Mad as a Hatter

The sound of a child struggling could be heard just outside of the abode of a noble household, though not just any child, one of the family’s very own. A small brown fluff ball jerked at a toy made of cloth from a crack in the most rundown part of the house’s structure, putting a few holes in the fabric as she yanked as hard as she could. Some off white material would be left in the fissures, making the little hiding place not so well hidden anymore as sun easily illuminated on the addition. That didn’t cross the little girl’s mind as she padded away from it proudly with the toy flopping from her jaws and nearly tripping on it as it bunched up under her toes. She would save herself as her newly longer legs seemed to break into dance to keep her balance, all was well in the end when she stood up more straight with the poise her mother insisted on. Her mother that didn’t know she was sneaking out and thought she had gone to her own room, having fibbed to her.

It didn’t take long for her to get where she wanted to go, a little garden she often saw a maid tending to and for once it was entirely vacant of anyone that would pay her any mind and report her poor choices. This was no real adventure, as she placed the toy on the stump that sat next to a stone table that had been there since she could remember. With a hum, she would adjust a couple other makeshift toys to put together a little tea party. From leaves with some water in them to even a small piece of china she may have stolen to make her little game by herself more authentic like the parties she saw other nobles go on. She thought of inviting Jade and she still pondered, though if both of them were missing it would definitely raise some red flags plus she wasn’t so sure her sister would really like doing this.

Taking in a breath, she decided against it, thinking maybe some time alone was better anyway.

She played tea party for a bit before a small smile twitched at the corners of her lips as she tossed in a few berries into one of the cups, her tail wagging. “A party is more fun with wine!” she chirped to one of the makeshift dolls, having smelled it on her parents more than enough times to know adults sure liked the stuff though she didn’t have any of the fermented fruits to offer, she still found these berries delicious as she chewed on one in her own cup with a merry giggle. “Oh Mister Quiggles! You shouldn’t say such things like that right in front of Lady Charlaberry like that, you know the affair is traumatic for her,” the girl chided a different toy. She had no clue what an affair was, but she had heard one of the maids mention affairs and another telling her to shush so surely it was something bad.

She would go on to sputter more fake gossip and pretend to get tipsy here and there, though would quickly forget she was supposed to be acting drunk. Luckily no one was around to point that out! Only the flowers and bushes.

code // art