sorry. if you really cared if I updated or not, well here it is. I would have updated sooner, but I forgot to. the chapter after this will be up soon. you are so lucky I wrote this a long time ago. If I hadn't, the next chapter would'nt be up for a while, cuz...well, it's not important. anyway, read and enjoy, and review!!

I walked down the stairs that lead into the storage room. Elizabeth had instructed me to go this way to avoid Alexander – the head chef. Apparently he had gone mental.

When I reached the bottom step into the dark room, I began touching the walls for a light switch, for I could see nothing.

When I found the switch and turned it on, the small bulb lit up the room, flickering as it swung back and forth. It didn’t make the room bright, but very dim, just enough to see.

I walked into the room, heading for the door, when I heard a shuffle from a stack of wooden crates in the corner of the room.

Carefully, I took a step forward. The crates moved slightly, with a soft thump to go along with it. I slowly walked up to the stack, and lifted up the boxes.

Sitting on a blanket, sat a white, fluffy rabbit; it’s piercing eyes boring into mine. It was beautiful. “It,” for I did not know whether it was a he or a she.

“I promise you sir. The meal will be wonderful. It will be the most wonderful rabbit stew you shall ever have.” I recognized the voice immediately. So much for avoiding the chef. All I heard in response was a doubtful grunt, and then footsteps.

Had he said “rabbit stew?” I looked around frantically. I picked it up and wrapped it in the towel. I knew now it was a boy. I dashed through the door I just came through and listened for what will happen next.

A door opened in the storage room. I heard a few shuffles come next, and after a moment I heard angered profanities and loud bangs. I ran up the stairs back to Elizabeth’s room.

I blew into the room, the door slamming loudly against the wall. Elizabeth and Siege stared bewilderedly at me.

“Uh…. Alice? Um, why are you holding…what is it that you’re holding, exactly?” Siege asked me, eyes still wide.

“Aw! How cute!” Elizabeth, obviously over her shock, squealed in joy as she ran over to me and took the little rabbit out of my arms and into hers, cuddling him tightly. “What an adorable bunny!”

“Alice? Where did you get that rabbit?” Siege demanded, still not over his shock.

“The storage room. He was under the crates, and I overheard the chef talking about turning him into stew, so I acted on impulse and brought him here.” I explained.

“Only gives me more reason to have him fired,” she said contently.

“Take care of him, alright? I’m going to go find Andrew.”

“Why are you going to find Andrew?” She asked curiously.

I only smiled and walked out the door. At this point, I honestly did not care if I ran into Alexander again. I would probably punish him for even considering to cook such a majestic creature. I took the main stairs.

Sure enough, he was there, frantically asking people whether they have seen a rabbit or not. He spotted me, and ran over to where I stood on the third step to the bottom, watching him.

“Alice, dear! I have to ask you something. Have you seen a white, fluffy rabbit about -,” I interrupted him by slapping him hard. He moaned in pained, and rubbed his cheek. “What was that for?”

“You were going to cook an innocent little bunny, weren’t you?” I speculated him, though I already knew the answer.

“Yes, and the Duke asked-,” I cut him off again.

“Thank god you lost him! Cooking a rabbit would be as though you were cooking a - a - a cat!” I kept yelling.

“Although –,”

“No!” I put my hand up right in his face, and then I stalked off, entering the crowded ballroom.

I went through the dancing people. The lights were dim; therefore, it was difficult to see the faces of people clearly, a perfect place to be unseen.

Just then someone tapped on my shoulder. I spun around to find myself facing a beautiful face that could just make me puke – wait! I take that back. Because it wasn’t Randy who stood in front of me.The person who stood in front of me was a boy, around the same age as Randy, but he had a very caring, and beautiful face.

He had long black hair, with a streak of dark blue on a lock where his bangs were. He had deep blue eyes that danced with pleasure. He was smiling beautifully down at me with a gentle look on face.

“Hello, are you Alice?” He asked politely. His voice was sweet and smooth.

“Y-yes,” I stuttered. “How do you know my name?”

“Your mother told me. She said that you were at a friend’s house for a birthday party. She invited my sister and I to be guests in your home. We have some… business to attend to here, and we needed a place to stay.” He explained. At least I know he’s not related to those foul beauties staying with Elizabeth.

“Oh, alright. Wait, you’re in a business? Aren’t you too young?” I asked curiously.

He chuckled softly. “Not for this job, no. But I can’t tell you what it is, sorry.” He told me apologetically. All of a sudden he looks as though he remembered something important. “A thousand pardons, I had entirely forgotten to introduce myself. I am Salem Aimer (A/N-aimer is French for love), and my sister is Madelay. She isn’t here though, she was too tired.”

“It’s alright,” I chuckled at his politeness.

“Alice, would you care to dance? After all, we are in a dance hall.” He smiled. I couldn’t help but think he was such a gentleman.

I felt a smile of my own creep onto my face, and heat rising in my cheeks as well. I looked down so he wouldn’t notice, letting my hair fall into my face so it couldn’t be seen. Salem lifted my chin up with one long finger, forcing me to look into his blue, blue eyes. I suddenly remembered that he was waiting for an answer, and the thought only me made blush even more.

“Oh, right. Umm…that would be wonderful.” I exclaimed.

“Good,” He replied simply. He snaked his arms around my waste, and mine encircled his neck as we danced to the light music that was playing from the very loud gramophone victorolla. The band that Mayor Gregory had hired under Elizabeth’s wishes, was at this moment taking a break.

“You have beautiful eyes.” He said gently, surprising me. I hadn’t noticed he was staring at me.

“What?” I was stunned. Had he said what…what?!

“You have beautiful eyes. They’re like deep pools of emeralds. I almost drowned in them,” he chuckled softly. I blushed for the third time this entire night, first one being only moments ago.

“…Thank you?” I said nervously.

“Isn’t there a birthday girl around here? I heard you two were together every second of the day you two spent time with each other, sort of like a package deal.”

“Oh, yes well, I was just looking for someone and Elizabeth had other things to do.” Other things like cuddle with a rabbit while poor Siege has to watch her do that with an animal instead of him. Actually, that sounded quite humorous; maybe I’ll pay them a visit soon.

“Oh. Isn’t there a family staying with Elizabeth?”

“Did you hear that too?” I asked, and he smiled sheepishly. I laughed lightly. “Seems as though you have heard many things. Well to answer your question, yes, there is a family staying with Elizabeth. The Hemat’s.” I explained.

“The Hemat’s? Humph, I know them, Randy and Paisley especially.” He said grimly. His eyes were dark with hate, as well was his voice. “Will you do me a favor, Alice?”

“Um…sure.”

“Would you-,” he stopped suddenly, not only speaking but dancing as well. His back stiffened and he tightened his grip on me.

“What?” I asked worried.

“Hello, Alice.” Randy said, coming up to us. He looked at who I was with and his eyes narrowed. “Salem.”

“Randy.”

“May I cut in?”

“No you may not.”

“And why is that? Do you feel for her in some way?” He looked as though he knew some inside joke.

“Do you?” Salem retorted.

Randy narrowed his eyes again, but didn’t answer.

“So you do?” Salem asked.

“I just want a dance. Is that too much?”

“Actually yes, it is. You standing here is too much.”

“Huh. Why not allow Alice to have a say in this? Alice?”

“Well-,” I started, but was interrupted.

“Alice does not want to dance with you.”

“Well, I don’t remember asking you whether she would like to dance or not, I asked her directly. Are you too brain-dead to notice that? Or have you finally gone mental and think that you’re a girl named Alice?”

“No, but I wouldn’t speak like that, after all, we wouldn’t want your 5 year old mind to be corrupted, now would we? And anyways, I know well enough that she wouldn’t ever dream of dancing with you, because if she did it would be nothing but a nightmare. I couldn’t fathom anyone that would actually want to dance with the likes of you.”

“Well, at least I don’t have a bloody blue streak in my hair that makes me look like a bloody-,” he was cut off by my putting my hand on his mouth before this could go any further.

“Both of you stop this instant! You’re bickering is entirely unproductive.” I scowled them as a mother would. “Randy, if you have something to say, then-,” he grabbed my elbow and dragged me away from Salem, interrupting me again. I was beginning to get tired with all the interrupting we’ve been through in the past 5 minutes. I looked at Salem with sorry eyes. He was glaring at Randy, but when he caught my apologetic face, his expression grew forgiving.

LOVE-bored