The walk to the White Castle was a lonely one. Alice had thought, this being Underland and all, that some strange happenstance would find her traveling with the Tweedles again, or perhaps the Bandersnatch would come to give her a lift. Surely the air would split into a wide, creepy grin, and Chessur would have a nice chat with her. Instead, her only traveling companions were her own thoughts, and being alone with them was beginning to drive her, well, a bit mad.

The silence around her was deafening in its completeness, and she found it necessary to shatter it, and began a little tune. She hummed it quietly at first, then a bit louder, and by the time she was ready to repeat the little song, she was singing out loud.

"Twinkle twinkle little bat, how I wonder what you're at. Up above the world so high, like a tea tray in the sky…"

The song ended on a loud sob as Alice finally broke, collapsing to her knees and burying her face in her hands as she cried out her misery until there were no tears left to cry. Spent, she was finally obliged to curl up under an enormous mushroom, where she still shivered now and again as her body recalled its weeping quakes, until she was able to drift into sweet, numbing sleep.


"Nivens McTwisp! Show yourself this instant!"

For having such a tiny voice, the dormouse was able to come off as quite commanding, and at the sound of her a nervous white rabbit skittered around the white corner of a white hallway at the sound, slid a little, regained control, and hopped to have a seat in front of the miniscule creature.

"S-something I c-can help with?" he asked, subconsciously fidgeting with one long, white ear.

"What is it that you've told Hatta? Alice has finally come back to us, and you've got the mad fool all set to chase her off again!" exclaimed the livid rodent.

"Alice is b-back? How lovely! O-oh, T-Tarrant? About that. Well, he asked about her you s-see."

"Of course he asked about her, she's been the only thing he can form a clear thought about since she left! What, specifically, did you tell him Nivens, and don't you dare beat around the bush!"

"W-well, he asked about her world, and where it was th-that I found her, and s-so I tried my best to describe it for him. It… it m-may have slipped that I retrieved her f-from an engagement party." Nivens visibly winced at the sound of his confession. "You know how he gets! He'd taken a mood!"

"You twit!" she thundered, "How could you tell him that? You know how he feels about Alice! We have to figure out a way to fix this, and quickly! Oh I should just stab you right on your backside!"

"Well that is a predicament, is it not?" asserted a lilting, dream-like voice.

The mood of the room was drastically changed by the mere sound of that sweet voice, and both creatures bowed low to their White Queen.

"No need for formalities just now dearies, Alice will be arriving any moment now, and I think this discussion should include her as well."

Mirana turned to glide out of the room, but appeared to have thought of something else worth mentioning.

"I do not think it would be appropriate to reveal Tarrant's true feelings to her, however. Shall we let him find his own way?"

Before they could answer, they were interrupted by a page standing in the doorway, who coughed loudly to get their attention.

"Your majesty the White Queen, the Alice is here to see you."


The Alice was certainly more somber than Mirana remembered her to be, and she wondered if it had been a poor choice on her part to have this discussion over tea. The fine white china clinked daintily as she replaced it on its saucer. Even the beauty of this lovely courtyard could not stir Alice to smile, and Mirana decided it best to get right to business.

"Tell me champion, why have you returned to Underland?"

Alice started, a few drops of tea spilling from her cup to stain the otherwise spotless white tablecloth. She had almost forgotten her true reason, but now it became clear in her mind, and she slid a small photo across the table.

"Your majesty-"

"Please Alice, call me Mirana."

"Um, yes, Mirana.." she began again, the name feeling strange in her mouth as though it were a word only to be used in great reverence, and certainly not with such familiarity. "Do you recognize the man in that photograph?"

Something sparked in the Queen's eyes, and she let out a polite laugh reminiscent of tiny bells.

"Why yes of course I do you silly girl! This is the Knight of Spades after all. He disappeared from Wonderland quite some time before you ever stepped foot here, but I would recognize him anywhere! He was always such a gentleman, and quite dashing! How odd he looks here, such strange clothes, and certainly older than when he left. Where did you acquire this strange picture my dear?"

It was only when Mirana eventually looked up from the photograph that she saw shock registered on her champion's face, and she tipped her head slightly to one side in curiosity, though she waited patiently for Alice's answer.

"I received the picture from my mother some time ago, you see. After all, it's only right that a daughter should have a photo of her father to remember him by."

"Oh! Oh I see! I understand now why this revelation might be a little.. Unsettling for you. Do you need a moment dear?" Mirana asked, always the caring hostess.

"No, I will be alright." Alice assured her. "I had begun to suspect it before I came back here, after all, so this is only confirmation of something I had already started to believe."

Truly, however, the girl felt faint, and it took enormous effort for her to retain her composure. This was it! This was the reason she had never felt quite at home in her own world, was never really accepted there, did not want to ever return there. This foreign land felt like some outlandish, lost home because she was a part of it!

Alice quickly realized that she no longer felt that pull from Overland, the sense of duty to return. Thoughts raced along so fast that she could barely touch them before they were replaced; endless ideas of making a home here, and the adventures that were sure to come about with her friends by her side! She could take her breakfast with Mirana now and then, walk with the Tweedles through the flowers, eavesdropping on their gossip, and take tea with… Take tea with..

Hatter.

Mirana's gentle voice called her back with a question, spoken innocently enough.

"Alice dear, it is wonderful to discover that you are of our world after all, and I am very certain that I speak for everyone when I express how lovely it would be if you were to stay here. However, you had been gone for quite some time, have you not made any commitments in your other world, such as business, or perhaps impending marriage?"

"Hmm?" Alice muttered distractedly, then shook her head. "Oh no, of course not. I mean, just before I came the last time I did receive a very uncomfortable proposal, but my first order of business when I went back was to suppress that idea!"

Mallymkun, who had been listening quietly by the teapot the whole time, suddenly burst out "I knew it!" but was discouraged from saying anything further by a discreet look from the Queen.

"Alice, you must be very tired, and I am sure that you have a great deal to think about. Why don't you retire to one of the guest rooms for the night, and we will reconvene at breakfast?"

Alice nodded and said her good nights to all present before excusing herself to the company of the page who would be preparing the room for her. The moment she was gone, Mirana beckoned the white rabbit to her side.

"Nivens, be a dear and fetch Tarrant, would you? Take the Bandersnatch if you must, I would like him here in time for breakfast. Oh, and Nivens? Please explain the misunderstanding to him on the way, there may not be time once he arrives."