Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Spinoff of Alice in Wonderland)

Chapter 1: The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland

Alice lay in her favorite spot underneath the maple tree awaiting her mother's traditional arrival. The day was humid and hot but carried a light breeze that made the outdoors rather enjoyable, one of the last days of its kind for the year. Alice loved days like these with birds singing their songs of farewell before they left for the North, squirrels collecting the last of their food for the long winter ahead, and the servants bustling inside the mansion preparing for the annual Winter Ball, Alice's favorite gathering of the year.

It was a family tradition to hold the ball at their home once every four years. The job of hosting the party was rotated among Alice's family and three other noble houses. Last year, the Winter Ball was held by the Winston's, the family closest to the Kingsley's. Whenever it was their turn, the house would start preparing as much as a month before the party itself. Mother would be especially strict during these times and often had Alice locked away in her room to study and practice acting like a refined lady.

Alice had snuck away from her room in order to enjoy the day outside, imagining lavish fields bathed in sunlight and meadows brimming with flowers. 'What a pity it would be for a day such as this to go to waste,' she thought.

Alice was expecting her mother to show up at any moment for she surely must have already discovered that Alice was gone, seeing that she was checked upon every hour. 'How silly,' Alice mused, 'I'm always underneath this maple tree. If only she would notice.'

Alice's thoughts wandered back to the Winter Ball. This year was different from the last, this year Alice was to be proposed to by the Duke's son, Louis. How did she know? Holly and Hope, the two daughters from the Winston family, had told her the week before when they came to visit. 'Don't tell anyone we told,' Alice remembered, 'it was supposed to be a surprise. We ought to not be telling you, but we just couldn't help ourselves.'

'Then why don't you help it?' Alice recalled saying before she walked away. Alice could not help but chuckle when recounting the looks on their faces when she told them that. It was worth more than all the money in the world.

Alice was in the middle of reliving the memory when her mother stomped in front of her, casting a shadow over Alice's body.

"Alice! Where have you been!" her mother scolded as she absolutely fumed with anger. Both hands were placed along her hips, and her eyebrows were furrowed so deeply into her skin that Alice was surprised that she had not yet made permanent waves along the top of her forehead, seeing how she was like this most of the time.

"Can't you see mother? I've been right here." Alice's mother was not at all flattered or amused with her little joke, in fact, she was ready to burst.

"I've had it up to here, Alice! Go inside and stay in your room before I make the door barred!"

Alice pondered for a moment then spoke, "Then I suppose I'll just use the windows."

"Then I'll bar the windows too!" her mother countered.

"But you can't bar the windows. How will the birds get in?"

"H-how will the birds get in!? How will the birds get in!" Alice's mother twitched as though she was a ballon ready to pop.

"Yes, how will the birds get in?" Alice kept her voice as serious and lighthearted as she possibly could, knowing full well that her mother was equally surprised and annoyed with her behavior. With one last glare, her mother marched off toward the main doors of the mansion. Alice smiled to herself and continued the reminiscing of her favorite memories.
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"Father, I've had a nightmare."

A man in a leather chair turned toward his only daughter with a sad, knowing smile. He stood up and walked over to the little girl. Getting on his knees, he grasped her tiny hands in his and said, "Is it the same one?"