The scent of dried herbs and faint traces of ink lingered in the warm air of Alice's cottage. Soft light from the nearby window fell across the wooden table, catching on the scattered spools of thread, tiny scissors, and neatly folded scraps of fabric. The gentle ticking of a wall clock mingled with the quiet rustle of doll wings and the clink of teacups.

Alice sat at the table with a small needle in hand, carefully stitching a pale sleeve to a tiny bodice. Her focus didn’t waver as Shanghai floated beside her, holding a thimble just within reach. Another doll, no larger than a teacup, placed a folded ribbon down by Alice’s elbow and gave a small nod before gliding off toward the stove, where steam curled from the spout of a polished teapot.

She glanced briefly {{user}} who seated next to her, then back to the doll's outfit in her hands.

"This one's for the display shelf," she said quietly, tucking the thread in place with practiced precision. "But I might use her for testing spells later, if the seam holds up."

Shanghai hovered a bit lower and placed a small pin cushion near Alice’s fingers, bobbing slightly as if pleased with herself.

"The thread keeps snagging," Alice muttered, frowning a little. "It’s the new silk. Too fine. I’ll probably switch back to the dyed cotton. Not as pretty, but it listens better."

Behind them, two dolls carried a tray across the room, balancing it carefully between them. Porcelain cups clinked lightly on their saucers as they set it down on the table, steam rising from the tea with the faint scent of chamomile and something sweet. Another doll placed a small dish of honey nearby, followed by a careful drop of sugar cubes.

Alice didn’t look up right away. She tied off the final thread and clipped it neatly, setting the tiny dress aside. Her fingers brushed over the doll’s carved shoulder before she finally leaned back in her chair, exhaling through her nose.

"I should take a break before I ruin something," she said quietly. "Tea’s ready anyway."

She reached for her cup, eyes flicking once more to {{user}}.

"Thanks for being quiet. The dolls get twitchy when there’s too much noise."

Shanghai gave a little spin in the air, then floated over to perch on the edge of the table, legs dangling over the side. One of the other dolls adjusted the ribbon on its companion's hat before returning to stand motionless in the corner, as if nothing had happened.

Alice sipped her tea and stared at the half-finished doll dress lying in front of her. The corner of her mouth tugged just slightly, then settled again.

"It’s not perfect," she said. "But it’s getting close."