Mina paused a moment to rest beneath a one of the giant mushrooms in the forest of Wonderland. The day was nearing its end and she had grown tired of exploring the vast forest. As she took a sip of water from her pouch she noticed something glisten on the forest floor. Curious she returned the pouch to her bag and knelt to examine the item. She brushed away some foliage and found a beautifully decorated bottle. How strange, she thought, for the bottle to be left here in the middle of the forest. She was about to open it to see what the bottle held when she hear the marching of the Red Queen's soldiers. She quickly dropped the battle into her bag and pulled out a magic bean. She dropped the bean to ground and jumped through the portal.

Mina landed with a thud right in from of the cabin she called home. She has perfected bean travel and used it often for her work. Mina entered the cabin, dropped her bag by the door, and began to light a fire. She put some hot water for tea to the fire and grabbed an apple from a bowl on the table. Her latest piece of artwork was drying by the window. It was a colorful landscape inspired by her travels in Wonderland. She hoped she wasn't being too bold with her colors and that the painting would sell for a decent price at the market on Sunday. She was about to sit in her favorite chair when she remembered the bottle.

She took a giant bite out of the apple before walking to her bag and pulling out the detailed bottle. She turned it over admiring the beauty of the bottle and took another bite. Whoever lost it in the forest must have been very upset. She placed her apple down on the small table beside her chair and was about to open the bottle when she heard the water boiling. She placed the bottle beside it and walked over to make herself a cup of chamomile tea. With a steaming cup in hand she returned to her chair. The sipped the tea before it had even cooled down as she always did. She scowled at herself and placed it to cool by her apple. She flopped into her comfy chair and grabbed the bottle. What could be inside? Water? Wine? Sand? It wasn't heavy but it had some weight to it. Shrugging to herself she opened the bottle.

Out of the bottle came a dark blue that swirled in front of her. Mina watched eyes wide as a figure formed. When the smoke finally disappeared a man stood before her. Mina shrieked and jumped up to stand on her chair. The man began to speak, "Congratulations…I am William, the genie, I will gr-" he stopped short when he saw her.

"Uh, a genie?" Mina asked holding the bottle in her hand as she would swing at him should he try anything.

He stared at her for a moment in an odd way before continuing. "Yes, a genie, you have three wishes. I cannot kill anyone, bring anyone back from the dead, or make anyone fall in love." He stated as if for the 100th time.

"You jest!" Mina said, in disbelief.

"I do not. You have my lamp now which means you may make three wishes." His accent was a bit peculiar but the whole situation seemed odd. She lived in a magical kingdom but she had always thought Genies were myths and if they were to be real they would be blue creatures not men. Especially not handsome men.

Mina exhaled and lowered the bottle slowly stepping to the floor. "William, you said."

"Yes," he replied his expression so serious as if he was conducting a business deal; one that he was tired of. "I am sure you have much to think about regarding what wishes you intend to make. I will return to my bottle until you need me." Blue smoke began to gather at his feet.

"No," She said quickly, and the smoke dissipated. He gave her that look again, the one he gave her when she first opened the bottle, one she couldn't decipher. "—I..I have many questions, how about I make you a cup of tea. Do you enjoy chamomile? It is my favorite. I grow it in my own garden."

He was quiet for a moment. "Yes, thank you." He said as he continued to stare at her.

"Please sit," she gestured to the couch.

As she made another cup of tea she wondered if all Genies acted this odd. If the legends she heard were true they didn't have much interaction with others while being locked in there bottles. Locked. He was a prisoner to his bottle. Forced to grant wishes. For how long? Forever? She gathered some apple turnovers she had made the day before on a plate. Wishes. She had three. What would she wish for? What could she possibly need?

She turned to see William studying her from the couch. She smiled nervously and brought the tea and pastries to him.

"Thank you," he said and began eating one of her turnovers. His eyes seemed to widen in delight or surprise as he ate it.

"So," I take it you have had a lot of …what is it called the person who finds your bottle?"

"Masters," he said coldly.

Mina flinched. Wrong question to begin with. "How long have you been a Genie?"

"I've lost count of the years however I have had many masters." He grabbed another pastry.

"Must be why you were so..shocked when I found you? Must bounce around a lot?" She grabbed her cup of tea.

William had finished his second pastry and took a sip of the tea. "No," He eyed her again. "I haven't had any female masters. It is usually men who sell me to other men."

"Oh, and do they all seem to wish for the same things?"

William nodded. "Power. Money. Women. In that order. Everytime." His dark eyes searched hers as if to question what her wishes may be.

Mina nodded and remained quiet. She sipped her tea and pretended to think. She really just wanted the excuse to study William as he took his third turnover from the plate. He was tall. She had noticed when he came out of his bottle and she was very tall for a woman. His hair was dark and short. His facial hair cut nicely to outline his jawbone. His dark eyes seemed impenetrable; difficult to read. She wondered if being in the bottle all these years is what brought the coldness to them. He wore simple clothing; a brown pant and a black tunic. On his wrists were thick gold bangles. His chains. She had once heard a legend that stated the gold bangles Genies wore were what kept them bound and shackled as prisoners to the lamp, or in this case bottle.

She had so many more questions but she felt it insensitive to bombard him. She was also a bit tired from her journey to Wonderland. "Well," she stood, "I will make up a bed for you." She walked to the sink.

"A bed?" He looked at her puzzled.

Mina chucked. "Do Genies not sleep?" She took his cup and the plate from the table.

"Yes, b-but," he stumbled on his words. "I have my bottle. I will sleep there."

Mina waved a hand as she gathered some linens from a chest beneath the window. "Of course not. You are my guest and I am sure you have spent enough time in there. We can talk some more in the morning however, I just returned from a trip and I am exhausted. I hope you don't mind if I cut our talk short?"

"Of course not but that really isn't necessary."

"I insist." She disappeared into one of the other three rooms that the quaint cottage held. William took the time to look around the main room that held both the dining and living area. It was a simple cottage filled with tons of items that seemed to come from many different areas or world even. Colors and metals of all types decorated the room. Sprinkled throughout the room was evidence that Mina lived there; her shoes, an apron, a hair pin, a coat. However, there was no evidence of a man. A man. Surely Mina had someone. Would he arrive and beat him to a bloody pulp when he found another man in his home?

He was about to ask her if there was a man of the house when he realized he didn't know her name. She popped in to gesture him to follow her. He rose and did so. She had made a bed for him on a cot in what seemed to be a painting room. Beautiful canvasses scattered about at all levels of completion in all different colors and materials. "Are these yours or your husbands?" he asked, a perfect way to ask whether or not he should sleep with an eye open.

Mina chuckled. "Mine of course! No husband." She stated so simply William was a bit taken aback.

"I'm sorry, but may I ask your name? Or I may call you master if you prefer?" He looked down.

"Oh my! I am so sorry! Mina is my name." She gave him her hand to shake. He took it noticing how soft it felt in his.

"Thank you, Mina for my bed."

"You are welcome. If you need anything let me know. If not I will see you in the morning." She said and he nodded. She left the room closing the door behind her.

Mina exhaled. What a crazy day. She needed to sleep. She needed rest. She would deal with this in the morning. It was all too odd for her to handle tonight. She walked into her room closed the door and paused. She then locked the door. Genie or not he was still a stranger in her home. She slipped out of her clothes and into her night shirt. When she finally crawled into bed she fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.

William sank to the cot and laid back to stare at the ceiling. Another one. Another master. Again and again. How Cyrus had done it for so long without losing his mind he didn't understand. But then again this was new. A female master was extremely rare. A beautiful, talented, and generous female master? That was near impossible. He had never once been treated like anything but a slave to his master. Never once given food or a bed to sleep in. He spent 99% of his time within the bottle. This was too strange and too good to be true. That is why he was so shocked when she had opened his bottle and why she continues to bewilder him. He has never had respect from his masters. He didn't want to get used to it either. He was afraid to accept the kindness for fear of the disappointment and sense of loss he was sure to face when her three wishes were made and he would be returned to his prison.

She would make them once she had thought them over although he was unsure of how long that would. Men were simple. They wanted to be rulers with endless money and hundreds of women willing to give themselves to them. Women, he has learned from his life prior to being a Genie, were manipulative, liars, and users. He would be used either way as a Genie but William was not looking forward to seeing what bad would come after this bit of good. Mina was distracting however with her infectious laughter and long dark curls. The sooner this dangerous woman put him back in his bottle the better. He fell asleep with that thought in mind. Be on your guard, William who know what she has up her sleeve.

Thank you for reading! I am very excited about this story and hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please let me know what you think in a review! I greatly appreciate feedback! Stay tuned for the next chapter! :)