Scarred for Her Majesty
A/N: A sort of back story to the Knave of Hearts involvement with the Red Queen and how his face became scarred. Some spoilers if you haven't seen Alice in Wonderland.
Chapter 1--Beware the Bandersnatch
Knave was hopelessly devoted to the Red Queen when she first took control of her kingdom. The way she exacted command over her army, her authoritarian way of forcing her minions and court to do anything she desired made him quake deliriously.
At this time, Knave was unaware as to how horrible the Queen truly was, but he wanted to make an impression upon her that would prove his worth to her and maybe even win her heart in the bargain.
The Red Queen was quietly enjoying high tea when Stain, her gardener, had a request.
"What is it now, gardener ?", she asked, clearly irritated with his rudeness.
"Your majesty, I believe that it would be proper if we had some method of fighting your Sister, the White Queen in the future. The fiercest monsters of Wonderland have never been captured by any man or beast here. There is no method, of which I know, that they can be killed.", Knave said.
"Ah, yes. But I possess the Vorpal Sword. That object is the only known thing to have the power to destroy the Jabberwocky. When it comes time for the Frabulous Day, I will be victorious, for I believe she will have no champion to engage me in battle with.
Ultimately, Underland will be mine for eternity.", the Red Queen vowed. It was true. The Vorpal Sword had been won fair and square by the Queen in a game of chess against her Sister. The only matter that had been troubling her somewhat were rumors of Alice returning and making all things right. But, the Red Queen would have nothing to do with silly predictions and chatter by commoners.
"I would like you to capture the Bandersnatch. Though I know you have no formal training, you can prove your devotion to me by doing so. This creature, shall I have need of him, will destroy anyone who gets in my way. Shall I need other creatures, I can send for you to fetch them, but now I need to know if you are strong enough to face the fiercesome Bandersnatch.", the Req Queen said, while daintily nibbling on a scone. The handsome gardener, looking Ichibodian and lanky, gulped, his knees nearly knocking together. He had always dreamed of being a knight and he felt with some exercise and training on his own, he'd capture the Bandersnatch without trouble.
"I'll do so but with some time allowed to prepare myself physically and mentally.", Knave said, bowing to her. Boldly, he took her hand and kissed it, which made her blush deeply. Her annoyance with his decision to condition himself quickly faded.
"Very well. But bring me my Bandersnatch, or you will remain a gardener until your last breath and I will see to it you are buried under one of my rose bushes.", the Red Queen stated, a little morbidly. Knave felt a bit sickened by her sadistic remark, but he knew that she was serious in her intent if he did not do as she asked. It was either life or death by executioner, and for once, Knave felt he had a better chance facing down the hideous Bandersnatch in her honor.
After a few months of training, Knave felt he was ready to enter the woods to bait and trap the Bandersnatch. Despite his courageous nature, there was a terrible knot in his stomach that whispered to him that going in to snag the beast was a horridly imbecilic idea. Even his horse, Elliot, believed it was foolhardy.
"You could quit while you're ahead and fib about the encounter.", the horse stated a bit mischievously.
"I can't, Elliot. The Queen has her method of discovering falsehood. Eventually I would be executed.", Knave said, clasping his neck and wincing in pain at the thought.
"Onward into the fray, then.", Elliot said, continuing to trot into the unknown, dark, ominous woods.
As the two went forward, their fear starting to multiply. A low growl emanated from the darkness and in a split second, a huge paw had swiped Knave from Elliot's back. Spooked, Elliot galloped as fast as his hooves could carry him. Knave was left alone with his wits and his sword to protect him.
Again, the rumbling was heard and the Bandersnatch appeared in all his gruesome glory. Knave felt his whole body tremble but managed to fight back against the beast.
"This is what I must do to make myself invaluable to her ! Once this beast is in my possession she will see I am knightly material. No longer will I be ostracized. At last, I will have the love I have wanted.", Knave thought as he fought against the creature. Roaring violently, the Bandersnatch tore at his face, ripping out his left eye and eating it in the process. Bleeding profusely, Knave sneered and fumed.
"That was my good side, you ruddy cad !", Knave exclaimed as he stabbed the creature in the paw violently. The Bandersnatch yelped in pain, nursing its wound. Quickly, Knave hastefully tied the monsters feet together and carried it home over his shoulder, still bleeding in the process.
"My Queen…I am victorious !", Knave said as he fell toward her feet. The Banderstatch was taken by the Red Knights and locked away immediately and Knave was tended to quickly.
"You fool. But you are brave. Therefore, I will now Knight you, Sir Stain. Your knighting will commence tomorrow eve. For now, you should rest.", the Red Queen said, sweetly as she leaned forward to kiss him. Some servants came to carry him away to the infirmary where he was tended to and given special ointment to begin his healing. Sadly, the scar the Bandersnatch had given him would never disappear and he would no longer resemble his handsome self, but at least now, he believed, the heart of the Red Queen was in his possession.
Chapter 2--Fool For Love
After Knave was knighted, he was expected to be Wonderland's official 'monster captor'. Thus, it became his ultimate duty and quest to find and capture Wonderland's fiercest beasts: the Jub Jub Bird and the Jabberwocky. Unfortunately, no man had ever caught either or saw either and lived. Knave felt obligated to do as he was asked, because he still didn't understand the Red Queen's motives for doing so. Nonetheless, he loved her with abandon and obeyed as a good servant would.
Again and again Knave was scratched and marred for love in his quests. The confrontation with the Jabberwocky nearly ended his life, but the Vorpal Sword had kept the beast at bay. At that time, Knave had lost so much blood that it was believed that he felt he would die. But the Jabberwocky felt pity for him.
"If your Queen wants to capture me so much, then I will let her. In fact, I will carry you back to her stronghold.", the Jabberwocky stated. It was ironic that a being this sinister, this evil and black hearted wanted to assist him. But, the Jabberwocky knew its destiny was to be with the Red Queen on the Frabulous Day in the future. At that time, it knew that it was meant to face down anything in its path and burn everything to the ground, creating a new Wonderland that the Queen would control. The White Queen would be nothing but cinders and her castle would remain as rubble. Anyone who rose against the new order would be roasted alive once the order came from the Queen's lips. And the Jabberwocky was all too happy to do it. It gave him a devious, delicious pleasure of the most twisted variety.
"I cannot thank you enough, Jabberwock.", Knave breathed heavily. The Jabberwocky shushed his speech and carried him back to the Red Queen's castle. Appeased, but unamused at Stain's less-than-dignified presense, she flippantly called for her medics to have charge of him. The Jabberwocky then, was placed under a spell and would only be released upon the Frabulous Day; when Wonderland would be changed forever.
Chapter 3--Enchanted With Um
It had been only recently that a fair, lovely maiden by the name of Um from Umbrage had arrived in the kingdom. Knave had grown tired of the Queen and her dictatorial actions. His love for her was becoming more of a pleasantry and a convulsion than anything else. If he was honest with himself, he was beginning to loathe her. If it hadn't been for her, he would still have his handsome face and his depth perception would be perfect. His body had been scarred in his quests as well and those awful scars, even despite the potions that the medics prepared, didn't heal his wounds very well whatsoever. Even if the putrification had been warded, the deep tears in his flesh remained as well as his dislike for the Queen herself.
He couldn't take his eyes off her. Whatever she did or said, Um was glorious to behold. He had to admit that he fancied larger women. They were assertive, sure of themselves and had quite a presence in the room when compared with 'normal' people. But Stain's evil heart was still full of malice. Once he felt that he could redeem himself for his past failures in his battles with the Jub Jub bird and the Jabberwocky, he had a feeling that perhaps, the Queen would revert to being genteel for once. Knave was optimistic. He had no idea that the Queen was polluted by greed and only wished to have control of everything and everybody. It was once she said to him on the balcony, "It is better to be feared than to be loved.", which was not what the younger queen in her pure state of youth would've ever said. However, the prospect of romance and ousting possible traitors in their midst had gotten Stain's deviant mind whizzing and whirring at light speed. Once every traitor was gone, the Red Queen's scheme to rule could begin in earnest.
Chapter 4--Bamboozled
Um had been revealed as Alice, the one who was to be the Champion to fight against the Red Queen. Despite Stain's best efforts, the Mad Hatter and Mollythumpkin were all the cavalry she needed to escape with the Vorpal Sword. Even though Alice had wanted to leave with the Hatter, it wasn't possible. But, somehow, she knew, the Hatter and Molly would be following her not far behind.
Epilogue
It was just as the oracle had predicted. Alice slew the Jabberwocky and the Mad Hatter thumberwhacked in elation. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum clapped their hands at the entertainment, impressed with the Hatter's fancy footwork.
Alice was saddened she had to disembark from Wonderland, she knew that the path she made had to be one of her own choosing. Absalom, interestingly enough, had floated by her as she stood on the deck of the Wonder, her father's boat. She was about to make a business venture in China. She pondered to herself if she would be following Absalom back to Wonderland there. The thought made her smile.
"Even though I am going so far from England, you are still with me.", she mused.
Absalom hovered high in the clouds as the Wonder's sails billowed in the wind and she was carried to the Far East to meet her first potential clients. Strangely unafraid, Alice began her business with few and far troubles and started to turn a profit.
One day, while enjoying the sights and sounds of Hong Kong, Alice noticed Absalom on her windowsill garden.
"Hello, Absalom.", she said, gently. Absalom crawled upon her finger and fluttered his wings for a moment, perfectly content to be on her hand. Playfully he floated away and outside the window. Curiously, she followed him to the forests that were not too far from the business. As she chased him, she completely forgot about the deals she had made in the past. Suddenly, she found herself falling through a hole, and doing all she could to stop herself.
"Perhaps it is my heart's desire to return to Wonderland and to see the Hatter again. Only he understands me more than I understand myself.", Alice thought for a moment. It was then she understood what she should do and that it was time for her to create her own life. Even if it was difficult, at least she knew she wouldn't be alone.
She would have friends along to help her every step of the way.
To Be Continued…