I just realized my grammar in the Author notes was dysfunctional; I apologize. I went back and read it, and my eyes bled. (Only joking, there : )…) anyways, please tell me what you think. I love reviews, as stated before, and I promise to get more dialogue in my story. Promise. : )

Chapter One

In which Alice enters Wonderland

"Gwen! Gwen!" I heard my name being shouted, but from where was anyone's guess. The halls of the palace echoed so much that whomever was calling me could be at the other end of it. I never had thought it proper to shout, so I waited patiently where I was, sitting in the window bed on the east side of my bed chamber. It was late in the afternoon, and the sun wasn't on this side, so I didn't go blind by staring out over Wonderland.

"Gwen De Arte!" That was my name now. I had changed it from Queenie, because that name sounded like something you name your pet chicken, and I had changed Harte because I didn't want any ties to my old family. I hadn't exactly liked the name Gwen, but when paired with Arte—which was what was all that was left of Harte, it almost sounds like "Queen De Hearts", which was as close to my old name as I was allowing myself to get.

A card soldier—a private, judging by the '2' stamped in a corner of his shield raced into my bed chambers, bellowing "Gwen! Gwen!"

"Do they never teach you soldiers to knock?" I said, turning slowly to face the soldier. He didn't hear me, for he said "Gwen, did you hear the news?"

"Obviously not, or I would be exclaiming over it right now. Something like 'Oh my gosh, I did hear the news! Fabulous! Amazing!'." My voice was a flat monotone, which I only reserved for sarcasm that my soldiers didn't get, anyways.

"Another person got into Wonderland!"

"That's unacceptable. Get your commanding officer to order a suit to drive them back to their own country." I was unfazed—many neighboring countries had tried to take over Wonderland in the past nine years of my rule. But none had succeeded.

"You don't understand! Another person from your world got into Wonderland!" The Soldier was breathless with excitement, but I was not.

"Well get rid of them!"

"How, Your Majesty?"

"How many times have I told you to not call me that?"

"Many, Your—Gwen."

"Thank you. Now go and get your commanding officer and bring him here." The soldier saluted and back out of the room, bowing, then closed the door behind him. I sighed and got up from the window bed, drawing in the curtains as I left. Another person from my world. I hadn't been to my world in nine years. I sighed, trying to shut out all memories of that world. I reached for the scepter that lay on the night table beside my bed. Even with the scepter and crown, I still don't allow any citizens of Wonderland to call me Queen. Sure, I rule them, but I always told them I wanted them to feel equal to me. The real reason, I think, is because there is no sense in bragging about ruling animals. Anyways, as I grasped the scepter, their came a knock at my door, and I, rightfully thinking it was the card soldier back again cried "Come in!"

I saw a long whisker poke through the door, followed by gray fur, and the face of The Mouse.

"Oh, hello. I wasn't expecting you." I nodded as I said this, and the Mouse stepped forward. The Mouse was the same size as any other ordinary mouse, so it was hard to see him, as he scurried over to my bed post and raced up it, so he could sit on my bed when he talked. When he was settled, he took a deep breath and began.

"Gwen, I was just entertaining a human creature from your world…I only just escaped by pretending I was afraid of cats, because she stared talking about some Dinah, who is her pet cat, I guess. Wait till the Cheshire hears about this one, he'll be appalled, really, pet cats?" The mouse managed to choke out his entire report in one breath.

"Did she say what her name was?"

"Dinah?"

"No, no, the girl's name. The one who was talking about Dinah."

"Well, she never told us, Gwen, but she talked to herself ever so much, she going on and on about how mad she was at herself. The little girl told herself she would have to punish herself for mentioning cats when she knows we don't like them—except for the Cheshire, of course—" (and here the Mouse's ears swiveled around nervously) "—and she kept saying 'Alice, I'll have to box your ears for this one!'."

"Alice, eh?" The name meant nothing to me, but then again, I hadn't been around recently to know any Alices. "I told a two card to disperse of the intruder. Be a dear and stop him for me, will you?" I asked, turning away from The Mouse as he nodded and scurried from the room.

I put the scepter down and changed out of my bed clothes, wondering where the 2 card was. They could be so thoughtless at times. I left my bed chamber and meandered down the corridor. As usual, it was empty. I didn't mind. I had grown accustomed to being alone. I left the castle in a hurry, detouring through the croquet lawn that was being set up for that day's game. After making sure the flamingoes were in order from shortest to tallest, I slipped away from the castle grounds, intending to visit the Caterpillar.

Normally the insect wasn't the best conversationalist, but I didn't really feel like holding a normal conversation just then. It didn't take to long to get to the mushroom the Caterpillar sat on, because I knew every inch of Wonderland. It was, however, hard to find his mushroom in the grass, because he was only three inches high—I towered over him. Eventually I found him, by the smoke that rose from the grasses every time he puffed on his hookah. I knelt next to the mushroom, and delicately pulled of a chunk of the fungus. I sampled it, finding it bland as ever. When I looked up, I was the same height as the Caterpillar. He didn't take notice of me, so I clambered onto his mushroom to sit.

"Heard any word of the Alice from my world?"

"Hello, Gwen." The Caterpillar replied, behind the conversation as usual.

"A girl named Alice." I continued, relentlessly.

"How is she?"

"I was hoping you had heard of her."

"Alice?" He puffed on the Hookah. "Never."

Though I wanted to continue talking, I had more important business—and I figured if we continued to talk, the conversation would eventually wind in circles and finally knot itself into one huge mess. I sighed at my analogy, and the Caterpillar raised a bushy eyebrow.

I got up and slid off the mushroom, then ripped off another chunk and crammed it in my mouth.

"Goodbye, Caterpillar," I said, peering into the grass below but not seeing him for once again I was as tall as usual. I slowly strode out of the field, intending to return to the castle and send the messenger to the Duchess' with the invitation to my croquet party.

So I just noticed I one of the sentences I actually switched POV OOPS! I am very sorry, and I fixed the mistake, but if you happen to find any other POV mistakes, please tell me and I'll correct them. I wrote this at two in the morning, so I'm betting there will be a lot of mistakes. ...