A/N: How close to the end are we? A chapter, maybe two, *sigh* that's okay though I suppose. Well, on with the show. Sorry for the short chapter folks.
Disclaimer: I don't own Alice in Wonderland (2010) simply put.
Warning: contains; femmeslash, violence, sugestive themes and situations, partial nudity, and a very disgruntled rabbit.
Chapter: Dawn Breaks.
When dawn broke the queen was dozing lightly, every so often awoken by Alice's fitful shifts or murmurs of incomprehensible words. Mirana's hand reached forward to feel Alice's brow, her tongue clicked lightly. The fever was back. She'd staved it away the day before with the more minor healing draughts, but Alice had been caught in a nasty storm and it was sure to stick with her for a while-compromising her health even more-unless something was done about it. A dilemma faced.
the queen, stay and watch Alice: visibly insuring that the girl was stable. OR, head down to the kitchens and whip up a quick and powerful healing potion. On one hand she'd be there if something went wrong, on the other hand Alice's fever was likely to continue to rise. She could have Tarrant sit in with the girl. Yes, that sounded like an excellent idea. Quickly Mirana stood, brushing aside the pieces of hair which had fallen and stuck to Alice's face and placing a kiss upon the girl's forehead.
"I'll be back soon love," She whispered before leaving the room, guilt weighing in her mind: it felt so wrong to leave Alice's side and yet she must.
Within seconds she'd asked Tarrant of the situation and he'd gladly agreed to sit by Alice's side. They'd parted ways and she'd quickly headed to the kitchens and her supplies. Hoping that she still had some of the more powerful healing potions in stock; finding that was not the case. No matter. Preparing a healing potion was simple when one was as well practiced as she was-being prepared to make anything also helped in such cases. She acquired a small pot, pouring a small vial's yellowish contents into it before heating. Nimble fingers grabbed herbs from bushels with quick ease: plucked objects from jars with extraordinary grace: measured quickly and accurately. Had Alice been there she would've done the job slower and named the many ingredients- of course, had Alice been there she would likely have not been making the potion. Healing potions were tricky, one did not make then for fun. A wrong ingredient, or too little or too much of one, could turn the potion into one of death. Doubly so for the more powerful of the kind. Mirana's potion was meant to quell the fever and heal Alice's wounds to a more minor degree-though that would not do much to help the gash in her side. The concoction needed to heat for half an hour, and during that time she brewed a smaller potion to help with the pain should Alice awake.
Back in the queen's chambers, Hatter was having an enjoyable time: reading to the sleeping Alice. His hand on hers, worry for her never leaving his eyes: she was a sister to him. Kin of a different blood. Her fever was rising, not rapidly, but her hands and forehead were growing hotter and he wondered if she'd go bonkers in her sleep. Mirana would fix her up, he knew. Until then, he may as well continue reading to her a story of Nivens' second cousin of some bizarre origin, a rather lively rabbit he'd been and the story brought a smile to Hatters face-while Alice stayed indifferent in her fevered sleep. Death, as well as life, in Underland was a complex thing. In Aboveland, one simply died. In Underland... not so simple at all... One could remain dead for a long spell and miraculously return, as well, some beings didn't die at all but rather evolve. Just as rain could bring illness, it cured others and even gave rather odd gifts: madness and the like, but undying life among these. In Underland, one could go for months on the brink then make recovery. Or, spend much time, die, then return. Such oddities were not unheard of. Death certainly came with a bang or much waiting.
Tarrant hoped that of any, both listed and un, Alice would live and return-in mind-to them soon. For even if the body lived on, without the mind or fragments there of, it was naught but empty shell slowly winding down. A body could feel but a body could not speak, not tell you it was sorry for your worry and pain: a body slumbering without it's mind was a cruel jest-A reminder of death's hold over all in anywhere and no where and everywhere in between: wherein Underland fell. If not even that, for Alice to die without dying... it would drive then beyond grief and most surely send Mirana over the edge into the split of mind which she'd fought since childhood. Alice had made it through the roughest night of her recovery, now she faced a fever which threatened to destroy her. For that Hatter feared.
For the sake of life, Hatter feared: and so he continued to read from his little book.
Mirana emptied the contents of the pot into a vial and quickly stoppered it. She took her other mixture and did the same, already knowing how to differentiate the two and no longer bothering with such trifling matters as labels. Perhaps someone else would not know what to give Alice for her ills and pains, but Mirana knew: she didn't intend to leave the girl's side for any longer if she could help it. Ten feet at most. In the back of her mind was the little fear that Alice wouldn't wake, but that seemed so real that she had no other choice but to dismiss it as surreal or go madder then Hatter with worry.
The queen made her way from the kitchens with much haste, wanting to return to her champion as quickly as possible. She knew that until Alice awoke, and even then, she'd have attention in bundles to shower upon the girl-even if Alice was unaware of thus. She took the stairs in numbers and her stride was quick but steady in it's quickening. There was no immediate rush. Her worry had been lingering and she was slowly letting it out with her brisking pace. Within moments she was at her room, within seconds after that she was in-having had to ask the Tweedles to leave for the time being, her kind words encouraging them to leave from their spot spying at the door. She shut the door behind her silently.
"How is she?" Mirana asked Tarrant timidly, slightly in fear of the answer.
"Fez," Tarrant replied anxiously, shutting his little book and looking at his queen with worried eyes.
"Her fever's gone up," The woman stated, letting out a slight sigh of relief as she quickly strode to her hopeful and checked the girl's forehead and pulse before administering medication.
"Aye," Tarrant replied, watching Mirana as she finished after a few minutes: finally content with the way Alice was positioned and reassured that the bandages weren't too tight.
"Tarrant," Mirana began, gently stroking Alice's cheek and not even looking up at Hatter at the time.
"Aye?" Tarrant asked, seriousness having crept back into his eyes minutes before.
"If, and when, you happen to leave: please be a dear and tell the others they may see Alice soon," Mirana instructed, her eyes pleading, "It won't do good for them to worry."
"If you'll promise me you'll rest at some point today then I'd be glad to inform our friends of this cheerful news," Tarrant replied with slight playfulness to his voice.
"If I must," Mirana replied, feeling the effects of worry and stress tiring her: she didn't wish to sleep, to leave Alice, but she was too tired to fight the request.
"I'll have tea brought in," Tarrant began before pulling out a broken pocket-watch filled with baubles and glancing at it with a laugh, "Half past spool."
With that, the insane, yet sane, Hatter left the room. Leaving the white queen staring at Alice, occasionally fooling with the younger woman's locks of blonde hair. As the day wore on, Alice's fever lessened and Mirana's ware grew. She took tea alone with Alice, checked the girl often and talked to her of all the wonders of Underland. At half past midnight the queen drifted off into sleep for drawn moment, waking with fear that Alice had left.
So passed the next day for her: filled with the occasional chat with friends, the caring for of an injured Alice, and the fits of fear coming upon Mirana when she happened to sleep. So passed the day after that. And the day after that. Soon, three days had passed and Alice had been drifting in and out of various states of health: on the brink of death at few points, in deep blissful sleep at others. Yet no improvement seemed to be coming, and the queen could not shirk her duties to tend to her hopeful forever-no matter how much she so wished.
With the rising of the sun on the fourth consecutive day of Alice's sleep, Mirana rose from a doze with tear hazed eyes. The fears and worry in her chest beginning to take seed and frighten her closer to Alice: the very cause of her worry. She immediately noticed, however, that something had changed with Alice. Perhaps to one whom hadn't spent those days with Alice, her lightly shifting sleep was nothing: but to Mirana it was a grand deal. It meant that the girl was awakening, slowly perhaps, but surely. The first thing she set to in her work was to check Alice's healing side to insure that the stitches were still secured should the girl begin to thrash. Her second action was to deliver the pain relieving potion to the girl, being sure not to spill a drop. As the queen worked, as she had the same for days before, though today she hummed lightly and a slight skip was put into her few steps. The day outside was bright and clear, a beautiful day in Underland: a beautiful day for Alice to improve-perhaps wake. Mirana was happy, excited that the day had finally come that Alice showed some improvement.
But even in the queen's happiness their was an air of tiredness, for while Alice had slept her sound sleep the queen had stayed awake-so afraid that Alice would be gone if and when she slept. Sleeplessness was beginning to take its toll on her, and she was willing to compromise. Only sleeping, if she could sleep close enough to Alice to feel if something was changing for better or worse with the girl. When Alice was sleeping in her coma like state, this was not possible, draughts had to be mixed and administered to keep a persistent fever at bay: water had to be given in small amounts over large quantities of time: the balance of Alice's odds had to be maintained or pushed up in favor of survival. It didn't help that, despite all Mirana's best efforts, the medications weren't taking to Alice as they should and the road to healing was becoming ever longer by the day as magic residue drew it out. Alice's shifting sleep was very good in that, as well as her healing was progressing and that the queen may dash away a few hours of slumber. After the scare Alice had given her upon her awakening from the clutches of Felix, Mirana had totally forgotten the traitorous suitor-save that he caused her champion such horrid harm-for all she knew the man could be prowling the (normally) abandoned dungeons beneath the castle with malice in his heart and tricks up his sleeve. No, she remembered, he'd been hurt, he wouldn't be doing much of anything for a while at least-and her guards were always maintaining a watch now, both day and night, they stuck to the corners of halls around her room and added security as well as restriction: but that was to come later.
For much of the morning, Mirana stared at Alice speaking sometimes but not often and when she did, she spoke in a low whisper.
"I remember, when you were a little girl and you said to me 'what is proper is not always suitable for the person'... I laughed at that, it was so true! And spoken by one so young too! I think..." Mirana began trailing off as she lost herself in thoughts and memories, "I think that's when I fell in love with you: if not when I first saw you. I was sure you weren't in love with me, though-at least not then anyway. Now I'm not so sure, when you wake and are well on your way to recovering: perhaps I'll ask you. I know, no matter how hard I try, I love you. I don't know if you even feel the same, I-I was afraid to ask: when you wake I will. Perhaps I'll also ask you what happened, what really happened, just a few days ago-you won't have to answer unless you want to. I would never want to force you to do something you don't wish to," Mirana paused again, brushing a strand of hair out of Alice's face, "It never ceases to amaze me at how peaceful you look when you sleep, even when its clear you're in pain: you've been smiling for the past few days my champion. A smile to rival Chessur's I'd say."
"I find that insulting Mirana, her smile is rather mild," Chess replied, popping into existence behind the queen and rolling all about in the air, "I'll tell you a secret if you wish," Chess said deviously, a large grin breaking over his face and reaching up to his semi-mad cat eyes, Mirana was indifferent but he continued: disappearing and reappearing beside her ear to whisper, "The grin on her face after she kissed you was more then a match for mine any day."
The queen sat, her face paling a little. The questions which had been bumbling around the back of her mind as half-formed shapes were given new shape and an answer to all. It was a little shocking, but when one lives in Underland: most things are both shocking and un. It depends on the person, but in Mirana's case: this was shocking. She'd never done more then hope Alice thought of her in that way. A host of new questions took the place of the old.
"That's how she broke the enchantment," Mirana breathed slowly, leaning back and chuckling, "My dear, dear Alice: champion of champions."
"I would say," Chess said aloofly, "Though not the best at keeping time."
"She always keeps her appointment, even if she doesn't know she has it," Mirana replied, knowing well that she likely would've died hadn't Alice broken the enchantment when she did, "She makes an exception for Underland I suppose."
"Contrary to that," Chess began, floating over Alice as he spoke, "She makes an exception for you."
"How many are playing match maker Chessur?" Mirana mused, "You, Tarrant, perhaps Mally possibly even Nivens?"
"There's a scary thought, it was the rabbit who got us into this was it not?" Chess said, playing his cards just right.
"Nivens didn't know," The fair queen replied rather sadly as her attention was drawn back to Alice, "Really, it is all my fault."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Perhaps that's why it happened, you're all work Mirana: no fun at all. We just wanted a... smile... a genuine grin from you."
"I'd disagree, but I know that I should spend more time then tea with Mally and Tarrant-especially Tarrant, he's as good friend as you."
"You always know when to bite your tongue, your majesty, and while I would love to play this game further and see what I may learn: I am needed elsewhere. Ta ta." Chess finished before quickly disappearing from view, his grin the last thing to go.
It was a funny thought, to know that all that time Mirana had been just as blind to Alice's affection as the girl had been to hers. Not funny in a haha way, but an unsettling thought which started a chain of thoughts which unravelled her questions. Whatever happened, where ever their relationship went from that point forth there was something to consider. Something more then before.
Yesterday-figuratively speaking-Alice had only been the champion of Underland.
Today Alice was Mirana's realized and recognized champion, she'd bested the last of the suitors and won the right to Mirana's heart in both the proper way and the unconventional way: and she'd proven herself to Underland not once, but twice.
Mirana stayed up for much of the day, leaving, reluctantly to bathe herself before staying up half the night tending to the violently shifting Alice. Halfway through the night, a brilliant idea struck the queen. An idea which, while bizarre, had many benefits to it. She climbed in beside Alice, careful not to touch the girl's stitches or jostle her broken wrist too much, and held the girl as close as she could. Then, with her pale arms wrapped around Alice, and her presence effectively silencing the nightmares causing Alice to shift so violently, the queen fell asleep. Dreams of what tomorrow could bring weighing on her mind, Alice's steady heartbeat comforting her and easing her into a relaxed state she hadn't seen for a long spell. Once during the night, unknown to Mirana, Alice awoke with muddled mind and fell back into the lulls of sleep with much happier dreams ahead-the course of her mind changed by such simple an act, with such large a consequence.
Dear author person, thank your readers~ love, FAPt.
P.S. I find your hints annoying.
P.S.S. Thank the readers extra for me.
P.S.S.S. You left the lights of your imaginary car on.
Author: Hurray! That crazed figment of my imagination has left for today! I should follow the thing's advice... I should also figure out what gender FAPt really is... Eh. *shrug* I'm gonna do what it said (I said? He said? She?) and take the time to thank my wonderful reviewers, so, THANK YOU FOR READING AND REVIEWING, AND JUST READING, AND STUFF! Now go eat some cookies, you deserve 'em. But don't ask me for any, the freshman became addicted and ate 'em. Next chapter up soonish... not really sure... hmm... maybe next Wednesday... Wednesday sounds nice...
