Muchness in Another Manner
An Alice in Wonderland Fanfic
Layers of petticoats created the look of an upturned teacup. Mounds of lace and ruffles. Long filmy gloves...what nonsense. She would much rather wear a codfish on her head.
Stockings itched and slid down legs, heavy in the summer heat. Corsets, from what she was told, pinched and cut. Despite her mother's insistence, she refused to wear the uncomfortable contraption.
Everyday boots laced so tightly one feared their feet would shrivel up. How was a girl to maneuver in such things?
Alice Hightopp didn't miss the heaps of necessary clothing from Above in the least.
Before returning to Underland she had tossed dozens of such articles from her closet and handed them out in the poorer section of town (much to her mother's distress.) In fact, on her last carriage ride through town, Alice had seen a rather stout lady wearing her sole discarded corset...on the outside of her shirtwaist!
Alice giggled at the memory before dropping to the grassy hill beside the windmill. The length of this dress was much better suited- cut scandalously below the knees with just enough swirl. The same pale blue that had adopted her name.
A perfect Alice dress. Feminine...yet free and fun.
Here, she didn't need stockings, corsets, petticoats...or even boots! In a way, she had the relaxed wardrobe of Underland to thank for her unawareness.
A rather frenzied teatime had left Mallymkun and Thackery dozing at the lengthy table, the doormouse's whispered snuffles occasionally drowned out by the sleepy ramblings of her companion. Scones still lay on the cloth next to each of them, half eaten.
Her husband (or bond-mate as they were called here), had excused himself to retrieve something from his workshop, leaving the blonde champion to ponder. She naturally found herself considering words that begin with the letter M.
Muchness. Marriage. Missus. Memories. Moments.
The creak of the door closing signaled Tarrant's return and sure enough, when she turned to glance back, a swath of reddish orange hair and gap toothed grin met her.
As he approached, her mind conjured up others, ones she would soon share with him.
Maternal. Motherhood. Mama.
Alice grinned. She now had muchness in another manner.