The Fugitive

Disclaimer: The Alice books and the 2010 film are not mine. This is only for fun and no money is being made.

Chapter 3: A Conversation with Absolem

Having gone through this at least twice before Alice might have hoped she would be used to it by now. But she still found the experience terrifying. As she fell a multitude of sundry objects whirled about her. Alice noticed a wardrobe, a rather dilapidated looking divan and a bookcase, along with other items she could not identify. One that particularly caught her eye was a wooden box with a rounded screen of dark glass and a plethora of knobs beneath, but she could not begin to hazard a guess at its purpose.

Before she had a chance to prepare, Alice crashed into a stone surface with brutal force. She braced herself, knowing what would come next and sure enough up and down suddenly reversed themselves and she fell heavily.

She lay there panting and trying to recover from the impact.

"I wish there was a more comfortable way to get to Underland!" Alice thought ruefully as she staggered to her feet.

As before she found herself in a wide circular hall with a multitude of doors, all of them too small to enter. Alice was surprised to see a large, ornate mirror standing against the wall. In the centre of the hall was a glass table. Approaching it, she saw neither a key nor potion bottle. Instead there was a beautiful diamond-shaped silver pendant on a chain and a letter with 'Alice' written in an elegant flowing script.

Opening the letter, Alice began to read.

My Champion

Absolem has predicted that you will return soon, so I have left this letter along with the means for you to leave the Hall of Doors.

Instead of pishsalver and upelkuchen I have given you a pendant that will allow you to use the Looking Glass I have left in the Hall. Once you are wearing it, touch the pendant and walk through the Looking Glass. It will bring you close to Marmoreal. I look forward to speaking to you soon, my Champion. We have much to discuss.

Your Friend

Mirana

"Well that's helpful," Alice thought gratefully. On her previous visits the constant shrinking and growing had been annoying and the fact her clothing did not change size as well embarrassing and inconvenient.

Hanging the pendant around her neck, Alice approached the mirror. As she reached out her hand the surface rippled like water. Taking a deep breath, Alice pushed through it and suddenly found herself in a broad sunlit glade dotted with trees. Away in the distance the white towers of Marmoreal glinted in the sunlight.

"I wonder why the Looking Glass brought me here instead of right into the castle?" Alice wondered out loud. The prospect of walking that distance in high heels did not appeal to her.

"Most likely because the Queen knew I wished to speak with you," an acerbic voice answered from above her head.

Looking up, Alice saw a huge blue butterfly perched on the branch of a nearby tree. Next to it was a hookah from which it puffed contentedly.

"Absolem!"

"I know who I am, stupid girl," the Underland sage returned acidly. "The question is who are you?"

Alice sighed. "Surely we don't have to go through that nonsense again? You know who I am. I'm Alice just as I was last time."

"Alice indeed," the butterfly responded. "But not I think quite the same Alice as last time."

"I'm sure none of us are quite the same as last time," Alice replied primly. "I'm three years older and hopefully a little wiser as well."

"Possibly." Absolem sounded sceptical. "Although such wisdom is not really consistent with being a fugitive from what might turn out to be an accusation of murder."

For a moment, Alice could hardly breathe.

"How did you know?"

Absolem said nothing, just puffed at his hookah and blew the smoke into her face.

Coughing, Alice waved a hand to clear the air. "Must you?"

The butterfly just chuckled, taking another puff of the hookah.

"I saw you several times in the Aboveland," Alice ventured at last. "You've been keeping an eye on me?"

"Your travels were not without interest," he informed her. "In particular the time you devoted to various martial arts. An odd pastime for a girl supposedly intent on expanding her father's trading empire."

Alice just shrugged. "It's always useful to know how to defend yourself!"

"Indeed, but your interest appeared to extend beyond merely that," the butterfly observed. "Several weeks with the samurai of Japan; two whole months with the Lamas of that Nepalese monastery and I still don't understand how you persuaded those monks to train a woman. Then the very first thing you did on that ridiculous ship of yours was befriend the first mate and get him to teach you fencing!"

"He was a good friend," Alice told him, praying Absolem had not worked out just how good a friend to her the man had been. "And a good teacher."

"Something a little more than either I think," Absolem replied with a dry chuckle.

To her dismay, Alice felt herself blushing furiously.

"Oh for Underland' sake, there's no need to be embarrassed, you stupid girl," the butterfly told her. "I'm not one of your Aboveland barbarians. I don't care one jot about your so called virtue or lack of it!"

"Then why bother mentioning it?"

"Merely to point out what a contradictory creature you are. Something made evident by your present choice of clothing!"

Alice looked down at her elaborate ball gown. "It wasn't exactly my choice!"

"Nonetheless, a choice you did accede to," Absolem reminded her. "You are a creature of curious contrasts, Alice. One moment a formidable warrior, the next a proper lady; at one time a passionate lover, at another a shrewd businesswoman. But who are you really? Which of those is the real Alice?"

"Why must only one of those be the real Alice?" She asked, not entirely seriously. "Why can't I be all those things, and more?"

"That might seem an attractive proposition, but in practice it may not be as appealing as you expect."

There was an odd note of warning in his voice that made Alice suspect something more was going on here than casual conversation.

"Why are you telling me all this?" she asked slowly. "Is something going on, some new prediction by the Oraculum?"

To her annoyance, Absolem did not provide an answer.

"We will meet again Alice. Fairfarren for now!"

And with that the butterfly flew off, improbably dragging the hookah with him, although it must have been several times Absolem's weight.

"Wait! Come back!" Alice shouted after him, but it was useless, he had already vanished into the distance.

"Exasperating creature!" Alice muttered to herself.

Alice was sure the Keeper of the Oraculum had been warning her about something but his words were so vague she could make no sense of them.

"Nevermind," Alice told herself, "I had best get on and see the White Queen. If something is going on Mirana is likely to be much more forthcoming about it than Absolem!"

Once again cursing her impractical shoes, Alice began to trudge towards the distant castle.