"Your majesty! Are you even paying attention?" Alice looked up from her breakfast cup of tea to stare at the white rabbit who had been lecturing her about her duties as queen.
"No Mr. Rabbit I was enjoying my breakfast." she replied lazily with a yawn. She sat in her short sleeve night gown, her blond hair still in its braid from the night.
"But your majesty you must consider choosing a husband. The kingdom just celebrated your eighteenth birthday and its due time that you..." Alice held up her hand to stop the rabbit.
"Mr. Rabbit I understand the matter that you are addressing, but we are currently not in Wonderland we are visiting my family in Oxford. This is the only time I spend away from Wonderland that I use to spend time to reminisce and see my family. This is my birthday present to myself after all. Your not trying to ruin my birthday present are you?" she leaned her elbows on the table and smiled at the rabbit.
"No your majesty I would never... oh please don't cut off..."
"Mr. Rabbit, those were the ideas of the Red Queen. Times have changed. I am queen and will not resort to such barbarity." She stood and patted the rabbit on the head as she headed for the stairs. "I think its best if you take the rest of the day off to relax. The prime minister has Wonderland under control and the only thing I am considering today is how to spend it with my family." With that Alice disappeared up the stairs to her room to change.
_
"What a lovely evening." Alice's sister Mary said while holding her infant son to sit on the parlor's sofa.
"Do you really have to leave the day after tomorrow?" Asked her father.
"I am afraid so," said Alice sitting in her favorite pink chair.
"Wonderland can't survive with out you?" Her father asked.
"Now Papa," her sister interjected. "You and I both know that Alice is queen. Who are we to stop her from doing her royal duties."
"I know...Its just I miss seeing my little girl grow up." Alice could see the sadness in her father's eyes. There had been high tensions with her family after her first visit. but She had become queen at such a young age that she had to leave home that her father had missed out in seeing Alice mature.
"Father you know you can come live in Wonderland. There are plenty of bedrooms in the palace for you and Mary to stay in."
"Now Alice you expect us to give up our lives here and move to your silly country. That mad house is no place to raise a child. Honestly I preferred it when we you were locked up." Mary's tone had grown hasher with each visit.
"Mary!"
"Its alright father," she sighed, "Wonderland is a strange place to foreigners who don't seem to understand logic or reason."
"I think it is best if we leave," Mary stood carrying her son to the front door.
"Your sister means well Alice. Its just been difficult for her to rap her mind around. A world with talking animals seems impossible, and yet your footman is a frog." They both looked over at the footman who was trying to assist Mary with her jacket though she protested. Her son however was amused by the hole ordeal and wouldn't stop giggling.
"Will you please consider visiting me?" she asked walking her father to the door.
"Of course my dear child." Alice felt a tug at her dress and looked down at the white rabbit who held a box up to her.
"Father wait." she thanked the rabbit and took the box. "I wanted to give this to you. Consider it a unbirthday present." she smiled and handed it to him. He opened the box to find a gold pocket watch and the finest Wonderland rose tea.
"Thank you Alice. Your going to make your husband very happy one day." He kissed her on the forehead and was assisted by the footman with his jacket. He hummed the unbirthday song she had taught him as he left.
"How was the visit with your family ma'am?" her lady's maid asked helping her brush her hair for the evening.
"It was nice, I wish I would last longer." Alice stared at the mirror looking at herself. Never had she imagined that she would ever become a queen when she was little. Never had she imagined that she would really grow up. Overwhelming responsibilities that could change a kingdom not to mention the pressure to get married.
"Marry Anne may I ask you something?"
"Of course my lady."
"How old were you when you got married?"
"I was a little younger than you actually. Suiters pressuring you to choose?" She finished brushing and began packing things up for the evening.
"I suppose...'
"That Jack is a nice one, though he is the Red Queens nephew."
"Oh Mary Anne can you help me with my necklace?"
"Sorry my lady, got lost in my own thoughts." she unhooked the necklace and placed it in Alice's hand. Alice walked over to the bed side table and held her hand in font of a small chest which opened at her command. Alice looked at the little locket with a mirror inside and a card deck on the out. She smiled and placed it in the gold chest.
"Honestly my lady," said Mary Anne pulling the sheets back for her, "Why do you keep the prized artifacts of Wonderland in that little chest?" Alice slid under the covers.
"There is no safer place for those artifacts than in that chest, I am the only one that can open it, there for there is no safer place than with me." she yawned.
"Is there anything else you need your majesty?"
"Yes, could you please leave the window open a little its such a lovely night out... I just love seeing the stars..." Alice rested her head on the pillow, her braided hair lay to the side.
"Yes my lady." Mary Anne smiled blowing out the candle. She had been taking care of Alice since she was twelve even before she had her coronation and it was nice to see that she hadn't changed.
Mary Anne walked over to the large window to the balcony and opened it a little. She looked down to make sure the guards were on patrol. She looked up at the sky, two stars shined the brightest. Thats when a large shadow streaked across the sky. She took it as a bird and left. Little did she know who it really was.
_
A shadow danced through the trees as it circled the secluded estate.
"Now who do you think is in there?" it wondered spying the guards. It guided effortlessly to the roof and eyes the open window. Creeping down the shingles it landed on the balcony. Peering in, the shadow payed no attention to Alice but set its sights on the gold chest. Quietly it opened the door further and snuck in. It glanced at Alice curiously as she shifted in her sleep.
"I wonder what treasures it holds." it thought reaching for the chest. With a flash the shadow was halted by a dagger at its neck.
"take another step and it will be your last." it turned and looked at Alice. "Attack me and I or my guards will surely kill you." Alice pushed the dagger closer to its neck forcing it to back away from the chest as she climbed out of bed. "Who are you." she snarled reaching for the chest. The figure was taller than she was giving her a disadvantage.
"Silly girl," they said "don't you know you shouldn't play with knives." The shadow pulled a sword from its sheath and knocked the dagger from Alice's hand. Alice in turn produced a sword from the chest and clashed it against theirs.
"Like I said, I would surely kill you." Alice sneered. Her fencing lessons had come in handy since an assassin had snuck in to her room once to try and kill her. Since then she kept a knife under her pillow. "Are you prepared to die?" she said pushing her sword closer to them.
"To die, would be an awfully big adventure." he pushed his face close to hers and Alice saw the young man smile and wink at her. He stepped back and swung his sword low which she quickly blocked. She attacked his side which he dodged and they continued their sword waltz.
Alice turned to block him but he caught her holding his sword against her breast forcing her against his chest.
"You're enjoying yourself." he whispered in her ear.
"Why would you think that?"
"because you didn't call your guards," he said kissing her cheek. Alice struggled but he raised his sword higher to her throat. "Ah ah girl." he reached for her hand that held the sword.
"Not only are you a thief but a murderer too."
"Oh I would never murder a girl," he released her hand to glide his against her thigh. "Especially one this fine." its sent a chill down Alice's spine. She elbowed him in the gut forcing him to lower his sword which she pulled from his grasp. She raised both sword and prepared to cut off his head
"How dare you show such disrespect. Who do you think you are?" She eyed the pan flute he had hung by a cord around his neck. "Should I just call you Pan?" he smiled at her and Alice felt something pull her hair dragging her backwards. She fell back on to the bed and saw a light dart away. The man was on top of her grabbing her hands and removing the sword. "Get off." he grabbed her sword but it burned him and he released it as he sat up. Alice kicked him as hard as she could and he flew into the air. Alice shrieked as she stared at the floating man.
"Your majesty!" Mary Anne opened the door holding a candle escorted by a guard and the white rabbit. Alice looked to where the man was to find nothing, no trace of him. Alice turn to her maid.
"My lady are you alright?"
"Yes it must have been a nightmare." Alice realized that she was holding the Vorple sword still. She returned it to the chest and looked over at Mary Anne and the others. "I'm alright, please go back to bed."
"Don't forget your majesty you need to tell your father tomorrow about your possible engagement." said the rabbit, but alice just ignored him. They closed the door and Alice returned under the covers. In the dark room shadows danced across the wall. "I know your in here, your under the bed." she jumped slightly on the bed causing the man to let out a groan. He emerged from underneath and Alice lit a candle.
"So your majesty.." he smirk and alice could see that he was young around her age. He had strawberry blonde locks and freckles on his face covered by stubble. Alice would deny it but she found him attractive.
"Im more interested in the fact that you can fly and you broke into a young lady's room. Speak!"
"About?"
"WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU HERE?" she growled.
"Well your highass... you can call me Pan." he bowed. "and I am here because I usually take from the rich and give to those who really need it."
"So you are common thief."
"On the contrary." he said crossing his legs and floating in the air.
"How are you doing that?"
"what fly? I can do many things flying is just one of them. but let me ask you something, if your royalty what are you doing in a crummy cabin in the woods with talking animals? Are you a witch?"
"Im not a witch! If you must know I am ..."she did want to tell him who she really was. "a princess from a far away land on vacation."
"Then why did that rabbit say you need to talk to your father about your engagement?" Alice turned away from him. "come on, I bet your husband isn't that ugly."
"You need to go."
"whats wrong he doesn't love you is that it? Or is it that you have to give up this majesty stuff and become a common person." He stoop and tried to look alice in the eye. "Oh I got it he is a horrible person and your afraid of him."
"I said go." Alice swung at him but he caught her by the wrist and gazed into your eyes. Alice could feel the tears building but she could do nothing but stare back into his green eyes.
"You don't want to get married." he said wiping the tear from her eye. "Your not ready and you feel pressure to do so."
"How would you know?" Alice said in a hush pulling her hand away.
"Because I feel the same way." Alice looked at him,
"How did you get away?"
"I didn't. I am also from a distant land where I make the rules."
"So am I but that doesn't change the fact that you are an adult and must get married and have children."
"Who said I had to do that?"
"Society does."
"I don't have to do anything that I don't want to." he said leaning over the bed.
"Where are you from?"
"Neverland."
"Where is that?" He pulled Alice out of the bed and brought her to the window.
"Second star to the right and strait on to morning." he pointed to the two brightest stars in the sky.
"So you flew from the stars?"
"Of course, where did you come from?" Alice realized how close they were standing to each other and it made her blush.
"Im well from Wonderland."
"Which star is that?"
"Its not a star its through the looking glass."
"Through what?"
"Through a mirror."
"Can we go through this mirror?" he pulled Alice to the vanity table.
"No its a very special mirror that we go through."
"can we go to Wonderland?" Alice removed his hand from around her waist
"No you can not." she turned and climbed back to the bed. "Why would I let a thief into my land."
"why would you let a thief stay in your room?" She turned and glared at him. "you like me don't you."
"I told you to leave." he glided over to her and floated in the air
"Then why don't you make me?" he teased playing with her braid. "I thought you would have left since I beat you in combat."
"You didn't beat me." he tugged on her hair.
"Then leave, Mr. Pan. Its inappropriate for a boy to be in woman's room."
"Peter."
"What?"
"Peter, its my name."
"Peter Pan?"
"At your service my lady." he bowed
"Alice." she held out her hand and he kissed. "Your very strange."
"says the girl with animal servants." he began playing on the pan pipe. The music was relaxing, Alice could feel her self drifting back to sleep after an adrenaline rush. She laid her head down on the pillow and studied the man before her. He was barefoot, his shorts were made out of a type of leather, and his open green shirt was covered in leaves reminding her of the stories of the god Pan.
"How do I know your real and not a dream?"
"You don't." he continued to play a lullaby.
"Then how do you know I'm real?"
"We fought didn't we. I held your hand. Thats more than most people get in a marriage." Alice stared into his eyes. "Thats what friends are for."
"You consider me a friend?"
"Well I don't consider you an enemy. And you are very good with a sword. Where did you learn that?"
"Fencing instructor since I was young. I figure as a thief you had to learn sword play."
"Something like that."
"Are you Pan, The god?"
"well i wouldn't call myself a god." he chuckled. "what would make you think that?"
"The name, the pan pipe and the wild boy appearance. All you need is the horn and the legs of a goat."
"Maybe I do, you can not see them." his lullaby finally put Alice to sleep. Peter smiled and leaned over her. She was pretty and he felt a strong interest in her. He wouldn't admit it but she was the first to best him in a fight. "I'll be back for you," he whispered slipping his pan pipe under her pillow, and flew out the window. His shadow remained lurking, spying on the young queen.
Peter returned to the Neverland, the sky brightened with high presents and he brought the ocean breeze with him. "Peter where have you been?" chimed tinker bell, the little bright ball of fairy light whizzing towards him. "I thought you would have been back hours ago." Peter only floated towards the tree house smiling. "Peter what happened with the girl?" he didn't reply. "Peter what's wrong?"
"Nothing in the world could ever be wrong." And he glided down with a sigh.
He laid down on his pelt covered bed his hands behind his head, "Alice," he sighed, "I will make you mine."