AN: YET ANOTHER CHAPTER!

Hopefully, I'll be able to update this once or twice a week. It kinda depends on my inspiration and computer access. So yeah. :D


Marmoreal. The White Queen's splendid palace. Chalk-white marble reaching to the sky, often carved in the likeness of chess pieces. The castle seemed to sparkle in the moonlight. It's opposite, Salazan Grum, would cast a shadow of gloom over the Red Desert, making this white masterpiece look divine. Even the fields and lakes around it seemed to shimmer angelically. Such a peaceful scene could only be the work of Mirana herself. Perhaps it was her who designed the plans for the scenery or maybe she blessed them with some hidden power…

The trek across the Red Desert had taken Stayne longer than he'd thought. The full moon glittered brightly above him and was the only thing keeping him awake. Alice was just barely keeping her eyes open, laying down on the Bandersnatch's back. Tarrant, whom was leaning on Stayne, had taken to snoozing. He cuddled up into the man's cape, using it as a kind of blanket. The knave smiled as the Hatter shifted a bit, muttering something in his sleep.

The site of the white-marble palace lifted both Ilosovic's and Alice's spirits. The two stared up at the glittering castle with something between awe and delight. The knave gently nudged Tarrant. "Mmmm… What is it…" The Hatter groaned, coming back into consciousness. The moment he laid his emerald eyes upon the castle, all feelings of sleep were washed from him. "Finally…" He perked up, grinning with delight.

Alice sat up, smiling at the sight of the white marble, and gently tugged the Bandersnatch's fur, bringing it to a stop. "We should rest here. The guards will most likely be more welcome during the day, especially to you Stayne." She stated, jumping off her furry steed. The Hatter nodded, obviously agreeing with her. The knave brought his mount to a stop and also slid off to the ground, helping Tarrant down.

"She's right. At this time of night, you'd probably be taken to the prisons, despite anything I'd have to say…" The Hatter said in a soothing tone. "And it's a good thing I know of a place to stay as well…"

Tarrant motioned to the other two as if to follow him. Stayne took his horse's reins and followed the other man towards the woods surrounding Marmoreal, looking back to find Alice and the Bandersnatch trudging behind. Into the forest they disappeared, weaving through the closely knitted trees. Finally, the trio came to a little, abandoned building. It seemed to be a house, yet whomever had lived in it was long gone. A couple of windows were shattered. Most of the shingles were barely hanging on the roof. Vines crept up the sides of the building, wrapping themselves in the gutter. In its prime, the building must've been an extremely beautiful house. In the front was an extremely over grown flower garden, marble statues of chess pieces barely visible within the plants.

Stayne observed the building's exterior and hoped there was nothing as overgrown and broken-down on the inside. "You can leave the horse and the Bandersnatch in the garden. The flowers should make nice beds for them." Tarrant said, smiling. The Hatter strode up the front door as the knave removed his horse's bride and saddle, running his hand over the silver knob. He sighed, smiling, and turned it, pushing the great wooden door with some effort. Once inside, he gasped, looking around with what seemed like shock. The innards of the house, though quite dusty, had remained untouched. The gallant furniture seemed to welcome Tarrant inside. He ventured upstairs and slipped into one of the bedrooms.

A bed meant for two seemed to await him within. The Hatter strode around the room, checking to see if everything was exactly how he'd left it. Sure enough, nightgowns and casual clothing hung in the closet, some for a women and some for what seemed to be a very petite man. He slightly sighed, shutting the closet and striding over to the bed. He sat on the edge of it and glanced at the night table. An extremely dusty picture in a frame was perched upon it. Tarrant took it and brushed the dust off. Once cleaned, the picture showed a much younger Hatter and White Queen. Mirana, with barely any make-up on for a change, was sitting in the flower garden and seemed to be pulling up weeds. However, she was looking to her right, where the young Tarrant sat. He'd pulled his long orange curls back into a ponytail and was apparently helping her with the job of pulling up weeds. Yet, he also looked over at her.

Just as the Hatter was remembering that moment in time, Stayne came through the door, startling him. "Alice took the other bedroom, so I hope you don't mind if we share this one." The knave said, shutting the door behind him. Tarrant quickly put the picture face-down upon the nightstand, smiling.

"Of course I don't!" His overly cheerful tone, seemed to make Ilosovic nervous…

Stayne sat next to him on the edge of the bed. "What's up. We're miles from the Red Queen, so what's got you nervous…" he seemed to demand. The Hatter glanced over at the face-down picture and took it in his hands again, looking over the two framed figures. He slightly sighed and ran his finger across the young Mirana's cheek, remembering the time they'd spent together in this very house.

"Back when the Red Queen had taken the crown, she instructed her guards to raid Marmoreal…" Tarrant began. The knave nodded, remembering how he was instructed to run the raid itself. "The remaining guards and I took her out here, within the thick woods. Together, we built this little refuge, where she could stay and not be discovered by her sister. At the time, we'd created plenty of traps on the way here, just incase if the Red Knights ever decided to search the woods. By now, they've all probably been sprung by animals or careless travelers..."

The knave moved closer to Tarrant, wrapping an arm around him. "So just memories..?" he asked. The Hatter nodded, eyes locked on the picture. "Why didn't you say so?" Stayne chuckled a bit and planted a tiny kiss on the other man's cheek. "C'mon. Let's get some rest... I'm exhausted after that ride..."


Wind gently shifted the grass, twisting it's way through it. The fields of Marmoreal were just as peaceful as ever, basking in the morning sunlight. Birds soared through the bright blue sky, which was speckled with clouds. Just beyond the perfect fields were the thick woods. Occasionally, a deer would leapt out and gallop across the grass, making the scene look even more innocent. Just then, there was the faint sound of hoof beats...

All of a sudden, a great black horse burst from the woods. Atop it was none other than Stayne and Tarrant. The equine bounded across the fields of Marmoreal regally with a great speed, causing the Hatter to hang onto Stayne nervously. Following behind was Alice atop the Bandersnatch. The two large beasts gallivanted over the fields as if to show off to their riders. At the speed they were traveling, Mirana's castle was reached in mere minutes.

At the entrance to the castle, guards stood by silently, watching out for anything that looked like a Red Knight. Almost out of nowhere, the three travelers bounded up. Tarrant was the first to dismount, not even waiting for Stayne's steed to come to a complete stop. He had a good reason too. The guards drew their weapons at the sight of the knave, but lowered them once they noticed the Hatter. "Alright, I know you wanna gut him right now, but, for my sake, let Stayne in. He has a special meeting with the White Queen..." Tarrant said to the guards, stepping towards them.

The knave dismounted and stayed close to the Hatter, watching nervously as another guard guided his steed away to the stables. Once Alice dismounted, the Bandersnatch bounded off towards Ilosovic's horse, as if knowing where it should go. The guards reluctantly let them in. Tarrant guided the other two inside the castle, taking Stayne's arm as if he could protect him that way. "I have a meeting with Mirana?" the knave whispered to him, confused.

"Hatter!?"

The three of them looked in the direction of the voice to find none other than Mirana herself. At the sight of those bright-orange curls, she smiled and rushed over. Tarrant bowed towards her and was a little taken aback when she threw her arms around him. "I missed you! When I heard you'd been captured by Iracebeth, I'd thought the worst. Of course, I shouldn't have been worried 'cause it seems that you're alright!" The Hatter slightly blushed at her concern.

"Well, you should be thanking him for my escape..." he motioned to Stayne.

Mirana turned to the knave, a slightly shocked look upon her face. "You? But I thought-" she stopped herself. The queen smiled brightly. "Even if your motives are currently unknown to me, I still thank you greatly for saving my hatter..." Even though Stayne was a good foot taller than her, he felt tiny in her presence, as if he meant little in the world when she was around. Her gentle smile seemed to melt his still slightly hardened heart and a small smile crept across his face as well.

"Listen... I was going to talk to you about that..."

The queen glanced to one of the many doors about the room they were in. "Well, then I guess we should talk about that in private..." Her voice trailed off. "Tarrant." she said, looking over at the Hatter. "You know where my secondary meeting room is?" The man nodded. "Very well, I'll see you there. Now for YOU Alice..." Mirana stepped over to Alice, whom was currently towering over Stayne.

Tarrant took the knave's hand and guided off into one of the many halls in the castle. The knave glanced around at the scenery, memories running through his head. The days when he was once aligned with the White Queen. The nights he would spend in the courtyards, staring up at the moon. The moments when he fought for good. The times when he was too shy to tell Tarrant how he really felt about him…

Finally, they'd reached the 'meeting room'. The Hatter opened the door and peeked inside, satisfied when he found no one in the room. He swung open the door fully and the two of them stepped inside. Stayne shut the door behind him and glanced around the room. Windows lined the furthest wall, letting sunlight stream into the room. Bright white furniture seemed to add to the innocent aura. Tarrant sat at the meeting table, both shocked and happy to find a hot pot of tea awaiting him. Stayne also sat across from the man, grabbing one of the snow-white teacups and pouring himself some of the piping hot beverage. A few spoonfuls of sugar later, the two of them were gratefully sipping their tea.

The Hatter sighed with what seemed like relief and leaned back in his chair. "I haven't had tea like this in a loooong time…" he said, drawing out 'long' for emphases. "This is Mirana's best tea too… I can tell by the flavor. We must be REALLY special to deserve this…" The knave glanced down at the tea he'd been drinking with what seemed like disbelief and began to sip it gratefully. There was a moment of silence as both of them were locked in thought.

"So, how should I explain this whole… dilemma…."

By the sound of his voice, Stayne was obviously nervous about being in his former enemy's castle. Tarrant looked up at him, slightly smiling. "Just tell her what happened, as truthfully as possible. I'm sure she'll believe you…" Even still, the knave was fidgety and sighed with nervousness. "Yes, I'd also include the part about us if I were you… It'd be unwise not to tell her the entire truth about the subject…" Stayne smiled and looked over at the Hatter, sliding his hand across the table towards him. Tarrant placed his hand upon Ilosovic's, slightly blushing. "You'll be fine… I'm sure of it…"

The door then opened and the two of them whipped around towards it. Just as Mirana entered, a wave of calmness seemed to sweep across the room. Stayne relaxed withen his chair and leaned back, bowing his head towards her. The queen strode over to the head of the table and sat down, also pouring and fixing herself a cup of tea. "I assume you're enjoying my welcome-home tea, right Tarrant?" she said, a sweet smile on her face.

"How could I not? It's the best tea in all of Underland!" came the cheerful response.

There was a moment of silence as the White Queen sipped her tea, secretly observing the knave. Even under the effects of her calming spell, the man was still very nervous and fidgeted with his sleeves. Mirana placed her cup upon the table, looking the man over once more. "So, you're explination for coming here?" she asked, leaning towards him.

At that moment, Stayne tensed up, as if her words had triggered something within him. "As you may know, I was not very fond of your sister…" he began. "Yet, she loved me deeply. If I rejected her, she'd have off with my head…" The knave looked down at the table, as if trying to avoid any eye contact. "I was always to fearful to tell her how I really felt about her. However, when I found out that the Hatter had been captured by her soldiers, that fear seemed to be wiped away." Ilosovic looked up at Tarrant, whom was staring at him with what seemed like simpathy. "I no longer cared what she'd say… I didn't know it at the time, but I had found someone else to pour my life into. Someone who could truly love me and whom I could freely love back." The men smiled at eachother, a blush creeping upon Tarrant's cheeks. "But then there was the dream…"

Stayne looked over at Mirana, the smiled wiped from his face. "I can't call it a dream, exactly… But it's not a nightmare… More like a vision…" He hesitated, unsure of how to explain it. "I'd gone to one of the many mystics Iracebeth keeps prisoner to predict the outcome of battles and what not… She'd interpreted my vision as something I'd once believed impossible…" Ilosovic then sat up straight, as if to give himself a regal apperance. "She said that I would break from your sister of my own free will… and align myself with you again..."

Mirana smiled, finishing off her tea. "Well, that's quite the story." She said. "And Tarrant was technecally the spark for this change of alignment?" Stayne nodded. The White Queen then stood. "Very well. I think it's time we broke out your old armour… Your knighting ceremony should take place very soon…"


Gray, scaled armour was thrown carelessly to the floor, clanging loudly. Glinting white armour was then donned, seeming to glow with some divine aura. Metal clinked together as the wearer strode over to the mirror, sheathing an old yet gleaming sword….

The knave stood before the mirror, standing tall and proud. Clad in his old armour, he looked like a flashback come to life. He turned here and there, observing how the old armour still contoured to his high figure. It was as if he'd never changed all these years. Tarrant slipped into the changing room, unnoticed, and smiled at the sight of the man.

"The armour Iracebeth made you wear never looked as good on you as this does…"

Stayne whipped around, startled, but calmed when he saw the other man. He opened his arms, beckoning the man with the wave of a hand. Tarrant rushed over to him and brought him into a big hug. "I've waited forever for a day like this… Of course, I never thought we could ever admit our feelings for eachother…" he said. Ilosovic wrapped his arms around his Hatter and held him close, gently kissing his forehead.

"Deep down, I think I have too…" The knave's smooth, rich voice rang through Tarrant's mind, causing him to sigh with content and love.

Horns then blared outside and the two of them jumped. "The knighting ceremony! It's starting!" Tarrant cried with joy, dragging the knave from the room. The two rushed through the castle and to the queen's largest courtyard. At the entrance to the courtyard, Tarrant stopped. "It is here that I must leave you… You must walk down by yourself…" he said, staring up into the other man's eyes. They kissed and the Hatter rushed off into the crowd that had gathered.

Ilosovic sighed and felt butterflies well up in his stomach. An aisle began to form as the crowd parted, revieling Mirana and Tarrant on the other side of the courtyard. The knave silently strode over to them, kneeling down before the White Queen. In her hands was a pure white sword. She held it gently and even a bit menicingly, as if to test Stayne's loyalty even now. "Ilosovic Stayne, Knave of Hearts. You've come from Salazan Grum to inform me that you've broken away from the Red Queen to join me, correct?"

"Yes, your majesty…"

Mirana smiled then tapped both his shoulders with her sword, resting it upon the top of his head. "Very well. At this moment, let it be known that the Knave of Hearts has perished and out of his ashes rises the Knave of Spades." She lifted the sword off him. "Rise, Knave of Spades." Stayne stood, towering over her. "May you forever be loyal to your new alignment." The crowd the bursted out in cheering. Mirana then stopped the knave just as he was about to turn around. "However, before you continue with your new life, you must promise me one thing…" she whispered. Even her whispers seemed to drown out the cheering.

The White Queen looked up at him and smiled. "Take care of Tarrant for me…" She winked and let go of him. Stayne smiled, bowing his head towards her as if to say yes, and then turned his attention to his Hatter. The other man grinned and practaclly leapt upon him, wrapping his arms around him. The two hugged tightly as the crowd cheered and, eventually, kissed.


AN: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw! What a great end to this chapter…

DON'T WORRY. THE BEST PART HAS ONLY JUST STARTED. IF YOU THOUGHT IT HAD A GOOD PLOT, THINK AGAIN. THE PLOT HOLES ARE ONLY JUST APPEARING.

GO PLOT HOLES!

Oh, and the Hatter demands you R & R!