Chapter 4: Which teaches us that making a bet with Alyss is very, very unadvisable.
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Looking around, Alyss took in the pale pink cherry blossoms wafting on the breeze, the perfectly trimmed chessboard gardens, and last, but certainly not least, the fairytale castle, gleaming marble white in the pale spring sun. Chuckling, Alyss put her hands on her hips. "Well, it's not really my style," she said to Chess, who smiled back. Alyss's eyes flicked to Alice, who was drinking in the sight like a man dying of thirst drinks water. Although she thought the whole setting was a little too perfect, a few others obviously didn't agree. Turning to Absolem, she smiled a smirk Chess instantly recognized, it was her betting smile. "So… this White Queen. Does she wear a crown?" Absolem nodded, giving her a look people especially reserved for utter morons. Alyss recognized at as the look she always gave Alice.
"Does she greet visitors in her courtroom?"
Another look.
"And is this courtroom well guarded?"
Absolem stared at her. "Well, it is her courtroom, stupid girl." He finally said after a few moments. Alyss's face split into a radiant smile. "How would you like to make a little bet Absolem?" She said brightly. Chess's face froze. Absolem's eyes flicked to Chess, then back to Alyss. "What would this bet be?" He asked, curious. "I bet that I can steal the White Queen's crown off her head… while in her courtroom, without her noticing."Alyss grinned. Absolem raised an eyebrow. "Alright. If I win, you will stop asking stupid questions." He said slowly, flicking an antenna lazily. Alyss nodded. "And if I win, you'll become part of my court?" She said, her eyes already taking on a shine that clearly made Chess nervous. Alice, who had been watching this exchange with interest, leapt in. "I'll bet the same as Absolem, and If We win, you'll never give me one of your looks again," She said.
There was no way Alyss could win this, after all. The White Queen wasn't an idiot. And in the courtroom, all her soldiers would notice the second Alyss reached for the crown. Easy winnings, Alice thought. "Count me in too," An unfamiliar voice interjected, smooth a silk. Almost synchronized, the group turned as one to see the voice's owner. A boy of perhaps seventeen, with short black hair that almost flopped into his eyes stared back at them with rich golden eyes. He was dressed in black, his clothes were smudged and dirty, and for some reason, there was a pink, frilly bonnet around his neck. Last, but certainly not least, the boy was slightly favouring one leg. The boy's eyes travelled over each one of them, stopping at Chess. "You," he hissed. Chess's eyes narrowed to slits. "You." He snarled back, arching his back. The boy's eyes boiled with anger. "Flea ridden turncoat up himself-" "TINKER!" Alyss's eyes lit up and she ran up to the boy. Crushing him into a hug. After seeing Alyss's strength in action, she winced at the thought of how many of the boy's ribs must be snapped in two. "Tinker! You idiot cat!" She stepped back, surveying him critically.
"Your leg was broken."
"It got better."
"Within half an hour?"
"Yeah, so what?"
"SO WHAT?!? Legs take at least six weeks to heal."
"Oh look who now knows everything," Tinker retorted. Alyss shut her mouth and gave him a halfhearted cold stare. Alice didn't know who this Tinker was, but if he could make Alyss shut up, she liked him. Running over the short conversation in her head, she realized something. Idiot cat? Alice thought. That boy was no cat. Alice thought about asking, but there was no real point. Underland hardly ever made sense after all.
"Alice!" A voice sweeter than honey called out followed by a lady in a white dress, dripping gracefulness. Alice smiled, and curtsied to the White Queen. It had been eight years for Alice, but the White Queen looked as if she hadn't aged a day. The White Queen's dark brown eyes, mirrors of Alyss's ran over the group, her gaze lighter than a feather. When she reached Alyss, Alice could have sworn she frowned slightly, before sweeping around. "Come to my courtroom if you will my friends. I believe we have much to discuss." She smiled radiantly at all of them, before dancing back up the steps, through the now open marble doors.
Alice felt a mixture of excitement and nostalgia as she hurried up the steps and through the doors. Finally, after all these years, she'd see him again. Absolem flew up the steps next, and then Alyss supporting Tinker-"I don't care if your leg is apparently fixed now. It's not fixed until I say it is."- and finally Chess, who looked like a cat going to the gallows.
The White Queen's courtroom gleamed brightly, courtiers drifting to and fro, with guards in shining silver posted at the doors. Alice could to her surprise, see a few cards, painted white among them. The White Queen seated herself on her throne, smiling warmly at Alice, Chess and Absolem. "My friends, what brings you here to us on this lovely day?" She asked, her voice the soft tone of a summer breeze. Chess stepped forward. "My Queen, as you know, Underland is decaying. There have always been two rulers-" the White Queen, uncharacteristically, interrupted.
"What would you have me do Chess? Call my sister back from the Outlands? Without her, we finally have peace." Her courtiers agreed with a myriad of murmurs and whispers. Alyss stepped forward. "There is another reason you can't call her back from the Outlands isn't there? She is dead, effectively by your hand." Alyss said calmly, causing another wave of whispers. The White Queen's eyes widened, startled. "My sister… is dead?" She said, in a voice that would have made a statue cry. Alyss stood straighter. "Of course she is. You saw the way Stayne tried to kill her the day you banished them. You knew he would kill her. You knew, and you still sent them away to the Outlands together. You sentenced the Red Queen to death." Alyss snarled. The whole court gasped.
The White Queen's eyes flashed, before it was instantly quietened. "You accuse me of breaking my vows? My vows to never kill or harm another living creature? You accuse me of murdering my own sister?" She stepped down from her throne. She sounded calm, but Alice knew that if Alyss was Alyss, that wouldn't be true for much longer. Alyss took a step forward, eyes blazing. "Of course you did. You practically held the knife."
"And who are you to be making such grossly wrong arguments?" The White Queen said sweetly.
"I thought you were supposed to be intelligent," Alyss said, her voice practically dripping with sugar.
The White Queen's eyes widened. She finally recognized the red hair, the dark eyes and pale skin. "You aren't-"
"Oh, but I am. And I'm here for my throne. A chess game needs two players, and you little monopoly is over." Alyss said coldly. The White Queen forced a smile. "I'm afraid that won't really be possible my dear. You see, there is one crown and I-" Alyss pulled a glittering silver crown from behind her back, the blue stones set in the points catching the light. "This crown? You really ought to take better care of it." She gave the White Queen a smile that could have killed the jabberwocky stone dead. Near the back of the court, there were two audible groans. Instantly, the guards that had faded into the back ground, sprung to life reaching for their swords. Alyss shrugged off the holey shawl that had been wrapped around her shoulders, and lifted her arms. About thirty swords fell to the ground, clattering against the marble floor. "I took the liberty of relieving you of your swords. They were so heavy… it seemed like they were only weighing you down." Alyss turned back to The White Queen. "I'll be taking my leave now. I will see you at dinner," Abruptly she spun around and marched out of the courtroom, through a wide corridor.
From beside the throne, a figure dressed in bright clashing colours caught Alice's eye, It's him, she thought, her heart stopping as The Mad Hatter made his way down the steps towards her. After Alyss had left the courtroom, the White Queen had left the courtroom, followed by a chain of courtiers. Absolem and Chess were standing around, and Alice wasn't sure where Tinker had disappeared to. Tarrant, smiled at her. "Alice…"He stammered, reaching for his watch. Alice smiled back, her mind roaring in her ears. Say something! Say something Alice SAY something! Her mind screamed at her. "Uh… I'm late I know…" Tarrant smile widened. "Meet me on the balcony in twenty minutes," he said, whispering in her ear, before turning and leaving out the same door Alyss had left from, leaving Alice wondering what had just happened.
Alyss was standing beside the door, trying to decide where she should go. Three staircases wound their way up in front of her, and for all she knew, there was a pit of snakes at the end of each of them. No, that's not the White Queen's style, she thought. It will be a pit of maneating butterflies.
Just then, a man in an outfit that had more patterns than she'd ever seen walked through the door, turning to her. Alyss bit her lip, trying to decide if she should ask this man for directions, and smiled. The only thing that seemed to be dangerous about this man was his sense of fashion. He was staring at her with eyes greener than a park on a beautiful spring day. "Uh… I don't suppose you could tell me a room that isn't taken?" She asked slowly. The man smiled, his lips almost reaching his bright orange hair. "Take the middle staircase. Do you want me to show you?" Alyss smiled warmly and nodded. Taking the man's hand, they bounded up the middle staircase, up to the final level. The man was panting slightly, but Alyss didn't have a hair out of place. She smiled at him. "Thankyou… uh… none of these doors have maneating butterflies behind them do they?" She asked, not nervous, but just wanting to be sure. The man smiled. "No. I don't think so… I'm Tarrant by the way, but you can call me Hatter." He extended a hand, and Alyss took it. "I'm Alyss," She said. Hatter seemed to stop for a moment. "Alice?" He asked, puzzled. "No no. Alyss," Alyss smiled. The hatter grinned back. Opening the door to a luxurious bedroom, he let Alyss walk through first, and then closed it behind them. Alyss made a beeline for the small balcony, framed by two white gossamer curtains. Resting her elbows on the cool stone, she stared out at the White Queen's kingdom, lost in thought.
"Do you know why a raven is like a writing desk?" Hatter asked, and she bent her head, her mind now working over the riddle, examining it. A few minutes passed, and Hatter shook his head. "It's okay if you don't-" Alice smiled slowly and turned to Hatter. "Both can produce a few notes, although they are very flat!" She said softly, her dark brown eyes focussed on something far away. Hatter's face was expressionless. Alyss's face fell. "Oh. It's not the right answer is it?" She said sadly. Hatter's head snapped up. "No one's ever answered my riddle before," He said slowly. Alyss smiled. "That's cause everyone always thinks insidethe box. No one thinks that the answer is not totally literal." Hatter and Alyss smiled at each other. "I don't suppose you know what time dinner is do you?" Alyss asked. "Someone will come and tell you." Hatter answered airily, waving a hand. "I'll tell them you're here." Alyss thanked him, and turned out back to the White Queen's kingdom as Hatter slipped out the door.