The moment was gone, and Alice felt something akin to relief. She turned her head and watched as Tarrant walked away from her, his shoulders slumped, his gait slow and brooding. Alice sighed and lowered her head. She had not meant to hurt the hatter, but his interest in her was unrequited, and Alice felt that it was important that he knew it, before either one of them did or said anything that would totally break the other's heart.

The forlorn man turned once at the end of the corridor, and his eyes locked with Alice's before falling once again to the floor. When he was gone Alice let out a great sigh and leaned heavily on the balcony railing. The tension was now palpable. Frabjous day would arrive with the rising of the sun, and she felt as if she had just sent away her only friend in this strange and formidable world. And the night had only just begun. A harvest moon shone in the black sky above, it's form blocked out by the occasional night creature, flying low on the mountain ranges beyond.

Alice reached up and began to rub her forehead as she could feel a headache coming on, and was further annoyed by the sound of something coming towards her. She turned, expecting to see a servant or a knight coming towards her, and was surprised to find McTwisp, pattering to himself, and hopping in her direction.

"There you are, Alice, I've been searching the entire castle for you!"

Alice frowned. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No, no—nothing like that. But I'm supposed to escort you to your chambers." The rabbit began to hop away. "Come along!"

"No, wait!"

Nivens halted and slowly turned to her, his annoyance obvious. "Yes, what is it?"

"Well, I don't feel like being in my chamber at the moment, and I am enjoying the night air. Why not just tell me, and I'll go there when I'm ready."

The rabbit stared at her, his whiskers twitching. "All right. Go back down this corridor and take the stairs two doors down from the left…"

But Alice had turned away from the rabbit and stared, once again, at Marmoreal's horizon.

"…And just follow that corridor and your chamber is one door down to your left. Let the servants know if you need anything. Fairfarren, Alice."

After awhile, Alice turned around, expecting to see the rabbit, and realized her mind had been wandering when she should have been paying attention to his directions. She proceeded down the hall, looking for that first staircase.

Alice turned the corner and then immediately thought she had misunderstood the directions given by the rabbit. This corridor was withdrawn, illuminated by an inferior light, and sullen in its appearance. Alice stopped, and tried to silence her thinking, as her eyes wandered from one shut door to another in an effort get her bearings. She tilted her head as her ears picked up on the sound of paper being crumbled, and preceded slowly to the door.

When she touched the door with hesitant fingers she felt, as well as heard, the hinges whine as the door opened of its own volition. She peered inside, turning to the right, and saw the White Queen sitting at wooden chair, reading from a scroll. She was sitting near a fireplace, another chair on the other side. In actuality, she was sitting beside a rather big table with many scrolls scattered about it. She turned her head some more and noticed that behind the table was an entire shelf that was built into the side of the wall; it was brimming with more scrolls.

Alice's attention was brought back to Mirana, who was looking a particular scroll, and wiping tears from her eyes. "Your Majesty?"

The Queen looked up, it was obvious that she was crying and didn't want anyone to see. She turned her head away. "Alice… you ought not to be here."

The young woman stepped inside the room. "Well, I heard sounds… I was trying to find my chamber."

Mirana's look was pointed. "I sent Nivens to you. Did he not tell you where your room is?"

"He tried; but I am afraid I did not pay attention to him. I'm sorry."

The Queen looked down to the parchment in her hands and then wiped a tear from her eye. "Perhaps you should go." The light in the room seemed to dim for a few brief moments, and then returned to normal.

Alice frowned. Mirana's words told her to go, but her expression told her something completely different. "Are you all right, my Queen?"

"How can I be your Queen when you have thus far refused to be my Champion?" Mirana closed her eyes and clutched the scroll to her bosom.

Alice recoiled a bit at the accusation, but she could offer no rejoinder, as the Queen's words were true. "Again…I'm sorry."

The White Queen looked up in time to see the pained look on Alice's face. She sighed and pointed to the other chair in the room. "Please stay."

Alice nodded, and took the seat on the other side of the fireplace. There were a few moments of awkwardness, as each tried to think of something to engage the other. Finally, Alice spoke. "May I ask what you are reading, Your Majesty?"

Mirana looked to the paper in her hands. The names—too many names this time—and there were hundreds more. "I…I don't think it would be wise to tell you."

Alice frowned. "Why would it not be wise?"

The Queen regarded the other woman. It would be so easy to lure Alice into this dilemma, and force her, so to speak, to become her Champion. "I don't want to influence your decision to be my Champion."

Alice sat back and pondered the Queen's words. She found herself torn, as well. Her fear of having to face the Jabberwock was not as great as this mental assent the Queen was trying to avoid. What was she really afraid of? Of having to face that monster, or of having to face herself as Champion to a Queen—to a beautiful woman; one that ignited a deep desire that she wasn't ready to confront.

Alice's mouth twitched as she looked up into the Sovereign's face, and watched a tear as it slowly slipped down her face. "I want to help you, Your Majesty."

Mirana looked up. "Do you really, Alice?"

"Yes, I do, Your Majesty."

The Queen nodded. "These come from Salazen Grum every day." The Queen fell silent, and the scroll fell from her hands to the floor.

Alice picked up the paper handed it back to the Queen. There was something about the sadness in Mirana's eyes that touched her. She felt the need to repeat herself. "May I help you in any way…Mirana."

The Queen's head snapped up at the use of her given name, and was tempted to scold the girl for such forwardness, but Alice's look of concern stopped her. She sighed again as she handed the scroll back to Alice. "How many names do you see, Alice?"

Alice scanned the scroll for a few moments and then looked up. "There are one-hundred eight names here. May I ask whom they are?"

"A better question would be, 'Whom they were?' Look at it, Alice. On that scroll are listed all the names of the Iulii clan. Iracebeth executed all of them a week ago—the entire clan—adults, grandparents, cousins, children, even the household servants."

Alice was mortified. "The Red—your sister had the whole family killed? Why?"

"They were my supporters, and helped the rebellion whenever they could. But I think she had them all killed just to see if I would still keep my vows. This is her little game with me. She has had many families beheaded over the years since you were here last. She demands that I read the accounts of their deaths every night, or she attacks Marmoreal the next day…" The Queen let her words trail off, as her sadness was immense.

Alice looked down and let Mirana's words seep into her. It was horrific—a terrible thing for one to bear. "What does it benefit her to do this?"

Mirana offered Alice a small smile. "Pleasure, my dear Alice. She derives such pleasure in seeing me suffer. She knows how much it would pain me to see my subjects put to death in such a way."

Alice looked to scroll still clutched in her hands, she let it fall to the floor. "How can she possibly know that you've read—these?"

The Queen bent down and picked up the parchment, she tossed it into the fireplace. "The smoke that arises every night as I read and burn these tell her that I am acquiescing to her will."

Alice watched as the fire transformed the paper into a mass of bluish, green smoke. It rose languidly up the chimney. It was a sickening sight. She leaned back in her chair and regarded the other woman. Mirana looked defeated and abused and Alice suspected that she felt exactly that. The Queen was buying freedom for her people with the price of her tears. "Who—who brings these to you?"

"Her champion—that rat—Ilosovic Stayne. He comes every night and derives such delight at my discomfort. I am…afraid."

Alice felt her heart go cold at the mention of the assassin's name. She easily recalled that oily fiend from the Red Queen's castle. "I saw him…he tried to seduce me."

"'Seduce' is not the word I would use."

"What do you mean?"

The Queen turned to Alice. "He does more than deliver these parchments, Alice. He…steals my innocence, every night."

Alice, before having felt fear at the mention of the Knave, now felt something totally unfamiliar to her, but easily recognizable—rage. She knelt in front of the Queen's chair, and took her Queen's hands into her own. "What does he do—my Queen?"

Mirana paled. "He…he forces me to…"

Alice closed her eyes; she did not need to hear more. She thought she understood the depths to Iracebeth's tyranny, until this moment. What was happening to Mirana every night was unbearable to think of, and a tear rolled down her cheek. "Mirana, please look at me."

The White Queen forced herself to meet Alice's stare. "Yes, my Ch—Alice."

"Mirana of Marmoreal, from this moment until the end of my days I pledge myself to you and your Kingdom as Underland's Champion. I am your Champion, Mirana." She leaned in and wrapped her arms around her Queen's waist and hugged her closely.

The Queen fell into her Champion's arms and released her grief, the sorrow having almost been too much. "Thank you, thank you, my dear Alice. You don't have to do this, you know."

Alice let go and gently cupped Mirana's cheeks. "I know that, my Queen. I'm not doing this because I have to, I want to protect you, Mirana. I care about you. But, you need to tell me where Stayne meets you to give you these."

Mirana felt fear. "What are you planning to do?"

"I'll confront him, make him stop."

"How? He's strong and knows how to use a sword."

"Is the Armor of Underland still in the Throne Room?"

"Yes, but—" But the Queen could not finish her sentence as Alice immediately rose and ran from the room.

~#~

The Viridian River veered from its southern path, and wound past the eastern side of Marmoreal, bubbling just a mere twenty yards from its eastern walls. An old wooden bridge brought traffic to this side of the palace and to a fairly large and ornately carved wooden door that led to Marmoreal's basements.

The cobbled path ran past the door and then looped around a tall oak tree back into itself, and then back over the bridge.

The Queen paused at the door before opening it. She peered around the corner and saw him standing by his horse, near the tall oak tree. His look smug, like he reveled in the turmoil he was creating by these nightly visits. "Hello, Stayne."

The Knave turned and smiled, but there was no mirth in it. "Hello, Mirana. Such a lovely night, isn't it? It puts me in the mood for love."

"What you do to me isn't love."

"Isn't it? I could just as easily gut you as we stand, show you no mercy. I'm sure Iracebeth would be mad if I did such a thing." He threw the bag of parchments on the ground. "But she would forgive me, she always does. Poor girl is extremely daft and I'm thankful for it. Get over here."

Mirana swallowed and stood her ground. "No."

Stayne faltered for a brief moment, unused to his demands being met with a 'no." "What did you say?"

"I said 'no." You'll have not me nor my Kingdom ever again."

The foul man smirked and began to remove his gloves as he walked over to her. "Such a pity, you know. It might have been more pleasurable with your assent."

"That is something you will never have. I have allowed you to control me for far too long, and now its over."

"Over?" He grabbed the Queen and dragged her over to the tree, and then pressed her against it. "Have you forgotten something, my dear Lady? Have you forgotten your vows so soon? Perhaps I ought to remind you of them as I take my pleasure!"

"Get your hands off her, Stayne!"

The Knave's head turned slowly around, only to spy Alice as she stood at the wooden door, dressed in the Armor of Underland and wielding the Vorpal Sword. "Come any closer, little girl, and I'm slice her throat." He unsheathed his sword and showed it to Alice. "Mine's bigger than yours."

Alice stood her ground, and clutched the Vorpal sword with both hands. "I won't let you."

Now Stayne openly laughed. "And how do you propose to do that? She'll be dead before you take one step!"

The Queen clutched at the hand around her throat. "Alice, please leave."

Her Champion faltered. "I can't do that, Mirana! I won't let him have you, ever again!"

It was obvious that Stayne did not take Alice seriously. "Besides, you can't use the Vorpal sword against me, it was forged for the Jabberwock, not me, you silly g—."

For a moment, Stayne looked like a puppet being hoisted by a string. The hand that clutched his sword flew away from his body and jerked, causing the sword to fall to the ground. It looked as if he was being dragged away from the Queen by something unseen, and he cried out in terror before being slammed to the cold cobble stone path.

"What is hap—?" Alice felt herself being shoved to the side as someone roared past her in a blur, and stopped at the prone form.

"Never again, you filthy man!" Tarrant fell to his knees as the force of his blow toppled him, sending his sword right through Stayne and into the path. "You know what they say about 'all good things?'" Tarrant's eyes were wild and his voice seemed to screech like a crow.

The Knave's eyes went wide as his head jerked backwards, and them something slashed through his throat, from ear to ear, effectively ending the miserable man's life. In a flash, the Cheshire cat appeared standing on the dead man's chest, one paw up and one long nail detracted.

"They come to an end, I think. Poor little Knave, your fun is over." The cat brought the paw up to his face and licked the blood off his nail. "I usually never get involved in politics."

Tarrant squealed and pulled the sword out of the Knave's chest. "Luckily for us tonight, you decided to make an exception!" With a flourish the Hatter swung his sword around him, and appeared to dance to a tune that no one else could hear. "Oh, sweet cat!"

The Knave's body jerked for last time as Chessur floated over to Tarrant and gently removed the sword from his hand. "Come with me back into the castle, Tarrant. You could use a hot pot of tea."

The Hatter stopped his wild dance as the cat took hold of his arm. "Where are we going?"

"Inside, love. Tea awaits!"

The Hatter nodded as he allowed Chessur to lead him. "Yes, it's high time for tea!" He stopped in front of Alice, who was looking pale, and confused. "Care to join us, Alice?"

Alice looked stricken. "No, no thank you." When they were gone, she seemed to come out of her stupor and brought the blade up to look at it. Then she turned to Mirana, who was still standing against the tree, and looking just as confused as she was. "I failed you, my Queen."

Mirana rubbed at her throat. "No, no, please don't say that. I just…what has just happened?"

Alice, feeling dejected, slowly walked over to her Queen and knelt before her, offering her the Vorpal blade. "I can no longer be—"

Mirana dropped to her knees and took the sword from her Champion. She placed it gently on the ground. Slowly, she wound her arms around Alice and pulled the young woman against her. Her voice was calm. "He was right, Alice. The Vorpal blade can never be used against anything other than the Jabberwock."

Alice felt herself melting, and wrapped her arms around Mirana. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"There is more to being my Champion than offering me your protection, my sweet Alice."

Her Champion looked up, and then brought her hand up slowly and caressed her Sovereign's cheek. "You may have already claimed my heart, my Queen."

Mirana returned the gentle caress. "I did not know if it was mine to claim."

"I did not know it, either. But I am drawn to you, my Queen, in a way that I've never been drawn before. I feel as if it is my life's duty to bring you happiness."

"Oh, Alice, it is no duty that I would wish upon. My hope is that you would learn to accept my promise of love, and to one day love me in return. My desires fell upon you the moment you stepped into my life, and I knew I would yearn for no other."

Alice lifted her Queen's hand and kissed it. "You may hope no further, my Queen, as it is also within my grasp to pledge my fealty to you. My fealty, my love, my works and my life…are yours." She bent her head slowly, and lovingly captured her Queen's lips in a sweet kiss.

Mirana returned the kiss gladly, and had to break it off after a time in order to speak. "Come, let us remove ourselves from this refuse."

Alice glanced at the Knave's body before taking Mirana's hand and guiding her into the Castle. "Will Iracebeth retaliate?"

The Queen clutched her Champion's hand as they continued to walk trough a long corridor. When they turned a corner Mirana led them through large double doors into a rather large sitting room, which was dimly lit by small fire in a fireplace and numerous candles scattered out it. "Yes, she may bring more than just the Jabberwock tomorrow on Frabjous Day."

Alice felt a cold chill, despite the warmth of the room. "What could be more evil than the Jabberwock?"

Mirana led them over to a large couch and sat them down. "There are malevolent things, from the bowels of Underland, more foul than the Jabberwock. Things that my magic can not control, and the Vorpal sword can not kill."

Alice shivered. "What must we do?"

Mirana smiled and took the Vorpal blade from Alice and placed it on a table in front of them. "Well, for tonight I suggest we rest. Would you like me to assist you in removing this armor?"

"Only if you allow me to help you out of that dress." Alice's eyes widened, as she could not believe her own forwardness.

But the White Queen only laughed and began to undo the straps to the cumbersome armor. When she had removed the breastplate a shimmering in the corner interrupted them.

Both turned to find the Cheshire cat floating over to the couch they were seated at. "A very good evening to you, my Queen."

Mirana's pointed look did not penetrate into the cat's whimsy. "Chessur, what exactly happened tonight?"

"It is simple, Mirana, Tarrant and I could no longer abide what the Knave was doing."

The Queen paled, and looked down. "How…how did you know?"

Chessur let his tail slowly caress the Queen's cheek. "I saw, not too long ago, and sought counsel with the Hatter on how to proceed against that wretch. We had to arrange to get Tarrant here to Marmoreal by any means possible, and Alice provided the exact circumstance to allow it to happen. I'm sorry, my dear girl, that we used your arrival back in Underland to see our plans through."

Alice sat back, absorbing the cat's words. "So my misfortune was all part of your plan to save the Queen?"

The cat licked his paw. "Of course."

Mirana took hold of Alice's hand. "I did not know, my Champion."

Alice nodded. "I know, I know."

Chessur finished his grooming and then shook his head. "Now, Mirana, I believe there is something that you would like back."

The Queen frowned. "No…what do you mean by 'want back'?"

The cat's grin shone in the dim room. "The Knave stole from you, and I believe it is only fair that you get back what he took from you."

Mirana, understanding, shook her head. "No, Chess. How can you possibly give me back my innocen—?"

Chessur reached out and placed his paw on the Queen's head, and as his eyes closed a pulse of pure white light passed from him to the Queen and she seemed to glow for a few moments, before she returned to normal.

Mirana opened her eyes and inhaled deeply. "Oh, my."

Alice noticed the change, as well. The worry lines in her Queen's face were gone, her shoulders were no longer slumped, and the dark circles under her eyes disappeared. "Mirana, what happened?"

The cat left his Queen and floated over to Alice. "A gift for you, too, Alice, as I'm sure you would like a honeymoon sometime in the future." His grin glowed even more as the White Queen blushed. "Remind me never again to get involved in politics, its too exhausting." And with that, he was gone.

Alice lowered her head and blushed, as she finally understood what the cat meant. She looked up into the lovely face of her Queen. "A honeymoon?"

Mirana grinned. "Yes, perhaps?"

Alice stood and brought the Queen with her. She guided her Queen's hands to the gauntlets around her legs and looked into her eyes. "Help me with these?"

Mirana did, and Alice returned the favor my helping Mirana out of her dress. They fell asleep in each other's arms on the large divan by the fireplace, and at least for those moments, were at peace.