Alice: it was really hard to be around Hatter and not tell him how I feel about him. I know he loves me, and I most certainly love him. Forbidden? Do those rules still apply to me? After all I am their Champion…I looked up at Hatter and he was looking about him in this barren land, always on guard. "Hatter, I-" I was interrupted when we were engulfed into a red mist, "HATTER!" I squealed "ALICE!" Hatter shouted then my vision failed and I blacked out for the first ever time in my life… the first thing I noticed was that I was out in the open, I could feel the air brush my tangled hair against my face, secondly, I felt a cool wooden table under my head and the fact that I was sitting in a velvet chair, then I heard shouting-Hatters voice and another-harsher voice…my mind clicked in then, the other voice was Stayne. "Get off me, ye good fer nothing pilgrim lickering, shukem juggling, slurking urpal, spirty snaposurallogy, BERGLICK SLUGGERY-!" my eyes snapped open and I jerked upright in my seat to see that we were in the ruins of the red castle, hatter stopped in mid rant and shouted "RUN ALICE!" before my eyes snapped to the cruel laugh that came from in front of me, Irasebeth was sat in a throne on the opposite side of the little table, in between us was I big chess board, "hello again, Um," she had narrowed her eyes and was smiling wickedly, "I knew you couldn't keep away from Underland, dear Alice, so I used this as my advantage, you see, I am challenging the throne for the Title, you know which one I mean-the one that belonged to me in the first place, and I decided to do this all legal. You see, it states in our Underlandian law that the crown can be challenged in any way seen fit, and one of these is a game of chess." She said in her obnoxious voice "Hu? We're going to play a game of chess? You are your own champion?" my brow furrowed and she laughed "no, no my dear, Mirana and I will be playing a game of chess, you on the other hand, are going to die, you see, in order for me to face Mirana, both our champions have to be dead." I stood abruptly "move another inch and your beloved mad Hatter will die," Stayne said, pressing his hook-yes there was a hook instead of a hand on his left hand- into hatter's neck, drawing blood, he looked at me, eyes a mixture of red and black, "go Alice, please!" he begged then Stayne clamped his hand over Hatters mouth, silencing him. "Oh, I'll make it fair Alice, don't you worry your pretty little head." She lifted two golden goblets onto the table "one is just wine, the other has a deadly toxin then will render you paralyzed, then the winner will finish the other with this," she pulled out a curved dagger from under her skirts. "Pretty fair don't you think?" she grinned "no that's not fair, you know what's in which cup," I took a step back and the hatter whimpered as the hook bit deeper into his neck, "one more step Alice…" Stayne warned and I stayed put, "but here comes the clever part, you can choose any cup, and I'd drink out of the other-after all if I lose do you think I'd want to live, a land ruled by miss goody two shoes? No, I wouldn't, so no matter what you choose I will keep up the end of the bargain-so long as you keep up your end," she looked across the table at me, to look me in the eye, "so, if I did drink from the cup, what's in it for me," the cogs in my head turning, trying to find ways as to save the hatter, "anything you want, it will be yours," I looked at the hatter "no matter the outcome, hatter goes free," I looked back to the disgraced queen. She and Stayne exchanged looks before she grinned "deal," hatter jerked and wailed through staynes hand his eyes a worried-sickly shade of yellow-blue. I mouthed "sorry," and sat opposite the evil ex-queen. I looked from one cup to the other, and thought really hard. Now All I have to do is divine from what I know of Irasebeth: is she the sort who would put the poison into her own goblet or her enemy's? Now, a clever person would put the poison into his/her own goblet, because he/she would know that only a great fool would reach for what he/she was given. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of Irasebeth. But she must have known I was not a great fool, she would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me. Oh this was confusing and hopeless the only way this would work is as if there was poison in both but that would be silly-how would we both keep up our end of the bargain if we were both paralysed?

"Have you made your decision yet Champion?" I nodded my final choice made; I reached over and picked up the goblet in front of Irasebeth, her eyes narrow then she picks up the cup that was meant for me, "together," we raise the goblets to our mouths "one, two, three…" and we drank. It tasted foul; I stood, knocking my chair down, coughing clutching my throat. My face burned and I felt itchy. My legs buckled from underneath me, I watched as the queen stood and made her way round to me, smiling, knife poised. "I chose the wrong one?" a voice that sounded nothing like my one croaked "oh no dear, you couldn't have chosen wrong, you see, there is poison in both cups. I have built up an amenity to all poisons you see, but my poor little sister wouldn't know that. Hehe oh I'm so cleaver don't you think Mr Hatter?" she turned to grin triumphantly at Stayne and my sweet, dear hatter, he was fighting with all his strength, red eyed, not caring of the river of blood making its way down his neck to his shirt collar. He sank his teeth into Staynes hand, freeing his mouth to shout "Alice!" before whipping round out of Staynes grip-standing in a fighting stance in front of me. as I lost control of my body every second and I collapsed onto the ground, splayed out I managed to look up into Irasebeth's face "you…promised…" I croaked as she looked back and forth between the trees of us. She looked down at me, "did I? It must have slipped my mind, did I promise? I recollect I said deal-I didn't promise, now, now Alice you really need to specify if you wanted to me to promise anything," she grinned wickedly, I looked up at the back of hatters head, "hatter…" I croaked and not taking his eyes off Stayne he said "Ssh, Alice, nothing can happen to you now I'm free." He then spoke to Stayne "I think this has been long awaited Ilosovic Stayne, however, this time I won't hold back from striking you down where you stand!" he reached down and pulled the Vorpal sword from its sheath, around my waist, and pointed it at Stayne. Stayne sneers as he flings a long bang of his black hair away from his face "we'll see about that." Then he launches forward with a strike that hatter counters with the Vorpal sword. Soon the men engage in a deadly combat, never having feeling so much rage in their lives. Unfortunately my eyesight chose then to give up and all I could see was blackness.

Hatter: It was my destiny, you could say, to finish the job I started all those years ago. Not just for my clan, but for Alice too. I had seen the way he looked at her. It made my blood boil. "Never thought you had such a soft spot for children..." Stayne says smoothly, pointing his chin over to where Alice lay prone. I hesitate "what are ye saying?" I look over at Alice, worry seeping through me. "Then again, the death of your clan's children still gets a reaction out of you even after all this time." Anger, thick and hot, burns inside of me, I strike at him and he easily parries the blow, "how could you do that? Doesn't it bother you at all? Knowing you caused the deaths of so many innocent?" I grind my teeth together "Really?" The one-eyed man raises a brow. "After all this time, that's the first question you ask of me?" I try to show him the pity I feel sometimes "we could have been brothers, you and I..." I muttered voice low. "We were best friends after my mother took you in... I never thought that you'd turn out like this, I never would have approved of it had I known what you truly were on the inside..." Stayne scoffs. "Hightopp, you fail to remember that your clan was a bunch of ignorant fools believing that there was good in everything, even in the Red Queen. Your mother and father took me in only out of pity and I served as their main housekeeper until Irasebeth had shown interest in me. As for your mother…well I took as in my duty to finish her off myself, after all she was the last female Champion hightop …In fact, she reminds me quite a lot of Alice. They both are as innocent as they are kind and brave. Is that why, perhaps, that you have grown feelings for the Champion yourself?" I shriek "How could you have betrayed us like that after everything we provided for you?" I launched my-self at the Knave filled with Horror and disgust, we exchanges a series of blows, and after we get caught in a hold we glare into each other's faces, "Such a temper, Mad Hatter. I wonder, does Alice know how tender this subject is to you? Just how much does she know about your past?" he sneers at me, "oh, she doesn't does she? She doesn't know about how you chose a queen over your own mother! I know you saw!" he grinned, I felt sick! "It-it was dark, I couldn't see," I growled "Enough childish games, Stayne!" I shout, furiously advancing towards the knave "This ends right now!" the clang of swords echo across the ruins.

Alice: I cannot see, only hear the clang of swords and the cruel words the knave said to the Hatter. I felt sick to my stomach, I wanted to drive that sword through the knave's chest for saying those things to the hatter, but all I could do was twitch my left index finger. "Come on Alice! You can do it! Fight it!" I heard a little voice whisper, was that Chessur? No it couldn't be, "just a little while longer, the white queen is on her way…" either I was hallucinating or that really was Chessur, anyway I chose to listen to the little voice in my head, I fought for control of my body…

Hatter: I shrieked and felt something inside of me completely snap, my sanity-it was completely gone for now; fuelled with red hot anger and revenge I swung my sword in an array of blows and parries, to which Stayne blocked easily-if it were not for the anger, I would be much better, but I was not and I was clumsy-a sliver of sensibility told me. Good it was coming back to me, my sanity. He suddenly lunged and I used a technique called a 'Coupé' so that his sword was underneath my own. I grinned at his shocked face, "I've picked up a few things since we last fought," he looks worried now, but he's pretending not to be, I know I've got him where I wanted him. I advanced on him with a remise-(a short attack without withdrawing) but the Knave had snapped out of his momentary shock, retreating from me to blocked my blows effectively. I let my mind go

He plows his sword down so I had to hold my sword up with both my hands and Stayne put pressure down onto me with his blade. We are using all of our strength to push the other off as we both dominated for victory. I could feel myself grow weary from exhaustion and considered irking the man by pricking his eye with one of my trademark needles. But hearing Alice give a gasp gave me a boost of energy and after hitting Stayne in the face with my hilt, I forced the knave backwards. We them stood back and assessed each other.

Alice: the clangs of the sword and the shouts of pain and anger filled my ears, 'come on Alice think! What can I do to get my body back! Think! Hatter needs you!'I thought to myself, "I know! 6 impossible things before breakfast! It helped my last time in wonderland, although I have added to it over the years. Think Alice! What were they…?

One: There is a potion that can make you shrink…

Two: There is a cake that can make you grow…

Three: Animals can talk…

Four: Cats can disappear…

Five: There is a place called Underland…

Six: There is a white queen in a white castle…

Seven: There is a red queen with an enormous head…

Eight: I slayed the Jabberwocky…

Nine: I am Underlands Champion

Ten: I am in love with the Hatter…and I can save him…!

I forced myself to open my eyes and turned my head in time to see the knave bring down his sword, hatter blocking the blade efficiently, but now trapped under the heavy weight of the big Knave. I gasped in horror at the scene unfolding before me…

Hatter: I thought back to my training in the yard of Mamorial, a strange guard had helped me, after noticing my curiosity, he said 'A sword fighter should be closely aware of their opponent. An opponent's hands and shoulders often tense momentarily when they are about to strike, for instance. They may glance the direction their going to move. A fighter needs to also be aware of their surroundings. Sending an opponent backwards over an obstacle is always a good thing.' I looked at Stayne, at his stance, his left hand, his eye, and waited. "Kill him Stayne!" shouted the red queen and this gave him a boost of confidence, and he lunged-I could see the direction he was taking and I dodged out of the way. He looked surprised at me, "I haven't seen fighting like that since…" he gaped as I grinned "since you fought against me in the Gardens of Ice, dear brother," I should have known it was Warren Stayne who taught me how to fight. Stayne looked across to his brother, hatred written across his face. The whole of the army of Mamorial was there including the queen, on her white horse, the white Knave standing by them, holding the harness. "Warren." He spat out at the younger brother, "Ilosovic," he nodded calmly, "enough chit chat finish him!" shouted Irasebeth screeched and the black Knave charged at me, "HATTER!"

Alice: Joy filled me as the white army ascended from over the hill, picking their way through the rubble. Warren was there, beside Mirana who looked upon the scene regally as if all was expected to be this way. Then Stayne said "I haven't seen fighting like that since…" he gaped as hatter grinned "since you fought against me in the Gardens of Ice, dear brother," said Warren and Stayne looked across to his brother, hatred written across his face. "Warren." He spat out "Ilosovic," he nodded calmly, "enough chit chat finish him!" shouted Irasebeth screeched and the Knave charged at my hatter, "HATTER!" I screamed. The hatter leaped out of the way, and the Knave towered over him. I saw fear in hatters eyes as Stayne advanced on him, it brought me back to a memory, of when I was in china, I was walking down the streets when I heard excited shouting from a dingy building and I went to investigate-it was a dog fight between a big Mastiff and a little terrier. I'd thought that the big dog would win, in this brutal fight to the death, but the little terrier had weakened and suffocated the big one-this lesson had taught me that appearances could be deceiving-look at me for instance-I sleighed the Jabberwocky! The brutal savagery of the dog fight was very much similar to this one, and the hatter was the little terrier and Stayne was the Mastiff.

Hatter: Alice, Alice was back! She had overcome the poison! My joy however was washed away with the look in staynes eyes. Fear took its place- it was beyond hate; it was pure madness in its truest form. Then he attacked. I lifted the Vorpal sword and it plunged into the Knaves chest. He stared dumbfounded down and crumpled to his knees. He looked up to me, fear evident on his face, and then he fell backwards the sword slipping free. He thumped dead on the ground.

Alice: I couldn't believe it! Hatter had killed Stayne! Stayne was dead, I looked up to the hatter, trying to see his expression but his back was to me, Mally was suddenly sitting on my head looking down into my eye's "so ye not dead then, Alice," she grinned "Alice!" "Alice" the Tweedle's shouted and I saw a white rabbit lean over me with a tube of pink liquid "open wide, it's the antidote," he poured the liquid into my mouth. This tasted ghastly too but I felt it working instantly, I sat up to see a crowd had formed around me consisting of Mctwisp, Bayard, Mally, Thackeray, the Tweedle's, Absolem, Uilleam and Chessur. I grinned at the cat and said "good boy, chess," scratching behind his ear's without a protest-actually he seemed bashful and if it were possible I would have thought he would have been blushing. I looked up the Mirana and she had her gaze on the Hatter, and I stood on wobbly legs to go to him…

Hatter: I stared down at the body…at Staynes body. I'd done it. I'd killed him. I was filled with shock. A number of questions filled my head, like "what? How? Why?" and I was confused. Then a loud "NOOOO!" erupted the silence and then everything happened so fast…

Alice: I was approaching the hatter, still a little wobbly on my feet when just before I got to him a loud screech sounded "NOOOO!" and I turned my head towards Irasebeth who was headed for the Hatter, her face red with anger, dagger raised ready to strike. The hatter had not noticed and was standing in the same spot-looking down at the fallen Knave. Icy cold fear hit me in the chest; he wouldn't be able to move in time: "HATTER!" I screamed. I did the only thing I knew would save him, I threw myself in front of him, protecting and shielding him with my body to face the wrath of the red queen. She screamed and plunged the dagger downwards…

Hatter: I didn't have enough time to react to the shrieking and as I turned Alice threw herself in front of me and I looked into the eyes of Irasebeth of Crims. The look she had in her eyes was a crazed half mad look. I'd seen this look before, in myself when Alice had gone, it's a look you get when you feel you have lost the very meaning of living, that you don't care whether you lived or died. At this point she drove the dagger down and it plunged into Alice's stomach…