Hatter

Chapter Two

(Picture of Emmett)
Almost a month had past, since then Alice had received the same amount of unkind treatment from what was left of her family, as well as an ugly, frumpy, rotten-orange colored dress for her sister's coming out party, which she absolutely hated. The dress did not fit Alice, nor did the color look good on her in any way. It was floor length, and had three frilly layers of a thick satin-like material, a bodice with a cream lace overlay, a high collared neckline, and puffy sleeves that went down past her wrists, almost to the palms if her hands. As Alice looked at herself in the full length mirror that hung on her wall, she frowned.
'Why do I deserve this kind of treatment? It's not my fault I was born like this.'
She took the dress off, pulled on a thin silken robe, and padded quietly across her room to the vast closet attached to it. She went through her dresses, and finally settled on one she knew her sister and mother were bound to hate. It was a delicate blue, with black lace trimming the bottom, a fitted corset-like bodice with a black ribbon, and short sleeves. It came to the middle of Alice's shin, and underneath it, she put on black and white stripped stockings, and white boots with black buttons. Alice pulled her hair up into a fancy twist, and pinned it in place with a black bow. Right before the gala was to start, Alice cautiously stepped out of her room. She peeked both ways, to make sure no one was coming, and she made her way to the main ballroom. As she peeked through the door, her mother saw her.
"Alice!! What on earth are you wearing?!? How could you do this to your sister?!? Oh! And there is absolutely no time to have you changed! Lord Thaddeus and his son are already here!" her mother shrieked. Alice shuddered at the thought of the horrid young man, Lord Seymour. He was grossly tall and thin, with sallow and pockmarked skin, the hair colored like a dull carrot, and dead brown, almost black, eyes. Alice knew that this was the man her mother planned to marry her off to.
Guests started to trickle in slowly, and after about an hour, the gala was in full swing. Alice, ignored by most of the guest, could not shake the feeling that she was being watched. She had checked over her shoulders several times, and moved around the dance floor at least three times, when she spotted a man she had not seen come in. He was tall, about 5'10, brown eyes, and a lovely face, yet he had completely white hair. Alice looked very hard and it was indeed white hair, not light blonde, white. He saw her looking at him, and he walked up to her.
"May I have this dance?" he asked her in a voice as smooth as honey.
"Of course." Alice replied.
He took her hand in his large one, and they made their way onto the dance floor.
"Hello, I am Emmett McTwisp." He spoke softly, and close to her ear. Alice shivered at his closeness.
"I am Alice. Alice King." she replied in a breathy voice. He looked about to say something more, but the ballroom doors were slammed open, and a knife welding woman and a man wearing at top hat and trench coat with two swords sheathed at his hips step through.
"Where is the one called Alice?" A male voice boomed.