Wonderland || GRISHAVERSE

01

Soft melodies echoed through the large room. Gloved fingers danced across the keys effortlessly. Alicia Lantsov had probably played the same piece a thousand times already, but it didn't change the way her hands itched to change path. It was too boring, too repetitive, too ordinary. Alice wanted to make it extraordinary. Though, to make the song more interesting, Alice would have to face the wrath of her mother.

So she continued to play the ordinary tune, despite the whispers in her mind, under the watchful gaze of Tatiana Lantsov.

The Queen sat on the other end of the lavish room. On a white sofa accented with gold. Surrounding her was at least 5 servants, soaking up every word she spoke. Words of the 'so called, sun summoner' and her awaiting arrival to Os Alta jumped out to Alice, causing them to raise their voices.

"Sun Summoner?"

"The Sun Summoner?"

"Yes the Sun Summoner, you fool."

"I say we run her through, just say the words!"

The sudden rise in volume caused Alice to flinch, her hands darting to the wrong key. A failed harmony that sounded akin to the screaming voices rang through the room.

The Queen paused in her conversation, turning towards her daughter with a disdainful look in her eye.

"Have you been practising like I have asked?" She questioned. The servants around her bristled with both pity and excitement.

"Of course I have mother." It was best not to argue with someone who didn't have ears.

"Well it seems like to me that you haven't," for a moment it looked like the queen was going to say something else, before she waved her hand with disinterest "Start again, from the beginning."

"Horrid woman."

"Skewer her!"

Ignoring the less than kind words from them, Alice began again. Counting in her head to keep track of the song, and to deter her mind from wondering off.

In the corner of her eye she saw a familiar red haired woman enter the room. Clothed in a cream coloured kefta with gold embroidery stood Genya, her head held high despite the fact that almost everyone looked down upon her. Most Grisha's wore their kefta's with pride, but the cream kefta was not something that many found to be honourable. A mark of a servant to the palace, instead of a solider to the army.

Genya offered a brief nod to Alice, who smiled in return. They didn't talk often - never having the chance to - but they were far from hostile to each other.

"Finally someone that doesn't make me want to poke my eyes out."

Alice's lip twitched into a grin as she continued playing.