A/N New chapter! I saw Alice in Wonderland for the third time last week. I can't get over that movie. Again, I own nada! Nothing! Bubkis!

I looked up, and was met by a beautiful castle that didn't even compare to anything back home. Marmoreal was a white castle, that shone brighter than diamonds, and stood majestically against the blue sky.

We galloped into the gates, cherry blossom trees lining the way. Stayne led us into the stables. We all dismounted, and left the stables to enter the castle.

I was speechless. The White Queen was greeting us at the doors to Marmoreal. She had white hair, fair skin, and piercing brown eyes, but that also held kindness and compassion. She held her arms in the air. Mazie motioned for me to curtsy. The men were bowing. I curtsied clumsily, but Mirana just smiled. She waved Pierce, Leonidas, and Harrison away and motioned for Mazie, Stayne and I to follow her.

"So, Mazie, what brings you and your friend to Marmoreal?" Mirana asked. "I seem to recall you being more of a child of nature." Mazie grinned.

"Your Majesty, my friend is Alise Wistal. She is the daughter of Alice Kingsley," Mazie said. At this, Mirana stopped in her tracks and turned around, taking my hand. She looked closely into my eyes. Then she backed away, her smile getting bigger with each step.

"Alise Wistal, you will always be welcome in Underland. Your mother's contributions helped me get back onto the throne. I'm sure you've heard the tale?" Mirana questioned.

"I have, Your Highness," I said.

"Please, just Mirana. You too, Mazie. I'm sure you realized I don't say Mazilyn anymore," Mirana corrected me. Mazie looked down, blushing. Apparently the subject of her real name bothered her immensely. "So, Alise, what brings you to Marmoreal?"

"I'm searching for a friend of mine. He disappeared in, uh," I didn't know what to call my home. Did they know what London was?
"Overland?" Stayne asked, trying to help.

"Yes, Overland. His name's Meritt Freeman. He has blonde hair and blue eyes, and he's really strong, and," I broke down in all the tears I had been holding back. "I really need to find him."

Mazie wrapped an arm around my shoulder. That somewhat comforted me. I sobbed, probably looking like a sentimental wreck. Mirana looked troubled. She said, "We will begin the search for Meritt tomorrow, Alise. It seems to me that you've had a long day. Stayne will show you the dining hall, if you're hungry. Mazie will show you your room. Sleep well, for tomorrow begins the search."

Mirana turned to Mazie. "I believe there's something we have to discuss."

Mazie stiffened, but walked away with Mirana. I felt oddly afraid. In a way, I was comfortable with Mazie by my side. She had been my protection, and she had never left my side from the moment I fell down the rabbit hole. Not that I didn't trust Stayne, but having a tough, open girl next to me was better than a tall, quiet man. I followed Stayne through the corridors into the dining hall. It was a large room with many windows, and a long table in the middle of the room. Chairs of all sizes lined the table. There were only two people in the room, two boys that were very, very round and chunky.

"Good evening, Tweedles," Stayne said, sitting in one of the bigger chairs to suit his tall frame.

"Good evening," I said politely. "I'm Alise. And you are?"

"I'm Tweedle-dee and he's Tweedle-dum," one of them said.

"All the same, I'm Tweedle-dum, he's Tweedle-dee," the other said in response. I sat down opposite of Stayne. A waiter approached me.

"What is it you care for this evening?" he asked.

"What do you have?"

"Anything you like."

"Okay...do you have chicken cordon-bleu? And creme brulee for dessert?"

"Absolutely. And you, sir?"

Stayne looked up. "Nothing. Although I'll need a cherry dulce for my friend." I suppose he was referring to Mazie. She hadn't shown up yet. The waiter left.

I told Stayne, "You never know. She could show up for dinner."

He shook his head. "No. Her business with Mirana is much too important. By the time she's here, it will be bed for you."

I ate my dinner quietly, and not a second after I finished, Mazie arrived in the dining room. I decided not to ask any questions. She took me by the elbow and led me down the hall. Stayne went the other way, holding Mazie's dinner.

"I've got your dinner, Mazie!" he called.

"Thank you, I'll eat it later," she replied. We continued down several hallways.

We came to a white door. Mazie opened it, and inside was a canopy bed, a dresser, and a balcony. It had a perfect view of the garden.

"Sleep tight," Mazie said before departing. I changed into a lilac nightgown that was laid out for me. I stood on the balcony, enjoying the fresh air. Before long, I heard voices. I looked down. Mazie and Stayne were walking into the garden, holding hands. I knew I shouldn't have eaves-dropped, but something fishy was going on.

"What did Mirana say?" Stayne asked.

"The Oraculum said that history is going to repeat itself," Mazie murmured. It was barely audible.

"What? How?" Stayne whispered. They sat next to each other under a cherry blossom tree.

"Alise will have to save Underland, like her mother. She will have to slay Fenris." Wait, what? I have to slay what? I thought frantically.

"He doesn't exist! He's a myth, told in stories so that children don't stay outside too late," Stayne said.

"Let's not think about it," Mazie replied, settling down in Stayne's arms. She yawned. "But another thing is that one of Alise's friends will die. I couldn't tell who it was. I'm afraid it might be the boy Alise is looking for."

I stopped breathing. Meritt was going to die? I came all this way, and he was going to die. No, Mazie said she wasn't sure it was Meritt. I convinced myself to listen again, but it was nothing important.

"I'm sleeping out here anyways," Mazie was saying.

"Mirana doesn't want to give you a room?"

"No, I specifically asked if I could sleep outside in the trees. Ilosovic, I spent two years on my own, sleeping in trees. I'll be fine. Don't be so concerned." She climbed up into the cherry blossom, and settled in a thick bough. "Good night, brave knave."

"Sleep well, little wild child," Stayne said, making sure she was asleep and comfortable before he walked back into the castle. I stood, dumbfounded. I had to slay something? I could barely kill a spider! I looked around my room. I spotted a thick book on my dresser. The spine read, Underland Fairy Tales. I searched in the index until I found the page for Fenris. The story about him was gruesome, and utterly gory. He was a mad wolf, biting children in the middle of the night. No wonder why kids were afraid to stay out too late. Fenris was terrifying.

I began to hyperventilate. I had to get some rest. I climbed into my bed. Surely I wouldn't be fighting the beast the next day. No, I reassured myself. Tomorrow, we find Meritt, and I can go home, possibly even save Meritt from death. I would miss Mazie, though. Maybe she could come to London with me....no, the more I thought about it, the more I realized Mazie wouldn't last a day wearing a dress and being in a "proper" society. I sighed. I couldn't possibly stay in Underland. I didn't want to fight Fenris. But Stayne's words came back to me, the ones about my mother. She didn't want to fight the Jabberwocky, he had said. Maybe I was walking in the same footsteps Mother had many years ago.

The next morning, I woke to the sound of chaos.

Honestly.

Outside my door, window, everywhere, animals were chattering, people were yelling, and I swear even the wind whistled louder than usual. Mazie hammered on my door, reminding me of Sophia.

"Alise! Alise, get up!" she cried. "Bad news!"

I raced to the door and threw it open. There was Mazie, out of breath and sweaty. "Mirana......she's....missing."

I gasped. Mazie continued, "Ilosovic....he's got...horses....we think we know....where Meritt...and Mirana....are..." I took Mazie's hand and made her sit on the bed. She looked up at me. "The whole castle's in chaos, in case you can't hear them."

I questioned her. "Who's going to look after the castle while we're gone?"

"Tarrant."

I stifled my giggles. The Mad Hatter's going to look after a castle for who knows how many hours? Mazie narrowed her eyes.

"My father may be crazy, but he can be very responsible....when he's not drinking tea, and eating crumpets, and hatting people, and-"

"Okay, I get it."

"I'll meet you in the stables." Mazie left, and I changed into a purple dress that was suitable for riding. I left my room, suddenly realizing I had no idea which way to go. I saw Nivens hopping down the hall, and I ran up to him.

"Nivens, which way is the stables?"

He pointed me in the right direction. I thanked him, and ended up at the stables before Mazie.

"Sorry I'm late," she said. "I was getting breakfast." She held up three pieces of buttered toast. We ate, and mounted our horses. I realized I had the same horse as yesterday, my black one.

"Does he have a name?" I asked Stayne.

"My name is Bascom," my horse said. I jumped and nearly fell off.

"Alise, you've met Chessur, Mally, and Nivens. I thought you'd be used to talking animals by now," Mazie said, smirking. "Oh, and by the way, if we don't come back in two days, I've alerted Mally, Tarrant, and Chessur to come after us. I'm sure we'll find Meritt and Mirana by sundown today."

I nodded, still trying to get over the whole 'talking' horse thing. We set off at a gallop into the woods.