Along the carriage ride to Chauncentry, Chaunce's kingdom, I had dozed off for a few minutes, but woke up to Chaunce sleeping on my lap. Disgusted, I tried pushing the little fellow away, but he kept lingering back towards me. I peered out of the window, tired from all the stress and crying. My eyes were hurting, for I rubbed them far too many times. Besides getting over the pain from my eyes, I turned, seeing Stayne on his horse. I stared out the window, before stopping the carriage.

"Wait!" I yelled.

The horse skipped to a stop and I hopped out the carriage, moving towards Stayne.

"Stayne! You must help me!" I whispered softly.

"My Queen, who are you talking to?" Asked Chaunce. It didn't hit me until now when I realized that he referred to me as his Queen. I spun on my heel to face him.

"No one, my King, just an old friend. I'm inviting him to the wedding!" I lied, soon turning back to Stayne. He looked confused.

"Who is this Stayne you speak of? I'm merely Sir Henry Godfried of Savannah, coming to find my rightful place and help my people in need." He said. Wow, Chess must have done some work on him for Stayne not to remember a single thing, especially his own name!

"Listen…Sta-I mean…Sir Henry, I need you to follow my carriage and when the wedding begins, you must attack." I told him. He bowed down.

"Anything, to defend a lady's honor." He spoke. I smirked a little and trotted back to the carriage climbing in. The carriage began to move yet again.

"You're taking pleasure in this wedding, now aren't you?" Chaunce asked me. I turned to him slowly.

"I've always wanted to be a Queen." I told him, then looking away. He placed his hand on my knee, squeezing tightly. In reflexes, I kicked my leg up, soon moving to the opposite side to face him.

"No, sorry, but not yet. Wait until we are almost at your kingdom. But here, I'm still in the presence of my Queen." I told him. He raised an eyebrow.

"You have no Queen. You're a Queen yourself, you're second in line to make the commands," he said. He peered out the window. "And besides, we're already here."

I felt like dying. We were here so fast? I turned, seeing nothing but a large, neon green castle just straight up ahead.

"That's your kingdom?" I asked, looking out and seeing wilting flowers.

"Yes, beautiful, isn't it?"

I turned to him and sighed, looking back out. We both exited the carriage, seeing some of his loyal men and residents.

He snapped his fingers and two ladies came up to me, taking me away and inside the castle.

"You must change out of foreign clothing."

"But, I just traveled 24 hours! I'm not a foreigner. We weren't even that far." I explained.

"But you are in a new country now. You must be under a new ruler, your husband." She spoke, putting me in nothing but lime green attire after attire. They even had my hair in lime green bows. Life without ever seeing any of my friends…or even Elizabeth…is just like hell.

"I'm ruled by no one, and he is not my husband…yet." I spoke, placing Tarrant's hat on my head.

"Tell us, what is your name?" Asked one. I turned to both of them.

"Hightopp…Tarrant Hightopp." I spoke coldly.

Five Months Later

I sat, staring at my food. Chaunce was on one end of the abnormally lengthy table, as I was on the other end. He had to sit on a stack of books, just to see over the table. He smirked at me.

"You must eat, Chancella. I love my women nice and plump." He spoke. I looked up at him.

"Chancella?" I called.

He nodded. "Your new name, of course!" he said. I blinked.

"When was this? All this time you've called me by Leilani, Leila, or "that woman". When did Chancella occur?"

"Right now. It's for when you become my wife, and the mother to your step-sons, tomorrow." I grabbed my fork, scratching away at the table.

"The wedding is in three more months, Chaunce." I said, annoyed.

He laughed, along with his children.

"No, no, change of plans. The wedding is tomorrow." He spoke. I started panicking. What if Stayne doesn't know? He's going to be absent to save me! I frowned.

"Great." I said, standing up and walking to the large window. I stared outside of it, seeing the white castle from afar. Even though it was just one simple color, it was fairly noticeable, other than Chaunce who was trying too hard to stand out and make himself more noticeable.

"Well, off to bed, all of you, you must rest for tomorrow." He ordered. I walked off with the children, but he called me back.

"Yes?"

"You must stay." He said, sitting on the table. I couldn't help but figure he wanted something. He tried leaning in, kissing me, but I pulled away, wiping my mouth, smacking his cheek.

"What is wrong with you?"

"You dare hit me? I thought we would soon be together!"

"Chaunce…we are! I…I'm just nervous, plus I'm saving something special for tomorrow night. I don't want to ruin it." I winked. He smirked nodding quickly.

"You rest up for tomorrow!" he said, shooing me off. I smiled, dashing off and up to my room, locking the door. I threw myself on the bed, covering my face, screaming into my pillow. I couldn't fathom how he had kissed me. I let someone else's lips touch mine instead of Hatter's. My stomach tightened and I let out a moan, holding it. Why did I miss him so?

I watched as someone turned the knob on my bedroom door. I stared, seeing Chaunce standing there, grinning.

"You intruded." I stated, trying to sound mature. He chuckled.

"I sensed you needed some guidance."

"How so?"

"Chauncella, being a Queen is delightful! I sense that you feel unappreciated. You bring your sister here and she's all over the White Queen. McTwisp betrays you with one harmful letter that almost cost your life against that damned Hatter. Oh yes, of course…him! He struck you across the face, didn't he?"

I opened my mouth to protest, but something more important came to mind.

"How do you know all of this?"

He took my hand. "Chaunce gives everyone another chance. You're a queen and you don't need that kind of drama." He let go and walked back out of the door.

In a way, he was right. I know my sister would always love me, but she lingers by the side of Mirana…a lot. Tarrant did hit me…and McTwisp could have ripped the letter up OR rewrote it…

Was this the "charmed" life I was destined to lead?

That next day

Everyone looked at me before I could get my chance to walk down the isle.

"You just look darling." Said one of my maids. I feigned a smile, nodding.

"Thank you." To my surprise, my dress wasn't green, it was purple. I shrugged my shoulders. A decent color, I suppose. I tried not to cry, but I couldn't, which sparked nothing but conversation amongst the ladies as they talked of me being depressed. I certainly was. Everyone had gone inside, leaving me out here alone to fend for myself, deciding if I should walk or not. If I do, I'm damned to eternal unhappiness, and bratty kids who stuff their faces all day long. And if I do, I could get all my friends killed. This was difficult. I started moving slowly towards the door, until a hand was on my shoulder. I turned around, seeing Stayne on his horse, accompanied by many others on horses as well with pitchforks and torches.

"You're a little early for your wedding, my dear."

"Sir!" I smiled up at him. This was the first time I was happy to see his face since…ever!

"Shhh, you wait out here and we shall fight." He spoke softly. While still on horseback, he moved towards the doors, opening them and charging inside, attacking. There was shrieking and screams coming from inside. I waited, seeing almost everyone exit the small chapel. When I realized that Chaunce hadn't come out, I knew he was either finished, or off hiding somewhere. Stayne came out, scratches on his face, worst than his prior ones.

"You're hurt!" I said.

He chuckled a little.

"Never mind me." He said, helping me mount the house. I held around his waist, turning around when I heard Chaunce's squeaky voice calling my name.

"Chauncella! Leilani! Help!" he said, being dragged inside the chapel as it began burning on the inside. I frowned closing my eyes tightly and resting on Stayne's back.

"Where to, milady?" he asked.

"The White Queen, just up ahead!" I pointed. He nodded.

"Right!" he yelled. But as the silence continued on, he spoke once more. "Where'd you get such a ridiculous looking hat?"

I bit my lower lip in happiness. "A very special somebody gave it to me."

"It's quite odd, but odd is better than normal and plain."

"I couldn't agree with you more, Sir."

Sometime that night

I inhaled, smiling as I stared upon the castle. Home-Sweet-Some, at last. I watched as everyone came out to greet me. Stayne hurried off to find his companions, while I stared, hugging everyone. Elizabeth came out, hugging me tightly, sobbing a little.

"Are you married now?" She asked, once everyone was staring upon me.

"I am not. I escaped before the ceremony began." I explained. I turned, seeing the most unusual sight ever. Mirana…was holding Tarrant's hand, fingers laced.

Tarrant looked at me and away. Both of them looked ashamed.

"The Queen and Tarrant are smitten with each other." Said Dormouse. I raised an eyebrow.

"Aye? Is this true?" I asked.

They looked at each other and then both back to me. Tarrant put his arms around Mirana, holding her close. A look of guilt was in the air, from the couple as well as from me. This was my fault, partially.