Alice Liddell 001 // In a World of my Own

[madcuriosity]

Who: Alice Liddell and whoever wants to help her
Where: Somni
Style: Either
Status: Open ♥

Comments

[madcuriosity]

"Oh..." she blinked and then looked down at her stuffed rabbit. The rabbit only looked at the sewed on pocket watch that was in his paws. She sighed and gazed at the world around her. Well, if Xerxes didn't know she most certainly wouldn't hold that against him. At least she had a name for this place, and the knowledge it was a dream world. "Do... you know how much control we have over the dream world?" she asked. If she had a good amount of control the first thing she would do was to get herself a coat. She shivered and hugged Basil closer.

After she got herself a coat she would try and make herself a place to stay. She had no intention of sleeping on the streets! Or... well... did one sleep while they were already dreaming? She supposed it was possible. Anything was possible in a dream, so why wouldn't she be able to sleep in a dream? But that seemed like such a terribly dull dream. To sleep in a dream. Unless you dreamed whilst you were dreaming of sleeping. Oh goodness! A dream within a dream. She could only hope she didn't dream of sleeping yet again if she was already dreaming of sleeping to begin with. She would never know when she had truly awoken!

Alice shivered again and wondered if a dream world experienced seasons like England did. Goodness she hoped the summers were a bit better than an English summer.

[charientisms]

Of course, Break noted the shiver; it did not take one especially observant, after all, to see it, and he was anything but unobservant. And in the interests of working his way into Alice's good graces, so as to be able to more easily manipulate her, he supposed that there was only one option.

"We have little control over it, in fact~" he said, shrugging, still far too cheerful. But then he looked at her, adding, "Oh, but why are we standing out in the cold, Miss Alice? How terribly rude of me! Surely I should have invited you inside for tea~"

Break smiled at her, so innocently and charmingly. This was one solution, and then he would not need to give up his coat, which he would prefer not to give to a little girl who was, quite frankly, a stranger. Though he did know he rather well from the book, Break was also interested to see how her true personality and reactions would differ. So this tea party would serve as a test, of sorts.

[madcuriosity]

She blinked and looked around and then back at him. While tea and being inside sounded lovely... where would they go? Would they go into one of the tall buildings? Oh how curious to go inside of one! And tea! Goodness, she would finally have something she was used too. Which she needed. Really she did.

"That's very kind of you Mr. Break," she said with a smile. "And a warm cup sounds lovely! Are you sure you don't mind?" she asked as she clasped her hands together. Oh, a cup of tea sounded lovely. It truly did. She was freezing! "But where would we go Mr. Break?" she asked.

[charientisms]

Their being in Somni was quite convenient, for it meant they were not far from where Break himself lived for now. So they would have tea, and he would assist the young Alice in finding her own home, and then, presumably, he would be able to ask her about those interesting adventures she was sure to have had when she went through the Looking Glass. At the very least, he would know if the destruction of those books had merely been Vincent's attempt to anger him.

And thinking of Vincent...Perhaps it would be best to convince Alice to stay away from Vincent as best as she was able to now. The thought made Break smirk, but only momentarily, as his smirk quickly slid back into the smile he was wearing for Alice.

"But of course not, Miss Alice. Surely it would be best to get out of this cold, and my home is not far from here!" he answered, still cheerful. "In fact, it is just this way."

And he nodded to her and began to stroll away, clearly intending for her to follow him, pace slow enough for her to do so.

[madcuriosity]

Oh tea was quite lovely and Alice was certainly hoping she would actually get some this time. She followed after him quite happily. Alice felt no sense of danger and Xerxes was a perfectly pleasant sort of man. Besides, if this was the dream realm then no true harm could come to her. She continued to follow him. She could still remember the last time she had tried to get tea. Well... Xerxes wasn't the Mad Hatter or March Hare so perhaps she would actually be able to get some tea... though she wondered if Xerxes was fond of riddles?

"Mr. Break," her mouth was far ahead of her and she blinked in surprise. She hadn't intended to ask, but well... she supposed it was too late for that. She blushed, but well... she had started the question, she may as well finish it. "Are you fond of riddles?" she asked as they continued to walk back to his home.

As they walked though Alice couldn't help but look all around her. She saw... big metal carriages and she didn't understand what they even did! And they were empty... how did they attach to the horses? She hoped they didn't hurt the horses!

[charientisms]

The question seemed rather random on the surface, though Break knew very well that it was the Mad Hatter that had asked the riddle of the Raven. But no, he had nothing in common with the Mad Hatter from Wonderland, though his Chain was called such, and Break was quite certain that Alice had not been able to make that connection. It must have simply been curiosity that prompted her to ask him. And he felt no need to inform her that he was called the Mad Hatter in his own world; those parallels he would keep to himself.

"Riddles? Well, I do suppose riddles can be quite fascinating things~" Break answered by not really answering, as was his way.

He glanced back at her momentarily and noted her wide-eyed interest in everything they passed. It made plenty of sense that she was amazed by all of the new things that existed in Somarium, so Break found that unsurprising. And it served well to keep her attention as they walked through the snow and towards the apartment that, for now, served as Break's home.

[madcuriosity]

"Would you like to hear one then?" she asked since she took his answer for a yes. It was something to pass the time until they reached wherever Xerxes was taking her. She would love to be warm for one. Besides, she felt quite... calm, around this gentleman. There was something familiar about him. She wasn't sure what. She was actually.... almost reminded of the Cheshire Cat with how he answered her questions with a question. Which was very peculiar, she hadn't met anyone that was like Cheshire except Cheshire.

[charientisms]

Break looked back at her, tilting his head slightly and smiling. "Why, certainly, Miss Alice."

He honestly saw little problem with riddles and was quite interested to see what sort of riddle she would come with. Break was aware of how very revealing such small exchanges could be, after all.

[madcuriosity]

"Hmmm..." She wanted it to be a good riddle. Riddles were very telling of intelligence. She knew Cheshire was a terribly clever cat because his riddles were almost impossible to figure out! She thought for a few more seconds before she smiled.

"Ah! I have one!
I herald the darkness which descends on all creatures.
You will know my approach by moans and wracked features.
I visit the hippo, hyena, and horse, But never go near snails and spiders, of course.
I would circle the glove, leaping one to the other, Should all the world's people ever clasp hands together. What am I?"

She was terribly pleased with that riddle.

[charientisms]

Break considered this riddle for a moment as he approached the apartment in which he currently lived. He opened the door and, of course, held it open for the girl, saying in his lilting, sing-song tone, "After you, Miss Alice~!"

When they were both inside, Break smiled. Most telling in the riddle were the first two lines, and most confusing the last. But then, that was all riddles were: a twisting of facts to make them less visible, but all of the pieces to the puzzle were always provided and always would be. It did not take him long at all to come up with an answer that perfectly fit the pieces, even as he led Alice to the door to his room.

"Well, I do believe your answer would be 'a yawn'," he answered, smile slightly edging into a smirk. It was the clearest answer he could see, and thus he was confident that it was the correct one.

And he opened the door, smiling at Alice, and gesturing that she should go in.

[madcuriosity]

"Oh you got it!" she smiled. However, the joy in the riddle was replaced with the surprise of the room! She had never been in such a small home before! Were most houses like this? And then there was such... she blinked when she saw such curious lights and her eyes widened. "What... curiouser and curiouser!" she exclaimed as she looked at several light fixtures and furniture. She had never seen such odd things. She knew a chair was a chair of course, but she had never seen such odd lanterns! And there wasn't a fire in sight!

She went over to a lamp on a table and gazed at it before she looked under the shade and then blinked and pulled away. She tried to blink the spots in front of her eyes away. She continued to look all around her and she gazed at as much as she could. Much like the metal carriages and the size of the buildings she was seeing so many new and curious things in these rooms.

Alice turned to look back at Xerxes, curiosity practically eating at every fiber in her being.

"Did you invent and make all these things Mr. Break!"

[charientisms]

As Alice searched around the room, Break had closed the door and turned his attention to the kettle that rested on the stove. If there was one thing he had learned as a servant to the Rainsworth ladies, it was how to make a proper cup of tea. However, while he waited for it to heat up, he turned back to Alice, and he smiled at her excited question.

"Such curious things, are they not? But no, I did not create these things. They were here when I arrived~" he answered easily, watching her with one sharp, red eye, though his expression was little more than amused.

[madcuriosity]

"What is it all!" she said as she continued to look at everything, holding Basil close. "Everything is terribly peculiar, who made everything? Was it just simply here when you came across these rooms? Are all the rooms like this?" she asked with amazement. Her curiosity got the better of her and she went into the kitchen. Her eyes widened and she turned to look at Xerxes.

"What... is everything?" She couldn't believe how everything looked and how... strange everything was!

[charientisms]

So many questions! What a curious child she was. Not that Break was at all surprised for this, of course. She was Alice, after all.

"This was indeed all here. It is quite likely that you shall come across some similar devices when you are in your own home," Break answered simply. He would tackle the other questions after.

But before he could, the kettle hissed, but did not screech, for Break was quick to pick it up and pour the heated water into the cups.

As he made the tea, he told Alice, "Why don't you have a seat, Miss Alice? We can discuss everything over tea, of course~"

[madcuriosity]

She went over to the chair and sat down, careful of her skirts as she watched Xerxes pour the hot water into the tea cups. She hoped she would get to have some tea this time. She could still remember not getting a single drop whilst with the Mad Hatter. But Xerxes wasn't the Hatter so it was of little issue. She rested her hands in her lap and watched him with curiosity. Alice knew how to make tea of course, but she had never seen tea be made on such a curious looking stove. Which she was rather sure was what the contraption was.

When he set the tea down she offered a bright smile.

"Thank you very much Mr. Break. May I know what type the tea is?" She wondered if there was any milk or honey. She was endeavoring to cut back on the milk in her tea, but sometimes she just couldn't have her tea without it. She rested her hands around the teacup's sides and was supremely grateful for the warmth it provided. She then moved to rest her wrists against the sides since it would warm her up faster as well.

"Again thank you for the tea sir."

[charientisms]

"But of course, Miss Alice," Break answered. "It is black tea, of course~" And as that was quite enough information, he disappeared for a moment, before returning with cream and sugar. Lady Sharon's tastes, after all, often ran closer to sweetening her tea with such things, and Break would not have been surprised if Alice was the same way. He set the other objects on the table, within her reach, and only then did he take his seat.

Then Break said, "You are quite welcome. Surely it was the least I could do~"