Chapter 1 :White Bunnies, Banquets and Mirrors 

September 2010

When I was a little girl. I used to gaze at the large mirror on my small tippy toes because I was curious. It was a weathered ,Victorian and gold and in a heavy frame that hung at the end of our beige-coloured corridor.

Long ago, my parent's, now deceased. In a memory, well the only one I had, they didn't have a face or their face was blurred. I somewhat pictured them as tall, thin and deeply tanned that contrasted to my pale ones but their faces looked like distorted reflections,or they lacked a face or it shimmered.But to me they didn't feel real at all.

The two odd figures stood behind me with–crooked smiles,a man and his wife—I think,stood high and proud with spread feet and hands clasped tightly behind their backs.I whirled to them with my lips curled as I placed my feet down and at the age of seven.I didn't see or notice their weirdness.

"Mom,"I said.

"Yes,"She replied with a fake voice.It was robotic and seemed to glitch.

"Why is the mirror so odd? It looks so sad and grey."I pointed out.I was right.It had a grey surface but it didn't reflect everything.

"You'll see."She chirped with a sneer.

That was my last memory I had before they died but even before they didn't feel real.I felt disconnected from everything.I felt like I felt nothing.I felt like a ghost who observed yet nothing clicked.A shell who watched.According to the doctors,it was the trauma or something else.I was eight but they scared me.

Alice was seven when she fell down the rabbit hole after she chased the White Rabbit but since her disappearance,the hole was sealed to prevent any—intrustons.It was then replaced by mirrors.

I am not related to her or a descendant.

I am fae of light ,of purity and of good but I am odd.I have wings,feathered white wings.

***

I took a deep breath and stood in front of the large,grey mirror.Even the platform boots I wore couldn't help me reach its full height but I couldn't.I glanced over my shoulder over my shoulder and took another deep breathe as my bubble braids swayed.I was alone on this hallway which seemed to stretch for miles.It was dark and foreboding.It been this way for the last eight years.I placed my palm on the cold,hard surface.Squeezing my eyes shut.I could picture it .Wonderland.My intention.To do my duty.To visit.I slowly opened my eyes. The mirror swirled like liquid mercury and formed a portal.The mirror lowered itself as a familiar picture formed.A bright white sky ,no clouds and the black-and-white checkerboard plateau that stretched into the horizon.I stretched out my hands as the cold liquid seemed to be draw it me as it wrapped around it.I took another deep breath then went head first into the mirror.It wrapped around me like a comforting hug.

Using an eighteenth century or nineteenth mirror is a must but it must be assigned to you.A modern,stylish mirror would never work.It's need to be old and vintage and connected to the past.

As I walked through the bridge between the Aboveground and Underland ,my features began to flicker.I had done this a hundred times and will do it a hundred more.My platform boots turned grey,strapped and shiny.The tight jeans I wore expanded into a lacy white skirt and my long purple sleeves become short,white and puffy.The dark brown locks of my hair paled ,till it was as white as snow and my skin ivory skin turned paler.The chestnut iris glowed into an electric blue.A black leather bodice formed around my waist and a layer of thick fabric ,black and white checkerboard outer of my gown ended above my knees.Icy tendrils burst out of my bare shoulder blades and sprouted into large feathery wings.

I stepped through another mirror but this time,I was in Underland,an entire world beneath ours.My heavy wings draped behind me like a cape as my reflections blurred past dozens of mirrors.

I was in the Underland version of my corridor,it was a light cream shade but an endless amount of mirrors,all varied in shape,colour and size but weirdly my own was the biggest and the oldest.It was placed at the end of the corridor.

Brooks,people like like me are descendents of the fae folk and other nightmarish creatures that thrived in Underland and Wanderers as the name suggest are humans who were as curious as little Alice who wondered here by accident and acquired a fae form due to their bizarre imagination and a bit of craziness and hated truth and logic.Thier forms were either created for them or of a dead fae.

My heels clicked as my skirts dragged on the marble floor of the narrow hallway and it branched into another endless void of rotating walls and mirrors that shimmered.Then I went straight through till I encountered another mirror.

I slipped a hand though it as bumps raised on my skin due to the prickled cold.I connected into another hallway and floor-to-ceiling windows.The cremish rays of sunlight filtered through the off-white sky as the garden of ice glistened the lacy,delicate leaves and the winding,thin glassy trunks.It's beige sun smiled from the windows and the air was chilled but it didn't bother Winter fae.Humans,monster and fae that worked in mansion bowed and greeted me as I passed by.A man with spotted tanned skin ,toad-like face and round as a ball croaked excited questions about the Aboveground.

A nymph with small beady eyes ,leafy brown afro that made her lanky with clawed autumn coloured skin was dressed in a maid outfit.She grinned,clapped happily as her beady black eyes lit up with awe and wonder and inquired me about my studies—and my non-existent relationships and life.I answered politely and asked further about White Court games,gossips and latest executions.Her eyes lit up about the executions and the latest chess game.I bowed in thanks,stood on my tippy toes and lifted my skirts.I raced down the hallway and waved at both Mr Toad and Ms Nymph and bolted passed the hallway that was lined with odd portraits of men who looked like fabled demons and animals.

Their painted eyes seemed to follow me or blink with their eyes or multiple eyes.It felt intrusive as I bolted on the soft carpeted ground made of the softest silk and felt like a creek under the metal soles of my boots.I ducked,spun and leaped as maids,butlers and servants with either pointed ears,animal ears or brightly coloured hair passed me frantically as I whirled around in evident confusion.The maids hurried around with a wave,a bow or a smile and greeted as they swept from top to bottom.One particular portrait caught my eye,I stalked closer as more people trickled in a frenzy with raised brows and a dozen questions.I gawked.It was a painting that dated from the early sixteenth century and instead of a man it was an obsidian-skinned creature,with eight beady black eyes ,hairless with twin horns that twisted from his temple.The sides of the hallway were decorated with tables with expensive vases ,mirrors and portraits of a great Victorian mansion.The carpet beneath was decorated with flowers and dancing birds.

As I went down some circular marble steps continued a dozen of so maids,servants and butlers to go out and about the large marbled floor.Sweet smelling food diffused from the kitchens of the north wing and there others eagerly mopped and scrubbed the statues of horrified humans.I couldn't help but smile at their contorted faces as they continuously froze in mid-beg.I ducked ,sidestepped and apologised as they glared or cursed at me as they muttered impolite and rude things about incompetent children and curiosity.I balled my fist and sneered as I swivelled my head left and right as I tried hard to remember what could be going on.

Was there an event I wasn't told about?A party?A banquet or another day at the Winter Court.

Every year or so,we had a banquet ,a party or a ball but I had never seen so many nervous and annoyed maids.As if to answer my question.Something tugged at the hem of my skirt.Twice.I looked left and right.

"Ahem,"a squeaky voice said from below me.It was a worker elf.It was short,spindly with fox ears,beady black eyes and pointed nose but in my opinion ,it had looked like a desert fox that stood on two legs.It had furry,orange skin and was dressed in a black waistcoat with a pair of tiny white gloves.

"How do you do ,sir ?"I greeted with a smile.He placed his hairy arms on his wrist as his fluffy orange tail swished with impatience.

"Alice—my ladyship.I daresay you should retire to your chambers or have a stroll.I know you're curious about this but ,dearie you are not of age.Can't you see you are disturbing us.Excuse me,it is preparation for the party of Red Flower and theWhite Beetle but you aren't invited."He stated.

I placed my palm on my chest as daggers were sent my way and curious portraits eyes seemed to contort.I apologised as silver crept on my neck and cheeks.I picked my flowing skirts and bowed and went out of the lobby in a flash of wings.Immediately ,the sun's rays showered on me as I appeared on the mansion's courtyard.Beneath my feet was a blanket of snow that crunched as some gardeners ,two green skinned men wavered their leafy fingers and the snipped the snowflake shaped flowers while some pixies ,about four or five ,small and aggressive little things dressed in robes and played a concerning game of biting each other.They circled and flew above me as I approached.They stopped ,some nodded in formality and others smiled that lit up their beady black eyes and spiny bodies.

"Where do you want to go?"One asked in their squeaky,high-pitched voice too low for a human to hear.

"A walk."I muttered as they scouted the perimeter and ringed around me with keen eyes.The bald one darted into the air as my eyes darted to the white walls that curved as flakes of snow showered on me.A sad,heavy sigh escapes my lips.The wall enclosed me in and felt like a songbird trapped in a cage.The pixies frowned noticing my want ,one of the pixies frowned ,a boy with spinny teeth burrows into my strands as I resisted the urge to giggle and another ,a girl less lenient flew over and warned me with a hiss,"Do not follow the temptation ,Alice.You aren't safe.This world is a dangerous and unsafe especially for you."I turned my head and frowned then I nodded grumpy,smoothed the wrinkles of my gown and sighed.

When I was seven,I was allowed to leave and came as I pleased but after my parents death I was watched,prohibited from leaving the mansion unless for court business and demands and all my childhood memories outside the walls were erased, even the accident.

"It's for your own good,Alice.''The Rabbit man said with furrowed brows on his wrinkly,pink folds of skin frowned as he pulled the cigar from his lips producing a string of smoke. "It is better that way,Alice.Trust me."He sighed then tapped my small head as I stared at him wide eyed as a long agonising scream tore from my throat and everything blacked out.Any seven year old should be scared of the Easter Bunny but I wasn't.

I blinked back tears as I hastily wiped them.They mustn't know that I was slowly regaining memories, just fragments, not the whole story.They chipped and collided with one another.I whirled as my wings spread wide in an array of feather as it unflured to its glory then I flapped and a huge gust of wind which sent everyone sideways with the trees bent over.The gardeners still sniped and whistled unbothered my outburst.

"Please,"I asked ,my voice soft and pleading as the wind howled over the land as I clenched and unclenched my fist.The trees sang in the air and the grass danced,"have you seen White?"

The pixies looked away dismissively as they looked among themselves and replied but they glared at one another lost in a secret argument.

"Yes,"the middle one said ,their voice loud and high pitched ,flapping their lacy wings as the others glared at them.He looked at the others with a gulp as they flapped and slapped him in the bald head."He might be busy—working.I mean at the bunny sanctuary."They corrected .I nodded and bolted away before they can retaliate with a another powerful flap.With long wings that propelled me over the terraformed giant snowflakes garden as wisps of clouds obscured my vision.

I descended down and appeared at the dark blue and gold structure that was surrounded by dozens of squirming ,tiny white bunnies like a layer of carpet.As they swarmed like maggots beneath my feet ,I couldn't help as my lips curved and a blush crept on my cheeks.

So cute.

I looked around,shielding my eyes from the harsh light as I scouted for a familiar person.Sat on a boulder in a middle of a squelching storm was a rabbit,it was taller ,way taller on its hind legs eating a giant carrot but it lacked White's intelligence.It didn't twitch its nose to the sun,large feet ,read the newspaper or hurriedly read a scroll with squinty eyes.It didn't have his glassy blue antlers ,spiny teeth or his pinkish eyes and red pupil.

My eyes scanned the grass as the sun seemed to shine colder,harsher white rays of light.All the bunnies who ate eyes me like active piranhas as they crawled,ate and squirting on each other.

I placed my hands on my knees ,knelt and darted my eyes at the sea of wiggling bunnies.At a glance,they were cute and cuddly but as the Veil melts away.It exposes how gruesome they truly are.Some looked like bunny sized maggots with spiny teeth,some lacked a specific limb or had multiple ones.One had a dozen beady eyes and another had two pairs of antlers or horns curled up from where its ears where supposed to be.One didn't have any paws so it crawled like a centipede and was divided into segments.But I didn't care,they were cute .I gushed as one of the eyeless fuzzy bunny bared its fangs at me then did a little summersault then sneezed.My heart swelled in my chest and exploded with joy.They crawled on the glass leaving slime to eat cabbages,carrots that pointed and grass to eat or to forced swallow each other or mate.Some of them had their bones poking out of their half rotten flesh like zombies or even ghouls. One had its skull exposed with chucks of rotten flesh and another had its spine poking out.

I called out White's name again but it did not prevail.The wind howled as my hair got covered in flakes of snow and the bunnies were covered in a layer of ice that looked like icing sugar.I sighed ,crossed my arms then paced around.Ignoring, one determined bunny that tugged on the hem of my dress and nibbled on it.It continued to chew on my dress as I winced but anyway they were harmless or I think they were? Two of the bunnies seemed to be in a weird mating ritual almost similar to humans that made loud squelching noises.I wrapped my hands around myself and beamed unbothered by the bitter chill of the cold as the flakes of ice sprinkled on me.

So cute.

I sank onto the ground as my gown pooled around and the white blades of grass kissed my skin and the sun's rays reflected on me and caused my hair to glow.Then another bunny or maybe the same one seemed to pierce its teeth hard on my foot.I dragged my heeled shoes away and stared at the punctured marks on the metal sole.It pressed on harder.I scooped the bunny,placed it on my palms and stroked its fur as it struggled on my grip as a small smile formed on my face.i grabbed it by the scruff as it kicked its small paws and hissed in between its sharp teeth.

That's White.but he's so small and cuddly but vicious.

"White?"I asked,"It's that you?If so,why are you in the form of a bunny?You look kinda odd."I pointed out as he stared at me with widened red eyes and pink slitted pupils.I grabbed him by the neck as he kicked and swiped his tiny paws in between hisses. "Aw so cute."I added as my cheeks turned silver.White was in the form of a bunny surrounded by his offspring .He was fierce but cute.And furious.He bumped on my foot to get my attention.

"Hi ,Mr White."I waved at his furry form as I smiled so hard as I cradled him.He tapped his paws,wiped his face and twitched his nose.

He stared at me then blinked."Hello,Alice."He responded,his voice oddly deep and sultry with a posh British accent and scroweled.he sounded like a very angry parent but with the body of a child.Then I proceeded to ask him a question–the same old one since I turned thirteen..Digging my pale long fingers around his furry bottom as I lowered myself to his level and stared at him.He cocked his head.

"Can't I go to the Red Beetle and the White Flower?'I asked with a pout.

"No,"He snapped automatically as I pressed my fingers to the folds of his neck then applied pressure on it as anger boiled my veins and my excited smile evaporated.I frowned.How dare he? "Why not? They dedicated the party in my name."I argued.

This bunny was odd and superfluous.He was dressed in a dark blue waistcoat and attached to it was a little gold pocket watch.

"You can't go."He argued."You aren't ready to go.You are young."

"Young,"I echoed ,angry and pointed towards his chest."I am a hundred and six years old.Sixteen in human years ,but hey ,who's counting."I retorted ,face hot with anger."And how dare you ?I for one had been beheaded fes too but are you chose to ignore that too."

He averted his gaze,crossed his stubby paws and snorted."Thought so."

"No,Alice."He defended ,unmoving as a boulder in a storm.His obsidian eyes showed my reflection in his own."I know you.You cant go.And thats final.You haven't truly seen how viscous fae could truly be.You haven't.You would regret everything once she really she them."He warned ,his voice stern and paw at my chest.The air felt charged with electricity and everything was muffled."Now heed my warning ,young one."

I gritted my teeth and recoiled,pained and annoyed by his dramatic demeanour."Why sound so dramatic ?You don't even let me explore Underland.How could I be a proper noble if I don't really know everything around here works ?"

He let out a great sigh ,snorted and shook his head."Oh,Alice.When would you understand."He shuffled his feet ,leaned a bit and ran his paws to his face."Can't you see I'm trying to protect you."He responded,voice soft with eyes glossy and sincere.

"No,I dont understand.You never allow me to explore Wonderland.How could I become a good Noble if I don't know how Wonderland really works ?You don't even let me look beyond the wall.I know about the Courts and the White Boundary.That's it."I scoffed."Young,innocent.I've killed people.For fun.And little Alice herself explored."

He bared his teeth and hissed,"Yes,she did.And wreak havoc."

"Yes,but she saved you and caused havoc."I retorted with a smile.

He rolled and fell onto my palms.A giggle escaped as his wiggling mass squirmed.He was so fluffy and soft.

He sighed then stood on his small,hind legs ,he wobbled a bit and placed his paw on my nose –he squeezed it ,hard.I winced as I pulled him away.

"Ouch."

"Yes,I miss her but all good things must come to an end but at least she was intelligent,unlike you."He snapped his jaw.He smiled when he saw me recoil and rubbed my nose.

"Damn ,that's harsh."I replied ,pained by his tone.Who knew a small bunny could be this rude ?"And what was that for ?"

"It was a punishment for wasting my time and ignoring me." His tone was calm as he snuggled on my palms.He sneered,"And I thought my answer was evident."

A sad, heavy sigh escaped my lips as the faeries circled above my head as I fixed White's waistcoat and tickled his nose.I huffed ,"Why wouldn't I ?I'm locked the same as the Aboveground.Im trapped like a bird in a cage ,Hells even the birds are free.Im restricted and locked in our mansion.I cant socialise and leave.You practically homeschooled me for five years.Five.Freaking.Years.Before you allowed me to attend school.Now ,everyone I know thinks I'm conceited or stuck up.Even a heiress or something.They even kiss my ass or they think I'm a brat."

He shook his head and huffed in impatience then tapped his paws, "I removed you from school because you were strange. You still are. As a child, you were fascinated by disasters and others were concerned. It's for your own good though. All the courts, Seelie and Unseelie and the creatures of Underland want you dead, the Reds too. "He muttered with beady eyes.