Izzy.

Ashes were still falling; the city of Caflice was still burning. After two days you'd think it was the fire was put out already but no, I can still see the faint glimmer of flames in the distance. I divert my eyes from the window, it's almost too depressing to watch. A voice cuts through the still silence of my bedroom.

"Izzy! Get your ass down here! You're going to be late for school again!" My mother was right, I was late yet again.

I pull on my sweater and look out the window again, distracting myself with the ashes. I practically fly down the stairs in my hurry to leave and kiss my mom goodbye before I'm out the door, making sure to tell her I love her. Her stomach looks almost abnormally large even though the baby isn't due for another two months.

As I'm walking my inner begins to talk, "Look," she says "You can see the castle from here." I keep walking, ignoring her, focusing on the street, watching the ashes. They seem so surreal, like snowflakes covering everything eating away whatever they fall on until every inch is covered. "The 'Queen' does her reigning from there…you know it yourself that she doesn't deserve it." I try nudging the thought out of my mind. "Some say she takes joy in it…burning kingdoms, executing who ever opposes her, watching the ashes float down, like snowflakes, causing misery instead of joy."

Taylor

I'd love to roll back into bed; the stupid witch is burning down cities again.

"Mom? Do I really have to go to school? The witch is destroying lives again!" I yell down the stairs.

"Tay! Don't call her 'witch'! She is our queen, treat her with respect." I scoff when I hear my own mother call that girl a queen. For crying out loud, she's only fourteen and in no mental health as to rule Wonderland!

I drag myself out of bed, only to see my mother standing in the doorway. "I don't understand it Tay. You and her…you guys used to be best friends, no one could ever separate you from her."

"She was a rude, self centered brat. My young mind just didn't comprehend that at the time." I turn away from my mother, already knowing she's shaking her head at me. "You and dad always forced me to hang out with her." I lie.

"Tsk tsk, Tay, you need to be more grateful for all she has done for us." I hear disapproval in her voice, whatever. I wait until she leaves then dress quickly and by the time she says goodbye, I'm already out the door.

The school is fairly close, a walking distance from my home. I don't like walking though, sometimes the birds come and I get scared. They're huge, with a wingspan of almost eighty inches. Their hooked beaks and untrimmed talons would make anyone think twice about spilling blood when the birds around. They say the birds only carry off dead people but one can never be sure in Wonderland. There are all sorts of legends about Wonderland, the creatures and the people here. The biggest one would be how we all came to be. Some of the older generations remember another world, one with more light, but there is no history and no evidence, so what can we believe?

Chihiro

The walk to school is depressing to say the least. The ash is still falling at a steady pace and shows no sign of stopping or decreasing and my hatred for it still grows. I hate the ash, the smoke, and the fire. It all reminds me of my own deceased kingdom. I hate myself for running away from it, for being so cowardly, for letting my own brother take the blame, for letting him sacrifice himself so that I, his own twin sister could live. It kills me, it really does.

I can already feel the tears streaming down my face, slowly first but then the waterworks begin turning and I begin to bawl. It's too hard to snap myself out it. The ashes are getting stuck to my cheeks, and I sit down and try to calm myself. My inner suddenly begins an uproar; "Stop! Stop yourself! Is this anyway a princess is supposed to act, cowardly and weak? No!" I want to tell my inner to shut up, but she's right. "Of course I'm right!" she yells "When have I been wrong? Now pick yourself off the ground and keep marching." So that's what I do, I stand, brush the ashes that had collected in my skirt off, march straight forward and try not to think of my puffy red face.

"Chihiro! Wait up!" I blush a deep pink when I hear that voice, Lucien's voice. I almost let out a lovesick sigh but hold it in and turn around and suddenly Lucien's face is in front of mine. "Hi Chihiro." He says in his joyful tone.

"Hello Lucien." I take an awkward step back as I greet him. "How are you doing?"

"Not well. All this bloodshed makes me sick." He scowls and I notice scowling doesn't suit Lucien's normally kind face.

"Yeah it's really not good…"

"Well of course it's not good! Someone needs to put her in her place! She doesn't deserve the throne!"

I stare at him, my mouth partially open, my eyes wide with shock. "Luc! Don't say that, someone could hear you." I whisper but despite my pleas, Lucien keeps talking as if the treason wasn't the main reason for beheadings.

"Well good! Someone needs to hear me. Someone needs to realize what a tyrant she is. Someone needs to take her down, Wonderland will never be safe unless she is." Finishing his little speech he looks at me and grins, satisfied with himself.

"Anyway, come on Chihiro, the bells are going to ring soon, we need to get to class." I blush as he grabs my hand and we start running towards the school together.