HEY MY PRETTY READERS HERE IS AN UPDATE! :-) PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT KINGDOMS YOU WANT TO HAVE THE MOST SCREEN TIME OR I'LL CHOOSE FOR YOU! AND YES THERE ARE SOME TYPOS BUT BARE WITH ME.
A week had passed since Pierce and Alice had fought. The two still loathed each other, but they had both found respect for the other. Pierce had come to see how fierce Alice was and how she did care for Marmoreal just as much as he did. He saw that the young girl was strong and fierce, and would do anything to aid the queen. He could overlook the indescrepencies for the time being.
Alice had realized that Pierce though highly obnoxious, was a loyal man who would never betray Mirana. Upsettingly though he was still as bold as ever, and the flirting hadn't stopped. He made Alice cringe just at the sight of him, but she had to painfully admit that he knew his stuff. He knew about every nation and their recent history like the back of his hand. She hated to say it, but they were going to need Pierce. Alice and Mirana were sitting in the courtyard one afternoon having casual conversation.
"Do you remember what Pierce said last week about me not doing anything?" Alice questioned.
"Yes. Wait why? We both know that was rubbish. You have been helping us with royal affairs, and preparing the kingdom for our guests. Not to mention since I have no family I have chosen you, Pierce, and Tarrant to be on my panel. You also have to gain sway from the few kingdoms that will be interested in you." Mirana explained not liking the tone in Alice's voice.
"I know and that's great and all, but once this meeting is done what do I do?… I don't really have a job if you think about it. Everyone that lives here has a title and a job." Alice replied.
"You have a title! You are the Champion of Marmoreal!" Mirana urged.
"Yes! Who doesn't do anything! Except for things that you need here and there otherwise I don't work at all. I am the only one here that nothing is expected of and this might sound odd but I don't like it. I want to have a part in this Kingdom." Alice argued.
"You have done all you needed to! There is no need for you to work, you saved this Kingdom!"
"What so my job is done! There is no use for me anymore, is that is!" Alice reiterated her point.
"Alice! You know that is not the case. I did not mean that and you know that." Mirana spoke seriously.
"I am fine and healthy, actually abnormally so. I'm stronger and faster than I have ever been. What Pierce said about the Marmoreal military…"
"Absolutely not!" Mirana cut her off.
"What? Why! It makes sense! I can fight and help train our soldiers, back to what they used to be before Iracebeth. I know I could do it! I don't even want a rank, I just want to be part of something." Alice pleaded.
"I said no! I will not stand for this." The Queen spoke adamantly.
"This is not fair. You are being completely unreasonable." Alice accused.
"I don't care what you think. I already sent you out to fight for me once and you came back to me nearly dead! I will not let you risk your life like that again! I sent you out alone with no help! You have the title Champion! You would walk in to the military automatically ranked! Don't you understand that? Champion means when two kingdoms have a feud but want to avoid a war they send their champion's out to fight for them! You would be fighting all the time the same way you did against the Jabberwocky… Alone!" Mirana argued back trying to keep her composure, but tears glistened in her eyes.
"But I want to fight for you, for this kingdom, for all the people that call this their home… I didn't mean to upset you my queen, but I need to have a purpose. It's almost the same back in England I had nothing to do… I want a purpose and I have found it. It's you and fighting for what we have. I am not afraid anymore, I'm not afraid to fight for you." Alice halfway urged, halfway calmed.
"Well I am afraid. I'm afraid of losing you one way or another. Wether it is you going back home, or dying, I don't want to lose you either way." Mirana explained doing better at keeping herself composed.
"My Queen I am already home." Alice smiled. The champion caused the queen to smile. Alice loved seeing her smile, her beauty was so divine. "I don't want to keep you from happiness, but I want you to know that this scares me. The name of our General is Kain Krystoff. You can find him in the barracks. Go talk to him, honestly he has been waiting for you. He has been continuously asking me, if and when you were going to join." Mirana instructed.
"Thank you my Queen." Alice smiled. She took Mirana's hand and looked her in the eye sincerely. She then walked away and didn't let go of her hand until distance separated them. Mirana sighed out of anxiety and watched her champion go. Alice walked through the door to the General's office that was located past the training ground.
"Hello?" Alice asked, not seeing any sign of life immediately.A man came out from a door behind the desk that seemed to belong to the general. He was a little tall, but not towering. He had white hair, that was asymmetrically style and a little long but did not to his shoulders. His eyes were a beautiful light gray color. His face was angular and distinct not strikingly so, but in a subtle way. He had a bit of a five o'clock shadow, but it wasn't messy looking. He had a lean figure, that possessed strength as well as grace. He was dressed in training attire. Alice decided that this man was very beautiful.
"Hello. May I help you?" The man asked.
"Uh… Yes I am looking for General Krystoff. I am Alice Kingsliegh."
"I am the General, but please call me Kain! I have been waiting for you Alice, have you come to join our ranks?" He asked eagerly.
"Yes, but… You are a lot younger then I expected, andI walked through the training grounds and didn't see any of the knights or pawns. I thought they were part of the military." Alice questioned.
"You are also younger then i expected, but I was the highest ranking soldier left after Iracebeth's rule. I was well on my way to this position, just not so soon. I didn't want the rank in this way either, but I have it non the less. The chess soldiers were awakened in Marmoreal's time of need. When Iracebeth attacked our military was spread thin. Many of our men perished or were forced to flee, the others were taken captive… But when you slew the Jabberwocky the chess soldier went back to where they are from were ever that is and won't awaken again until we need them again. Unfortunately that has left Marmoreal with out a military at all… A few of our men that survived captivity have come back to our ranks, but the others were either to scarred mentally and or physically to come back. I have been begging the queen to let me talk to you and try and convince you to join us. With you as our champion and part of the military morale will be boosted and more recruits will come to join us." Kain Explained.
"Ah I see. She hadn't told me you had come to talk to her, I think she wanted me to choose to do this if that is what I wished. I didn't realize how much damage Iracebeth really did…" Alice speculated.
"We all really need your help to piece Underland back together, but you can help Marmoreal by becoming my first in command, and of course you are already the champion. When the other kingdoms come here we have to show them we are self sufficient, and a big part of that is a military." Kain explained.
"Where in Underland are you from?" Alice asked
"I am native to Marmoreal. This is where I am from, and where all my family is. I do know a little bit about some of the other kingdoms. I went to Mitigate for some of my combat training, even though I received the brunt of my training here. The Mitigates have a unique way of fighting, I also sailed the golden oceans to the shores of Valor when I was very young. I hardly remember it there, but I do remember being amazed by its beauty. I wish to be like their warrior's filled with the strength of heart." Kain off tracked slightly.
"From what I see you are already like that. So young and already a general, but of a military in shambles. Your heart is strong enough to take on this challenge, and keep your kingdom safe." Alice complimented the young man causing him to smile a smile that could only be described as radiant.
This young man was very charming and she saw a pure heart in him. Alice could tell he was from Marmoreal, with pure intentions and an innocent beauty that no one could defile. Alice could see the difference between the true Marmorian's and those who were not from this place.
"Any how I guess we better get started on putting this military back together shall we?" Alice asked to get the progress rolling.
"Of course! We need to have you measure for your training clothes, your training armor, and your combat armor. Then we should announce you as our champion and start recruiting immediately." He said in an all business tone. Mean while Pierce was in the dinner hall, attempting to decorate it to honor all the other kingdoms.
"This is far more difficult then I thought it would be…" The advisor muttered to himself.
"Ah, Pierce how is the dinner hall coming?" Mirana asked as she entered the room. Her face went from pleasant to confused when she saw Pierce on the ground hugging his knees rocking back and forth.
"Uh Pierce?… Pierce!… SIR BOURNE!" Mirana repeated herself until she gained his attention. He immediately jumped up, smoothed his suit down, and fixed his hair quickly.
"Your Majesty! How may I help you?"
"How is the dinner hall coming?"
"It's not! Its an extremely difficult task to honor all kingdoms with out dishonoring them." The Advisor explained.
"Well I see you have the seating arrangements down. That is a start, but may I suggest you simplify your thought process. Maybe we can keep the hall as is, use these seating arrangements and decorate with flags representing each kingdom." Mirana suggested. Pierce lit up at this idea.
"Why didn't I think of that?" Pierce asked rhetorically.
"As far as I'm concerned you did." The Queen smiled. Pierce bowed and walked out of the room to arrange the decoration plans.
"Your majesty?" The Hatter walked in the room not expecting to see the queen there alone.
"Ah Hatter how are the rooming arrangements coming?" Mirana asked.
"Very well we have all the royals roomed privately and nicely. Then we have the kingdoms people housed accordingly. The Stalwarts next to the Aphrodisian's, but the Obdurans away from them both because they don't get along." Tarrant gave an example.
"Good you took into consideration the temperaments of the people. How many can we expect from each kingdom?"
"Ah one advisor each kingdom. The Royals or (representitaves) vary anywhere from 4 to 10 I think is the highest. Each Advisor has their own room next to their royal families that are separated into about 2 to 5 different rooms depending on the family. Then Our 4 large common rooms will be for their people to mingle. Each kingdom has about 100 people coming, including staff members, preformers, and public figures. The people are in housing around certain common rooms, depending on who mingles with who best. Example being Brins, Mercuians, Serenians, and Valorians, all have relatively close housing around our East common room."
"Sounds good Tarrant you are a great help." The queen said in a bit of a distracted tone.
"Where is Alice?" The Hatter asked.
"Alice oh she… She is with General Krystoff. She wants to join the our military." She explained.
"Oh! Is this a bad thing?"
"No, not at all it's just a scary thing, I don't want to lose her."
"I understand that, but Alice needs something to do, and she is very goo at fighting for you." The hatter commented causing Mirana to smile.
"I know, but what if she gets hurt Tarrant?"
"Uh! I'm sorry to interrupt, but I don't think you need to worry about that." Janine entered the room.
"What do you mean doctor?" The Queen asked.
"I have been studying Alice's blood all week. Her cell regeneration progress is off the charts… I haven't ever seen anything like it. It means her healing process will be almost instantaneous, her aging will slow greatly, and she should be very physically sound. Very fast, Very strong, and abnormally strong senses. Hurting Alice is something I honestly wouldn't know how to do. I still don't know what caused this and can't recreate it, but she is technically indestructible." Janine explained.
"Well isn't that something! Most certainly not nothing, but something could be nothing…"
"Hatter… Janine have you told Alice this yet?" The Queen silenced the Hatter from rambling.
"No I was just looking for her and I heard you two talking about her. I just wanted to let you know she will probably be fine in the military. Uh, but I think it would be a good thing if we didn't let the other kingdoms know about this. They might try and do unreasonable thing to try and recreate Alice's condition for themselves." Janine inquired.
"I agree, thank you doctor I will let Alice know." Mirana dismissed the doctor.
"I'm going to get back to work." The Hatter announced his leave. The rest of the night was as busy as the day. People were preparing for the guests, and getting the Kingdom in working order. That night Alice discretely made her way to Mirana's room.
"You're late." Mirana said playfully as Alice made her way into the room.
"I had a lot to do… and a lot on my mind, it is hard to think of myself as indestructible."
"Well good. Don't do anything you wouldn't normally do, what if one day you suddenly weren't indestructible?" Mirana worried Alice grinned at her Queen's cuteness.
"You don't ever have to worry about me not taking care of myself."
"Good because I prefer you in one piece."
" Speaking of pieces… Do you want one of me tonight?" Alice spoke provocatively. Mirana blushed furiously and pulled Alice into bed with her.
"You…" Mirana tried to speak but Alice kissed her mid sentence.
No talking tonight…