A young woman of twenty-one strolled through a small maze of hedges, pausing to sniff at the white roses that had grown in between their branches. She wandered through the maze, not paying attention to where her feet took her but taking the right path all the same. She took the entire scene around her in, appreciating everything from the clouds above her to the feeling of damp grass beneath her foot. A breeze started up, catching her long blond hair and silky blue dress and making them flutter behind her.

When the woman stepped out of the maze she headed straight for the pond in front of her and sat in the chair that was in the perfect spot to overlook both the water and the estate. She sighed in happiness, sitting back in the chair, closing her eyes, and letting the sun warm her face. She wasn't like this for long, however, before a high voice robbed her of her just-beginning doze.

"I see you are you enjoying yourself, Alice." The voice observed from behind her. Alice shifted a little in the chair but didn't open her eyes.

"I am thank you." She replied. "And I was just getting into a nice nap when you began talking. So, sir, if you could be so kind as to leave I am sure that you may be able to get a tart for your troubles from the large house over on that hill. I am not doing business today."

"Oh, but you would surely jump at the chance to do the business at the place I come from." The voice said. "After all, you have been there twice before."

Alice frowned. "I assure you, sir, that no business anyone can offer me at this moment will get me to move from this chair." She said stubbornly.

"Oh, fine." The voice sighed. "I will leave, but I can assure you that you will disappoint many."

"I do not care who I disappoint this day for I can make it up to them on another." Alice declared.

"Of course, what if one more day when you have been waiting for so many before?" The voice asked with a hint of sarcasm.

Alice opened her eyes a bit and furrowed her brow. "Whatever are you going on about?"

"You don't remember? I know it has been two years, Alice , but none of us have forgotten your promise. Especially Tarrant." The voice added quietly.

Alice almost fell out of her chair in her haste to turn around. Her accomplishment in remaining seated was short-lived, though, as she promptly hurdled herself to the ground in an attempt to reach the white rabbit in a blue waistcoat standing a few feet behind her.

"White rabbit!" She exclaimed after she spit out the grass she had gathered from her fall.

The rabbit sighed. "You know, my name is Nivens and it is quite insulting to be called anything but." He told her as she picked herself off and straightened her dress. "Now we must be going.'

Alice regained her footing and followed the rabbit into the maze, quickly catching up and then matching pace with him. "I am sorry. How is everything in Underland?"

Nivens shrugged. "Fine. Not much has happened since you left two years ago. The Red Queen is gone, the White Queen rules, everything is peaceful."

"So why come and get me?" Alice asked. "I mean, I would love to return to Underland, but I know there must be a reason."

"Oh, there is a reason." Nivens reassured her.

"And that would be?"

"I don't know."

Alice stopped. "How do you know that there is a reason but you do not know the reason?"

"Because Absolem says there is a reason, that is how." Nivens said. "Now hurry up or we'll be late!"

"Absolem?" Alice asked, starting after the rabbit again. "How is that possible? He turned into a butterfly and flew away. The last time I saw him was on my boat headed for China nearly two years ago."

"Well he returned and he's a caterpillar again."

Alice was thoroughly confused. "What? How does that even work? How does-"

Nivens cut her off. "Good heavens, child! Are you really that daft to think that you can put your overworld logic on Underland? Did you bump your head when you went to Chinya-"

" China ." Alice interrupted.

The rabbit stomped his foot in irritation. "It doesn't matter! The point is that this is Overland , that is Underland, and you acting worse than you did when you first came and thought the whole blasted place was called Wonderland!"

Alice backed up a little. "I'm sorry Nivens. I just want to understand."

The rabbit rolled his eyes. "Everyone does, Alice ." He said before wiping his brow with a small blue handkerchief he produced from his pocket and then checking his watch. "Come along now, we're late. No more of your "how" or "why" nonsense and we might make it though this in a timely fashion."

Alice abided and followed Nivens in silence. As they walked, she noticed that the maze was making turns that it never had before, the hedges were growing taller, and red roses were mixed within the white. She felt the urge to ask a dozen "how" questions and twice as many "why" but she restrained herself. After a few more minutes of walking they came upon the maze's apparent center: a large circular clearing where the hedges were taller than three Alices and a huge tree in the middle. After looking at it for a moment, she realized that it was the same tree as the one she had fallen into at the party two years ago.

Nivens lead her around the tree until they came upon the hole in its roots. "I always hate doing this. It makes my fur so awfully messy." He sighed. He looked back once more at Alice before plunging into the hole.

Alice stared at the dark hole for a moment. A smile crept across her lips slowly. "To Wonderland I go." She whispered to no one before plunging down the hole herself.