No POV

Iracebeth stood on her balcony over looking the outside of her kingdom, the threat of Alice looming over her, but also the pain from the words of her beloved baby sister effected her so. She had thought she was happy, that she appreciated the safety that Iracebeth had given her.

But all that was just pretend, and was finally revealed when she somehow found out that Iracebeth had imprisoned the hatter, oh how she didn't like him, especially after what he did all those years ago. But knowing that her baby sister loved the young man she swore to her that she would allow him to remain free as well as her friends if she agreed to come and live in her kingdom with her, it was a win-win to Iracebeth, she would have her lovely little sister with her where she could keep her safe and not have to bear seeing those traitorous Underlings.

But to Iracebeth, all the things she had gifted her little sister with, all the special treatment and hardly ever denying her anything was wasted, that all that was washed away just because she forced all her sisters friends into her service.

But for now she must remain on topic, she must put a stop to Alice, if she wins then Iracebeth would lose her crown to her other sister Mariana,

"You must find Alice, Stayne. Without the Jabberwocky, my sister Mariana's followers will surely rise against me. Ugly little sister. Why do they adore her and not me?" asks Iracebeth, Stayne joining her on the balcony,

"I cannot fathom it. You are far superior in all ways" Stayne says, this response making Iracebeth smile for a second, the love she had for him unfound, if only he felt truly the same way for her,

"I know. But Mirana can make anyone fall in love with her. Men, women, even the furniture" she says, after glimpsing at her furniture, the poor monkeys holding up a surface to work as a coffee table,

"Even the king?" Stayne asks, this causing the queen to look down at the moat, littered with severed heads, and spying the one with a king's crown on his head. In truth Mariana had no interest in the king, but he did not care for how Iracebeth treated the people of Underland, and she got angry when he would deny her executions and allow the traitors to leave, believing him to be leaving her for another which was the only other reason for his behaviour she had his head chopped off and blamed Mirana for it as she blamed her for all else.

"I had to do it. He would have left me" Iracebeth says shrugging,

"Majesty, is it not better to be feared than loved?" asks Stayne, in his own way getting the idea further into her mind,

"Not certain anymore. Oh, let her have the rabble. I don't need them. I have you," she says, hugging Stayne, not seeing the look he makes at this position,

"But what of the princess your majesty?" he asks, she exhales from this, not happy about the reminder,

"She'll get over it, some nights in the cell will calm her down, she'll understand that what I have done is to keep her safe," she says,

"Would it not be best to punish her a little further, to better remind her? After all the way she treated you in your own throne room in front of the court, it will not do you any favours for them" he says, from this Iracebeth releases her hold on him, looking at him directly,

"I will not harm my baby sister Stayne, and neither shall you or any of the guard. No one touches her" she says, not happy about his suggestion in the slightest, the last thing she ever wanted was to see her dear sister hurt, no matter what she did, she is young and does not understand how things work, at least this is what Iracebeth believes.

"As you wish your majesty, please forgive me, I only want what is best for you" he says, this earning a nod in acceptance from Iracebeth.

Further in the castle –

Tarrant Hightop worked vigilantly in his new study room, many materials and finished hats around him, hearing Alice walking in but his mind solely on his work, he hadn't made a hat in so long it was like a birthday party for him.

"They're wonderful. You must let me try one" Alice says, admiring the hats he had made,

"It is good to be working at my trade again" he says, his hands not leaving the machine,

"It's just a pity you have to make them for her" she says, but when she says this he pauses, remembering with a jolt of whom he was working for, that rage blinding him, the memories of what the bloody red queen had done, what she had destroyed, who she had taken away from him.

"What is the hatter with me?" he asks, then suddenly acting out with the rage and anger from within and throwing mannequins across the room and breaking items ,

"Hatter? Hatter!" her hands on his face to stop him which works, allowing him to calm down slightly but still in pain,

"Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk? I'm frightened Alice. I don't like it in here. It's terribly crowded. Have I gone mad?" he asks, looking at her fearfully, her hand going to his forehead,

"I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are. Here. That's better. You look yourself again" she says, putting on his own hat on his head, this making him smile, happy to have his hat back where it belonged, but both looking to the door when they hear a familiar shout

"Hat man! Where are my hats?! I am not a patient monarch!" she shouts, this causing Tarrant to roll his eyes slightly,

"I'm told she keeps the Vorpal sword hidden in the castle. The rabbit will help you. Find it Alice. Take it to the white queen" he says, only calling Nevin the rabbit because he was sure that she did not know his name,

"We'll go to the white queen together," Alice says, but he smiles at her for this, she so reminded him of his beloved,

"Why is it you're always too small or too tall?" he asks,

"Have you seen princess Freya?" he asks, looking to her curiously, eager to know how she is, if she was ok,

"Not since she was sent to the cells for shouting at the queen, she was furious I've never seen anything like it other then when you were angry before in the forest. She kept saying something about the queen swearing to do something and she didn't" Alice says, Tarrant looked down at this in thought and then nodded to himself knowing what she is talking about,

"When she was taken from us many years ago, the red queen swore that as long as Freya stayed here with her without trying to escape, then she would not force any of us into her service, she must have found out that she took us yesterday" Tarrant says, Alice nods at this in understanding, it made sense to her now why Freya was so furious with the queen,

"I must go before she sees me here talking to you" Alice says, Tarrant nodded in agreement, stepping back to his work place to continue working.