I wondered if she would remember. Our whole world relied on her, I remember thinking, or they would all perish – myself too. I was their Queen and they were my people, how could I let anyone destroy that which I had worked so hard to create? I wouldn't.

Alice never did remember. And the Red Queen turned our beautiful Wonderland into havoc, mayhem even, which soon became known as Underland – a place for the damned souls which remained after the War. The Red Queen was much more than she appeared, it seemed, but I had known that for years. We were sisters, so very different but oddly close during our younger years. Not that that occurred to her when she held that sword to my throat, asserting enough pressure to draw a bead of blood. A tear escaped her when she did that, I know it did. I know because of the Connection. Not many people know we're twins. Identical, once upon a time. She and I were quite inseparable because not only did we love each other dearly, we had no choice. In the way that people communicate through talking aloud, we could talk without making a sound - inside our heads. I didn't want her there all the time, and I'm sure she felt the same, but more often than not we were constantly aware of what the other was doing, what the other was thinking. It was so much more than a simple conversation between two sisters.

It was because of this Connection that I knew she hadn't always been like this.

Once upon our childhood, we were both raven haired, ivory skinned princesses. Our mother and father ruled over Wonderland, a world that was so full of magic and so many creatures we thought we would never meet them all. One day, we thought, this will be ours – and we had no disputes over who would rule. One day, we would both be Queen of Wonderland, and it would be more magnificent than anything ever before, we were certain.

I never found out what happened to change her. She disappeared for so long, such a length of time that we were both adults when she returned, and I was the single Queen of Wonderland. The first time I saw her as an adult, her hair was a bright, blood red and her make up just as eccentric. Her dress was black satin, layered underneath with black nets to make the skirt vast, and the whole ensemble was littered with hearts as red as her hair.

Standing directly in front of me, she smiled a little, and I saw in her mind that she was quite insane. She could barely remember anything of our childhood, other than that we had both wished to be Queen – and that it seemed that I had stolen the crown.

She held me at the point of her sword, threatening to behead me if I didn't willingly hand over my crown to her. What did I know of what she had become?

I did so.

And now here I sit.

Banished.

I built a castle drained of colour, entirely pure in contrast to her blood stained walls. News of her debauchery reached me but still I did nothing.

She threatened people of all ages, creatures of all magical descent and talent with beheading. Even many miles away I heard her cries of

Heads will roll!

but still I did nothing.

Alice arrived for the first time before what was left of my sister returned, and when the young girl came back to me I was thrilled!

"She's lost much of her muchness," said the Hatter to me.

Alice did not accept her fate.

And the heads did roll because of it.