A/N:
So this story came to be due to a prompt I read in a prompt challenge on AO3. It's my first try at one!
Prompt:
Write a story or scene where two or more characters communicate without dialogue.
You can ignore, or mix and match the options below.
[Optional Challenge A] Minimum word count of 1,500 words.
[Optional Challenge B] No internal thoughts or heavy narration - imply what's being communicated.
[Optional Challenge C] No alternative forms of communication like sign language, cell phones, telepathy, empathic powers, etc. Only body language (including touch) or wordless sounds (Ex: a sniff, a chuckle, a sigh; etc)
[Optional Challenge D] More than 2,000 words minimum and no dialogue in the story at all.
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Accordingly, this story is also on AO3. It was only meant to be a short nothing in-between a long multi-chapter story in this fandom that I'm working on for some time. Now with all the details that came along the way, it became a long nothing. We have 37k words (?! When and how did that happen?) with no actual dialogue and Alice's point of view exclusively. I am still editing the text so you don't get everything at once.
That being said, I definitely made Optional Challenge A. I tried to manage Optional Challenge C as well, but the speaking willow tree who will come later was too much fun to write.
I'm being a smart-arse in my understanding of the word "dialogue" for the story. There are exclamations no one replies to, a kind of monologue, and ritualistic blessings/singing. Only single sentences are being remembered and no dialogues. The story ends with the beginning dialogue after everything.
So, three years after my last posted story, here is something new from me in this fandom. I hope you enjoy!
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"Don't even so much as whisper a word until I tell you to."
Alice looked up at Mirana, eyes intently on hers while the platinum blonde's index finger was placed on her lips.
She was confused when the taller woman slowly lowered her head to hers.
The finger slipped down her chin. Her lips touched hers, and Alice gasped, eyes widening.
But before she could comprehend anything, Mirana had already separated herself by taking a step back. Her index finger came up to her own lips, indeed reminding Alice to remain quiet, despite the question she now had on her mind.
What was that?
Mirana kept her gaze on hers, taking her in, almost as if studying her.
What was she thinking about?
She clapped twice into her hands, so loudly that it made Alice jump.
They were standing in the queen's own bedchamber, much to the girl's confusion when she had been summoned in the morning.
Today was Chargin Rite, she knew. Apparently, it was an annual rite in spring, local to Marmoreal.
Except for the clean explanation she had received from Mirana, she had heard of it beforehand from other citizens, seeing as everyone in Marmoreal seemed to look forward to it. It was meant to feed and restore the spiritual energy inherent to Marmoreal's flora. There was a great white willow the procession would wander to, singing and offering sacrifices to him.
Crucial to the rite was a maiden. Apparently, it was the position of honour.
She was to be prepared, receiving a token that would be given to the willow as well. Through the rite, it would gather energy from its wearer which would thus be given to the flora beside the organic fertilisers.
Alice hadn't gotten any more details, much to her displeasure as she now realised, noticing her rising curiosity and nervousness.
Since she was the celebrated champion after slaying the Jabberwocky, everyone had whispered her name as suggestion for the position, so Mirana had discreetly asked her about her … "floral state".
Alice's immediate reaction had been an appalled exclamation of "Excuse me". She was comfortable with her friends in Underland, but this had seemed like overstepping boundaries. Mirana hadn't been deterred, however, so Alice had calmed down to realise that it was suspected either way since she was unmarried.
After a heavy sigh, she had admitted to fulfilling the requirement. For some reason, it had been embarrassing to her in front of the queen.
Mirana, however, had merely cocked her head curiously and smiled in a way Alice hadn't been able to decipher. Then she had asked her if she wanted to be the rite's maiden.
Alice had carefully asked for more information on the position, but hadn't gotten any – only a warm smirk instead. The maiden was to pass through the rite ignorant and wondering as to the details as she would go through her first actual time.
Truth be told, this had made Alice swallow.
And wonder about the queen's state in this regard …
But since she now lived in Marmoreal after the victorious Frabjous Day half a year ago, she was eager to get to know the mode of life in Underland.
Thus, she had accepted the offer, unable to shake the slight of nervousness it sparked in her.
Now, it slowly began to increase as Alice found that she wasn't to speak and able to get answers to the questions flooding her mind. She had also been informed about this feature, but at the time she hadn't expected it to be an issue.
The doors to the bedchamber opened, and in came the queen's own ladies-in-waiting. Alice was still learning about Mirana's courtiers; names, ranks, locations, positions, duties. These three, Alice had seen often enough when she had spent the evening with Mirana in her sitting room. They would come to prepare the queen for the night, always surprised to see her in company still. Unfortunately, Alice couldn't yet memorise their names in combination with their faces.
They curtsied to the queen who bowed her head in response.
Not the usual whisper of "Your Majesty".
They curtsied to Alice who was very much surprised by the action since they held a higher rank than she did. Quickly, she returned a bow – for she was wearing male attire now most often and had adjusted her physical greeting accordingly.
Mirana waved her hand about Alice as she looked at the three ladies.
After that, she took a few steps away from the girl. The click of her heels was the only sound that could be heard.
When they surrounded Alice, her head moved to look from one to another to see what was going to happen.
The first of them stood in front of her and led her hands to the top of the buttons on Alice's pelisse, making her take a step back herself. As she followed after her, Alice was about to speak up in annoyance.
A clear of the throat made her look behind the lady's shoulder.
Mirana was watching them, body visibly holding tension towards the group, and shook her head firmly at Alice.
She knew what it was for, so Alice bit her tongue and pressed her lips together.
What would this be?
The lady's fingers undid the topmost button, then went down to undo the rest.
One of the women behind her grasped the pelisse around her shoulders and tugged gently.
The meaning was clear, so Alice stretched her arms behind her back, allowing for the piece of clothing to be slid down them.
Alice heard her walking to somewhere behind her, probably to put the pelisse away.
When the lady in front of her reached out for the buttons of her shirt, Alice's hands shot up to cover the button row.
What were they doing? She knew she had to change clothes for the rite. But wasn't she going to do it herself? Somewhere in private?
The lady-in-waiting looked at her with stern eyes and raised eyebrows.
Alice didn't budge.
Why were they undressing her?
Her eyes drifted to the side, past the face of the lady in front of her.
Mirana looked at her, nodding once with emphasis.
After a swallow, Alice slowly lowered her hands. She watched closely as the lady undid button after button.
A pair of hands reached around her and grasped the loose front sides of the shirt. Alice felt the body so close to her own. Her eyes went wide. She was wearing an undershirt additionally when she wore a shirt so casually without a waistcoat over it, so her upper body wasn't bare yet, but it was still going so fast.
The soft click of heels resounded.
Alice saw Mirana behind the lady in front of her, eyes fixed on hers, gently but firmly brushing her hand up the lady's arm, then pushing her shoulder to the side. The lady turned to the side to look at her sovereign. It was unmistakable that she wanted her to make room, but what for? Alice wondered.
The lady stepped to the side and Mirana took up the space in front of Alice.
The younger woman looked up, confused. She wanted to simply ask what was going on, what was going to happen.
But no one talked, no one said a word.
The whole castle was quiet, she realised in that moment. Not the usual buzz in the background.
It was a matter taken entirely serious, she noticed.
Would it actually make a difference for the spiritual restoration of Marmoreal? It seemed so childish.
It is devoted, something inside her corrected her.
Alice had never been overly religious, but the thought struck her, making her breath catch in her lungs.
Mirana took her face in both her hands, making her look at her properly. Alice did so.
The queen was calm, her brown eyes warm, proud, and encouraging.
Encouraging to do what?
Her hands sank to the flapping ends, disappearing under the fabric, and pushed them gently over her shoulders. Her eyes didn't leave Alice's.
And Alice's didn't leave hers. She let the queen do. It felt odd, tickling in a foreign way, but it seemed to be unavoidable. Alice trusted her indefinitely more than any of the courtiers, so if it had to be done, she would have to do it.
Alice let the shirt be taken off her form by the lady behind her, again listening to her walking away.
The lady whom Mirana had pushed to the side knelt down diagonally in front of Alice. She grasped her lower calf and pulled on it. When Alice looked down, she saw her other hand at the heel of her shoe. Alice let her take it off. When she reached for her other leg, Alice lifted it immediately. The courtier loosened her second shoe and took it off. She raised and moved away with the pair of shoes.
Mirana's hands lowered and undid the few buttons at the front of Alice's trousers swifter than the girl had any chance to realise what was happening. The sides of her trousers were in the queen's hands.
Alice looked at her, eyes wide, body tensed.
Mirana held the gaze a moment before pushing the fabric past her hips, letting it drop to the floor.
Alice swallowed, looking down herself, then stepping out of the discarded garment.
She was in her undergarments now. Fine. What would follow? Would they give her the clothes for the rite now?
There was a moment of silence between them before Mirana pointed at her undershirt, then her drawers with raised eyebrows.
Oh, she couldn't be serious now, could she?
Alice cocked her head in disbelief.
Mirana urged her on with a roll of her hand.
Could she simply not comply? Couldn't she simply go as she had been? Could the position simply be given to someone else? Someone who knew at least a bit more about what was going on?
The way the queen's whole attention was on her, she guessed that was no option. At least she didn't attack her for her undergarments like she had done with her shirt and trousers, so Alice grasped the hem of her undershirt reluctantly, preferring to do this herself if she had the chance.
Before pulling it up, she raised an eyebrow at Mirana, hopefully conveying her question if this was necessary.
The taller woman nodded instantly.
After a heavy inhale, Alice pulled the fabric up over her head, embarrassed and aware of the four pairs of eyes on her. She held the undershirt to her chest.
Was this really necessary? Alice had had the impression that Underlanders were as proper in this regard as English people, so this really came as a surprise.
Mirana seemed to wave the garment away. The lady next to her held out her hands.
Appalled, Alice looked from the lady back to Mirana.
Seeing that she wouldn't move to hand over the garment, Mirana gently tried to take it from her hands, but found no compliance from her.
Since Alice didn't move after she raised her eyebrows, she sighed and let go of the undershirt. Instead, she drew the bow from the string in her drawers and moved them down her legs swiftly.
Eyes wild, Alice stared at her and yelped in surprise, dropping the undershirt to hold it in front of her private parts, her other arm moving across her chest.
She felt her cheeks burning and glared at Mirana, who stood in front of her, calm as ever. The taller woman merely raised her eyebrows with a suppressed smirk as though she wanted to say, "I told you so".
What insolence!
Alice continued her angry stare until she wondered why Mirana was so calm and undazzled by the situation.
Had she seen dozens of women undressed like this? Perhaps even undressed them like she had done with her?
Alice didn't know why, but this thought caused a murky feeling inside her.
Mirana held her hand out towards the undershirt in front of her loins, urging her once again with a raised eyebrow.
Alice knew there was no way around this, but her manners still stopped her. So she sighed, squeezed her eyes shut against the nervousness and held out the garment. It was taken from her hand, and instead she felt a hand holding hers. Curious, she opened her eyes, and saw Mirana smiling warmly at her.
The queen gently tugged her hand as she stepped to the side and turned around partially.
Where would they go?
Alice stepped out of her drawers still pooled around her feet. Her arm fell from her chest to her loins.
Chest bare like this, she felt the cold stiffen the sensitive area, making her turn her head away to avoid the queen's eyes due to her embarrassment.
Alice saw the ladies following from the corner of her eyes and heard the rustlings of their dresses as well as their shoes on the floor. One of them collected her drawers and trousers from the floor and put them to the side.
Mirana led them to a door on the side of her bedchamber, one she hadn't noticed so far.
Where would it lead to? What would await her?
Underland hadn't stilled her curiosity at all. On the contrary, there were so many fascinating and interesting things. And if she wasn't as nervous, embarrassed, confused, and partially annoyed, she was sure that this rite would be fascinating as everything as well.
With her unoccupied hand, Mirana opened the door and let Alice go through first.
The girl found herself in a small bathroom. Despite her state, she couldn't stop her eyes from wandering.
The floor and walls were of course made of marble, like everywhere else in the castle. There were a few chairs and pillars with vases, plants, and statuaries.
Merely a bit to the side, there was a bathtub. Needless to say that even this masterpiece was made out of marble.
Alice admired the craftsmanship when she heard Mirana following, moving past closely behind her since she had stopped rather quickly, impressed by the interior.
The queen went to one of the chairs, sitting down smoothly.
The blonde looked at her, not knowing what exactly was expected of her.
Mirana pointed at the bathtub, and Alice thought she could have come to the conclusion herself.
Slowly, she walked closer to the indicated object and saw it filled to the half with water already. Yes, she could have come to the conclusion on her own.
Behind her, the three ladies came into the room, hurrying past her to draw more water.
It helped a bit that they seemed to ignore Alice's state of (un)dress, but she still felt lost, bare like this.
Mirana looked to the lady currently holding her hand into the stream of water coming from the tap, then leaning back almost casually as the other woman nodded.
Alice was hoping that this meant warm water.
The second lady went to the side to retrieve a sponge.
In this moment, Alice wished she knew their names. Part of the discomfort probably stemmed from not even being able to address these ladies in her mind.
A hand to her naked shoulder made her jump. The lady looked at her with a smile, pointing at the bathtub as well.
With a silent sigh, Alice complied, walking towards the bathtub. She felt Mirana's eyes fixed on her as she lifted her right foot and set it into the water.
Aah. Warm.
Alice automatically relaxed a bit.
Her second foot followed, and she found herself engulfed in the smell of lavender as she sat down.
She had her knees to her chest, meaning to cover both areas of offence, as she let her eyes fall shut for a moment.
The sound of heels alerted her to the next touch that followed; her hair was pulled out of the water and placed over the rim of the ceramic, making her head and upper body follow involuntarily.
Her eyes were now open and she found herself staring into Mirana's dark chocolate eyes as she was made to lean back.
Alice had never seen the look of challenge on the older woman's face. What was it for?
Another lady-in-waiting stepped to her side and it dawned on Alice. She held a sponge in her hand, and when Alice looked up into her eyes, she didn't reach out to hand it over to her.
Alice swallowed, rearranging herself in the bathtub to sit straighter. Her eyes danced from the lady to Mirana and back. It didn't stop the lady from pulling a chair for herself right next to the tub, on the opposite side of the queen.
What was this all supposed to be?
The lady pulled up the sleeves of her dark grey dress, dunked the sponge into the water next to Alice and took her right forearm out of it as well.
As the sponge was pressed to her upper arm, the soap began to foam.
Despite herself, Alice had to admit that the touch felt nice. It was not too rough.
As her gaze drifted to the other side, she slowly had an idea why. These were the queen's personal ladies-in-waiting. They had to know their handiwork around a queen. Naturally, they would know how to handle her instead.
Her thoughts were preoccupied like this, making her miss the correct moment in advance to prepare her for the obvious.
After her second arm was washed, the sponge was suddenly pressed to Alice's chest. "Ngh-!" it escaped her.
Not that it felt bad, as she had just noticed. On the contrary. But it came as a surprise in that moment, for her being naked in front of other people, for her new friend, a queen at that, among them, and someone else sponging her down.
Eyes wide, she saw Mirana suppressing a smirk. The queen sat on the edge of the chair, regal as ever, hands in her lap. It was so rare that she put them down.
"Ah-" The sponge went down her abdomen, dipping into the water to gather more of the soap.
Why was her lower abdomen tingling so oddly?
Her face turned red and she couldn't keep looking at Mirana as the sponge came up and over her breasts. She directed her gaze sternly ahead, trying to ignore both women currently in her field of vision.
There was a moment of hesitation when the lady pressed the sponge against the top of Alice's thighs which were still pressed together. Alice's head snapped to the side, saw the stern, but not unsympathetic look back at her and knew there was nothing she could do but to comply. She hesitantly opened her legs and stretched them out.
As the sponge moved to the newly available area, Alice pressed her lips together, looking over the shoulder of the lady.
Why was Mirana watching her so closely? Why was she looking at her so intently? She practically felt her eyes burning on her.
Why wasn't she doing the work as she had done with her clothes?
The initially stubborn thought did something else to her.
"Nh!" Alice squeezed her eyes shut and pushed the arm of the lady holding the sponge away from her body.
There was a moment of silence before the lady continued smoothly on her back, now that she was leaning forwards.
She dared to open her eyes again and let them slide to the side to catch a glimpse of the queen. She sat straighter than before and Alice could see her throat moving from a swallow. Was she afraid that Alice might run away or something like that? She hadn't come to do the job as she had easily for undressing her. She wouldn't touch her like this, wouldn't touch her bare skin. Would she?
For some reason, Alice was saddened by the thought.
Was this going to be normal for her, turning sad on days that were supposed to be festive in Underland?
The realisation, thinking back to Frabjous Day and her suddenly dulled mood, made her wonder.
Her shoulder was pushed back against the marble by the lady. She took her leg to continue to wash her.
Leaning back, Alice was somewhat glad of their indifference, but also shocked. They had done this many times.
The blonde wondered if accepting this position had been a good decision. Perhaps she would have been better off as a spectator of the rite outside these chambers. It was causing constricting feelings in her, unexpectedly.
A pause in the routine drew Alice's attention back to the lady to her side. The sponge was on her shin, close to her foot that was lifted out of the water. There was curious surprise written on her face and her posture.
Alice needed a moment to realise that it was directed towards the sovereign on the other side of the bathtub.
Curious as well, she slowly followed the gaze of the courtier.
And found Mirana's gaze locked onto the spot of the sponge. She had never seen the expression on her face that she wore now.
Attention apparently lost on the motion of the sponge, her eyes were gazing like those of a devoted scholar who would investigate a matter of highest interest. Her lips were idly parted while her hands clenched each other in her lap. She seemed to sit more on the edge of her chair, as if leaning towards the scene at display.
For a reason unknown to Alice, it made her feel exposed and curious at the same time. Her heart beat quicker.
The continued pause broke the queen's trance and Alice watched her eyes rising to those of the lady next to her. Her mouth snapped shut, and in one swift motion, her eyes, suddenly widened, were cast from the lady to Alice and then to the other two ladies in the room whom Alice had been able to ignore rather well. Ultimately, they rested on Alice's for a second longer.
A faint blush crept into her pale cheeks, and she stood up abruptly, turning away from the scene with a clear of the throat.
Alice watched with fascination as she retrieved a towel from one of the shelves to the side, strolling back with very idle movement, looking aimlessly around the room, only avoiding Alice.
The blonde felt oddly powerful.
After briefly following her sovereign with her eyes, the lady by the bathtub continued her work. Alice endured the rest of it stoically, keeping her main attention on the walking woman.
When the lady was done with her work, she put the sponge onto the edge of the bathtub and dried her hands on a small towel that she had placed on the back of her chair. Mirana, still on the other side of the bathtub, handed over the towel to her. As the lady took it, Mirana took a step back, and Alice realised that it was meant for her.
In a wild moment, the short woman rose out of the water without decorum. The water ran down her bare body as she was facing a stunned Mirana. The queen had made it a game, a challenge when she had made it clear that a naked woman didn't disturb her. Alice didn't like to be teased like this and stood up to the dare. Despite her manners and virtues screaming at her, she didn't hide her chest or private parts as she was directly looking into Mirana's eyes. She was the same height as her in the bathtub.
Mirana's expression changed from surprise to shock as she stumbled a few more steps backwards.
Where was her grin from undressing her?
Alice's eyes flickered only briefly as clean water was poured down her body from behind. She hadn't seen the jug kept to the side, but didn't mind.
Along with the last rivulets of water snaking down her body, Alice saw the queen's gaze on her dropping inevitably, gradually, but not changing from shock. Yet there was a gleam intermixed in it.
She felt her chest stiffen as her lower body seemed to constrict strangely and she fought the urge to run away, put clothes on her body, and hide for weeks from the people gathered in this room.
As if sensing her thoughts, the towel was lain over her shoulders by the lady behind her. Alice gladly took it and pulled it closely around herself as she tried to glare at the woman she was still facing. She felt that this round had gone to her. But she still didn't want to let go of the towel to actually dry herself as that would mean giving up her newly regained modesty.
Alice's attention was drawn to one of the ladies in the distance. The click of heels announced her coming closer, and Alice saw that she was holding a pair of delicate flats. The courtier came closer and placed them on the floor next to the bathtub, on the side where Alice would step out of it.
After a sigh, Alice realised that she had to get out without slipping on the floor with her wet feet. But even this felt like mind-reading when the lady also offered her hand to her. After a moment of wriggling, Alice freed one arm out of her wrapped towel without presenting herself again.
She took the hand and carefully moved out of the beautiful bathtub. When she stood safely on the floor, the lady motioned for her to sit down on the edge. Alice complied, having learned that there was no getting around their indications.
The third lady in the room came to her with a small towel and knelt in front of Alice. Surprised, she watched as her feet, followed by her legs, were dried properly. The shoes were held up one after another for her and she slipped her feet into them. They were of white fabric and seemingly simple, but there was embroidery across them as well as tiny diamonds. The simple luxury made her eyes widen slightly and swallow. Commoners didn't wear white for decorative garments and shoes in Marmoreal.
Before she could dwell too long on the matter, she was helped up from the bathtub again and led back into the bedchamber of the queen. Still surprised, she caught a look at Mirana, who had her features already back under control and showed no indication to anything.
In the bedchamber, she was led to a cushioned stool by the vanity. Still wrapped in her towel, she wondered when she would receive clothes – or wouldn't she get any? Mirana had said she would, but who knew? The shock of the possibility made her pulse rise. Was this why Mirana was teasing her into nudity?
As she turned around to look for her friend, she saw that she had been the last to leave the bathroom. She seemed oddly distanced now, far more composed, and didn't look her way.
Her head was turned to look ahead by one of the ladies. When she felt a brush against her scalp, she relaxed after a moment. She was still being prepared. But what would follow?
And what would the actual rite be like? She had been given the basic outlines, and Hatter and the others had made sure to fill in some of the gaps that Mirana had left open.
After the brush had been put to the side, she felt the fingers of the lady-in-waiting working through her hair manually. She closed her eyes, letting the motions calm her.
She was abruptly alert again when she first heard melodic humming farther behind her. It made her open her eyes; and when she heard strong singing shortly after, her mouth went open as well. Was this …?
She couldn't resist the urge to turn around, much to the displeasure of the courtier working on her, as she couldn't look into the mirror by her side.
Halfway along the wall, Mirana stood in front of a chest of drawers, a small box in front of her. She was singing in a tongue Alice didn't seem to recognize. It wasn't the Scottish gibberish Hatter sometimes fell into. Was it Irish? Welsh? It sounded pretty, but that might have been due to the fact that her voice drew Alice in. Alice had never heard her singing before. And instantly wished she had.
How was that about not talking? Wasn't singing considered as such?
Mirana seemed to gesticulate over the box, her sole focus on it.
There was only a short break, as if a new verse began, when one of the ladies, who stood by her side, handed something over to her that Alice couldn't make out. But by the way she did it, holding it with both hands and bowing her head to Mirana, it seemed to be important.
Mirana took the offered item and held it up in her left hand. Her right hand was moving about it.
And it dawned on Alice that this was most probably some kind of ritualistic singing.
She couldn't yet shake her English upbringing. It was heathenish. She knew that they would process to an old tree on the outskirts of a forest, bringing a few sacrifices to restore spiritual energy. It was the definition of heathenish.
But she had decided to live here. Decided to live at the court even. She still had to learn so many things, and such rites were part of it. She couldn't be calling it heathenish. These people couldn't be heathens. They were far too well-mannered. Besides, even in the Christian belief, there were rituals and singing going along. How was it any different?
All while Underland was actually alive and full of consciousness. Animals walked and talked. Flowers had faces and could speak. The Vorpal Sword had had an own will. No. This wasn't religion. This wasn't a belief. This was reality and actuality in Underland. It was so much more important.
The smooth singing kept her thoughts running away, and she was reminded instantly when the lady behind her directed her head back into the required position for her work.
Alice wondered what exactly the courtier was doing. It felt as if she was working on her locks. She had the feeling that the woman might have preferred to arrange the strands in a classy updo. But Alice preferred to wear her hair down, and perhaps they considered this.
When the hair at the back of her head was apparently to the satisfaction of the woman, she felt the fingers of the lady in her front strands, pulling them behind. They were fixed in a tiny string of leather at the back of her head.
Alice knew that she was done by the fact that she didn't touch her hair any more and stepped to her side, turning to face Mirana.
Alice moved around on the stool, careful to keep her towel under her. She couldn't see her hairdo either way and didn't want to get up to the mirror without being able to ask.
It was only a few more moments that she could listen to Mirana's singing before it came to an end. She had handed the item back to the lady by her side and stood without motion in her position by the chest of drawers. The room was heavily quiet for a long moment.
Judging by the rise of her shoulders, Mirana seemed to take a very deep breath before she turned around with the box in her hand. It turned out to be a metallic pot. Mirana beckoned her to come to her.
The movement wasn't hectic. Her whole appearance was meaningful now, in a grave way.
Alice stood up and walked over to her. What was in the pot? What would follow?
It was unnecessary to say that curiosity had won over the blonde.
As she stood in front of her, Mirana took the lid off the pot. Alice took a look and saw … something white in it. Was it a cream? Was it a paste?
She looked back up at Mirana, but her face didn't tell her anything. She didn't like this indifferent Mirana towards herself …
Mirana sat the pot and the lid to her side back on the top of the chest of drawers. Then she took a step towards Alice and her hands went towards the flap of the towel still around Alice.
The girl's eyes widened, but she didn't move away from her.
Mirana took the flap from her hand on the inside of the towel and opened it.
Alice knew what was coming and accepted it with reluctance after the experience of her being undressed. So when Mirana's second hand held the second corner of the towel still pressed to the smaller body, Alice let it go slowly. She pleaded that it wasn't going to be as uncomfortable. When Mirana opened the towel from her body, Alice's gaze lowered in embarrassment and she placed her arms across her chest again.
Mirana lowered the towel and Alice looked up in surprise when the queen took a half step to her side to tug the towel against her hip and knot it at the other hip. Her eyebrows were faintly furrowed, but she smiled softly as she looked up into Alice's eyes again. However, the fingertips accidentally brushing the bare skin at the side of her pelvis took up all of Alice's attention. The casual touch of her nails sent wild sparks through her system and she twitched away from Mirana's hands.
It was terrible not being able to speak.
Questions were flooding her mind.
What is this? What are you doing? What am I feeling? Is this normal?
– "When in doubt, be silent," she had been advised in London. But she had never heeded it. How was she to clear up the doubt when she didn't speak?
What happened if she spoke on this day?
Out of habit, she had drawn in air and felt the tension in her chest, neck, and jaw before raising her voice.
Before she could say a word, Mirana's left hand was against her cheek and her thumb effectively over her opened mouth.
It didn't help, oh, it didn't help Alice's cause. But it reminded her to keep silent for now. For today. She closed her mouth and relaxed her chest.
Mirana seemed to smile apologetically. She was back fully in front of her and lowered her hand when she saw Alice's understanding.
Alice was confused. And it didn't improve when Mirana picked up the pot in her left hand and dipped her right index and middle finger into the white substance. She had picked some of it up and placed the pot back down next to her. Her left hand went again to Alice's face, this time gently holding her lower jaw in place.
What was she going to do? Alice registered her quick glance into her eyes before she focused on a spot on her forehead. The blonde tensed, but awaited what happened.
The queen lifted her right hand and touched her index and middle finger to Alice's forehead, above her left eyebrow. Then she pressed her fingers to the side and down her left temple.
The path was sticky. The path was cold. It was wet. And it didn't change from that.
Alice frowned at Mirana, still not grasping the action. But the other woman had already let go of her to pick up the pot again and more of the odd substance after inspecting her work and apparently finding it positive. Again, she held Alice's face in position.
This time, she placed her index and middle finger against the mirrored spot above Alice's right eyebrow. The motion was mirrored as well, drawing to the side and down her right temple. Another wet line.
Alice thought the scene surreal. Here she was standing, half-naked and only covered by a towel down below in Mirana's bedchamber together with her and her three ladies-in-waiting. Hiding her chest as the queen was working something on her face and the three others looked on.
Mirana had scooped up another bit and held her face again. Her middle finger came up in front of her eyes and slowly came closer.
Alice followed the finger until she was looking at it cross-eyed. She couldn't help her head moving away.
It only caused Mirana to grasp her jaw firmer, but she also whispered a soft "Shh".
Preparing herself, Alice squeezed her eyes shut. After a moment, she felt the cold substance against the wrinkles of skin between her eyes. Mirana held her finger for a moment on the spot, apparently waiting for Alice to get used to it and not jerking away. Then she brushed down the bridge of her nose.
In this motion, Alice suddenly didn't feel the coldness as the primary sensation, but the press of Mirana's finger down her bone. It was oddly comforting. Thus, Alice carefully opened her eyes when Mirana was already at the tip of her nose and leaving the contact. She saw the blurry white in her field of vision, but also a kind smile, and was even more comfortable. This wasn't … the Queen Mirana. This was her friend.
This time, Mirana dipped both her middle fingers into the substance to her side.
Alice watched curiously. They landed on her cheeks under her eyes where they moved only down for about an inch.
As Mirana dipped her right index finger in again, Alice noticed that the substance wasn't absorbed into her skin. Her eyebrows went up in surprise and she felt the skin on her forehead under the mass stiff. It wasn't cold any more. It wasn't wet any more. Was this …
Mirana placed the back of her left hand under Alice's chin and pressed her right index finger against the most outer edge of her lower jaw on her left side.
… paint?
She dragged her finger down along the line of her jaw. Her other, clean fingers seemed to brush like feathers over her skin. It felt ticklish and caused Alice to smile. The dried paint, however, seemed to fix her skin in the respective spots.
Mirana let go of her to scoop up paint with her left index finger. The back of her right hand was under Alice's chin now as support and her left index finger sat against the outermost edge of her lower jaw on her right side.
Alice wasn't sure if this was the first time that she noticed it consciously, but Mirana was equally precise and controlled with her left and right hand. Knowing what Mirana was doing with her had made her relax. She was curiously watching the queen's focused expression. Not that it was unknown to her, but she was never the reason for it in this intensity and proximity. The realisation gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling.
When she was apparently satisfied with her work, Mirana took her hands away. But only briefly, for she lifted Alice's chin up with her thumbs, stretching her neck to the maximum.
What would follow? This did seem a bit odd.
After taking her thumbs away, Mirana looked firmly into Alice's eyes and held up her paint-covered index finger warningly.
Understanding, Alice didn't lower her chin. She still saw Mirana picking up white with both her right and left index and middle fingers. Dutifully, she corrected her position when the taller woman stood back in front of her.
Her eyes widened and her pulse quickened when the coldness was pressed against the hollow under her chin. Mirana's eyes flickered up to hers only briefly before she dragged her fingers in the respective pairs down the hollow next to her throat. Alice felt her own pulse hammering pointedly against Mirana's touch. She let her eyes wander up to the ceiling.
When the other woman had passed her larynx, Alice thought that the feeling of coldness was oddly replaced by warmth.
She couldn't say that she disliked this, that she disliked Mirana touching her like this.
There might have been nights where Alice might have imagined such scenes. Not with the paint, but the touches. When she had spent time with Mirana that she particularly enjoyed, her mind seemed to come up with the pictures of its own accord.
Of course that was not the reason why she was beginning to stretch her chest out despite still covering it. For a second, Alice wondered where Mirana's fingers would stop this time.
They did as they touched her collarbone.
She was confused by the blow of disappointment when Mirana took a step back and looked at her work like an artist. Was this all she was to Mirana today? A piece of art? The material for her art? A canvas? The thought didn't sit well with her.
What was she feeling? She was through a rainbow of emotions on this day already, she realised. And it was only morning.
When Mirana took the pot with the paint and moved around her, Alice wondered if she was done.
Her suspicion changed as Mirana sat the pot down again to her side when she stood directly behind her and gently pushed her shoulder back in its original position which she had turned as she was following the queen's movements.
They were now both standing with their backs to the two ladies-in-waiting by the vanity. The third one was a few steps to their side, probably still holding whatever item had been involved in the blessing.
Alice didn't know what to expect, but she listened up when she heard the clank of metal on wood. Did she continue …?
When she suddenly felt the coldness, even wetter than before, firmly pressed next to her neck into the muscles of her shoulders on both sides, she twitched lightly. She didn't shake Mirana off that way.
Unimpressed, the queen drew her fingers to the sides.
Alice was overwhelmed by the amazing sensation of increased pressure into her muscles while the other fingers accompanied the painting ones swiftly next to the painting line. How did she know how to make this nice? Alice had been appalled by her nonchalantly undressing her and by her bemusement about her being bathed in front of a crowd. But this was different …
Her muscles relaxed, and it was becoming difficult to remember the presence of other people in the room when they were out of her field of vision, she didn't hear them, and Mirana was only focused on her.
When Mirana's fingers slowly went past the points of her shoulders and down the sides of her upper arms, Alice even began loosening her arms away from her chest. The way Mirana stood calmly behind her and touched her like this made her feel safe. Despite being half-naked, her upper body finally felt comfortably warm. Or was the warmth only coming from Mirana's body from behind hers?
Mirana stopped when she had reached the crook of her arm. She hadn't paused at the scars on her right upper arm. She had never looked at them with disgust.
Alice quietly took a deeper breath when the contact was gone. She bent her head slightly, being able to actually see something of the paint on her for the first time.
It was not as stark white as the fabrics of Marmoreal were. It looked more natural. At the end of the lines, the paint was patchy after the long draw.
Alice's head snapped back up with a gasp when there was a cold touch on either side on the inside of the highest point of her shoulder blades. Her chest reacted automatically, unfortunately, but she was only holding one arm vaguely in front of it. Her second arm was already lowered to the height of her abdomen.
However, the coldness was gone quickly after Mirana had traced the hollows under her shoulder blades.
Alice relaxed again as she realised that she had held her breath.
Before she heard the clank of the pot or felt any cold paint again, she felt Mirana picking up her hair and moving it carefully over her left shoulder to her front. Her eyebrows furrowed under the stiff paint. What would follow?
Clank.
Alice was alert when Mirana touched her index and middle finger to the nape of her neck. She couldn't tell if it was her intensified attention or if Mirana was actually moving slower than before. Her fingers also felt most careful, hardly applying any pressure when she slid her fingers down Alice's spine. It felt so … tickling. In an intimate way.
Her body seemed to tingle. Her body seemed to hum.
Her back began to arch ever so slightly following the contact. She noticed the faint contact of Mirana's left hand just above her pelvis bone only now. Was the queen afraid that she might twist away again?
Alice didn't care.
The hands left her body when Mirana had just passed the height of her shoulder blades. Was this it?
Alice found herself wishing for more of Mirana's touch, craving more of it.
What was this? What was going on with her? She was beginning to feel frenzied.
It came almost as a relief when she felt both hands back at their previous positions. The touch was hot and cold at the same time. Alice couldn't help her back arching until the end. Her arms had both left the area of her chest by now and her eyes widened when she felt Mirana's fingers at her lower lumbar vertebra. The area seemed overly sensitive, and Mirana's fingers sent tingle after tingle through to her loins.
Goodness, what was this?
Mirana's hand paused just above the towel, and Alice thought that she heard her inhaling audibly and that she felt her fingers slightly trembling when they left her skin.
It made something inside her react to it sweetly, painfully.
What was in this paint? What had Mirana done to it to make her feel this strange? What was she doing to her?
Alice looked over her shoulder, eyelids drooped slightly, breathing going noticeably quicker. Her thoughts were clouded.
Mirana drew back. Or did Alice only imagine it because she picked up the pot then with the paint again and moved once more around her, back to stand in front of her?
Alice was back parallel to Mirana. It dawned on her that her front was going to be painted as well when Mirana already took up the next portion of paint. It happened so quickly that Alice couldn't even react, only stare, as the platinum blonde sat her middle finger against the top of her sternum and drew a spot. Her index finger came down shortly under it and only touched the skin to leave a dot of paint. Her hand lowered swiftly to create another dot under the other.
Alice knew that she couldn't lift her arms up again now. But it was still a faint impulse in the back of her mind.
Transfixed, she watched as Mirana took up paint with both of her hands again.
She only became aware of her hectic breathing with a quick rise and fall of her chest when Mirana placed her fingers against the soft spot under her shoulder joint each. Suddenly nervous, she looked up into Mirana's eyes, who happened to look up just as well. Her friend's face was oddly tensed.
Alice held her breath to stop the motion of her chest. Mirana took the hint and concentrated back on her work, beginning to drag her fingers down diagonally inwards.
Alice realised too late that the movement was contouring the upper area of her breasts. Her eyes widened and heat came to her face. As her lungs stood still, she felt her heart working all the harder. She hoped that Mirana didn't feel it hammering away.
Mirana's hands were gentle and careful. She avoided the additional touch of her other fingers in this spot, but Alice couldn't shake the thought of how easy it was for the queen to simply place her whole hands down on her chest and cup her breasts this way.
She also couldn't shake the tingling sensation this idea caused in her lower abdomen. It was impossible to hold her breath any longer and she inhaled deeply, not able to avoid the rise of her chest.
She wanted Mirana's hands against her breasts, she realised.
Oh, she was terribly drawn to Mirana. Gone was the impulse to shy away from her because she was undressed.
She was going crazy.
Her body was burning and her thoughts were feverish. Was this what it felt like?
Mirana stopped next to the lowest of the dots, between her breasts.
Alice swallowed just before Mirana's eyes flickered up to hers. Something about them had changed. There was a fierce intensity in them, but it was not against her. It was for her.
"I won't hurt you. I won't let harm be done to you."
Alice remembered Mirana's words from earlier this morning. And so far, they had been true. Even if the method during undressing her was debatable, it hadn't hurt her, ultimately.
Even if she had never seen this look on Mirana's face, she trusted her.
Mirana's hands fell down from her chest, accidentally brushing against her front on their way down as she held Alice's gaze.
It made the skin of her stomach twitch in the respective spots. Curious.
Mirana only cut the eye contact briefly to pick up more paint with her right and left index and middle fingers.
Alice's pulse exploded when she sat them carefully just under the outer spot of her breasts.
She knew she wouldn't follow the drawing of this painting line with her eyes when Mirana held her gaze again.
She had lost control over the tempo of her breathing. Her loins were throbbing when Mirana moved her hands along under her breasts, trapping her gaze.
She didn't paint this line by sight, but by feel, effectively touching the underside of her breasts.
Alice felt like screaming from madness.
The brighter her face felt with each slowly passing inch, the darker Mirana's eyes seemed to become. How was it possible that sometimes they were a hard, dark brown and sometimes a black to get lost in? It wasn't the first time now.
Before Mirana's hands touched each other, they descended Alice's stomach. She was dragging all of her fingers achingly slow down her skin. Alice's abdomen began twitching under the brushes. Her body was trembling.
She couldn't admit where she wanted her hands to go.
However, when Mirana's fingers were at the height of her navel, Alice couldn't stand the pressure in her body any more as it was. With a cry, she pushed herself towards Mirana and grasped the queen's upper arms, not minding the pearls and diamonds stitched to the sleeves. Gasping, Mirana's hands slid to the side and held her by the hips, effectively stopping her from making body contact with her torso.
The way her fingers were digging into her bare flesh where it wasn't covered by the towel didn't particularly help her desire.
Alice's entire upper body was undressed, but she felt a swallowing heat in the air around her.
She had her face lowered, unable to stand Mirana's gaze any longer. This way, she could see the queen's chest heaving as well. She also noticed that Mirana's hands were shaking despite holding her firmly.
The wondering about the reason made Alice calm down somewhat. She was also able to perceive a tension in the room.
After what felt like many moments, Mirana took one of her hands away from her and held it out to the side, palm up.
Brain still foggy, Alice followed the still paint-covered hand with her eyes. She couldn't shake the desire to be pressed against Mirana and be held by those purposeful hands.
She saw one of the queen's ladies-in-waiting in the direction Mirana was indicating. Alice remembered her to be closer before …
The lady's hands were clasped over her mouth, eyes wide in shock. She was still rather young, Alice thought.
Alice heard a clear of the throat from farther behind her.
There were two more people, she remembered.
Oh. What had she done? Oh, God, what had she done?
Alice realised her actions, dread creeping up her body.
Upon noticing the non-compliance, Mirana turned her head into the direction of her hand as well. Alice didn't dare to look into her face. How embarrassing was this …? Oh, how terribly embarrassing! Her head was swirling from the shame.
She ever so carefully loosened her hands from Mirana's arms, only now realising that she was actually clawing at her. Had she torn something from her dress …? She couldn't even imagine how expensive this piece was …
As the lady-in-waiting still didn't move, Mirana straightened her body to its full height and turned it around, almost starting towards her. She didn't let go of Alice's hip with her second hand, however.
Alice suspected that she didn't trust her to move and do something stupid again when she had no contact point to notice this in time. She wouldn't trust herself either after what had happened.
She heard steps behind her. Then she saw one of the other ladies-in-waiting by the one to their side. She pried whatever she still held from her and walked over to Alice and Mirana. But she was careful to avoid both their eyes, Alice noticed.
With a curtsey, the lady handed over the item. It was a necklace. A curious, delicate necklace. The pendant was a metallic ring with several wires starting from the ring and winding around each other in the middle. All of it was iron.
This had to be the necklace that was one of the sacrifices for the willow.
The lady walked away, back to the other, who was still frozen. She placed one hand against her arm, rubbed it briefly, and pushed her to make her move on.
Oh, goodness, Alice had severely shocked a noblewoman with … inappropriate behaviour. Improper behaviour that even she herself termed inappropriate. She had planned to run and hide away as she had stood naked in the bathtub, but this was indefinitely worse.
It didn't help her fresh anxiety when she saw that Mirana had unclasped the necklace and went for her neck.
But she was still in her own stupor as well and couldn't exactly move away when Mirana's hands went around and behind her neck, surely closing the clasp. The pendant lay between her breasts. Alice was heavily ignoring the few contacts Mirana made with her.
What caught her attention immediately, however, was that Mirana instantly drew her hands away from her as if burned. She tried to cover it by making it look as if this was her usual way of holding up her hands, but Alice also saw her tensed mouth and knitted eyebrows before she whirled around quickly and walked away from her.
Alice wanted to call and start after her, but she remembered that this was no option.
Before she could consider walking after her, she heard steps coming for her. She turned her head only briefly to see that two of the ladies-in-waiting were coming, one holding two pieces of white fabric. As she looked back at Mirana, she saw her scrubbing her hands at a basin with water. She kept taking them out of the water to check them. Alice let her gaze fall down her front to take in the paint. It seemed to be very sticky.
But she wasn't thinking about how she was going to get rid of it herself when she spotted the smear across her abdomen. As much as she knew she shouldn't think it, it wasn't even unsightly. It looked … interesting.
When they stood beside her, Alice couldn't ignore the two women any more. So she gathered her wits and turned to face them as if nothing had happened.
The lady in front of her, who seemed to be the eldest among the three, was hesitating now. She decided to wave about Alice's lower half. Alice took a closer look at the fabrics in the hands of the other one. It seemed that she was going to be dressed now. Oh. This might help a lot.
But to achieve that state, it required her to get rid of the towel. It came to Alice as a positive change that they weren't simply grabbing for the fabric about her body this time, but she still didn't like the prospect of being completely naked again for even a brief moment.
After everything that had happened so far, Alice jumped over the faux-decorum – as she realised that this was the only way she could call it. Her hands went to the knot at her hip that Mirana had made and loosened it. She was surprised by how good it felt when the cool air hit her overheated lower region as she took the towel carefully away and held it out towards the woman. She still heard Mirana scrubbing her hands.
The lady took her towel and handed it to the one by her side. She took up the upper fabric from the other's hand instead and unfolded it. It was an underdress.
Mirana had told her that she would be wearing a dress and that there would be no arguing around that. But she had promised her that there would be no reinforced bodice to it and that she wouldn't have to wear a corset nor stockings. Alice could live with wearing a dress in that case.
So when the lady had crumpled up the fabric into a loop and held the opening with two smaller openings towards Alice, the blonde complied and put her arms and head through.
As the fabric was arranged properly down and around her body, Alice saw how the third lady-in-waiting was approaching Mirana, probably to help her with her hands. But Mirana stopped her sharply, holding up her flat hand to her despite the water dripping down. The courtier drew back. Alice had hardly seen such a tension in Mirana. She didn't like to see it. What was worse was that she was probably at fault for it.
Her underdress was apparently in position as the actual dress was presented for her to get into. Not caring for it right now, she scrambled into it as well with the help of the lady-in-waiting. Thankfully, it wasn't too stiff, but it was tight nevertheless. For this piece, she actually required the help of the courtier.
When she was finally in the dress, the noblewoman went behind her to pull her hair out of the dress, fix it a last time, and to close five buttons at the top of the back of the dress. Alice was surprised to find her hair and – what she could see of it – paint still in order. And she took notice of both the underdress and dress being of a rather sheer material. The cleavage of the dress allowed for the dots and upper parts of lines over her breasts to be freely seen. But the lines under the dress could be seen through as well!
She checked the observation at her arms – covered under sleeves – again and found it true.
With rising worry, she checked the area of her mounds and private parts.
Oddly enough … they couldn't be seen through. Was the underdress prepared so cleverly? Alice hadn't noticed any reinforcements when she had put it on.
She looked around the room for a mirror and saw Mirana now standing in front of a carafe with water. She was holding a glass of it to her lips and drank.
What was she thinking about? Alice wondered, and her enthusiasm waned as it made her feel sad and guilty.
She wanted to go over to her and talk to her, talk about what had happened. Apologise. But she couldn't, for goodness' sake! She wanted to bite her tongue.
Understanding her original intention, the lady who had dressed her was now indicating the full-body mirror across the room.
Alice walked over, still curious to see what she looked like now. When she saw herself, she came to a halt with a gasp.
Her hair was out of her face so that the paint wasn't obscured. It looked … wild. But in a tamed way. She took a few steps closer, turning her face from left to right to see the lines on her jaw. Mirana's painting was prettier than she had imagined it to be, considering that it was done with her fingers. Yet at the same time it wasn't as meticulously perfect as if done by a machine and thus boring.
Alice's eyes went to the lines on her front. It was indeed fascinating to see them merging under the fabrics. All lines around her breasts could be seen while the details of her mounds were hidden. Her private parts could also not be seen. And, thankfully, the scribble across her lower abdomen wasn't as glaringly obvious. It could almost be mistaken as a kind of belt from the front.
If everyone knew what she had to look like and she looked different, they would know that something had happened. Alice could do without further attention. She still felt like an odd attraction here as she had been in London because she wasn't from this country, wasn't from this universe, as she sometimes had the impression. Yet she had won the queen back her crown, seemingly without being wounded.
That Mirana had anxiously made sure she was indeed intact and treated properly for the week following after, the broad mass didn't know. They had only seen the two spending time together ever after Frabjous Day. Their sovereign had accepted her closely around her ever after she had stepped into Marmoreal. It seemed to be a natural law of society that she had to be given attention.
Tentatively, Alice turned around to look at her back. Twisted from looking at her own back in the mirror, she admired the curve of white along her spine. The lines next to and under her shoulder blades played along. It was amazing. Mirana had simply highlighted, in the literal sense, her body features, and it looked fantastic.
Her hair was in its usual locks except for the strands being pulled back by a tie.
The dress on her body was so simple, but still so elegant. It had a clean and rather straight cut, not entirely form-fitted, but also not oversized. There was a slit in the side of it up to her knee as she would ride the Bandersnatch to the Old Willow and had to get up onto his back. The sleeves went to the middle of her forearms and the skirt down to her ankles. There were no additional layers of fabric. The dress was only embroidered with flowery motives all across. Everywhere, tiny diamonds were highlighting these designs.
It was rare for her to think this, but she had to say she looked indeed beautiful. It really was the work of the four ladies in this room with her.
At first, it didn't register when she heard slow steps approaching her.
But when Mirana stood behind her in the mirror and looked at her as well, she looked up in the looking glass, and the realisation came to her. This dress was white. Not cream-coloured. White.
It baffled her. No one wore white exclusively except for the queen.
Sometimes, Alice had pondered if Mirana's potential spouse was to wear white as well. She imagined it. But she had never asked.
So, in a way, she was Mirana's today.
No.
She was merely something about her rank for the duration of this rite.
Slowly, she turned to really face Mirana.
The queen lifted her right hand, but stopped as she spotted something on her and only smiled exhaustedly. She took a step towards her, quickly grasping the chain of the necklace with her left hand and pulling it out of her dress so that it was lying atop it, and moved back directly afterwards. Now her right hand came up and offered her a glass of water as well.
After a quick glance into her eyes, Alice took it and drank it in one go. She couldn't deny that the cool water was feeling good as it went down her throat, calming the tingle from the brush of Mirana's hand against her upper chest. When she lowered the glass, she could have sworn that the dark gleam was back in the monarch's eyes. But it was gone when she had taken back the glass and put it back on the small table that it came from.
Mirana turned and looked at her ladies-in-waiting, one after another, and nodded. Then she looked at Alice and motioned for her to come.
When Alice looked at the other three as well and couldn't make anything out, she went towards Mirana. The courtiers started as well, and when Mirana turned away from her as she was only a few steps away from her, Alice concluded that she was probably done. Or so she hoped, because even when dressed, they could be doing funny things to her.
Alice followed Mirana, who went into her sitting room, crossed it, and indeed left her chambers. The three ladies-in-waiting were walking behind the blonde, almost as if making sure that she didn't escape. Well, who could blame them after her initial denial of Frabjous Day …?
The procession was a silent and lonely one. They would probably be going to the throne room now, where everyone else, courtiers as well as commoners, were gathered. This part, Mirana had explained to her. She had told her that they would be going to the Old Willow, a white willow who was already two hundred years or so old and the current keeper of the spiritual energy of Marmoreal's flora. Of course, he could talk.
She had explained how she had to behave basically (Alice still didn't particularly like being told this), what they would bring him for sacrifices, and the background of the rite. Alice had been trying to be attentive, but the load of information might have been a tad too much for her still being new to Underland. It was easier to act than to stick with dull theory, Alice thought.
So here she was between Underland's queen and courtiers starting their way to the Old Willow. Alice hoped that the part in Mirana's chambers was the only thing that she had omitted to her. "You will be prepared for Chargin by me and my three ladies-in-waiting." Well, technically, she hadn't been incorrect …
It was Alice who had made it awkward.
Her eyes fell to the floor as she continued to walk. She couldn't let herself be seen by this group of people for a few weeks following this day.
The others had performed this routine several times and weren't shocked to see a naked body any more. Had other maidens for the rite been as twitchy as her? Were native Marmoreals less embarrassed to stand naked in front of other people?
Oh, she didn't like this train of thought-
Had they reacted the same way to Mirana as she had? Had they thrown themselves madly at her?
The thoughts angered her and stole the energy from her at the same time.
Mirana had seen several women bare, had touched several bare women. It wasn't special that she had put her hands on Alice's body like she had today.
Alice was only one amongst them.
She looked up again and at Mirana's back.
Why was she so sickly perturbed by these thoughts?
Only now, Alice realised that Mirana had left her chambers without her crown. Had she forgotten it? She couldn't imagine it.
Even from behind, this woman kept her attention. Alice took in her ever smooth way of walking with her hands held up delicately. Oddly enough, her own fingers twitched with the impulse to touch her hair. To trace her bare shoulder line with faint brushes and push and pull the tulle down to her bodice. Alice's eyes landed on the laces at the back of the dress, partially hidden under the platinum blond tresses. The bow at her lower back so close to her hands …
Alice shook her head clear. What was she thinking? What were these fancies?
It wasn't good to get lost in such distractions. She would have to spend some time with the queen today, she presumed. Not that she disliked the prospect; quite on the contrary. But she didn't know for how long exactly and she was seemingly subject to whim. Things would happen if she was left wondering about particular details of her attire for too long.
Alice was going to be released from her position as maiden for this rite when Mirana gave her back her voice. When would this be?
Oh, she had kissed several women! Alice realised.
She didn't know whether she should be angry or sad.
Neither of it … The rational part of her mind told her.
The way from Mirana's chambers to the throne room was a long one like this.
When they finally descended the last flight of stairs, Alice could see people crowding back until here.
A clap resounded from somewhere in-between and everyone turned around and made room for the small entourage to pass.
Alice felt so many eyes on her and was uncomfortably reminded of the morning of Frabjous Day. Even if she wasn't going to run today.
Or so she hoped. If Mirana had omitted further important details, she couldn't promise how she might react.
But on this day, Alice was surprised to see many awed faces directed at her.
They were hidden as soon as the crowd bowed and curtsied before their queen had reached their level. Something moved on the ground, and Alice saw Nivens pushing through the legs and jumping up onto the first step.
He looked up at them and Alice saw his focus quickly on her. His eyes widened slightly and his nose moved from him breathing quicker. His ears fell back behind his head and he bowed as well.
After a moment of holding his pose, he straightened and hopped down again. When he saw the group behind him, he hopped through the aisle that had been made for them.
.
A/N 2: Btw, since I read that many readers apparently wait for the active message from the author:
You can tell me anything you think on any of my stories, really.
I can even handle criticism ;D It still feels better if it is worded constructively, however, that's my only hint.