OOC: Words spoken in Shadowlander will be put in italics. Do not regard this if there is only one word italicized in a fifteen-word sentence. Those words are emphasized, not sudden Shadowlandish.

Hatter fumed churlishly, glaring at the Looking Glass angrily, "You know... I just want to break it right now."
The four travellers stood in Chesapeake's and Lyona's empty office in front of the mirror. Each of them held a small knapsack, packed tightly with clothes and essentials. When Alice checked hers, she saw Hatter had scavenged up the dresses he had been in charge of getting for her under the Jabberwock's orders. She wondered if she could even fit in them anymore.

March put a hand on his shoulder, his other ruffling Alice's blonde hair. "Don't. It's either that or four days on horseback and I just know you'll be tempted to eat your horse."

"Ha. Ha. Ha." mumbled Hatter back, stealing Alice from March and cuddling her against his chest. "Very funny. Maybe next time I go mad, I should just eat you."

Bander glared at him, "Don't even joke about that. Now, go through."

"No!" replied Hatter furiously. "You do! You're the prince!"

"You'll break it behind me!"

Alice rolled her eyes, stepped forward. March bounded to her side, took her hand, and then announced, "Me and Alice will go through first. Goodbye, cowards!" Partially thrusting Alice in front of him, he dove in behind her through the mirror.

The icy sensation left as quickly as it came upon her, and Alice fell out upon hard stone tiles. Seconds later, March fell out on her, squishing her. Alice groaned, "Ow..."

Scrambling up, March dragged her out of the way just as Hatter and the Bandersnatch tumbled out, entwined and struggling. Untangling himself from his father's legs, Hatter hissed, "I - hate - Looking - Glass - transportation!"

"Be happy, Hatter. It's not that bad." March helped Alice up, brushed her off, and then smiled when the door on the opposite end of the bare room opened and a helmeted Shadowlander guard glanced in curiously.

"Prince Bandersnatch? Are these guests? Should I call the servants?"

"This is the infamous Alice, soldier. We're going up to the council chambers. Get the bags up to the guest rooms."

"Yes, sir."

Turning to the two Wonderlanders and Alice, Bander grinned wryly, "Now, before we present Alice to Jabberwock, I just have to show her to the council. Come on. The faster we get this finished, the better." He walked to the door, the guard bowing out of his way, before exiting and disappearing into a brightly lit hall.

The council room was large and circular, brightly lit by scattered candelbra and oil lamps. Dark, intricately painted walls surrounded the marquet floor and the comfortable chairs. At the head of the room was a grand table, covered in neatly stacked papers, quills, and ink pots.
Glancing up from a book as Bander called, "Hello?", the wizened old man peered feebly at him for a moment before smiling softly, "Bander... Back already?"

"Yes... and I've brought guests."

"Your son?"

"Alice and the rabbit too."

Stiffening as Bander opened the door wide and ushered the others in, the elder stiffly stood, staggered out from behind the table, and adjusted his spectacles. His plain dark green clothes rustled as he sniffed, "That is Alice? The one who the King wants?"

"Yes." Bander said loudly, switching back to Wonderlander, momentarily startling the council member, "And she needs to be checked in as a visitor."

"Oh... Yes..." The man's voice was hesitant and grumbling. Turning to his desk, he shuffled through the papers before pulling out a form, sniffing, and then glancing at Alice, "You are Wonderish?"

"Uh... Yeah."

The man scrambled down something, checked off a few boxes, and then, turning again, came close and regarded her. He pursed his wrinkled lips, cast his black eyes to Bander, "Did you check her for weapons?"

"Yes."

Alice was affronted. "Weapons?"

"Yes. Okay. You're good then. Bander, take her up. The King went into an Imagination fury an hour ago and we had to strap him down. He might still be in it, so don't undo him."

"I won't. I want to retain my mind, you know." Taking Alice's hand, he turned and pulled her to the door.

Following them, Hatter leaned to March and growled, "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

"'Cause the last time you came, Jabbers tried to behead you with an axe."

"Well, yes... But other than that? He could be in a frenzy! He could eat us, March!" Hatter stopped for a moment, licking his lips nervously.

March rolled his eyes, grabbed him, tugged him forward, "Just come on, Hats! I trust your dad! Why can't you?"

Alice heard Jabberwock before she saw him.
Faded, far-off screams began echoing through the corridors about ten minutes after they had left the council chamber. As they mounted staircases and turned into new corridors of this huge maze, the shouts of fury grew louder and louder.
They reached a large, ornamental door where the screams seemed to be coming out from behind. Shivering, Bandersnatch creaked open the guard, glanced inside. Alice caught a glance.
A Shadowlander was strapped down to a hard stretcher by his wrists, ankles, and neck. Back arching as he screamed in anger, he struggled against his bonds, messy, greasy, crimson-striped hair sloshing around with each vain movement. His midnight black eyes rolled in rampant insanity as the two guards at the side of the restraining bed glanced up at the door, hands on their hilts. On the floor was another guard, obviously dead.

"How is he?" asked Bander softly.

Hatter stared before asking, "What the heck happened to him?"

Alice gasped. Jabberwock? March drew close, unnerved. The soldier glanced back at Jabberwock, who had stilled for a moment, shrugged, "We sent Ambrose down to fetch some dispensables. He should be back soon, with some other comrades. We'll feed him. It's good he went into a fury, or else he wouldn't have eaten anything today."

Agitated, Bander licked his lips, came in, went over to his brother's side, and then leaned over, "Jabberwock?" Jabberwock's claws jerked up, trying to reach Bander's head. The thick leather straps stopped them. Snarling, Jabberwock spat into Bander's face. Bander wiped the spittle away with disgust, turned back to the horrified Wonderlanders and murmured quietly, "This is not the best time for you to be here..."

Alice started forward, eyes glittering in dumbfoundment, but Hatter caught her shoulder and pulled her back, "Don't go near him, Alice. He'll eat you."

"But-"

"Ay! Out of the way!" A Shadowlander pushed rudely past Hatter, came forward, saluted sharply. "I've got the dispensables. Should I bring them in?"

"They are bound?"

"Yes."

"Bring them." ordered the Shadowland captain, glancing at Bander and the others uneasily.

The guard ran back out, came back tugging a manacled prisoner, a gagged, sobbing teenager. Shoving him to the floor, he glanced behind and growled, "Well, come on!"

Other guards came in, each one bringing with him a bound captive; in all, there was five. When all of the prisoners were on the floor, shivering, the captain peered at Bander curiously, "Do you want to feed him? Or do you want to watch?"

Turning, Bander herded the others out, "Time to get out. They're going to feed him."

Alice protested, "What? That's mean!"

"So? They would've have been executed this Sunday anyways. To this end, they serve a purpose. Now... We wait." Bander walked over to a couch tucked into one of the alcoves of the hall, settled down, crossed his legs, and then patted the couch besides him, "Imagine."

Hatter sidled up to Alice, "Nah... I'll stand."
High-pitched screams started behind them. Alice's blood froze. Hatter's hand found her way to her neck and tightened gently. Alice thought it oddly comforting. Glancing up at his face, she saw it a pasty white, paler than usual.
This was scaring him.

March thrust himself between themselves, threw an arm over both of their shoulders, and pulled them to him. His eyes wide, he trembled, "Okay. I'm freaked out now. Normally, I wouldn't, but seeing Jabberwock like that..." He shuddered, glared at Bander.

"What? It's not my fault, rabbit."

"I'm not a rabbit!" hissed March, annoyed.

Suddenly, from inside the room, the screams and enraged howls stopped. They were replaced by loud, yowling orders. "Let me out! Let me- No! I won't eat another! I refuse! Let me go!"

Understanding, Hatter licked his lips before asking, "He's awake, isn't he?"

"Yep." replied Bander, slightly happy.

Alice had heard the noise; to her, it had sounded like a cat's tortured yowl. "What? What did Jabberwock say?"

"Let him out. That he doesn't want to eat another prisoner. Things like that. He's just really mad."

Inside, there were quiet murmurs, Jabberwock's furious repeated orders, and then the doors banged open. Standing there in all of his unwashed glory, long stripes of sweat dripping down his bare chest that stretched tight over visible ribs that shuddered in and out with every rattling breath. Fetid yellow eyes, blackened with anger, travelled from Hatter and March to Bander before shuddering to a stop when they found Alice. His hair, now shoulder length, swished as he twitched visibly. His claws, still slick with prisoners blood, tightened around the door jambs before he bared his teeth in a hungry smile.
Next second, Alice was on her back, Jabberwock on top of her. Her chest hurt where he had hit it. Weeping into her shirt, he clutched her to his dirty chest. "Alice! Oh, Alice! Finally! I've got you back! Oh! Oh! Alice!"

Alice dared not move, his claws digging dangerously hard in her back, his head lost in her shoulder. Hatter glowered at him, "What a welcome... Did you even see him hit her? I didn't."

Bander smiled softly, "No... I just think he's too happy to care."

Alice gulped, finally regained her courage, and hestiantly hugged him, "Hello..."

Jabberwocky sniffed as he slowly tugged her up, arms shuddering in their apparent weakness. They were spindly and thin. He crawled up, never loosing his hold of her, afraid she would disappear into the air. Gazing into her eyes, his eyes flickering through their colors at such a rapid pace that Alice became dizzy just looking at them, he whispered, "Alice... I've missed you..."

"I've heard." replied Alice, lost for a reply.

"I must be so disgusting to you... So dependent..." Jabberwock crushed her in a new embrace. "But I don't care. You're my daughter..."

Hatter was visibly sickening. Turning away, he cleared his throat and then whispered, "I hate this."

March shouldered him indignantly, "Look at how happy we've made him?"

"Jabberwock? Happy? I want him dead!" growled Hatter, shadowlander eye twitching.

Hearing his name, Jabberwock blinked, glanced around, saw Hatter and March. Instantly, the look of ecstatic satisfaction dropped from his face. Glaring at Hatter, he murmured angrily, "You."

"Yes. Me. What'd you expect? That I would let Alice come here without coming along so you wouldn't have a chance to kill her."

Jabberwock clutched her to him protectively, Alice hanging in his arms like a rag doll. "I wouldn't hurt her! She's mine!"

Rolling his eyes, Hatter retorted, "And if you had gone into your craze, what would you have done? Thrown posies all over her?"

Jabberwock stilled before smiling suddenly. "Yes. I would have eaten your imagination instead."

Alice started reddening in his arms. His arms were too tight. Wiggling about, she gasped, "Ow! Ow! Loosen up!"

Jabberwock worriedly turned his eyes to her, loosened his arms, caressed her hair with his grimy claws lovingly, leaving long streaks of red in the field of yellow. "Oh... I'm sorry, dear Alice! So sorry..."

Hatter was about to say something, but Bander leapt up, grabbed him, and dragged him away, protesting. "Let's leave the King to his daughter. Come. Your brothers are probably excited to meet you again."
March cast one last glance at the rocking Jabberwocky, shot an apologetic grin to a sullen Alice, and hurried after Hatter and Bander.