Chapter 4 - Escape

POV change - Tean

There was quite all the court in the courtyard already and I was on the first line.

The bells rang, the Knave lifted a glove and the prisoners came out.

Tarrant first.

I felt like my legs were made of butter, so I searched Diablo's chest and laid my back on it.

When Tarrant bowed in front of the hangman, my vision blurred with tears. I heard the Queen shout 'Off with his head!' and the sound of the axe on the wood, but saw his hat flying high and his body disappear.

When it was high enough, Chessur's head appeared under it!

"Good morning everyone!" he said, smiling as always.

"Oh Chess! Chess, you splendid, evaporating, indigo striped, cat!" I said hugging my stallion.

"Tean, look!" he told me, I turned to see what was happening on the Queen's balcony and saw Tarrant near her.

I called him and he looked at me grinning, as the Queen shouted again: "OFF WITH HIS HEAD!"

He came down in the courtyard and invited all the people to revolt against the Red Queen: "DOWN WITH THE BLUDDY RED QUEEN!" we all shouted at her.

I reached Tarrant smiling: "Where are we meeting?"

"In the stables' courtyard. That exit is not checked by the guards" he said me. I was about to strangle him with an hug, but, as always, the Bloody Big Head ruined everything.

"WELEASE THE JUBJUB BIWD!" she ordered. The giant raptor flew on the people and the chaos started.

I ran to Diablo and jumped on him: from that 'high' I could see the Twiddles.

"GUYS! FOLLOW ME, QUICK!" they obeyed.

Diablo ran into the stables area, where the Hatter, Mallymkun, McTwisp, Chess and Bayard's family were waiting for us.

I slid of the horseback, paying attention at the bandages, and faced my brother with fire in my eyes (strange, we were twins but he was still taller than me!)

"Didn't you hurt yourself riding without the saddle?" the Hatter asked me joking.

I slapped him with all the strength I had, all presents gasped.

"OW! Wha' have Ah done?" he asked stroking his sore cheek.

"Tha' was 'cause yeh alm'st got meh faint from fea'!"

"True!" Diablo said.

"So, Ah s'ppose Ah deserved it…"

"'nd tis…" I hugged him tightly, like I've never done before "…is 'cause yeh're still alive…"

He returned the hug, before add "I love you too… but we have to run away now!"

"Right!"

I pulled back, took Diablo's bridle and my bag, I tacked him as quickly as I could without hurting him (he had a small but deep cut on the face too) and climbed on him again.

"Do you want a ride too?" he asked Tarrant, showing his back.

"Is that safe?" my brother asked. Diablo lifted his head a bit and pulled his ears back, probably offended.

"It's my stallion!" I said proudly.

"It's safe… but won't the two of us hurt you?" he asked as he took my hand and sat behind me.

"I've faced worse things as you can see…" Diablo admitted "But I feel better now".

"What about us?" Twiddledum (or Twiddledee?) asked. Tarrant called Chess, the cat appeared behind them and lift them up, flying in Marmoreal direction. Mally in Hatter's pocket, McTwisp on Bielle's back.

"Here we go! Hold on tight!" I warned Tarrant, who quickly hugged me from behind.

Diablo started to gallop as fast as the wounds allowed him to, and he was fast, the poor Hatter almost made me choke.

"Quite your gate, big boy! If not the Hatter will kill me!"

When we were far enough, we stopped and Tarrant slid carefully against my horse's hip, affirming that he would never ride bareback again! "Not on me, that's sure!" Diablo told him, we laughed, but then he tried to make a step and whimpered. I checked on the cuts, changed some too bloody bandages and applied a little more unguent before we started to walk.

The sun was setting down, we were walking to the White Queen's castle, Tarrant was leading, holding the Twiddles' hands.

"Hope you remember Marmoreal!" Mally told me. I lifted my gaze to look at the enormous white castle: the wind was moving the peach trees in the gardens making some flowers fly away, the moonlight was playing with the light at some windows, making such perfect golden and blue shades.

Tarrant closed my mouth with a finger (I didn't even noticed that I had opened it!): "No need to comment!" then he started to laugh uncontrollably.

"Race yeh!" I told him before beginning to run, followed by my twin.

POV change - Terence

After the 'execution', after I helped some other guards putting the Jubjub Bird in his cage and after my turn finished, I went to the stables, looking for Tean.

"Please! I'll be as quiet as a baby!" Danny prayed me.

"No! It's a thing I have to do alone! And don't speak so loud: someone could hear us…" I told him.

"Wait a minute: if you want to kiss her, you'll need someone who check that nobody's around!" Well… he wasn't wrong at all….

"Yes, but, if I'd want to kiss her, I'd do that without YOU around!" I said, blushing a bit.

"I know her too! She will say 'To hell!' and then SHE will kiss you! So…" he won.

"Man, you act like a baby!" I affirmed. He just rolled his eyes: "So I'll be as quite as babies…" he softly said grinning madly.

"You need a doctor, Danny…" I whispered.

"I know…"

"Just SHUT UP!" I yelled voiceless.

Danny snorted exasperated: "Where are you going man? We are in the stables yet!" Oh…

We looked for her everywhere, without finding her. Diablo wasn't in his box.

"I think that maybe she's in the castle for… something…" Danny said.

"Or maybe, as the Mad Hatter is gone, she escaped with him and the horse!" I realized as I sat on a pile of hay.

"So she's safe!" Danny exclaimed.

I thought about it a bit, then smiled sadly: "Yes, she is. Thank you Danny!"

"Anytime! Thank for what, if I may ask?" Oh for the love…