This story is loosely based around Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Alice and the White Rabbit are the only non-original characters. Some are based on characters from Alice in Wonerland but they are original.

Charlotte Of Hearts

Chapter 1

Two New Members of the Royal Suits

Charlotte the (almost) Princess of Hearts laid her head against her headboard. The royal suits were assembling in the Ruby Hall for her mothers, Alice Dupont’s formal coronation. The best thing about it was both she and her mother would receive a gift from the previous queen. However, since recently dead, the queen’s royal gifts would be bestowed on the new royals by a chosen representative.

Endless thoughts ran through her mind. It would be only a few hours until she, Charlotte Dupont became, Charlotte Anna Marie Danielle Beatrice Dupont, Princess of the Kingdom of Hearts. The thought made her shudder just a bit. She was born to two of the bravest, most highly ranked members of Wonderland’s army. Charlotte, herself had risen through the ranks to a five of hearts in the queen’s card army. Now she was to become the princess of the land she trained to protect.

A knock at the door pulled Charlotte out of her nervous thoughts. Madix Hatter, the royal secretary, was standing in her doorway. He bowed to her and spoke, “Is there anything you require princess?”

Charlotte deliberated for a moment. She didn’t think she needed anything at all, but on the other hand, she didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts at this moment. The thing that most little girls dream about was happening to her, and the only thing it was doing the Charlotte was turning her into a nervous wreck. She sat a little straighter on the bed as she spoke, “Mr. Hatter, would you be so kind as to fetch the dormouse for me?”

“Of course princess and call me Madix. I insist.”

“In that case, just call me Charlotte.”

“As you wish.”

Madix headed down the narrow hall, down the staircase, and out into the courtyard. As he approached the dormouse, as she was called by friends and enemies alike, he saw the normal ragtag bunch of Wonderlandian teenagers picking on her. He heard one of the boys shout at her, “You going to cry mouse. Come on cry. Little weakling, small and insignificant, just like a mouse.”

Madix continued at his pace. Another girl laughed, “What’s wrong mousy. Can’t reach your locket.”

He reached the crowd. He smiled at the dormouse as he spoke, but his voice was firm, “Doria, my dear, her (soon to be) royal highness,” Madix emphasized the words, “Would like you in her presence. Gather your things,” he shot a quick glare at the girl dangling the dormouse’s locket over her head, “and be on your way to see her.”

The girl automatically lowered the necklace to a height where Doria could easily reach it. Quickly, she moved to the side of Madix Hatter, her legal guardian, and hurried to keep up. Madix glanced down at the girl and spoke to her in a soft tone, “Doria, I think it would be a good idea if you spent the rest of the afternoon with Charlotte. That is of course until you have to retrieve the royal gifts. I’ll bring your dress to you and you can get ready with her.”

She nodded to Madix and spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, “Thank you Uncle Madix.”

Charlotte smiled as her friend, Doria Mouse, otherwise known as the dormouse, entered the room. Doria was the prettiest person in all of Wonderland, in Charlotte’s opinion. Sadly, the dormouse’s appearance wasn’t widely appreciated and she was picked on a lot for it. Madix followed the dormouse into the room. Once again he bowed to Charlotte as he spoke, “I hope you don’t mind if Doria stays here until she must fulfill her duties.”

Charlotte gave Doria some assistance onto her bed. She spoke to Madix happily, “Of course she can stay here.” She was pleased to be with Doria. With a flick of his wrist, Madix conjured Doria’s dress and laid it on a chair. He bowed to the girls and let them be. Charlotte returned her attention to Doria, who was fiddling with the end of her thin tail that poked out of the bottom of her skirt. “Doria, what are your duties?”

The dormouse sounded confused, “What?”

“Madix said you had some duties.”

“Ah. Yes. I am to present you and your mother the royal gifts,” she said pleased that the queen had appointed her to this prestigious position.

Charlotte’s smile grew wider than it had been all day, “That’s fabulous. What are you to wear.

Letting go of her tail, her gloved hand motioned to the dress in the corner. “What are you to wear, princess.”

Charlotte laughed and opened the door to her closet. The purple dress took up a good deal of the closet’s space with its oversized bustle. “Honestly, I don’t know what mother was thinking.”

“She was thinking that you will look gorgeous in front of the Prince of Spades.”

“Oh come off it dormouse.”

“Everyone can see you like him.”

Charlotte was aghast, “Even the Prince of Spades.”

“That I honestly don’t know.”

“Oh Doria, please.”

“I don’t really. I can’t be everywhere in the palace at once.”

“Very true. But I’m sure you could be in a couple places.”

“Maybe one or two, but my magic isn’t strong enough to last long.”

“Fine,” Charlotte said, half in mock disappointment, half in real. She changed the subject, “We should get ready.”

Doria finally got the last petticoat of Charlotte’s dress firmly tied around her waist. She spoke exasperatedly, “Good gracious Charlotte. How are you possibly going to stand with the weight of those petticoats.”

Charlotte began to pull the upper layer of the dress on. Her voice was muffled in the bodice of her dress, “Practice. Tons and tons of practice.” The light blue dress fell to her ankles and despite the petticoats, swayed as Doria tied up the back.

Doria herself looked stunning in her dress. The green dress had a very small bustle created by two petticoats and the white gloves covering her mouse-like hands matched perfectly. She glanced at herself in the looking glass. Doria asked Charlotte quietly, “Would you like to see what your Prince of Spades is doing at this moment?”

“He’s not my Prince of Spades,” she paused momentarily then sighed, “yes.”

Doria lifted her skirts by her left leg revealing a pretty looking glass bound to her leg by two leather straps. She pulled the looking glass into her hands and waved her hand across the crystalline surface. Her reflection morphed into a scene in the Ruby Hall.

Charlotte watched carefully as the Prince of Spades sat quietly listening to Madix Hatter discuss his days in the forest where he lived with Doria’s father and mother. The two girls heard the discussion through the looking glass. Madix said, “Of course Gloria fully embraced the idea of Daniel and I accepting the jobs at the palace…”

Before they could hear another word, Doria waved her hand once more over the looking glass, returning her reflection to view. She looked down on the floor avoiding Charlotte’s gaze. Charlotte knew that Doria didn’t like talking or hearing about her parents. She reached down and placed her hand on Doria’s shoulder, “Don’t worry about it dormouse,” she said cheerily, “I’ll just see him when I go down stairs.”

Doria nodded concealing her fear and sadness. She replaced the small looking glass back into it’s hiding place under her skirts. Just as she righted herself a knock came at the door. Charlotte gave her approval that the person could enter. The white rabbit, Minister of Wonderland Affairs, bowed to the girls. He straightened and spoke fluently, “Pardon me ladies, but I do believe you’re late Doria. It is half past five.” Doria gave a curt nod to the rabbit, and curtsied to Charlotte as she left the room.

Charlotte followed Doria out off her sleeping chambers but went down the opposite hall. A large spiral staircase led down into the Ruby Hall. She descended down upon the beautiful hall where the royal suit families stood socializing with each other. Everyone had their attention drawn away from Charlotte, to her relief. Everyone’s attention was drawn away save one. The Prince of Spades watched Charlotte glide down the stairs. He climbed the stairs to meet her.

To Charlotte’s immense pleasure the Prince of Spades took her hand, “A princess should not enter a ballroom alone.”

Charlotte spoke calmly, “We are not entering a ballroom and I am not yet a princess.”

“All the same. How are you holding up Charlotte?”

“As well as I possibly can. Going from a fledging card soldier to a princess was not what I had in my mind for my life.”

“You look confident to me.”

“Thanks but you don’t have to lie to me.”

“No really. You look incredibly confident. Don’t worry Miss Dupont,” he let go of her hand and turned to her with a bow, “Your training will only make you a stronger princess and someday an incredible queen. As long as you know the proper motions.”

“Stop scaring me Andrew, please.” But Charlotte couldn’t help laughing. The Prince of Spades was moving around in silly fashions to relieve her nerves. He pretended to curtsy and spin in circles pretending to dance.

She continued to laugh louder until, a voice rose above her laughter, “Charlotte, darling, come socialize.” Both Andrew and Charlotte stood up straight to meet the eyes of Alice Dupont. Charlotte dropped into a curtsy and Andrew into a bow. Alice laughed causing the corners of her eyes to wrinkle, “My dears, you know as well as I do that like Charlotte I am not used to these royal displays being directed at me.” Andrew took Charlotte’s arm again and they ascended into the hall.

The Lady of Spades had her arms crossed firmly across her chest. She called to her son, “Andrew, come here boy. Your father would like to speak to you.”

Andrew wrapped his hands around Charlotte’s shoulders and lightly kissed her cheek, “You’ll be a good princess. Don’t worry. I’ll see you at the coronation.”

Alice smiled at her daughter, “The young Prince of Spades seems to fancy you.”

Charlotte relaxed as she spoke to her mother, “It seems so.”

“How are you doing dear? Are you as nervous as I am?”

“Probably a little less. I mean I’ve grown up in Wonderland. You ended up here in your teens.”

“You’re right. I get to be more nervous than my teenage daughter.” Alice’s smile never faded, which brought great comfort to Charlotte. A horn sounded at the other end of the Ruby Hall. Alice approached the front of the Great Ruby Hall as Charlotte followed.

Alice approached the white rabbit who stood at the front of the hall. A crown and scepter were lied out on the alter. A brilliant stream of light poured through the stained glass window on the wall. The golden light that spread through the window onto the future Queen of Hearts made the whole scene look almost surreal to Charlotte.

Charlotte stood up as straight as she could as the white rabbit began the ceremony. As the rabbit began his speech about the accomplishments of the queen before Alice, Charlotte glanced back at Andrew Prince of Spades. He smiled at her then gave her a small nod to let her know to turn back to the ceremony.