"The thing is, 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' is more than just a story- it's real. You're in Wonderland, Iris."
Third POV
Iris stared at Blanc, dumbfounded. But she smiled and let out an awkward laugh. "..You're joking, right? I understand I look quite young for my age, but I'm not going to fall for that. I mean.. We look pretty close in age!" she spoke, gesturing to herself and Blanc. Blanc looked at the white-haired girl curiously, "Actually, I'm probably quite a bit older than you think. But, that's a different story for a different day."
Blanc took her chin in his hands and gently turned her head to look towards the window. Iris froze, "What are you doing?" she asked, a defensive edge to her tone. Blanc smiled, a gentle warmth in his brown gaze, "I'm proving to you that all of what I said is true. Take a look around and you'll understand." He opened the coach's curtains, gently urging Iris to look out the window.
A giant crystal-like object seemed to float above a nearby fountain, beams of rainbow light dancing off of it in waves. But it wasn't just the fountain- the streetlamps as well, illuminated the dark night with the soft glow of crystals. "Those are what we call Magic Crystals. They're not just used for light, though." Blanc explained, "Magical energy resides in each crystal, and whoever holds one in their possession can use it to repel magic."
Iris found his words difficult to believe. There was no such thing as magic, it's impossible. She sat in the carriage, completely dumbstruck, unable to tear her gaze away from the soft crystals' light. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. "This world exists parallel to yours, just like the back of a coin. But our way of life isn't governed by laws or nature or science like yours- rather, it's governed by magic." Glancing back at Blanc awkwardly, Iris moved away slightly. "You'll have to pardon me if I'm behaving out of line, but this is all just a dream.. Isn't it?"
Blanc wore a cheeky grin, "I could give you a kiss to wake you from your slumber if you'd like." Iris froze, her body language turning defensive in a matter of seconds, "I.. I would appreciate if you didn't.." she mumbled, her tone shaky. Having been caught completely off guard from Blanc's suggestion, Iris had smacked her head against the window in a quick moment of panic. The pain instantly told her that there was no way this could be a dream.
But a part of her still couldn't believe it. She had really fallen down a long tunnel and suddenly emerged in a different world. Iris took a deep breath, she needed to remain calm. If she lost her composure, she'd just end up in another dangerous situation. "..If this really is all real, there's something I must ask." Iris mumbled, finally meeting Blanc's gaze, "That man, Jonah, I think it was? The one who was attempting to hold me prisoner back there. The handcuffs he put me in had been decorated with crystals.. Were those magic, too?"
Blanc nodded, "Yes, they were. The power cast over those handcuffs was unbreakable, that is, until you came along." Iris startled, "You.. uh.. You saw what happened?" The white haired man nodded once more, "I did. I wanted to save you, but there are some circumstances that made it impossible. That's why I had the man who's driving this carriage, the Mad Hatter, rescue you instead." Blanc explained. It made sense why that man had arrived then. He was hardly what Iris would call 'pleasant.' But seeing as he had saved her, she figured she could let go of the fact he had called her an idiot.
"Thank you, Blanc. I.. I'm not sure what would've happened if it wasn't for you." Iris muttered, then sat up straighter. "But what did you mean when you said I was able to break the power cast over the handcuffs?" "Nobody in this land is able to break a spell once it has been cast. That is something only people from the Land of Reason can do. Some time ago a person with the same power as you lost their way here." Blanc explained, then smiled, "I'm sure you've heard of her; her name is Alice."
"You mean Alice as in-" "Yes, Alice from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' was our first ever visitor from the Land of Reason." Blanc answered, a sweet and gentle smile resting upon his lips. Almost like he was recalling a fond memory. "That makes you Alice the Second." It felt unreal, his words, that is. Suddenly, Iris was now a part of a storybook world? "The first Alice was quite the mischief maker, running around breaking magic spells left and right. You can only imagine how surprised I was to find out the story of her time here had been published in the Land of Reason."
"..So.. Everything that happened in 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'.. That was all real?" Iris asked. Blanc laughed softly, shaking his head, "Of course not. There are no talking animals, ghastly beasts, or armies of cards here. The real Wonderland is filled with far more danger and intrigue than the tale you know." A sense of dread filled Iris.
Blanc continued to adorn his mysterious smile as Iris' heart began to beat faster in anticipation of what may come next. "I think it's best I tell you the secrets of this country, Cradle." Blanc pulled out a map from within his bag, unfolding it before Iris. "Cradle is a military state ruled by two armies, the Red Army and the Black Army." A flash of sympathy rushed through Iris, she couldn't even begin to imagine how Alice had felt falling into a military state.
"The West is ruled by the Red, while the East is ruled by the Black. We are currently in the Central Quarter, an area sandwiched between Red and Black territory which functions as the country's political and economic hub. The place where you were captured is called the Garden. This is where Cradle's most powerful figures gather for debates and trials. Everyone except for high ranking army officials and myself- the official record keeper- are forbidden from entering." Blanc explained.
A sigh escaped from Iris' lips, "Oh.. That explains why Jonah acted as if I'm a criminal and attempted to arrest me." Blanc nodded, "Precisely. The highest ranking of both the Red and Black armies are called the Chosen Thirteen. The highest rank is King, followed by Queen, Jack, and Ten, while the lowest is the Ace. Though the Ace is technically the lowest rank, they're often in charge of unusual assignments, putting them in a different league than the others."
To Iris, it sounded exactly like how a card game would work. Iris wanted to believe this country was a peaceful one, but she had firsthand experience knowing not everything was as beautifully perfect as it may seem. "This place isn't as peaceful or beautiful as it looks.. Is it?" she asked, dreading the answer. But despite the tense atmosphere, Blanc continued smiling, "Cradle's about as far from peaceful as you can get. Conflict between the Red and Black armies has been raging on for over five hundred years now."
"How are they able to run the country when neither side gets along?" Iris asked. It sounded like a major contradiction. "Well, the thing is, they decided to go to war at tonight's council." Panic flooded Iris, though she attempted to keep her expression calm. Things just seemed to be going from bad to worse. "I was running late for tonight's council since I had some business to attend to in your world." Blanc began, frowning as he spoke, "It was during my brief absence that the two sides declared war. I was just as surprised as you are now."
"..It amazes me how you can simply say you're surprised when to me it sounds like your country is on the verge of destruction.." Iris muttered, averting her gaze. Then she sighed, "I sincerely appreciate all you've done for me, but I cannot stay here. Do you think you could tell me how to get back to London?" "Did you see the hole in the Garden? That's how our two worlds are connected. All you have to do is bring something from the Land of Reason with you and jump into the hole. That'll take you right back home." Blanc explained.
"..The one with the light shining into it? Yes, I think I remember. Everything I have with me is from home, so I should be able to get back in no time." Iris spoke, a small smile of relief graced her expression. But while she smiled, Blanc's turned more serious, "It's not your clothes that will be problematic. The hole opens for just a few hours the night of the full moon." Iris' smile fell, "In other words it's-?"
Blanc gave Iris a look of sympathetic regret, "Yes, it's already closed off. All you can do now is wait until the next full moon." "I'm.. I'm stuck here for a whole month? But what about my job?" The carriage suddenly came to an abrupt halt, stopping Iris' protest. "Open the door, Blanc. We're looking for that girl, Iris." a voice demanded. Iris wondered who that could be, it didn't sound like Jonah. "The Red Army has figured out I was the one who saved you, and is here to give us an official greeting." Blanc grimaced. "..So much for an escape." she whispered.
"Get out of the carriage and this will all be over. I'm really not in the mood to pull you out myself." a voice called from outside. Blanc looked to Iris, "Come on, Iris." Following Blanc's lead, Iris nervously followed him out of the carriage. Two men riding horses towered above them.
"Sorry, Blanc. Beauty and the Beast sent us to find her. You'll be coming with us, Alice." one of them spoke.
