A continuation of "For Mirana." A bit of malice fluff before the confrontation at Marmoreal.

In an Alice in Wonderland alternate universe…

Alice took a handkerchief out of her saddlebag and wiped the perspiration off of her brow, as the afternoon was hot, more than just an unusual weather. It was not quite noon, yet the rays of the sun shone down brightly, irradiating the land in a blanket of warmth. She swallowed hard and turned her head around to watch the carriage behind her. The princess Mirana was sitting in it, flanked by her Ladies in Waiting. She bore a sullen look, and Alice knew it was because of her. She closed her eyes for a brief moment then turned back around, her heart in turmoil. The princess had not said a word to her since their parting in the early morning hours, and Alice was beginning to sense that Mirana was regretting their intimacies.

The Champion turned back around and sighed heavily, her mood darkening with each passing moment. A swarm of Rocking Horse flies flitted past her, lazily wafting over the shrubs and trees, and Alice watched them soar off into the horizon. She wished, at that moment, for such freedom. Despite her best effort a lone tear escaped, and slowly ran down her hot cheek. A wave of nausea suddenly hit so she spurred her horse forward and away from the caravan.

Mirana watched as Alice's horse reared up and then raced off on the path ahead. She sat up suddenly, trying to see where she was going. Mirana frowned and then sat back in her seat, her heart troubled. She knew she was hurting the Champion—her Champion—but all her lessons on how to be a proper princess and future ruler did not prepare for a heart taken by love. She looked at her hands folded in her lap and, once again, was at a loss on what to do with them. After a long while, she looked up and spotted Alice's horse resting off the path, perhaps fifty yards from where the troupe was passing. Sitting up again, she came to a rash decision.

"Stop!"

A knight rode up alongside the carriage. "Yes, my lady."

"Stop the procession, now."

The knight smiled down at her. "I'm sorry, your highness, but we are on a tight schedule."

Mirana gave the knight her sternest scowl. "I said stop, right now!"

The knight sat up and whistled, and the company stopped immediately. Several knights rode their horses to the carriage to ask about the delay. Mirana chose to ignore their concerns and stepped out of the carriage. She turned to her Ladies in Waiting and lifted her hand, an indication for them to remain in the carriage.

A knight steered his horse over to the princess. "Are you alright, my Lady? Are you ill?"

Mirana smiled up at the man. "No. But I see that my Champion has steered her horse over by those boulders. I thought…that I would go and see if there was something wrong."

The knight smiled. "Have no fear or worries, princess. I will see if she needs assistance."

"No!" Mirana's eyes widened at her own outburst. "Its just that…well…she is my Champion, so I feel it is my job to inquire."

Several knights turned to each other and discussed the matter for a few moments, and then one turned to the princess. "I will remain here until I'm sure that the Champion has seen you."

Mirana smiled at the man again. "If you will excuse me." She lifted her skirts as she made her way through the brush on a zigzag pattern as she made her way to the large boulders. When she was close enough for someone to notice she heard the sound of running water.

"Hello?"

Alice steered her horse towards her private getaway, a small pond fed by a spring that emanated from a crevice between several large boulders. She tied her horse to a nearby branch and un-strapped her breastplate, flinging it onto the soft grass. Next came her arm and shoulder gauntlets, leaving her in her linen undershirt and lower armor. She rolled up her sleeves and then knelt by the soft pool, dunking her head into the water and running her hands all over her face. Afterwards, she whipped her head back and let the water run freely down her, cooling overheated skin. Alice fell back onto the ground and lowered her head, hoping the water running off her body would wash away the pain she felt.

She was just about to get up when she heard a voice calling out. Grabbing her sword, she stood up and walked over to the other side of a huge boulder. "Hello, who is it?" Alice found the princess on the other side, and then noticed the stopped caravan several yards away.

Alice waved over to the knights and they saluted before leading the caravan away. She lowered her head and groaned. "What are you doing here, my Lady?"

Mirana's heart dropped a bit, and her hands immediately rose. "I…I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Alice lowered her sword and sighed. "As you can see, your highness, I'm fine. Why don't you go and rejoin the procession."

Mirana was hurt by the cold reception she was receiving, and lashed out. "You will not speak to me in such a tone, Champion! I am your sovereign." But her hurt was not diminished by her outburst, and she wiped at a fear tears.

Alice saw how her words had stung, and she regretted her actions. She tossed her sword aside and went over to the princess. "I…I am sorry, my Lady. I do not want to treat you badly…I'm sorry." Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around the young woman's waist and drew her in.

Mirana clung to her Champion and closed her eyes, thoroughly enjoying her musky scent. After awhile, she pulled free and looked into Alice's eyes. "I'm sorry, too."

Her Champion smiled and took her sovereign's hand. "Come." She led the princess around the large boulders and to the stream.

Mirana looked around the beauteous scene before her. A large pond sat beside three extremely large boulders, and was being fed by a culvert of water as it ran down the face of the large stones. Alice walked to her horse and untied her saddlebag and brought it over to the stream's edge, along with a blanket. She looked at the princess, and indicated for her to join her.

But Mirana didn't move, and stayed where she was. "I…I want to tell you something."

Alice's mouth twitched. "Yes, my Lady?" She took a few steps towards the princess.

Mirana looked down, and felt the awkwardness of her youth. "I treated you badly this morning."

Alice looked down for a moment then nodded. "Well…yes, I know." An unhurried step forward, followed by a smile, and then an appreciative glance.

"I want you to know something else." The princess' fingers twitched a little and she glanced about, her eyes falling on everything except Alice.

The Champion nodded again. "Yes, my Lady?"

Mirana sighed and finally looked at Alice. "I loved our night together…and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."

"Neither would I." Alice closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around the younger woman. "This morning, I thought you hated me."

"Hate you?" Mirana held on tight, as if her life depended on it. "I could never hate you, Alice. I love you. Don't ask me why I do or if it is appropriate that I do, those are questions I just can't answer right now."

Alice rested her forehead on the younger woman's. "I know the feeling, and I'm sorry for it. I'm sorry that I didn't meet you a little sooner, before the negotiations started for your hand in marriage. I'm sorry that I must take you now to Marmoreal, to meet your future husband. And I'm sorry for not, as of yet, thinking of something to bind you to me forever."

Mirana pulled her Champion closer and ran her hands over Alice's back. "Can you not challenge my betrothal, being my Champion?"

"I don't rightly know. But once we arrive at Marmoreal, I will look into it, ask my advisors."

Mirana released her hold on Alice, and brought a hand up to caress her cheek. "Do we have to go right now? Did you come here to cool off?"

"Well, maybe not to cool off, but I thought I'd stop here and try to gather my thoughts. Swimming does that for me." She regarded the younger woman in front of her. "Would you like to join me?"

Mirana's hands snapped up. "I don't know how to swim."

"That's no problem." Alice began to take off the chain mail around her waist. "I won't let you drown, my princess."

Mirana stared as her Champion took off her remaining armor and was mesmerized by her every move—the smooth way her hands ran over her stomach as each article was removed, how she bent over sensually to un-strap her leggings. She turned away when her Champion looked up, a mischievous look on her face.

Alice stood, clad only in her linen shirt and undergarments. "Is there something wrong with the way I look?"

Mirana blushed. "No, why do you ask?"

"Well, you were staring at me very intently." Alice grinned at Mirana as she slowly lifted and pulled her linen shirt off, revealing her breasts. "And I would wager you liked what you saw, and were not repulsed."

The princess gasped. "I was definitely not repulsed."

Alice sauntered over and stood only a few inches from the princess. "One of us is wearing too many clothes." She gathered the princess to her and hugged her tightly. "Please?"

Mirana reached behind her and undid the ties at her lower back and gently placed them in Alice's hands. "Undo me." It was a whisper.

Her Champion slowly pulled and unknotted the ties, and then slowly ran her fingers up Mirana's back to the clasps. One by one, she unhurriedly undid them, as Mirana remained firmly attached to her. And, slowly, one moment after another, the princess' skin was revealed to Alice's nimble fingers, and the Champion used a feather-like touch over the pale skin so that by the time all the clasps were open, both were panting heavily.

Alice pulled Mirana into a scorching kiss and fell to her knees, bringing the princess with her. They tumbled together on the blanket, arms and legs intertwined, mouth's hungry for the other's kiss. Mirana hands explored freely, and she tugged at the undergarments Alice still wore. Her Champion groaned as she pulled, and soon both were naked and wanting.

Alice rolled them so that Mirana lay on her stomach and then she crawled on top of her. She groaned as she pulled the princess' hair to one side and then nibbled at her neck, her breaths coming out in short pants. Her hands roamed all over the younger woman's back and she lifted onto her knees so that she could caress Mirana's bottom. When the young woman moaned Alice scooted down and straddled the princess, her center over one of Mirana's cheeks. She braced herself on one hand and used the other to wind around Mirana's hip to cup the center of her pleasure.

The princess bucked hard against the pleasurable touch and then used surprising strength to lift on her hands, forcing Alice up with her, fully attached to her from behind. She began to grind against Alice's flattened palm, and writhed uncontrollably, panting and groaning and coughing out incoherent words. Mirana lifted her head and cried out as Alice's fingers plunged deep inside her again and again, the feeling of Alice grinding against her was exquisite, her pleasure crested, and then her whole world went white.

Mirana awoke and opened her eyes, and then slowly turned her head to the side. Alice was flat on her back next to her and was apparently asleep. She lifted her head and looked around. Nothing was out of the ordinary; the horse still tied to a tree, the saddlebag where Alice tossed it, and they were on the blanket, naked and sated. She let out a deep breath and then heard Alice chuckle.

The princess rolled onto her side. "What is so funny, Alice?"

"Not funny—but adorable. You are so adorable, my Lady." She turned her head and smiled at her princess

Mirana blushed. "Why, my Champion?"

"You were giggling in your sleep."

Mirana sat up and pretended to be indignant, but couldn't help laughing at herself. "No one has ever accused me of that."

Alice's eyes went wide and she sat up, too. "What do you mean?"

The princess saw distress in her Champion's eyes. "Oh, no, that's not what I meant! I haven't shared a bed with anyone except you, my Champion."

Alice sighed and stood up, offering her hand to Mirana. The younger woman took it and allowed her Champion to lift her up. But Alice went beyond that, and wound her arm under Mirana's knees and lifted her off her feet.

"Whoa, what are you doing, Alice?"

Alice grinned. "Playing." Using all her strength she tossed a squealing Mirana into the water and then dove in after her.

They surfaced together, Alice's arms fully around her lover to keep her safe. "Are you okay, Mirana?" She was rewarded with a face full of water as Mirana squirted water out of her mouth. "Thank you, my love."

The princess beamed and wound her arms around Alice's neck. "I wish we met a long time ago."

"Well, not too long ago, you would have been underage."

"That's true." The princess lowered her head onto her lover's shoulder. "I love you, Alice."

Alice closed her eyes. "I love you, too." After awhile, she sighed, and her heart was further taken in by love. "We have to get going, Mirana. I promised to have you back at Marmoreal before the sun sets."

"Oh, Alice, I don't want to."

"I know, I know." Alice's heart cracked a bit. "And I am loath to do so. But, please, let me fulfill my oath."

Mirana lifted her head and looked into her lovers' eyes. "Alright."

They paddled out the pond and helped each other dry off and dress. When they were clothed again Alice removed a flask of wine out of her saddlebag and offered it to Mirana. "Want some?"

Mirana drank half the flask before handing it back to her Champion. "It's my favourite year, I think."

"I like a woman who knows her drink." Alice finished off the wine and then attached the bag back to her saddle. She easily lifted herself onto the horse and offered her hand to the princess. Mirana smiled and allowed Alice to pull her up onto back of the saddle. Once settled, Alice spurred her mount toward the path. "I was wondering, Mirana?"

The princess rested her head on Alice's armor. "What were you wondering?"

"Do you know the name of the young noble your parents want you to marry?"

"Of course. It's the young Lord, Ilosovic Stayne."