Scarlett was in her room in the abandoned castle in the Outlands where she, her mother, and brother lived. In the room across from Scarlett's was Hayden's room. He stared out the window of his room, the castle was fantastic. Amazing rooms people could only dream of but it felt more like a prison. Hayden tore off the gold crown on his head and hurled it at the door. Scarlett heard the bang and ran in.

"Hayden what are you doing!? Mummy will have another episode if she catches you doing that again!"

"I don't care!" Hayden snapped. He sat down in his chair beside the window and glared out. "We are prisoners in our own land and you and mummy pretend like you rule the trees." He scoffed. Scarlett looked at him innocently.

"That's Aunt Mirana's fault. Mummy says we're going to get power back. Someday. She's just waiting." Scarlett told her brother. Scarlett truly believed that their mother loved them no matter what she did. Suddenly, an obnoxious scream rang across the hall.

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE TO DIE YOU BLOODY KNAVE!"

"She's having another nightmare I think." Scarlett sighed. "What was the other castle like?" she asked.

"I was young, I don't remember much. It was full of people, all sorts of underlandians. We were feared and respected. Card knights stood in the halls. It was much different." Hayden sighed and took the crown from her and put it back on his head at a slight angle like he usually wore it.

Scarlett nodded.

"I miss the people. I don't know about the rest." Hayden said. For a moment there was silence between the two siblings. Then Scarlett spoke again.

"Why doesn't anyone know who my real father is?" Scarlett asked absently. "Do you?" Hayden looked at her and shook his head. Nobody knew who Scarlett's father was, not even their mother. She'd had a few different night visitors as queen during the time of Scarlett's conception: The Hatter, The Knave, and couple other possible candidates whose identity was unknown.

"Even if I did, what difference would it make? You're still the princess, still my sister. What does a father matter?"

"You know who yours is." she pouted frustratedly. "When are things going to return to normal?" Scarlett had never known what "normal" meant, but she knew her life wasn't normal.

"What good has it done me to know mine? Normal? I doubt they ever will. Our normal isn't the same as others." Hayden said and sighed. Hayden was bitter about his father's death. His mother had his father executed for practically no reason at all. It was a sensitive subject for the young prince. Scarlett sighed. She hugged her brother. Their mother was still ranting in a lost dream from her suite.

"What's wrong with her?" Scarlett thought aloud. Hayden looked at his sister, being the only male in the house was difficult.

"Why don't you get out a deck of cards and we'll play a game. I will be back shortly." He stood to go to his mothers suite. Scarlett walked off to find a deck of cards, and Hayden walked over to their mother's room.

Iracebeth had been having a glorified pity party since she was exiled and Ilosovic Stayne left her. Scarlett knew her mother had issues but she didn't know they were this severe. Hayden had known for awhile his mother wasn't the woman she had been. Not since she was exiled and learned she was pregnant with Scarlett almost 15 years ago. He knocked on her door before entering.

"Mother. Wake up." He said as he walked over to her windows and threw open the curtains, letting in sunlight. But the Red Queen would not get up. This was an argument in the family that she never lost.

"GET OUT!" she threw a pillow at him and burrowed under the covers, sobbing her eyes out. Hayden made a face of irritation as it knocked his crown off.

"No. Get up, staying in bed sulking won't do anything." He said, they'd had this argument often. Iracebeth snorted indignantly.

I haven't left this bed since before Scarlett was born. We've had this argument too many times AND I ALWAYS WIN! NOW GO!" Hayden rolled his eyes at his psychotic mother.

"Believe me I know, I've practically had raise my own sister and keep you alive. The least you could do is pretend to be the woman your daughter sees you as." He snapped and picked up his crown. It was true. Scarlett thought of her mother as the most important woman in the world and wanted to be just like her when she grew up. She prided herself on being a miniature version of the former Red Queen, and insisted that she cared even if she knew she didn't.
"That sounds like a you problem." snapped Iracebeth. "and Scarlett knows that one day when I get my energy back, I will give you two the kingdom you deserve." She said that a lot, but Hayden didn't believe it at all. Scarlett did, but she believed everything their mother told her, following her blindly. Hayden scoffed.
"Energy back!" He grumbled to himself and slammed the door as he left. Scarlett was waiting outside the door cards in hand. She'd heard everything.
"How'd it go? Is she okay?"
"Just fine, shall we?" Hayden gestured to the cards and heading back to his room, his sister walking behind him. Scarlett didn't believe him. She wouldn't play until he told her what she wanted to know. She raised a thin eyebrow and put her gloved hands on her hips.
"Why does she stay in bed all the time?" asked Scarlett. She had no memory of her mother out of her bed. Hayden did some fancy shuffling of the cards and shrugged.
"She's resting." He knew it was a lie but he didn't want to destroy her fantasy that their mother cared. Scarlett still wasn't convinced.
"Was having me really that hard for her? I know she uses me as an excuse." Scarlett sighed. It was true. Her mother always ranted to nobody in particular about the "bastard girl" who made her bedridden even though she really wasn't.
"You're not an excuse. She is resting so she can rule again one day." Hayden said, dealing the cards. Scarlett nodded.
"We gonna play or what?" The familiar voice of their mother rang across the halls once again.
"CAN SOMEONE COME HERE AND RUB MY FEET!?" Scarlett started to get up.
"Let the servants do their jobs Scarlett. Relax." he told her. It was against their Aunt's vows to make anyone suffer so they were well provided for in the abandoned castle. They played for a while until Hayden revealed a Royal Flush. Scarlett glared at him. She'd never once beaten her brother at poker. But she couldn't stay mad for long. After awhile, they started laughing and played again. Scarlett didn't mind losing at cards as long as her brother was there.