Disclaimer: I don't own Tin Man or Alice, they belong to SyFy. I'd film this story if I owned them.
Jack Heart, king of Wonderland, was getting a headache. He could feel it brewing, a steady pressure around his nose and just above his eyebrows. The bright lights in the audience chamber were beginning to irritate him. The emptiness in his stomach reminded him that it had been hours since he'd last eaten, and the dryness in his mouth reminded him that his last cup of tea – real tea, brewed from tea leaves and containing only nutrients and caffeine – had also been too long ago.
There was a discreet cough at his elbow. "You must take a break, Your Majesty," Ten of Clubs said softly. "The kitchen has sent food and drink to your ready room."
Jack lifted bleary eyes to the audience chamber, startled to find it completely empty. When had all the people gone? Had he heard them leave at all? "The petitioners-" he began.
"Will come back tomorrow. You've seen enough of them today. You have a meeting with the High Council and the Outer Zone's envoy later this afternoon. It is best if you rested."
"Thank you, Giacomo." Because the two of them were alone, Jack could call his principle advisor by his true name, and not his title. He followed him back to the ready room and poured himself a cup of regular tea, motioning for Giacomo to sit as well. He poured tea into the second cup and offered it to his friend, who accepted it with a grateful smile. Giacomo had been up and about as long as Jack, if not longer.
Many had been quick to question why Jack had chosen to keep the same advisor that had counseled his mother. The answer was simple: Jack trusted him as he trusted few people. Both of them had worked as double agents, undermining the Queen of Hearts and promoting the ideals of the Resistance. They had suffered together under Caterpillar's grueling training and borne the whims and delusions of the Queen of Hearts as few people had. It was Giacomo who arranged for Jack to go to the Other Side to find Alice Hamilton after he'd discovered the Duchess' role as the Queen's informant. Giacomo's status as a double agent was still a well-kept secret, though: it suited both men to have people think of him as a possible foil to the king. Any attempts to bribe Giacomo for information on Jack would raise flags and be put under surveillance.
After the fall of the Queen of Hearts, agents of the Resistance had been converted into Jack's new intelligence network. It was more important now than ever to know everything that was going on within the country. Wonderland was fragile after decades of rule underneath the Hearts and years of addiction to teas. How could a country recover when much of its population required treatment for addiction? The government could sway in any direction without a firm hand, and the country itself was a juicy target for the much larger and militarized Merry Land to the north and Quox to the south. Wonderland had always been of interest to the two countries, for despite its small size, it possessed a vast amount of riches. Veins of gold were plentiful in the Spine, the mountains that formed the border between Wonderland and the Shifting Sands. The arm of the Spine called the Ruby Mountains yielded plenty of its namesake jewels, and the Jade Forests were home to fantastic formations of green marble that were famed for their quality.
In other words, Wonderland was ripe for the taking.
Jack wasn't going to let that happen. He had worked too hard to see his country fall into the hands of foreigners. Even if the throne was not rightly his, he was still one of the last descendants of Wonderland's four founding clans. The Diamonds were gone, eradicated by the Hearts, and the Clubs had always craved knowledge over power, and with Giacomo as his advisor, they were like to stay that way. The Spades would have been a different story. The military arm of Wonderland had been decimated during the Hearts' takeover of Wonderland and hadn't been the same since. No, there was no one else who could take the burden. Besides, Jack felt that he had to be responsible for rebuilding Wonderland. His ancestors had perpetrated this tragedy, and his mother had been the worst offender of them all. If there was any other way to make amends, he didn't know how.
"How is Ambassador Raw?" he asked, cutting his steak sandwich in half and handing one part of it over to Giacomo.
"The Ambassador has been asking about the Great Library again," Giacomo replied, graciously accepting the sandwich. "It seems that it is of particular interest to the Gales."
"The Great Library is of interest to everyone." He would not to reveal the library's location until he was certain that it would be more secure. Thousands of years of history were archived there, and half of the books were beyond price because of the knowledge that they contained. As a small country, Wonderland needed a niche beyond its riches. In Jack's mind, his country's greatest riches lay in its thirst for knowledge. For hundreds of years, Wonderland had been home to the greatest historians, theorists, philosophers, and archivists in all of Nonestica. Their legacy was the Great Library, and Jack would protect it at any cost.
"Still, we must find a way to placate his queries. The Outer Zone has been remarkably tame in their requests. We do need them."
Jack rubbed his forehead. That much was true. His reasons for approaching the Outer Zone were three-pronged. First, Wonderland and the Outer Zone had a long history as allies, much of it good. It would be unwise to ignore such a relationship, never mind how it ended. The second was that if Wonderland was facing a threat from Merry Land and Quox, the Outer Zone was an ideal ally because of the magic wielded by the Gales. Rumors of the two princesses' powers had spread far and wide over Nonestica. Their strength would be a valuable asset. Third – the Outer Zone had had its own addictions to deal with. Azkadellia's Vapors had numbed the minds of a great deal of the population, and they had recovered swiftly. Jack hoped that they could develop a similar cure for the teas. "Do you know what they seek to find in the Great Library?" he asked. "If it is a question of certain books, it may be possible to arrange that they be taken out for a short amount of time."
Giacomo shook his head, winced, and removed his clubbed hat. The ceremonial headpiece was heavy after hours of extended wear. "Ambassador Raw only wishes to speak to you on this matter, though I believe it is Princess Azkadellia who seeks something from the Library."
Princess Azkadellia's love of knowledge was well known. Jack was not surprised that she wished to explore the library. "Fair enough. What am I to expect from the High Council today?"
"They object to funding any of the public reforms or restorations."
"Again? Perhaps if they stopped living so extravagantly, they could spare some money." Irritation bloomed, but he shoved it down as quickly as it appeared. "As if I don't know how much Lord Grandin's suits cost."
He'd used his own influence over the remaining Heart clan members to fund much of the rehabilitation of Wonderland's people. He'd effectively beggared his family for the good of the realm. Of course, there were many who complained that he lived in high style, but he didn't. Yes, he lived in Wonderland Palace, but the building had fallen into disrepair ever since the coup, like much of Wonderland City. Jack lived in fear of falling through the floor. His quarters were sparsely furnished, and he continually refused to let the palace chef cook anything extravagant.
The only luxury he did abuse was in terms of wardrobe. Even if his palace was falling apart, he still needed to look like a king. He'd made a discreet excursion to the Other Side to replace the suits that had been lost in the destruction of the Hearts Casino. A well-made suit was his equivalent to a suit of armor, and he needed it when he was dealing with the High Council as well as his citizens.
Giacomo coughed. "Well, if you're open to suggestion…"
"What?" he said warily.
"You may not like this idea, but hear me out." He had to take the chance: it was their best shot at making the High Council play right into their hands. The old men of the Council were obstinate, and after years of Heart rule, Giacomo wouldn't be surprised to know that they had grown treacherous as well. "The Duchess."
"Duchess?" Jack echoed. Another set of emotions welled up inside of him, but was also quelled with ease of long practice. "How can she help?"
"Her role as your mother's spy was never made known to anyone in the High Council. For lack of a better term, she was your mother's pet project." Giacomo paused at Jack's derisive snort, noting the way his friend's face had completely closed off, becoming even more stony and still than usual. "To the rest of the world, the Duchess' loyalty lies with you and with you alone. That makes her a prime target. People will tell her things in order to curry favor with you. They may ask her to intercede on your behalf."
"In other words, she is perfectly placed to give us information regarding the machinations of the High Council," he murmured thoughtfully, his hands steepled in front of his face. Giacomo's idea had merit. "They've never seen her as anything other than a pretty face. They think she'll be docile, malleable. They may say things they shouldn't in her presence."
No one understood the Duchess' intelligence and cunning more than Jack. She was the consummate actress, able to adopt any persona at the drop of a hat. She knew how people worked and had the innate ability to say the right thing at the right time. Those abilities, paired with her beauty, made for a lethal combination.
"It's a guarantee, Jack. She also wields a certain amount of influence. She is most persuasive. That would be a considerable weapon, especially amongst the more feeble minds of the council." Giacomo imagined that she was the equal of even the strongest minds there – all the better to have her on their side. He felt bad for putting Jack in this position, knowing their history, but the Duchess was their best option.
Jack's expression never wavered. "How will I know where her loyalties lie?" he inquired softly. "How can I be so certain that she will not turn?"
Giacomo winced. He'd hoped not to reach this part of the conversation. Jack had been so wounded by her betrayal – and rightly so – that he was blind to everything else when it came to the beautiful noblewoman. By all outward appearances, he was indifferent. Giacomo knew otherwise.
Still, since Jack's departure and return from the Other Side, he'd caught glimpses – nothing more – that perhaps all was not so black and white when it came to the Duchess. The advisor was not fully certain of her character, but she'd changed in Jack's absence. Perhaps what he'd said was true, and that her loyalty was to Jack Heart and to nothing or no one else. Her single-handed rescue of him from the Eye Room could be construed as proof.
"You needn't trust her on a personal level," he said carefully. "Just a professional one."
Jack turned that idea over in his head. There was no denying the fact that she was the right person for the job. Giacomo was right – the skills she'd honed under his mother's tutelage combined with her reputation as his fiancée made her the perfect spy. "How do I ensure that even my professional trust is well-placed?" he asked.
It was a valid question. "Appeal to her better nature." If his suspicions were correct, Jack wouldn't even need to do that.
A myriad of emotions crossed his face, winking out in a matter of moments. Even that surprised Giacomo. Jack very rarely allowed his innermost thoughts to be seen. "Very well then," he said abruptly. "Summon her to me tomorrow, Giacomo. Let us hope that she agrees, and that we can trust what she says." He pushed aside his tray, his hunger and thirst forgotten. "But let us not trust to hope."
Pity stirred in Giacomo's chest, but he pushed it away. Jack would not appreciate the sentiment any more than he would, if their situations had been reversed. Pity meant weakness, and Wonderland's king could not afford to show weakness, especially in times like these. The slightest chink in the armor could result in Wonderland's complete and utter destruction. Still, it was a shame. The Queen of Hearts had not hesitated to hurt others in her search for absolute power – even her only son. It was no wonder that Jack was so angry, so wary, and so reluctant to accept simple facts. For him, nothing was ever as it seemed, and reality itself was bleak and heartbreaking.
"Very well," Giacomo said quietly. "In the meantime, shall we discuss how you intend to deal with the High Council today? We must also discuss how we will proceed with your meeting with Ambassador Raw. And I don't care if you've lost your appetite. You must eat."
Jack snorted, but reached for the half-eaten portion of steak sandwich on his plate, noting that Giacomo had finished his ages ago. "By all means, proceed. I cannot wait to be badgered."
He kept one ear on Giacomo's report, but found his mind drifting to the prospect of working with the Duchess. The moment he realized where his thoughts were heading, he cursed himself as a fool and turned his full attention back to Giacomo. He had a country to rebuild, a country to protect. Nothing else mattered.
Raw waited patiently in the small conference room, exploring it through his abilities as a Viewer rather than through sight. Wonderland was a painful place for one with his abilities, despite the dulling of its peoples' emotions due to the Queen of Hearts' teas.
Even with his experience with Azkadellia's Vapors (and Raw hated that term, attaching Azkadee's name to something so vile), Wonderland was a shock to the system. The Vapors had made the people of the O.Z. forgot, had made them carefree. The teas, on the other hand, were more insidious. They strengthened certain emotions at the expense of others, and yet retained none of their integrity. Joy was potent because its sweetness was the balm to sorrow, passion because it convinced a person that they were alive. The emotions brought by the teas were, in a word, incomplete. That was why they were so addictive: more tea was needed to fill that emotional quota, and as time went on, the tea lost its effect.
His visit to the rehabilitation center had almost been too much. He'd never felt so much hunger in his life – hunger to feel. The passions of the people of Wonderland were unusually strong, and that was why the addiction had become so devastating. Everywhere he went, he was surrounded by the sheer want of the recovering addicts. It bled beneath his skin, agonizing in its own way. That was why he preferred to stay within the quarters allocated to him within the palace. Viewers did tend to find crowds exhausting after a certain amount of time, but he'd never become so fatigued so quickly before. But then, he'd never seen anything like Wonderland.
The Shifting Sands were nothing like the rocky desert Raw remembered from his trip to the Vedu. They were miles upon miles of golden hills that gave way beneath one's feet and could swallow a person whole. Azkadellia had called up a travel storm to spare him that journey. The desert stopped abruptly at the border of Wonderland, guarded by a vast chain of mountains called the Spine. The Spine stretched north into Merry Land and south into Quox, but its snow-capped summits were highest in Wonderland. The only passable route from the Shifting Sands through the Spine was a narrow, treacherous route appropriately titled Fell Pass. The route was no challenge to Moonfire, whose ancestors had been born and bred in the steep, icy passes of the Vedu's White Mountains. Past the Spine, Fell Pass became the Sandy Road, which wound through Wonderland's wild forests and terminated in Wonderland City.
Wonderland City sat perched on the shores of Lake Mirana, named for the famous wife of Adalric the Glorious, the first king of Wonderland. In accordance with Wonderland tradition, the city had expanded upwards rather than outwards, thereby preserving the pristine nature of the surrounding forests. Raw was surprised that a woman as bloodthirsty and enterprising as the Queen of Hearts had chosen to abide by such standards when she'd abandoned other ones, but perhaps she had actually wanted to keep some of her resources. In that, she was different from the witch, who had been intent on total ruin.
It was easy to see the parallels between Wonderland and the O.Z. Like Central City, Wonderland City must have been glorious in its heyday, a tall, glittering jewel on the banks of Lake Mirana, as fast-paced and technically advanced as anything on the Other Side. Now it was tarnished, falling apart, and in need of a great deal of care and rebuilding. The façades of its skyscrapers had fallen off, leaving the buildings cold and faceless, without warmth or identity. Rail lines for the city's suspended train system were falling into disrepair, their tracks scavenged for their precious metal. It was a city reduced to its bones, as naked and vulnerable as its people.
The only hint of former grandeur could be found at Wonderland Palace. Even though it was the seat of the ruling family, Raw knew from the archives that the Diamonds had preferred to rule from their seat in the royal forest, closer to nature. The ruins of their court had been built in the ancient style of Wonderland, more in keeping with the traditions of Nonestica. However, the palace itself was grand. In a city of straight lines and hard angles, the palace was nothing but sinuous curves done in stone the color of sand and accentuated with black iron. It was certainly not to Raw's liking – he preferred the classic elegance of the O.Z., but he could see how it balanced the modernity of Wonderland and the traditions of the past.
But of course, the similarities between Wonderland and the O.Z. were more than skin-deep. They had both emerged from times of darkness and were fumbling their way towards the light. They'd suffered under the reign of ambitious, ruthless rulers who stopped at nothing in their search for ultimate power. They'd left their populations decimated, destitute, and addicted, their countries in chaos. Reforms had to be implemented, their people rehabilitated, and their governments and infrastructures rebuilt.
The O.Z. was well on its way to recovery. Raw was thankful that his country had been able to regain the entire royal family, because reform would have been nigh unto impossible without all of them. Morale was at an all-time high now with the successful defeat of the coup and the capture of the remaining Longcoats. Azkadee and Jeb's Riders still had much work to do, but their biggest threat had been eliminated in one fell swoop, finally endearing the beleaguered princess to the population of the O.Z. She was well on her way to being accepted as Queen of the O.Z., even if many in the House of Lords still had their doubts about the former host to the witch.
Unfortunately, Wonderland was different. To the minds of many, Jack Heart had been complicit in his mother's deeds. The second Alice of Legend initiated the overthrow, and Jack's role as a prominent Resistance leader had gone unacknowledged. His current policies were unpopular, especially because he had banned the production and consumption of emotion-altering teas. He ruled a population of addicts whose actions and demands were unbelievably erratic. And though his claim to the throne was legitimate, the fact remained that he was a Heart. He would never be a White King. Wonderland's glorious dynasty was gone, betrayed by one of their longtime allies.
Still, Raw couldn't help but feel sympathy for the exhausted king. Jack Heart truly had his country's best interests at heart. The burden of guilt and responsibility weighed heavily on him, and he was doing his best to turn things around. It was difficult, seeing as he was fought every step of the way by councilors who'd been crushed in his mother's iron fist and were testing their own power against an untried king. People who were eager to see him fail surrounded him on all sides. For the sake of Wonderland, Raw hoped that he wouldn't.
Raw could feel Jack and Ten of Clubs emotions long before they walked through the door. Jack's mind was always whirring with questions, decisions, and possibilities, spawning one another the way that a tree grew roots. Weariness, suspicion, and doubt were his constant companions, billowing around him like a black cloak.
Luckily, none of these emotions ever showed. Raw suspected that it was a combination of living beneath his mother's rule and his training in the Resistance. Jack Heart was one of the most superb actors Raw had ever met. As a king, his persona was warm and charismatic, meant to calm, reassure, and gain trust. As a conversational partner, he was quick and witty, with a ready answer for anything. As a politician, he was cool and confident. His facial expressions and body language were expertly controlled, never giving anything away.
No one but a Viewer or a close confidante would be able to tell that beneath the cool exterior and the impeccably tailored suits, Jack Heart was a broken man. Twice betrayed and utterly neglected, it was a wonder that he functioned as well as he did. Raw could see that the king buried those emotions deep within him, so deeply that he'd all but forgotten that they were there. However, they remained there at the heart of him, eating away at his soul like the most potent of his mother's teas. It was a storm unlike anything he'd seen before: powerful, volatile, and utterly destructive.
Raw wanted to help him, but knew that treatment would jeopardize his position as an Ambassador. The last thing Jack needed was accusations of colluding with the O.Z. Jack's decision to reach out had not been a popular one. Or rather, his choice in allies was not popular.
Ten of Clubs came through the door first. Raw rose and nodded politely to the chief advisor, receiving a similar one in return. Ten was completely different from the king. Though he too pondered questions, decisions, and possibilities, his mind was ruthlessly organized, funneling all of the choices into their appropriate places. Raw expected nothing less from a Club. His morals were firm and his sense of right and wrong, unshakeable. Outwardly, he was still and unreadable, almost a nonentity, fading into the background beside his king.
Jack was lucky that his chief advisor was firmly on his side. Raw sensed a deep bond of trust and friendship between the two men, and realized that Ten was the only stable thing in Jack's life at the moment. Though the advisor had his own demons, they were solely his own and had no bearing on the king's situation.
"Ambassador Raw," Jack said, following behind Ten. "How are you today?"
"Raw is fine, Your Majesty." Raw settled back into his seat as Jack sat.
"Have you done any exploring today?" His expression was politely interested.
Raw shook his head. "Wonderland City too loud inside Raw's head, Your Majesty. Best if Raw keep away."
King and advisor shared a look. Raw caught Jack's undercurrent of worry and bit back the urge to reassure him. He never probed deeply unless he was invited – otherwise, he couldn't help but catch the surrounding peoples' emotions, especially when they ran as high and potent as the citizens of Wonderland's. "I see," he said carefully. "Has Queen Lavender come to a decision regarding the terms of an alliance?"
"Queen Lavender will help with vapors," Raw said, remembering what the queen had repeated to him via the mirror the previous night. "But O.Z. not ready to give military help. Royal Army still weak, Queen's Riders weaker still."
Jack bit back his frustration. The Outer Zone was sitting pretty compared to Wonderland. It had the advantage of being surrounded by desert and had only been threatened by invasion once. Wonderland as a country had come into being due to the threat of invasion. There was always a threat of invasion in Wonderland. "Still, the promise of aid would be sufficient, would it not?" he questioned. "We are not asking for too much."
"Queen Lavender is aware and grateful," Raw responded easily. "Raw will ask."
"Has Queen Lavender reconsidered her terms?" Ten asked.
Raw paused. "Queen Lavender wants information."
Jack shook his head. "Ambassador Raw, you know my stance regarding the Great Library. It is not possible at this time, though if there is a specific book you can think of-"
It was the Viewer's turn to shake his head, though he filed away the statement to think about later. There was no easy way to bring up the topic, but so far, the Shadow Man had not been able to tie Jack Heart to the coup. That, paired with Raw's impressions of the man, had prompted Queen Lavender to encourage this discussion. "Discuss Great Library later. Queen Lavender wants different information."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "What type of information, Ambassador?"
"Spymaster says Guild assassins hired by someone in Wonderland. Queen Lavender wants to know if King Jack can provide information."
There was a flare of outrage from Jack, quickly banked, and one of caution from Ten. "From Wonderland?" Jack repeated, straightening in his seat. "Ambassador Raw, I do hope you are not implying what I think you're implying." He couldn't even afford to pay for one Guild assassin, let alone a squad like the ones that had targeted the Gales. His money was better spent, and hell if he was going to try and kill his allies.
And what if I was? Raw wondered. "Raw not implying Hearts are behind assassins," he replied mildly. "Queen Lavender not think Your Majesty is complicit. Queen Lavender wonders if Your Majesty knows someone in Wonderland who might be."
By all outward appearances, Raw's words seemed to placate Jack. The king relaxed in his seat and exchanged yet another set of meaningful glances with his advisor. However, the Viewer could sense that there was a raw sense of anger and betrayal lying just beneath the surface, though even those emotions were kept tightly reined in. Jack and Ten knew about Raw's abilities, and tried their best to suppress their thoughts and feelings around him. Still, it was no use. The only ones who could block Raw out completely, if they so chose, were other Viewers and those who practiced magic.
It was Ten who spoke then, each word measured and careful. "We shall look into this matter for you, Ambassador Raw. We will share what we are able."
Carefully worded, indeed. Raw could only nod in assent. "Thank you," he responded.
"Is that truly all that Queen Lavender wants, Ambassador?" Jack inquired. He was surprised that she had not asked for trade deals regarding Wonderland's resources of precious gems, metals, and stone. He knew that the throne room of the palace in Central City had been made using green marble from the Jade Forests.
"That is all." Raw paused. "Your Majesty said specific books may be available from the Great Library?"
Jack leaned back in his chair, his chin perched on a hand. "Within reason, Ambassador Raw. I cannot guarantee anything."
That was fair, though frustrating. Raw also wanted to see the famed Great Library. He was curious as to whether or not his people appeared in texts outside of the O.Z. "Princess Azkadellia interested in treatises on Ancient magic – or older."
There was another flare of suspicion from Jack, but Raw understood. Wonderland hadn't seen magic in many years. Out of all the countries of Nonestica, only three continued to practice magic: the O.Z., the land of the Vedu, and the kingdom of Ix. Wonderland did not even follow the traditional Nonestican pantheon of gods, having chosen a trickster as their patron. "I was not aware that the Princess Azkadellia was a scholar of magic."
"Princess Azkadellia interested in all magic," Raw replied baldly. "Very interested to see if Great Library has different books."
"We shall look into it," was the promise. They left the room soon after, leaving Raw by himself to contemplate the conversation.
Raw could understand why Jack wanted the reassurance of military aid from the O.Z. Before he'd come to Wonderland, he'd been fully debriefed by the Queen, using all of the information that the Shadow Man's informants were able to provide. The constant threat of invasion from either Quox or Merry Land was worrisome, especially in light of the current climate of the land. Still, the O.Z. never was or had been a military power. If it were a question of armies alone, the O.Z. would not stand a chance against either country's armies.
Magic, however, changed everything. The power wielded by the House of Gale was no small matter, and with three practitioners alive and well, the O.Z. was not lacking in terms of defense. Though Queen Lavender's power was drained, she still had the ability to create protective shields that were second to none. DG was talented, and getting stronger with every day. And as for Azkadee – well, no one had seen power like hers in quite some time.
Yes, the O.Z. was prepared to answer any threat, but those of Wonderland had not proven themselves worthy of its protection just yet.
There was still the question of the coup. All reports traced the mischief back to Wonderland. If the perpetrator was not Jack Heart, then who was? The Queen of Hearts, for all her ambitions, had not looked beyond the borders of her own country. Few remained loyal to the now deposed queen, who Raw learned was being kept in a mental facility on the Other Side. She had caused too much trouble, and the people of Wonderland were more loyal to the teas than their ruler.
No, someone had only seen fit to try and eliminate the O.Z. from the picture when Jack Heart decided to reach out a friendly hand. Someone did not want an alliance between the O.Z. and Wonderland to exist. What could their motives be? Wonderland could not remain isolated, not if it wanted to fend off the attacks of Quox and Merry Land.
Raw shook his head. Being an ambassador was exhausting work. He was not one for intrigues – those were best left for the Shadow Man. All Raw could do was be the voice of his queen, and deliver his own impressions back to the O.Z. for perusal.
He rose from the desk. Fresh air would be welcome. He did not wish to stroll around the city, but Wonderland Palace did have some lovely, if woefully neglected, gardens. Audiences had been dismissed in the morning, so there would not be too many people roaming about.
The Viewer stopped short as he stepped outside. Emotions washed over him, oily and intense. It was like nothing he'd felt since the days of the sorceress. Greed was there, and ruthlessness. He also felt a deep-seated sense of patience and air of entitlement. He edged off the path and into the pushes, moving and breathing as quietly as possible.
"He grows more an more obstinate with each passing day. Like mother, like son."
"They are Hearts. It is their nature to change with the ebb and flow of their passions."
"His passion is misplaced."
"Yes, well the boy feels responsible." Raw could hear the sneer in the man's voice. "He is enthusiastic-"
"And he continues to stand in the way. Why does he send and accept envoys from the Outer Zone and not from us?"
Raw's eyes widened. That was why he could not place that voice. The accent was foreign. Was it Quoxian?
"Because he is a stupid boy. It shall be dealt with."
"The question of the Outer Zone was supposed to have been dealt with already."
There was a spike of rage, one that was quickly controlled. "I am as displeased with that as you, though perhaps I should be the one lodging complaints. My money was not well-spent in that endeavor, will you agree? Perhaps your people are losing their touch?"
"Be careful as to what you imply. We can always seek another person to implement our interests."
"In this country? There is no one who is better suited, and you would do well to remember that." The man's voice lowered to a cold hiss, sending chills down Raw's spine. "The rest of the High Council are fools, weakened by the teas and wholly subservient to the last remaining Heart. Their protests are all for show, the bleating of brainless goats. They stonewall the boy because they can. You needn't worry. The alliance of Wonderland and the Outer Zone shall not come to fruition."
The implications of this conversation made Raw's blood run cold. He had to return and report his findings to Queen Lavender. Someone had to know.
There was a rustle behind him. Raw only managed to feel a hint of deadly intent before stars exploded in front of his eyes and the world went black.
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