Innocence
Duchess
This was just what she needed! She'd only just finished puking her guts out when a Suit came and told her there had been another break in, in the tea room. She didn't understand why Jack didn't just destroy them. But he was too fixated on his stupid idea that the remaining tea could be used for medical purposes. Like happiness for depression patents
It was a nice idea. But what would happen when they ran out? Then of course there were the addicts who would do anything to get their hands on some tea. It was only asking for trouble.
She gasped as she turned the corner and saw that the door had been ripped off its hinges. The man who got in must have been really desperate. It was too bad he escaped!
She walked in and saw that at least one shelf of each elixir had been taken.
She cursed, this was not good, way too much was gone.
There was a crunch under her feet and she looked down to see a broken glass on the ground. Bending down she could see the faint writing on the edge of the glass 'Innocence'.
It was a good thing this one had been destroyed, intentionally or not. It had still been in the trial stage when they stopped production. It was fat too concentrated. The original elixir needed to be diluted half a dozen times before it was ready to sell. The old Queen had been the only one to try this.
Who knew what would happen if someone drunk even a sip of this straight. A drop would probably put them on a buzz for a month if they were lucky. She didn't even want to think what would happen if someone had more.
At that moment she heard a noise in front of her and she looked up to see a small girl hiding under the table. She looked about three or four and was wearing a dress far too big for her. She peered at Duchess curiously through her long dark hair.
"Hey Sweetie," she said kindly. "What are you doing under there?"
"I'm scared," the little girl whispered. "Where am I? I don't like it here." She sounded absolutely adorable and Duchess couldn't help but smile.
"It's okay Sweetie, you're in the castle. Do you want to come with me up stares?"
"I'm in a castle?" the girl said excitedly scrabbling out. "Can I be the princess?"
Duchess laughed. "Well you can be today. How old are you?" The little girl shrugged, her tiny shoulders rising and pulling the cutest face. Oh, she hoped the baby was going to be a girl. "Well then what's your name?"
"Alice," she said as Duchess picked her up.
"Really?" she said carrying her into the elevator. "I have a friend called Alice, she's famous. Would you like to meet her?" Little Alice nodded eagerly.
"Is she as famous as 'Alice in Wonderland'? I really like her. My daddy reads me the story all the time."
"Who's your Daddy? Maybe I can help you find him," she told her.
"R R R R… Rob- Robert!" the little girl said remembering the name. she smiled remembering what it was like when she didn't know her parents first names either. "Robert Hamilton," the girl finished.
Duchess froze and looked at the girl. Robert Hamilton had been Carpenters other name… Carpenter had been Alice Hamilton… the Alice of Legend's father. This was her Alice!