Meeting Mary Ann

Chapter Two: Leaving Home

   Mary Ann stood in the middle of her room, tears streaming down her cheeks as she gazed around. After a moment she collected herself, there was nothing she could do. The queen had made up her mind and once she did she never changed it. She opened her trunks and began placing her belongings inside, she was in the process of choosing which of her books to bring along when a knock came at the door. Before she could say anything the queen burst in the room slamming the door behind her. At first Mary Ann thought she was going to start yelling and for a moment she looked like it, her face was all scruched up but Mary Ann realized it was in disgust of her small living quarters.
   "This is how you live? Why are you so upset to be leaving?" She picked up a blanket from the bed and looked at it in distaste, "Honestly child, you will want for nothing when we arrive at my palace." She sat down on the edge of the bed, "I understand you think I am being evil but it's truly time for you to come back, Alice...." her voice traied off, she hardly ever spoke of her daughter. The only time she had seen her after she had left her in the Above Ground was years ago when Alice had accidentlly followed Rabbit when he was checking on her. That time she had to become something evil and chase her daughter from her own world. It was shortly after that that she had made Mary Ann leave.
   She cleared her throat and the sadness was cleared from her face, "She will be home soon and take her place, you will need to be established there as the Changeling Princess so that you are able to help her become used to our ways. That is your duty." She stood and walked towards the door, "We will be leaving shortly, if you can't pack everything by then you will have to send for it, I want to be home by tonight." The queen walked through the door not waiting for Mary Ann to say anything.
   She knealt there looking at the door, she had no idea what that had been about. She had never seen the queen be soft in any way, and kindness towards her had been out of the question. She sighed and finished placing the books in her trunks. A short time later she had finished packing what she could and was sitting on her bed trying to muster up the courage to walk down stairs. A soft knock came, when no one walked right in she knew it wasn't the queen trying to rush her.
   "Come in," the door opened slowly and Rabbit was standing there looking at her sadly holding a small parcel wrapped in a deep black velvet cloth. He hesitated for a moment before walking in and sitting down next to her.
   "You are going to alright Mary Ann, you are a strong woman who can handle herself in any situation," he smiled sorrowfully at her, "But just in case you may need anyhelp I want you to have this," he unwrapped the parcel and handed it to her. It was a small book, the cover was red leather and the pages were edged in gold, but there was no title on the cover. She looked up at him stumped, flipping through the pages she found there was nothing written there either.
  "What is this?"
   He smiled at her impishly and took the book back from her, opening it he asked, "Where will Mary Ann be tonight?" Nothing happened for a few minutes and Mary Ann began to think Rabbit may have started drinking the mercury in his tea like Hatter. Slowly writing appeared on one side of the page "Mary Ann, the Changeling Princess, will be in the Castle of Hearts." On the next page a picture of a large stone and brick castle reaching towards the sky, the windows shaped as hearts and the doors a blood red wood.
   Mary Ann looked at Rabbit shocked, "What is this?"
   He laughed quietly, he always found her shock amusing, she had lived here her entire life but magic was still so weird to her, possibly because she was one of the only beings in Wonderland who held no magic.
   "This book known as the Know-It-All book. No one knows who created it, but it will help you learn anything you might have questions about, but," he hesitated.
   "But?" she asked flipping through the pages again, she was so enamored with the book she didn't see the look of caution on his face. He wrapped his hands around hers and placed them and the book in her lap making her look him directly in the eye.
   "You must not let anyone know you have this, especially the queen, she would use this for things she knows would ruin our world." His voice was deadly serious and she stared at him making sure he saw that she understood what he was saying. If the queen were to find it she would use it to find Alice, and Alice wasn't supposed to come back until the time was right.
   "I promise I will be careful," she smiled at softly and kissing him on the cheek she placed the book in her personal travel pack. She would have the bag with her the entire time, she couldn't think of a better place to keep it, once she arrived at the castle she would make sure to hide it well. They both stood and embraced each other, pulling away both had tears in there eyes.
   "Thank you for everyting Rabbit, and don't worry I will come and visit and of course we will see each other at the court."
  For a moment he looked mournful but it quickly passed and he nodded. They released each other and Mary Ann scooped up her pack. They headed towards the door, she stopped momentarily and looked around her room once more, she couldn't explain it but she was starting to feel as though she would never see this place again. Shaking it off she turned closing the door behind her and followed Rabbit down the stairs.