Somewhere in the Abyss~
"Cheshire… what happened to your eye?"
Alyss looked up from her dolls, concern etching her features when her favorite feline came staggering in. He collapsed before her, head resting on her lap, looking up at her through blood-matted hair, "Hatter… he… took it back."
For a moment, Alyss just sat there, watching the trail of blood branch out in new streams across Cheshire's face.
Then she laughed.
And laughed, and laughed, and laughed, until tears sprung up in her eyes. "He… took it back?" She shrieked, all giggles, "You let him get a swipe at you?"
Cheshire gritted his teeth, "Yes. Took it back to Pandora of all places, my lady."
Alyss calmed down, reaching down and ripping a bit of fabric from her dress and dropping it on Cheshire. "Here," She snickered, "Wash out your hair and bandage yourself up. You're bleeding all over me."
"You don't understand!" Cheshire cried, remaining crimson eye furious, "He betrayed you, Alyss. He's been consumed by Pandora!"
"I don't understand?" Alyss frowned, looking down at the chain sprawled out in front her. She placed one hand on each side of his head, cupping his face, "No Cheshire, I believe it's you who doesn't understand." His eye fluttered shut when she brushed her thumb over it, "You know, our dear Hatter was just as excited when he first met me. But taking his eyes out calmed him in a pinch, didn't it?" She leaned in, kissing Cheshire's forehead before whispering, "Maybe I should do the same for you."
Cheshire froze, "Please… don't. I beg of you, don't."
She stared at him for a moment, but then leaned away, letting him go. "Hm. I guess it would be a waste if I where to blind you- you where absolutely useless before I granted you sight, and now you'd probably be the same."
Cheshire slid away onto his knees, bowing his head, "Thank you."
Alyss got up, walking across the room to the bed of cushions in the back. She ran her hand over an ivory throw pillow, of which had just a hint of a crimson stain splashed across it. "You just have to realize, Cheshire, Hatter is still merely a child. And children need room to grow." Her nails tore through the thick cloth, "He's just going through a rebellious phase… that's all."
Cheshire stood, wrapping the bandage across his bad 'eye', "Is he?"
She nodded, slowly pulling the stuffing from the pillow, "Of course. He'll come to his senses eventually… I can feel it."
"Yes, eventually, but what about now?" Cheshire finished tying the knot behind his head, "He's serving a different master, a master of which wants nothing but your destruction."
Alyss waved him off, "Just Pandora. They're no threat to me…" She hesitated, "What's his contractor's name?"
"Sharon," Cheshire growled, "Sharon of the Reinsworth nobility."
"Just a Reinsworth?" Alyss sighed, "A shame, I was hoping for a Bezerious."
Cheshire bit back any comments about that particular branch of nobility, and walked over next to her. He rested his head on her shoulder, and she smiled, setting the pillow down to scratch him behind the ears. A low purr rose from his chest, and she laughed again. She looked down at the torn pillow, holding out a hand to it.
"Alyss… what's a human?"
She closed her eyes, letting out another long sigh.
Please return soon, my dear Hatter.
A/N: Okay, hopefully this little chapter will make up for the last ones shortness/not-so-hotness. Again, SO sorry for posting the crap-tastic rough draft of chapter 7. Really, I was beating my head on a post for hours when I realized I accidentally switched to third person halfway through... ^^"
Anywho, for those still tolerating this madness, reviews are like... candy. And as we all know, Break is the candyman and needs his sweets.
