"We'll stop here for a few minutes." Malohkeh announced. Alice gratefully came to a complete stop, and almost collapsed on a fallen tree. Tarrant remained standing, close to her. He scanned their surroundings for escape routes. If they had a chance to get away, they'd have to be fast, and they'd have to find a path that would not admit the Jabberwocks.
His eyes were a pale orange, not as fierce as Alice had seen them become, but still told her that he was on guard. As if the smallest thing could set him off like a barrel of gunpowder. "So where is Beyond, exactly?" Alice asked.
"It is exactly what it is called." Aleia answered. "It is simply beyond everything. Past Witzend, farther than the Tulgey Woods, even past the Outlands. It is the farthest settlement of any known society, human or Jabberwock."
"Ah. I see. We're going to the middle of nowhere." Tarrant said sarcastically.
"Nowhere is much farther than Beyond, Tarrant." Malohkeh said darkly. "And far worse than the Red Queen's castle at Crims."
Tarrant's orange eyes bordered on red as he stared angrily at the creature. "I really doubt that, and I would prefer it if you called me the Hatter, thank you."
Malohkeh nodded respectfully. "My apologies, Hatter."
Alice grabbed Tarrant's hand trying to distract him. He jumped imperceptively at her touch, but quickly took hold of her hand and squeezed it briefly. Alice blushed, and hoped that he didn't notice. "Can I ask you something else?" She asked, trying to distract Tarrant as well as distracting herself.
"Certainly." Malohkeh said.
"Why do you want us?" She asked. "I can understand why you'd want me. But it wasn't as if you were looking for me and you happened upon the both of us. You came looking for the both of us. Why?"
"You mean you don't know?" Aleia asked, also surprised. "I thought Stayne and Iracebeth would have told you."
Tarrant answered sardonically. "Yes, well. We aren't exactly on the best terms with those two."
"Well, Then. You're in for a long story. Very long, actually." Malohkeh started.
"You see, hundreds of years ago, at the beginning of our civilization, not just us Jabberwocks, the humans as well, we were at a relatively peaceful arrangement. After a while, there were some problems, something to be expected. A treaty was drawn up. As a token of goodwill, we made a gift of a sword that had no equal. The Vorpal sword. It was given to the most powerful kingdom, which at the time was Marmoreal, who had brokered the treaty between our civilizations.
"But, through the years, our countries grew farther and farther apart. One Jabberwocky in particular, A teenager with a particularly twisted sense of humor started to terrorize some of the villages on the outskirts of Witzend for fun, and the people grew afraid. His decisions cost him his life.
"It has been supposed that because of our history associated with the sword, the humans thought that it was best used to destroy us. Even after all these years, the stories that the only thing that can kill a Jabberwocky is the Vorpal sword. A fact, I'm afraid, that nearly cost you and the Hatter your lives. If the humans had not associated the Vorpal sword with us there would have been no need for you to retrieve it from Crims.
"At any rate, after that Jabberwocky was defeated, everything was in the past. The treaty, Beyond. We distanced ourselves from them, and after a time, we'd thought that we were forgotten completely. We grew complacent. A baby, too young to have been given a name, thus 'the Nameless One', wandered to close to the borders, and was taken by the red knights to the Red Queen. She raised him, twisted his mind to suit her own proposes.
"You both know of the events that followed, so for times sake, we will skip to the point after Alice left. In their banishment, Iracebeth and Stayne came across Beyond. After a few feeble attempts to attack us, they stopped long enough to tell us what had transpired. We debated for a little while on what should be done, and it was decided that a trial was to be held."
Tarrant interrupted. "A trial? Let me guess, you want to accuse Alice?" He unconsciously stepped in front of Alice, between her and the Jabberwocks.
"Hatter, whether you want to believe it or not, we are not all inherently bad people." Aleia stated. "We could blame all humans for the death of the Nameless one. Some of us do. Most of us don't. Don't write off a whole species because one of them was in the wrong and couldn't know better."
"Yea, well-" Tarrant tried to think of something to say, but thought of nothing.
"Perhaps it would be better to finish the story." Malohkeh suggested. Tarrant nodded.
"Alright. It was decided that a trail was to held. But in order for it to be a fair trial, we needed to hear all sides of the issue. Which is why we sent Stayne and Iracebeth to find Alice. We did not realize how they would treat you. I sincerely apologize for that. But you still must come to Beyond. The both of you must."
"Why should we?" Tarrant demanded. "What if Alice is found guilty? What will happen then?"
Malohkeh nodded slowly. "It is true, there is a possibility that she will be found guilty. And should that happen, I must assure you that the death penalty will be off the table. Those were our terms for retrieving the two of you. The fact that the Oraculam foretold it does offer some leniency in that respect. But it was still a personal choice, no matter what the Oraculam said." He hesitated briefly, then continued. "There is still yet another advantage in our favor. Your testimony, Hatter."
"Mine?" Tarrant asked skeptically.
"Yes. Against Iracebeth, for ordering the attack against your home. You are the only survivor of that attack, Hatter. As the last surviving member of the Hightopp clan, this is a chance to put that horrible day to rest, and to bring the ones responsible to justice. Do not let this opportunity slip by. There will not be another."
Tarrant was unsure of what to do. Yes, he did want to see Stayne and Iracebeth to be brought to justice, and at the hands of the Jabberwocks, but not at the cost of Alice.
She, however, made the decision for him. "We'll continue with you to Beyond." She said.
"Alice," Tarrant said. "We can't go to Beyond."
"And why not?" Alice asked. Tarrant was surprised. He hadn't expected her to take the Jabberwocky's side on the matter.
I only just got you back. I can't lose you again. He thought.
"Tough." She said stubbornly. Tarrant mentally kicked himself for saying his thoughts out loud yet again. "We are going and you are going to testify." She smiled at him. "And you're not going to loose me. I will not let that happen."
Barely audible, Aleia whispered to her father. "They're flirting again. Do I have to watch?" Malohkeh chuckled and interrupted their conversation. "Perhaps, if you have made your decision, we can continue?"
"Alright." Alice released Tarrant's hand and walked toward the Jabberwockys. Tarrant followed.
"I don't suppose that you'd prefer to fly, would you?" Malohkeh smiled at them.