Thanks to bookdiva for telling me that she'd love to read a story like this!
Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time in Wonderland doesn't belong to me.
Cyrus could hear the guards coming before he saw them. Booted footsteps sounded in the labyrinth of corridors that led to the cages, and in the next second, two guards appeared, each holding an arm of the prisoner between them.
The genie eyed the guards with interest. These were not Jafar's guards – these guards wore uniforms of long cloaks and masks that covered their faces, not the leather vests of those who worked under Jafar. The prisoner with them was different as well – he looked surly and defiant, and wore clothes made from fabrics Cyrus had never seen in all his travels.
The two guards forced the man into the cage, and left without a word. Another thing that marked them out as different – Jafar's cronies enjoyed taunting the prisoners a little when they came.
The sound of metal being struck echoed throughout the large dungeon as the other prisoner hit the bars in frustration. Cyrus didn't say anything – he had learned it was always best to let strangers make the first move, because it made it easier to figure out their intentions.
The back of Cyrus' neck tingled uncomfortably, and even without turning around he knew that the other man was staring at him.
"You weren't what I was expecting," the man commented.
Cyrus turned to face him. "And what were you expecting?" he asked in reply.
The other man shrugged. "I don't really know. Whenever Alice described you, the picture in my head seemed…different."
Cyrus was on his feet and gripping the bars in a heartbeat. "You know Alice?" he demanded. "Is she safe?"
"She was the last time I saw her. We were in the woods, but there were bounty hunters after me and we had to separate. Then the Red Queen got me, and I ended up here." He leaned back against the bars, shifting in a futile attempt to find a comfortable position. "I'm Will, by the way."
Cyrus didn't respond, too wrapped up in his thoughts of Alice to say anything. "Thank you," he said minutes later.
Will shrugged again. "Alice did me a favor a long time ago. I'm just paying my debt. Besides, she's a good friend."
"So you come to Wonderland and risk your life, all for friendship?" Cyrus remembered, ages ago, telling Alice that he had never met a human quite like her, and he had meant it. It wasn't a mere romantic saying – in all his years of existence, Alice was the first person he had ever met that was truly selfless and kind. But now it seemed this Will was the same, if he was willing to face the dangers of this world for a friend.
"Yeah." Will's answer was terse, and offered no explanation. Cyrus felt like there was more to it than that. He waited, sure that Will would offer more explanation when he wanted to.
It was actually hours later that Will talked. The guards – Jafar's men this time – had brought them dinner, and Cyrus had already finished half his meal when Will said, "I envy you."
"What?" Cyrus was confused. He was separated from his love, trapped in a cage, and his future pointed towards either death or servitude. What was there to be envious of?
"You and Alice. The way you two love each other unconditionally, how her happiness is all that matters to you. Where I come from, we tell stories about that type of love. There are a few who are lucky enough to have True Love, but the rest of us are just left…wanting."
"Perhaps you'll find your love one day?" Cyrus reassured him. "There's always hope."
Will laughed humorlessly. "Funny thing is, I thought I had it once. But she's changed, and I can't trust her anymore. She's not the girl I fell in love with."
"There's always hope," Cyrus repeated. "I have lived too long to not believe in that. Maybe deep down, she'd still the same person. You just have to look a little harder."
Will snorted. "For the longest time, I thought so too. I thought that one day, she would wake up and be who she used to be." His lips twisted wryly. "She's ordered my execution for tomorrow, so I guess I was wrong."
There was only one person in Wonderland who could order an execution. "Will," Cyrus began, "Your love, was she…the Red Queen?"
Will was quiet, and Cyrus feared that he would never get an answer. But after staring sadly at the bars of his cage, Will said, "I'm going to tell you a story about a thief and a girl called Anastasia. They were young, and in love, and believed they only needed each other to survive. But the world proved them wrong." And then Will told Cyrus every detail of his story, and by the time he had stopped, his voice was hoarse and Cyrus' head was whirling. He tried, but failed, to reconcile the Red Queen he had met with the Anastasia Will had described.
The two sat quietly while Cyrus tried to digest all the new information.
"Do you – do you still love her?" Cyrus' question was soft and hesitant.
"She can rot in hell for all I care," was Will's reply, but there was no emotion behind the words, and Cyrus didn't have to be a genie with magic to spot the lie.
But he said nothing, and continued to say nothing until the next morning, when they heard the footsteps of the guards coming to escort Will to his execution.
Will stood and stretched languidly, before turning to Cyrus and saying, "Well, good-bye for now."
"For now?" Cyrus asked. "I don't mean to be rude, but aren't you heading to have your head chopped off?"
"I am, but I probably won't be dying today, not if Alice has anything to do with it." He smiled. "She can be extremely stubborn. You're lucky to have her."
"I know," Cyrus replied.
The guards came and dragged Will out of his cage. But before they disappeared from sight, Will called over his shoulder, "Next time I see you, I'll have Alice with me, and you two will be together again!"
And somehow, Cyrus knew Will was telling the truth.