France's Little Servant

Chapter 2

   Alice's P.O.V.

  I watched for weeks as Francis practiced his swordsmanship. At first he seemed to be really bad at it but through out the weeks he has gotten better. But he was pushing himself too hard. I feel as if I was the only one who noticed it.

  They had guns and Francis knew that but using a gun to fight was forbidden. It was like fighting the 2p's, you didn't want to kill the other countries, all you wanted to do was wound them. The difference was you wouldn't be killing yourself like you would if you killed your 2p.

  "Sir, you should really stop and take a break. I'll go get you some water if you'd like." I offered.

  He looked at me and seemed to think for a moment before answering. "Oui, that would be lovely, mon petit Alice."

  With that I left the room and went to the kitchen. I grabbed two glasses down from the cabinet and went to the fridge. I opened the door and grabbed the pitcher of water. Poring water into the glasses I put the pitcher and the glasses on the tray and brought it to the ball room where Francis was.

  "Your water, sir." I said placing the tray on the nearest table. I looked up to see he hadn't heard me. He took another swing at Arthur as they continued their practice. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

  "Sir, you really should take a brake." I said but again he didn't hear me. I looked at Francis and could see the sweat dripping down his face. He hadn't eaten in days and I knew he wouldn't be able to last much longer.

  "Sir!" I said as loudly as I dared. Again he didn't hear me, or maybe he just didn't listen. I could feel as tears gathered in my eyes with worry. Thinking fast I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed a sword from the wall and walked over to the two.

  Moving quickly I beat down Arthur's sword and blocked Francis's down coming blow. I looked up at him and he stared at me in shock. I knew he could see the tears that threatened to spill. And for a minute we just stayed there until Francis lowered his sword.

  "Alice, I-" he started and shook my head.

  "Sir, you haven't eaten in days. There's water on the table and I shall go get you and Mr. Kirkland something to eat." I said and I started to leave. I had just turned when Francis grabbed my wrist.

  "Mon petit Alice, are you okay?" Francis asked and I nodded.

  "I am fine. It's you that we should be worried about, not me." I said and I couldn't help but feel the hope that I felt. Maybe after all these years Francis finally started to feel the same way I felt for him.

  He let go of my wrist and nodded. I quickly went down stairs and grabbed the food that Fredrick had ready. Although he prefers Freddy I call him Fredrick - I guess it's just the time period I grew up that caused this. Fredrick always had a tenacity to have food ready whenever I came down to get it.

  "So he finally decided to eat something, huh?" Fredrick said. I nodded.

  "Although I may have had something to do with it." I told him.

  "What?"

  "I got a bit ruffled at the fact that he was still practicing when I came back from getting him his water. So I simply picked a sword from the wall and blocked one of his blows." I told Fredrick the truth and he gasped.

  "You'll be lucky if Francis doesn't throw you out, Alice."

  "I certainly don't think that will happen. Mr. Bonnefoy simply would not make me leave." I said and Fredrick nodded.

  "He likes you, ya know."

  "Well of corse he likes me. If he didn't I wouldn't be here right now." I would probably be dead like my brother and my mother.

  "That's not what I mean." Fredrick rolled his eyes at me. "I mean he like likes you." I leant my head to the side in confusion and he tried again. "I mean he fancies you, Alice."

  My eyes widened. "You can not possibly mean that. Sure he may like me a bit more than others but he defiantly doesn't fancy me."

   "Here, I'll take the food up to him and I'll find out myself. I'll prove you wrong Alice. I'll prove that he truly does like you." Fredrick said before he took the two plates up the stairs leaving me to my own thoughts.

  What would it mean if Francis fancied me? Would it change anything? Or did he just find me the best servant he's had and that's why he kept me around? And if so, how long would it take for him to find someone better?