Disclaimer:I don't own Alice in Wonderland. It is the work of Lewis Carroll and the movie is property of Tim Burton.
Warning:Fem-slash which means girl/girl romance. Don't like, don't read, and certainly don't leave a review spewing your ill-begotten hate.
A/N:This is the sequel to "Game." Please read that first, though I suppose it isn't strictly necessary. This will be an ongoing series. Thanks to BladeMaster357, my beta. :) Also, this series is now titled "Love Springs Eternal: A Chronicle of Underland" with this being installment 2.
In Marmoreal there was a room that was used far too little for anyone's liking. With its large comfy bed and beautiful balcony view, the Queen's bedchambers rarely saw its owner most times. The room adjacent to it, connected by a single door between them, was about to be even less used while Mirana's bedroom was likely to see a drastic increase in activity.
The adjoining room, of course, belonged to the Queen's Champion—Alice Kingsleigh. The reason for these changes now adorned the ring finger of Mirana's left hand, a flawless blue-white gem set in polished silver, presented to her by Alice with the intent of betrothal. A prospect eagerly accepted by the White Queen.
Only hours after the proposal, the two women lay comfortably on Mirana's bed, near enough to easily lavish sweet kisses upon the lips of their heart's desire. The jacket of Alice's suit was draped over a chair, with Mirana's crown perched on the adjacent desk, something which Alice had gently insisted upon and had received no resistance.
Silence reigned in the room occupied by the newly formed couple, words unnecessary, content to simply bask in the absolute bliss of their shared love and affection. Currently, their fingers were idly playing with and caressing the other's, encouraging the sparks that were felt from the simple yet intimate gesture.
The sparkling gem of her engagement ring caught Mirana's eye and she laced their fingers together, looking up into her champion's eyes. "Alice," she said slowly, searching those glittering orbs as a sudden thought occurred to her, "how did you know I would say yes?"
"Ah," the blonde chuckled and smiled sheepishly, giving her answer with the utmost sincerity, "I didn't."
Mirana was stunned, staring at the woman she had secretly adored for so long. With the queen unable to find the words to speak, her fiancée elaborated.
"I've loved you for a long time, Mirana, but I wasn't certain if you loved me in return. Though after speaking with Tarrant and the others, it seems that we've been painfully obvious to everyone but each other." Her grin made Mirana flush prettily before she continued. "Though even before they told me, I had decided to ask for your hand in marriage." Alice's thumb lightly stroked across pale knuckles as she waited for the question she knew was sure to come.
"Why, my dear Alice? Why would you do such a thing if you didn't know how I felt?"
"Because of the suitors." Alice's blunt reply and the way her eyes flashed angrily at the word made Mirana stare in surprise. How had Alice known? There had been no official callers as of yet and Mirana had avoided the subject because of how it upset her.
"I know there's been a lot of talk—anticipating the prospect of you marrying, who it might be, and I…" brown eyes glanced away uncomfortably, "I couldn't stand the thought of you being forced to wed someone you didn't love, someone who didn't understand you and wouldn't care for you properly. So I thought…well, I hoped…that even if you didn't return my feelings, marrying a dear friend would be preferable to marrying a complete stranger."
Mirana's heart melted in light of such an innocent and honest confession. Eyes pricking with tears, she kissed her champion sweetly. Alice, Champion of Underland and Champion of Mirana's heart. This girl, so caring and insightful, able to render the White Queen utterly dumbfounded that her façade had been so easily transparent without even realizing it.
When the kiss ended the younger woman gave a questioning look to the white-haired beauty. A pale hand rose to cup her cheek, a touch she turned into, giving the palm a soft kiss.
"My Champion," Mirana whispered, voice full of awe, "so strong and pure, so selfless. You never cease to amaze me." Blinking, her smile broadened. Now Alice really was hers, and vice versa. Only in her dreams had she ever dared to hope for such a thing.
Alice flushed at the praise from her queen, though she smiled back warmly. "Your Majesty—" Whatever she had been about to say was cut off abruptly as Mirana held a finger to her lips. Though the queen was smiling, her eyes were stern yet still playful.
"Mirana" she insisted in a soft tone. "Even if it's only when we are alone... please, I beg you... use my name. I so love hearing you say it."
The lips beneath her finger curled into a slight grin. Once the digit was removed, Alice slowly and purposely repeated the word, relishing how it felt on her tongue as much as the joy she saw in her beloved's eyes.
Closing the small distance between them, Alice brushed her lips across Mirana's. The contact created such a pleasant tingle between them that she did it again and again, each time adding a little more pressure until the play ended with a remarkably ardent kiss, full of passion. The dark lips beneath her own parted as Mirana moved closer.
When Alice pulled their bodies flush against one another, the queen gasped at the sensation. Feeling emboldened, the blonde took advantage of this, tongue darting out to caress and tease its counterpart. It was a wonderfully new feeling for both of them, making them dizzy with desire.
The longer the kiss continued, the more intense it became. Hands roamed along the other's back, trying to bring their heated bodies closer together despite it being physically impossible. Both women were inexperienced with the physical aspect of love, and as does so often happens in these situations they were rapidly being consumed by these feelings, about to go farther than either of them were ready to.
They were saved, much to a confusing mixture of relief and disappointment, by a rather loud knock on the door to the queen's private quarters. Startled by the intrusion, they broke apart instantly, yet remained frozen to their spot on the bed. Trying to regain a semblance of calm, Alice rested her head on Mirana's shoulder, closing her eyes.
The queen took a deep breath, willing her racing heart to a normal pace. Her voice was blessedly steady. "A moment, please. Who is it?"
"Nivens, Your Majesty." Of course... he would be looking for her. She had left her paperwork without any notice of where she was going or what she was doing, and they had been hidden away here for hours, not including the time that had been previously spent in the garden maze.
Nudging Alice, Mirana searched her eyes, posing a silent question. The brilliant smile she received was more than answer enough.
"Call the court into session" she replied clearly, never breaking their gaze, "Hatter, the Tweedles, Chessur, everyone. Assemble in the throne room within the hour; I have an important announcement to make."
"Y-yes, Your Majesty!" Nivens squeaked. They could almost hear him hyperventilating as he hopped away in a hurry. It was only after the hall had fallen silent again that Alice burst into a fit of giggles. The mirth was infectious and soon they were both laughing, releasing their pent-up emotions and settling their nerves.
Cupping her cheek, Mirana searched Alice's face for any sign of doubt or hesitation. She found none, only a certainty of their relationship. Still, she felt a need to voice her question.
"Are you sure about this, Alice? We don't have to announce anything yet…"
Taking the hand from her cheek, Alice brought it to her lips in a tender kiss then held it, lightly caressing the pale fingers with her own. "I'm sure, Mirana. Besides," she chuckled, a teasing glint in her eyes, "if we don't, everyone will demand an explanation for your ring and the only way to avoid that would be to remove it... and I never wish to see your finger without it. This ring is a symbol of my love and devotion to you, that you accept it and me, a bond that no one can tear asunder."
Tears welling in her eyes, Mirana kissed Alice once more, all the words she couldn't find put into that simple act.
Again, they parted, their foreheads still lightly touching. Alice then smiled, a hint of mischief in her voice. "We should probably freshen up. Can you imagine the scandal if the Queen arrived at court with mussed hair and a rumpled dress?" she giggled, "Oh, to see the looks on their faces!"
Batting her arm in mock reprisal, Mirana couldn't help but smile at the blonde's antics. "You are incorrigible, dear Alice. Though you do make a valid point. Loathe as I am to part from you, perhaps we should, to prepare for what is to come."
Helping Mirana up from the bed, Alice pulled her into a loving embrace, pressing their lips together. Sighing happily, she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper. "I love you, Mirana."
"I love you too, Alice."
Reluctantly, the two headed in separate directions. As they did so, both became keenly aware of their growing distance in proximity, longing to be close to one another once more. Before disappearing through the door that joined their chambers, however, Alice paused to give Mirana an impish grin. "You may want to bring along some smelling salts. I imagine half the court may pass out from shock and we might give poor Nivens a heart attack."
"Alice!" Mirana failed miserably in attempting a scolding tone, covering her mouth with a hand to hide a laugh before admitting her beloved might have a point.
R&R please. Reviews are much loved. All suggestions are welcome. :)