Ch.3 : Waking up in Wonderland
The world was still completely dark, but as feeling slowly crept its way back into Felicity's body she became aware of the fact that she was not laying on the ground any longer. Quite the contrary, instead of hard packed earth she rested upon a soft mattress. She also became aware that she was no longer in the heavy party dress she had started the day out in, just by feeling it now appeared she was clad in a soft silken nightgown. This troubled felicity's mind greatly, how could she have gone from being outside to inside so quickly?
Her only rational conclusion was that while she was running she had tripped over some root or another and fallen knocking herself out cold. In the time she was out, it was more than logical to think her mother (or someone sent out by her) had found her and then brought her back to the manor. That was a comforting thought (at least to her sanity) but..Moments before she had hit the earth... Hadn't she been falling from the sky? NO! She would not think like that. That was a simply crazy idea, one does not fall down and then proceed to drop from the sky! No, she had just fallen and hit her head a good one, yes it was that simple. Right now she was back at Lady Fane's manor in a guest room or something. Her mother would be waiting to make sure that once she woke up she payed dearly for the way she behaved, now all she had to do was open her eyes and face the music.
Putting all of her will power to the task, Felicity ever so slowly opened her eyes. The world around her was hazy and misshapen but with every slow blink of her eyes it came all the more into focus. She could now make out the shape of a person by her bedside... a woman maybe?... ah yes a maid no doubt, she would know at the very least where her mother was. Despite the way her head throbbed, felicity managed to speak just loud enough to be heard
"E-excuse me.." The maid gave a little jump before turning to face Felicity "oh good you've come to, you gave us all quite the scare miss, we where all afraid that you had..." The maid was cut off by Felicity's blood curtailing scream.
The maid had no face! The maid had no face! Despite her body's painful protest Felicity scooted back till she rested against the head board her arms encircling her knees, all the while screaming like a mad woman. It was clear she had startled the maid just as much as the maid had startled her, for now she held her hands up in front of her in what she must have thought a soothing "no harm meant manner" "P-please miss no need to scream, please calm down, you will hurt yourself!" Felicity however would hear none of it, she could not take her eyes off the maid with no face, she could feel her sanity slipping, so she just screamed and screamed, as if by doing so would dispel the faceless person in front of her.
At that moment the door to the bedroom she was currently in flung open and in rushed a man with white hair... but most importantly a face! Felicity sprung from the bed and rushed over to the newly entered man, only to have her body give out form pain and fright as soon as she got to him. She clung to him desperately, sobs now racking her body "p-please h-help me, the maid... no face... A-am I going crazy?" The man looked down regarding the young girl that was now clinging to him. She was clad in a silk blue nightgown, he could see how bruised her porcelain skin was, her auburn hair fell in tangled waves down to her waist and her golden eyes where wide with fear and sparkled with tears. With a troubled sigh he took Felicity up into his arms carrying her back to the bed.
At his approach the maid backed away with fear, her body visibly quaking. His hands to full to even think about pulling a gun, he settled for just leveling her with a venomous glare "Get out." His words where cold and threatening, causing the poor maid to flee from the room as fast as she could go. As soon as she was gone he laid the poor confused sobbing Felicity back down on to the bed. Wiping the tears from her eyes with her arm, she took a closer look at her savior for the day. What had once been terrified sobs, turned slowly to shy giggles as she took in his appearance.
He stood at least six feet tall with a slim build, pale skin and red eyes . He was clad in a black and red checkered jacket with an over sized watch attached to it by a golden chain. What really made her giggle however, where the two fluffy bunny ears that stuck up from his shaggy (but oddly charming) white hair. Just as she had been doing,the new man ( ermmm... rabbit?) Seemed to be studying her very closely from behind his round glasses. With a nod of his head he sat down on the side of her bed, offering her a very friendly smile. "I am glad to see you are alright, you gave us all a terrible fright."
Felicity was now only hiccuping from time to time, calmed by the much less frightening appearance of this new man."N-not to be rude sir but who are you?" Felicity asked shyly covering her self up with the bed sheets. The man waved off the question with one gloved hand "Not rude at all, my name is Peter White, and yours would be..?" he looked at her expectantly
"Oh me... My names Felicity Evans pleased to meet you..." Her voice trailed off as she thought for a moment,with out any forewarning she quickly pinched her upper arm letting out a pained yelp. Peter jumped away from the sound his eyes wide (this girl was just as strange as his beloved Alice) he would never get used, it seemed, to the ways of outsiders. Felicity sighed softly rubbing at her arm. "Peter, could you please tell me where I am?" she asked softly her eyes begging to hear some sort of explanation as to her current wear abouts.
"Of course, you are currently in Wonderland!" He exclaimed as if it where the most normal thing to say in the world. Felicity sighed her shoulders slumping in defeat "I must have hit my head harder than I first thought... This is clearly just a dream of some sort... Maybe I'm in a coma.." she rested her head on her hands thinking deeply on the matter.
Peter's ears drooped "No, you are actually here, That bumbling Knight Ace brought you here to the castle of hearts after he found you passed out in the woods He brought you before the queen, she herself summoned the doctor for you, and even gave you this room to stay in for as long as you like." The smile on his face made it look like he where ready to just burst in half.
"You know what... Okay" Felicity started looking around the room "coma dream or no coma dream this is not a very bad situation, so its most likely best to just go with the flow and see how things turn out. Ether I wake up or someones going to come find me at SOME point. So looks like for the time being I am staying right here." she smiled at Peter who instantly broke out shouting in a joyous voice "OH another outsider is staying! My dear sweet Alice will be so pleased!"
Felicity regarded him with slight curiosity.. "what do you mean by 'outsider' and who is Alice? Your daughter?" She ended the sentence with a charming smile. Peter blushed instantly "Being an outsider simply means you are not from around here.. and no Alice is not my daughter, she is the love of my life!" the latter part came out in an airy sigh, as his eyes went all glassy and tiny little hearts fluttered around his head.
Felicity stifled a giggle behind her hand "Oh how sweet, well I can't wait to meet her." Shifting her position she winced, her body was still too tender to handle much movement, she rubbed her smarting leg carefully. Seeing his chance Peter produced a tiny crystal bottle topped with small heart stopper containing some liquid.. "oh almost forgot, the doctor told me to give this to you, he said it would help with the pain." Peter smiled innocently when at the aspect of reduced pain, Felicity quickly (but politely) took the small vile out of his hand and downed the contents.
"Thank you very much Peter." she said gratefully "Oh no thank you" Peter responded with a smile (she had taken that down much easier than Alice had after all)."Hey Peter is it okay if I can keep the bottle its so cute!" Peter shook his head "Of course you can, it wouldn't be good if you where to lose it." He got up from his spot on her bed turning toward her once more "Well I'm afraid I must take my leave now. It was nice to meet you. Once you are well enough to leave the palace, I shall take you out to meet my dear Alice!" With that Peter made a hasty exit through the bedroom door
Left sitting alone in what was now going to be her bed, Felicity took a moment to take in her surroundings for the first time sense she had opened up her eyes. The bed she sat on was covered in red silky sheets trimmed around the edge's with black braided accents, The walls where the exact same burgundy color as the bed sheets except that golden heart decals decorated the expanse, not black. The floor was polished black and white checkered tile and everything from the bed posts to the vanity where made of ebony wood. Felicity whistled lowly as she sank back into the plush bed, setting the tiny vile on her bedside table. "Well if this is a dream at least I..." She yawned "set myself up right." With that she settled down to get some much needed rest.
Outside her door a certain rabbit was leaning back against the wall, arms folded across his chest. "Oh Alice I have gotten you a friend! Now you can not help but to come and visit me!" He smiled dreamily at the thought of Alice coming down to the castle more often, this day could have not gone any better! He turned slowly and walked down the hall, heels clicking against the polished floor, he was supposed to be getting back to work... But a visit with Alice was so much more tempting! Peter broke into a run, off to find his "lover".
A.N~ well well well, what does Peter exactly think he is doing? Felicity seems to be taking this rather well, how is she going to react when she meets the rest of the wonderland crew. Only one way to find out! Do what you do and keep on reading :) Thank you and please leave your comments on my style of writing, I am trying really hard to keep everyone in character, tell me how I did/ ways I can improve it for you.