Mad or real? (Mad hatter X OC)

匚𝐡άᑭ𝕥𝔼𝐑 ０- 𝕡Ř𝐎Ļ𝔬Ğｕε

13 YEARS EARLIER

3rd person's P.O.V.

The kingsleigh family was your perfect noble family. Charles Kingsleigh had only just came back from his last voyage at sea and he was already planning his next one with the help of his co-workers. They thought he was mad for what he was implying.

"Charles you have finally lost your senses." Lord Ascot said."This venture is impossible." Another colleague added.

"For some. Gentlemen, the only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible." Charles said proudly, his head held high. Perhaps this is where Alice had gotten her imaginative mind.

"That kind of thinking could ruin you." The same colleague responded. They were clearly not used to someone speaking with their heart instead of their brain.

"I'm willing to take that chance. Imagine trading posts in Rangoon, Bangkok, Jakarta..." Mr. Kingsleigh's sentence was cut short as a young Alice stood in front of the door. All four man's heads turned to look at the clearly frightened young girl.

"The nightmare again?" He asked his youngest daughter. This nightmare never seemed to leave her mind. The young Alice nodded her head, gesturing that her father was right.

"I won't be long." Charles took Alice's hand and left the room. When he got to the young girls room, he tucked her back into bed.

"I'm falling down a dark hole, then I see strange creatures..." She explained to her father, who was sitting down on the bed.

"What kind of creatures?" He asked her curiously, to reassure the girl. "Well, there's a dodo bird, a rabbit in a waistcoat, a smiling cat..." She said and closed her eyes briefly, almost like the memory of those creatures were slipping away and she was trying to hold onto them.  "I didn't know cats could smile." Charles replies, a soft smile etched on his face.

"Neither did I. Oh, and there's a blue caterpillar." Alice sighed. "Blue caterpillar. Hmm." Mr. Kingsleigh hummed.

"Do you think I've gone round the bend?" The young girl asked her father. The man put his hand on her forehead, almost like he was seaking an illness. "I'm afraid so. You're mad. Bonkers. Off your head. But I'll tell you a secret...all the best people are." He reassured his daughter who finally let out a laugh. "It's only a dream, Alice. Nothing can harm you there. But if you get too frightened, you can always wake up. Like this." He pinched her arm. She smiled and let out a small 'ow', she pinched him back. 

"But father, I have also seen a young girl, around my age. She looked scared, like she was running from something. I am not sure what. The strangest part is that the last place I have seen her was right on our doorstep." She said, worried for the young girl in her dream. 

"I will go check the doorstep for you, okay? Now sleep tight, Alice. Remember nothing can harm you." He smiled and stood up. Charles kissed her forehead and he closed the light.  Mr. Kingsleigh joined the people in his foyer once again.

"I think our conversation should end here for the night. My wife will escort you out." He nodded to Helen, his wife, and she directed the mans to the front door. Once he was alone he started to think about what Alice had said. That young girl had an incredible imagination, he thought.

"Charles! You need to come see this! Charles!" His wife yelled out from the front door. His colleagues had already went back home but when he reached his wife, he saw something he couldnt believe. A young girl stood there looking at them helplessly. She was wearing a really colorfull dress with butterflies on it.  The most surprising thing is that she had sage colored hair.

"Come in child, come in." Helen extended her arm to the young girl and the small one gladly took it. Mrs. Kingsleigh led the girl to the couch and told her to sit.

"What is your name?" Charles asked her. "My name is Sage Agapov." She said in a whisper looking down at her hands. "How old are you Sage? And where are your parents?" Helen asked her, caressing her back softly. "I'm 8 years old, and I dont know. I never met my mother and my father told me to run here and never to go back home. He told me Alice would help me. Do you know where I can find her?" Sage asked them. Both adults eyes went wide at the mention of their youngest child. "Alice is our daughter but she is currently asleep. Lets get you ready for bed, Sage. It seems you have had a long night..." Charles replied to the young girl.