Chapter 3: Lorina in wonderland
Lorina was sure she was dreaming. Or course she was. If she wasn't then she was insane. Simply insane.
Not that it mattered to her. For now she just wanted to enjoy the fantasy for a while longer.
The man who was going to explain wonderland to her-Julius Monrey-was awfully cute. He reminded Lorina of an embarrassed puppy. And he was kind too,though he certainly tried to hide it.
His quarters were small and messy,which seemed to embarrass him
"Sorry for the mess,"Julius mumbled.
Lorina glanced at him and smiled. "Don't be."
Julius looked away. "Would you like some coffee?"
Lorina shook her head. "No thank you. That's alright."
"Tea?"
"Oh,no. I'm fine. "
"Okay,so I suppose I'll explain Wonderland to you." Suddenly he looked at Lorina and gasped. "I'm sorry,"he said, "I didn't offer you a seat."
"It's alright. I'm fine."
"No,"Julius was flustered now. "Here you can sit at this table here."
He began to clear stuff off the table and once that was done,he held out a chair for her to sit on.
"Oh.."Lorina's voice trailed off when she saw the chair. It was covered in gunk. Black,chewy looking gunk,like rotted toffee.
"What's the matter?"Julius asked and then looked at the chair. His cheeks reddened. "Forgive me,"he said.
He pulled the chair away and began looking frantically for something she could sit on.
He was so flustered and embarrassed.
Lorina giggled.
Julius glanced at her. "What's funny?"His cheeks were red. It was adorable. Utterly adorable. He was like Alice,who got embarrassed so easily.
Lorina smiled. "Forgive my rudeness. But you're awfully cute. Almost as cute as my sister Alice."
"You have a sister named Alice?"Julius sounded startled.
"Yes,I do. She's very sweet ad cute. I'm sure you'll like her. Everyone likes her actually,"Lorina said this proudly and happily.
"What does she look like?"julius asked.
"Oh,she has golden brown hair,green blue eyes and she always likes wearing blue apron dresses which I've always wondered at."Lorina said.
Julius seemed thoughtful and then said, "What did you say your last name was again?"
"Liddell. "
Julius seemed frozen. "Lorina,where is your sister at now?"
Lorina felt her face darken. " A month ago she went missing. That's actually how I ended up in this dre-Pardon,I mean here. That's how i ended up here. When I was in my worl-Pardon again,when I was back home I had a dream. Alice came to me and told me that I could find her if I went down a rabbit hole and well ..that's how I ended up here."Lorina laughed lightly. "It sounds absolutely ridiculous, I know. But it's true." I'm pretty sure I'm dreaming,she wanted to add,but didn't. Because she felt even in dreams you should be polite.
"I believe you,"Julius said. "That's actually how the other outsider ended up here. She fell down a rabbit hole."
"Outsider?"Lorina frowned quizzically at him. "What a terribly rude word to describe someone."
Julius looked down, "Yes,you're right."His cheeks were once again red. He looked up. "But,that's the term we residents here in wonderland use to describe people who come from another world."
Another world?Really,Lorina was having a very odd dream. But it was enjoyable.
"I see,"she said. "So this world I am in is called Wonderland?Is it a land of wonders?''She hoped so.
Julius flushed again. "No,not really. I actually have no idea on why it's called wonderland."
"I see. So you were talking about that other outsider? What was her name?"Lorina felt horribly rude ,asking so many questions. But then in a situation like hers,who wouldn't?
"About that,"Julius began when suddenly the doors to the living quarters were thrown open with a loud bang.
In strode a tall man. He wore a red coat and brilliant,rogue like smile. He had cropped brown hair,warm brown eyes that shone with friendliness and handsome features.
"Oh,man julius,you should have went to that tea party!It was so funny. The prime minister and hatter got in a shootout over Alice. She was so mad and embarrassed,it made me laugh so hard!"The man said in a loud,friendly voice. He noticed Lorina. "Dang,Julius,who's this beautiful lady you got in here?Was i interrupting something?"
"Ace,"Julius's eyes were closed in what Lorina believed was exasperation.
"What?I was just asking a question,"the man called Ace leaned towards Lorina conspiratively and in a stage whisper,said, "Don't mind him. He gets so uptight sometimes."
Julius scowled at that and opened his mouth to say something when Ace stood back and held his hand out to lorina with a wide grin. "I'm Ace. And you are?"
Lorina shook his hand with a smile. "My name's Lorina. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Same here,hotstuff. Are you a outsider too?"
Lorina frowned. "That's a really rude term. I can't say I like it. But,yes i'm from another world. I came here to look for my sister."
"Really?What's her name?"
"I believe you've mentioned her name already. Alice Liddell."Lorina said.
Ace was looking at lorina now with an expression she couldn'tt quite identify. "You're Alice's sister,huh?"
"If we're talking about the same Alice,then yes,"Lorina replied.
"Why are you looking for her?"
"She's my darling sister and I love her. There's no other reason that i would look for her."
Ace was now frowning at lorina. "This isn't good at all."
"I beg your pardon?"
"If you're here then Alice is going to leave wonderland. You know,you're really the only reason why she never could fully love anyone in wonderlnad."
"I don't know what you're trying to say,"Lorina said.
Ace was now glaring. "You shouldn't have come here."
Julius stepped forward, "Ace,"he began but Ace cut him off.
"If you're dead then Alice won't have any more reason to return you're dead then Alice can stop comparing herself to you. If you're dead Alice can stop feeling guilty about wanting to stay,"Ace's eyes were cold like ice. "Lorina,you're really hot and all,but i'm going to kill you now."
Lorina was frowning, "Come again?"
Then Ace lunged forward.
"No!"Julius yelled and Lorina saw a glimpse of long silver. A sword,she realised just as she felt something cold and sharp slip into her flesh.
Lorina fell to the ground.
It was funny. In dreams you weren't supposed to feel anything at all. But in this dream she could.
The pain felt too real. It was agonizing.
Lorina wanted to cry,it hurted so much. but,no.
When her mother had been dying,she had been in agonizing pain. Her face was white with pain and any movement caused her to wince.
But she hadn't once cried or complained.
When she'd been giving birth to Alice and Edith,she hadn't screamed or complained once.
She'd borne the pain with silent dignity and calm restraint. She had been noble and ladylike. Queenlike.
Lorina would be the same.
When Ace twisted the blade she told herself quietly as a reminder that her mother had never cried. And neither would she.
Ace ripped out the blade and Lorina couldn't stop the winced gasp that escaped her.
"Ace,why did you do that!"Julius yelled angrily,rushing to Lorina's side.
Ace shrugged. "I did it for Alice."
Julius shot him a vicious glare and looked down at Lorina. "Are you alright?"
Lorina couldn't help but laugh. "I've just been stabbed. I don't think anyone would be alright."
"Right,"julius mumbled. "Don't worry. You're not going to die."
Ace laughed. "You are."
"Shut up,Ace!"Julius snapped and then turned back to Lorina. "I'll get you better."
Everything was getting darker now,more blurry and Lorina blinked to clear her vision.
She was getting colder too.
She was going to die. And she still hand't found Alice. She still hadn't seen Charles smile one last time.
She didn't want to die. Who would unless they were achingly sad or heartbroken or lonely?
Nevermind,Lorina was all of that,but still she didn't want to die.
As julius fumbled over er wound,Lorina tried to remember all the things she'd read about the human body and medistry.
But first she looked up at Ace with a cold glare. "You,could you please leave?"
Ace shook his head. "No can do. I want to see you die. I've never seen an outsider die before. I wonder if your body will disappear."
He was insane. Lorina felt certain on that.
"Come here,"Lorina said. "I want to tell you something."
"You want to tell me a secret?Cool. Julius,would you mind shooing for a moment?"
Julius was indignant. "Ace if you think-"
But Ace was already kneeling next to Lorina. "What is it,gorgeous?"
Lorina pulled his head down,so that his ear was at her mouth. Whispering so that only he could hear she said coldly, "You are an idiot. An absolute idiot."
And before he could react she whacked him really hard on that spot of the neck where if you press really hard the person passes out.
He collapsed on Lorina.
Coldly she pushed him off.
"What did you do?"gasped Julius.
"He'll wake up soon. Before he does, we must address this wound. Would you mind quickly fetching me some hot water and towels?"
"Why?"
"So I can bind my wound."
But julius didn't move. Instead he pulled out a vial from his breast pocket. It was shaped like a rose and made of blue crystal.
"Drink this,"he said.
"What will it do?"Lorina asked.
"You'll see."
Lorina took the vial,pulled out the cork and drank.
The liquid had a sweet taste. Like toffee,butterscotch and caramel combined.
It immediately made her feel better.
The darkness and blurriness faded away to nothing. The coldness was replaced with warmth and it no longer hurt anymore.
She knew instinctively that the wound was gone.
Julius was watching her with an unfathomable expression.
Lorina smiled at him. "Thank you,Julius. You saved me."
She would have said more,but Ace stirred.
"We should call for the police,"Lorina said.
Julius laughed bitterly at that, "Ace is the police. He's the knight of hearts. He leads and trains all the soldiers. No one in the queen's army is going go against Ace. You ought to go soon,before he wakes up. I'm not strong enough to stop him if he tries to kill or hurt you again."
What a crazy this world was. She didn't understand it at all. And to think Alice had fallen into a world like this.
"But,I won't leave you helpless,"Julius continued. He quickly stood up. First he helped her up from the floor,taking her gently by the arm and guiding her to sit on his bed. It felt terribly improper to Lorina,but it was someplace to sit. "Rest here for a moment,"he told her and then went into the kitchen. He returned moments later with a map,an hourglass,a notebook and bottle of golden brown liquid.
"The map will tell you where's where in the country of hearts,the notebook will tell you who's who . The hourglass will help you change the time of the day, and the bottle-well,it's filled with the same liquid that saved your 's not much,but it's the best I can give you."
Lorina looked at the items he had given her and then at him. She smiled. "Thank you,Julius."It wasn't proper to do,but she stood up and kissed julius's cheek. "You have such a beautiful heart. It's simply wonderful that I met someone as kind as you."
Julius was really embarrassed now. But something in his expression had saddened when she'd said heart.
She wanted to ask him what was wrong,but when Ace stirred again she simply placed the items in her bag,nodded to Julius and left.
Alice was somewhere in this world and Lorina was going to find her.
