Note: I don't have the book in front of me, and I won't for about 3 weeks so please bear with me on all my mistakes and misspells.
Also, are the chess pieces like the Rook like people or the Card Soldiers? When ever I reread, I can't figure out what they look like. :/ Anyway, enjoy, but DON'T read if you haven't read the first Looking Glass Wars book or else SUPER confusion. ('She' in the beginning is and OC not Alyss)
She ran as fast as possible, and then some. They were gaining and she had nowhere to go, no escape route. She ran through the street, side-walks, and even puddles, until she fell into a puddle.
When she reemerged, she was in a river. 'Pool of tears' her memory said. Memories she had kept pressed down for six long years reemerged. Heart Palace, the Mine, Millinery (what Hatter is head of), Chess Board Desert, all of it came rushing back.
Two years ago, she had left her 'family', some rich European snobs. Now she was 13 years old, but she didn't know when her exact birth day was so she said it was the day of the new year. She was wearing her Millinery training coat, hat, the complete outfit. Before Redd had taken over, Hatter was training her to be a Milliner like him. All her peers were far beyond jealous. Only 5 years old and being trained by the real Hatter. He must have seen something in me that he didn't see with the others, Iris thought.
Iris never knew her parents, and no one ever told her what her full name was, so she made a name up. Iris was in the forest now, and the card soldiers were gaining. With a flick of her wrist her at became a circular sharp edged weapon, the only perks of wearing this stupid hat. Once in range, with skill that was more than skill but part of her training, practically burned in her brain, she more flicked her wrist than toss, and took out about 10 of the cards when the weapon was flung back to her. She started sprinting away, not knowing where she was going, just away from the soldiers when there was slicing. Iris flung around to see her old teacher. Hatter Maddigan.