Disclaimer: I am NOT Sir Lewis Carroll and therefore I do NOT own Alice In Wonderland or its OC.
Sorry about the late update... been busy ^^
Thank you to all my reviewers and readers! Much appreciated!
This chapter moves the plot forward more... and I hope you like it!
Enjoy!
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Through Royal drapes the sound of carved marble hitting a cool stone surface vibrated around a grandly furnished room.
"Check mate" A triumphant elderly voice called.
"You win, Your Majesty." A younger voice humbly spoke.
"If I find out you let me win, I shall cop off your head."
"And you know, Your Majesty, that without a body there is nothing to chop."
The two voices laughed heartily. A cool winter breeze shook the curtains framing the gothic windows. The smell of fresh snow filled the room with a crisp sharpness.
"How is your squire, sir?" The female voice called. The clinking sounds of delicate china echoed around. The tea was poured, clashing into the cups. Now the smell of strong, brewed tea joined the scents in the air.
"I believe he is performing admirably, You Majesty." The voice sipped the tea.
"I am getting bored of waiting. I think it is high time we act. That pesky daughter of mine needs to be taught a lesson and fast!" The Queen exclaimed. "To think she can out do me. Tut tut tut."
"Certainly, Your Majesty. But I have received word that Sir. Frederick Phantom has arranged his daughters marriage-"
'Well that can not do!" A fist slammed on the table. "How dare he! How dare that insolent little Knight, take matters into his own incapable hands. Off with his head!"
"I do not think that shall help, Your Majesty."
"I suppose not!" The Queen huffed. "Who is this new mysterious character?"
"We… are not sure, Your Majesty. He is not the Hatter, that is for sure. But he did something to March."
"Do you think I was too harsh on that poor fellow?"
'Who the hatter, Your Majesty?"
"Yes."
"No, Your Highness. I think he deserved it. Although maybe his head would have been better…"
"Ohh. You sly cat; listen to you!" The Queen laughed, but then reverted to a serious manner. "I want this new character dealt with. Even I must admit… this game is getting out of hand. You know what, I think I fancy some Jam Tarts."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Happy Birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, dear Miss Alice. Happy Birthday to me." Alice sang sadly to herself. She walked along the roadside, carriages thundering past. Occasionally someone she recognised would call a greeting to her and she would smile back.
She walked along the busy streets, towards the main markets, where she had promised to pick up some supplies for the cook. The cook was the second person to wish her a happy birthday, after Gwendolyn and Edgar burst in singing it simultaneously. Jasper was out somewhere and her father… well, she highly doubted he cared.
She checked the piece of paper.
"Jam, Marmalade, Tea, Bread, Pepper, more pepper and apples." She frowned. How much pepper did the Cook want?
Suddenly she found herself in a quite side street. She sighed; obviously she had turned the wrong way somewhere while reading. The alleyway was very dark tall looming buildings rising up to the sky all around her, but she could not see the way out. She pouted and spotted a sign for a watchmakers shop.
"I may look around for a while. Father spoke of a new nice clock." She placed her gloved hand on the metal door handle and pushed the heavy oak door. A bell chimed inside the shop.
Every surface she could see as caked in clocks. The wallpaper could not be seen by the sheer magnitude of clocks, which covered the surface. She looked up, shocked that even the celing contained a variety if oddly shaped clocks.
"Hello?" She called out. Someone rustled from behind the counter.
'Good day my dear." An old hunched back woman, with shaking hands appeared behind the counter. She eyed Alice through dirty glasses. She lent closer towards the pretty girl. 'You have a very clean face. And unusually short hair for such a fine lady."
"Erm, yes well, my father did not like it either." She smiled at the woman.
"what can I do for you my dear?"
"I am looking for a clock, or a watch maybe." Alice smiled at the woman who relied with a smile. Her eyes sparkled.
"Its your birthday today, isn't it child?"
"Yes. How did you know?"
"Ahh." The woman tapped her nose. Alice grinned. She swooped out from behind the counter and took Alices' gloved hand. "Follow me dear. I have something for you."
She led Alice into a small quite room in the back of the shop. Alice sat on a comfy plush armchair and accepted the cup of tea.
"I want to tell you a story, my dear." The woman sat opposite her and poured herself some tea. "Crumpet?"
"Don't mind if I do, ma'am." Alice leant forward and picked up a steaming hot crumpet. She took a mouth-watering bite off the soft melting crumpet. "Mm. Delicious."
"Just freshly baked, my dear. Anyway, let me begin my story. Sit comfy now."
Alice placed her tea and crumpets down, out of politeness and waited.
"Some days ago, I was just closing up shop for the night. It was a cold, and rainy twilight, the moon shone high above in the sky. Suddenly as I close the door, this cloaked man appears by the window, peering in like. So I says to him 'Shops closed for the night.' And he says 'I want to buy something, it will not take long.' Now I am, strapped of cash, so I did what any other shop keep in my position did, I let him browse. But I keep a weary eye on that lad. Something was not right about him." The tapped her eye and winked.
"Anyways, after a while he wonders up to the counter and asks for a very specific golden watch. He described it as: gold leaf, intricately decorated with hearts and creatures and most important like, it was broken. Now, I gave him a strange look. What business would I get with a broken watch I tell ya? None, yes my dear. So I tell him 'I have no such watch here.' He stands for a moment, but I can not see his face for he is cloaked. Then an animal sound erupts from his throat and before I know it he is gone. Puff." She spreads out her hands.
"A few days later, in the early morning, this Noble looking man wanders in. And guess what he is clutching. Yeah, chick. He is clutching that same damn watch. Now he tells me in his posh tones that he will pay me… pay me! To keep this watch. He gives me over £100. now I nearly die in shock. I could shut up shop forever. But he tells me, to give it to a young lass for her birthday. Now do you want to know the weird thing?" She reaches behind her and reveals a package, giving it to Alice. Alice opens it to se the watch, laying gleaming in the brown paper. "He described this girl to a tee. And this girl is you. Green eyes, short brown hair, wearing white gloves and a lovely grey coat with black lace ruffles, a yellow dress showing through. You are Alice Phantom. Am I right in saying? That ere watch is yours, my dear."
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Alice stood on the street and stared down at the watch. She turned it over and over in her hands. She noticed a small key in the back, so she turned it. The creaking noise filled the silence for a moment. Then a nostalgic music box melody filled the wintry air. She was memorised by the sound, full of hope and mystery.
The song faded. The music was replaced by a drunken leering. She turned her head and saw a group of drunken soldiers round the corner. The shop behind her was bolted shut. She placed the watch in her pocket and moved forwards. Maybe if she ignored them, they would ignore her.
"Hey! Fellas. Look at that gorgeous piece of meat." Alice sucked in her top lip and kept her head down, walking ahead. But she could feel anger and annoyance boil within her.
"I would like a taste of that lamb."
She feels a presence behind her and a pair of hands clutched her breasts, moving them up and down. Her eyes widen in shock and the hands violently move to undo her coat.
"Get off me!" She spun around, catching the drunkard off balance. He fell to the floor. She looked around for an exit and saw that they are all blocked.
"Ooh. A feisty piece of lamb. It needs teaching a lesson." The men loomed closer. One man lunged for her ripping her coat, almost dragging it clean off her. Alice growled and whacked the man in the nose with the watch. Blood spurts from his now broken nose.
"Why you little bitch!" The solider shrieked. Alice smiled sweetly and dashed between legs and bodies, kicking anyone who got too near and hitting the surprised faces. She resurfaced on the other side, turning her head around to see them reform and give chase. But each of them looked shocked, but she could detect hints of anger in their eyes. IF she did not escape now, she may find herself like her mother.
She did not manage to turn back in time to see a man standing before her. With an almighty thud she fell into him and they both collapse to the ground.
"Help! Help!" She nearly broke into tears, now she is done for.
"Ow! First you knock me off my feet and now you accuse me of attacking you!?" The voice was male, but not the drunken waffle the soldiers let spew from their mouths. It was calm, with a hint of amusement. "Come on, we need to get you out of here."
She feels his hands below her armpits hoisting her up. He lets her lean against him. The Soldiers stand before the pair, anger rising.
"Let us ave her, you greedy sod!" They demanded.
Alice groaned in pain as she put pressure on her foot.
"What is wrong?" The man asks.
"My foot…" She trailed off, suddenly feeling the heat of bodies close in.
"Close your eyes." She turns into the mans chest and closes her eyes.
"You are playing with the wrong cat, my friends." The mans voice cuts clearly throught the air.
"What are you gonna do about it, ey? One of you and 10 of us!" The men laugh.
"Really?"
The alleyway is suddenly filled with the hissing sound of cats, Alice attempts to look up, but he has her head firmly pinned to his chest. A million cats eyes appear from the darkened corners, all purple in colour, all with mainic smiles on their faces, to match Alice's saviours. He was grinning maniacally, his purple eyes glinting in the dim light.
"Run, run, run as fast as you can, you can not outrun me, idiotic man."
The soldiers gasp as they are suddenly attacked from all sides by the cats. Screams of pain fill the alleyway. The smell of blood tints the air.
"Good night." The man brings his free hand down with a swoop.
Then all the men know, is blackness, followed by a madness when they awake in a hospital bed.
Alice looks around, to find the men gone. The man beside her breathes heavily, with anger. She looks up at him. He has white hair, and magnificent purple eyes. He wears a noble, yet strange looking outfit. He looks down into her eyes and gives her the most genuine and biggest smile she had ever seen. She suddenly forgot about the pain in her foot.
"I know this maybe the wrong time to say, but happy birthday."
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Authors Notes:
After writing this, I needed a crumpet... and it was lovely! Anyway so things have progressed slightly. The nearly rape, but sexual harrassment scene, was orginally going to be Alice sobbing as the men began to abuse her and then the mysterious man saves her, but I though... nahh... she would fight back and kick the bloody bastards. So she does. ^_^ Also the old womans accent is starnge, she could be Yorkshire, Posh London, Cockney, Lancashire or anywhere. Hahaa!!
By the way : "Chick" is a pet name in Yorkshire which I use all the time. Eg. "You alright, chick?"
Please review... don't know when next update shall be...
XNancyX