system-I put its meat on a hooked pole, and then unlocked the cage, slipped in and got its hood off, then slipped out before its eyes fully opened. I would then poke the meat through the bars. But one night something went wrong, and the next thing I remember is seeing this razor sharp beak descending towards my face. I managed to get out of the cage before I was completely blinded."

Alice looked at him in sympathy. "That must have been awful. I was rather scared of that creature as well, but then again I was six inches high when I first saw it."

"Trust me that bird was scary no matter what height a person was. I was actually quite relieved when that slab crushed it." Stayne replied drily.

Alice nodded. "I can believe that." They sat in silence for a while, when Stayne spoke up hesitatingly.

"Alice? Why don't you hate me?"

Alice looked at him, startled. "What reason would I have to hate you?" She held up her hand as he started to talk. "I know you worked for the Red Queen, and yes, Tarrant has told me what you did to him when I was here last. I also will admit that I was quite flustered when you pinned me against the wall. But that was more of a case of indignity than actual hatred, and you did not try to take advantage of me. So there was still a bit of the gentleman inside the cad. But to answer your question, I stopped hating you when I saw how horrified you were at the thought of being with the Red Queen all your life."

Stayne looked at her, slightly angry. "Why didn't you intercede on my behalf? I'm sure Mirana would have listened to you."

Alice smiled sadly. "I was still processing the fact that I had killed the Jabberwock. I'm afraid I really didn't take much notice of anything." She paused, and then laughed. "Although Tarrant's Futterwacken is not easily forgotten."

Stayne laughed. "No, most definitely not."

He looked anxiously towards the bedchamber door. "It's gone quiet in there. Do you think they're alright?"

Alice was about to reassure him when an angry scream pierced the silence.

"ILOSIVIC STAYNE, YOU ARE NEVER TOUCHING ME AGAIN!!!!"

Alice laughed at the indignant expression on Stayne's face. "I would say your Lady is doing just fine, if she can scream like that."

Stayne pouted, looking at the closed door. "I suppose you are correct. But when do I get to go in there?"

Suddenly, the air was pierced by a second scream-the wail of a newborn infant.

The bedchamber door opened, and Mirana came gliding out, a large smile on her face. "Ilosivic, there is someone in there that would like to meet you."

Stayne gawped at her, then grinned and ran into the bedchamber. He gasped in amazement at the sight before him.

Alannah was propped up on the bed, singing softly. In her arms was a small bundle wrapped in white cloth. She looked up when she heard him enter and smiled.

"Are you just going to stand there, or would you like to meet your daughter?" she asked him teasingly.

Stayne walked over to the bed, and Alannah gently scooted over so he could sit next to her.

He placed his arm around Alannah, pulling her close to him, looked

down at the infant sleeping in her mother's arms, and smiled. "She's beautiful, love."

He reached out and gently touched the tiny forehead, then stroked the tiny wisp of black hair.

"She's got my hair."

Alannah nodded. "Yes, but she has my eyes."

Stayne grinned happily. "So I now have two green eyed beauties. I'm quite the lucky one, aren't I?"

Alannah kissed him. "You are. I do believe that Fate has finally decided to favor you."

Stayne sighed. "About bloody time, too."

Alannah glared at him. "Watch the language around the child." She laughed at his downcast expression.

"Have you thought of a name yet, Alannah?" he asked. She nodded.

"Katarina. Katarina Stayne."

Stayne gaped at her in happiness, then gently kissed Katarina's forehead. "Welcome to Underland, Katarina Stayne." He looked at Alannah, and smiled happily.

"Thank you for everything, my beauty. You gave me back my life."

Alannah gently kissed him, then turned her attention to Katarina and began to softly sing.

Stayne shut his eye, letting Alannah's voice wash over him. He opened it when he heard her stop, and smiled gently. She was sleeping, a small smile on her face. He gave a small sigh of happiness and shut his eye, thanking Fate and Fortune that he had met her.

Ilosivic Stayne had earned his redemption.