Whoah. I was quite happy to find responses already on such a short chapter. I adore the feedback. If this isn't clue enough, I most definitely plan on continuing this story. I'm currently in the last week of the quarter in my school, so I may be a bit on more stuff. But spring break is super-close, so I will certainly spend some time on my laptop.
We're inching closer to stuff now. :)
I own nothing of Alice in Wonderland.
Alice turned around abruptly, instinctively keeping the bottle behind her back. Trying to suppress her startled state, she pressed her lips together and tried a more confident stance. Her eyes finally met the person – or rather, people – behind her. There stood her business partner along with the ship captain, a man with shockingly bright green eyes. The man's hair was almost entirely hidden in his cap, but she could swear it was an equally vivid shade of oran-
"Ah, Ms. Kingsley, it seems you are settling into your room quite nicely. I just wanted to first introduce you to our ship captain. He's a very fine man," her colleague said, checking his pocket watch. "In fact, he tells me he's traversed as far as China, our current destination. Isn't that right, my good fellow?"
"Oh, yes. A number of occasions. Lovely tea there." The captain seemed a rather excitable sort, and he partook in smiling quite frequently.
Alice blinked purposefully, not wishing to stare. "I can imagine so."
"Well," her colleague replied, "we will leave dock within the hour. We'll pass through the Suez and head to China straightaway. Shouldn't take but a month."
Alice tore her glaze from the peculiarly familiar fellow to look to him. Her hands were moistening the bottle a bit. She still felt the captain's eyes on her. "Splendid. Very splendid indeed."
"Have you anything to be dealt with and I'm not handy, this," he commented, pointing to the younger gentleman, "is your man. With that said, I'm going back to the dock for a short moment; my wife is thoroughly displeased about my departure." He chuckled and it resounded in his thick frame. He left straightaway, shoes brushing across the carpeted hall.
This left the two staring at each other. The captain was still quite cheery, she noted. Feeling rather awkward, she smiled a bit herself. She nervously touched the smooth glass behind her back; it was still cool to the touch.
"You know…" she said, "I may sound a bit bonkers, but I could swear I knew someone who looked almost exactly like you."
He let out a small, peculiar laugh. "Fascinating! Where did you meet this man, hm?"
"Oh, somewhere…far away. Out east." She shifted her weight slightly. His similarity was maddening, but to who?
"And that is where we're headed, isn't it! That certainly is something." He pulled out a pocket watch of his own, which appeared slightly large and comical. "I am needed elsewhere, miss. But do not hesitate to stop by and say hello. These sailors, they're an awfully brutish sort. I hear them grunt more than speak, I dare say!" The speed of his speech was becoming almost alarming.
"Where might you be…?" Alice asked, causing him to pause and slow his frenzied oration.
"Most times I'm up on deck, miss. I keep a sharp eye out, you see. But, I do fancy a break for tea in my quarters each day," he stated, finger wagging. "In fact, with some suitable company here now, I would fancy the company of you and that fine gentleman. You enjoy tea, am I correct?"
"Of course."
He clasped his hands together. "Wonderful! I'll be about my way. I will be stationed on the deck if you need me, miss Kingsley." He was gone in nearly a flash, leaving a baffled Alice behind.
She walked over to her bed and sat down carefully by her open case. Her eyes traveled to the clock in her room. The hands rested on the four and three. It was past teatime now, she noted to herself. Putting things away weren't really her priority at the time, though. Alice brought her hands into her lap, looking down to her possession. What a perplexing encounter!
When she had first step foot on the ship, a fantastically blue butterfly rested briefly on her shoulder. Further examination had failed her, as the creature had fluttered off shortly after. Now, a rather mad man of a captain had greeted her. Her stomach was unsettled with these occurrences. Odd things could happen to any person, but this struck her especially as a queer thing.
A monstrous bellow resounded in the lower levels of the ship. Having no portholes in her room, Alice set the bottle in her nightstand and headed to the main deck immediately. Her mother would be out with the rest to bid them farewell and Alice would be very cross at herself if she didn't wave as they left dock. This would be a very long journey, after all.
The salty air tossed her hair about once more and she bolted to the railing. Her eyes narrowed in search of her mother who stood immersed in the crowd. The aging socialite put a hand to her mouth, her other gloved hand waving back to her daughter. Alice returned it, far too excited now for her own good. She stayed this way perhaps until she no longer could tell a singular person from the mass of the crowd.
"Miss Kingsley," a man's deep voice said behind her.
She turned, rather surprised once more. How often she seemed to be too consumed in thoughts or dreams. She immediately recognized the fellow; it was her dear old colleague.
"Yes? Is there something you might need?" she inquired. Her hands had remained upon the rail.
"Well, I have a proposition for you. A rather nice one, I might add."
She smiled minutely, "I'm listening."
"The captain wishes to dine with us to-night, as it is our first evening at sea. It will be at six exactly. Quite satisfactory cooks here, I do say." He smiled jovially.
"You would certainly know, sir."
He chuckled a bit. "That is beside the point, miss. Will you accept?"
She pressed her lips together in thought, looking to the sky as if the decision was trying. "I seem to be quite famished… He seems tolerable enough… I think I will say…certainly."
"Excellent, excellent! You know, I have something of interest that you might want to hear," he said in a hushed, but still amused tone.
Alice sighed, "And that would be…?"
"How do I say this?" He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I know you're fully aware that your mother is impeccably dead-set on finding you a proper husband…"
"Oh, bother!" Alice wined in dismay. "Don't tell me she's thinking about him."
He shrugged. "The captain is a respectable fellow, I can't deny it. Not that I think the same, my good lady. I just thought this bit of news would be worth knowing."
"It is, I suppose." Alice frowned. "Any eligible man seems to be on her list for me nowadays. But…" she looked back up to him, "does he know her thoughts?"
He shook his head, "Not a word of it. Therefore, you are safe, so to speak."
"Good. I'm just tiring of this charade."
"That said, I need to go to my quarters of the ship. I haven't had the chance to arrange my things properly. I would recommend the same for you, miss. I hear talk of nasty weather coming up on us."
Alice nodded at this, heading down the stairs behind him. She glanced up before descending, noting the murky gray clouds hanging above them.
Upon entering her cozy room, she locked the door soundly behind her. The question now was what to wear for this upcoming dinner. Her dresses were now all hung within her closet, neat and tidy. Jewelry was something she hadn't really bothered with, save her mother's necklace. She skimmed through her choices, turning her nose up at most of them. All were far too boring. She'd only planned on things that were to be worn out of doors in unfavorable conditions. Only one seemed to be suitable but she found she could only look at it.
It was that blue dress again. She crossed her arms. Would it hurt to wear it tonight? Perhaps it could jog her memory on the identity of that eccentric ship captain. Then again, she hadn't felt much of anything while wearing it the previous night…
Despite this, she threw the thing on anyway. Her hair was put back into place from the windswept look she had before. Her make-up selection was rather sparse as well. She dabbed a small amount of blush and not much else. Alice then examined herself within the mirror, nothing to seem to be out of place.
Except the time. The minute hand was dreadfully close to the six; it was now nearly six-thirty exactly. In a dash she closed her drawers and closet doors, running down the hall to the dining room. She carefully opened the door, the two men already seated. Both stood at her presence.
The captain spoke first, "Miss Kingsley, you're terribly late, you know. Naughty."