boxofcomfits | 100 Drabbles of Summer, Part II

charloft 100 Drabbles of Summer, Part II (drabbles 11-20)

Rating: PG?
{{A/N: I've decided I will be posting a vagueish timeline at some point as I seem to be jumping about quite a bit timewise for these. Also, this seems to be the Alice!angst segment (though quite unintentionally). Drabble table can be found here. Feedback is lovely!}}

{Prompt #79 ~ Author’s Choice: Run}
{{A/N: Alice is twelve/thirteenish here—fairly soonish before she stops visiting Wonderland.}}

Why did it always seem she was running here? Running to stay in the same place, running from the Queen, chasing rabbits and bread-and-butterflies, racing to dry off, running on whatever mad adventures the day had taken her on ...

Dr Marsden would probably say this meant she was running from adulthood, from the conventions of society, perhaps even from time itself (the doctor of course didn’t know that one can’t run from Time—he simply waits for you to come back ‘round again. That’s the funny thing about circles).

Alice suspected it wasn’t nearly as simple as the alienist thought.
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{Prompt #26 ~ Heat}

"And that's Miss Liddell's younger sister—Odd Alice, we call her. Pretty enough, but the poor girl's a bit mad."

One of the graduates (an acquaintance of the Whitlocks, Alice thought, but she didn't care to remember his name) was showing a visiting friend the grounds. Did they honestly think she couldn't hear them?

She felt the colour rising in her cheeks, unbidden, as she attempted to return to her novel.

Some time later, the two young men returned, presumably heading for tea. As they approached, Alice gathered her book and—with a pointed swish of her skirts—continued home.
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{Prompt #80 ~ Author’s Choice: Fantasy}

She had been at a tea-party, helping the Dormouse hide from Mr Hatter, Mr Hare, and a new teapot. Lightning flashed in the distance.

At the resultant clap of thunder, Alice sat up in her bed. This time, it had been a dream. A terrible thought struck her—what if it had always just been a fancy?

Her room was in disarray by the time Alice found her quarry. Pressed in a thick volume was a star-shaped flower with brilliant blue petals—one that only grew in certain regions of the Looking-Glass country.

She let out a sob of relief.
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{Prompt # 21 ~ The first thing you broke}
Alice was running about the sitting-room chasing the kittens, who were chasing a ball. The ball was not chasing anything, but merely trying to escape from both kittens and girl.

Kitty made a sharp turn, running beneath an end table. Alice followed a bit too closely and bumped the table—though not hard enough to hurt herself. Unfortunately, the sweets-dish was not as lucky.

When ten-year-old Lorina returned from an afternoon music lesson, she found her sister sitting disconsolately by a pile of porcelain.

With help from a jar of paste, they were able to put the dish together again.
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{Prompt #81 ~ Author’s Choice: Beginnings}
{{A/N: Vaguely a companion to this drabble from a few months ago.}}

Whilst the white rabbit-in-a-waistcoat had certainly been Alice's introduction to Wonderland, the idea that this fantastic place had animals that talked and wore clothing was not what sparked her decision to investigate.

No, it was the gardens.

The garden in question (she would later learn it belonged to the Queen of Hearts) had all sorts of lovely flowers: roses, lilies, many unfamiliar blooms. And—perhaps even more importantly—appeared to be begging to be explored.

Who was Alice to deny the garden a new explorer? (And she had always loved gardens.)

Now if she could only get through that door ...
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{Prompt #25 ~ The last time you loved}

Alice has never been in love. She has, of course, held whispered conversations with Ada about new faces from the latest social event, students, or occasionally tutors who caught their attention—usually comparing them to their (current) favourite literary heroes.

She rather likes the idea of falling in love, but the majority of the seemly endless parade of prospective suitors are so very dull. (Alice thinks most haven't an imaginative thought in their minds.)

Ada and Lorina would probably agree that the best match for Alice may be an artistic gentleman—perhaps a writer?—who might share her whimsical nature.
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{Prompt #46 ~ Endings}
{{A/N: Alice is thirteen here.}}

One day, the drawing-room looking-glass refused to work properly. Instead of going misty to allow Alice through, it remained solid glass, causing the girl to start when she collided with the cold surface.

"No matter!" she thought optimistically, "Perhaps this one's out-of-order—I'll try another."

Over the course of the next several days, Alice tested every previous (and promising) entryway to Wonderland. When even her bedroom looking-glass was unsuccessful, she came to an unhappy conclusion:

For some reason, the way had been closed.

Ignoring the recalled voices of those who hadn't believed her, Alice stifled her tears in a pillow.
~*~*~*~*~
{Prompt #12 ~ Chastity}

Dressing in the morning can rather seem like putting on armour. Chemise, other unmentionables, corset (though perhaps not laced as tightly as society might dictate. Alice rather prefers fashions that allow her to breathe).

Stockings—white, of course—heaven forbid if one's ankles show! Petticoats to hide the shape of the limbs and provide volume for the day's frock. Boots (she likes that they make her a bit taller)—or dainty dress-shoes for a ball. Generally gloves, jewellery, and hat or parasol.

(Alice has heard of certain young women who go about positively half-dressed—just the thought makes her blush!)
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{Prompt #15 ~ Diligence}

Peering at the canvas in front of her, Alice tilted her head in thought. She looked back up at the yew, noting its shape, colour, and general character before blending a few paints to begin the leaves.

After some time, the tree was finished. What next? Alice decided not to paint the gardens as they were (something that often vexed the drawing-master. Likewise, Alice often produced rather imaginative still life paintings, then was reprimanded for "not painting what is in front of you"). Instead, she thought she might move the fountain and several urns across the garden, beside the yew.
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{Prompt #82 ~ Author’s Choice: Rainbow}
{{A/N: Alice is about ten or so here.}}

"Governess, what happens to rainbows when someone takes the pot of gold?"

"That is a ridiculous question—it doesn't exist," Miss Pritchard replied, "Kindly attend to the lesson, Miss Alice."

"Elsie?" She turned to her sister.

"I told you to stop using that silly nickname," Lorina whispered, "And do be quiet—you'll get us both scolded."

After tea, she asked Mrs Bradford, the cook.

"I haven't the foggiest, Miss Alice, but I'm sure you'll find out."

Aha!—She would ask her dear Wonderland friends! Unfortunately, Alice was dragged along on a rocking-horse-fly-chase directly she arrived and quite forgot her question.
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