A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Erik stared at the woman who had entered his office, trying to take in every word that fell out of her mouth at a rapid speed. He understood that most of Wonderland were scared, as they should be. When the woman finally stopped to take a breath, Erik merely sighed before saying “Well, all of that depends on a number of factors.” His voice was calm, reassuring her as much as he was reassuring himself. He moved, motioning for the woman to come inside and sit down at an area of his office that housed a couch. Erik himself sat at his desk, a mess of papers and vials. 

“What I know is that it affects all shifters. So, if you are one…I would stay away from any and all bodies of water.” Erik turned to tousle with his papers before seeming to find what he was looking for. “If you are a shifter and you get the sickness, it will affect your ability to shift. That is really the only way we are able to tell if one has it or not.” He turned towards her, putting the paper back in its place. “Sorry I can’t be of more help…”

Aurelia’s chest moved up and down as she breathed deeper and deeper by the second. She hadn’t expected it to be so mad and wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do anymore. Wringing her hands, she calmly ran her hands through her hair, messing it up a little. Usually, she’d be mad that the perfect curls were gone and it didn’t look beautiful, but she didn’t care. How did this even happen? It wasn’t supposed to. As he gestured for her to move inside, she did so and sat down on the couch. The couch was comfortable, but she couldn’t enjoy it with how scared she was. 

“Oh, that’s great to hear,” she explained, looking up at him with a pout. “I am and I don’t.... I haven’t thought about it.” Aurelia was worried that she’d get sick because of what she was. It was beyond silly and not fair, at all. “Have you had anyone come in for help with it?” she asked, wondering if he had any other suggestions. Quite honestly, she hadn’t even thought about any of this properly. Throughout the whole process, she hadn’t even listened to what they were saying. “Do you know why this happened? It seems... cruel.”

Hearing Aurelia, Laurie turned with a small, but happy smile. She loved her husband’s sister dearly, had thought of her as simply a sister, but like so many other relationships in her life, this one had suffered too. The thought of it brought a pang to her chest and she knew she had to try to fix it if she could. “Well, we have to figure out what’s actually responsible. It might be birds, but it could be a few other animals too. Or just stubborn plants, and that’s somewhat easier to help,” she laughed softly and held out a hand to invite her sister closer.

Her eyes followed the woman’s, taking her hand. Aurelia trusted her. Why wouldn’t she? Her brother always talked highly of her and the redhead heard nothing but good things about her. Why wouldn’t she want to help her? “It makes me sad to see all of this,” she explained. Everything about nature made her happy and when the world was sad, so was she. “Thank you for worrying about the plants. We need more people who believe in them. Not everyone cares.” Aurelia bent down, looking at the plants. “You know, my brother’s lucky to have you,” she stated softly.

Jensen didn’t really have anything to do on this specific day – he wasn’t needed at the palace and well, there really wasn’t anything to do in general – so he had ended up walking to the Woodland. He was thinking of going to the library to see how things were going there, but he got distracted when he saw a basket full of apples. He picked up one of them and took few steps forward to see was there anyone who owned the cart that had the apples so he could pay for it, but there didn’t seem to be anyone. He took few steps back, but there didn’t seem to be anyone either. Odd. Who would leave a cart full of apples unattended? 

Aurelia adored the way the trees smelled and looked this time of day. The light shone on them in a way that she’d never expect. She wished she’d brought her sketchbook out here to draw designs, but hadn’t even considered it. Hopefully when she went home, she’d still remember this feeling. As she walked through the streets, she saw someone walking by one of the apple cats. Keeping a few steps back, the redhead kept her eye on him. When she saw what he did, she put her hands over her mouth, shocked. Moving toward him, she lifted up her hand. “Uh, sir... you can’t just... you don’t know whose apples those are. They might be for some event and now... their numbers are all messed up.”

Erik stared at the woman who had entered his office, trying to take in every word that fell out of her mouth at a rapid speed. He understood that most of Wonderland were scared, as they should be. When the woman finally stopped to take a breath, Erik merely sighed before saying “Well, all of that depends on a number of factors.” His voice was calm, reassuring her as much as he was reassuring himself. He moved, motioning for the woman to come inside and sit down at an area of his office that housed a couch. Erik himself sat at his desk, a mess of papers and vials. 

“What I know is that it affects all shifters. So, if you are one…I would stay away from any and all bodies of water.” Erik turned to tousle with his papers before seeming to find what he was looking for. “If you are a shifter and you get the sickness, it will affect your ability to shift. That is really the only way we are able to tell if one has it or not.” He turned towards her, putting the paper back in its place. “Sorry I can’t be of more help…”

Aurelia’s chest moved up and down in frustration and worry as she stood there, beyond terrified about what he was going to say. She had no idea what was going to happen or if she should be really worried. Wringing her hands together, she knew she had to stay calm but how could she when all of this was happening? She listened to his words as she sat down. Sitting was helping, quite a lot. Now that she was sitting, the redhead was able to catch her breath, she looked up at him.

Lifting her head, she let out a soft squeak, very afraid. Aurelia was a shifter and now, she was even more worried. Most of her time was spent away from the water, but it was possible that in the next coming days she would’ve wanted to head to the water. “Oh, w-what happens when you get it? Besides shifting, ‘cause I... I’m scared now to try,” she explained. Shaking her head, she leaned closer to him slightly. “No, you’re helping. You know something, more than I did.”

“If you have something to say, say it. No one likes a lurker.”

Aurelia practically squeaked. She put her hands over her mouth and shook her head. “I’m not trying to be rude, I just...” now, she’d forgotten what she was going to say. How in the world was she supposed to talk to someone when she didn’t know what to say? “I am not very good at talking to people. Confrontation scares me, a lot. How are you so confident?”

Standing on the edge of a field, Laurie studied her handiwork for the day. Wind rustled the crop that was just starting to reach her chest. The crisp, clean air brought a small smile to her face. Hearing someone behind her, she spoke, “This area should be fine. The far side, though, it needs more attention. Uneven feeding, I’m wondering if a flock of birds is helping themselves.”

Aurelia pushed her hair behind her ear and looked up at the girl standing at the edge of the field. She couldn’t help but smile. Laurie was always a good sister. They’d been close. But things were weird lately, or at least she thought so. Everything in the red head’s life was weird and she didn’t know whose fault it was. As she walked up behind her, she smiled before responding. “How do we go about fixing this? What’s your suggestion?”

Val opened her eyes slowly to look over at the woman.  She wasn’t anyone she personally had met before, which only heightened the tension she felt having been approached by her.  

“Simply reading,”  was the response she gave, as it wasn’t anyone’s business but her own what she was doing,” That is what books are for, after all.  What is it you’re doing?”

Aurelia knew she needed to know more people and learn more about them rather than stay cooped up in her house decorating dresses and making fabric. But not everyone felt that way and she was very quickly starting to learn that. Especially with everything going on, Aurelia knew she’d have to be careful who she spoke to and what she said to them. 

Tilting her head to the side, she looked at the girl rather confused, wondering how she could read with the book on top of her head. But she wasn’t going to judge anyone. She’d done weird things in her lifetime as well. “I was looking for a good place to draw and I... I’m a little bored and lonely,” she explained, admitting it. Aurelia wanted to become less shy. It was making her life a little frustrating being alone all the time.

With a heavy sigh, Wally turned the doorknob that would lead him into his home. He had just returned from a long week of trading and was anxious to be at home. His ears twitched, though, just as he opened it. His hearing had always been heightened, so he trusted it enough to know there was someone nearby. If his life experiences had taught him anything, it was to trust his instincts but not others. Therefore, it was second nature for him to pause, close the door quietly, and shift back into his rabbit form.

Sniffing the air around him, he finally caught the scent of something strange. It might have been someone familiar, but it was so faint that he couldn’t make it out. Instead, he began to bounce slightly away from his home in the direction which seemed to hold the source. His hops were quiet, but he was still careful to not land on a branch or dry leaf of any kind as he finally seemed to be making out more of the scent. Finally, he saw them.

He wasn’t exactly unaccustomed to people having secrets in Wonderland, but in this particular moment, he was sure that he was watching this being bury one of theirs, quite literally. With their back to him, he couldn’t see what it might have been, but he wasn’t exactly in the best spot for that either as he had swiftly hopped behind a tree, waiting for them to turn around. However, when they finally did, Wally sat stunned for a moment. He froze while he tried to consider turning back into a human and confronting them or just sit there quietly, letting them leave without a word.

Considering how long his decision making process was, the other began to make their getaway. Wally watched in awe, still trying to process the sight he had encountered. As he waited, though, the grass had brushed against his whiskers, causing him to sneeze. He had done so well at keeping quiet, but that small noise had them turning around, looking straight at him. Rabbit or not, Wally realized he’d have to confront them, but he remained still, even though his eyes began to dart rapidly trying to find a means of escape.

Aurelia’s day wasn’t going all to well. She kept messing up her stitching and was glad that she wasn’t making something for someone else. If she had, she’d been kicking herself for it, rather annoyed and frustrated. Her hands had been pricked so many times, something that she didn’t always deal with. It only happened when she found herself frustrated. But why was she even frustrated? Was it because of everything going on? She couldn’t get it, could she? That was just it. She had no idea. In fact, she knew nothing and was afraid to step foot into Wonderland, but she knew she needed to get out of the house or she’d most definitely go crazy.

There was only one solution she knew of that always managed to calm her down. She needed the fresh air and needed to run. Aurelia shifted into a weremouse, needing the freedom and the space to do exactly what she wanted. Her body was so much smaller this way and she could get into much smaller spaces and hide if anything decided to come and attack her. Her little nose twitched as she wandered through the woods. The small ears on her head listened to everything around.

Someone else was hanging out in the woods, and she was a little afraid that they were big enough to eat her. Moving toward it, she waded through the grass before seeing a rabbit staring at her. Her small mouse eyes widened as she shook her head. “Please don’t eat me. I’m just playing.”

Erik was one of the first to hear word about the sickness rampaging through Wonderland. To say it frightened him would be an understatement. He was not only the castle physician but he was someone with a huge secret that the sickness could destroy. Because of it, Erik stayed in the castle and did as little as possible that would mean that he would have to venture outside. That was a risk he wasn’t willing to take.

Today he was in his little medical office, studying and doing anything to keep his mind off of the sickness and what it could mean if he ever caught it. He was entranced in his studies when he heard a knock at the door that caused him to jump. Staring at the door for far too long, Erik eventually answered “Yes?”

Was she even safe to be walking around Wonderland with the sickness attacking the Mer? Did they all have it? Would they attack her just for walking around if they hadn’t caught it yet? What were the symptoms? Having not paid attention to it, she was afraid they’d come after her. Did they come to her in their sleep? Was that even possible? Her heart was racing out of her chest, panicking. Could she get it? Was that possible? Aurelia was a shifter so did it affect her? Was that what it was. She was beyond confused.

She knew there were doctors that could help and found herself wondering if she could get checked or if they knew what the symptoms were. Biting her lip, she knocked on the door, peeking her head in. “I just want to know... how do I know if they’ve got it? Can they attack me? How weak are they? Can I get it? What do you know?” Normally, Aurelia didn’t talk this much, but she was scared, really scared.

Valasca sat on the shore quietly, eyes closed and taking a moment for herself.  The book of medicine she was reading placed upon her head as she willed the knowledge to enter her mind.  She’d been scouring the pages for hours already, and as the pages blurred to beyond legible, this was her break.

If only simply balancing the tome on her head would give her the answers she seeked, but it was only a random thought of an overworked and tired mind.  The sickness that found its way into her sea had many of her warriors down and out and it was stumping the medics of the kingdom.  

She didn’t move as she heard footsteps approaching, keeping her eyes closed until the person got closer.  She tilted her head slightly to let the book fall from her head to her hands, and said,” Stop where you are.  Don’t come close.”

That morning, Aurelia held her drawing books close to her chest as she headed into the city. She needed a little bit more inspiration for a few dress requests and couldn’t manage to find it at home. Knowing full well how beautiful Wonderland was and how many fantastic people she could find. Their energies and spirits could give her everything she was looking for. 

She twirled her hair around her finger as she let her mind wander. As the air blew in her face, she couldn’t help but giggle. This was exactly what she needed. While she continued moving deeper into Wonderland, she tried not to think about all of the horrible things everyone was talking about. Aurelia hated thinking about awful bad things that everyone was getting stuck with and all of the things that could happen. 

When she saw someone standing there with a book on her head, Aurelia tilted her head to the side. She put her hands up in defense. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she stated, her voice rather soft. “Why are you doing that?”

Task 002: Inner Workings

What is your character’s primary drive and where does it stem from?

What is your character’s favorite childhood memory? You can write as a description or use as a prompt.

Who in your character’s life do they most idolize? And why?

If your character could have any job in the world, what would it be?

Describe your character’s greatest fear.

Does your character prefer the Moon, the Sun, or the Stars? Why?

What song from our world best describes your character’s personality, mindset, or background? Analyze the lyrics for us.

If they lived in our world, what would be your character’s favorite movie of all time? And why?

(I know I’m the one who named most of them, BUT…) Look up the meaning of your character’s first name and tell me how you think that relates to them.

If they somehow stumbled into our world, what piece of technology or culture would most freak out your character? And what would they find the most interesting?

Lily had been through quite the emotional rollercoaster. Seeing Alice had made her think back all those years ago. Now she relived the past when she closed her eyes, a memory she had almost snuffed out. Now it was time to cry about it again. She thought she was alone but no one could ever be sure of that. It turns out that Lily was not alone at all.

Aurelia ventured into Wonderland for some of her favorite fruits. With a basket on her arm and a kick in her step, she was practically skipping. The last few days were wonderful and she hoped to continue it like that. After she bought her fruit, she was walking around, taking note of everything and planning her next day in Wonderland, she saw someone looking rather sad. Aurelia headed over to her and asked softly, “Are you okay?” The redhead wasn’t sure what was going to be said, but she did know she wasn’t very good at comforting people, perhaps because she was so shy and never knew what to say.

Today was the only day of the year Bluebelle didn’t wear any color. The only day it seemed like nothing could cheer her up, not the library, not a snack from her favorite cafe, not even the sunshine as spring was fast approaching. And that was how this day has always been for the last eleven years. Belle could never seem to keep her head clear on this day. She could never seem to keep her focus on anything for too long, as her thoughts always filled with what might’ve been. What he might’ve been like if he were still around today. What her life would be like if she still had her father with her. She was snapped out of her own thoughts when she realized someone was speaking to her, “Oh, I’m dreadfully sorry… my mind was elsewhere for a moment, could you repeat that, please?” She asked quietly.

Aurelia didn’t have much work today and was the perfect day to head outside. She looked up at the sun, grinning, rather happy at how beautiful everything was. In fact, the redhead was in a good mood, a really good mood. The sun was shining and she’d had a good breakfast. Everything in her life was going well. She was practically skipping through the forests. Her dress was moving with the wind, making her look rather pretty. She’d had her hair down and Aurelia was just happy. She figured everyone would be as happy as her. But when she saw Bluebelle, she tilted her head to the side, rather confused. What had happened that she was so upset? Walking toward her, Aurelia asked, “Why are you wearing such sad colors? You don’t usually wear sad colors.”

Ash was caught off guard by her enthusiastic response, having come to expect a more negative reaction to telling someone that you didn’t have what they had originally wanted. 

“Okay, you got it. You want some coffee or something to go with it?”

There wasn’t a lot that could make her upset. She understood that there were sad things in life and that if she didn’t see the beautiful, it would only get harder. Besides, a glazed doughnut sounded absolutely wonderful. A small smile grew across Aurelia’s face.

“I’d love some coffee with some vanilla if you have it.”