White Rabbit Trials

Three

Three

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” He started, giving a charming smile. Alice stared her mouth agape at the Fae sitting across from her. He was dressed in a royal guard armor, the black and red complimenting his dark skin. Alice wasn’t sure what to say, Sherry had been right, there was a Fae in Spade. “Cat got your tongue?” He joked, his eyes held the emotion of playful mischief in them. 

“That’s-” she started, but stopped herself. She couldn’t speak to this man, at least not for long. It put her in danger, a heartless was here and was helping sell at the market. She swallowed her food, before taking the rest, prepared to dump it and leave. As she was about to raise herself, she felt something tug at her leg, forcing her back into her seat. 

“Little bit rude to just leave, don’t you think?” The Fae joked, but she could tell he wasn’t happy about her move just then.

“I simply, I-Well.” She was tongue-tied. “I didn’t mean to be disrespectful, I do mean that. I just couldn’t believe that a-a- uhm-”

“Faerie?” He finished for her.

“Yes, a Faerie would talk to me, a poor farmer’s daughter. Such a presence is nothing but a blessing to me, but my presence is nothing but an insult to you.” She tried to convince, unsure whether it was more so for him, or herself. A playful smile graced his features, Alice felt her heart start and felt something compel her to want to touch this mans face, but she withheld herself, not wishing to be exposed, nor punished.

He stared at Alice for an unknown amount of time, and Alice was sure that others were looking at their table, curiously wondering what a royal guard, a Faerie royal guard no less was doing with her. He suddenly spoke up, “It is no insult, especially when in the presence of beauty such as yourself. I became curious about you, seeing you sit here alone. You look quite different from the others.” Alice felt her heart not only speed up but fall at his words. A mixture of fear and happiness confusing her psyche. She tried her best to fight off the blush that threatened to grave her cheeks. 

“Thank you, for such kind words.” She said, having to look away from his knowing red eyes. 

“Of course,” Alice wanted to run, something about this man smelled of danger, and all her senses felt clogged just by him sitting there, “So what brings you here to the market-” He said, before giving a slightly surprised face, “Your name, I never did get your name now did I?”

“Don’t give it to him, do not give him any information about yourself, he is plotting something, he must be!” A voice inside Alice’s head screamed at her, warning her of this man. Yet another voice inside of her, one much more kind and alluring whispered to her, “Tell him, he won’t endanger us, we should trust him.” 

“Alice.” She whispered before she slapped a hand to her mouth. She didn’t know why she had said it, she was going to lie to him, but she couldn’t, her body rejected that feeling. 

“A beautiful name, truly. Azira, nice to meet you.” He reached his hand out to her, almost baiting her to touch him. Alice was able to stop her body this time from trying to reach out and touch him, knowing he would know instantly she was a Heartless. 

“Nice to meet you too Azira, but I must go now, I have work to do.” She mumbled, before scurrying back off to her booth. As she rushed away, she could feel his eyes on her. 

She stumbled back behind their booths counter, Sherry catching Alice before she fell. “Woah, slow down there, what happened? You’re back earlier than expected.” Sherry asked. 

“I met the Fae, I met him, Sherry,” Alice said, sure that there was sweat dripping down her horrified face. Sherrys’ eyes became as wide as saucers, excitement flashed through them, but then fear did too. “I was eating, then he came up, we didn’t talk much, but- I am sure he used his powers on me, something of that sort, he just-” Alice was running out of breath, her body shaking from the encounter. 

“Calm down, nothin’ is gonna happen,” Sherry said, hugging Alice to calm her down, “The Fae was prolly curious about you, they usually are. You know how they are, they can’t ever look away from beautiful things. Even if you’re human.” Sherry was trying to reason, but Alice felt there was something more to it. That warning voice inside her head screamed at her to be careful of him. “Let’s just finish up today, ‘kay cous’?” Alice nodded, and did her best to put a smile back onto her face. 

*****************************************************************************

It had been days since the encounter at the market, but Alice was haunted by dreams of Azira. She would find herself waking up in a cold sweat, and the only things she could remember were his crimson eyes. He hadn’t sought her out, nor did she hear of him again. Only Sherry knew about the encounter, and Alice was thankful Sherry kept quiet, not wanting to bring up something that, while it was such a small thing to most, instilled a deep sense of dread in Alice. 

Alice sighed, pushing her silver locks back, and pushing herself out of her rickety bed. She just needed to forget it, and should just pretend it never happened, yet she wasn’t sure why she couldn’t. Something inside her told her to be on guard, not letting her forget about it. As Alice exited her room, entering into the kitchen, she gave a bright smile towards her family, “Morning.” She yawned. 

“Morning Love.” Aunt Viv said, but her face did not show sight of happiness, instead, it looked worried. 

“Something wrong?” Alice asked, taking a seat next to Peri. She looked over at Peri, to see his face buried in his hands, looking as though he were praying. In fact, everyone at the table looked grim, something wasn’t right. “What’s going on?”

Sherry nodded her head towards a single red envelope with gold decoration on it, with an ink stamp to close it. 

An imperial letter.

Alice now understood and felt her whole body become cold at once. No one opened it, and Alice was sure none of them wanted to. She didn’t want to. An imperial letter to a small house like this? Never a good sign. The air felt stagnant, and it was deathly quiet. 

“We have to open it.” Uncle Tom said, looking at the floor with his arms crossed. “Delaying opening it ain’t gonna help any o’ us. They sent a letter for a reason, and we need to find out why.” His harsh truth made Alice bite her lip. 

“It’s him, he’s sent for us, I know it.” The warning voice said, fearful and angry. “We need to escape now, or we will die!” Alice tried blocking the voice out of her head and breathed a breath she didn’t know she was holding. 

“Yes, we should open it,” Aunt Viv agreed, but her hand never made a move towards the envelope. 

No one did, everyone continued to stare at it like it was some sort of alien that was going to invade. Everyone remained still, unable to do anything. “I’m gonna do it then, I’m gonna open it,” Peri said, snatching the letter and ripping the stamp off. “We can’t hide from whatever they want, they’re just gonna take it.” His hands were shaking. He swallowed the lump in his throat, as he pulled out a creamy white piece of paper. 

Everyone stared at him, at the paper, wanting to know what he was reading, but also too afraid to find out. His eyes scanned the page, and as he did, tears welled up in his eyes, and he slammed the paper down and put a hand over his mouth. Muffling his sobs. Uncle Tom didn’t wait, he pulled the piece of paper off the table and read it himself. He looked shocked and hurt, as his eyes flashed up to Alice. He blinked continuously, trying to stop the tears from coming, as he handed Alice the paper. 

Alice looked down to read:

Dear Whites’,

We are pleased to inform you that one of your daughters has been chosen to participate in the White Rabbit Trials! Your daughter, Alice White, has shown tremendous beauty, kindness, intelligence and bravery, all qualities that are fit to be in our Trials for the next selection of Queen.

Alice had to stop reading for a second, feeling the need to vomit. Kindness? Intelligence and bravery? Alice barely ever left the farm, when could she have made a show of any of those things? And Queen selection? Why were they looking for a new Queen? Alice’s lips trembled as she continued to read, 

She will compete against twenty-five other selected individuals for the right to become princess and fiance to the Country of Hearts’ very own Red Prince. 

Within a week she will be picked up and brought to the palace to be introduced and entered in the Trials. 

Best Wishes,

Royal Family

“No..” She said, her whole body shaking with fear, “NO!” She fell back in her chair, her body slamming to the floor, as she backed away from the letter as though it had burned her. She pushed herself against the wall, trying to push away some more, but there was nowhere for her to go. She was going to be entered in the White Rabbit Trials. 

The most dangerous trials ever made in the Country of Hearts. A trial that was made to find the best of the best, usually for Faeries, this was a way for them to show off. For a family member of them to be selected was a great honor, but for a family member of a human to be selected? It was a death wish. It was made to entertain those who stood above them, to make sure humans knew their place. The trials always changed, but there was no denying the one thing that never did change. Only one person ever came back and stood victorious, while the rest who entered were never seen again. 

Now Alice was going to become one of those missing people.