Chapter four: Alice learns the truth

Of Alice whole time spent in wonderland so far she had not yet met any other Wonderlanders other than those who lived at the castle. She just assumed that they were all alike, but she was wrong.

Alice and Peter had been walking in the woods for some time when she felt like someone was watching her. She looked around for the source of this feel but there was no one there. After a while she just figured it was her imagination until she saw it, a pair of bright glowing eyes staring at her from up in the tree. She jumped at the sight and gasped. Peter asked her what was wrong.

"I thought I just saw something watching us from up in that tree," she said in a hushed voice. Peter looked and saw nothing, so they kept walking. After a few minutes the feeling came back and when Alice looked again there were those eyes, but this time it was accompanied with a large toothy smile. Alice let out a small scream and Peter rushed to her side.

"What is wrong," he asked "I saw it again" she said "but this time I saw a large toothy smile along with the eyes, please tell me I'm only imagining it." He looked at her and then a small grin crept across his face. He began to laugh. Alice looked indignantly at him. Why was he laughing at her? She folded her arms looked at him with glaring eyes. When he finally stopped laughing and regained his composer he said "Cheshire I know your there stop hiding and come out." Alice looked confused that was not what she was expecting him to say. She was about to speak when a figure began to appear in the tree above her. Fist just the eyes then the mouth then the whole body and finally the tail. Alice looked questioningly up at the strange cat wondering if it was really there when it began to speak. "You look a bit surprised did I startle you?" He snickered with a smile. "That's not very nice Chess" he said with a stern look toward the cat. Then he turned to Alice "He is not normally this rude, he is actually quite fun one and a good friend once you get to know him." Alice was not convinced she just smiled and said "it is nice to make your acquaintance Mr. Cheshire."

"So where is it that you are going," Chess asked. "We are going to the Hares house for tea if you would like to join us." The large striped cat grinned and jumped down from the tree, but as he did this he turned into a man with cat ears and a tail, much like Peter. "How did you do that?" Alice asked in astonishment. "Oh its nothing all wonderland animals can take human form." Alice thought for a moment but was satisfied by the explanation. So, the three of them set out in the direction of the March Hares house for tea.

When they finally stopped walking Alice looked at the scene in front of her in amazement. There was a long table covered in assorted tea cups and tea pots. Seated around the table was a dormouse in a brightly colored tunic, the March Hare in an old vest and trousers, and at the head of the table was a man with a large top that had a tag tucked into the brim say 10/6 on it. He had silvery white hair and a light brown jacket with green checkered pants, and a large ruffle on his collar. It was quite a sight to see they were all chatting away drinking tea until they noticed the three people walking up to their table. "Good morning Peter and Chess so nice of you to join us for tea, by the way who is that you have with you?" Asked the Hatter from the other end of the table "Yes please do introduce us" said the March Hare. "I would be glad to, this is Alice." Said Peter, they were all so surprised that the dormouse almost chocked on his tea. "The Alice!" said the dormouse after it had recovered. "Yes, the Alice!" said Peter in an annoyed tone. At this point Alice was a little confused about what he was talking about until she remembered her conversation with the queen from the other day about the prophesy and she figured that is what she was talking about.

They all sat down at the table and enjoyed a nice afternoon tea. They chatted about something that Alice was unsure of but she felt it would be rude to interrupt, until the dormouse said something mean about the queen. Alice was upset the queen had been so nice to her "why was the dormouse being so mean?" Alice thought to herself. Then the Hare joined in on the insults and this was too much for Alice to bear. "Why are you saying such hurtful things about the queen, she has been so nice to me while I have been here. All she wants is the love of her subjects and her kingdom to be restored to its former glory." Everyone, even Peter, looked at Alice in shock. "What are you talking about girl" said the Mad Hatter, "and they call me mad."

Alice starred at them partly in confusion and partly in irritation. "Why do you hate the red queen so much it seems to me that you're all just jealous of her!" Now it was the others turn to look confused and upset. "Alice my dear" said Peter in a wavering voice, "what exactly did the red queen tell you?" Alice related to them all that the red queen had told her and they sat in silence and listened.

When Alice was finished telling them the story the Hatter spoke first. "All that the red queen has told you are lies. She did not love her sister, she hated her. The red queen is not a kind natured person, whatever she told you she did to gain your trust. It is not wise for you to hang around with the queen for too long or you might lose your head." Next to speak was Chess. "Just ask Peter he lives in the castle as the queen's page not out of love but out fear. She is a tyrant and I am surprised she did not kill you when she had the chance." Alice looked at him in horror and then to Peter who just nodded in agreement. "But why would she want to kill me, she said she needed me to help her?" said Alice in a questioning tone. At this everyone began to laugh, they laughed so hard that they could not maintain their human forms. Alice blushed feeling very embarrassed. "Don't you know you stupid girl she only told you that to gain your trust. She really wants to kill you so the real prophesy won't come true. Come on everyone knows of the prophesy you terrible excuse for a chosen one." With this he folded his arms and stuck his tong out. "Well that was overly rude, and what did he mean by chosen one" Alice thought to herself a little perplexed. She decided it was best to ask Chess who seemed to be in a better mood than the white rabbit. "What does he mean chosen one, tell me about the real prophesy." Chess was happy to respond. "What the queen told you was partly right. The white queen did die in child birth and that is how her sister gained the throne, at first she was an ok queen but after a while she grew mad with power and cast a curse on Wonderland. She cursed all of wonderlanders who were part animal to take on their true animal forms when weakened our told to do so by the queen, in this way we could never launch a proper revolt. It takes a lot of energy to stay in our human forms and at will she can command us to become her subject and do her will once in our animal forms. So you see our problem…" He was cut off by the March Hare "Your rambling again Chess." Chess continued "Yes sorry about that anyway. It was foretold that a girl named Alice would come and return our world to the glory of when the white queen ruled. She would break the curse on the wonderlanders and find the white queens missing child and become the new queen of wonderland."

Alice looked from one person to the next then asked "Does this prophesy tell of how I am supposed to accomplish all these tasks. I am only 11 what am I supposed to do about some tyrant queen?" They all gasped and looked at one another with worried looks. "What is it?" Alice demanded. "Your only 11 the prophesy said you would be 18 your 7 years too early. What are we going to do now?" Proclaimed the Mad Hatter; Alice thought for a moment "why am I here if I'm not supposed to be yet?" The others looked at her and thought but no one seemed to have the answer until Peter spoke up. "I believe I am partly to blame for that. The red queen sent me to Alice's world I don't remember why, but it probably had to do with luring her to wonderland." They all looked at Peter in shock, they knew it was not his fault but they still could not help but feel ashamed.

"How are we going to fix this?" Asked the dormouse, who was awakened from his nap by all the shouting, "We go see the Caterpillar of course," Offered Chess in a cheery manner. They all agreed that the next day they would set out to find the caterpillar in the mushroom forest.

Alice had a lot to think about that night as she slept in the spare room at the March Hare's house. Alice felt she had a duty to help the wonderlanders defeat the red queen, even though she did not know how. It would be morning soon and there was a long journey ahead of them filled with danger and hopefully answers. Alice closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep dreaming of queens and caterpillars while she slept.

Authors note:these next few chapters really introduce most of the plot. yea twists i hope you enjoy them because i know I do so expect one every few chapters. Please review. Thanks for reading.