Alice looked up from the book in her hands. It was really nice of Blood to let her use his library whenever she felt like it. But she was still pretty scared of him. As a matter of fact she was pretty much scared of everyone in this place. Blood, Julius, Elliot, the bloody twins, Boris, Ace, Merry Go round (oops sorry Mary Gowland), Vivaldi, and even Peter had his scary moments (he was mostly just annoying but you know).
She put down her book. Yes they were scary but they were also really sweet sometimes too. And she had to admit she hadn't this much fun in a long time. Not since….well she wasn't going to think about him. She couldn't. It would just make her depressed. It was already bad enough that every time she looked at Blood thoughts of him would immediately pop in her head. She shouldn't be adding onto it.
She stood up and walked to the open window to look out of it at the garden beyond. Suddenly the heads of the twins popped up. "Alice!" they cried together.
Alice smiled. "Hello Dee. Hello Dum. What are you two doing?"
"Playing," said Dee.
"With Boris," said Dum.
"Oh is Boris around here. He said something about meeting up with me later but then he never showed."
"Oh he's busy helping Merry Go round- I mean Mary Gowland out at the park," said Dum while Dee nodded.
"But you just said he was playing with you!"
"No we didn't," said Dee.
Alice threw them a confused look. "But you just said…."
She was cut off by Elliot who had apparently entered the room without her notice. "Dum, Dee back to your duties now!"
The twins threw him an evil look. "We were only talking to Alice," Dum said reaching for his weapon.
"And the only reason why you want us to leave is so that you can have Alice all to yourself!" said Dum reaching for his weapon too.
Elliot blushed and pulled out his gun. "Enough! Now get back to work both of you before I do something you'll regret!" Both Elliot and the twins stared each other down for a minute before, the twins slowly put away their guns. Throwing one last evil glance at Elliot they said goodbye to Alice before heading back to their post.
"Now what was it you want Elliot?" Alice asked him.
"Blood demands your presence at his tea party. He sent me to collect you."
"He demands…just who does he think he is?"
"Who does who think who is?" said a familiar voice. Alice turned to see Boris who must have come in through the open window. (She sure was missing a lot today!)
"Boris!" she exclaimed with a smile. "What are you doing here?"
"I've come to see if you wanted to play! Unless you're already playing with someone else then…"
"No, I'm not and since Blood is being rude let's leave and maybe go visit the amusement park."
"But Alice Blood said you must be there!"
"I don't care what Blood said. I'm not going since…."
But Boris cut her off. "Wait Alice I think we should go."
"Boris?" questioned Alice confused.
"Yeah let's go. I think it'll be fun," said Boris grabbing her hand.
"Wait. Blood only said Alice. I don't think you'd be…" Elliot began but his voice died when he looked Boris in the eye.
"I'm going with Alice," said Boris in a steely voice.
Elliot stared at him for a few moments and then shrugged. "Your funeral," he said before turning and leaving the room expecting the other two to follow.
They walked through the hatters huge mansion outside to a private courtyard. There was a large table there, nicely laid out with all the fixings for tea and at the head of the table there sat Blood Dupre looking down at a book in his hands. Elliot led them over to him, where Blood without looking up said,
"Elliot I told you to only bring the girl. And yet there are three here instead of two."
"I know but the cat just wouldn't leave so I," but Elliot was cut off when Blood suddenly brought a gun to his forehead.
"Do not disobey my orders again," Blood remonstrated before.
Alice crossed her arms. "Really Blood? It isn't his fault! He was trying to follow your orders! And you shouldn't be demanding me do anything!"
Blood appeared to ignore the last part of her statement. "Well then if I can't blame him then I'll blame the cat," he said turning his gun on Boris.
"Stop Blood!" Alice said moving in front of Boris. But upon reflection decided maybe that wasn't the best thing to do when Blood still held up his gun. He would probably shoot her just to get through to Boris!
"Move Alice," said Boris quietly. Alice looked over his shoulder to see that Boris too had his guns drawn and in the corner of her eye she saw Elliot moving towards his.
At that moment the door burst open and Peter rushed in exclaiming, "Blood, my queen has a message for you that is most urgent….Alice? Well now I am most glad that I was sent!" He began to rush over to her before noticing that everyone's guns were drawn. "Oh Alice is my help needed here? For help I most certainly can my dear!" he said reaching for his own weapon.
"Peter you don't need to…" but before Alice could finish Peter's gun was already out too.
"Oh great would everyone just calm down! I thought we were here to drink tea!" Alice exclaimed exasperated.
"We are to drink tea Alice. Just you and me. All of these other fools will leave or suffer the consequences," Blood stated calmly. Elliot nodded his agreement.
"I'm not leaving unless Alice does," said Boris.
"Same here! Same here!" cried Peter.
Alice looked at all of them and then throwing up her hands she exclaimed, "That's it I'm leaving!" Upon Boris and Peter's eager looks she added, "By myself!" So saying she walked out and away.
As she exited the mansions grounds Dee and Dum called after her asking her where she was going.
"Away from here!" was all she replied.
She angrily stomped her way back to the Clocktower before throwing open the door and entering. Julius looked up from some clocks he'd been studying. "Alice?" he said. But Alice didn't seem to here him. She just stomped to her room muttering something or other about guns and idiot men who didn't know when to put it away before slamming the door closed behind her. Julius shrugged. "I told her I had some books here," he said before going back to his clocks.