The Melancholy of Wonderland

Girl in Moonlight

Anya hummed gently to herself as she brushed her hair. Her long caramel tresses had gotten tangled and dirty while running all over the place and it was refreshing to finally feel clean again. She looked at herself in the vanity and nearly tumbled off her stool. She hardly recognized herself.

What was once a sleep-deprived and stubborn teenager was now a confident, adventurous, yet reckless young lady. Her tan skin and violet-flecked eyes were practically glowing and her lips were full. Despite running all over the place and being stressed for her future, Anya was beautiful and mature. Or perhaps being in Wonderland was having a weird effect on her health. In any case, this wasn't normal and Anya felt kinda weird.

"Feeling okay?"

"Yeah," said Anya, turning around to meet Raven. "It feels weird sleeping in my day clothes, but I can manage."

"I see. My, your best features are truly enhanced in the moonlight."

"Close the stupid curtains," Anya snapped. She ignored the heat in her cheeks as she stomped over and shut the porthole closed. "We're about to go to sleep anyway."

"I know. I wanted to compliment you." Raven put his cheek in his palm, sitting cross-legged on his bunk.

"Don't. It feels weird," Anya mumbled. She strode over to her bunk on the opposite side of the room, pulling the sheets over her head.

"Do you not like being complimented?"

"I never got any compliments back home. I'm not used to it."

"Please do get used to it. I think you are beautiful," Raven said.

"Thank... you?" Anya smiled warmly under the protection of her blankets, gently hugging herself with glee.

"Is everything alright down here?"

"Oh, hey Ray." Anya sat up as the first mate popped his head in.

"Everything is fine," Raven said. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to ask you two something," Ray said, setting down his lantern. "Why are you trying to go to the City of Aces?"

"Technically we were trying to find the Mad Hatter and the March Hare," Anya sighed, surmising that it would be fine to tell Ray the truth about herself. "But I'm trying to get home because I'm not from here. I was told the Queen of Hearts knew all directions, so I'm traveling to the City of Aces."

"And that in itself was so important you had to break the law?" Anya shrugged.

"As I said, I'm not from here. Your laws mean nothing to me. I do whatever I want to and I don't care about the consequences. This is not my country."

"Then why are you traveling with her?" Ray turned to Raven. "She is a criminal and a stranger to our ways. As a noble of a famous and prestigious family, are you not frightened or disgusted?"

"It's more of intrigue," Raven told him. "When she came to my home out of the blue, I was surprised. She is different, true, but she has admirable traits. I wish to learn more about her, but maybe I will learn more about myself in the process."

"I see," Ray chuckled. "Goodnight, noble Raven Grimlocke and stranger Anya Haroldsman."