Alice in Wonderland and all related characters and places were created by Lewis Carroll. The original book is in the public domain. The movie belongs to Tim Burton and Walt Disney Pictures.

STOP AND READ THIS FIRST: Before you go ahead and read this chapter, I need to bring something very important to your attention. The previous 6 chapters have recieved extensive rewrites. Entire sections have been added, removed or changed. Chapter Two is almost entirely new, and the fic's length has increased by about 7,000 words, not including this new chapter here. I strongly suggest you go back and reread the previous chapters before reading this one, as some rather crucial details have been changed. Thank you.

~xxx~

When Alice awoke the next morning, in true romantic fairy-tale fashion; she was alone in bed. Without opening her eyes, she stretched out a hand and found the other side to be completely devoid of warmth. The blonde frowned slightly at the Queen's absence. They hadn't talked much before going to bed; after a short while, the reality that they were finally together seemed to kick in, and they had spent quite a long time simply laughing and sharing more than a few kisses. Alice had hoped the morning could have been spent in a similar fashion. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, waiting for her vision to clear. Mirana's room looked just as it had the night before, save for the fact that the Queen herself was absent. The morning air was crisp, the curtains that obscured the balcony swaying gently in the breeze. Outside the castle, birds and various other animals were making a chorus of noise, and Alice was positive she could hear trees moving about. The blonde shifted into a sitting position and swung her legs over the edge. The marble floor was startlingly cool against her bare feet, and she wondered just how cold the palace got during winter, given how cool it was even with pleasant weather outside. Of course, that was assuming Underland even had seasons like those in Alice's world.

She stretched and got to her feet, rubbing at her eyes again. Unable to curb her curiosity, she set about examining Mirana's chambers. Despite having been here a whole day now, she hadn't taken the time to properly look around the room. And it she was to share this place permanently – as she assumed Mirana intended – she felt a need examine the room. It was a relatively un-assuming bedroom; grand, of course, but no more so than the rest of the castle. Aside from the fact that it appeared to be situated right at the top of the castle, there were few signs that a monarch lived here. To the left of the room was a large bookcase, while on the opposite side was an ornate desk, above which a large mirror hung from the wall. Upon the desk was a single unmarked book, and like a moth to a flame, Alice felt an uncontrollable urge to investigate. She opened the cover, and was greeted with a simple, hand-written title.

'The Private Journal, Thoughts and Musings of Mirana, White Queen of Marmoreal.'

Curious, Alice dug her nail into the edge of the book and opened it to a page about halfway through. Like the title, it was entirely hand-written. She smiled briefly; Mirana had beautiful handwriting. It had something of an elegance about it, matching the woman that had written it. Slipping into the chair that sat before the desk, she began to read.

'They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, searching for any signs of reluctance. Finding none, they allowed their lips to meet again, moving against each other with a slow passion. Alice brought her hand up to cup Mirana's left breast-'

Instantly, Alice snapped the book shut and flung it back onto the desk, as if it had burned her. What had she just stumbled across? She raised a hand to her mouth, not quite able to believe it. How long had Mirana been writing such things? She wasn't sure if she should be worried or flattered, and found herself settling somewhere in the middle. She was of course no stranger to the sort of thoughts people often dwelled on while alone – she had done so herself during the past year - but she had not expected this of Mirana; nor for it to be written down so plainly. Frowning, she got to her feet and backed away from the table, regarding the book carefully. Mirana had of course told her of how long her feelings for Alice had existed, but it still confused the blonde somewhat to see them expressed in such a way; the White Queen often behaved so elegantly and politely – knowing that the monarch was capable of such thoughts was something that Alice found rather baffling, and she had to admit – rather exciting.

Alice had to pause for a moment, now startled by her own feelings, but it was true; knowing that her beautiful Queen wanted her in such a way seemed to have stirred something deep within her. Unable to help herself, she broke into something of a smirk. Mirana wanted her; that much was clear. The speed at which their relationship had progressed was more than a little bizarre, but as they had both said – why wait any longer if their feelings were already known? Yes, they could spend time on some sort of faux-courtship, but what was the point when they had already waited two years? Feeling somewhat emboldened, she stepped back towards the desk, and was about to take another look at the book when the door clicked open. The blonde looked up, greeted by the sight of Mirana smiling serenely as she glided into the room. For once, the Queen's hands were not raised up; instead she was carrying a large silver tray.

"Good morning, Alice," she said brightly. "I brought you your breakfast."

"Oh," the blonde replied nervously, glancing back to the book; obviously not where she had found it. "Majesty, you did not need to do that."

"Perhaps not," the white-haired woman said, moving further into the room and giving a somewhat cheeky smile as she kicked the door shut. "But I would like to believe you and I are equal partners in this relationship." She placed the tray upon the bed and turned back to the other woman. "And what sort of lover would I be if I did not dote on you every now and again, hm?"

Alice gave a grateful smile and nodded. She moved closer to the other woman and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "I love you, Mirana," she said softly. She mentally scolded herself for gushing as she was, but she could not help herself.

"Oh Alice…" The monarch brought her arms up and encircled the shorter woman's waist. Her dark lips formed a warm smile. "Come, you do not want your food to get cold."

"Sorry," the blonde said, her cheeks burning somewhat as she stepped back and sat herself beside the tray of food. Mirana seemed to have covered everything; it was more like a small feast than just breakfast. As she began to eat, Mirana sat beside her, watching her silently with that gentle smile of hers never faltering. The Queen poured them both cups of tea, and passed Alice's to her. The blonde gave a grateful smile and took a sip, watching as Mirana did the same. They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Alice found herself rather self-conscious under the Queen's gaze.

"So," she began. "What are our plans for today?"

"More meetings with various dignitaries I'm afraid," Mirana replied, obviously trying her best not to sound irritated by this as she placed her cup back on it's saucer. "A few more arrived during the night, and others are due here this morning."

"Just how many people are coming?" Alice asked. "There seems to be no end of them."

"Underland is a very big place," the Queen said. "And this is a matter that concerns all of us, sadly."

"You don't think it could just be an isolated case?" the blonde suggested. She didn't believe it herself, but she wondered if the other woman had considered it.

"Alice, where my sister is concerned, do you really think the word 'isolated' is one you will hear?" Mirana asked, her smile faltering. She glanced away, and let out a small sigh. "I cannot help but feel there are dark clouds on the horizon, for all of us…" She looked up again. "But, at least this time, we have our Champion with us."

"I'll help any way I can, you know that," Alice replied with a nod. "But…I must confess, I am not certain of just how much help I can render."

"You are the most courageous person I have ever known," the Queen said, her smile briefly returning as her voice swelled with pride. "If anyone can aid us in the coming days, it is you."

"Your Majesty is too kind," the blonde replied with a small sideways smirk at the other woman. "Not that she is biased in any way, of course."

"Perish the thought," Mirana teased, leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss upon the other woman's lips. "Now then, you eat your breakfast, and I will pick out your clothes for the day." She got to her feet, and headed over to the wardrobe. Alice frowned.

"You don't need to," she said. "I am perfectly alright wearing my own."

"Alice," the Queen admonished fondly. "If you are to be here for some time, you cannot simply wear the same clothing over and over." She wrinkled her nose. "It would not be proper."

The blonde chuckled. "Where I come from, not a single thing about this place would be described as 'proper.'"

"Then be glad that you are here," Mirana said with a smile. She stepped back, holding several folded garments against herself; Alice could make out what looked like a couple of shirts and pairs of trousers, and had to wonder just what they were doing in the Queen's wardrobe.

"Are those yours?" she asked. It seemed a silly question given that they were indeed in Mirana's chambers, but she had yet to see the Queen in anything other than her usual dress, besides the long white gown she had worn to bed.

"Oh, yes," the older woman looked down for a moment. "Well, they were, you could say. I have not worn them for quite some time – they should be roughly the right size for you, though I am sure the Hatter will be able to make any alterations should you need them."

"It's fine," Alice replied, shaking her head. "It's just a rather curious idea-" She smiled up at the Queen. "-you wearing anything other than that dress."

"I do have more than one," Mirana said as she closed the wardrobe door, and Alice was sure she could make out a faint pink tinge upon the Queen's pale cheeks. "Mother always said the people preferred consistency…"

"And they all fit inside that wardrobe?" the blonde asked, to which the other woman just laughed.

"It is bigger on the inside, of course," she said, as though it were obvious. The younger woman smiled and shook her head. She wasn't even surprised anymore.

"Oh, of course," Alice replied, turning back to the last of her food. "How foolish of me."

"Is that sarcasm I hear in your voice, my dear?" the Queen asked, stepping around the bed and placing the clothes upon the edge of it. The blonde looked up, and saw something burning within those dark eyes. Before she had any time to react, she found herself pinned to the bed, the Queen's full weight atop her. Mirana had barely missed the breakfast try, but she didn't look as though she cared; a predatory grin upon her face. "That is no way to speak to your Queen, Alice."

"And what does my Queen intend to do about it?" the younger woman asked innocently, grinning in return. Mirana's smile became softer for a moment, before she leant down and covered Alice's lips with her own. Without even fully realising she was doing it, the blonde brought her arms up and encircled the Queen's corseted waist, holding her close as their kiss deepened. It must have been instinct, Alice mused, that fuelled these intimate moments. She had had no experience with anyone else, and yet she seemed to know exactly what to do; allowing the Queen's tongue entrance. This is what she had returned for; not politics, or defeating evils, but for this beautiful woman now lying atop her. The horrible memories of the past two years seemed so much more distant when the White Queen was nearby, and now that they were in such a passionate embrace? Those thoughts were buried so deep it was as though the events had never happened.

Eventually of course, Mirana pulled away. The two of them continued to eye each other hungrily, their breathing rather laboured. "Perhaps you should lead with that in the mornings from now on?" Alice mused.

"Oh Alice…" The Queen brought a hand up and gently stroked the younger woman's cheek. "How did I ever manage to survive without you…?"

"I asked myself that same question so many times…" the blonde replied, her smile fading somewhat as her memories began to float to the surface again.

"Well no matter," Mirana said, clearly noticing Alice's mood starting to shift. "You are here again, and you and I are together as we always should have been." At those words, Alice felt her smile return in full. They shared another brief kiss, before the Queen withdrew and got to her feet, pulling the younger woman up with her. "Now then, you get dressed, and I shall take your tray back down to the kitchens."

"Must you go so soon?" Alice asked, hoping her disappointment would not be too obvious.

"Unfortunately I do," Mirana replied. "I need to prepare for today's meetings. Hopefully they will be less…confrontational…than yesterday's."

Alice was prevented from protesting further when a knock came from the door. Mirana swept across the room, but not to the door; instead she took a moment to examine herself in the mirror, adjusting her hair. Alice had to hide her smirk, knowing just how the Queen's ebony locks had become so tousled. Satisfied with her appearance, the monarch stepped closer to the door.

"Come in," she said clearly. The door opened, and McTwisp's head poked in.

"Majesty," he greeted curtly. "I have your appointments for today." He held up a neatly rolled scroll. "I trust you will actually read it this ti-" And then he stopped, looking past the Queen. "Alice? What are you doing here? I thought your arm was healed."

"It was," Mirana answered, glancing at the blonde. "However, I asked her to join me for morning tea."

"I wondered why Tarrant started working early today," McTwisp mused. "Anyway, here are your appointments." He handed her the scroll. "I will see to our 'guests' – some of yesterday's visitors are still here."

"Well let us hope they take their leave soon," Mirana said. "I do not want my castle brimming with weasels and barbarians."

"Majesty, that is an awful thing to say," the rabbit said, before cautiously glancing over his shoulder, before dropping his voice to a whisper. "Though I dare say you are correct. One would think some of them live in the Outlands, with the way they behave."

"McTwisp, that is an awful thing to say," the Queen replied, a smile tugging at her lips. The White Rabbit gave a short chuckle and nodded.

"I will see you later, Majesty," he said. "Have a pleasant day, Alice." And with that, he hopped out of view. The blonde smiled.

"He seems in better spirits than yesterday," she said, remember how irritable he had seemed.

"He is just nervous," Mirana replied. "As we all are, I suppose." She unrolled the scroll and quickly read through it, a frown creasing her dark eyebrows as she did. "Oh no…"

"Hm?" Alice moved over to her, glancing down at the document. "Something wrong?"

"Oh…not as such…" the Queen replied, looking up at Alice briefly. "It is just…oh how very awkward…"

"I feel I am missing something," the blonde said. Mirana rolled the scroll back up and tossed it onto the bed. She shook her head and sighed.

"Among today's visiting dignitaries, is one Tanalem of Croland, the self-styled Violet Knight," she explained, wrinkling her nose. "Though many simply call him the Purple Prince." She gave a brief, wry smile. "Mockingly, of course."

"Is he likely to be a problem?" Alice asked, still somewhat unsure as to the cause of Mirana's apprehension. The White Queen shook her head.

"No more than he usually is, I imagine," she said. "You see, Alice, he has a rather unfortunate…shall we say…'liking'…for me."

"He is in love with you?" the blonde questioned, her expression instantly hardening. Mirana scoffed.

"Love?" she repeated. "I doubt the man knows the meaning of the word. He is continually baffled by the fact that I have shown no interest in his advances." At this, Alice visibly relaxed, something that did not go unnoticed by the Queen. She chuckled. "Oh Alice, do not worry yourself – he is hardly competition for you." She placed her hands upon the blonde's shoulders. "You are, and have always been, the only person I would give my heart to."

"Thank you," Alice replied, a smile spreading across her now pink face. "Forgive me, I am just not rather fond of the idea of another looking at you in such a way."

"I feel the same," the Queen said with a nod. "Both of myself, and you as well." She stroked the younger woman's shoulders gently with her thumbs. "No one else will ever have you, my Champion…"

Without thinking, Alice stepped forwards and pulled the Queen into a kiss, holding Mirana firmly against her. She pulled away, but kept her hold just as tight, letting out a shaky breath as she rested her forehead against the monarch's. "And no one will have you, my Queen," she whispered. "No matter what happens…I will never give you up…"

Mirana smiled and gave a small nod. "Now then," she began. "I will be on my way, and I will see you later." She retrieved the tray from the bed, and headed towards the door. "When you are dressed, why don't you give Tarrant's workshop a visit? One of my footmen can direct you."

"And if I get bored and wish to be at my Queen's side?" Alice asked, giving a sly smile. Mirana's cheeks coloured slightly.

"Well, I am sure I will either be in the throne room or the meeting hall," the Queen replied. "With any luck I will be able to avoid Tanalem…"

"If he lays so much as a finger on you, I may find another use for the Vorpal Sword," Alice said, gesturing at the armour still standing nearby.

"So ready to defend me…" Mirana mused. "One would think you were seeking a reward…"

"And what reward would your Majesty be willing to offer?" the blonde asked, stepping a little closer. Mirana shook her head fondly.

"I am sure you can think of something," the Queen replied. "Until then, have a pleasant day."

With that, she disappeared through the door, closing it behind her. Alice stood there for a good five minutes, just marvelling at the situation she had found herself in. Alice wondered just what the White Queen would say if she discovered the downright perverted thoughts that had been running through the blonde's mind during their interaction that morning. When such thoughts had first come to her, all that time ago after her return from China, at first she had felt disgusting; dreaming of being so intimate with the Queen. But that had quickly changed, and she had revelled in the activities her mind created for them. Now that they were finally together, she couldn't help but ponder just what form this relationship was going to take; Mirana was royalty, after all. And despite Underland's fantastic nature, she was sure the responsibilities upon her partner were just as those in her world were, especially if the less-than-productive meeting the previous day was anything to go by.

Still, she had seen what Mirana herself had written in that book of hers; the Queen had clearly wanted this for just as long – if not longer – and did not seem inclined to waste time; they were both definitely hitting the ground running with their romance. It was only now that Alice really began to appreciate how lucky she had been. Yes, it had been a rough arrival, and it was likely dark times were coming, but the simple fact was that not once had Mirana thought her strange, or unusual, or abnormal – a few of the kinder terms that would have been bestowed upon her at home, made her feel utterly blissful. Had she proclaimed her love for another woman in her world, she would have likely been branded as mentally unstable, as she had explained to Mirana. But here, she was free to act on whatever feelings came to her, without regard to what was deemed 'normal.'

Letting out a rather happy sigh, she turned back to the bed and began to sort through the clothing Mirana had pulled out for her.

~xxx~

Alice decided she preferred the castle in the morning. It was almost completely deserted; she only passed one rather sleepy looking frog footman who was heading out to the front of the castle to tend some of the bushes. When Alice asked just what the trees – clearly alive in a different sense to which she was used – felt about this, Mirana had simply explained that it was no different to a person receiving a haircut; that had been one of the many topics they had discussed the previous night. She asked the footman to direct her to the Hatter's workshop, and after a short descent through the castle, she was sure she was in the right place; she could hear a familiar voice humming. The workshop was located down a rather unsuspecting looking corridor on the ground floor, not far away from the kitchen the White Queen had brewed pishsalver for Alice during her first time here. In fact, as she poked her head in through the door, the room seemed to be of a similar size and design.

The room was dominated by a large table, upon which were several model heads, each adorned with a different hat, clearly of the Mad Hatter's design. Surrounding the room were many full size mannequins; Alice wondered whether the Hatter had branched out to other items of clothing, as they definitely seemed to match his usual elaborate style. There were all sorts of other typical sights; rolls of material haphazardly leant against the walls, various measuring tapes, several hats that appeared to be half-finished, and many different types of sequins, buttons and other accessories. However, Alice was more interested in finding the room's occupant. She had been so focussed on acting on her feelings for the White Queen, that she had neglected the Mad Hatter almost entirely. He had been her closest friend here, and he certainly deserved her attention. Following the sound of his humming, Alice stepped further into the room.

"Hello?" she called. The humming stopped, and in an instant the Hatter came into view, having apparently been just out of sight around the corner. He was carrying a large wooden box that completely covered his face; only a large amount of his orange hair could be seen.

"Alice!" he exclaimed happily, moving over to the table and placing the box upon it, grinning wildly up at her. "What a splendiferous thing it is to see you here!" He stepped around the table and pulled the blonde into a tight hug, lifting her briefly off her feet.

"Hatter!" she laughed as she was put down. "You seem in high spirits this morning."

"Oh I am always in the highest of high spiritedness in the mornings," he said. "One finds their best work is always done just as the day is starting."

"I know what you mean," Alice replied. While the memories of her business venture were plagued by the horrible events that took place towards the end, she had to admit that in the early days, she too had revelled in rising early and beginning the day's affairs over breakfast as the sun was rising. "The mind is somewhat clearer, I think."

"How dare you!" the Hatter said, his grin betraying his intentions to tease. "Why, my mind is always clear!"

"Of course it is…" the blonde replied fondly. She looked away from the Hatter, and observed the table again. "You seem to be keeping busy."

"Why yes indeed," he said, moving around the table and gesturing at his work. "In fact I now work as Hatter for no less than five headwear emporiums across Underland!"

"That's wonderful," Alice said. "Makes I nice change from sitting at that tea party, I imagine."

"Yes yes indeed," the hatter replied. "We all owe you a great deal, Alice."

"Oh I didn't do that much," the blonde said with the wave of a hand, but the Hatter wasn't having any of it.

"Abject nonsense!" he exclaimed. "You saved the whole of Underland, and returned our dear White Queen to power – I would describe that as 'much.' Much muchness, in fact!"

"Well, the Queen is very grateful, that's for sure…" Alice mused, unable to help herself as her smile grew.

"You expected her to be anything else?" the Hatter asked, and the blonde noticed that his voice seemed to drop a tone, becoming almost serious. "The Queen adores you, Alice…"

"That she does…" she continued, her vision becoming unfocussed as she thought back to their earlier moment of intimacy. The Hatter moved closer, his smile returning.

"By now, I imagine she has already made her intentions known?" he asked. Alice blinked, and looked back up to her friend.

"Sorry?" she said. "You mean…she told you…?"

"Why my dear Alice," the Hatter said fondly. "The White Queen and I take tea together every morning. Have done since you departed last. There is little of her thoughts that I do not know…" He smiled a toothy grin. "…especially when it comes to you."

"Oh…well…" the blonde looked at her feet for a moment, her cheeks burning. "Yes, she and I are…we…"

"No need for words," the Hatter interrupted, waving his hand and shaking his head. "I know how fiercely her heart burns for you, Alice. Treat her well, that is all I ask. Our Queen has suffered more than you may think…"

"She has touched upon that," Alice said, thinking back to their conversation the previous evening. "I must confess, I am still amazed at how quickly this is happening. I imagined that after I returned, I would perhaps get to know her better; find out if I had any chance at all, no matter how small…" She chuckled. "And in the end she was waiting for me with open arms."

"Is that a bad thing?" the Hatter asked, drumming his orange-stained fingers upon the edge of the table. "Give your good self some credit, Alice. If anyone deserves our Queen's affections, you are the only one that comes to…mind."

"That's very kind of you to say," the young woman replied, smiling gratefully. She turned back to the table, and observed some of the papers laying among the various materials. "So, what are you working on?" She reached for one of the papers, but found it rather quickly snatched from her hand.

"No no you mustn't!" the Hatter snapped, his eyes wide. "Top secret! Cloak and dagger! Subterfuge! Out! Out!"

As Alice was promptly shooed from the room, she found her thoughts directed entirely to the image she had seen before the Hatter had snatched his drawings away. It was a crown; shining silver, with blue-green gems set within it. And it had been perched atop a mane of golden-blonde curls.