92Chapter Nine ~
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The aroma and flavor of coffee is stuck in Sonata's nose and mouth. It's bitter, unpleasant. Julius preferred his coffee pure, untouched from sugar and creamer. She's used to sweetening the caffeinated drink, and he'll occasionally let her add some sugar to it (and on that one occasion, vanilla syrup), but other than that, she found herself drinking coffee black when with the Clockmaker.
It's bitter, hard to choke down.
The taste stays, lingering and clutching to her sense of taste and smell as she walks around the Heart Castle's rose hedges. The scent of the roses is weak against the smell of coffee, and it leaves her feeling sad. Just a little. They're beautiful, a vibrant red color. Definitely worthy for a Queen.
Speaking of a Queen…
Sonata felt her fingers shake in nervousness. And not from the caffeine.
"Ahh, I don't really want to go."
The last time Sonata went, well… It was just weird. Her hand reaches up and touches the back of her neck. She could almost remember the odd wet feeling Vivaldi left on her. Thinking about it, it couldn't be a kiss. Sonata's pretty sure the Queen's lipstick would smear onto the skin.
That just makes Sonata feel bad for running.
"A kiss, huh…" Sonata mumbled to herself. If it actually had been a kiss… She shook her head, feeling her face grow red.
Ahhh.
Thinking about that type of affection gets Sonata so embarrassed. She laughed nervously, pressing a thumb against her temple, slightly grinding her finger against it. Great, now she's getting all weird.
I wanna go home.
"What's this about a kiss, my love?!"
Sonata screamed.
Peter darted out from one of the walkways of the garden, looking really terrifying. He's out for blood. Literally. Peter marched right up to Sonata's heaving self, grabbing her shoulders ever so gently, before looking her right in the eye.
"Did someone kiss you, my turtle dove?! Tell me right away, please!"
"Wha - no - where did you come from?!" Sonata's face is a deep red from being heard. Was she that loud? Maybe talking aloud like some stupid female protagonist isn't the smartest idea. Big mistake. Hopefully the topic right now will change.
Peter gave a sweet smile, "Your love called for me, and I answered!"
Sonata is absolutely positive that he looked out a window and saw her lost in the gardens.
Why is this happening to me?
It's Sonata's fault for how everything turned out. Procrastinating in meeting with Vivaldi led to this guy with rabbit ears nearly hanging onto her. Today sucks. She sighs as she turns her head away, the sight of Peter's happy face and bouncing ears almost sucked all of her energy away, and the day has barely started.
"Have you come to see me? I'm very touched! It's been quite a while since the last time you came, and that old bloody hag occupied most of your visit. Especially when you simply ran away from, ah," Peter's eyes blinked in realization and curiosity, and his gloved fingers reached up, guiding Sonata's head to face him, "what on earth did her majesty do to you? You were saying such strange things. I'd hate to jump to conclusions, but did she -."
"NOPE!" Sonata screamed with a nervous smile, almost making Peter freeze as his ears trembled. Too loud? Good. "As a matter of fact, I DID come visit you!"
I'm going to regret this.
"I was working a lot of shifts, so I could quickly get a day off and come visit you. Here I am. Occupy my time and whatever fancy word you use."
"...ah," Peter shook his rabbit ears, trying to get over the ringing, "you certainly love to be loud."
"It's my joooooob," Sonata says with a somewhat high octave in her voice, grabbing his hand and leading him further into the rose maze. She'll be honest, she really doesn't know where she's going, but she hopes she can tire him out enough to leave him behind and go home. She can always visit Vivaldi some other time.
She'd rather put up with hundreds and hundreds of soldiers marching to come get her from the Amusement Park than dealing with Peter for one entire day. It wouldn't be the first time those soldier guys escorted her straight to the Queen of Hearts. She would prefer it as long as they don't treat her roughly.
Sonata's brought out from her thoughts as Peter begins to tug her in a different direction. "Over here, my love. There's a bench we may sit on."
"Not rhyming, Peter?" Sonata hummed at him with an amused look, allowing him to dutifully guide her through the rose garden where a bench sat. It's a red rose steel garden bench.
Peter is quick to wipe the bench seat with some kind of wet wipe before wiping it down again with a cloth, put those two in some kind of plastic bag to tuck it away in his coat pocket, and beckoned Sonata to take a seat with him.
"You've noticed, my dear turtle dove?" Peter looked very happy as Sonata sat down next to him. She didn't know if he's very happy that she willingly sat next to him, or that she's actually taken notice of his speech pattern habits. "To think that you'd pay attention, oh our love has transcended into the sky above…"
"That was a stretch."
"Rhyming constantly is quite difficult, my dear."
A laugh escapes Sonata before she leans against the back of the bench. Peter looked at her with that adoring gaze, ears slightly twitching in what she assumed was anticipation and excitement.
Sonata nearly forgot that this guy is both my stalker and my kidnapper, and she's just sitting here chilling with him.
"May I ask how you're faring so far in Wonderland?" Peter caught her off guard with starting up a conversation. Sonata was still internally struggling with deciding if she still hated him or not, since being here...hasn't been horrible. Actually…
"I should hate you for bringing me here," Sonata admitted to him, feeling very annoyed with him, but as soon as that feeling came it just disappeared, "but I'm not. Anymore, I guess. Wonderland has been a whole lot of fun, really. I like it here."
Sonata leaned an arm onto the bench armrest. She rested her chin on it, glancing at Peter with this cheeky smile, "so I guess you're safe."
"It makes my clock swell with glee that you've taken a liking to this world. Now only if you could just leave the filthy Amusement Park and live here," Peter sighs, looking very troubled. "It would be better for the both of us, really. Our love can develop even more - "
"Oh, exuuuuuse me! Filthy? We clean up quite often, you know!" Sonata argues, a little miffed.
The staff tries hard every time period to tell the patrons to clean up after themselves. Despite all the efforts, the park still needs to have a whole team of people to walk around with trash bags to pick up all the junk and garbage that still litter the place.
"And besides, you just wiped down this bench. Are the maids and cleaners here slacking?" Sonata interjects, glaring at him.
"Heavens! If they were, I'd shoot them in the head on the spot."
Sonata was unaware of how serious he was, and laughed it off, "so you just cleaned it in case they didn't?"
"You can never be too careful, my dear lullaby." Peter gave Sonata a smile as he reached to grab her hand. Sonata didn't get to pull away in time, and ended up feeling this odd warmth in her hand as he gave this gentle squeeze. "The maids could have missed this bench when they came out to scrub them all."
"There are benches all over the garden maze?" Sonata is trying to pull her hand from his, but he has a remarkably good grip.
"The Queen had them put in when her feet hurt during her daily walks and there were no place to sit down. Sometimes she would have her soldiers get on their hands and knees and sit on their backs when she needed rest," Peter explained with distaste, "she is quite a tyrant."
"No, she's an inspiration," Sonata joked. Wow, she didn't think Vivaldi was that much of a savage woman. Sonata thinks she's a little happy she's taking a rain check on visiting her. Who knows what she'll want Sonata to do, since she's a Queen and nobody can deny a Queen of what she wants in her own castle without getting an execution.
Did Sonata mention Vivaldi was probably going to execute her before she found out she was an outsider when they first met?
Dang.
"Do you want to have some tea, Sonata? The Queen recently acquired this interesting blend of tea that contains bergamot, raspberry, and earl grey. The taste is quite delicious. I also have some sweets we can have with them," Peter gave Sonata's hand a delicate squeeze, giving her this sweet smile. "You're on your day off, as you said earlier? Then I want to spend the entire rest of your free time together, as a couple should."
"Whoa, whoa, you skipped like a million steps," Sonata finally slipped her hand from his own, looking at him strangely.
"You're adorable when you're shy, my turtle dove," Peter delightfully hums as he reaches for Sonata's hand again, guiding her back into the maze.
His ears are bouncing on top of his head in joy as he's chatting about all the sweets the bakers of the castle could make for their private tea party. As much as Sonata would like some sweets, she'd rather go home and be in bed.
Any plans to escape were thrown into the trash when every time Sonata tried to slip her hand away from him, Peter just grabbed ahold of her hand even tighter. Sonata couldn't get away, and she's this close to just kicking him in the crotch area when his ears twitch and his eyes narrow. Sonata could feel her heart begin to race. Did he read her mind or something?
Peter stops walking and releases his hold on Sonata's hand, turning around and grabbing her shoulders, "my mistake. Let's go a different way."
"What's wrong with going that way?" Sonata asked, confused, as she's glancing up at him as he's turning her around and gently pushing her forward. She couldn't help but glance back, seeing two Heart Soldiers hurrying around the corner. "Peter, what's going on?"
"Prime Minister White, the Queen of Hearts is requesting your presence immediately," the Heart soldier announces, though the hand that holds the spear was trembling. Was he afraid? Of Peter? For what?
Peter stopped, his hands remaining on Sonata's shoulders. "Tell her I'm busy with something that requires all of my attention. I have no desire to deal with whatever she needs at the moment."
"But my lord, her majesty is -!" The Heart soldier began when Peter reached for his pocket watch.
"So you say you won't relay my message…?" Peter asked coldly as his fingers gripped the pocket watch. It's when he tugs it away from his pant loop that the color disappears from the guards faceless faces.
There's a flash of white, and Sonata's eyes widen at what the pocket watch had turned into. Without a second thought, her hand reached out and gripped that very wrist connected to the hand that held that weapon.
"Run, Peter!" Sonata had to pry herself out from the other hand of his that was still gripping her shoulder, tugging Peter to run with her down the path. The faceless soldiers called out to them in sudden shock, looking relieved and terrified, as the two dashed around the corner.
Sonata could hear Peter's footsteps following after her, his tense wrist, and those red eyes that bore into the back of her head. Sonata's own eyes glance towards his silver gun.
For a moment, she felt afraid, but she also knew he wouldn't hurt her. Maybe...not yet.
Sonata lost track of how long they ran, but they did not stop running until they were at the end of the maze, to the path that lead right towards the Castle of Hearts. They beat the Heart soldiers, surprisingly. The soldiers were probably still running around in the huge maze looking for them. Thinking about it, it distracted Sonata with humor until she caught a flash of light in the corner of her eye. That gun had returned into a pocket watch and was placed back to the chain dangling from Peter's pant loop.
"My goodness, my dear, you're full of surprises," Peter smiles gently as he latches the hook onto the hoop of the pocket watch before looking to Sonata. She hesitantly glanced back to meet his gaze. "We didn't have to run from them, I would have been happy to get rid of them -"
Sonata nearly snapped at his words, almost snatching her hand away from his wrist in fright.
"So you were going to shoot them?!" Sonata's heart is racing, hearing that from him. Shooting down his own employers? That's not legal here, is it? "I saw the gun, Peter. You were...going to...shoot them."
"Yes, I was." Peter had answered as if it was a simple question Sonata had confronted him with.
Sonata felt stupid.
The first time she arrived in Wonderland, she experienced her first shoot out. No one was hurt, but those bullets were real. It was hard to get used to living here whenever a bullet was shot.
She forgot that gun violence is normal here.
Sonata felt cold and afraid, and all she wanted to do was run. Peter was staring at her the entire time she was quiet. His eyes almost glowed, as if what Sonata had responded in body language is exactly what he wanted.
"Ah...just like her…"
Sonata's body twitched.
Her.
Peter had this serene smile on his face. It was as if everything was right in this world for him. Just exactly what he had wanted. There's this pain in Sonata's chest and in her head that is making her remember that whatever he meant by, her… it was not alright with Sonata.
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I'm not replacing anyone. I'm not replacing whoever this girl is.
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"We had been wondering what all this yelling was about."
Peter's serene expression shifted into annoyance as he looked past Sonata, glaring at whoever had come in uninvited. Sonata turned around, seeing Vivaldi standing atop the stairs leading to the castle with two maids in tow. Sonata's heart is racing, seeing the stone cold facial expression on Vivaldi's beautiful face. Her hand reaches to rest on her chest, and through her shirt, she could feel her heartbeat reverberating atop her skin. A rhythm responding to fear.
"Leave Us with the girl, White. You've done enough damage. We have a nice pile of work left in your office for causing such a panic to Our unanticipated guest," Vivaldi smirked as she began to make her way down the steps with the maids hurrying after her. It's then that Sonata noticed that they were holding picnic baskets.
"I wouldn't dream of leaving her with you. We were just about to go inside and have a tea party with just us. I'm afraid three's a crowd, your majesty," Peter glared as he reaches around and places his hand on Sonata's waist. Sonata almost flinched at his sudden touch.
"What insolence! You have already used up Our patience this time period, White. I ought to chop your head off for such rudeness," Vivaldi snapped as they began to glare at each other in hatred. This little fight of theirs is not nearly enough for Sonata to forget that she almost witnessed a shooting.
Sonata's throat grows dry, thinking about whether or not all of Wonderland was the same.
The dimming voices of Peter and Vivaldi angrily yelling at each other in a useless argument, Sonata felt herself suffocating with this dry throat. It's hard to swallow, just as it was difficult to process this new information she was thrusted with. She couldn't breathe, either.
Sonata's eyes narrow at the Queen and Prime Minister, and her patience has run thin. If she's going to have to put up with this, then first she wants that tea that keeps getting promised.
"I'm thirsty," Sonata finally said, and that was apparently more than enough to cause the two to stop their quarreling. She found herself being snatched away from Peter and into Vivaldi's arms.
"Your spoiled behavior is adorable! Come, We shall have you drink the finest rosehip tea we brought for today's tea party," Vivaldi cooed as she pressed her cheek against Sonata's. Her skin is smooth and cold, compared to Sonata's squishy and hot skin. "It will calm your nerves."
So she knows...
"Return her to me, My Queen! I was spending the day time period with her!" Peter scowled as he's reaching for his pocket watch. Sonata's eyes widened as the fear immediately settles in, until the sky changes color from that pure light blue into an orange-red hue.
"Your day time is over, White. It's now evening, and as you know, it is the perfect time to have a tea party." The look of satisfaction on Vivaldi's face, the livid anger on Peter's face, and Sonata's own unsure feelings.
With a smug smile, Vivaldi walked into the maze, leading us to the beautiful garden in the center. Sonata gave Peter a glance, surprised that he was not saying another word against Vivaldi's wishes.
There is a table being set up by two other maids that had arrived earlier than them, laying down a white lace tablecloth and bringing chairs over for us to sit in. The maids that were accompanying the Queen quickly joined the other two, bringing out beautiful desserts from the baskets that they carried. Soon, a smorgasbord of decadent desserts of all kinds were set on the table, waiting for the three to eat them.
"Well, what are you waiting for, White?" Vivaldi asked as she waited by a chair, looking at him expectantly. Peter took a deep breath, holding his tongue, as he made his way over. Like a proper gentleman, he pulled her chair out and stepped back as Vivaldi took her seat.
Sonata found herself in a daze, nearly surprised how Vivaldi's mere presence demanded Peter to act like a proper gentleman. When Peter appeared beside Sonata, she almost gave him this strange look when he pulled out a chair for her.
"Oh, uh...thank you," Sonata said, almost sputtering her words. She took a seat when she almost lost her breath when Peter dipped down, his lips near her ear.
"We will continue our date another time."
Peter straightened up, giving Sonata a smile as if nothing happened, and took his seat next to hers. Sonata literally sitting here unsure of what just happened, trying not to look at Peter. She just knew that if she did, it would end up with her screaming at him that what had happened before, was not a date.
A cup of tea is offered to Sonata, and she glances at Vivaldi who gave her a smile, "try it. It's the most delightful shade of red. The taste is also a delicate sweet."
Despite Sonata's tongue being dry, it still had the lingering taste of coffee. Bitter. Acidic. Deep. Right now she would rather have a glass of water, but she didn't want to offend Vivaldi.
Picking up the teacup as delicately as Sonata could, she tries to ignore the stares from both the Queen and Peter. The brim of the porcelain teacup meets her lips, and took a hesitant sip.
Instead of the sweet taste Sonata was told, it's sour.
"It's good, Vivaldi." Sonata swallowed, and she closed her eyes, still smiling. "Thank you."
Sonata wanted to cry out loud that she wanted a glass of water, but she took small sips of the tea, choking it down and drinking it up until the last drop.
"Now, how about some cake?" Vivaldi asked as one of the maids moved around, delicately placing the most delicious chocolate cake onto her plate. "Something sweet to cleanse the palate?"
It's only when Sonata picked up her fork that both Vivaldi and Peter also picked up their own dining utensils. The fork nearly glided through that piece of chocolate cake as though it was softened butter. It's moist and has a deep flavor of chocolate.. The sweetness was heavy, it quickly made the sour taste go away.
It was hard to make eyesight with anyone during the rest of the party, but holding a conversation proved to be more difficult. Thankfully, Sonata was able to humor Vivaldi and Peter with answering their never ending questions about nothing important.
The evening eventually ends and night takes place in the sky above them, and Vivaldi's mood grows slightly more hostile again. Her teacup settles onto its rightful saucer and she's already out of her seat. It only hits Sonata just then and there that it just turned nighttime, which meant…
"As much as We wish to extend the evening period, it is against the rules and We tire of those who nag about obeying such annoyance," Vivaldi sighs as she elegantly turns to look at Sonata, "it's much too late for a young thing like you to walk home. Rest in the guest room and you can leave in the morning."
Sonata knew it.
"I'll take you to your room," Peter offered, but Vivaldi cut him off by walking over and tapping his shoulder with her royal scepter, and an immediate frown appeared on his face.
"Leave the girl, White. You have work waiting for you in your own room."
A smile makes its way to Sonata's face as she watches the two squabbling. A maid approaches her, most likely to take her to the guest room for the night.
"Good night, everyone. I'll try visiting again soon," Sonata calls to the Queen and White Rabbit before hurrying off with the maid. Peter snapped into attention, nearly darting around the Queen to run after the Outsider, only for Vivaldi to snatch the back of his coat.
"Let the girl be! You've done enough damage!"
Peter froze before standing up straight, feeling Vivaldi letting his coat go. Vivaldi huffed, tapping her scepter against the palm of her hand, walking past the Prime Minister of her castle. The maids hurried with cleaning up the remaining cakes and utensils, putting them into the baskets and folded up the tablecloth. With everything packed up, the maids quickly trailed after the Queen of Hearts, accompanying the tyrant woman back to the castle.
"Enough damage?" Peter wondered what the Queen had meant by that. He was doing no such thing. All he was trying to do, all this time, was to fix the damage that his precious Alice had left on him.
Sonata will help him fix it.
That's all he could think to do to move on.
"She's fine," Peter reminds himself as he prepares to head to the castle, only to stop as he hears footsteps coming from behind the rose hedges. It's the guards that were searching for him from before. His eyes narrowed, hand moving quickly to his pocket watch.
She's fine.
The guards catch sight of him, and the pocket watch. One turns away, immediately hurrying to run away, while the other guard holds his hands up, begging Peter to spare them. The pocket watch transforms into the gun he's all too familiar with.
"Lord White, I beg of you-!"
BANG!
BANG!
"She's fine." Peter could not recognize his own voice as the world freezes, watching his own work being done in just a split second. The gunshots had echoed through the section of the garden Peter stood in. The bodies fell, one failing to run away to see another day and the other that failed to talk sense into the cruel Role Holder. Peter grimaced at the sight of the blood pooling on the ground. What a mess, Peter thought as his gun rested in his hand like a perfectly fitted puzzle piece.
Yes.
"I'm fine."
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Sonata felt like she could have fallen asleep the second her head hit the softest pillow she's ever felt. But apparently, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't fall asleep - no matter how much she wanted to. It's aggravating, to say the least. So now, she's just staring at the ceiling, wondering when the night period will be over.
The feeling of being awake when all of the senses of the body is tired and sluggish… It's a miserable feeling. Eating a ton of carbs or sweets that results in a stomach ache would be better than this, but alas, Sonata did not eat much at the royal tea party.
Sonata could close her tired eyes a thousand times, and still sleep wouldn't come to her. She could close them a million times more, and she'd still find herself awake.
There's an odd, nervous, pinching feeling in her stomach. She feels anxious. Scared, possibly. She'll be honest; she didn't think she'd ever want to be near Peter again. She knows she'll be forced to see him again, but she wants to prevent it from happening anytime soon.
"We will continue our date another time."
Tired eyes blink, the cold air stinging them. It's a slight pain that cries for eye drops.
Sonata shift in the bed, rolling over to her side and let out this pent up breath. What does he want from her? When she first met him, he was a small rabbit wearing a plaid coat. He liked her painting. He complimented her painting, then he praised her.
Then stole her into this world.
Fingers slightly twitch, and Sonata finds herself aware that she hasn't painted since first coming to Wonderland. There's no desire within her to do so. Inspiration is a cruel mistress, just like sleep, and she's suddenly realizing that she's also trapped in an art block she wasn't aware of being in. She's been so invested in work that she hasn't really done anything for herself in a while.
I want to eat at a nice restaurant. I want to go on a walk in the forest and find flowers. I want to draw and sing. I want to make myself happy.
Wonderland isn't making her happy. She doesn't think it is. Temporarily, it is. With her friends and experiencing new things. But how could she be happy living in this place that only wanted her here in the first place for the sole reason of replacing this mystery girl?
"Mystery girl…" Sonata mutters sleepily, trying to lure her body further into the long awaited slumber. "Could her name, no… it must be...be Alice."
Who is Alice?
Is she supposed to find out herself? Boris… Julius... Peter… She was incredibly important to them. Maybe even to everyone in Wonderland? The faceless that bring her up mention her through cryptic messages. It's hard to ignore it.
It's hard to ignore the fact that Sonata is more than likely their new Alice.
The weight in her pocket called out to Sonata. She ignored it, trying to bring herself to sleep. She doesn't want to think about this world and its truths anymore. She just wants to sleep.
Sonata kept promising herself that she'd worry about it later, as long as she can sleep.
Just please...let her sleep.
"You're thinking too much, my dear lullaby."
Nightmare is floating before her, holding that hookah. Sonata blinks, surprised that he's right there. It's several seconds before she realizes that she's dreaming. It's the only way he's able to talk to her, after all.
But is he there for her? Or for the sake of a new Alice-
Sonata's torn from her rapid thoughts when Nightmare places a hand on her head.
"I really am here for you," Nightmare smiled warmly as his hand caressed the top of Sonata's head.
Sonata felt embarrassed, having forgotten that he could read minds. Then that means…
"I must apologize. You shouldn't have ever felt as if you were a replacement for something that...no longer matters."
He hesitated.
"I was merely looking for the right word, Sonata," Nightmare tried to give you a smile, but he ended up just taking a long drag of his hookah. He savored it before exhaling, trying to relax, "it's not anything you should concern yourself about."
"How can I not, Nightmare? They act so weird when I...when something reminds them of Alice?"
Sonata barely caught sight of Nightmare's eyelids slowly closing, a withered look ghosting on his face. She knew it. Nightmare looked as if he was caught red handed.
"Ah...hahaha...ahh...oh, Sonata…" Nightmare softly said as he trailed his hand down her hair, resting it on her cheek. His hand felt so warm, but cold. She had always wondered how it would feel for someone to lay their hand on her cheek in a comforting manner. She imagined it would be soothing. Wonderful.
She ... didn't feel anything.
"Perhaps one day I will be able to have you feel something," Nightmare softly tells her, as his hand leaves her cheek to brush her hair behind her ear. "I must be a failure of a man if I could not bring you and your mind to a state of ease."
"If you really want to…"
Sonata takes in a breath. She almost couldn't breathe as Nightmare stares into her eyes, awaiting for her to say her request. He already knew what she was going to ask, but that look of understanding and defeat is in his eyes.
Nightmare wanted Sonata to say it out loud.
"Who's Alice?"
This time it was Nightmare's turn to catch his breath. He couldn't breathe, but he never lost his composure. That name… It sounded very foreign, hearing someone say it after so long. Time is of no importance, but he always wondered as did the rest of the Role Holders of Wonderland probably think to themselves at a moment to themselves, how long has it been since she left?
Since Alice left?
Nightmare moves to take another drag from his hookah, but Sonata reaches out and grabs his hand that held it. He looks at her, looking questionably.
"Don't smoke anymore. It's not good for your health, Nightmare," Sonata tells him, and he smiles before it disappears in his fingers. Almost fluidly, his fingers that once held the pipe now firmly folded into her fingers.
"She was not the first Foreigner, but certainly, she isn't the last."
Nightmare takes Sonata's free hand, placing it to rest on his shoulder, before placing his own free hand on her waist. Sonata glanced down at her feet, watching him begin to take a step. She moves her foot back, and after a bit of stumbling, they're slowly waltzing in this dream realm.
"Her name is Alice Liddell, and we loved her very much."
Like Sonata, she was brought to Wonderland against her will by a certain White Rabbit. She wore a pretty blue dress with a matching ribbon atop her brunette hair. She called herself plain and boring, but to the Role Holders, she was far from ordinary.
Alice loves to read. She talked of peace. She got along with everyone, and cared for the faceless as much as she cared for the role holders. Alice slowly adjusted to life in Wonderland during the duration of the game. To see those brilliant turquoise eyes of hers when she came to visit them at their own territory, it brought a sense of something they hadn't realized they were capable of feeling.
Perhaps it was love?
Nightmare and Sonata slowly danced, and the more that she got the hang of the waltz, the more Nightmare had picked up the pace.
Nightmare whispered for her to look away from their feet, and she struggled to do so, afraid to step on his feet. He reassured her that she's a natural. Sonata looks up at him, and he smiles. They were dancing until he stopped in his steps, looking at her with this strange face.
"And then she left."
Sonata couldn't say anything as Nightmare suddenly dipped her. It was so sudden that only a gasp escaped her. Her hand gripped his shoulder, afraid to fall. Nightmare chuckled.
"It hurt us that she left. To return to the world that left her heart broken. It is almost cruel that Wonderland must move on without her here. And eventually, so did we."
"Nightmare." Sonata's eyes met his lone eye, and he could only give her this smile that didn't convince her that he was alright. "Did you love her? Did everyone love her?"
Nightmare takes a moment to think. To really consider Sonata's question. To find the best answer to give her. He closed his eyes, and when he opens it, there's a look of calmness in them.
"I cared for her, but I did not love her."
His hands slipped away from Sonata's hand and waist, and she fell from his support.
Sonata let out a cry of shock, expecting to hit the floor, and found herself lying in bed. The sky from the window showed a brilliant blue.
It is the day period.
Slowly, Sonata peeled the comforter off of her, moving her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. Rubbing at the corner of her eyes, she felt pressure building up.
She didn't believe in Nightmare. No one would look that heartbroken and sad over someone and say they weren't in love.
"Liar…" Sonata found herself saying as she got up and walked to the door to the bathroom, opening it to wash her face at the sink bowl. The cold water that's splashed onto her face wakes her up from her daze of hesitance.
There are many things Sonata's worried about. Why was she brought here? Is she really a replacement for Alice? Did Nightmare tell her the truth about who Alice is? Are they all still stuck on her? Will she ever meet her?
Possibly not…
Grabbing a towel, Sonata rubbed her face on it, drying herself off from the wake up call. There's a shift today, and if she leaves the castle now, she'll be able to make it in time for once. Thanking Vivaldi for letting her stay the night, as well as hosting the party, will have to hold off for another day.
Preparing herself for the long walk, Sonata made the bed and put on her shoes before leaving the guest room. There's a maid making her way to the room, giving Sonata this big smile. She brought breakfast, but there's no time to eat it. Sonata thanked her, despite her insistence that there's always time to eat, but the maid manages to convince her to take a bread roll for the trip. Bidding her goodbye, a thought comes to mind as Sonata nibbled on the roll.
Will Sonata leave Wonderland for the same reason that Alice did?
That anxious feeling returned to the pit of Sonata's stomach.
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RabelleRabbit: Good gosh this chapter took quite a while to put out. I don't think it was even that long. I'm sorry for the long wait. But hopefully the next chapter will come out soon.
Leave a review, please! It will be greatly appreciated!
2/10/2020 EDIT: I edited the entire fic as of today. I plan to post new chapters in the near future. To anyone still reading this fanfic, please reread the entire thing so that you aren't lost. Thank you so much for sticking in there.