Disclaimer: I don't own it. It's just something I have to accept...

Once again, thank you all who have favorited, alerted, and/or reviewed. And thank you so much for your input! Special thanks to everyone for all your wonderful suggestions and names. It really means a lot to me. I've tried each of them in my mind and on paper as possibilities, and in the end combined two suggestions I think are appropriate for the situation.

Note: Special thanks to chibiaries and Thrior who's ideas were used to make this chapter. Thank you!

Now, as promised onto the Stayne/Alice confrontation! Hope you enjoy it. ^^

Question for thought: I'm doing my best here when it comes to filling in some of the gaps as far as first or last names of characters who might otherwise be incomplete or simply without them. Any input on that? You liking them so far? Curious about any of the choices? Just wondering.

Who was she? It was a simple enough question, which should have been relatively easy to answer. She was Alice Kingsley, nineteen, daughter of Elizabeth and late Charles Kingsley, sister to Margaret Manchester née Kingsley- oh Margaret, would she be worried? Or terribly disappointed, that is if this did indeed turn out not to be a dream... And of course finally the expected soon-to-be-betrothed fiancee of Hamish Ascot. Though since being in this place, the responses had changed quite drastically, and held a lot more meaning. First she was 'the Alice', then she was 'the wrong Alice', then she'd been the right one once more as she'd encountered the Mad Hatter, and now she'd been captured and once again her identity was being questioned. It really was becoming quite bothersome.

However, this time, her answer, whatever it might be, would have a lot more depending upon it than her pride. This was one of the Queen's trusted guard, and from the looks of what had happened thus far, he intended to comply with the command to find her. Whatever the Queen planned for her however, it was certainly not a social visit. No, it was something much more sinister. Something at the back of her mind told her it would be prudent to her survival to lie, at least until she could find the Hatter and get some answers, then it would only be a matter of escaping and... Her thoughts continued, temporarily trying to distract her from the seriousness of the situation. The fact that her heart was drumming so fast she would be surprised if he couldn't her it, the fact that she was forcing herself to breath, the fact that she felt utterly small and helpless in front of the giant man, the fact that she was dangling precariously close to the window's edge, the fact that this was not how dreams were supposed to be. And for a moment she wondered if she should perhaps try pinching again...

Stayne watched as various emotions crossed the girls face, first anger, then confusion, then pensiveness, anxiety, and once again deep thought, and she still hadn't spoken to him. She hadn't even acknowledged him, having turned her head away. He must be in shock. He thought to himself. Good. It suited him right after she'd tried to escape. Growing suddenly impatient, he growled and slammed his hand against the wall, causing the girl to jump and face him. "You are trying my patience! I'll ask you again: Who are you?"

"Don't call me that." Alice muttered, anger rising alongside her panic.

"Don't call you what- Doll? Oh but I must. That's what you are after all, nothing but a little doll for me to use at my will." The snarl in his words made her inside turn. "Now, I'll ask you once more: WHO ARE YOU?"

"Margaret!" The girl blurted out, gasping when the Knave pressed his face closer to hers.

"Margaret what?" He hissed.

"Rose. Margaret Rose." Alice said, glancing at the rose vines beyond the window which had only moments ago been open. Her freedom. Her escape, all halted by the enormous man.

"Margaret Rose... The Knave muttered, looking over the girl suspiciously, his gaze tamer, his grip less tight, and his face composed, though his body remained tense. "Very good." He spoke, voice smooth once more. "Now then, Margaret, shall we continue?"

Alice frowned slightly. It felt odd, being called her sister's name, especially from a stranger. It had been instinctual, the first person that had come to mind in times of great distress. Her character allowed her to be most always calm and collected, and she had remained for the most part the voice of reason when it came to her family, able to survive both sides with the extremes between Alice and their mother. Despite of course her own ignorance of the flaws that were her husband, something Alice couldn't help but see all too clearly.

Once Lowell had been visiting her and her family and the house. It had been the night of Margret's engagement party, and mother had insisted he remain two extra nights, in order to give sufficient time for everyone to say their part. Alice had gone to bed early, bored after a while at all the vultures of court. She was happy for her sister, certainly, as she seemed happy enough. But her heart felt a distinct loss.

When they were younger, Margaret had been full of spark, she had been mischievous, wielded stories, talked of exploring the world together, helped Alice in her studies, cuddled with her on night's when she had her nightmares, and always seemed to understand and listen to her. She had been her best friend for all her life, teaching her, protecting her, and most of all supporting her, even when everyone else had tired of it. She was not as large a dreamer as Alice, something father had helped filled the gap with. Alice was an impossible dreamer, Margaret was a realistic one. But nonetheless they still dreamed together.

Things had changed however when her father had died. Alice was eleven at the time, Margaret was seventeen. After the appropriate time of mourning had passed, her grandmother had taken mother aside and told her how it might be time for Margaret to become educated in the ways of becoming a lady in order to integrate her into society and look for prospects. She was almost twenty after all. Margaret was then thrust on a train to Paris.

She was gone for one year... And came back a completely different person. No longer did she wield fantastical stories, or talk of discovering the world, instead she started to ignore her, follow mother more clearly, gossip with the elderly ladies of court that they used to make fun of, and no longer was she the fun, rebellious sister. All she seemed to talk about and learn were things like cooking, babies, and husbands with other ladies her age, which was only six years more than Alice. Alice however, was left behind, until of course her training started, and Margaret had started to take notice again. Now that Margaret was marrying, Lowell of all people, she felt as though she was losing her sister and best friend all over all.

That night Alice had found herself most surprisingly awakened by a kiss, at which she'd cried out with outrage and kicked the perpetrator in the shin. Margaret who was sleeping in the room next door had come out at the cries, candle in hand, revealing the image of Alice being held back in a vice like grip by none other than Lowell who was wincing from the pain in his shin. Her sister had looked on with a suspicious gaze and questioning eyes, calm and soft spoken as ever. Lowell had insisted he had been looking for Margaret instead, wanting to give her a goodnight kiss. It was an honest mistake. Margaret had most eagerly believed him. Alice however, had remained on closed terms with her brother-in-law since then. In spite of recent events, she couldn't help but think she'd been in the right to do so.

"Yes." She said, gritting her teeth at the way she seemed to squeak the word.

Stayne during the silence of waiting, had taken the opportunity to study her frame curiously. She was an ordinary enough looking girl- well except for her height, of course. With a pretty face, he supposed, and a well formed- if not entirely fit- body. She had blond hair, a rarity in either kingdom, which led him to believe she must have been a foreigner- like him, though most certainly not of the same origin. She seemed too... Innocent for that. She was dressed just exactly as he had called her, a doll, in the soft, light blue, ribbon filled dress the Hatter had made her, though it most indecently showed off her bare shoulders. "And how did you come to be here?"

Alice raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms and leaning her body against the frame, as she was most likely going to be there for a while. "You brought me here, or have you forgotten that already?"

His right eye narrowed and he sneered that growl emitted once more. "I'm referring as to how you came to be here in the Red Queen's domain of all places! And as to what possible business you have with the Hatter!"

Alice no longer jumped, quickly becoming accustomed to his rough voice, and rather than fear it, she became irritated by it. But thought better than to purposefully upset him. His question startled her however. How did he suspect that she wasn't from Underland? Were there no other small humans- if that's what you could call the citizens from there- her size- Hmm perhaps not. She couldn't be honest though, if she said she was from Aboveground well... It might only alert his suspicions more firmly. She had to answer though, she knew, from the look in his eye that refused to be argued with.

"I'm... I come from..." How lost she felt. This must have been what Viola felt like when she landed on island of Illyria. Lost, confused, alone, seemingly without direction, forced to change herself in order to achieve concealment. Though at least she'd had a servant, someone to assist her, while all the people she'd met who were trying to assist her were quite frankly mad, or severely unhelpful. The apparently sanest of which was currently locked inside the dungeons or towers, or wherever they put prisoners in this castle. She was quite honestly jealous of him. "Illyria."

"Illyria... I haven't heard of it-"

"We're a very isolated village." She spoke, gaining confidence once more. "Very out of the way, somewhere off and between the two kingdoms."

Stayne frowned, pensive. "You are of the Neutral Zone?"

Alice blinked, and shrugged pensively. She dared not commit to anything concrete, less it come back to her later. The Knave however, didn't seem annoyed with her lack of response, for once.

"And are all the people of Illyria... Quite your stature?"

"Not usually, but I thought I'd try something new. Being small is quite fashionable, isn't it?" If only slightly inconvenient, she had as an afterthought.

Stayne barked a laugh, the sound starling Alice. "Not in the Red Queen's kingdom. Large is what's fashionable. Large heads, large noses, large mouths, foreheads, ears, bosoms, and what not. Small is simply... Unconventional." Something Alice could most adamantly agree with.

Alice frowned. "And what do you have that's large?" She asked quite innocently. Appeared rather ordinary to her- well other than the fact that he had only one eye of course. Not being her average height, she had some slight trouble judging his height. After all, everything was larger than her at the moment- well everyone, at least. But judging from when the Lady with the Large Ears had stood up, he was enormous. Though even if he wasn't, there was just something about the look in his eye, his stance, his smile, that was simply towering and intimidating. It commanded attention, though even so, height was not such an unusual thing. Was it?

Stayne smirked, truly smirked, and she immediately regretted asking. "My stature of course. That..." He leaned in closely, getting a lecherous look. "And something proper little girls like you shouldn't have to worry about for some time yet."

He let out a dark chuckle as she flushed, a disgusted look crossing her face. She shifted her spot, tempted to jump off the edge onto the floor if only to escape his presence.

He seemed to read her thoughts once more which only made him chuckle. "You've no need to worry for your virtue. I don't take small. I like... Largeness." He spoke with a certain relish that made her insides quiver unpleasantly.

"I suppose I'm lucky then."

At the words his expression darkened, and it was by far his most dangerous expression "And how did you come into the Hatter's company?" He snapped, voice no longer teasing.

"I dropped in for some tea." She said casually, the lies flowing out more easily.

"And do you know of a girl named Alice?" Stayne said, equally casually, eye intense.

"The Alice?" She asked, attempting aloofness if not ignorance, which she sensed he might see through. "No, I- that is we- Illyrians never get involved in politics." She said, mirroring the Cheshire's words.

"And you're dear friend the Hatter wouldn't happened to have mentioned something, would he, such as perhaps hiding her?" He spoke, eye trained solely on her.

Alice fought the urge to squirm, knowing it would only make him distrust her word. "He's not exactly a friend." More of an unusual companion fate had brought her to, though he was certainly more friend than anyone else she'd met there. "And I.. I wouldn't know." She said pathetically, hating herself for being so at a loss for words.

"Not your friend you say? Good then, you'll not worry about him in the next hour or so I spend interrogating him. He said, reaching out to grab her.

"Wait!" Alice cried, taking a step away from the fingers that were mere inches away from her. "What are you going to do to him? You shan't hurt him, will you..."

Ilosovic smiled grimly. "I was hoping to continue our game for a while longer, but seeing as how I'm rather pressed..." It was only a little less than hours until he had to meet with the Queen. "No matter. I'll simply have to entertain myself with the Hatter for now." He smirked. "Not that you would care. He's not your 'friend' after all." He reached for her again.

"And what do you plan to do with me?" Alice asked, squeaking as she felt his right hand curl around her sides.

Stayne growled, fed up as he finally snatched an indignant Alice around the waist with his first, ignoring her flailing arms and indignant screams. "You are going to learn your place. You will stay here, quietly until I get back." With that he walked over to the closet, grabbing a large wooden music box with his spare hand. He quickly and quietly threw her in. By the time Alice had lifted her head to stand up, he had already closed the lid and locked it with a golden key. He tucked the key into his pocket- just to be safe- and turned around, on edge as he exited the room.

S~s~S~s~S

The Hatter had been sitting in his cell, isolated from the general prisoners- most of which were animals- for their protection rather than his own. He had been silently contemplating between wondering how the little Alice was doing. He giggled at the thought of 'little' Alice, sobering only when he remembered it was not meant to be funny. If only he'd gotten away more quickly, none of this would have happened.

No, the more darker side of his mind admonished. If Bayard hadn't betrayed us, none of this would have happened. At that he had to concede. The dog was a traitor, absolutely! And now the child who was destined to save them all was at the mercy of the roguish Knave.

"Prepare the prisoner." One guard called, as the door was opened.

The Hatter was quite suddenly pushed forward outside the cell, a guard on each side, along with one behind who poked him whenever he would slow. He then blurted quite suddenly. "Might I ask why we're taking such a pleasant stroll at so late an hour? The weather is lovely outside, this time of night."

Both guard's ignored his question, and he studied the one of his right who appeared to be holding a rather ominous looking leather box. As they reached a wooden door, with a large padlock hanging loosely off the handle, the guard on his left stepped forward, opening the door and ushering him inside.

It was a room embodied by darkness. Menacing and dangerous all in the same breath. However, no sight was more chilling or angering as that of the Ilosovic Stayne who stood casually on the far corner of the wall, smirking triumphantly at him. The Hatter knew that look.

This was not going to be pleasant.

S~s~S~s~S

In the barren forest outside the Red Queen's Kingdom, overlooking at the giant wall that separated the rest of the world from the lush royal gardens, stood a disheartened Bayard. He had attempted to foolishly return to the castle in order to gain an audience with Commander Stayne and demand the return of his family. Apparently however, he was both occupied, and unwilling to take visitors. On top of that, Bayard, it appeared, without purpose, had become dispensable. He had been run out of the castle almost immediately.

Bayard was at a loss at what to do. He had betrayed his friends, his companions from long ago, for the sake of his family, and in the end had ended up failing both. He neither had his pups, nor did he have the girl. He had failed both himself, and his duty. He needed help. Help from someone higher than all the land. Someone who was kind and compassionate, who would therefore help him on his journey. He needed his Queen.

And yet he was ashamed. How could he explain his obvious failure, in allowing her best champions to be captured, in allowing an innocent- who may or may have not of been Alice- to suffer her fate at the ruthless hands of Commander Stayne, and of course in allowing his own selfish ambitions to get in the way of duty. She would be most disappointed, if not completely and utterly displeased with him. No, he simply couldn't handle facing the rejection, the guilt. Not yet. Not until every possibility had been exhausted.

Curling down into a ball, his gaze remained constant upon the heavily guarded castle. He would think of a way to enter without notice, find the Hatter, and get some answers. Who was the girl? Was she indeed Alice? If not, where was she? He could still find the girl after all, and bring her to the Queen- though which one would be the ultimate question, as both had their benefits, and both their costs on his conscious. Decisions would have to be made All of this was of course, assuming they all survived the night.

S~s~S~s~S

Meanwhile, inside the music box, sat Alice, slumped over since she'd heard the door of the room click shut, this time with key. Even if she did get out, it would most likely not be through the door or window, which was still shut when she'd been thrown in the box, and most likely with similar obstacles. The box smelled of a musky polish, smooth but chipped on the sides. She could stand, but missed the lid by a few inches. The bottom had a velvet interior that was soft. It was empty save for the ink well on the side, cuffs, scraps of paper, and some old fashioned beads which seemed ridiculously out of place. It was an over all rather plain yet elegantly styled box with a no real purpose, other than the current one which was keeping her prisoner.

None of this mattered however as she thought as to the Knave, the lies she told, what he had planned, what the Queen had planned, what would happen to the Hatter and her. However she was too tired to worry anymore. Who knew the day she was to become engaged would bring about such drama...

With that she sighed, resigned for the night as she curled up upon the velvet base and fell into an uneasy sleep.

As always thank you for reading! Please comment and review. ^^