Alice of Human Sacrifice || ✔

~Epilogue~

"Thank you!" She turned to me and raised her eyebrows. "See, Ciel? I know she would like my dress! But Alice, your dress is so beautiful! Where did you get it?"

I caught Alice's gaze, and that was when I noticed the dress she was wearing. I blinked.

It was the dress I gave her.

Sebastian chuckled behind me, and I can feel him nod in appreciation. Fine, he chooses dresses very well.

The blue ball gown fits her figure well—good. Gold sequins ran around the bodice and down to her skirts, which brushed lightly on the floor. Her lace sleeves were short, her ivory gloves reaching her elbows. I remember that the fabric I wanted her to have was silk, befitting of someone her status. Her hair was put up in an elegant bun, pinned into place with small sapphires. Blue feathers accented her hair.

Whoever her stylist was, they had taken favour of Alice and had spoiled her. Their intent was to introduce Alice to the world.

Now she truly looked noble, as she was supposed to be.

Alice smiled at Lizzy. "To be honest, it was only given to me."

"Who gave it to you?"

Alice nodded at me and Sebastian. "The earl was gracious enough to gift me with a dress."

Lizzy tilted her head at me. "What for?"

"For helping me solve the case," I answered smoothly, "plus it was also a birthday gift." Lizzy doesn't really need to know what really happened...?

"Which," Alice cut in, "is not due until January." She chuckled, holding her fan delicately.

Lizzy gasped. "I have to take you to a boutique! We shall have fun! More dresses should fit in your closet, I am thinking." Looking satisfied at herself, she nodded.

Alice nodded again. "Of course."

I decided to steer the conversation. "I see that a lot has changed?" I asked.

"The Queen has read your letter, yes," Alice supplied. "I have no idea what was in your letter, but she gave me Mister Lucerna's will, which changed everything." She sighed, but a smile was on her face. "Apparently, Mister Lucerna wanted me to have his properties and money once I remember who I was. It was a risk, but he did it."

Lizzy beamed. "And that means...?"

"That means I will be working alongside you two," Alice confirmed.

"Like partners?" Lizzy asked, awed.

"Yes."

Lizzy squealed in excitement and turned to me just as the orchestra played the first dance of the ball, about to say something. She paused, listening to the music, before patting my and Alice's shoulder simultaneously, nodding. I almost flinched at the sudden touch, blinking in surprise at Lizzy. "You two have fun before I am going to steal Alice away later!" she warned me before walking away.

Alice stared at her retreating back, a fond smile gracing her lips. I couldn't help but notice that she has become more relaxed—happier—than I have last seen her. "She is so endlessly happy," she stated as she turned to me, "I hope that her happiness would rub off on you, too."

I shook my head. "Nonsense. I have my own happiness. I shan't take away hers." I offered a hand out to her before she could retort back. "Will you honour me with a dance, milady?"

Alice slid a gloved hand into mine, chuckling lightly. "For old time's sake? And 'milady'—?!" I smirked, cutting off her line of thought as I swept her to the center of the room. She sucked in a sharp breath, looking around in nervousness. "Milord, I am still a little clumsy—"

"As am I. Isn't this for old time's sake?"

"Indeed," she whispered. "Dare I say you have something to tell me?"

"Smart girl." I let her twirl in time of the dance. "You know, perhaps I can fund your advertising." She stared at me as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "You have told me of your want to draw in your letters."

"I have," Alice agreed breathlessly, looking like she can't quite believe what I'm trying to say. "But it will not...be accepted—I'm a woman," she stammered.

"No one would know," I insisted. "Besides, I am sure Lizzy would say the same thing. She would want you to pursue your own path."

"She would," she echoed, her eyes glazing over as she stared at nothing. "Not only am I going to be a distributor, but I am also going to tell a tale of your company. With my own means," she finished in a daze, awed.

I could tell I did well, as I saw Lizzy's approving face in the crowd. I urged Alice to take a break from dancing as the both of us were getting tired, and by then she had already thought up designs on how to make Funtom even more appealing to children and adults alike.

The hours passed by in a blur of dancing and laughter and refreshments—we even met the host himself.

Elian Ocasio is a tall, handsome man in his late twenties, with a mop of brown hair and a pair of playful, mischievous, purplish eyes. I sensed something about this man, but I couldn't really put a finger to it, even when I asked Sebastian. The man was as mysterious as his riches, he said, both suddenly showed up in London and settled here. Where he came from or how he got here: everyone didn't know.

He had taken a special interest in Alice, to say the least. He was acting like he was some suitor, which irritated me greatly. Who does he think he is, standing that close to her?

When he got close with Lizzy, I hated it. I'm her fiancé! Does he not know when to back off? He's almost two decades older than us!

The surge of protectiveness came from somewhere, but I refused to acknowledge it.

A few more hours were spent dancing and mingling with the guests, and the crowd slowly started to disperse. We took that as our cue to leave.

Before we could, Elian Ocasio decided that he wanted an audience with me, but all he gave me were cryptic riddles.

I refuse to be part of a scheme I don't know about, but what he said was definitely a curiosity. He even told me to relay the message to Alice, whom he had been taken with earlier. This time though, he looked serious, like he had seen a danger to come.

On the ride home—Lizzy and Alice were both picked up by their carriages—I couldn't help but think the riddle over. It gave me the same foreboding feeling as I read little dream's first letter. Even as I prepared for bed, I couldn't help but maybe think, that something big is going to happen soon.

~~~

"When the clock finally strikes twelve,

The puppets come out to play.

Into the abyss they gleefully delve—

The Queen of Underland, theirs to slay.

The Aces invite those from Overland:

Will you accept to be

The final Alice of Underland,

And fulfill your destiny?"

~~~