Wonderlust

8:30

There are certain boundaries that are not meant to be crossed.

This is certainly one of them. I thought as Ciel dragged me into the ominous portal.

The sensation of the strange substance gliding over my skin was revolting. It reminded me of the sails that I use to let roam around in my hand when I was younger. The metallic screeching sound made my ears feel like they were bleeding. It was so cold.  I could not see in front of me but I could feel Ciel tugging me along by the hand. 

I squeezed my eyes shut in hopes of making the experience end quicker. 

"Allis?" I heard a gentle laugh mingled with the bustling sounds of a city street. "You can open your eyes now."

When I opened my eyes they were assaulted by the blinding white surroundings. Snow.  It was everywhere. Under the white, I could see buildings made from bright red and yellow brick. The cobblestone under my feet was a dark gray color. The smoke coming out from the chimneys was a strange translucent color.  It was the strangest town I had ever seen.  It really made me feel like I was in a dream. 

  I gazed around at the town folk that hustled around the square.  A lady in a dingy yellow dress beat out a carpet on one side of the street while she sang loudly to herself. 

"In the morning the moon shall fall

In the morning the sun shall rise

Hath thou no pity for

The poor moon who waits for us?

Now, do you hear her?

Now, do you see her tears?

Shall you let her wait for you

Shall you let her wait?"

It did not sound like any of the songs I had ever heard on my journey with Leo. It had a nice, quick beat and barely gave the singer time to catch her breath. Despite the fast pace, the words made me feel even colder. 

"Allis?" Ciels voice drew my attention back to him. He squeezed my hand. "Don't wander off by yourself, better yet, don't let go of my hand. Now, shall we be on our way?"

I did not refuse out loud but in my mind, I had many choice words for him. I pull my hood up over my head as I let him begin to pull me along the street, through the people who lived there every day. They did not look up from their work. We passed many men hauling barrels of wheat and grains, their backs hunched because of their labor, a few with twitching ears and wagging tails.  The woman seemed to be more interested in us if only to stare at Lord Hatter.  

We were both dressed vastly different from the town folks. Ciel was dressed just as a noble should be, with a deep purple tail coat and trousers. A green satin scarf was tucked into his collar and his hair was tied up at the base of his neck with a ribbon.  The old top hat he usually wore proudly sat on top of his head.  He was beautiful. No wonder he drew so much attention.

"If there are any shops that catch your eye," He said as he slowed his pace to match mine, "Please do not hesitate to say so. There are many nice dress shops and  further, down the street, there are stalls that sell many little trinkets you might be interested in."

I thought of my brother, who always said the same thing when we entered a new town.  He liked souvenirs but gathering too many was bad.  We could not carry so much stuff with us. He would always frown at my logical thinking, saying that I was no fun.  Perhaps I should get him a trinket while I am here.

A sudden gust of wind blew a strand of hair in my face. The fridged air seemed much colder than it should have been at the time. Winter had only just begun. Winters must be brutal in.... 

I suddenly realized that I had never heard the name of this place. Not once since I came. I tugged on Hatter's hand, which prompted him to turn around. 

"What is it?" He asked, pushing an elegantly gloved hand into his jacket pocket. "Is there a shop you are interested in? Which one?"

"What is the name of this place?" I said, ignoring his questions.

"Oh? Is that all?" His purple eyes showed disappointment. "How boring. This is the town of Illumnose. It is known as the city of light and sound."

"No no." I shook my head. "What country is this? What is this region?"

Suddenly he stopped walking, causing me to crash into his back.  I began to fall, but he caught both of my shoulders to steady me. 

"Well," He said looking down at me. He had a wrinkle between his eyebrows. "There are many different names. When you were younger you used to call this place wonderland. Some call it Underland. Many call it Dreamland, Some the Nightmare realm."

"What do you call it?"

Ciel tilted his head to look at me, from under his tall, worn out top hat, "Wonderland, of course. Even if this place is good or bad, it leaves you wonderstruck, doesn't it?"

I suppose I had to agree with him there. I would never forget this dream even if I wanted to. The idea that I had before was absurd. 

Another gust of wind caused a few loose strands of hair to blow across my face. 

"I've been meaning to ask this," He said reaching up to push the silver locks back into my hood. "But why are you so self-conscious of your hair?"

As his fingers graze my cheek, I shiver. " I am not self-conscious of my hair," I said, pushing his hand away. "It simply gets in the way sometimes, so I have to tie it up or cover it." 

"I see," He did not seem convinced at all. "Well, it would be nice if you showed it off more. It is lovely, after all."

He said it as if it were nothing, then turned around to continue our walk down the bustling street, dragging me behind as I tried to hide my burn red face from passerby's. 

That man. Did he even think before he speaks? Does he understand what he is saying? 

From what I could tell at the party, Ciel Hatter was well known by women. He probably had them all pinning for him. Well, that had nothing to do with me. 

I just needed.... What did I need? Why wasn't I desperate to leave this place? I hadn't tried to escape even once.  What was wrong with me? 

I gazed intently at our linked hands, considering letting go. I could slip into this crowd and get lost easily. He would never be able to find me. I had done it before to a pushy guy in France.

Just as I began to loosen my grip on his hand, his fingers tightened around mine. He looked back at me with a smirk, as if he knew what I was thinking. 

Damn annoying bastard.