The prince looked at himself in despair. His ghostly form hovered only momentarily before sinking back into the looking glass.
“It will take some time and concentration,” said the white queen, “to be away from your prison for long. When you are focused, you will remain.”
“What will happen when I don’t?” asked the Prince.
“You will disappear,” replied the queen, and return to your mortal body and this enchanted cage. I am sorry, but this is all I can offer you. The red queen’s power has usurped mine, and unless we can return you to your formal self I’m afraid that neither of us will be able to foil her. However, there is one more bit of wisdom I can give you. As an apparition, you are not bound to your mortal form. You can take any shape you chose. I don’t recommend that you appear as the prince to anyone, or the red queen will surely return here and destroy the looking glass…and you with it.”
Once more the prince’s form emerged from the looking glass, this time with a look of resolve in his eyes. He thought of the countless nights that he had watched Alice in the garden with Dinah. If they should finally meet, the prince knew he must appear as someone she could trust.
“There is one more thing you can do,” stated the prince. “I need you to send correspondence at once to our allies, the hatter, the hare, and field mouse. Ask them to prepare a welcome tea for our special guest. Tell them it is a matter of most urgency. Tell them it’s on behalf of the cat.”
Reply
Emptiness, eternity, how much time that passed was unknown to the prince. Only that through the dark a gentle sweet voice filled the air like a whisper on the wind. “Sire,” the voice echoed. “Sire…Am I addressing the Prince of Cheshire?”
“Veritably so,” thought the prince weakly.
“Then you should know that the red queen has taken over your land and enslaved its citizens.”
Had this voice heard his thoughts? Try as he may the prince could not move his lips to speak.
“I had gathered that to be so,” the prince thought again.
“This simply won’t do,” replied the voice. Surprised but encouraged, the prince focused his thoughts.
“Agreed, but as you can surmise from my current disposition, and circumstances being what they are, I am in no position to oppose her. May I ask who you are, and how it is that you can speak with my thoughts?” returned the prince.
Suddenly, a blinding light shone through the looking glass as the curtain was swept away.
“I am the white queen. And Alice is in terrible danger.”
The prince’s mind sparked into life. The white queen! How did she know of Alice and what peril had befallen his precious love?
“Where is Alice?” The prince began to concentrate intently.
“Alice remains in her world yet,” replied the queen. “But not for long. The red queen has sent the white rabbit to retrieve her.”
“How?” asked the prince. “And what does she want with Alice?”
“The rabbit has discovered a door to her world,” said the queen. “And might I add that the queen is most anxious to have you see her lose her head.”
“I must do something!” thought the prince wildly. “Can you release me?”
“Alas I cannot release your physical body,” the queen stated sternly. “For the curse of the looking glass can only be broken by the heart’s desire of those under its spell. However, it is in my power to release your spirit, but for only brief moments in time.”
“Brief moments, for how long?” asked the prince. “And what good would I be to Alice as an apparition?”
“You can be her guide through our land,” answered the queen. “Guide her back to you here, in this place, for only she can release you from this enchanted prison.”
Reply
Trapped, floating frozen in time and space, the vast dark swept around the prince. Unable to move or even breathe, the prince could only stare though the glass to the place where he had just stood. There In the chamber now only loomed the grimacing knave and standing next to him was the red queen. She uttered not a word, but only looked on as the curtain was drawn around him. Everything went dark.
Reply
“But it’s only a reflection!” retorted the prince.
“That was before you found your heart’s desire your majesty,” insisted the Knave. “I assure you now all you must do is have faith and walk through the looking glass. Only then can you be with the one you love!”
Staring at the reflection, the knave’s words played tirelessly in the prince’s head. He pondered the possibility that the knave was trying to make him to look the fool, or worse, but what…if? He knew now that he must try, for he had helplessly fallen in love with the girl through the looking glass, and would do anything to be with her. The prince paused for only a moment, closed his eyes, and put his hand toward the reflection, a warm sensation trickled through his body, and at first it seemed like all his dreams would finally come true, but alas, something began to go horribly wrong.
Reply
Matters of state were quickly evaporating from the prince’s mind. Rumblings and rumors of the red queen returning to power were now whispers in the prince’s heavy heart. All that mattered was that he returned to his looking glass, to her. For seven long years he had gazed upon Alice in her garden. Tonight he smiled as she appeared to him again, her delicate and lovely features far surpassing the beauty of the roses that surrounded her. It seemed like an eternity ago how foolishly he believed that she would ultimately lead him to some beacon of wisdom or treasure. For in fact the Prince was now enlightened, having finally recognized that it was Alice who was his truest desire. He loved her, but to his heartache, could never be in her world. In the days that followed, the prince lamented and vexed at his misfortune. The looking glass was after all a cursed possession of the red queen. Indeed the oracle showed one’s deepest desire, but it only revealed that which could never be obtained. The knave, who knew this from the beginning, was nearly ready to spring his final trap, one that he set in motion long ago.
Reply
Finally at the top of the roundabout, the prince fumbled for the keys he had used so long ago to lock away the red queen’s possessions, along with the witchcraft she had used to terrorize his lands for years. Now through the doors and into the chamber, he took a deep breath. His prize was in sight. There was no going back. In a daze, the prince frantically pulled away the curtain to reveal the looking glass now shimmering beautifully as the sunlight crept through the wooden doors. At first the reflection only returned his curious gaze. Perplexed, but resolute, the prince waited for its promised magic. His patience paid off, and to his awe, a hazy landscape began to materialize, and there beyond the mist he saw an English garden. Puzzled but fascinated, his eyes searched for an answer until they fell upon a girl in a blue dress with a delicate bow in her silky blonde hair. Somehow he knew she was the key to it all, but how? Would she lead him to a great treasure? Was there some hidden wisdom she would bestow? The latter seemed rather unlikely, for the girl could not have been more than eleven years of age. How then would the image of this girl serve the prince to fulfill his greatest desire?
Reply
Lost in abandoned thought, the prince sat up from his velvet throne. The rustling sounds became louder until he could plainly see the knave hastily making his way across the courtyard. He approached reverently, yet with a hint of guile that did not go unnoticed by the prince.
“You’ve news then?” asked the prince.
“Yes sire” returned the knave. “That which you seek is already in your possession.”
The prince, who was not without acumen, looked skeptically at the smiling knave.
“I speak the truth your majesty,” continued the Knave, “locked away with the queen’s belongings, lies the looking glass that will show you your heart’s desire.”
Reply
Maieutic Menagerie / Blog
On Behalf of the Cat 7
The prince looked at himself in despair. His ghostly form hovered only momentarily before sinking back into the looking glass. “It will take some time and concentration,” said the white queen, “to be away from your prison for long. When you are focused, you will remain.” “What will happen when I don’t?” asked the Prince. “You will disappear,” replied the queen, and return to your mortal body and this enchanted cage. I am sorry, but this is all I can offer you. The red queen’s power has usurped mine, and unless we can return you to your formal self I’m afraid that neither of us will be able to foil her. However, there is one more bit of wisdom I can give you. As an apparition, you are not bound to your mortal form. You can take any shape you chose. I don’t recommend that you appear as the prince to anyone, or the red queen will surely return here and destroy the looking glass…and you with it.” Once more the prince’s form emerged from the looking glass, this time with a look of resolve in his eyes. He thought of the countless nights that he had watched Alice in the garden with Dinah. If they should finally meet, the prince knew he must appear as someone she could trust. “There is one more thing you can do,” stated the prince. “I need you to send correspondence at once to our allies, the hatter, the hare, and field mouse. Ask them to prepare a welcome tea for our special guest. Tell them it is a matter of most urgency. Tell them it’s on behalf of the cat.”
Reply
On Behalf of the Cat 6
Emptiness, eternity, how much time that passed was unknown to the prince. Only that through the dark a gentle sweet voice filled the air like a whisper on the wind. “Sire,” the voice echoed. “Sire…Am I addressing the Prince of Cheshire?” “Veritably so,” thought the prince weakly. “Then you should know that the red queen has taken over your land and enslaved its citizens.” Had this voice heard his thoughts? Try as he may the prince could not move his lips to speak. “I had gathered that to be so,” the prince thought again. “This simply won’t do,” replied the voice. Surprised but encouraged, the prince focused his thoughts. “Agreed, but as you can surmise from my current disposition, and circumstances being what they are, I am in no position to oppose her. May I ask who you are, and how it is that you can speak with my thoughts?” returned the prince. Suddenly, a blinding light shone through the looking glass as the curtain was swept away. “I am the white queen. And Alice is in terrible danger.” The prince’s mind sparked into life. The white queen! How did she know of Alice and what peril had befallen his precious love? “Where is Alice?” The prince began to concentrate intently. “Alice remains in her world yet,” replied the queen. “But not for long. The red queen has sent the white rabbit to retrieve her.” “How?” asked the prince. “And what does she want with Alice?” “The rabbit has discovered a door to her world,” said the queen. “And might I add that the queen is most anxious to have you see her lose her head.” “I must do something!” thought the prince wildly. “Can you release me?” “Alas I cannot release your physical body,” the queen stated sternly. “For the curse of the looking glass can only be broken by the heart’s desire of those under its spell. However, it is in my power to release your spirit, but for only brief moments in time.” “Brief moments, for how long?” asked the prince. “And what good would I be to Alice as an apparition?” “You can be her guide through our land,” answered the queen. “Guide her back to you here, in this place, for only she can release you from this enchanted prison.”
Reply
On Behalf of the Cat 5
Trapped, floating frozen in time and space, the vast dark swept around the prince. Unable to move or even breathe, the prince could only stare though the glass to the place where he had just stood. There In the chamber now only loomed the grimacing knave and standing next to him was the red queen. She uttered not a word, but only looked on as the curtain was drawn around him. Everything went dark.
Reply
On Behalf of the Cat 4
“But it’s only a reflection!” retorted the prince. “That was before you found your heart’s desire your majesty,” insisted the Knave. “I assure you now all you must do is have faith and walk through the looking glass. Only then can you be with the one you love!” Staring at the reflection, the knave’s words played tirelessly in the prince’s head. He pondered the possibility that the knave was trying to make him to look the fool, or worse, but what…if? He knew now that he must try, for he had helplessly fallen in love with the girl through the looking glass, and would do anything to be with her. The prince paused for only a moment, closed his eyes, and put his hand toward the reflection, a warm sensation trickled through his body, and at first it seemed like all his dreams would finally come true, but alas, something began to go horribly wrong.
Reply
On Behalf of the Cat 3
Matters of state were quickly evaporating from the prince’s mind. Rumblings and rumors of the red queen returning to power were now whispers in the prince’s heavy heart. All that mattered was that he returned to his looking glass, to her. For seven long years he had gazed upon Alice in her garden. Tonight he smiled as she appeared to him again, her delicate and lovely features far surpassing the beauty of the roses that surrounded her. It seemed like an eternity ago how foolishly he believed that she would ultimately lead him to some beacon of wisdom or treasure. For in fact the Prince was now enlightened, having finally recognized that it was Alice who was his truest desire. He loved her, but to his heartache, could never be in her world. In the days that followed, the prince lamented and vexed at his misfortune. The looking glass was after all a cursed possession of the red queen. Indeed the oracle showed one’s deepest desire, but it only revealed that which could never be obtained. The knave, who knew this from the beginning, was nearly ready to spring his final trap, one that he set in motion long ago.
Reply
On Behalf of the Cat 2
Finally at the top of the roundabout, the prince fumbled for the keys he had used so long ago to lock away the red queen’s possessions, along with the witchcraft she had used to terrorize his lands for years. Now through the doors and into the chamber, he took a deep breath. His prize was in sight. There was no going back. In a daze, the prince frantically pulled away the curtain to reveal the looking glass now shimmering beautifully as the sunlight crept through the wooden doors. At first the reflection only returned his curious gaze. Perplexed, but resolute, the prince waited for its promised magic. His patience paid off, and to his awe, a hazy landscape began to materialize, and there beyond the mist he saw an English garden. Puzzled but fascinated, his eyes searched for an answer until they fell upon a girl in a blue dress with a delicate bow in her silky blonde hair. Somehow he knew she was the key to it all, but how? Would she lead him to a great treasure? Was there some hidden wisdom she would bestow? The latter seemed rather unlikely, for the girl could not have been more than eleven years of age. How then would the image of this girl serve the prince to fulfill his greatest desire?
Reply
On Behalf of the Cat 1
Lost in abandoned thought, the prince sat up from his velvet throne. The rustling sounds became louder until he could plainly see the knave hastily making his way across the courtyard. He approached reverently, yet with a hint of guile that did not go unnoticed by the prince. “You’ve news then?” asked the prince. “Yes sire” returned the knave. “That which you seek is already in your possession.” The prince, who was not without acumen, looked skeptically at the smiling knave. “I speak the truth your majesty,” continued the Knave, “locked away with the queen’s belongings, lies the looking glass that will show you your heart’s desire.”
Reply