Once I had dried my face, everything seemed a little better. That hadn't been a puppy…or had it? I was certain I had never seen a puppy in my life.

"Julius," I whispered but as with everything else, the name became a piece of the forgotten.

I stood carefully and braced my hand on one wall. I was too cold, and when I saw the dress was far too wet, I knew I needed to change. I spotted a trunk and opened the lid to find different dresses within. I pulled out a blue dress and put it aside, and then spotted a pale pink dress. One I was certain I had seen before many years ago. I found a corset and clean underclothes which I dressed into. A hand brushed mine away when I attempted to tie the strings of the corset. They pulled it tight and tied it off three times.

"Thanks," I whispered but there was no one there when I looked behind me.

My corset was tied properly so I didn't know what to think as I picked up the pink dress. I pulled it on over my head and tied the ribbon at my back. The dress fell down to the floor in a train with white detail on the bodice. It was not something I had worn in my life but I had seen it in my dreams. A pair of white wristlets were matched with pink detail before I pulled my hair into small curls around my bodice. I then put that into a chignon twist.

"Are you ready?" a voice called out, "my little Blackbird?"

I turned to see a blond man with lilac eyes looking at me. He had odd ears on his head and I saw the hint of a shell on his back. He put his hand out to me and pulled me towards his chest. We left the hut and I saw we were on a beach, a pretty beach with various coloured shells. I stopped moving with the man to look at the water…seeing the boats were further away from me than I had originally thought.

"Where am I?" I asked to no one in particular.

"Wonderland, my dear," the man responded as he put his hands on my waist.

"And you are?" I asked him.

"The mock turtle," he said as he gave a sweeping bow from the waist, holding onto my hand before kissing it.

"Can you tell me where I'm supposed to go?" I asked after a moment.

"I will only tell you once you have a dance with me," he stated calmly.

"Please Lord Druitt…it's important I must…" but the urgency left and I was worried now. What was so important that I needed to keep moving?

"One dance, my dear sweet Blackbird," and he put his hand out to me, "and I will show you the path myself."

I put my hands over my heart, certain that I was here for a very important reason…and yet…

"One dance," I said as I put my hand out to him and he took it carefully.

He pulled me closer to his chest and he twirled me gently, standing on my dress on occasion. At one point, he stood on my foot and froze.

"I must start again," he stated, "I must be as deserving of you as you are in that splendid gown."

I held tight as he twirled me in a quick circle, making me dizzy before a white gloved hand touched my own. I looked up and spotted Sebastian, his eyes calm.

"May I cut in?" he asked calmly and the mock turtle put my hand out to him.

Sebastian held it tight in his and he pulled me closer before twirling me in a tight circle before our dance went further. He kept his eyes on me as I looked around, seeing that our dance had drawn a crowd. I wasn't anything special…so why were they watching? I looked back up at Sebastian and squeezed his hand, hoping he understood I was scared. Something felt wrong to me, and I wasn't sure what it was. That was what frightened me most.

"Do you know where Ciel is?" I asked him, fear leaking into my voice, "I need to find him."

"Why?" Sebastian asked me, his reddish-brown eyes glowing softly.

"I…don't know," I whispered as a tear escaped my right eye, "I don't even know who I'm looking for."

Our dance finished there and he let me go. I wiped one of my eyes as he pointed behind him. I looked towards the path that led to what appeared to be a palace.

"The Duchess may know who you are looking for, little Alice," Sebastian said softly before he ran through the crowds and away from me.

"Sebastian!" I called out but there was no reply.

I looked towards the path and knew there was nowhere else for me to go but to that palace and its Duchess. Would Lady Mouse be there, waiting for me? Would the strange foursome be there? Would Sebastian….?

I picked up my skirts and walked across the sand towards the gap in the trees…and hoped I was going in the right direction

It appears our Mock Turtle has two left feet, which is quite amusing. Not as amusing as the spider….still no? How does a narrator get any amusement, if he must follow the story of our little Alice? I may have to take a break…find something else to do…