Chapter 3
Sitting on the rock next to her, the hooded figure looked at Iracebeth expectantly.
"Think of the possibilities," he whispered into her ear. "All of Underland could be yours again. All you have to do is give me what I want." She scowled stubbornly before a malicious smile cracked her porcelain white face.
"Yes.. yes I can see it now. My little sister will have everything stripped from under her pretty little nose. She won t know what hit her." Iracebeth laughed.
"Is that a yes?" he asked eagerly.
"Yes.." she told him hesitantly. He nodded and went to stand up, but she gripped his shoulder. "But only if you keep your end of the bargain."
"Of course your grace," he took her hand off his shoulder and kissed it gently. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
She gasped. She knew that voice, those soft lips. Her eyes widened and she whirled her head around. 'Of course it's not Stayne, silly woman.' She thought. 'But then who?' She shook it out of her mind. It shall be addressed later.
"Are you ready to leave, Iracebeth of Crims?" the hooded figure asked, bowing and motioning to the mainland. She smiled again, this time an eager smile.
"Yes, quite," she said, standing up and gliding over to him. "Are you ready, Stayne?" He stood up, his face emotionless.
"Of course, your majesty," he bowed fakely, and she rolled her eyes.
"Let's get on with it then," she ordered.
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The walls of the castle towered above the trio as they approached it. Wandering through the castle grounds, fog seemed to settle wherever they walked. The only thing that broke the eerie silence was their footsteps in the grass.
"It's like a ghost town," Stayne whispered.
"Isn't it though?" the hooded man chuckled.
The once luscious garden of the Castle of Hearts was now wilted, the grass becoming brown, the flowers sagged & drained of color. Ivy crept its way up the walls of the castle as if repossessing the land it inhabited. Iracebeth made her way to the castle doors & tugged on them, only to find they were locked.
"Locked?" she screeched. "Who dared to lock my castle up? WHO?" She pounded on the doors, somehow thinking she might be let in that way.
"Surely you didn't actually think they would leave the castle unlocked your majesty?" the hooded man laughed condescendingly at her, walking towards her. "Your sister is a smart one. But not smart enough." He pulled something shiny out of his robe & dangled it in front of her. A small gold key with a heart on the end & a ruby inside it.
She glared at him & snatched the key out of his hand. Hastily she fuddled it, getting it in the keyhole & unlocking the doors. They whined and creaked in agony as she pulled them open, begging her not to move them. Once open she laughed maliciously.
"Finally," she said softly. "I'm home."
"Just a minute, your majesty," the hooded man swept in front of her before she could go any further. "You must keep a low profile until everything is in place. They mustn't know you're here."
"Of course," Stayne droned, slithering past him & walking down the entrance hall like it was just yesterday he called this place home. For soon, he told himself, this place would be all his. He would be king of Underland.
The stranger turned his head back to Iracebeth.
"I take my leave of you now, majesty," he told her, stepping out of the way & bowing. "Until we meet again."
