Disclaimer: Just the plot bunny is mine…the rest is Lewis Carroll's and Tim Burton's…
Chapter 2: When White Becomes Black
She looked at the queen, shaking off her shock, and noticed the crown missing from her head and noticed that her clothes were not white, but black.
The queen gently placed the Oraculum on the table and unfurled it.
Alice looked down at the slightly moving pictures with a puzzled look on her features.
"What kind of help could I hope to offer you? Is it the Red Queen again?"
The queen shook her head, her long tresses dangling into her features.
"My sister still remains in her exile…the knave however is another story."
"What happened to your clothes?"
At this the queen's face visibly darkened.
"May I?" the queen gestured at the extra chair.
"Oh yes of course!"
They both sat. The queen looked at her hands in her lap.
"Every other day, I would take my horse out for a long gallop through the nearby countryside. When we would arrive back home, I would lead him to a well to drink. The knave, who had snuck back into Underland, somehow knew of this and poisoned the well. Even though it was not I who poisoned the water, my vows were broken because the horse died after I led it to drink. I had killed a living being. I could not, by all rights, remain the White queen and was stripped of my title by Underland itself and given the title of Black queen."
"Oh my…"
"Yes indeed. Underland is without a ruler and the knave, who must have planned this all along, is now challenging the validity of the Frabjous day. He is claiming the Hatter's interference created an unfair advantage for my champion and therefore invalidates the win. But since my sister no longer has a champion to put forth to fight again, and since I am no longer the white queen, there is no one left to claim or fight for the crown. It is now left open to whoever can reach the other end of our world first and successfully answer the riddle that waits there. Of course, the knave has made it clear that on Unrumptious Day, he will be vying for the crown."
The queen rubbed at her temple as if a headache plagued her.
"That is very awful! It was not your fault the horse died! Oh the knave did always annoy me. I cannot believe this has happened!"
Alice reached across the small table and grasped the Queen's hand.
" What of our friends?"
Her look grew sad.
"Underland is a very chaotic place right now with no ruler. Things are somewhat topsy-turvy. Most are just no longer themselves my dear Alice. "
Alice's face fell and fear gripped her belly. Her free hand gripped the table edge.
"And the hatter?" she asked with trepidation.
"Oh dear, take heart that he must surely be alright, but he has been missing for days now. I have good reason to believe the knave has him captive in the Red Queen's old castle. Things have come to a dangerous point Alice. I am beyond myself with concern for my land and for our beloved friends…for myself."
Alice was filled with a rush of protectiveness for her friend, an urge to rescue him at that very moment.
"What can I do?"
The queen rose and rounded the table to where Alice sat. Over her shoulder she continued to unroll the Oraculum.
"Ah, here we are. Destiny calls you to the underground again Alice. Of course, as before you must be the one who chooses to undertake this task. It will most likely be the biggest decision of your life, and I do not mean to make your decision harder, but know that I will be behind whichever you choose. I would not begrudge you if you chose to walk away."
Alice stared hard at the picture before her is disbelief.
"If you should decide, the rabbit hole still remains where it once was."
When Alice looked up, the queen was gone.
She looked back at the scene before her.
The hatter was placing a crown on her head as she sat on a throne, seemingly at a coronation.
Biggest decision of my life is right…