I Just wanted to let all of you know that i didn't dissapear. :-) and i'm sorry :-( i go through droughts sometimes but i never forget any of you. i will finish this. I know alot of you want me to bump this story up to an M i am still contemplating that request... but any way here you go here is chapter 9 sorry if its slightly boring its really informational. im building up though don't worry. :-)
The next morning Mirana awoke to see Alice getting dressed. The Queen rolled over on to her back and smiled.
"Good morning Alice." She said with a small bit of sleep still in her voice.
"Oh. I didn't wake you, did I? I wasn't going to leave, you just seemed so peaceful. I didn't want to wake you is all." The champion spoke truthfully.
"I know you wouldn't do such a thing. Especially not to a queen in her own castle. Truthfully I didn't get much sleep last night, though it was an enjoyable night." Mirana spoke still looking at the ceiling.
Alice laughed as she finished buttoning up a nice dress shirt. Just her style feminine yet comfortable. Once she finished, she walked over to her Queen and gave her a sweet kiss. She was about to get back up when she felt the Queen tug her shirt back down. Alice chuckled and gave her Queen another sweet kiss.
"Mirana it is almost mid morning." Alice said as she tried to get up again. Her words caused the white haired woman to sit up suddenly.
"What? Oh get me a dress, please." She said in an exasperated voice. "You seem very well by the way. It is quite peculiar. We will have to see Janine after I deal with Pierce. He is probably getting agitated that I haven't awoken yet." Mirana explained.
"He sounds like a nuisance really. Tarrant told me a bit about him." Alice conversed as she looked through Mirana's closet. All the dress's were white, and pretty similar. "Here." Alice picked out a random dress, because they honestly all looked the same.
"Thank you." Mirana got out of bed and took the dress. She got dressed as quickly as she could.
"And yes he is quite troublesome, but he is getting his job done very well in fact. I really do hate to admit it, but he knows what he is doing. The flirting on the other hand is quite bothersome." The Queen spoke casually.
"Yes that is what Tarrant said. I'm sorry I don't think I heard you correctly did you say flirting?" Alice questioned as she watched her lover get dressed.
"Yes I did. Oh the things he doesn't know. I'm afraid his head would explode if he knew the things that I've done with you." She smiled devilishly, but she still seemed so pure. The thought of Pierce's reaction was priceless in her mind.
"Yes about that, will anyone other than Tarrant ever know about us. Or is it going to stay hidden?" Alice asked genuinely curious.
"I am working on that my dear. There are laws and decree's and such that I will have to discard and reinstate. Some of Underlands laws are quite bias. Until then I suppose you'll just have to be my dirty little secret." The older woman said and kissed her champion after she finished dressing.
Mirana was about to exit her room, but then she closed her door almost as quickly as she had shut it.
"What is it?" The blonde asked.
"Pierce." The Queen sighed and thought for a moment. "Okay I'll go out and lead him to the study, to begin our work. Wait a few minutes here please, and then meet me there?" Mirana asked hopefully. She felt slightly guilty asking Alice to hide, but she wanted things to go as smoothly as possible.
"It's fine I understand, just as long is there isn't anymore flirting." Alice said plainly as she fidgeted with her hands.
Mirana noticed her champion was slightly unnerved, by this Pierce character she had yet to meet. In a way it almost seemed as if Alice felt threatened. Mirana contemplated on this thought briefly, and realized her champion had every right to feel threatened. A man who has appointed himself as Mirana's basically "right hand man", and makes very bold flirtatious moves, and has not been reprimanded for such behavior would make any lover nervous. Especially if that lover was told that she had to stay a secret.
"Alice?" Mirana asked the girl taking her hand off the door handle.
"Yes, My Queen?" Alice responded respectfully. It was painful for Mirana to hear her lover speak in such a way. It felt like Alice was speaking as if she were nothing but a servant. A servant that would never be recognized for her value. Just another servant like so many others.
She knows I hate it when she uses a title with me and not my name. She also knows that if she were to address me by name in public people would start to talk. Why does this have to be so painful.
"Please, my dear Alice if we are not in sight of the public eye do not address me as anything other than my name. I don't want to hide you. I know it isn't easy my love, but we must tread carefully. If I wasn't queen all this would be so much simpler, but being queen means every decision I make effects the public. Even my personal decisions do, that's why you hear of so many kings and queens never truly being happy, because it is what made their people happy. I assure you, I will not let you be hurt, I will not let them take you from me, no matter what they say or do. Right now though, I'm trying to avoid confrontation, and prepare for when we announce that we are together, so things can go as smoothly as possible." The queen explained the best she could.
"I know. That doesn't mean I have to like it." Alice said plainly again.
The champion was obviously not very happy at the moment. Mirana wasn't very sure how to respond. She hadn't dealt with Alice being upset quite like this before. She had seen Alice angry and scared, but not like this. This was different, and it was painful to see. Mirana wasn't sure she could stand to see such a beautiful creature, in such a silent agony.
"I will see you soon, please stop by the infirmary first, Janine will need to take those stitches out. It is quite curious how quickly you have healed, maybe she has an explanation." With those words the queen took her leave.
"Ah Pierce! Is there something you need?" Mirana asked smoothly like she hadn't over slept. She began to walk to the office quickly and gracefully. Pierce followed suit behind her and began to talk.
"Yes! My Queen I was only waiting for about an hour or so. There are many things to do. I thought you understood that. Or do you just not concern yourself with these things until others point them out to you." Pierce spoke demandingly.
This boy is very bold indeed, he is walking on very thin ice right now. Oh if I wasn't queen right now, I would love to kick him in his knees and drag him by his collar around this castle to show him he better think twice before he speaks to me disrespectfully.
"Sir Bourne, you would do well to think before you start speaking to me as if I am nothing but a young girl. I am your queen and should be respected as so. I am still a human none the less, and sometimes humans over sleep. It happens, but if you ever question my care for this kingdom again in such a manner there will be consequences, Understood?" Mirana spoke more authoritatively, then she had ever spoken in her life.
How dare he question my concern for my kingdom.
"I… I apologize, lets get to work shall we?" Pierce tried to shake off what had happened nonchalantly, so they proceeded to the study.
Alice exited Mirana's room in enough time to hear, how disrespectful this new advisor of hers really was.
"Alice! So good to see you!" Mctwisp
"Oh hello Mctwisp! You wouldn't happen to know where I could find a Dr. Janine, would you? I just need to speak with her before I visit the queen. Although I'm sure she it terribly busy today." The champion spoke as if nothing was bothering her at all.
"Oh yes of course I'll show you to her lab." The rabbit hopped all the way to the Doctors lab with Alice silently.
"Here you are Alice, I will see you later." Mctwisp smiled and then went on his way.
"Oh well, you certainly seem well. You seem like and entirely different person when you are on your feet… I'm sorry we haven't technically met yet. I'm Janine, well Dr. Janine." She offered her hand for Alice to shake, and the champion excepted.
"Yes actually, I heard you are the one I should thank for the fact I'm still breathing. I am grateful, and I suppose I owe you." Alice said sincerely.
"Oh no not at all. Not only is it my job, but if anything saving your life was my way of saying thankyou for saving mine. Heh. You saved all of us, if anything we owe you." Janine spoke with a slight blush.
"Still I thank you. I'm here though to see about getting my stitches removed."
"What? It has only been a day. There is no way that they are ready to come out." Janine spoke confused.
"Than you can't explain why my wound seems as if its over a month old, and the stitches are slightly agitating." Alice lifted her shirt to show her wound.
"It's like how? Its already a scar… I need to go get Clarence. I will be right back champion." Janine ran out the door in shock.
Alice waited for a few moments until Janine, and Clarence ran back into the lab.
"It's so good to see you so well, especially considering you were only inches away from death just yesterday. Your recovery is quite peculiar. May I see your stitches?" Clarence inquired.
"I feel as though you are questioning me? I would not know how I have recovered, for it was you two from what I assume who saved me." Alice said as she lifted her shirt for Clarence to see her faded wound.
"Peculiar indeed. Hm, will you get me some tweezers Janine. I will remove these immediately." Clarence did not seem to pay attention to Alice's word.
Janine handed him the tool he requested. He plucked out each stitch without a problem, except for the very last one. When he plucked it the last stitch, Alice's skin broke.
"Ouch! That didn't feel very comforting." Alice spoke. When she looked down, she saw that she was bleeding, but a few moments later the blood simply disappeared and the wound closed.
"Huh! Well isn't that something?" Clarence questioned to himself.
"That is truly odd. Maybe we should back track all the ingredients in the antidote we used. A strange side affect, but strangely useful it would seem." Janine suggested.
"Okay… well if we are done here there are other places I need to be." Alice spoke awkwardly.
"Ah yes. That is fine my lady, you may go." Clarence permitted. As Alice left the two doctors shared a curious look with each other.
Alice was on her way to the queens study when she past Tarrant in one of the corridors.
"Ah Alice, you look very well. Do you mind if I have a word with you? Not right now maybe after lunch though. Actually I'd like both you and Mirana to come to my studio after lunch. There is something the three of us must discuss." Tarrant spoke with out making much sense.
"Uh sure… that's fine, I'm sorry I'm a bit turned around where is Mirana's…I mean the queens study?" Alice caught herself.
"You don't have to be formal around me, I feel it is a shame that you two must hid your feelings, but I understand. Its just up the hall to the left my dear." The Hatter directed.
"Well I'm glad you understand, I still don't see why it is such of grave importance to hide, but thank you I will see you after lunch." Alice spoke with slight anger and went on her way. The hatter shook his head in sympathy.
"Ugh, this one is truly ridiculous… Any one with any abnormally large anomaly will be honored with respect, and be part of the royal imperial court.." Pierce spoke in a disbelieving tone.
"Agreed Sir Bourne, throw that into the laws and decrees we must remove. That is an oddly specific, and gaudy decree. I don't know if Iracebeth instated any law that didn't apply specifically to her or for her advantage. Half these laws only work if she has the crown any how.. What a mess, I find it hard to believe we where born and raised from the same two people at times." Mirana spoke her mind as she read through the pile of documents.
"What a mess… I guess they weren't kidding when they said you had a lot of damage control to do…" Alice announced herself by making an opinion of what she saw.
"You have no idea my dear Alice. This! all over this room is one of three piles… These are all the new and active laws and, instated by Iracebeth." Mirana spoke to her lover as she wished, not even regarding Pierce's presence.
Alice chuckled. "I'm almost afraid to ask where the other two stacks are or what they even are…" Alice smirked.
"Wise as ever. This is the smallest stack and the easiest to discard of, just the stamp of my seal will do. One of the other stacks is of laws that she discarded during her reign. These laws are very close to being thrown out if I don't reinstate them on my right of decree then the laws will be permanently gone. I have a feeling there are a few important ones that I might need to rescue." Mirana explained.
"And the third stack?" Alice inquired.
"The exact opposite, laws and decrees that are about to be passed, they are the ones Iracebeth kept from the last reign. It takes three right of decrees to make a law or decree permanent or banished for good."
"Well than do we even need to look in the third stack? Those would be your laws would they not?" Alice questioned.
"You would think, but no. Its quite complex you see. Iracebeth was the first in a few hundred years to declare herself ruler of underland. So you see even though it took three hundred years for there to be a third monarchy, we still must sort through the things he was going to instate as a worldly law. I only had a right of decree over Marmoreal laws which are still active. These that we are sorting through are for every kingdom in Underland." It is quite stressing.
"Wait… So are you Queen of Marmoreal or Underland? And what of the other kingdoms?" Alice was still curious.
"I am Queen of Marmoreal. When I reclaimed the crown, all the other kingdoms became free of my sisters oppression. The laws I wish to pass or discard from that third stack will be sent to all 15 kingdoms in underland. Each monarchy will choose along with me for a vote, of what laws and decrees should exist in our world. Many will respect my choice, but some may not agree with my beliefs on certain subjects. It will be very stressing I am sure." Mirana sighed.
"Well it looks like you two are almost done with this stack… I'm going to go for a walk. It was nice to meet you Sir Bourne, wasn't aware that I did not require an introduction. You are very well mannered." Alice spoke with a sting of anger towards the man. Her comment caught him off guard but he was aware that his behavior was rude. He neglected to introduce himself to a lady, no less the champion of Marmoreal.
Mirana only smiled, she loved how Alice spoke her mind. "I will join you my dear. I believe we are done here Pierce discard of these properly and move the second stack in by lunch time."
"Yes your Majesty." Pierce began to work, trying to ignore his embarrassment. He really was not liking the champion at this point.
"I guess you weren't being exaggerative when you said you had a lot of work to do. I find it hard to believe that you are already done with your first stack of work." Alice started the conversation.
"Well I think we threw that entire stack out, there was no debate necessary. The second stack is larger, it will take more time but I assume it will be the exact opposite of what we did with the first. We will surely salvage most of them." Mirana spoke about the task as if she were not to enthused with being queen at the moment.
"And what of the third?" Alice questioned.
"Pierce is a good advisor but the third stack is a thick book ready to be sealed away as laws forever. I know some of the laws in that book, some I agree with, and others I do not. I am very worried Pierce will disagree with me on some of the laws. Unfortunately the last king of underland was quite the sexist… There can not be a queen for more than a year with out a king, if she does not choose a king the people of her kingdom (the royal court) will choose one for her. I'm not to thrilled about that one.. Or that same sex couples will live in secrecy and if they dare show affection they will be separated and either exiled or imprisoned or both.. Not to fond of that one either. These laws are very much for a mans world. That is what is so disturbing. If I choose to put a law up to be nullified it will have to pass through all 15 kingdoms for a vote.." Mirana spoke worriedly.
"Those are laws right now? We are technically braking the law, you didn't tell me that. I didn't know , I understand now about staying secret." Alice was appalled by what they were facing.
"They are not instated right now so technically we have nothing to worry about my dear, but… shall these laws pass and we have already shown underland how we feel for each other… I don't want to think what might happen…" Mirana sat down on a bench in her court yard. Alice followed suit.
"Mirana… I mean your majes…"
"Shhh… please call me by my name not my title." Mirana put her finger on Alice's lips and rested her head on, her champions shoulder as she whispered in her ear.
"What if some one…" Alice was interrupted again by Mirana gently kissing her on the lips.
"I am not ashamed of you. I only fear our fate… well your fate if these laws were to pass, I wouldn't want anyone trying to take you from me." Mirana then kissed her again gently.
"I will never be ashamed of you…"
