Down The Rabbit Hole
Ah, that odd glitching is gone. Never had that happen before. But nevermind that, there is a story I have yet to tell you, dear reader! So you shall read and I shall narrate.
Once upon a time…
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“ ‘... as they swung their sword at the creature, knocking it backwards and into the ravine.’ What a hero he is! And—Honor?”
Honor looked up from his toy, giving his Nanny a small smile. “Yes, Nanny?”
Nanny sighed softly. “Dear, were you listening to my story? It seems as if your mind has drifted to somewhere else.” She gave him a concerned glance. “Is everything alright?”
Being the youngest out of eight brothers and one sister, Honor was always seen as someone that needed the most care. At least in his siblings' and Nanny’s eyes. “I am alright, Nanny. I was listening. Honest.”
“Honesty is asleep, dear,” She joked. “If you were listening, what was I saying?”
“... Okay, I wasn't listening.” Honor let out a giggle as Nanny lightly ruffled his brown hair playfully. “But do tell me dear, you looked like your head was up in the clouds. Is this about your sister?”
Honor shifted on his bed, unsure of how to answer. Their sister Briar had been taking more responsibilities than adventures and risks lately ever since their mother had gone into an almost permanent sleep.
“I just miss her. It's getting really late now. Briar is never home this late.” He told Nanny.
“Well, I'm sure she'll come home soon, sweetie. She won't let you and your brothers live all alone.” Then the sound of an opening door can be heard echoing outside the room, hurried footsteps followed. “Oh, that must be her now!”
“I am so sorry I'm late!” Briar huffed and yawned. “I was so busy with helping out with the council, and assigning new roles, and then there was traffic,” She rambled, “and then it rained, and I had to get groceries and then I had to help Ash, and traffic again, and then I get home, completely exhausted!”
Nanny responded with a gentle sigh, “I am sorry you had a bad day, dear.” She said.
“Nanny ended up reading the story instead! You promised you would read to me tonight.” Honor shot up from his bed with a frown.
“I know, and I'm sorry for it.” Briar sat down on her brother’s bed, “But I'll make it up to you? I'll try to come home in time, I promise.”
“That's what you said last time!” The youngest Beauty brother crossed his arms, and turned his back on his sister.
Briar had nothing else to say. Of course she did, but she never actually managed well enough to do it. With all the extra responsibilities and work causing her to grow up and mature faster than the rest of her brothers, it was a struggle.
In an attempt to save what time they had left, Briar took the book from the bedside table. “Oh, you left off at the ravine part! This one is exciting. ‘The creature almost fell, but held on to the edge, though it may not hold on forever. The hero looked down on it and—!’”
A faint snore can be heard.
Briar looked over at her brother who is now fast asleep. She smiled sadly as she tucked him in and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.
“He has been waiting for you to come home, you know?” Nanny stood by the door, ready to escort the princess to her room. “Yeah, I know… I should stay with him for now. He might start to sleep stunt again.”
“And not because you feel guilty?”
Briar did feel guilty. Not only for her brothers and Nanny but to herself as well. Guilty that she should've done more to spend more time at home and not have Nanny take care of everything by herself.
The princess slowly nodded, not saying another word. Nanny understood and walked out of the room.
“Ugh. Worst day of my life.” Whispered Briar as she slowly settled herself down and placed her head on the bedside table, not bothering to change out of her clothing, letting herself fall asleep.
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Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock…
Honor slowly rose from his bed, rubbing his eyes from his sleepiness. Briar was still asleep. He swore he heard something…
Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock…
There it was again! He looked around for the source of that strange ticking sound. Maybe he should look through a window?
Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock…
The sound grew louder now, he went up to the window at the end of the room. There, he saw something glistening down below. Glowing blue eyes look up to spot him. The sound was coming from it.
Tick, tock! Tick, tock! Tick, tock!
He was startled, but his curiosity grew as the mysterious stranger whispered, “Follow me!” and… hopped away. Now the curiosity took over his mind, every instinct in his body now calling to him to follow who or whatever it was.
He opened the window, the cold night breeze flew in the room, and readied himself to jump off. Before he could, Briar suddenly woke up from her sleep. The first thing she saw was Honor missing from his bed.
“H– Honor?” She called out, looking around the room frantically, until she saw a glimpse of her brother jumping out the window.
“Honor!”
Briar rushed to the window, desperately looking for her brother, and there he was, his bright pink clothes standing out in the dark forest before disappearing completely. “Honor! Wait!”
In complete distress, Briar leaped off the window's ledge and managed to land on the ground. “Honor!” The princess called as she ran to wherever Honor had gone.
As she ran barefoot through the woods, her mind started racing. Honor couldn't be this reckless! Is this his way of getting back at her? It couldn't be, right?
She started becoming more worried, and more exhausted each minute. “Honor! Come on! This isn't funny! Honor!”
Briar ran and called out until she came to a clearing in the forest. What made her even more worried was seeing Honor fall down into a well. “No, no! Honor!”
She stood at the hole, absolutely terrified. This isn't a joke. She had to go do something. She couldn't just stand there forever.
And with her instincts taking over, she took a step and started to fall down in the well's hole.
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She was falling.
And falling.
And falling.
And falling.
This was certainly not a joke.
Briar screamed and shouted as she fell faster. Falling to where? Falling who knows where! “Honor! Gotta! Get! To! Honooor!”
Her fall was then cut short to a slide, a loop-the-loop, zig-zags, and finally landing feet first on the… “Purple… grass?” Odd. Where has Honor led her to now?
Before she could look around, she was bumped into by a white figure. “Oh, pardon me!” said the white bunny-eared stranger before quickly hopping away.
Briar looked at her with a frown. “That hurt, you know!” But the bunny girl only shouted back. “No time! No time! The boy is needed to be with the Princess! Gotta hop! Gotta run!”
Boy? Boy! It was Honor!
Briar finally pursued after the bunny. “W– Wait!” Where were they going in such a rush?
Through the field of odd colored grass, the confusing path of the confusing forest, and the upside-down bridges, she finally knew where she was.
Wonderland.