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

Chapter 3: Into the Rabbit-Hole

Alice sat outside with her parents and the Baron family. She took her seat at the head of the table with Louis to her right and his parents to her left. Her parents chatted with his, and she was left to have an awkward conversation with Louis whose sandy-blond hair was sticking in all directions.

"So Louis, how have you been lately?"

"Well, it's obvious isn't it? If I wasn't doing well I don't think I'd have the time to be here having this chat with you now would I?" he said while shooting Alice a look of annoyance.

Alice blushed and felt rather embarrassed about her question, "You're right, I'm terribly sorry for wasting your time." Louis just played around with his fingers as Alice watched contently, hoping that he would do as much as glance her way. Her hopes were nothing but ideal wishes for Louis seemed to have absolutely no interest in his fiancée and future wife.

Alice sighed and glanced over to her mother and her conversation with the Duke. "You know, our daughter, Alice, is absolutely honored to be what brings our two families together. She wouldn't stop about how..." Alice looked away just in time because her mother looked over to make sure Alice hadn't heard a thing she said, seeing as how her engagement to Louis was supposed to be a 'secret'. Happy to see that Alice was not paying attention, she continued, "...how much she was in love with Louis."

"Ah!" said the Duke with a look of shock and then a smile, "So it really was a match made in heaven, I'm sure Alice will be delighted when she finds out Louis is her fiancée..."

He was shushed by Mrs. Baron who glanced feverishly at Alice, hoping she did not hear. Alice simply looked over to Louis, who was still playing with his fingers, and smiled at him, pretending to be a young maiden in love.

Mrs. Baron, too, became quickly contempt and continued her chatter. "Really dear! Are you going to ruin the surprise so early!"

The Duke gave a hardy laugh and boomed, "I don't see why it should be a secret much longer, the ball is next week after all." His wife simply glared at him with her emerald eyes, a pair identical to the ones that Louis owned.

A hour passed by with Alice pretending to be interested in what Louis said and occasionally answering questions and participating in the conversations of her parents.

When suddenly, out of the corner of Alice's eye, a flash of white jumped from one bush to another. "Did you see that?" Alice asked while standing up.

"What? What was it?" Louis said, also standing up and motioning for a nearby butler.

Alice saw the white rabbit run from behind the bush and into the garden. "There it is again!"

"What! What is it!?" Louis repeated a bit more frantic.

"There!" Alice said pointing towards the garden, "That rabbit!"

Louis, utterly bewildered, snapped his head in the direction she was pointing only to see a snow-white bunny sniffing a berry bush. Then, he waved off the butler and looked back at Alice. "A rabbit? What on Earth are you so excited about? I thought it was something important!"

Alice continued to watch the rabbit and waved him off, "Why Louis, it is important! Have you ever seen a rabbit so perfectly white before? Besides, just a second ago I could've sworn he'd been walking on two legs."
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Alice was quite interested while Louis, who wore a look of disdain on his face, did not find this quite as amusing as she did and instead continued the battle between his two index fingers.

Alice watched contently for a few more minutes before she, too, became bored, and within ten minutes, Alice was back to playing with her food. The tea party lasted for another hour before the Barons were required to attend some business and took their leave. Alice bid Louis goodbye while he did not even grace her with a glance.