H E R R O Y A L D U T I E S 1

[curiousher]

How in Wonderland did this get here?

[Alice is standing before the tear outside, bundled up in her Queenly garb with her crown slightly askew, just....staring at it.]

It's so very peculiar. I'm sure air isn't supposed to do that.

[She tries for a second, to take to pieces of air in her hands and pry them apart, but it does absolutely nothing, as expected.]

Hm. I'm the Queen now, so I need to figure out how to fix this. There's got to be some way. I mean, nothing's impossible or unfixable!

[This definitely going to be a challenge though. Ponder, ponder, ponder....]

...Perhaps I need my sewing kit.

[OOC: Sorry for the custom comment pages! LJ's stupid new release won't actually let me comment at all without it.]

Comments

[carbon-knight.livejournal.com]

[Crunch crunch crunch M!Mark is here now, high-stepping through the snow with as much dignity as he can manage. If his double can go exploring then so can he.]

Problems, your Majesty?

[curiousher.livejournal.com]

[]

Well, I don't know if problems is the right word just yet. This rift is very peculiar though...it should probably be closed, but I haven't come up with a way to do so just yet.

[carbon-knight.livejournal.com]

Perhaps learning how it got there would help.

[curiousher.livejournal.com]

That's a splendid idea, Mark!

[]

...It must have been during the decorating, I suppose. When that loud crack ka-boom noise happened. Don't you agree?

[]

[carbon-knight.livejournal.com]

I would assume so, yes.

[Is it possible to be respectfully deadpan?]

But that's when, not how.

[curiousher.livejournal.com]

Oh! I suppose you're right about that.

[]

...I'll figure it out! There's a how and why to everything after all! It's just a matter of searching for it.

[]

[carbon-knight.livejournal.com]

Perhaps I can be of assistance?

[Not that he has any more of a clue than Alice.]

[airshipswank.livejournal.com]

[ Buckingham was perfectly fine inside, but rumours on the network informed him of strange portals to other worlds and why, if that didn't just sound interesting enough to brace the cold.

He strolls through the snow, approaches the scar, BUT HARK! His royalty senses are tingling! Why, if it isn't a crown! Put rather oddly on the head of an odd girl, but a crown regardless.

The duke approaches, just in time to catch her musings. ]

...Strange, I was told Wonderland no longer had a queen.

[curiousher.livejournal.com]

Hm?

[]

You must have been told wrong then.

[]

I am Queen Alice, of Wonderland! And who might you be?

1/2

[airshipswank.livejournal.com]

[ Oh.

Oh my.

That is.

Oh my. ]

2/2

[airshipswank.livejournal.com]

[ Buckingham's hand twitches involuntarily with the urge to make the sign of the cross, but divine reception must be poor here and anyway, the impulse is fought easily.

Well. At least it explains the sloppy wearing of the crown. ]

Your Majesty.

[ Instead of praying he now bows deeply, only half-aware of how futile the gesture must be, given the circumstances. But hey, force of habit. ]

I so apologise for believing such dreadful misinformation.

[ But one doesn't leave royalty in want of answers, so he hurriedly replies: ]

I am the Duke of Buckingham... or rather was, in my world, before I was invited to yours.

[ Honoured rather than bloody annoyed is the tone his statement is going for... and for the most part he succeeds. ]

[curiousher.livejournal.com]

[]

It's quite alright. That's not your fault after all.

[]

It's a pleasure to meet you. I imagine you must still be the Duke of Buckingham though. You don't just stop being the Duke when you go somewhere else, do you? ...Is that how that works?

[]

Do you need a new name here? I could give you one, if you'd like.

[airshipswank.livejournal.com]

The pleasure is all mine, I assure you.

[ He suddenly frowns a little, wondering if her curtsy was merely an automated part in the conversation or-- No, of course it was not a reaction to something she saw, she is blind, for God's sake. ]

In title and name I'm indeed quite the same, only my dukedom suffers in impact when my duchy is all too far away; I can only hope the people here treat at least you with the respect your title deserves.

[ This sincere and heartfelt wish requires a pause.

And Alice's offer requires that the duke brace himself. ]

...You offer a new name? What do you suggest, Ma'am?

[curiousher.livejournal.com]

It's very kind of you to think of me like that! I shall have to think of a most excellent name for you.

[]

...I know! I will call you Humphrey. It's a most excellent name, don't you agree? You seem like you would make a fine Humphrey.

[airshipswank.livejournal.com]

[ The narration feels that this would be an excellent moment to point out what a lovely and quiet day it must be outside. So lovely and quiet, one can almost hear Buckingham screaming internally at the suggestion.

...Looking back Buckingham is forced to ask himself why he even asked, what good he thought could possibly come of the inquiry in this place.

(Looking forward Buckingham only has to force himself to smile through clenched teeth.) ]

A most excellent name and... a most excellent choice. Only--

[ He crosses his arms behind his back, presumably to quietly stab his hands with a knife in order to distract himself with something about equally bad as that name. ]

Only the adjustment might... take me a while, I've had my own for a rather long time, after all.