Cheshire Cat: She doesn't own me... or any other character from Underland...
Eileen: Or from Hogwarts and Harry Potter. Well, except me and my family. Except my dad and mom's brother.
ROO: Y-yeah, what they said. Um... Please, enjoy. I tried to give Eileen a tidbit of a reason to be a bit barmy.
Enjoy. *RabidOrochimaruOtaku and Eileen sit back to watch, while Cheshire vanishes*
Eileen awoke to a strange sensation, her head spinning madly. She moved her head off to her right to find that she was in a spare bedroom, and that it had multiple sets of fabrics and patterns for various clothing attire and accessories. Dresses, shirts, pants, and aprons all adorned the area, in all sorts of different sizes, but the article that was most prominent to Eileen was hats.
"Hello, dear," a kind voice said, and Eileen lifted her head heavily and wearily.
The woman in question was dressed in pure white, and was very, very old. Her eyes were a rich emerald, and her old hands a tad bit swollen, as though from sewing for the majority of her life. Eileen noticed that she carried a locket on her neck, and wondered vaguely if she had once been married.
"Hi," Eileen said warily, and was astonished at her own voice, as well as a number of other things that were different now. "How long …?"
"You were asleep for six years, child," she said wisely, "I have watched over you all this time. It is the last standing home of the Hightopp family, but alas my son never returned from protecting the White Queen all those years ago…"
"I'm so sorry," Eileen said sitting up, noticing that she now had a proper feminine figure. "That will take some getting used to."
"Yes, it will, won't it?" she laughed. "It must be very confusing for someone to wake up at eighteen after being twelve for your last waking moments. Tell me, child, what is your name?"
"Eileen," she said warily. "But we're not sure if I'm the one everyone was talking about."
"I know," she smiled wisely, "The Cheshire cat doesn't usually save a person's life. He usually likes to cause mischief."
"The gray tabby? Was his other color really blue?" Eileen asked, and she laughed.
"You poor dear! You only saw his paws, didn't you? Yes, he was quite appalled at who you were, and why you have a connection of sorts with him," she giggled. "He is your familiar, I believe. He's around here somewhere."
"So, um, if I've been asleep for six years… what became of my world above?" Eileen asked fearfully, and the old woman's gaze hardened.
"Nothing," she beamed. "One month for them is a year for us. You've still got a few more of their months in order to go back up there. You've got plenty of time to settle down and start a family once the Frabjous day comes and goes."
"Joy," Eileen muttered. "What's your son's name?"
"It's sad... I can only remember his face…," she said softly, tears filling her eyes. "He has my eyes you know, and my orange hair. I had him at the end of my child-bearing years. He was my only one, and now… I'm the last Hightopp… our family is doomed, and the last of the hatters for the queen…"
"I'll help you," Eileen said leaning forward to hug the now-crying woman. "You won't be alone. As soon as the Frabjous day is over, I'll come back and begin to learn the trade, I promise."
"Thank you, child," she sobbed, clutching Eileen closer to her. "Thank you. May the White Queen accept your offer."
Eileen beamed before exiting the house, looking around her in confusion. Wonderland was so much different now. She was terrified as the bandersnatch again raced to her, one eye socket missing, clawing at her arm again. This time, she retaliated with a stunning spell, and a Fiendfyre spell that burnt the cards into oblivion. Or so she thought.
In reality, she'd only made them hotter and much, much more angry. They surrounded the bandersnatch and Eileen fled through the forest once more, forcing herself to stay awake, and realized that her body had shut itself down last time to protect her, and that this time she was going to fulfill her destiny.
Out of nowhere, a gray and blue striped cat appeared, purring loudly. She smiled at it, giving it a look that simply screamed that she was as mad as a hatter. He looked at her and sized her up, noticing the claw marks on her arm.
"It looks like you ran afoul of something with wicked claws," he said floating before her.
"I've never stopped dreaming," Eileen muttered to herself, her mind going back to her six-year coma.
"What did that to you?" the cat asked, and Eileen's eyes met his.
"The bander-who… the bander…" she struggled.
"The bandersnatch?" he asked as he suddenly vanished and then reappeared behind Eileen and she turns to face him. "Well, I'd better have a look."
"What are you doing?" Eileen asked baffled.
"It needs to be purified by someone with evaporating skills, or it will fester and putrefy," he told her.
"I'll be fine as soon as I wake up," Eileen insisted.
"At least let me bind it for you," he said kindly as he held out a blue handkerchief. She hesitantly held out her arm and he gently wrapped the cloth around it to keep the injury safe. "What do you call yourself?"
"Eileen," she said.
"The Eileen?" he asked, his eyes widening in awe.
"There's been quite a bit of debate about that," Eileen said warily.
"I never get involved in politics," he beamed before disappearing.
"Hey!" she yelled, "Aren't you going to help me? I'm lost!"
"Well, then where are you headed?" he asked, "The way you need to go will tell you what path to take."
"Um, the White Queen?" Eileen guessed, "Aren't you going to ask me the most basic question? What is my weapon?"
"A wand," he grinned as he reappeared, "How interesting… you do not yet have a familiar… such a pity… Come. You'll need to see the March Hare and the Mad Hatter."
Eileen shrugged and followed the cat down a path that lead through a set of dark and dreary woods. She wondered just how mad the hatter was and if he was related to her rescuer.
So, yes, the tea party scene is up next! Oh, I love that scene! Oh, but somebody, anybody, please, please help me figure out just what the Mad Hatter is saying once he goes on his angry rant at Cheshire! I can't figure it out!
Review! What do you think? I know, the romance isn't here yet, but she'll find it soon enough.
