The White Rose

♦️♥️Chapter 1♠️♣️

(Aria)

I remember my mother, telling me a tale about a young girl named Alice, who fell in a rabbit's hole and met many amazing and weird people. I was a little girl back when my mother told me that tale, to put me to sleep.
I loved that fairy tale, it always made me smiled as a young girl.
My father would always make my mother and I a cup of tea before we head to bed, it always the most delicious tea I ever drank.
But all that was when I was a young little girl.
Now I'm 16, my mother owns a flower shop in our small town outside the Kingdom of Hearts.
I worked with her a few times and I always had a passion for flowers like my mother has.
My father also owns a tea shop with his friend, Uncle Mouse, I used to call him.
My brothers Mason and Smoke. They help out at the tea shop with my father as well.
"Aria, honey could you please help me carry these to the back room?" My mother asks carrying in a load of new spring flowers.
"Sure mom." I back away from the window and grab some boxes.
"These are heavy!" I cry, surprised by the weight of the box.
"What's in here!?"
Mother gentil puts the flowers down on the floor and sighs relief to by box free.
"Let's see! There's Rabbit Slipper, Milk Lilies, Sunny Humperback Vines...oh and we have your favorite!"
Mom always gets excited when talking about the new plants she orders.
"Red Roses!" Mom and I say together.
We both laugh and I hug my mother.
"In fact I think your hair matches them perfectly." She says pulling a rose and slides it in my scarlet hair that I got from my father.
My mother said she always envied our red hair and wish she didn't have her golden locks. I always told her that I wanted her beautiful blonde hair, that always seemed to shine in the sun.
My father says that's one of the reason he married my mother.
But I have my mother's eyes. Blue like the sun reflecting on the ocean surface.
"My daughter, you look so beautiful, even more than all the upper class women. They put way too much makeup on, to try to be as beautiful as you are." My mothers says. I feel my face burn up as my mother compliments me. She does it way too much.
"Mom, stop, they're all pretty in their own way."
Mom pulls open another box and fishes out more flowers.
Bings! The bell that hangs overs the door rings, which means someone came in the store.
"Aria, can you help that customer? I'm a bit busy with all these plants!" My mother calls as she goes farther down the backroom.
"Sure, mom!"
I walk out and look to see who came in. All I could see was a figure about 6 feet and wearing a black sweater with a pair of ridiculous hot pink glasses. "Um hello, Is there anything I can help you with?" I ask the stranger who came in.
"Um, yes please I'm here for a special order, um you know, the white roses." His deep velvet soft voice says those last three words quietly as if telling a secret.
White roses... did we start to sell white roses? White roses are very rare in Wonderland, rarer than finding a mine of gold.
"Um, sorry, we don't sell those."
"Oh, sorry I must have come to the wrong place." He says and nods.
"Thanks anyways." He begins to walks towards the door when my mother comes out shouting. "Stop! We have them right here!"
My mother walks up to him and hands him a beautiful single white rose. I never seen one before but by the way the man was able to not stare at it's beauty, he must have seen many before. "Sorry about my daughter, I didn't know it was that time yet." My mother says, looking at me as she said daughter. I just smile with my charm.
"No, it's okay, she's right. White roses are extremely rare so I understand the misunderstanding." He says, also looking my way.
He leans into my mother's ear and says something that makes her laugh. I wonder what he said.
He says goodbye and leaves.
"So, why did we give him a white rose? I mean... it's not exactly a normal request." I ask.
"Well, as you know, the Wonder Ball is near, and you know that everyone is invited to go." She begins.
"But wait, only the Princes are allowed to hold the white roses until they give it to one of the ladies to ask for permission-"
I stop talking as I realize who just came in.
"That was the prince."
"Yes! Great job, you figured it out!"
Now I understand why he dressed so ridiculously. He was trying to hide from all the girls who fancy him.
"So I just talked to the Prince of Hearts. Well that nice, I did one thing that not everyone does." I said brushing it off.
"Oh! I forgot to tell your father something, darn it, I knew I'd forget." She says shaking her head.
"I could tell him for you."
"No you did enough already, why don't you get yourself a dress for the ball?"
"I'm not going."
My mother looks at me, shocked.
"Sweetie, I'll give you some cards to buy a dress."
"No mom, I'm not going at all."
"Why not!? I mean... you've always wanted to go since you were a little girl. Now's your chance since you're sixteen!"
"Well, I lost interest."
She doesn't say anything and just stares at the wood floor. Then she looks at me. As if a light ball goes off in her head, she walks right back in the storage room. I wonder what she's up to.
The bell rings and I look to see my father's red hair walk in.
"Sweet Tea! Where's your mother?" My father asks in his energetic voice.
"In the back making up a plan to make me go to the ball."
He nods his head like it's something she does everyday.
"Well if that's the case maybe you should try to escape before she gives you that talk."
"Yeah, you're right. Bye Mom!" I shout.
"Where do you think you're going!?" She yells back, but doesn't come out.
"Somewhere you can't find me!"
My father chuckles and opens his arms expecting a hug. I hug him and he puts something in my pocket.
"Buy some lunch while you at it too. You're looking too skinny." He says, poking at my stomach.
"You're one to talk, big guy."
My father always been tall. Taller than any one of us. Smoke is the only one who can compare to him.
He laughs and I walk out of the store but look back to see my mother finally walked out from the back and was now facing my father. You can tell they're deeply in love with each other just by seeing how they look in each other's eyes.
I pull out the cards father gave me. 5 of hearts. Enough to buy a slice of cake. I know what I'm getting.
I walk down to the pastry shop to buy a slice of Tiger Berry cake.

♥️♣️♦️♠️

"So tell me why you don't want to go to the ball?" My friend, Jest, as I call her, ask.
"How do you know?"
"Your mother."
Well, I figured out mother's plan to get me to the ball. Her most evil plan.
"You'd better go! I don't plan on going alone!" Jest says, taking a bite from my second slice of cake.
When I entered the pastry shop, Jest was already there as if she knew where I was going.
"So how hot was the Prince!?"
"I didn't even know it was the Prince at first till he left."
Jest then sink down in her seat like I unplug the drain in a bathtub.
"At least you met him!" She shouts jumping back up. Everyone in the cafe turned and looked at us.
As we finish up eating our cakes and then paid for them.
As we walked out Jest and I said our goodbyes.
"Remember You're Going To The Ball!" She shouts before she disappeared from my vision.
Mom knew I can't say no to Jest. Mom 1, me 0.

♥️♣️♦️♠️

Once I reach our little hut of a house, I walk in to see Smoke sitting at the table working on some gadget I don't even know what it is.
"Hey Aria, how are you this wonderful day." Smoke says as I enter the house, not taking his eyes off the thing.
"Well, I been beating by mom." I say shutting the door and grabbing a chair to sit.
"There's some soup on the stove, and what did mom beat you at."
"Calling Jest, to make me go to the Wonder Ball."
"Yep you were sure to fail. I didn't know the Wonder Ball was here so soon." He says pulling a wire out of the mysterious machine. He always had a thing with them.
"It's a week away, so I guess I have to buy at least a decent dress." I groan as I remind myself that I need something to wear.
Smoke doesn't answer. I watch his long fingers fumble with the tiny beetle looking thing.
"What's that?" I ask.
"Oh this thing, it's a Watch Beetle, they recorded what their owner wants them to." He says handing it to me. I take it and study the tiny red eyes that I guess is the camera.
"So why do you have it?" I ask wondering why he of all people will be holding a spy item.
"Well believe it or not, a man come to me and asked if I knew a mechanic in town. And I said that I could try to fix, and he said he'll pay if I did. So this is what I got." He says with a smile on his face.
"You better not get caught with this, the soldiers with think it's a rebellious movement against the four kingdoms." I tell him.
"Maybe it is time for a new ruling system." He says quietly but still so I can hear him.
"There are rumors that a rebel group is making a fifth kingdom that take over Wonderland."
I didn't know what to say. I heard the rumors too, but it's hard to believe, I mean the four kingdoms have been around for years and years. Even after the Red Rebellion the four kingdoms still stood strong and overpowered them.
I hand him the beetle back and stand up.
"Is Mason home?"
"No, he probably is out with Tilly." Smoke says, putting the Watch Beetle and rubs his eyes.
"Tell me Aria, do you really believe everything the kingdoms tells us to believe. That we're the only remaining government system alive?" He asks.
"What, do you?" I'm being honest, what does he mean and why is he asking all these questions.
"Nevermind, it's a silly question." He smiles and turns back to the beetle.
I stand there for a few second wonder what he meant. But when I couldn't figure it out I left and head to my room.
Jumping onto my bed and laying their felt like heaven. It was such a weird day. I kinda met the Prince, I was forced to go to the ball by Jest, Smoke is asking me weird questions and fixing an object to could be classified as rebellious. "Do you believe everything the kingdom tells?" Smoke question still playing in my head. "Do I?"

♥️♣️♦️♠️

"Aria, Aria." A voice whispers my name. Opening my eyes to see that it's still night.
I look over to see my brother Smoke kneeling on my bedside. "Smoke, what's going on?" I whisper tirly. "Let's go on a walk, I have something to ask you." He Replies, and starts heading down the stair.
I quickly threw on a pair of jeans and a sweater and race down to meet my brother.
As we walk, the cool evening air breezes through my red hair. "So, what did you want to talk about?" I ask as we walk ahead.
"Tell me Aria, do you plan on going to the Wonderball?" He asks not sounding like the Smoke I grown to love more than anything.
"Yes, or more likely, Jest forced me to go." I answer.
He stops in his tracks and keeps his head down hiding his eyes behind his blond bangs. "Aria, I'm," he pauses. "I'm joining the White Rebellion."

End Of Chapter 1