Chapter Fourteen Meeting Alice

Author's Note-The Riddle (Why is a Raven like a writing desk) doesn't actually have a set answer-but the one Alannah uses is my personal favorite.

When Alannah awoke the next morning, she discovered she was being stared at by a small dormouse. The mouse smiled at her, then spoke. "Lady Alannah, I am Mallymkun. Her Majesty has sent me to request that you and the Knave join her for breakfast. Will you attend?"

Alannah grinned. "Mallymkun? I have heard of you. Please tell the Queen that Ilosivic and I would be delighted to dine with her."

Mallymkun bowed and left the room. Alannah turned and nudged Stayne, who muttered incoherently and turned over. "Ilosivic, wake up."

Stayne kept his eye shut as he muttered, "Don't want to..." He wrapped the sheets around his body and fell silent.

Alannah sighed, and then smiled evilly. "Very well, I guess there's only one thing to do." She climbed out of bed and grabbed the sheets, giving them a hard tug. Stayne yelped in surprise as he went flying off the bed to land in a tangled heap on the floor. He rubbed his head, looking balefully at Alannah. "You are going to pay for that, love." Alannah smirked at him.

Stayne glared at her and untangled himself from the sheets. He stalked towards her, and Alannah giggled. Before he could reach her, she yelped in shock and ran to the other side of the bed.

Stayne smirked. "You can't stay away from me forever. I'll get you eventually."

Alannah giggled, and then waited until he was almost near her before ducking under his arms and racing around the bed again. "Catch me if you can."

Stayne smirked. "So that's how it's going to be, is it? Very well, my beauty."

He hurried around to the other side of the bed. Alannah tried to duck under him, but he grabbed her shoulders and tripped her so she fell on the bed. He smirked, and then kissed her. "I've caught you. What's my prize?"

Alannah sighed. "The usual…which unfortunately will have to wait, as the Queen is expecting us. Also, I need to get dressed."

Stayne sighed ruefully, and gave her one brief kiss before rolling off her. She walked over to the closet and opened it, revealing racks of dresses in every color of the rainbow. 'Nice to know that white isn't the only color around here.' She selected a deep blue dress with sheer sleeves, and turned to Stayne, holding it up in front of her. "What do you think?"

Stayne nodded. "Try it on."

Alannah shrugged out of her shirt, and Stayne moaned quietly. She looked at him, amused. "See something you like, Ilosivic?"

Stayne nodded. Alannah smirked, and then slipped the dress on, and Stayne's jaw dropped.

Alannah approached the bed, and slowly turned so he could see the dress. "Do you like it?"

Stayne gaped at her. "Umm…Uhhh…Umm…I…Uh huh."

Alannah laughed. "I'll take that as a yes. We'd better go, the Queen is waiting."

When they arrived in the dining hall, Mirana stood and greeted them. "Good morning to you both. Did you have a pleasant night's rest?"

Alannah curtsied. "Very pleasant, thank you. We are grateful for your hospitality."

Mirana smiled, then glided to her chair and sat. "Please, sit. We will be receiving some rather special guests this morning. Breakfast will be served when they arrive."

A manservant entered the dining hall, and bowed deeply before announcing, "Tarrant Hightopp and Alice Kingsley have arrived, Majesty."

Mirana smiled. "Show them in, please."

Stayne gulped as Tarrant and Alice walked into the dining hall. Alannah slipped her hand under the table and grabbed his, giving it a squeeze. Stayne relaxed.

Mirana stood and glided over to the newcomers. "Tarrant, Alice. Thank you so much for coming. Shall we dine?"

Alice curtsied. "We are most delighted to be here, Majesty." She then noticed the man sitting at the table, and her eyes widened in shock. She gathered herself and spoke. "Stayne, I must say I am surprised to see you here."

Tarrant, who had been gazing around the hall, turned at the sound of Alice's voice. He gaped at Stayne, feeling his eyes start to turn red and his skin darken. He opened his mouth, ready to unleash a torrent, when he noticed the young woman sitting next to him. She was staring coolly at Tarrant, and her eyes were slowly darkening to a deep red. He recognized the warning, and shut his mouth.

Alice cast a grateful look at Alannah, and then led Tarrant over to the table. He sat down, making sure to sit as far away from Stayne as he could. Alice walked over and sat next to Alannah. She smiled at her. "Alice Kingsley."

Alannah smiled back. "The Alice?"

Alice laughed, and then nodded. "Yes."

Alannah grinned. "Alannah Sullivan." She looked over at Stayne, who was staring at Alice with a very guilty expression on his face. "I gather you already know each other."

Alice smiled gently at Stayne. "How are you, Stayne?"

He looked at her, surprised by her voice, and smiled. "I am doing quite well, Alice. But tell me-when did you return to Underland?"

Alice laughed. "It was a few days after I left. I realized that as crazy as this world is, I felt more at home here than I ever had in London. So I returned. Also, I must admit-I missed my best friend." She nodded towards Tarrant, who was regaling the Queen with a story.

Alannah smiled at him. "He seems quite mad, Alice. I would like to meet him."

Alice grinned. "That is easy enough. Tarrant! Tarrant!"

Tarrant turned around and grinned at Alice. "What is it, Alice? Is it the hat? Is it not a good enough hat? Is it the food? I think the cook should be fired, don't you? Is it the lack of food?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "It's none of those things. I want to introduce you to Alannah Sullivan."

Tarrant's eyes widened, and he bowed to Alannah. "My pleasure. Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?'

Alannah grinned mischievously. "Because the notes for which they are noted are not noted to be musical notes."

Tarrant's eyes lit up. "That is a wonderful answer! You have no idea how many times I ask that, only to receive the same reply. Even Alice didn't have the slightest idea what the answer might be. I shall have to remember that, as it is a good answer, a proper answer, a wonderful answer, a…" he stopped as Alice stared pointedly at him. "Sorry."

Alannah laughed. "There's no need to apologize, Tarrant. You and I are going to get along splendidly, I just know it."

Tarrant grinned wickedly at her. "Are we? I look forward to that, Lady." Alannah smirked at him. "I look forward to it as well, Tarrant."

Stayne took a deep breath, struggling to control the rising tide of jealousy that threatened to overwhelm him. He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to strangle Tarrant. He watched as Alannah, Tarrant and Alice began conversing, and suddenly he felt sick. He slowly stood up, and without a word, walked out of the hall.

He walked as quickly as he could to the bedchamber, and upon reaching it he slammed the door and began cursing under his breath, pacing back and forth.

Alannah stood in front of the locked door, listening to Stayne curse. Her heart twisted, and she knocked firmly on the door. "Ilosivic? Let me in."

Stayne opened the door, and stepped aside. Alannah gazed at him in despair as he ignored her, continuing to pace and curse. "Look at me, please."

He stopped, and looked at her in frustration and anger. "Where's your new friend, Alannah? Waiting nearby? Have you come to tell me that you've decided to move on?"

Alannah gaped at him, and then slapped him as hard as she could. "How dare you! You bastard! How. Dare. You. I have given you my body, my heart and my soul! Do you honestly think I am going to throw all that away for Tarrant?! Do you really believe I'm that shallow?!"

Stayne looked at her in despair, and then collapsed onto the bed. "I…saw the two of you talking, and I just…snapped. I couldn't stay in that room anymore. I was…jealous."

Alannah smiled sadly, and walked over to the bed. She sat next to Stayne, and gently touched his face, turning him towards her. "Ilosivic, you have nothing to be jealous of. I am yours, completely and utterly. Besides, I believe Tarrant is more interested in Alice than me. So don't worry. I'm not about to leave you for the Mad Hatter. I'm not overly fond of tea, to be honest."

Stayne looked at her, a sad smile on his face. "I still worry. You are so beautiful, and I'm afraid that some handsome lord may come along and…I don't know if I could take that."

Alannah shook her head. "I only have eyes for you, my Knave. The most handsome of Lords will not receive so much as a glance from me."

Stayne sighed in relief, then suddenly turned and pinned Alannah to the bed, kissing her deeply. He pulled out of the kiss, and smirked wickedly at her. "I seem to recall that I won a prize earlier, and I think it's time my prize was claimed. Don't you?"

Alannah grinned at him. "I do."

Stayne growled at her before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.