The Poison

Alice and I had pizza when we got back to the mansion; she was worried about her mom and Peter. She had never been separated from her mom for so long. I assured her that they were grown and adults and that she needn’t worry. I explained that I and the butcher wouldn’t let her out of our sight, so she would be perfectly safe as well. I thought her worrying about her mother was cute. I love children, they’re so innocent.

“Uncle Will? Is Pete my daddy?” I froze when she asked that. Hadn’t Clair told Alice who her father was?

“You should ask your mother about that Alice.”

“But Uncle Will I did!” She said exasperated. “And she didn’t answer me, Pete didn’t either.” She frowned, and crossed her arms, her annoyed attitude was adorable.

“Well you’ll just have to wait then, she’ll tell you eventually.”

Alice, like her mother, loved the gardens. And that’s where we are now. Alice had been asking about her grandparents, I didn’t tell her much. I told her about how they loved Clair and I, and how, if they knew her, they would love her. I told her very little about their deaths when she asked; all I had said was that they were killed by European hunters. And yes they were hunters exactly like Peter and his friends.

“William” The Butcher interrupted me looking for Alice, in the middle of a game of hide and seek.

“This better be important”

“Brendon and Peter are fighting and Clair is here looking for you.”

“I’ll deal with Clair first, Brendon’s a big boy, he can take care of himself for a while.”

“Yes sir.” I wonder what my baby sister wants; perhaps she just wants to see her daughter, a second later she teleported in front of me.

“Baby sister, what can I do for you?”

“I want to take something back, Brendon isn’t the father. Pete is.”

“Mommy?” Alice had come out from her hiding spot behind a bush.

“Sweetheart!” Clair rushed forward and picked up Alice into her arms, “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Me too mommy.”

“Clair.” I said in a deadly serious tone, “We need to discuss, what you just claimed, perhaps you can visit Alice after this, The Butcher will take care of her.”

“But-“

“Now Clair.” With that The Butcher took Alice away, saying they could play hide and seek in the house, and that she could see her mom after.

“It’s always straight down to business with you isn’t it?”

“Yes, always. Now about what you said. You take back what you said about Brendon Urie being the father of Alice, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because, he isn’t the father.”

“So, why would you, when you hate him, tell me in the first place that he was the father?”

“I was afraid of what you would say at first, if I told you my child wasn’t from a dandie.”

“That seems reasonable, but you still lied to me Clair. Did Brendon still rape you then, or was that a lie too?”

“He didn’t rape me.” She said with difficulty.

“How can I believe you. You lied to me before. And you’re a Beckett, Clair, Becketts don’t lie. Must I punish you?”

“No!”

“No I think I must, maybe get some actual proof of who the father is. Who knows if it actually is Peter or Brendon, you could be lying about that too.”

“But William, what about Alice, don’t punish me, it will hurt her too, and hasn’t done anything.”

“Maybe you should have thought about that beforehand. You are a mother, and you should not so selfishly put yourself above her. You will learn from your mistake. Alice may visit you in the dungeons and then its back off to the hunters for you.”

“William-“

“Get out of my sight, you lying sister!”

I swung open the door to Brendon’s room to find him and Peter shouting at each other, swearing, and almost ready to throw punches. I do not tolerate such actions in my mansion.

“What is going on in here?” I yelled; I was furious.

“This bastard raped Clair, and is engaged to her. Why are you rewarding him?”

“He’s just jealous she’s picked me over him.”

“She’s only with you because she’s too caring of a person to let you die.”

“Stop yelling!” Surprisingly they did, I finally have their attention. “Pete did you sleep with Clair roughly five years ago?”

“No.”

“So you are not the father?’

“I wish, but no.”

“Do you know if Clair slept with anyone else?”

“I don’t think so, why?”

“Because she came to tell me that you’re the father of Alice, not Brendon.”

“I’m the father? Of who? What’s going on?” He yelled again, he was losing patience.

“Brendon, congratulation, Alice is your daughter.” I said catching him up to speed, his ignorance was annoying me.

“Alice is my, Alice is… you knew and you didn’t me?”

“Clair didn’t want you to know.”

“Can I go see Alice?”

“No, we need to discuss things, clear everything up. I won’t withhold information on this subject anymore.”

“You withheld more information?” Brendon was riled up.

“So help me Brendon, if you don’t calm down and shut your mouth, I will have to force you to. Now the two of you sit.” They sat on the opposite sides of the room, giving each other dirty looks.

“Now Clair had Alice around six years ago, and Brendon you raped my sister 9 months prior to that, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Clair spent time with the hunters after that event, giving Peter time to fornicate with her?”

“Correct.” Pete supplied.

“But you said you didn’t give her the time, therefore you can’t be the father?” Pete hesitated, I could see the wheels turning his head, and I could smell the smoke.

“No.”

“No what?”

“I did give her the time, Alice is my daughter.” Brendon sprang up from his seat on his bed, fury in his eyes.

“He’s lying! He said before that he hadn’t.” My second in command was right, Pete had said he hadn’t slept with Clair before, but I could see so much potential in Pete being my brother-in-law, him joining the dandies being the main thing. What would mother and father do? Stick to the truth, and get your way by some other plan. I must do as they did.

“So you both claim to be the father?”

“Yes!” They chimed together.

“Well a paternity test seems necessary.”