Down the Hole

Chapter 3: The Bargain (Part I)

Hatters' brother was here for hours which stretched into the entire day until night was upon us. I wondered if they would ever come out of his parlor. I was assuming the younger brother would be spending the evening here which was more than welcome given the abundance of available rooms. I spent the day while they were exchanging pleasantries walking up and down the halls exploring every door I could find. Sometimes however, I'd peak into the same door just to see again and the room was different. I stumbled upon hare and he explained to me that for emergencies and safe guarding the rooms often switch themselves to protect the certain treasures inside. Beside ours which stayed the same it seemed a clever way to keep valuables secure.

When I find myself being idle I begin to think of something I should be doing. Hare insisted everything was kempt already and therefore I was of no use. I ate my dinner quietly and a thought formulated in my head. Perhaps if I was ever to escape I should explore my options outside. Despite me being able to go as I pleased indoors it was still nothing more than a pretty cage. Little bird was what the Rabbit called me wasn't it? How fitting.

I found the back French doors which opened to a nice open space to the vast expanse of the garden. I could see from our vantage point atop this incline the city below. The buildings weren't quite right. The structures were more freeing in their design. Some spiraled at the top, others had rounded roofs, and some were even triangular. I had never seen something that elaborately built before. I came to the edge of the property. There was a long private road that disappeared through the trees going down to a gate swallowed by a disappearing curved hill. Then it was open access to the city. Otherwise this place seemed to be a white castle perched upon the only hill in this region. There was a blue haze the further I looked behind the city limits but it was fuzzy and I couldn't see the beginnings of other sectors or the edge of this one.

Before I could even get to that road Cheshire was beside me. I jumped out of my skin putting my hands up in defense. He had left his hat behind but watched as the sun melted into the earth and the lights of the city began to turn on. There were different colors everywhere complimenting one another. The lamps illuminating the garden yawned awake and I glanced back at the manor.

"It's all rudimentary and clean. That is what you're thinking isn't it?"

"Not exactly." I watched as all the lamps in the window softly glowed a faint orange and yellow. My heart ached for a brief moment thinking of home and how my loft had the same life upon each sill. I could feel warm embers burning my eyes again. I blinked them away.

"Itachi tells me your name is Lady Lee and that you're human. We spoke about the prospect of why he purchased you. A curious being my brother is. I've never seen him take interest in something like this before."

"We saw the White Rabbit the day before, he said just about the same thing. I don't understand any of this..."

"They can easily just pin it on his mad status." He quipped with a secretive smirk.

"Yes what is that about? I don't think I've witnessed it yet?"

"Believe me you would know if you had. It's distinct and terrible." His voice faked an air of dramatic concern.

"How did he get that way then?" The garden had a soft firefly glow to it, I barely needed to strain my eyes to see Cheshire.

"Some say when we all began the territory wars, he was laughing while cutting enemies down. Guess the name just stuck, you know? Of course there's other stuff but I'd rather you not recoil at the gory details of my brothers more---darker side." He shrugged. I held myself a little more closely happy to keep my wall up. I found it strange that I was pouring my inner thoughts out so easily to these people I didn't know. I chalked it up to being another mishap of being here. The harder I tried guarding myself the more difficult it was to keep maintenance on my wall. I could feel the cracks giving. I wasn't afraid of the Hatter. I had known for two days, but I hoped I never had to meet the other side of him as his brother so eloquently put it. I promised myself on the spot then and there that if he changed I would runaway no matter the cost.