Welcome to an experiment.

This is a test to see if I can write a half-mad first person narrative.

Full Summery: Set a year after the film. Tomboyish Miya is the ward of a Lord (Ooh have I made a Rhyme?) and, when she is dragged by her guardian to a garden party she ends up meeting a person who can lead her to the home she was taken from as a toddler.

I know it's been done before, but still...

My Name Is Miya

I hated travelling by carriage- it wasn't fair on the horses- yet there I was slumped in the box of the carriage opposite my stuffy guardian- Lord William McAllen.

"Sit up straight Amelia" Lord McAllen reprimanded in a voice which tried to say- I'm not reprimanding you- but failed miserably

"I don't know who this Amelia is" I muttered as my shoulders were pushed back against the seat of the carriage. "My name is Miya sir, pleased to make your acquaintance"

"None of your silliness dear" he took my hands and squeezed gently. "Not today please"

It was a source of true irritation for me that Lord McAllen thought himself my father- although I didn't remember my real father I knew in my heart that the man sat across from me was no more my sire than my faithful dog- Dash (full name Haberdashery) was my brother.

I scratched Dash behind his ear- since I'd rescued him from the mean boys who were tormenting him when I first saw him the two of us were inseparable. The collie was the only creature who I could vent to. Any human would think me mad- and to be frank I probably was; seventeen years old and I dressed and acted like a boy.

"Tell me again why we're doing this" I requested, wishing I had my cap- my lovely cloth cap that hid my red curls; it was hard to think straight without a hat on my head- however Lord McAllen had found it and burned it (It had taken me hours to make as well). Due to my loathing of bonnets my head was sadly bare today.

"Because" My Guardian paused to wipe away the black hairs that Dash had shed on my skirts. And another thing; my hair was bright fiery red- what was Lord McAllen thinking having me dress in this ridiculous shade. It clashed terribly.

"You're almost eighteen now Amelia" that name again, would he ever learn? "It's time you grew up and started acting like you are a proper young lady"

"But still" I protested. "Surely I'm not ready to make my debut"

"This isn't your debut dear" he sighed. "It's merely a chance for you to practice the skills you've been learning before your birthday party"

I could feel my temper fraying at his words- I wanted to be a trade's woman, not a Lady- I wanted to make my own living not be tied down to some fop who was so far up his own arse that he might as well be inside out; and only be allowed to talk to other women, keep house and raise the bairns?

Not that I didn't want to raise a family one day- but I was only young.

The event- which I had been told nothing about- turned out to be a garden party at the Ascot's Manor. Lady Ascot got on my nerves so much. The worst of the set though, was that moron Hamish- I was proud of what I'd done to his nose last Christmas when he'd lured me under a sprig of Mistletoe; I rather think I'd improved it.

"Amelia" the wicked witch of the upper classes greeted me curtly. "Hamish is waiting to dance with you; go"

Hamish wanted to dance with me? He'd have to keep waiting; I wasn't going anywhere near the slimy git.

I saw Lord Ascot on my way to a hiding place; he was talking with a girl a couple of years my senior- I paused when I heard what they were discussing.

"I can't believe she's still trying to marry Hamish off" the girl sighed, shaking her head. "No offence, Richard but I pity the poor girl who he's waiting to dance with"

"Alice" Lord Richard Ascot chuckled. "That boy of mine needs bringing down a peg or two- he's too much his mother. Maybe poor Amelia McAllen…" NOT MY NAME- I'm just Miya! "Will pull a stunt similar to the one you did last year"

I wasn't going near Hamish so there'd be no proposal. I'd find something more interesting to do with my day. Suddenly Dash went haring off after something.

Damn. I'd have to break cover to find him.

Alice Kingsleigh had seen some strange sights in her time- but a red haired teenaged girl in a pink crinoline charged from the cover of a large bush after a collie… now that was something else.

"Who on earth was that?" she asked

"That, I believe was my son's next victim" Richard replied, staring after the girl. "What an intriguing hair colour."

Alice had only seen that shade once before. She needed to go and talk to the girl- Amelia.

"Excuse me Richard" she nodded to him before taking off.

Oh great, now I was being followed; all I wanted was my dog back.

"Wait!" the girl, Alice called. "I just want to talk to you!"

"Abaht whut?" I demanded in a voice which wasn't my own- it was an octive too deep and coloured by a thick Scottish brogue; I sounded, frankly demonic. "I Jehst want mah Bluddy dog back!"

"Calm down" the girl's dark brown eyes were brimming with something that I wanted to call Muchness- if that was a word. "I'm a friend. My name's Alice"

"Aye" I nodded, my voice not changing from the demonic tone I'd picked up from somewhere. "I 'eard"

"You're Amelia right?"

"Naught ye too?" I groaned. "Mah name is, always as behn an' always wehl beh Miya- M.I.Y.A; tis'nae 'ard to say is it?"

"Miya" Alice nodded. "I just want to help you- we're both a long way from home"

"You know where I come from?" I asked; glad to hear that my voice was my own again. "Can you help me get back- I don't like it here; I've been here for so long now"

"Yes" She nodded sincerely. "I promise I'll get us back where we both belong"

"Thank yeh" I smiled, the accent beginning to creep into my voiice again.

I know it's fairly rambly but Miya is half mad- she's going to go on about things and not make an awful lot of sense.

Please let me know what you think so far.

Fairfarren for now.