Chapter Nine
It was the middle of the night. Everyone in the queen's palace was fast asleep and the only sound to be heard was the rustling of the wind through the trees outside the open balcony. Marianne was sound asleep. The moment she wakes up she will be taken off to get ready for the knighting ceremony. It took her long enough to get to sleep, at least she had finally managed to.
The large blossomed trees outside the balcony wrestled with the wind, the noises rapid as it seemed the trees were communicating with each other. There was only one word that stood out more than any other. Hydra. It kept following around the trees, hissing through the silk curtains at the balcony, and travelled through around the sleeping form of Marianne.
Hydra, Hydra, Hydra, Hydra, Hydra.
A nine year old Marianne was sitting between her grandmother and her grandfather on the sofa, looking through a whole lot of books that were for her lessons. Her grandfather had taken to teaching her at home himself. What they had started to teach, and learn about were the Greek myths as her grandfather had found himself quite fascinated in them.
"Hera, the goddess had raised a Hydra for the sole reason to kill Heracles." Her grandfather's soft green eyes looked upon her as he bundled her close to him. Marianne didn't think she wanted Heracles to be killed – he was so far her favourite story he had told her about. "Being rejuvenative it was thought that if you cut off a head of the hydra, two more grow in its place."
"That's cheating." Marianne spoke as she glanced from her grandfather to her grandmother. Her grandmother merely expressed a laugh. Her grandfather ran his fingers through her hair as she looked back to him to hear the rest of the story that was going on. She found out that one of the hydra's heads was immortal and therefore by destroying that head, the rest of the Hydra wouldn't regenerate.
"Heracles nephew Lolaus came up with an idea that when each head of the hydra was cut off that they could scorch the stumps that remained with firebrand. This would seal the stumps before the two heads could grow." Marianne was fascinated, even at such a young age she was good at learning things through stories. She loved hearing about these mythological stories as much as she loved hearing of the ones that her grandmother told her about before bedtime. She always found that neither of the stories she heard ever came forth into her dreams.
"What happened next?" She interrupted the silence as she became excited and looked upon her grandfather to tell her more. "How did they defeat the hydra?" Her grandfather continued his story. She heard of how Heracles decapitated each head and Lolaus would sear the stumps at the neck like his suggestion. Marianne twirled her fingers through her long black hair as she cuddled herself into her grandfather's body.
"Hera, furious that Heracles appeared to be winning the battle, sent a large crab in hope to distract him." Marianne replied, 'and did it?' becoming more and more interested as the story went on and the fact it had changed from the hydra to the crab. "Heracles crushed the crab under his mighty foot and slayed the immortal head of the Hydra with the golden sword the goddess Athena gave to him." She heard then how Heracles placed it in a sacred place. "He then dipped his arrows into the blood of the Hydra that was poisonous."
Her grandmother conveyed a distained expression and shuddered as if it brought back bad memories of something she had done once herself. Marianne remembered one of the stories she had heard. This was how Alice when she was champion of Underland, had to drink the blood of the Jabberwocky to return to her own world. Marianne was thinking just how glad her grandmother must have been that it wasn't like the Hydra and that the blood wasn't poisonous.
"And with the slaying of the Hydra, Heracles second task was complete."
Marianne's body jolted forward and soon she found herself awake from her dream. Was that possibly a dream? It was a memory… she had dreamt of a memory. She guessed it would explain why when she was in her world she wouldn't dream and when she was in this world she would only dream of the past… why couldn't she ever find a happy medium? What she would give to have normal dreams like any other girl. Those girls had no idea how good they had it, having the chance to dream about men that would sweep them off their feet.
"The hydra…" She asked herself, as she looked upon her hand before plunging it through her thick curls. "It… it can't be." She spoke looking at the open window, the wind so furious it sent the curtains midway through the air. How could she trust a dream? Especially when she never dreamt anything before, it was purely coincidental – besides… why would a Greek mythological beast be in Underland? They didn't have a golden sword to kill an immortal head anyway. From what she had seen of the vorpal sword, it was most definitely not golden in colour.
She took in a deep breath as she wondered why a dream of her grandparents would affect her so much. It wasn't a nightmare, although during the dream she did have flashes of the hydra and Heracles defeating it. That was purely her imagination though. It couldn't be real – although, if it was, shouldn't she be happy? If the hydra was this beast she was to slay – then perhaps it was for the best if she knew its name and knew how to defeat it.
Marianne decided to keep the dream to herself. Her dreams, if she ever had any, weren't concrete enough for her to tell her majesty about. Why would Mirana believe her anyway? She hadn't been near her recently to tell her about anything. She had wanted to ask if there had been any headway about the beast, if any new information had come up. All Mirana had done was evade the subject and talk about something she wanted to discuss – the upcoming knighting. Marianne was still nervous, remembering that made her recall that today was the day. She would become the champion of Underland.
She guessed she would have to try to get some sleep so that the day wouldn't overwhelm her. Her dream wasn't a nightmare, but it certainly took a lot out of her. "It was just a dream." She told herself, closing her eyes and cuddling her head back into the large comfortable pillow. "Just a dream…" She finally found herself falling back asleep – and she did not dream for the rest of the night.
Mirana stood on the balcony of her bedroom, looking out at the view that overseen nearly all of the land she ruled over. Today was the day, she could tell something more important than just the knighting ceremony was going to happen. She felt almost at one with Marmoreal that she had a good feeling of knowing when something was going to happen and if it would be good or bad. Only, this time, she could not tell if it was going to be bad or good for her kingdom. The queen turned around and walked along to the door, dragging her long beautiful white dress with her.
"Nivens." Mirana addressed the white rabbit that, today, would most likely run out of time getting everything done for the knighting. "Make sure you prepare Marianne for the ritual bath this morning." She had informed the maids that looked after Marianne to ensure that the ritual bath would be done this morning when the day was young. The ceremony would be rushed through – but Mirana had no idea of when the rumour would come true – or if it would turn into a prophecy anytime soon, so she had to be prepared. The rabbit bounced off to do what she had informed him to do.
She had already made sure that a dress was made for Marianne, white, for the ritual bath and then for the ceremony itself. White of course was the colour of Mirana's kingdom, and her title, but it was also a pure colour. She was told that the person to strike true to this beast would be pure of heart. This was why she wanted to make sure the ritual bath was there to purify Marianne as well as giving her the dress with the purity colour. She had to make sure it all went to plan. Mirana made her way through her bedroom door and found herself amidst her court.
"We shall converse with the trees once more." She spoke, looking around them all with great ease and comfort. She wasn't worried, after today nothing could go wrong. "This way, once we know the ceremony will go smoothly, we will be able to relax." Mirana spoke leading them to the trees in her gardens. She was already calm and relaxed for the fact Marianne was there, she herself was there and Nivens were there, the only three important beings for the knighting ceremony. As long as the one that was being knighted, the one saying the words and the queen herself to perform the action were there, then nothing could go wrong. Nothing could go wrong at all.
"Can you just… tell me, what does a ritual bath mean?" Marianne spoke as she looked upon the maid in the white queen's court that was going to help her through what she had to do for this bathing ritual. The maid, Raven Lignum wasn't someone that Marianne had expected to see here in the castle, she looked completely different from the rest of the women in Mirana's court. She had brown hair, tied back, colour to her cheeks not disguised in a lot of makeup and although she was wearing a white apron the rest of her clothes were dark colours. Perhaps that was why she was a maid, so that the royals and guests could tell who the maids and servants were. Nonetheless Marianne was just happy for the company. Not for the service.
"Well for one thing, Miss, it's not a bath at all." Marianne was confused, how could it not be a bath? It was called a ritual bath for goodness sake. "It's a river outside in the queen's garden." Okay so she was to get naked and bathe in the queen's personal stream that was most likely filled with fish? That didn't sound too… clean or purifying to Marianne. "You will wear a ceremonial robe and bathe in the water. It is said that it removes any impurities that you may have." What kind of impurities did they expect Marianne to have anyway? "It's not just what you must do miss, each of the queen's knights when chosen and are knighted do this too."
Would the queen not be there? She guessed not, it wouldn't have been needed for the queen to watch the woman undress to a robe and bathe in a river. She guessed as long as there was someone to say what had to be said and then report to the queen to say it was done, that would be it? Who would that be she wondered? Most likely the White Rabbit, after all, he seemed to do all those sort of things. Or so she would have guessed – a lot of the queen's duties that weren't performed by her, seemed to be performed by the rabbit. Raven handed the robe to Marianne and she looked down upon it. "This was made especially for you, Miss." Raven told her. "The Mad Hatter." She nodded her head towards the garment. "The queen believed it would add to the importance of the ceremony. You two are friends after all."
"Thank you, Raven. I can get changed into it myself." With that the maid disappeared and Marianne made way through to the walk in closest with dressing screen in the bedroom and started to remove her nightdress and got into the robe that she would have said was just like the nightdress but lighter. She hoped that it would be only women at the bathing ritual. This would most definitely turn see through in water. She didn't seem to mind the fact that the rabbit was there – he might have been male – but even that couldn't have been possible in Underland, right? Animal and human interaction in such a way… Then again, like she had said, this was Underland, and anything was possible. That idea sent shivers down her spine as she looked upon her reflection. "Just breathe and it'll be over with before you know it, Mary."
She stood there, almost freezing as she looked around the queen's own personal garden. It was beautiful, don't get her wrong, but Marianne was standing there, in that ceremonial robe and it was all that she was wearing, she was even barefoot. That she didn't mind though, she loved going around barefoot. Her eyes looked at those who were with her as she exhaled a sigh of relief. The only male amongst the group was the rabbit. Marianne hadn't noticed that the queen was witnessing what was happening from the balcony of her bedroom. She had no idea the queen was conversing with the trees, or what the trees might have told her, if anything.
"When you're ready, Marianne." The rabbit spoke as Marianne sighed, she could tell from the look of the water that it was freezing and she wasn't going to enjoy this at all. Marianne nodded her head before making her way into the river, it wasn't really a river, or a stream, and it wasn't very deep. It was like a rock pool to be honest, just bigger. The minute the water touched her skin she could have squealed from how cold it was, but she soon got used to it and found herself knee deep before being told to kneel down. God, she was not enjoying this in the slightest. Marianne knelt there, in the 'river' as she looked upon the rabbit.
"Living water of the gods of Underland, bless this child, daughter of Earth. Give her purity and strength where needed." The rabbit spoke, as the maid from earlier reappeared and took a bowl. With that bowl, Marianne watched, filled it to the rim with water from the 'river' and started to pour it over Marianne's head, as she closed her eyes letting the drip of the cool liquid wash down her. "With your touch and with your blessing, discard all impurity and bring forth truth, charity, hope and faith." Marianne opened her eyes as she looked from Raven and then the rabbit. Was that it? Raven moved away from the river, so that she would not get wet or taint the water.
Marianne looked towards the rabbit that wrapped together the bindings of scripture and told Marianne that that was it over. It was so fast, how could that have been it? "I don't feel any purer." She spoke as she got out of the water and Raven handed her a towel. Well at least she had that? Raven spoke next telling Marianne that it didn't matter how it felt, the ritual had to be done. What Raven hadn't informed Marianne was that it wasn't usual for the person to be emerged in a river or stream – that they usually just used a bowl of water to do the ceremony? Mirana felt that it had to be done properly though – so they had made sure Marianne was using her full body with living water. Marianne wrapped the towel around her and made her way to the palace once more.
It wouldn't be long before the knighting itself, and the more that was coming closer, the more nervous she got. Raven took the ceremonial gown, robe, whatever she kept using different words for it, and had it hanging over the balcony to dry in time for the knighting. Marianne was sitting in a night robe looking into the mirror from a chair. "Tell me… is it normal for the queen to have female knights?" The answer, she had expected anyway. 'No, Miss.' so not only was she an outsider from Underland but she would now be an outsider from the normal knights that the queen had. She just wondered what it would mean to be knighted and the champion. Would she have to defend the queen all the time, like the knights do?
Or would the queen have special requests to ask of Marianne? Marianne dried her hair as well as she could with the towel whilst she looked back and forth from the maids running through her bedroom. She sighed, she hated being waited on, but she knew this was all in preparation for the upcoming hours. She knew the ball wasn't being held on the same day – because the ceremony had to be performed at a special time. She was glad for the fact she had yet to be taught any lessons with dancing. Then again, she hadn't asked to be taught, she was still embarrassed about her lack of dancing skills. Marianne moved herself from the table, placing the towel upon the chair where she sat.
This was all new to her. Would she forever be bound to Underland after this? Would she be free to return to England after this upcoming battle? Would she be given the opportunity to stay in Underland? Would she be given the choice? She wasn't sure, and wondering over these currently pointless answers wasn't going to do Marianne any good at all.
It wouldn't be long now. Mirana knew this. The time for her knighting her champion was coming ever closer and after an unsuccessful conversation with the trees she had yet to know when the upcoming battle was coming. She still had no idea what the beast was, the trees were keeping mum with her about this. She had no idea why, she was the queen, if they knew, they should have informed her. Mirana moved her fingers through her long white hair as she made her way through her palace towards her throne room.
She would be knighting Marianne and then it would be time for getting Underland's champion prepared for the battle. The training given with swords had definitely not gone to plan. Marianne appeared to be predictable. So the knight that Mirana had given sole duty to train Marianne up, was finding it very easy to hit every swing that Marianne sent his way. The knight would not give up and Mirana was sure Marianne would find her courage soon.
Until then – being knighted, should give her an added incentive to get better. Mirana had many reasons as to why she was performing the ceremony. It wasn't just because it had to be done. It did not, they did not knight Alice, yet they weren't given a lot of time with Alice. Marianne was unsure in herself, and Mirana had noticed this. She hoped that if she were knighted with a title that that would give Marianne more of a reason to prove herself. Mirana took a seat on her throne. The time was coming ever closer.
The rabbit was looking upon Marianne, who was once again dressed in the ceremonial robe that the Hatter had made for her. Marianne would make sure to thank him for doing so. It felt good to have had him be a part of this. Her grandmother would have liked that. She knew that he, the hare, the dormouse and the Cheshire cat were all there for the knighting ceremony. It made her less nervous, as she had recently just realised that she wasn't alone in this. She had them, and the queen. She may have to prove herself, and that were many people she had to do this for, including herself. Yet if she had even just one person believe in her, she felt like she could perhaps do this.
The queen told her to kneel down and Marianne did so. Her hair falling over her shoulder but she did not budge. The rabbit moved forward holding the scripture in his paws that she recalled from the earlier bath. This was it. No going back. She would be knighted. Her eyes cast over the queen, and she hoped that she could do her best to make her and the people of Underland proud.
"Marianne Kingsleigh, do you swear an oath that you will always defend the people of Underland. That you will speak only the truth and that you will be loyal to the White Queen. Do you swear your oath that you will be charitable and defend the poor and in moments where hope seems lost that you will be brave?" The white rabbit recited from the piece of scripture. Marianne looked once more to Mirana sitting in her throne, and to her gladness, looking at her with an approving and almost proud gaze. "Do you swear to your oath that when on a quest, you will not remove your armour at any point unless for sleeping. And, that you will not avoid dangerous paths out of fear?"
Marianne was trembling slightly, as she nodded her head. "I swear to uphold all of the points to my oath." She spoke, still bowed on the ground in front of Mirana. The queen stood up from her throne and moved towards Marianne with the vorpal sword in hand. Marianne closed her eyes as she felt the blade be touched upon her shoulders. Then the voice of their majesty did what she was dreading from the moment she woke up.
"From this day forward you will be known as Lady Kingsleigh, knight of Marmoreal. Our champion." Marianne stood up from where she was kneeling, looked towards the armour that was displayed with such affection for her to wear as the new champion of Underland. She pushed her long black hair from her shoulder as she looked towards Mirana who was standing to offer her the vorpal sword for the weapon that she would use to defeat the upcoming threat… which could possibly be that hydra she was dreaming of.
Marianne's eyes looked upon the sword in all its glory and it felt right to hold it. She knew her grandmother had held it once and used it to slice through the head of the Jabberwocky and save Underland. Marianne would do the same thing – she would save Underland and prove that she deserved the title of Lady Kingsleigh, knight and champion of Underland. She bowed once more to the queen, and turned around to all the people of Mirana's court who had turned up for the ceremony.
Her eyes looked around all of her new friends. They would all be there at the upcoming ceremonial ball and she couldn't wait. Now that the knighting ceremony was over she felt more at peace with herself. Mirana moved to sit back on her throne, her eyes casting approving glances all over as she dismissed the court and Marianne herself. For some reason, now knighted and joined to this land, Marianne almost felt like she had found where she belonged.
Authors Note: Bit of a boring chapter, I'm afraid, but I enjoyed writing it. Never once have I had to learn so much about certain subjects when writing a single chapter. I hope no one will nit-pick over the bath, knighting ceremony and such because I did my best with it and I'm thoroughly happy with it. I'm also really happy with picking the Greek mythological Hydra to be my upcoming threat – I do not own that, obviously, and I don't personally own the OC used of Raven Lignum, who is my best friend's OC. She allowed me to use her though! Thank you to Selmalessthanthree , Rocky181 , AccioVoldemortsNose , Ranguvar27 and Little Jellicle for the reviews, and I hope you keep reading and enjoying my fiction. Also thank you to all the new favourites and alerts I have gotten from everyone. I really appreciate each and every one! :)
