The Melancholy of Wonderland

Epilogue

A young woman walked down the long white corridors of a bright palace made of diamonds. Her hair was the color of burnt caramel and if you looked closely you could see flecks of violet amidst her chocolate brown eyes. She was fairly tall with a petite face and modest curves. A long white dress billowed out from behind her as she stepped through the Diamond Palace.

She had been here, once, six years ago. She had been young but no less clever and witty than she was at present. Now the woman was a business graduate fresh out of Harvard, keeping her promise to some dear friends. She chuckled as she quickened her pace, bare feet skimming across the crystalline floor.

At last, she reached a large wooden door. Every inch of the door was carved and inlaid with gemstones to create a scene from the past. It depicted a great battle that had changed the fate of the land.

At the center was a brunette girl vanquishing a black and red demon with a heart for a face. A raven with blue-violet eyes was perched at the girl's fingers, blood dripping from its breast as it clutched a small orb in its talons. The sides of the mural were decorated with figures, each contributing to the change of the girl's fate in some way, shape, or form. A pink and purple striped cat. A blue-haired captain and his bespeckled first mate. A young boy with dirty yellow hair clinging to his hopes and dreams. A white rabbit holding a pocket watch. A woman holding a top hat that had a hare jumping out of it. A red-haired boy offering his hand. Above all of them rose a queen who shone with light. The background was a mosaic of different locations, each holding a different kind of significance. A tall, imposing manor of black and silver. A wooden pirate ship carrying goods as it sailed over stormy waters. A small tea shop called Book End nestled in a mushroom forest. A city built of cards. And at the center, a palace made of ruby emitting a dark aura.

The woman chuckled and opened the door with both hands. It swung open, revealing a bare white room covered by glass on three sides. There was nothing but a bed and a desk inside, as well as an old mirror that had once been a portal. A man was seated at the desk, rising once the woman entered the room. His hair was blond, tinted grey at the ends and he was wearing all black. The woman rushed up to him, embracing him tightly.

"It had been far too long, Anya," the man said.

"Six years isn't that much, Raven," the woman chided. "I'm just glad to be back here, with you. In Wonderland."

"It's wonderful to have you back."

Anya laughed as Raven lifted her up, noses nuzzling into a soft Eskimo kiss. She smiled in pure bliss as she was set down, burying herself into his chest.

I'm back...