A Curious, Mad Dream

Quick Review:
Acelin: AZ-LEEN
Rhett Avira: RET UH-VEER-UH

​NEW WORD!!
Vesania: VI-ZANE-YUH
​
Gee, the words of Wonderland sure are confusing and kinda ridiculous to pronounce aren't they? Hmm :/ it sucks, but the names have meaning (you should have seen the words I had thought about going with >.< you definitely would have hated me then). Anyways, enjoy!!
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After I had returned inside, Sinclair was nowhere to be found. I rolled my eyes finding it convenient that he would send me out of the room so he could disappear on me to avoid any further questions. I headed into his room to borrow the bathroom so I could open the package I had received from the Hatter.

I untied the black string letting it fall to the white tiled floor. The paper was wrapped precisely and neatly around the object; each edge of the folds feeling sharp and crisp enough to cut easily across the surface of the skin. I carefully unwrapped the gift, feeling the paper crinkle beneath my fingers. The paper fell to the floor alongside the string to reveal a light purple fabric. I grabbed the piece of clothing by the top corners to allow the fabric to unfold and flare out to its full length and size. I was surprised to see it was a beautiful gown.

The dress had a specifically tailored bodice colored a light violet with a black lace ribbon weaving itself up the center of the corset to be tied into a neat bow at the top. The mesh white fabric of the sleeves puffed out from the shoulders of the bodice; the same translucent mesh flowing gracefully from the bottom hem of the corset to fall about mid-thigh. A solid silk slip colored a shade of purple even lighter than the bodice rested beneath the bottom mesh of the dress.

It was beautifully crafted; each stitch of the gown perfectly sown in to connect the pieces together. I brushed my fingers along the softness of the fabric wondering how the Hatter could have possibly known what size I was.

I draped the dress across the bathroom counter before slipping out of Sinclair’s shirt and pajama bottoms. Realizing my clothes, including my underwear and bra, were still in the washing machine. I quickly wrapped a towel around me and darted out into the room. I stopped in my tracks when I saw my clothes already dried, folded, and waiting for me on the foot of the bed. I must not have noticed them when I first came in because of my eagerness to open the package.

I quickly grabbed up my underwear knowing just by the way the dress appeared that no bra was supposed to be worn underneath. I felt embarrassed thinking about how Sinclair had handled them. I dashed back into the bathroom and placed the towel back on the rack. I wriggled into my panties and loosened the lace ribbon on the corset so I could slip into the dress. I fixed the sleeves to fall off my shoulders the way they were designed to fit. I pulled the ribbons so the bodice fit comfortably around my torso before retying the bow. I took my hair out of its bun now that it had fully dried; the dark strands fell in loose waves down my back and over my shoulders. I tugged my fingers through the minor knots in my hair before turning to gaze at myself in the mirror.

The lavender of the corset brought out the deep amethyst in my blue-violet eyes. My mascara and eyeliner had long since been washed away from my shower that morning. It was odd to stare at my reflection without any sort of make-up on. Typically I would wear a bit of eyeliner, mascara, a bit of eyeshadow, and gloss. However, I had rinsed my face clean of any make-up I had previously been wearing before coming here. Still…something seemed to be missing. I dug around in the pocket of the abandoned sweats and pulled out the pendant Henry had given me. I fastened it around my neck and tucked it inside the hem of my dress to rest between my breasts; the cool metal of the watch pendant causing goosebumps to form along my collarbone.

I turned from the mirror with a sigh, afraid if I were to keep assessing my appearance then I would grow overly self-conscious of how I looked. I left the bathroom and laid Sinclair’s clothes on the bed next to my clothing. I brushed my fingers over the visible tear in my striped stockings. So much had happened to me in the span of one morning. I’d learned more about my mother’s past here, but not all. I felt like there was a lot more that Sinclair was still hiding from me. And there was still more for me to learn about my reason for being here.

I touched soft fingers to my lips being able to feel the faded warmth of Rhett’s kiss. Needless to say I had been shocked at his bold action, but that didn’t mean I disliked the kiss. Although Rhett hadn’t directly answered many of my questions, he had given me more of a clue as to my reason for being here. He had hinted at the fact that my purpose was much larger than just being kidnapped to be killed by the queen.

I scanned the large area as I stepped out of the bedroom still not seeing Sinclair anywhere. I glanced to my left eyeing the door on the opposite side of the fireplace. My fingers itched to open the door and peer inside to silence my curiosity. What sort of wonders lay hidden behind there?

I turned my gaze to the front door straight ahead of me. Surely I would hear the click of the front door opening if and when he came in? Plus, I only wanted to take a quick peek inside and then I would go quietly sit on the sofa possibly watch TV. If Wonderland even got cable…it was based on my reality so it should right?

Shaking my head of those thoughts, I quietly padded over to the opposite door and turned the knob. The scene that lay behind the door had not been at all what I expected. Off to the far right wall was a bunk bed; the top bed having a blue comforter while the bottom had a pink one. A desk sat next to the bed while in the corner of the room, at the foot of the bed, was a gaming corner. Two bean bags sat in front of a large television with game controllers tossed onto the floor; an X-Box 360 resting peacefully on the shelf of the television stand. There were gaming consoles here?

Behind the door was a large walk-in closet that held both girl and boy clothing. A door next to the closet led into a small bathroom almost identical to Sinclair’s. I stepped out of the room placing a hand to my forehead. Sinclair had…kids? Why have I not seen them? By the fashion of their clothing, it was easy to guess the kids were in their early teens. However, Sinclair hardly looked to be past his mid-20s. So were they really his children or just two kids he was looking after?

Figuring I would just ask him when he got back later, I plopped down onto the couch with a content sigh. The dress flared out around my thighs as I reached forward to grab the remote off the glass coffee table. I went to turn on the television, but nothing happened. I tried a few more times before checking to see if the remote had batteries; it did. Disappointed, I tossed the remote to the opposite end of the couch. Since the television was mounted above the fireplace, it was out of my reach to find the power button. Well, now what?

My gaze dropped to eye my converse shoes. Although they wouldn’t necessarily match with the dress nor did I have socks to wear with them, I slipped them onto my feet anyways. If Sinclair had left the tower then surely there was a way out of this place. There may be a good chance I wouldn’t have to wait until night to sneak out and see the Hatter. Plus it would give me the chance to explore as long as I didn’t run into Vincent. I shuddered at the thought.

I left the room, but kept the door open to see if there was another set of stairs continuing down. There, to my right, was a set of stone steps that continued along the wall as they led down into the darkness. Before shutting the door behind me I noticed something strange. Although I was clearly gazing back into the living room, there was absolutely nothing but dark, empty space behind the physical door itself. I shook my head. Believe in impossible things indeed.

I cautiously followed the stairs downward; my fingers clutched at the wall as I descended further into the vast darkness. When my foot touched soft ground I nearly yelped in shock, but swallowed it back. Just a smidgeon off to my right was a vague outlining of a door as the sunlight poured in through the cracks. I swung open the door allowing the warmth of the sunlight to soak into my skin; a gentle breeze whipping my hair across my face as I took a hesitant step outside.

The clock tower rose high above me to kiss the sky. I glanced at my surroundings seeing nothing but trees. I couldn’t even spot a make-shift path. So how was I supposed to explore and find the Hatter?

“Lost, my dear?” an amused voice questioned from beside me. I turned to see Rhett lying on his side, head propped up by his hand; his black tail waved back and forth behind him. The two gold loops on his tail glinting under the sun’s rays as the tail flicked back and forth. The only thing odd about it was the fact that he was floating in midair. My gaze raked over the chiseled features of his face that were slightly hidden by the white strip of bangs in his long, black hair. Rhett’s pointed, midnight black cat ears poked out from underneath his hair; piercings lining the edge of his right ear while his left ear only contained an industrial piercing.

My blue-violet gaze met wide, amused golden yellow orbs.

“Not necessarily. I haven’t gone anywhere to be lost. I’m just looking for a path,” I admitted wondering if he would show me one. The neko evaporated from sight making me roll my eyes. It’d figure he’d disappear when I need his help.

A sharp whistle to my right caused me to turn finding Rhett holding back some brush to reveal a frequent treaded path. Smiling, I jogged over to Rhett and ducked through the foliage onto the dirt path. There was a soft rusting of leaves behind me as the neko ducked through to join me. He floated up in front of me, a wide smile on his face.

“Where to, Miss Hart?”

“Just call me Ace, okay?” I suggested beginning my exploration by walking forward.

“Ace,” Rhett repeated his smile growing wider.

I glanced at the tall trees on either side of me that lined the dirt path. There was nothing overly extraordinary about the trees or the forest itself. They weren’t in any crazy colors nor did they (thankfully) talk. It felt like an everyday walk through the woods. The only difference being I didn’t know the sort of things that could be lying in wait for me out there.

“So, are you headed to the Hatter’s mansion?” Rhett inquired floating around to circle in front of me. I watched him through narrow, cautious eyes.

“I thought I might just explore, but if I ended up at the Hatter’s then I wouldn’t complain,” I answered continuing to walk along the dusty path.

“How convenient,” he murmured with a smirk. He disappeared only to reappear beside me, only this time he was actually walking with me. His black hair fell in straight layers down to the middle of his back curling at the ends; his white strip of bangs slashed across the left side of his face brushing along the arch of his brow. Even though the wind felt unnaturally still, a soft breeze blew across Rhett causing tendrils of his hair to string across his face. Those golden eyes turned to catch my gaze on him. A smile tugged at his lips.

“You’re a very naughty girl, Ace,” he chuckled pushing the tips of his fingers down into the front pocket of his skinny jeans.

“Excuse me?”

“Daddy Thane doesn’t know you’re out of the castle does he?”

“Thane?” I repeated confused by the unfamiliar name.

“You live with him. Surely he gave you his name?” It was the neko’s turn to sound confused. That’s when it clicked in that he was talking about Sinclair.

“He never gave me his first name,” I admitted with a shrug.

The narrow, dusty path soon began to wind throughout the forest; rays of sunlight streamed in through gaps in the canopy of the trees to wash the ground with a dim light. After Rhett and I had walked on in silence for what felt like a good couple of hours (but was probably less than an hour), we came to a split in the road. My lips turned down into a grimace when I saw there was no sign to tell a traveler which direction led where. I glanced up in the direction of Rhett only to find he had vanished. Again.

“That cat is really starting to annoy me,” I grumbled to myself.

“I heard that,” Rhett’s voice lightly sang in my ear before appearing a few hundred feet in front of me down the left path.

“Coming?” he asked before disappearing again. I rolled my eyes as I decided to put my faith in a man who could, literally, vanish at any moment like the wind.

I started down the path not even needing to look to know Rhett had once more taken his place beside me.

“Why are you always disappearing like that?” I questioned gazing up at him.

“Why not?”

“Why do you always contradict my questions with one of your own?”

“Why must you ask questions you already know the answer to?” he retorted arching a dark brow challenging me.

I shook my head unable to control the smile that spread across my face. Even though I didn’t have the exact answers to the questions I asked him, I understood what Rhett was saying. I had been told stories about this place and the people in it as a child from my mother to whom I had asked similar questions and she’d answered patiently. Except that was so long ago and I had tucked away those memories deep into the back of my mind to forget. I was only just now beginning to remember some of those so I might better understand this world.

“You knew my mother,” I quietly stated. For once Rhett didn’t smile nor did he answer back with a question.

“Yes,” he simply answered.

“Why did she leave?” Maybe it was the seriousness of my voice or the quiet fear laced throughout my tone, but Rhett answered me earnestly.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I have an idea the way we all, each of us that are left and that knew her, have an idea. Each of those thoughts is different, yet I believe each of those thoughts is of truth. It is because of those differing truths that I believe to have caused The First War.”

I stopped in my tracks, mostly because we had come across a tall, wrought iron gate, but another reason being the fact I wanted to see Rhett’s face. Those once smiling eyes and mischievous grin had contorted into a pained grimace and sadness had darkened those bright golden eyes. That’s when I realized something. The reason why Rhett smiled so much was to hide the truth: he was in agony over the loss. Not of just his heart, but the loss of a love. I had seen that dark look in my mother’s eyes all too often when she spoke of my father. And Rhett’s reason for answering a question with a question was just used as a type of defense mechanism—a distraction—so he could keep pushing those feelings of sorrow away.

I cupped the side of his face in my hand; my fingers traced along the strong cut of his jawline.

“You loved her…my mother.” There was no reason for me to pose it as a question when we both knew the truth. Those golden irises darkened into a deep amber color as Rhett shifted his gaze to stare into my blue-violet eyes.

“Emphasis on loved,” he harshly bit out. I felt like for the first time since meeting Rhett, I was seeing his true side. Not the fake smiling one he used as a mask around everyone else.

“But not of your own choice,” I deduced continuing to hold his gaze until he finally broke his eyes away. He clenched his teeth tightly together causing his plump lips to flatten into a thin line of irritation; a muscle ticked in his jaw as he refused to meet my gaze.

Suddenly a thought snaked its way into my mind causing my body to move on its own. I placed my hand lightly against his chest as I rose onto the tips of my toes. When Rhett swiveled his head around to peer down at me curiously, I took the chance to capture his lips with mine in a quick, stolen kiss. The way he had done to me earlier. My feet relaxed back onto the ground; the neko’s golden eyes had gone wide as he touched fingers to his lips in shock that I had acted so boldly. The same look I had had earlier when I still felt his kiss lingering on my lips.

Before either of us could say anything, a twig snapped behind me breaking the silence. Rhett’s pupils dilated into thin vertical slits before he shifted into smoke and dissipated. Concerned by the look he had had in his eyes, I pivoted around on my heel only to take a step back in shock. Staring me straight in the face were the dark barrels of two guns held steady at my head. The dim sunlight gleamed off the long, metal barrel showing off the intricate detailed carved along the side.

“Hello, Acelin. Welcome to Vesania.”