A/N: Hit by a sudden bolt of inspiration here's another chapter~ please R&R if you feel like it.
Ciel groaned and rolled onto his back away from the hard cobbles and onto the softer grass. Eventually he found the will to open his eyes and sit up despite the pain in his back from sleeping on the ground. Strangely he couldn't recall when he had fallen asleep or even how he had gotten where he was! Brushing the dirt from his clothes he stood wincing at his aches and pains and looked toward the horizon where he could see a rather large looking manor house. Unfortunately it was quite far away and that would mean some walking and Ciel was certain he's done enough in the past day to warrant a good nights rest in an actual bed and not the ground. It was a shame he was now far too large to go back to the pink cottage in the woods.
And so he started walking down the cobbled path hit by a sudden sense of deja vu. He was rather certain he had been here before, walking out in open terrain toward a far off destination. He shook his head in frustration and simply carried on walking until-
"Alice!Alice~ Do wait up, I say!"
Ciel turned around with a huff and sent the White Rabbit a death glare.
"I didn't think you were coming back after you abandoned me." He snarled.
"Oh dear, oh dear Alice that wont do. I've come to help you, you see!" Rabbit exclaimed waving his little arms around.
"I've done perfectly fine without you so far." Ciel huffed grumpily, "So why don't you just leave me be?"
"Now now, that's certainly not the right attitude! You're on a very dangerous path here."
"Am I now?"
"Yes! The Duchess lives up this road and she can be very temperamental so that's why I decided you would need some help!" Rabbit explained adjusting his top hat.
"Fine come with me then if you really want to, I don't even know what it is I am supposed to be doing." Ciel sighed scooping up the fluffy being and continuing on his way.
"You don't have to carry me!" Rabbit squealed trying to wriggle free.
"Stop moving around or I'll drop you." Ciel warned with a frown.
"Put me down then!"
The young lord relented and plopped the little fellow back on his feet.
"Happy? I was trying to be nice and save you a long walk."
"I am perfectly capable of walking on my own thank you very much, Alice. Well, at least I haven't been crushed yet like last time."
Ciel gave the rabbit an annoyed glare and continued walking, the creature pottering behind him by a step. The forest was far behind them now just a wisp of dark green upon the horizon yet the manor house of the Duchess was still no closer and Ciel was beginning to lose his temper. It felt as if they had been walking for hours and hours but, they had nothing to show for their efforts.
"You know things, do you know how we actually get there?" He asked voice tinted with desperation, "I'm hungry and tired."
"No need to get grumpy Alice I'm sure we'll get there soon after all time flies when you're having fun." Rabbit replied.
"Well forgive me if I'm not in the cheeriest of moods as sleeping on the ground would put anybody in a bit of a grump."
"Why did you sleep on the floor if you knew it'd make you unhappy?"
"I don't know! I don't even know how I got there!"
"Well that was awfully silly of you Alice, I'd say you're becoming quite mad." Rabbit teased with what could only be described as a smile if rabbits did indeed smile.
"I'm not mad." Ciel informed him angrily, "I am perfectly sane thank you very much."
The silence was very tense around them and everything was very still. The grass no longer waved in the gentle breeze and Rabbit no longer attempted to prop up his hat when it began to slip from his head. Ciel suddenly had the taste of ash in his mouth and he felt too hot but, he found he couldn't move. It wasn't that he was unable to, he was quite sure he could turn and leave if he wished but, the was the feeling that something had gone unsaid. Something very important.
"You don't know your own mind." Rabbit chuckled as if it was a funny joke, "You shouldn't lie Ciel because in fact you are rather mad indeed."
"You... know my name? And what do you mean my 'own mind'?" Ciel asked in what was almost horror.
"You'll figure it out eventually, you're smart like that."
Rabbit then hopped past him, pushing his hat up and suddenly the spell was broken. Ciel wavered on his feet for a moment before turning and following after the rabbit numberless questions whirling around in his head. He was very sure that he was not insane in the slightest and was even more sure that it was the world he was in that was mad. The fact that he couldn't say he was certain however was beginning to haunt him. Things he thought he knew may be fabrications which would be why he had no names to go with the phantom faces in his dreams.
He was beginning to feel rather uncomfortable and wished that he'd never met the White Rabbit. He wished he'd not woken up and found that he hadn't had lunch and then promptly left to find a servant but, things couldn't be undone now and he guessed he only had himself to blame.
"Come Alice don't dawdle or we'll be late for tea." Rabbit squeaked grabbing a hold of the bottom of Ciel's apron.
"Tea? We're having tea? With whom?" He asked absent-mindedly before internally wincing at how childish he had sounded.
"The Duchess of course! There is nothing she likes more than tea parties so I thought we'd best have one!" Rabbit explained as though it were the most simple thing in the world.
"That is a good idea but, how do you propose we invite her? I think it would have been more simple to just send a letter."
"No no no, I think you've got it backwards. We're going to the Duchess's estate and we'll have tea there. She loves tea parties and will always put one on for her guests."
Ciel just sighed in frustration with a shake of his head. The White Rabbit had some rather funny ideas that he just couldn't understand. It was est just to play along he supposed and maybe he would end up back home. Luckily the manor house was much closer now and that meant they were also closer to food. As if knowing where his thoughts were headed his stomach rumbled loudly.
By the time they had reached the doors of the grand building Ciel was sure he would feint from hunger. Just as they were about to knock on the beautiful wooden door it swung open revealing a man in his twenties dressed in a fine blue suit and tri-corner hat where his blond hair was almost hidden, all designed with a scale like pattern as if to make him look like a fish. A cigarette hung lazily from his mouth which Ciel found rather rude even if the offending object wasn't lit.
"Who're you?" The man asked.
"Who are you?" Ciel retorted.
"I'm a fish guard as you can see. I work for the Duchess. The names Baldroy in case you needed to know."
"Pleased to meet you... I guess."
Ciel found himself suddenly struck by a bolt of familiarity with the fish-man which was utterly ridiculous as he had never met anybody like him in his life. It was strange as he had vivid memories of a burnt out kitchen and heavy weaponry. But, that was all very far away now and he knew he would most likely not see that scene again. It made him feel sort of sad in a way.
"We're here to see the Duchess!" He announced proudly hoping that his emotions wouldn't show.
If Baldroy had noticed anything he didn't say much to Ciel's relief. After all he had a reputation to keep up and he couldn't have somebody he'd only just met seeing through him so easily. To think that someone could sent shivers down his spine.
"We weren't expecting no visitors today. If we were I'd of been told." Baldroy said with a frown.
Ciel crossed his arms, "We were invited, right White Rabbit."
"Well... erm not exactly."
"You have to be kidding me." Ciel snapped at the fluffy creature, "The way you were speaking made it sound as if you'd gotten an invitation to tea! Do you know how rude it is to just show up on somebody's doorstep and pretty much beg for food?"
"Now now no need to get snappy with me. Being Alice pretty much gets you an invite into anywhere." Rabbit chuckled in an attempt to sooth his friend.
"Wait did you just say Alice!" the guardsman exclaimed turning to Ciel, "You're Alice?"
"So I've been told, may times." He huffed in annoyance.
The poor servant's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates and with a quick bow and hurried apology he stepped out of the doorway to let them through. Ciel had to admit however much he loathed being called Alice by everyone it seemed to have some perks. Everybody he'd met so far had been helpful, polite even and it didn't seem fake at all. He hoped the same would go for the Duchess.
Upon entering the manor Ciel found himself facing a very welcome and familiar sight. Everything was bathed in a warm golden light coming from the chandelier high above. The walls were covered in expensive looking paintings and mirrors and Ciel was sure that the door knobs were made of solid gold. Once again he found himself wishing to be back home.
The servant scuttled off to find his employer become promptly coming back and ushering them into the dining room. The young lord sat before having to stand once again to help the White Rabbit on to a chair. He honestly didn't know why he was still letting the stuffed toy to stay with him because after all, the damned animal had left him to drown! Then again he himself had run off and left the rabbit back at the beginning of his journey. He sighed deeply. It had been only three days at most since he'd left his office to search for...someone but, it felt much much longer. What was it the Rabbit had said? Oh, yes. 'Time has no meaning here. It goes up and down and round and round but never backwards.' Or something like that.
That didn't bother him however what did was when he said 'You don't know your own mind'. Ciel had thought right from the very beginning that this was a dream but, now he wasn't quite sure. He felt trapped, like a chick that couldn't break out of it's egg. And he still couldn't quite shake the feeling he was missing something and not only that! He was forgetting things, important things like names, places and even the faces of his parents.
Something had happened when he fell through the floor into Wonderland and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. Now resolute in his choice, Ciel relaxed into the dining chair and listened politely to the White Rabbit prattle on.