The Hat of the Roses

She inhaled deeply, sharply, suddenly nearly scaring him out of his own skin…not that anyone would ever know. Blood sat up, straightening his back in the rigid wooden chair, as Ari seemed to come back from the dead. Slowly she blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the light, she wiggled her fingers subtly and then her toes.

"Good day, young lady."

Ari turned her head aside and those eyes went from a pale grey to abruptly exploding with vibrant colors. Blood shivered but managed to keep it from showing. He smiled.

"Your hats gone." She said with a groggy voice.

He glanced upwards then back at her, "After being shot that's what you notice?"

Slowly she lifted her head and sat up.

"Keep still young lady." He stood up.

The heavy blanket tumbled down from around her shoulders onto her lap leaving not much to the imagination. However, thankfully, one of the maids knew how to dress wounds and, after Blood had treated Ari's shoulder, she had washed and wrapped the girls chest. Ari gazed around the room, a horrid thing with lots of green everywhere, then down to her shoulder and back to him. The white bandage over the wound was turning a soft pink.

Ari yawned, "Were you just sitting there waiting for me to wake up?"

Blood nodded, "Why? Does that scare you? Going to call me a creeper now?" he said with amusement.

"No. That's dumb." She shook her head and tossed the covers aside, "You're not that type of guy."

Blood sat back in his chair and watched the girl stand on her feet. With only the white bandage wrapped around her chest and lower ribs he could see the coiled muscle beneath soft white flesh. As she walked across the room to the bathroom he noted how her steps were silent, how the lean muscle in her back flexed, and how she kept her form tight and in check. This girl was no normal girl. The bathroom sink turned on and he heard her splashing around in it. The sink turned off.

"You're no Alice." He called, "Has anyway ever told you that?"

Ari peeked out of the bathroom, "You're kidding right?"

Blood smiled, "It's refreshing."

I stared at Blood for a long moment suspicious of this odd exchange but he just stared back blankly.

"Ugh…."I sighed and went back to the sink, "whatever."

My reflection in the mirror was white wash pale which was to be expected. I splashed my face with cold water again and dried it. Turning my back I went back into the bedroom and sat on the foot of the bed.

"Was whoever was shooting caught?" I asked rubbing my face.

Blood hummed, "Indeed."

"Who were they? Someone from another domain?"

He shrugged but didn't respond. I deadpan stared at him. Yea right. This was Blood Dupre I was talking to, the head of the Hatter mafia family, and I was sure he knew something…but I let it go. I wasn't up for fighting just yet.

"You worried quite a few people taking that bullet for the caterpillar you know." He stood up making the wooden chair creak with the release of his weight.

I snorted, "Flattery will get you nowhere Blood."

He grabbed his top hat from the dresser where a tray of bloody gauze and tools sat making my stomach churn.

"Do not under estimate your value, Ari, here in this place surrounded by hollow creatures such as ourselves. You may not be playing the game but that makes you all the stronger for willing yourself into it." He placed his top hat, decorated with red roses, atop his head and strolled towards the bedroom door, "I'll let the staff know you're awake. They'll bring you something better than burlap pants and bandages to wear."

I smiled, "Thanks Blood."

He gave a tip of his hat and strolled out. The room fell oddly still and silent in his absence. Hollow creatures…..? For some reason those words resonated deeply within myself disturbing and shifting things about making me unsettled with them. If he believes he is hollow then I should fit right in. The idea was satisfying, fitting in, at least for the time being and it seemed to chase away the disturbed feeling. Slowly I stood to my feet and stretched gently, careful not to pull at the stitched wound on my shoulder, then sauntered over to the balcony doors.

Taking hold of handles I gave them a twist and threw the grand French doors open. A temperate air hit me across the face, drifted down my bare shoulders, and whiffed across my naked stomach. Here in Wonderland it would see that there was never a season, the air was never too hot or too cold, here nothing changed-Wonderland was ever constant in its inconsistency. How many time periods was I out for? I couldn't recall what the last one had been but right now it was day. High in the sky, where they always were, sat the two brother suns one the color of burning cobalt flames and the other as orange a carrots. I couldn't help but laugh as it reminded me of Elliot.

In some ways I expected this to be a dream…..to be limbo…..that I might wake up back in the mansion to that horrible scene in the hands of that man. A violent shiver ran through me and I grabbed the metal banister to still my shoulder from the motion but the stitches pulled and snagged anyways; the pain made me grit my teeth. But the pain told me this had to be real and that made me smile. Growing up I'd dreamed of finding Wonderland, escaping from the terror of my reality, to come live with these people who were as solid to me as myself. These beautifully fractured spirits who I yearned to free and help. I was determined to do just that.

I would do what Alice couldn't.

"Miss. Ari?!"

I turned back towards my room to see a very disheveled Gray standing there. The look on his handsome face was mixed somewhere between panic and apology.

I laughed, "Just call me Ari, drop the miss, really I won't mind." I walked back into my room my bare feet shifting from the warm balcony stone to the cool stone of the room, "Why the worried face?"

"You shouldn't be up this soon!" he gushed, "You were just shot!" he gasped.

As I walked by him I gave his forearm a firm pat and stifled a laugh, a little unsuccessfully, and headed towards the maid that had accompanied him. In her hands was a silver tray with water and food both of which sounded good; my stomach agreed with a loud growl.

I took the tray from the maid, "Thank you very much."

She curtsied a bit in her uniform and quickly left. As soon as I turned around Gray was right there, he took the tray from my hands and set it down on the dresser, then gave me an annoyed look.

"You're just like a mother hen!" I started to laugh, "Your flustered and worrying all over the place-"

Gray took hold of my hand, led me back to the bed, and made me sit down, "You need to take care of yourself!" he snapped, "You're not like us, remember?" he poured me a glass of water then handed it to me, "You have a heart not a clock and you won't just simply repair in a few time periods."

I gulped down the water greedily then handed the glass back to Gray with a breathy sigh, "True. But I also won't simply break so easily either, Gray." I met his gaze rebelliously, challengingly, "Don't under estimate me. It would be very dangerous for you to do so."

Those golden eyes of his went very wide at my vague threat but he didn't comment further. Standing up I walked over to the tray and picked up a pastry.

"Assembly's today isn't it?" I asked taking a bite and finding it was stuffed with some kind of jellied meat.

Ick. I tried not to vomit instantly and managed to choke it all down. Food was food.

Gray nodded, "Yes but-"

"I want to go!" I cried around the last bite then swallowed it, "Come on Gray!" I begged, "I'll be living here for forever anyways so shouldn't I participate in everything I can?"

I bounced on the tips of my toes and let my eyes round out giving the best puppy dog face I could. The stubborn resolution in his endless eyes wavered, just for a second, so I pounced going for the kill.

"I can help you keep Nightmare in line." I sang.

Gray gave a heavy sigh after a few tense moments and then groaned, "Very well but if you reopen your wound you'll spend the rest of your time in here until you've healed."

I clapped and jumped around, "Yea! Okay!"

Boris reclined in his chair and kicked his feet up on the table, "This is going to be so boring." He yawned.

Gowland, who was sitting next to him, agreed, "Are they ever lively?"

"I don't know-"Ace strolled behind them towards the Queen, "the Queens galas are always entertaining."

Boris twisted his ears towards the knight, "Oh look you made it on time for once."

"Yea! I camped out in the hall last night!" Ace laughed.

Gowland shook his head, "You're bias knight!" he called after the boy.

Ace gave a wave as he continued on. Boris sighed again and stared up at the ceiling overhead. The green tinted glass let in a fair amount of light but it was fractured casting strange green speckles across the walls and floor. People were still shifting about, moving papers, moving chairs, muttering and mumbling as the Role Holders took their places at their rightful panels. At the head of all this nonsense was Nightmare, surprisingly without Gray at his side, looking pale, sick and pathetic like usual. Boris snorted.

The doors to the assembly opened, after they had been closed, gathering everyone's attention. In strolled Gray, laughing and smiling brightly, accompanied by…..Boris sat up straight as a hush came over everyone. Was that the girl he'd met in the park so long ago? She was short, cutely compact, and the outfit she was wearing showed off her figure.

Black and green the dress was corseted in the middle with a short skirt that flared out resting at mid-thigh. The collar sat low on her…plump…..chest with a square line but the crisscrossing ribbons that wrapped around her slender neck were holding the collar up. Her golden hair had been pulled back and high up leaving a few uneven strands to hang loosely around her heart shaped face and was covered in gently flapping blue butterflies. Long black stockings went up to just below her knees and her emerald green shoes clicked against the stone floor.

"You're drooling Boris." Gowland snickered.

Gray stopped, "You can sit anywhere you'd like since you are not obligated to any domain."

I looked back to the assembly and instantly felt my face run hot. When had everyone started staring at us? Across the way I saw Blood, Elliot and Dee and Dum.

"Over here Ari!" Dee called waving his arms as if I couldn't see him.

Dum jumped up and down enthusiastically, "Yea! Come sit with us! Everyone else sucks!"

Their calls echoed loudly in the silent domed room and all I could do was laugh. Leave it to Dee and Dum to cut to the chase.

"Thank you Gray." I turned back to him, "I'll go sit with the Hatters for now."

In his golden eyes something flickered by, worry or concern, but it was gone as soon as it had come. Gray smiled warmly, gave me a nod, and headed towards Nightmare who had taken the podium. Turning back towards the Hatters, who were sitting on the opposite side, I started making my way around the curved room towards them feeling the eyes of everyone there on me. It was making my trigger finger…..itchy.

I stopped and gazed around at the room, "As you were." I spoke sternly with a lifted chin.

Quickly everyone came back to life, as if a switch had been flipped, and the room was once more filled with noise drowning out the sound of my clicking heels. While I had fought Gray on this…ridicules getup it was my pass to attend the assembly. Apparently being a Faceless was what entitled you to wearing whatever you wanted but if you were a Role Holder the roles were, somewhat, traditional in a sense. While I argued I wasn't either Gray said since I had a face I had to stand out. Whatever. I hated dresses and jewelry but if this is what I had to wear to be here then I would make it work. When I reached the Hatter's I took a seat between Elliot and Blood, as Blood instructed me to with a subtle pat on the seat, and boy was I happy to sit down as the nervousness in my legs was beginning to make them shake.

Elliot scratched the back of his, "H-Hey you look r-really good there, Ari."

"Stupid chicken rabbit!" Dee and Dum insulted in unison, "She looks hot not good!"

I laughed nervously trying to stop the blush from going to my face. Elliot and the twins started squabbling while Nightmare began the meeting.

Blood, who'd remained silent this whole time, leaned in towards me, "You simply look stunning, Ari, you are as if you've found home."

I put my hand over his face and pushed him away, "Horn ball."

With a snort he wiggled his nose and looked ahead. From the corner of my eye I watched him, his expression unreadable except for the strange crinkle at the corner of his eye, and I couldn't help but smirk at that. It was a minimal expression but it meant that I'd riled him up at least.

The assembly lasted forever and NOTHING got accomplished! It was all territory negotiations and a lack of response from each domain leader. As grandma had explained it these things were just all a part of the rules and the same went for the sparring, random shootings, and the treatment of the Faceless population. The assembly room quickly emptied out as everyone hurried to get on with their day, some had jobs, others were heading into town or had businesses to run.

I stood, rubbing my lower back, and stretched with a wide yawn, "Well…..that was pointless."

Blood stood quietly while Elliot gave out a loud groan of satisfaction to be moving.

"I know it's part of the rules but why can't the rules just be changed?"

Dee was suddenly next to me, "No one can change the rules!" followed by Dum, "I don't think so anyways brother."

I frowned, "Someone has to be able to change the rules or how else would those rules be there in the first place?"

Dee and Dum exchanged looks as they clung to my skirt with tiny hands.

Elliot smacked them off, "Get off you damn leeches!" he looked at me, "The only one who can change the rules is the Game Master."

I chewed my lip, "Not Nightmare? But doesn't he-"I pointed to my right eye drawing an invisible patch, "you know, keep everything in place?"

Blood reached for his top hat that had been sitting on the table in front of him, "Nightmare is a tool just like the rest of us-"

I grabbed his hat, Elliot, Dee and Dum went suddenly very still, and placed it atop my head. I wasn't sure what it was about Blood's hat but I liked the look. The blue butterflies that had rested in my hair fluttered away into the room following the light out an open window to the world beyond. Blood stared at me with unreadable eyes.

I gave him a wink, "I like your hat." I told him, "I've been wanting to wear it for a while. Looks good?" I tilted it to the side a tiny bit.

Blood smiled warmly, "Indeed. You may be suited for the mob, young lady."

I sauntered by him, "You call me young lady one more time and I'll beat you to death with your own cane old man."

That made his eyebrow twitch and I couldn't help but laugh. Suddenly Dee and Dum, now full grown adults, swooped in taking hold of my hands and rushed me towards the assembly exit.

Elliot stared after the girl even after she was gone and then looked at his boss. Blood was oddly still, oddly silent, with an unreadable expression.

"Um…"Elliot's throat felt dry, "Blood d-don't take it out on Ari she-she doesn't know…..not really."

Blood smiled and Elliot felt sick to his stomach, "B-Blood?"

He looked over at Elliot, "We just may be saved yet. If she'll lead the war."

Elliot felt his jaw drop open. Blood, without his hat, strolled away the clicking of his cane against the stone floor filling the empty room.