Alice's Wonderland

Chapter 10

The Mistress tells Alice she has to inspect the fortress, and she will be accompanying her. "We have about an hour before the ponies are ready. I need something to eat and drink, follow me to the fireplace."

Alice follows the Mistress to the fire place, and is instructed to sit on a small stool close to the fire. The Mistress takes a high-backed chair, with large padded arms that are just the right height for her arms to rest on. The Mistress claps her hands and a male servant rushes to kneel on the floor with his head on his arms, offering his back for her legs to rest on. The Mistress commands, "Where are my foot servants." The two servants rush over and kneel at her feet. "Clean those boots, you have gotten them all messy!"

"Right away!" they both say together, as they jump up to get water and cloths to clean and polish them.

A female servant rushes over and asks the Mistress what she would like.

"A tray of meats, cheeses and breads. Make sure there is some of that bread with the large pieces of fruit in side with good salty butter," commands the Mistress.

"Anything to drink?" asks the servant.

"Yes, some of the 5029 BCE will be perfect."

The foot servants arrive and start to clean the Mistress's boots. "Did you enjoy your time at the Red Queens castle, Alice?" asks the Mistress.

Alice, of course not quite knowing what to say, replies, "It was interesting and informative."

"That I can imagine," chuckles the Mistress. "How did you get there by the way, I have not heard the story."

Alice lowers her head as she thinks of the right thing to say. "Well, I was chasing a Rabbit, a rather large Rabbit into a cottage at the edge of the forest. From there I followed a path that led me past farmhouses and fields as I tried to catch the Rabbit. I could only catch glimpses of him ahead of me. Later in the day, I fell asleep in the forest at the foot of the Red Queens castle. Her guards caught me and took me to her castle, where I stayed a couple of days. Then I woke up here, and the rest you know."

"Yes, I know," comments the Mistress, "and I think every servant here will be talking about it for some time to come, I hope."

"What do you mean?"

"The males are to fill their sacks and the females are to help them do that with their looks, actions and imagination. What you did will inspire them to produce."

"Why do the males need to fill their sacks?"

The Mistress looks at Alice and says, "Where would your people be without the full sacks." Alice again must concede that she is right.

"Why was I brought here?"

"I need your help with the servants of course. There is only two of you, you know, the ones that can change. The Red Queen believes that showing compassion for her servants will inspire them to produce more. Whereas I believe that sparing the rod will spoil the goo for me and you."

Alice ponders this as the food and drink arrive. "Only two, who is the other?"

"Eat up and try the wine, I think you will find it stimulating," the Mistress replies.

Alice gets the hint and picks up the glass of wine, bringing it to her mouth and taking a little sip. Instantly, the sensations hit her mouth, the salty taste mixed with the sheer power and alcohol makes her head spin as she exclaims "WHOA." Alice reaches for some cheese and bread to balance out the feeling.

The Mistress smiles and adds, "The older the wine, the stronger it was made back then, and on an empty stomach the kick is worse or better depending on what you want. Eat some food so I don't lose you. I need to get my inspection done, and everybody has heard that you are here."