Wonderland

Prologue

Baia stood outside of her daughter's room, her hands clenched into fists. Baia was a lovely young woman: the only word one could use to describe her was elegant. She was very tall yet walked with the grace of the gods. With flowing, inky black hair and eyes the color of the sky, Baia was renowned as one of the most beautiful women in the Kingdom of Amaris. But here she was, standing outside of her 2-year-old daughter's bedroom with lines of worry etched into her face.

Baia firmly latched onto the courage-building within her and grabbed the door handle. Not wanting to think about it a moment longer, she opened the door, "Hello, darling."

Alice dropped her toys immediately at the sight of her mother, "Mama!" She ran over to her giddily and grabbed onto her mother's leg.

Baia smiled softly at her little girl. Her pride and joy. Her reason for living, her everything...that she would have to let go of soon.

Baia kneeled to the same level as her baby girl. She grabbed her daughter's face gently and pushed back her hair out of her face, "Do you know how much mommy loves you?"

The blonde little girl, without moving: stretched her arms out as far as they'd go, "THIS much!"

Tears began to gather in Baia's eyes as she kissed her daughter on the forehead. Without moving her lips from her forehead, she whispered, "More than that. So much more than that. Mommy loves you more than anything in the world." Baia pulled her daughter to be arms-length from her, "Promise mommy, you will always remember that, darling. Promise me."

The little girl's eyes widened as she nodded enthusiastically, "I promise!"

Baia smiled, "Good." She scooped up her little girl in her arms and held her close. The tears that had been gathering in her eyes, now spilling out. Baia laid her daughter down in her large bed. She clapped her hands twice, causing the flower in the ceiling that was emitting light to close.

"Mommy, are you crying?" The girl asked, concerned for her mother.

"No, mommy isn't crying." Baia lied. Her daughter didn't need to see her like this. Before her child could start asking too many questions, Baia turned around and started walking out of the room. She refused to turn around and look at her child out of fear that she would change her mind.

Before she could shut the door behind her, the little girl said, "Goodnight mommy, see you in the morning."

Baia stood stiff in the doorway; she could see her husband not far down the hall from where she stood. He nodded at her reassuringly as she wiped her tears. Baia turned around to look at her daughter one last time, "Goodnight, Alice." Then, she shut the door for the last time.