Alice Wayward is a major POV in A Death at Dawn.[1]
Appearance and Character[]
Fifteen years old at the start of the series, Alice Wayward's appearance is a reflection of her House Thoren and House Wayward ancestors. She is a beautiful, ashen girl with long, raven-colored hair and bright blue eyes. This physical resemblance to her ancestors is not just a matter of genetics. Still, it also symbolizes her connection to her family's history and the traits she has inherited from them. Alice is extraordinarily kind and quiet, wanting to please everyone.
History[]
Alice Wayward was born in Maryere, the Mountain Realm, on the eleventh day of the Honey Moon during the four hundred and ninetieth year after the Secession of Man. Alice is the oldest child of Lord Protector of the Mountain Realm, Borin Wayward, and his wife, Lady Gloriana Thoren. She has two siblings: a younger sister, Jaslyn, and a younger brother, Josef. Her relationship with her family is complex, with love and loyalty mixed with tension and conflict, especially in the context of her illness and the curse that afflicts her.
Despite being afflicted with an unknown curse as a child, Alice's resilience shines through. Confined to the Bloody Tower, her family's absence leaves her lonely. Her only solace is her best friend and handmaiden, Myra Nores. Alice's dreams of a brighter future keep her going as she eagerly awaits the day she can leave the Bloody Tower behind.
Recent Events[]
A Death at Dawn[]
At the beginning of A Death at Dawn, Alice had been stuck in the Bloody Tower for moons. On the day her father returns to Maryere, Myra visits, telling Alice about a dinner later to celebrate her father's safe return. Although she wasn't invited because of her illness, Alice decided to go anyway. At the dinner, she meets Lord Falk Osmont, and her mother drunkenly insults her. A few weeks later, Alice feels well enough to visit Myburn Garden. While in the garden, Jaslyn passes by, and Alice meets Kai. Her uncle Falk appears while Alice converses with Jaslyn, forcing Jaslyn to leave. She has an awkward conversation with Falk, leaving her feeling like something terrible will happen.
She is betrothed to Doran Osmont, causing a stir amongst House Wayward and the highborn. The day she leaves Maryere, many highborns promise to protect her. Less than an hour into the travel, Falk physically beats Alice. This causes Alice to sink into a deep depression. Falk demands that Alice dines with him, so Alice is forced from the wheelhouse she trapped herself in for over a moon. Many people traveling with her are shocked by her appearance. After the dinner, Ser Damien Clay informs Alice that he is aligned with her sister, Jaslyn. Lord Falk's knights later assault Myra, and Falk refuses to do anything about it. This causes Alice to tell Ser Damien to write a letter to Jaslyn for her rescue. The letter is intercepted, and Falk learns about this, imprisoning Ser Damien.
When Alice reaches Kingment, she is rushed to the throne room to watch Ser Damien's beheading. This makes Alice feel like a failure. She meets Rosert Osmont, who tells her he wants to be friends, but she doesn't trust him. After speaking with Lady Raya Vale, Alice meets Doran and is surprised by his childish and discriminatory behavior. She is friendly towards Emeline and Catrain Osmont. As time passes, she learns to trust Rosert and begins to have feelings for him. Simultaneously, she spends more time with Doran and learns more about him. She becomes conflicted when she falls in love with both brothers. She ignores Lord Falk as much as she can, angering Falk. To "get her attention," he abducts and personally beheads Myra. Fearing for her own life, she accepts Falk's proposal of murdering her aunt Victoria. When she attempts to murder Victoria, the woman's body melts into Lord Falk's. Falk dies, and Victoria tells Alice she will falsely accuse Alice of murder. Alice jumps from a window, no longer wanting to live, yet Rosert catches her, saving her life. The bells of Kingment begin to toll, signaling a death, so they decide to run away with Lady Raya Vale to Ihphy's Archipelago.[1]
WTFBT Anthology[]
Alice appears in Cleric's 506 SM anthology chapter while completing needlework with Lady Victoria, Catrain, and Emeline.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Grey, Gabrielle. A Death at Dawn, 2020.