I'm alone most of the time, there is no real need for me, the middle child. I'm scrany, impatient, and even if I were to marry well there would only be the occasional need of me at family gatherings when the wheather was one way or the other. I walk my gardens most of the time and count the petals on the rose that grows on its own in the middle of that garden. That rose it like me, alone and growing here for no apparent reason. If only I could run away from here, find a place where I'm meant to grow.
"Alice," My head leans back away from the flower to a beautiful man standing before me, his beard trimmed and in fashion, his suit is clearly tailored by a professional and his shoes are shinned and never scuffed. "It is well past supper time, have you been here this entire time?" I look at the sky it's night glow covering the grounds of his estate.
"Forgive me, father," I reply standing up with my head bowed. "I did not realize the time, it must of slipped away from me." His mouth twitched but he said nothing.
"Please return yourself to the house Alice, I will be along shortly."
"Yes father," I walked out of the garden watching where I was going, I knew this place better than any other place I've ever been to because I love it, this is my real home. I gathered my courage and made my way in to the house slipping past maids and my family alike, I arrived in my room where a hot bath awaited me.
"In the gardens again?" I shook from fear as the grating voice belonged to my mother.
"Yes, my lady," I replied lowering my head to my dirty dress.
"As if I were confused even for a moment," She spat, she spun around one of the most handsome women in our area, her long blonde hair was tied in a delicate and careful knot at the base of her neck, her deep red lips and bright blue eyes got the attention of everyone in the room, her figure was just the right amount of curve and slimnest that the men sought after. She wore a flattering deep red dress with a black corset and a high collar, she was always dressed in the newest fashion and it always looked absolutely perfect on her. "Bath and then you are dismissed to bed until the morn in which you are to stay here in your room until you are called for."
"Yes, my lady," I replied cowering by the door as she walked out of the room. I undressed and lowered myself into the steaming hot bath and sighed deeply. "If only I could be taken away."
"You could always leave here," A voice I didn't know called out to me, I sat up in absolute alarm covering myself the best I could.
"Who's there?" I demanded sternly. I rose half way out of the bath and pulled on my robe part of it falling into the bath. I stepped out of the bath and on to the cold wooden floor, I carefully stepped over to a rug and softly made my way to where the voice had come. I put my hand on the curtain, scared someone was hiding behind it. "I'll have you know I am very capable of taking care of myself and I'll toss you out the window if you try anything more." I tried to put on a scary voice and a fierce face, I ripped the curtain open and gave a small shout. My door burst open and my father walked in.
"What is it?" He shouted,
"Forgive me father," I said tightening my robe, "I thought I saw someone by the window." My father's mouth twitched again frowning,
"I will send the ladies in here to clear this away," I watched as he strode out of the room slamming the door behind him. I shook my head but said nothing as I turned to face the small fuzzy white intruder. I picked it up carefully as I stroked the white fur of the rabbit in my arms. I set the rabbit on my bed as the maids came in and cleared the bath and helped me dress in my night gown. I slide into my bed and sighed petting the soft rabbit's fur,
"If I could only just run away," I felt myself drift to sleep as I looked at the rabbit's almost human like eyes and I watch and it smiled and winked at me,
"You can just run away," And before I knew it I was fast asleep dreaming of running away with the white rabbit.