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The Queen's Tea Party; You are cordially invited to the Witch's Tea Party, where time has no meaning
Topic Started: Dec 14 2011, 05:02 AM (653 Views)
Kuu
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A Tea Party Where Time Does Not Pass


It was odd to have a Tea Party in a place like the Throne of Heroes, but as a second is infinity and infinity is a second, there seems to be nothing the spirits that are brought here awaiting for Gaea as well as the Call of the War to be brought back into the land of the living.

So why not kick back, relax and enjoy oneself when one is here?

Sitting by herself in a luxurious garden filled with red and white roses, the Queen of Hearts, Alice sipped a cup of tea that one of her minions, a large Poker Card, poured for her as she leaned backward on her favorite armchair, resting her leg on a leg rest as she enjoyed the atmosphere of her own little slice of heaven, her own reality marble capable of bringing such delights to her with a snap of her fingers.

Naturally there would be complications at her using her power in such a way but she knew there was nothing to worry about. Whatever conversations she has here would be removed from her mind due to the nature of the plane that she and all the other spirits were residing.
In essence she does not exist here... and only within her reality marble, in her own little world could she be herself... if only for a brief moment to remind her of her life.
Her wish of having her life returned to her, of finding someone to love her, to remember her and to cherish her was the one thing the Grail took advantage of to pull her into the Throne of Heroes.

If there was a King of Conquerers, a King of Knights and a King of Heroes... so she was the Queen of the Inanimated, the one who rules those who do not live.

'I wonder.. who I shall meet today?'
The girl asks in a curious voice, wondering who she would meet next in this ever changing world, where wars are being waged almost.. daily in alternate planes. Soon it would be her turn to enter another war... the conversation and all she experienced her removed for eternity as it was the nature of the 'world' that surrounds her.
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“What the devil?!”

How did he come to find himself here? Having been nothing more than consciousness a moment before, he instantly found himself whole, a man again. He was as he remembered himself, a man of no more than thirty five years of age, a Major General in his Majesty’s army. His uniform coat, a deep scarlet colour, accentuated by the blue on his cuffs and his collar, and outlined in exquisitely detailed gold bullion weave. However, there was one important thing missing... his sword. Obviously whoever had brought him here meant for him to be unarmed.

The place appeared to be an English country garden. The sun was out, but did not burn. It sheathed all beneath it in a quiet warm light. The grass was as tidy as could be, the same one would find on a world class golfing green, flat and delicate. There were also hedges, and rose bushes that dotted the area, with a grand oak tree in the centre, providing shade over a curious table. A young woman was sitting at it’s head. She was wearing a dress of English make no doubt, but the material was decorated with a curious design, like playing cards he used at a gentleman’s club in London. Even more curious was what stood next to her... a card itself, alive...

They were obviously aware of his presence, but did not seem alarmed by it as he was by the situation. He folded his arms on his chest, and boomed a stern tone towards them. Not a shout, but loud none the less.

“I certainly hope you can explain the situation, madam. How do I come to find myself here?”

He was not pleased to say the least.
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Kuu
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'Tsk tsk.. such rudeness.'
The woman, no lady, no girl, simply waved off his complaint as she continued sipping her tea, gesturing for another of her servant, an armchair this time to head towards this... soldier that has appeared in her world.
Well, a guest is still a guest and she smiled sweetly at the gentleman as she commented with a small chuckle.
'Oh dear dear me, so we do have a guest here after all... well, I suppose introductions are in order to ease the gentleman that I am merely a defenseless young lady who is minding her own business in her garden.'
She spoke as though it was the most natural thing in the world as she placed her cup of tea on a metal tray that the Card offered to her.

Alice took a moment to study the man's uniform, finding it similar to the ones she has seen on pictures and books about Wars and the Famous Battles of England and she got to her feet, pulling up her long red dress before curtseying to him like only a real english breed woman could as she introduced herself.

'Welcome to my Garden, my dear sir... as to why you are here, I have absolutely no idea... perhaps you have been drawn here by my fine English Tea? Well, would you take a seat and join me for a spot of tea... although I'm afraid you will have to make do with cookies instead of cake... and a game of bridge is impossible without a third player.'
She seemed to ignore how unnatural it was to be able to have such.. a normal party in the Throne of Heroes but as the Queen of Wonderland and dealing with the Mad Hatter and the Dormouse would make one's patience and common sense erode through time.

'Well, if you do insist... perhaps milord could offer your name before I will offer mine. We share a similar fate, you and I... but nothing will remain once you step outside of my garden...'
She gestured to the emptiness that could be seen in the otherside of the row of mirrors surrounding the garden.
'You are free to leave... or to stay and have some tea with me.'

She smiled even as she snapped her fingers, allowing the Lord to regain his sword, if only to reassure him.
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The woman before him stood and gracefully curtseyed, though he noted she did not introduce herself. What puzzled him most was the ‘thing’ standing next to her. A living, large playing card. Where on earth was he? He considered; perhaps not earth at all... the fashion she wore was not quite the same as the women of his time, perhaps a style afterwards, later than he had experienced.

'Well, if you do insist... perhaps milord could offer your name before I will offer mine. We share a similar fate, you and I... but nothing will remain once you step outside of my garden...' She gestured to the emptiness that could be seen in the other side of the row of mirrors surrounding the garden. 'You are free to leave... or to stay and have some tea with me.'

With a snap of her fingers, his sword reappeared, hanging on two straps from his belt. He eyed her with a degree of suspicion. If his military career had taught him anything, it was caution. She was completely oblivious to how strange and unusual the situation was. She was calm, and yet she was surrounded by elements of insanity. This place was obviously her creation, something of her doing. An illusion? A dream? Unlikely. The sensations were too real for that. It was odd that someone who was obviously English had to ask who he was. He was arguably the most famous man in Britain during the later stages of his life. He brought his feet together, and properly introduced himself. Perhaps then, more about this place would be revealed.

“I am His Grace, Field Marshal Sir Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, Knight of the Garter, Knight Commander of the Bath, and Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty the King’s Armed Forces.” He paused. “You may address me, as ‘Your Grace.’”
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Kuu
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(Player's note: Alice in Wonderland was released in 1865, 15 years after the death of Wellington and Through the looking glass was released 1871. If we assume Alice to be canonically, she would actually be Alice Pleasance Liddell who was born on 1852.)

Was she really a woman? That was the question begging to be answered as she carried herself with grace and dignity of a woman and yet the childishness of a child as she smiled demurely at him and she pouted a little as she stayed in that same spot.
'Of course, a true gentleman wouldn't ask a lady to wait or to refuse an invitation.'

This world was crazy, it perhaps was really... crazy but it seemed normal too.There was a hidden law within this insanity, the stability and the reassurance that... it would not pass a certain point.

'Oh, you are the Duke of Wellington... I have heard of you.'
From her tone one can tell that although she recognized that figure, it was no one of importance to her, someone who she had heard of in passing, perhaps mentioned to her in some distant memory but yet at the same something significant too as her eyes lit up in excitement.
'We came from the same country, your grace... but a lady has to keep her promise.'
She curtsied again before a small black crown appeared on her head and she smiled happily to him.

'My name is Alice, just Alice... you would not have heard of me but I have heard of you, my grace... you can call me Alice... or if you prefer, you Highness as well...'
As if to proof her point, the playing card beside her knelt down in reverence to her and as she waited, the arm chair that has been beside the Lord poked at him, as if asking him to have a sit.

'Will you join me with a cup of tea, your grace? I have heard something of your great adventures and exploits and it would be a change of topic.'
Her eyes glittered with interest as she waved her hand around her.
'In the world where time has no meaning... a short break from the toils of waiting would be nice no? You would not make a lady beg would you?'
She asked mischeviously as she sat down again, making another poker card appear to serve some cookies for her.
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'Oh, you are the Duke of Wellington... I have heard of you. We came from the same country, your grace... but a lady has to keep her promise.'

He didn’t doubt that she had heard of him. From 1815 to 1852, he was likely the most famous man in Britain, and thus, the world. What struck him as odd was that she didn’t seem in awe of his presence like most people did. He was a living legend, an hero of the United Kingdom and it’s empire. What struck him as even more odd was the black crown that appeared on her head after another curtsy.

'My name is Alice, just Alice... you would not have heard of me but I have heard of you, my grace... you can call me Alice... or if you prefer, you Highness as well...'

The Duke coughed upon hearing the introduction as her highness. He would not let the title of a Royal be sullied by this ‘peasant’. She was definitely not a member of the aristocracy, or carry a claim to the throne, no matter how well she dressed herself. Royal Blue was in the blood, and no amount of acting or coin could change one’s birth.

“Somehow Madam, I doubt you are a member of the Royal Family or house of Mountbatten, and no one else may possess the title of ‘Her Royal Highness’ other than Royal Princes or Princesses. Indeed, only the Queen is referred to as ‘Her Majesty’. Titles are earned, as mine was through a long career of soldiering for King and Country.”

She seemed to brush off his discontent with the situation.


'Will you join me with a cup of tea, your grace? I have heard something of your great adventures and exploits and it would be a change of topic. In the world where time has no meaning... a short break from the toils of waiting would be nice no? You would not make a lady beg would you?'

Indeed, she was right. It would be unseemly for a gentleman to make a lady beg, no matter how lowly her birth. Reluctantly he trudged over to the table, and took a seat opposite this ‘Alice’. He leaned back and stared at her with suspicion.

“Well, 'Miss. Alice', if nothing else, you have a well kept garden.”
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Kuu
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Alice did heard of his fame but his history was simply of no importance to her as she was just a child when the war ended...
Not to mention that her sheltered childhood meant that the only information she could get her hands on was strictly monitored by her parents. Who would wish to tell an innocent child, especially a girl of War and all that it symbolized?
If she was born a boy she might actually have viewed him as a hero, as with many boys of her time.

Thus it was a miracle that she ever heard of a war hero at all but as he was the hero of the Empire, she knew bits and pieces of his exploits nonetheless and she smiled in welcome to the Duke.

His words however did made her frown a little... no, not frown as more of displeasure as Alice seemed to be upset for a few seconds till she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down as she smiled in the same charming fashion as before.
'Well... I guess I am not part of the Royal Family... nor do I share the blood of the Royal family... and perhaps I am not a princess in any definition in your dictionary after all your grace...'
She seemed to want to go on but she seemed amused at how he seemed to ignore the seat that was being offered, the armchair trottering after him as he made his way to her.
In the end as he sat down on another seat that was in front of her, it sanked down in dejection beside him while she smiled in welcome, acknowleding his comment of her how fine her garden was.

'Thank you, my grace, my gardener does keep it well, does he not? Perhaps you would care to meet him?'
She smiled as she snapped her fingers, causing a pair of shears and a hose to come running and slithering towads them from nowhere.
'Ah, I do apologize for their tardiness, it seems that not all of them are present. Now both of you pay your respects to the Duke of Wellington, he's a hero in my world you know.'
She seems to be treating them like a human child as the armchair beside the hero simply settled down on the grass, as if it was a dog while giving a soft wheeze before it went perfectly still.

'But yes, I am the Queen of my Land... and regardless of your attitude and demeanor towards me, you are in my lawn and in my garden.'
The lady did not seem to be making a threat, but the seat that the Duke was sitting on started to get restless as it twitched a little under him, not to mention how the poker card seemed to turn it's 'face to his direction.
'But I will ignore your rudeness as I do find myself lacking to be compared to the Queen herself... Now then, what kind of tea do you wish to have? I'm sure that we would be able to serve whatever the Duke prefers.'
Alice asked him politely as she nibbled on a cookie that had been served to her.
'If anything else, you must be curious as to why you are here... My garden is welcome to all who are wish to sample some of our tea and my hospitality... but other than that, it is to while some time away. Let us talk about our dear country and kingdom, yes? Do not be too surprised for I am from England as well.
I was born and brought up there... although that has been quite some time ago.'
She seemed to be thinking of the past as she waited for him to speak.
Edited by Kuu, Dec 15 2011, 04:29 AM.
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’Thank you, my grace, my gardener does keep it well, does he not? Perhaps you would care to meet him?'

With the snap of her fingers, another two objects, larger than normal, which shouldn’t be animated as they were came trotting towards the table. A pair of sheers, and a hose, both as alive as he. This place became stranger and stranger by the moment.

'Ah, I do apologize for their tardiness, it seems that not all of them are present. Now all of you pay your respects to the Duke of Wellington, he's a hero in my world you know.'

She spoke to them, less as subjects and more as children. The Duke couldn’t grasp exactly what was going on. Had he gone insane, or was he dead, trapped in purgatory. It was like a fairy tale, something out of a book for children when read would cause them nightmares upon falling to sleep.

'But yes, I am the Queen of my Land... and regardless of your attitude and demeanor towards me, you are in my lawn and in my garden. But I will dismiss your rudeness as I do find myself lacking to be compared to the Queen herself... Now then, what kind of tea do you wish to have? I'm sure that we would be able to serve whatever the Duke prefers.'

His chair had moved from under him, causing him to grasp the hand rests quite firmly. What kind of world was this where objects such as chairs, gardening tools, and playing cards were given life, and subjects to a so called ‘self crowned’ Queen. Rudeness she had exclaimed... How had she expected him to act? This man, a man of power, honour and nobility had, with no explanation or warning found himself in such a place. She however, held all the power in this place, so perhaps it would not do to... provoke her.

“Devonshire tea, milk and two sugars... if you please.”

'If anything else, you must be curious as to why you are here... My garden is welcome to all who are wish to sample some of our tea and my hospitality... but other than that, it is to while some time away. Let us talk about our dear country and kingdom? Yes, I am from England and I was born and breed there... although that has been quite some time ago.'

Wellington glanced around at the minions surrounding the table.

“No doubt.” He exclaimed. “I am English as you no doubt have guessed, but I was born in Ireland.” He placed a hand down on the table’s surface. “But before we continue this... ‘delightful’ conversation. Perhaps you had better explain what exactly this place is. As you can imagine, Alice, a playing card, hose, sheers and a chair are not one’s garden variety companions. No jest intended.”
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Alice seemed to be quite amused at his reactions but she was silently impressed as well.
After all, he had not bolted or demanded an explanation from her till the end.
An ordinary human would have ran away by now or would have screamed that this was crazy and for him to maintain his cool, not even questioning her about the place till the very end would only mean that he was exceeding polite and was a gentleman or that he was used to insanity as he himself was insane.

Naturally it was the former and Alice smiled as she nodded to the Pokercard to prepare some of that tea as she sat back on her armchair and relaxed, nibbling on a cookie like a little animal before she spoke, licking her lips clean as she smiled back at him.

'I am familiar with your name as I came from the same period as you do. You have passed away when I was just a little child. Even as a national hero, it is still a miracle that I have heard of your name as I am a woman after all... who would wish to tarnish my mind with stories of war... woman belonged in the home and was only useful in raising the family, cooking for the lord of the house as well as being an accessory to him.'
Her eyes flashed in anger briefly and in response to her anger, everything around her twitched slightly as if on edge.
Sipping a little tea to calm herself down, Alice watched as the Poker card poured a cup of tea for the Lord and she smiled to him, gesturing that he should drink it.

'Please do have a taste, it is not poisoned as if I wanted you dead, I would have made it happen a long time ago.'
She smiled in amusement as she continued as though she was telling a child a fairy tale as what she described seemed to be incredible.

'I am the Queen of this land, Looking-Glass Land... My name is Alice.. and this is my story.'
Conjuring a book in her hands, Alice passed the book to the Poker Card who marched over to present it to the Lord before retreating back to her.
'I wished for adventure... and I found it in this land... I do hope that you do believe in equality among sexes?'
She smiled in hope as she waited for a reply
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'I am familiar with your name as I came from the same period as you do. You have passed away when I was just a little child. Even as a national hero, it is still a miracle that I have heard of your name as I am a woman after all... who would wish to tarnish my mind with stories of war... woman belonged in the home and was only useful in raising the family, cooking for the lord of the house as well as being an accessory to him.'

Passed away? So, he was dead. It would explain why he appeared younger, and also explain some of this garden of nightmares that surrounded him. The card, in accordance with his request poured a cup of tea, and fixed it with the additions he had requested. Alice gestured to him that he should give it a try. After witnessing the ritual performed by this card, he was sceptical, to whether it was even drinkable, or safe for that matter, considering where he was. He looked down at the cup before him, eyeing it, like everything before him with a degree of suspicion.

'Please do have a taste, it is not poisoned as if I wanted you dead, I would have made it happen a long time ago.'

“My dear Alice,” he said with a chuckle, “If everything you have told me is true, then I am already dead, and no amount of poison could make me more so...”

'I am the Queen of this land, Looking-Glass Land... My name is Alice.. and this is my story.'

A book materialised in her hands, bound in hard red leather. She passed it to the card which seemed to be acting like a steward who in turn handed it to the Duke. In shining gold letters the title was inscribed ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ It was obviously about her, and a mythological land like that could possibly afford an explanation to this garden.

'I wished for adventure... and I found it in this land... I do hope that you do believe in equality among sexes?'

The Duke hesitated at the question. It needed to be answered tactfully. It was an issue that obviously held a lot of stock with this ‘Queen’. He cleared his throat.

“I do believe each ‘gender’ is as important as each other. However, I also think that each is suited to different tasks. For example a woman, by fact is better at managing a household and children than men are, just as men are far better suited to soldiering, or hard labour than women are. Those facts ‘cannot’ be disputed. Does that mean they should limit themselves to such tasks? No. But that does not mean they should given them up, or society would not function.”

He spoke truthfully and logically. He then sipped his tea for the first time. Had had not yet opened the book however.

“A fine blend.”
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