Fic: Of Tea & Chess

Rating: R

Summary: Alice & Hatter travel back to Wonderland for innocent reasons and discover that there is no such thing as coincidence.

Author's Note: Oh...goodness. That's all I have to say.


Chapter 37: Bishops and Blunders

Jack led Alice up the narrow set of stairs, his hand on the holster of his gun. They were both tense, Jack reaching back and touching her arm when Alice started to lag too far behind him. She kept glancing down at the bottom of the stairwell, biting into her lower lip and he could tell that her anxiety was growing the further they moved along. Jack wasn't much better himself but he cleared his throat, catching her attention.

"It is just a few more halls, Alice," Jack said but he wasn't able to sound any more reassuring. He didn't sound confident and Alice tried not to notice.

Walking behind Jack up the long set of stairs he had chosen, Alice felt a cold knot of dread begin to draw tighter and tighter inside of her stomach. Her nerves were on edge even more the further they walked, and she kept her breathing shallow to avoid letting Jack know just how nerve-wracking this separation was. Had it been them all just agreeing to go different ways, it would not have bothered her. This, however, was someone cutting them off deliberately and despite Jack's reassurances, Alice knew that she would not relax until they met up with Hatter and the others once more.

Jack licked his lips nervously as he led the way, eyes on the markings on the walls. He knew every nook and cranny of this palace but that was not good enough when the Red King and White Queen's soldiers had infested his ancestral home. He was leading Alice on pure hope that at the top of the stairs there would not be a legion of Crows or Knights. The electricity was still surging through the building in rolling waves, making lights flicker on and off. It made it hard for him to see the very top of the high staircase spiral and his eyes ached from squinting through the darkness.

"How much further is it?" Alice whispered and he paused on the stairs to catch his breath.

"Two or three more flights. If the others are quick, we can meet them in less than ten minutes," he answered and adjusted his coat lapels to the side so that he could grab for his gun if he needed to. Alice caught the action and lifted a brow at it but Jack was starting off once more.

"Why does this place have so many stairs anyway?" Alice grumbled to herself but Jack heard her. Struggling to keep himself loose and ready, he took the opening as a way to keep off his own tension and try to ease hers.

"Well, it was based on the old hedge maze designs but gradually, it became the smartest thing we could do. It is always good to have many exits out of a possible trap," he admitted. "This whole building has numerous staircases. I used to explore it as a boy when we came here in the off-season of Court."

Alice didn't answer him, frowning to herself while she thought of her words. She didn't envy any servants having to go from one end of the Palace to the other, especially when her legs were beginning to ache from just this climb. Jack and his ancestors may have thought that stairs were a wonderful thing but right now, tired and sore from their travels over Wonderland, Alice was ready to disagree with him. Trying to keep her thoughts away from her own fear, she looked down at her hands, seeing the broken fingernails and the scratches on her arms. There was no question in her mind that she likely looked a wreck; she felt like one. In an absurdly self-conscious move she pushed her fingers through her hair and snagged them on a knot that made her wince.

Jack heard her gasp and turned around mid-step, clearly thinking she was in trouble. She gave him a sheepish smile. "Bad hair day," she offered weakly and he rolled his eyes, relaxing. But he had paused again, looking her over closely.

"Alice, are you all right?" he asked, bending down to stare at her face. Alice leaned back at the sudden close proximity, the sight of him swimming in her vision and making her feel ill.

"Of course I am," she said defensively and he looked her over from head to toe. Alice resisted the urge to pull her coat collar up. "Why?"

"You just look…" He waved his hand in the air to try to think of what he wanted to say. "Pale."

"Natural skin colour, Jack," Alice snapped as she took the step beside him and went to pass him. Jack clasped her elbow in her hand and held her still.

"Alice, while I like to believe that you haven't picked up any of Hatter's bad habits," he began and gave her a look when she glared at him. "Please, promise me that you won't do anything out of your league."

"Like what? Play a wicked game of chess?" she mocked as they continued up the stairs side by side this time.

"Alice, just try not to get into trouble to prove you can take care of yourself," Jack warned but Alice snorted.

"Thanks, Jack. That slice of wisdom would have been helpful a few days ago," she answered and Jack sighed, giving up. Alice, to him, was looking exhausted more than normal, like she had been 'burning the candle at both ends' for too long. Yet they had had their rests, been moving cautiously. Despite that, Alice looked like she was ready to drop. Deciding to just be quiet rather than antagonize her about it, Jack dropped half-a-step behind her and had his hand just behind her elbow. It was good that he did because she stumbled here and there. Whenever he caught her, she would straighten herself up, toss her hair proudly over a shoulder, and then continue on her way.

Jack would have admired it if only he wasn't so damn sure that Hatter would kill him if anything happened to Alice. They may have entered into an unlikely truce or, Gods forbid, a friendship, but Jack had no illusions about Hatter's intentions. If it came down to the very basics of who cared about who, Alice was the first thing in Hatter's mind and, looking at Alice from the corner of his eye, Jack knew that it was likely reciprocated by the young woman. She may have been acting calm about being separated from the others but it was likely eating her up as much as it was bothering him.

"Stop staring at me, Jack. I'm fine," Alice said as they came to another landing. Jack had to chuckle lowly and stopped beside her. Alice turned to look at him and eyed him. "What's so funny?"

"Threaten me all you like, Alice, but I'm not giving Hatter another reason to want to pound me into a pulp," Jack said while moving to check the door. Alice shot his back a confused look before sighing deeply. She had to squint to see through the growing darkness of the stairwell, barely making out the iron railing. Curiosity pulled at her and she crept to the railing, holding onto the iron while looking over the edge. Instant nausea rumbled in her stomach at the sight of the stairs below them that they had climbed, the constant circular build of the stairwell making the sight almost terrifying to her.

Jack grabbed her arm when he saw her sway unsteadily, shaking his head. "Do you know what they say about curiosity?" he asked Alice and she made a face at him while pressing her hand against her stomach to try to keep it quiet.

"I really don't need a lecture. Are we at least close?" she asked. Jack pulled her along beside him and gestured to the door. Alice looked up at the white trim and read the gold plated number 24 that shone dully above the door. When she looked at him, he gave her a grin and she sighed. "Thank God."

"It is just a short corridor over and we can meet up with the others if they were quick enough. Are you ready to run if we need to?" Jack asked her seriously. Alice frowned fiercely at him and he sighed. "Never mind, of course you are."

He cracked the door open slowly, listening intently before widening it further. He held out his one hand to keep Alice back while he slipped through the door quietly. Alice leaned close to the door, ready to spring through and help him if she needed to. But it was silent and Jack eventually opened the door wide enough to let her follow him. He had led them into another corridor marked with doors and glass windows that seemed to look into nothing but more windows. The contrasting décor was still there and Jack seemed to know the hall well. At Alice's questioning look, he pointed left.

"We're close to what was once the Royal Ballroom. Used it for planning and strategy lately. We'll have to see if we can get to the other stairs through there, so we can find the others," Jack whispered, leading the way again. Alice kept close to him, not daring to linger as that knot of tension in her stomach began to grow. It worried her almost obsessively that they had seen no guards on the stairs or in this corridor. She kept looking over her shoulder, thinking that she may see someone sneaking up behind him or her or some sign that they were going into danger. Something more tangible than what her feelings were telling her.

Without realizing it, Alice stopped and her mind slid into a vision of a small blonde girl wandering through the halls looking as confused as Alice herself felt. The girl was knocking on the walls, humming to herself as she toyed with two red roses that contrasted her pinafore. Alice watched as the girl passed her, going through Jack's body as he stalked stealthily down the hall. Jack turned around to see Alice standing there, staring at nothing at all and walked toward her, waving his hand before her face. She didn't blink at all, still staring with her mouth still half-open and slack.

Alice watched as the girl stared at one of the doors and pulled hard on the doorknob, giggling like it was some great joke. The girl disappeared through the door, dropping the roses before slamming the door shut behind herself. The roses disappeared the moment they hit the ground.

"Alice!" Jack snapped and she jumped. He breathed out slowly in relief. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Just… I thought I saw something," Alice answered and cleared her throat. She met his curious look with a straight stare, trying to mask her nervousness. She didn't do a very good job, judging by his concern that she could see in his eyes, but he nodded and walked down the corridor again with her at his side, his hand guiding her elbow once more. While she would have normally protested that action, she could see it was something he was doing out of reflex and she let him lead her.

When he paused beside the door that Alice had seen the little girl disappear through, she stared at him with wide blue eyes. His hand went to the doorknob and she pulled back, her arm slipping through his other hand until he only had hold of her fingers. He looked at her, seeing her sudden fear and took his hand off the doorknob.

"Alice? What's wrong?" he asked lowly, eyes darting left and right. He was starting to hear the sounds of people moving down the halls and either it was real or he was becoming paranoid.

"I don't want to go in there," Alice answered, her voice low and almost child-like.

"Alice, we don't have a choice," Jack insisted but she looked up at him with strange eyes and he drew in a hissing breath. He needed her strong, needed her to be the woman he knew her to be. He wasn't sure if what he saw in her eyes was fear or resignation. "Alice."

"I don't know why, but I just don't want to," she stated, her voice so low he had to strain to hear her. "I just have this bad feeling."

"Alice," Jack started but before he could continue, she stiffened. Shaking her head, Alice straightened her shoulders and set her jaw into a firm, defiant line. The same look he knew very well whenever she had made up her mind to do something.

"But we have to, so let's go and find the others," Alice declared, moving away from him and opening the door. Jack studied the back of her head as he followed her through the door. She could still confuse him even now and the mood change had certainly puzzled him.

The feeling that Alice had didn't dissipate as she moved cautiously into the massive room, any wonder she may have felt at the immense elegance of the Royal Ballroom gone. Its tables and chairs were draped in white covers to keep away the dust, high ceilings dimly lit and decorated with silver chandeliers that hung high from the ground. The staircases lining the room were designed to admit the Court in the usual pomp and style, a low dias set at the base of it and now converted to hold a simple wooden table. Yet Alice saw none of it; she suddenly felt boiling hot and then in the next moment, it was like being put into a ice cold shower. The sensations made her feel ill and in a strange reflex she lifted her hand to her neck where her gryphon mark had once been. The area there was even colder to her own touch.

"Come on, it's just a matter of getting to the other stairs," Jack whispered in her ear before passing her to lead the way. Alice felt sluggish as she started off behind him, her muscles slow to respond. Jack had nearly made it to the door when something black and fast passed him, reaching the door and blocking his way.

A Crow stared at him impassively with its back to the door, body braced for a fight. Jack stared stupidly at it for a moment before backing up into Alice. She stared at the Crow, wondering if it would recognize her but she noticed that the Crow's strange black eyes now had a grey film over them. She grabbed Jack's arm when he went to grab his gun, seeing something else from the corner of her eye. The Crow was joined by a Knight standing on the other side of them, arms folded over his chest as his demonic horse-head bent slightly to stare at them. Neither made a move for Alice or Jack but the threat was very clear.

"So, what did we use to call this, my dear? Back in the better days?" a mocking male voice boomed in the massive room. Alice and Jack both stiffened as a tinkling female laugh rang out.

"I believe that this was once called a checkmate. Though I am not sure the rules for this one. You need actual opponents for a satisfactory checkmates," the woman answered and Alice felt that knot of dread that had been making her stomach ache suddenly clench hard. Biting back a moan of pain, she breathed out hard through her nose and felt the knot slowly release itself. She was not going to be afraid of this, Alice swore to herself. The tension was still there but she was determined not to let it rule her mind.

She and Jack turned around and saw the White Queen standing to Alice's left halfway across the room, the Red King to Jack's far right. They both looked so smug that Alice had the sudden childish urge to slap them both. The White Queen was dressed in an ivory gown that trailed behind her like a river when she moved in a slow strut towards them. She moved as if she was in no rush to meet them but the lazy walk made it more menacing. The Red King copied her movement, intimidating in his red armour and chainmail as he came closer and closer. Jack moved closer to Alice, his hand on his holster but he had gone as pale as she, eyes going from the Red King to the White Queen.

The White Queen stopped several paces away from Alice, her smile cool but unthreatening. "We meet again, Miss. Hamilton. You look rather worse for the wear," she greeted, a pale brow arched high as she raked her eyes over Alice's ragged clothing. She was cradling the Royal Sceptre in her arms, looking the part of the noble queen about to pass some royal decree. But Alice, looking over her closely, saw that the White Queen had lost what colour she had had, that her face was tight with strain and the lines at the edges of her eyes were more defined because of it.

"You look a little worn out yourself," Alice answered cattily, refusing to be baited by the imperious older woman.

"It was rather ridiculous of you both to walk so willingly into a trap," the Red King said as he stepped closer and began a slow circle around them both. Jack stiffened as Archibades gave his shoulder a tap. "One would think that you would know better, boy."

Jack turned around slowly and looked at the older man. The red tinge starting to cloud Archibades' green eyes showed the perversion of power coursing through his veins and Jack steeled himself against the intense gaze. Squaring his shoulders, he gave them the arrogant royal look he had learned at a young age. "Your destruction of Wonderland has gone on long enough."

"A pretty speech from someone who entered the Heart Palace with nothing but misfits to guard him. No great army, no resistance force. You have no great plans to stop me, nothing but legends and hearsay, and a girl at your side who likely has no great power at all," the Red King stated as he walked around Jack. Jack's face went blank, showing that the words had cut. Archibades laughed and reached out, touching Alice's shoulder. He jerked his hand away, frowning and looking at the White Queen. "The girl is cold."

"A sad side effect. Though she should be dead," the White Queen answered as she stepped forward a few more steps. She reached out and traced her fingers down Alice's cheek and the younger woman jerked backward. "Fascinating."

"Don't touch me," Alice whispered, pulling her coat tighter around her body to ward off both the chill in the air and the way the Queen's touch made her skin crawl.

"Where are the others?" the White Queen asked of Archibades, her eyes locking with his. He shrugged.

"Wandering the east halls likely. Shall I send several of my Knights to take care of them?" he asked but the White Queen looked at Alice, ignoring the question.

"That Hatter is with you?" she questioned and Alice was startled at the interest in the woman's voice. The interest was nothing good, by Alice's perception, the light in those pale grey eyes malicious.

"No," Jack answered, seeing the sudden interest as well. "What do you want from him?"

"A simple thing, vengeance."

"This was all about your revenge on Hatter?" Jack asked when Alice couldn't speak, her mind whirling. The White Queen threw her head back and laughed as if he had told her some great joke. Then she straightened her shoulders and gave the Sceptre a twirl the way a baton would have been twirled.

"Hardly. That would be an added bonus." Her eyes focussed intently on Alice. "So. Is he with you?"

"No." Alice thought of her misery without him and her face fell instantly, the lie slipping easily from her tongue and matching the heartache on her face. "He died of injuries when we escaped the Taiga."

The White Queen stared at her, trying to see through Alice's downtrodden face. "How curious."

"My Queen?" the Red King interrupted, pulling her attention away. "The Knights?"

"No no. I'll have my own take care of the Knight and the Knave. I did promise him some fun, since he was able to plant that warning barrier in the stair entrances." The White Queen's smile was cruel and she quickly forgot about Hatter's whereabouts when she had a chance to get what she really wanted. She stared at Jack and Alice. "I believe it is time that you both hand over what you carry on you."

Jack stiffened but felt a sword set against the ridge of his spine. Alice felt it as well and looked at him nervously; out of the corner of her eye, she saw two Knights standing just behind them. His own mouth twisted into a hard line, Jack reached into his trouser pocket and slowly removed the Stone of Wonderland. The ring glinted and when the White Queen grabbed it from his hand like a greedy child, Alice thought that it shone brighter even with the dark stone set deep in its middle.

"Finally," the White Queen whispered while she held it up to the light.

"A long wait," Archibades agreed, stepping to her side. Behind Alice and Jack, the pair of Knights gave rough chortles, their voices clogged in their throats. The White Queen turned her back to them and rolled the ring in her palm for a moment. She lifted the Sceptre so that the head of it pointing to the ceiling, the sapphires catching the light. Archibades stood like a soldier, watching her with an anticipating smirk, while Alice and Jack looked at each other nervously.

The Queen twisted the ridge of the Sceptre's shaft, clicking a small compartment open. She set the Stone gently into it, twisting the Sceptre once more and there was a hum as it clicked closed. Beside Jack, Alice saw the folds of the Queen's cape lift slightly in the breeze and gasped when she saw the gryphon mark there, fluttering back and forth between the narrow shoulder blades. For some reason, she felt her neck grow hot and she clasped her hand to her throat.

The Sceptre was humming a soft melody now and the Queen smiled as the sapphires glowed, her face tinged blue by its light. When she turned around, the smile was gone and she was staring at Alice.

"I believe that you and I have some things to discuss, but perhaps a demonstration? It is so good for you young people to see such old relics in use," she offered and Alice stepped away from her, her hand going to Jack's. He held hers just as tightly. The Queen saw their reactions and smiled, turning on her heel to one of the Crows standing guard near the door. Clicking the base of the Sceptre, she pointed it at the Crow.

"It is all a matter of having a little imagination and will," she said over her shoulder like a school teacher giving a lesson. The Sceptre's sapphires glowed brighter and the two marks on the Queen's skin shifted slowly, the green of their lines going blue as well. The gryphon mark went a brilliant blue and Alice winced, the pain excruciating in her own body as her neck felt like a hot brand had been set against it.

Jack steadied her as she swayed dizzily, not daring to look away from the sight before him.

The White Queen gave a sudden snap of her wrist and they watched as the Crow fell to its knees, squawking loudly in its human voice. It was clutching at its throat, head twisting this way and that. The body began to warp, strange black wings sprouting out of its back and the legs elongating. It became a harsh mockery of a real crow, growing to massive proportions that topped Jack by well over ten feet. It opened its drooling mouth wide and let out a raspy screech.

"This is wonderful," Archibades breathed out, his eyes glinting as he met the White Queen's eyes. He could see the effect the Royal Sceptre would have to bring such monstrous changes to his men, see how it could bring about a new division to his already strange army. It would make his forces invincible and they would trample Wonderland underfoot till it cried for mercy.

Then, just as quick as this new ambition came to him, the White Queen dashed it with an arch of the brow and she gave another twist of her thin hand. The new monster she had created screamed, its head thrown back to bellow another bird-like call before it froze into an ebony statue. The marks on the Queen's body were still a brilliant blue but she seemed weak for just a moment. The pain in Alice's neck burned and she gasped, suddenly realizing why it hurt so badly.

The White Queen was using one of her marks and with every move to use its magic she was stealing Alice's own energy.

With another wave of the Sceptre, the White Queen forced the statue to begin to crack. Tiny ivory lines spread over the statue's massive body as it began to crack quickly and finally, it shattered into pieces that fell to their feet like tiny gravel stones. the statue shatter into pieces. Archibades stared at her, shocked and in some considerable awe of her control over the Sceptre.

"So that is what it does?" he breathed out lustily and she smiled coldly at him.

"It recreates the will of one who wields it, but you have to be able to control it. That is where the marks come into play...well, the marks and one's own strength," she explained and her eyes went to Alice, seeing the girl's agony. A smirk played at the corner of her lips, dying when Archibades reached out and touched the Sceptre as if to take it from her.

"I have no real oyster marks," he grumbled. "But I suppose I can wield it, now that I have the mark you lent me so long ago. Then we can rule Wonderland together."

"Ah yes." The White Queen nodded solemnly. "But you see, I need that mark back. It will give this Sceptre a bit of a...kick, so to speak."

Archibades couldn't dodge her sudden movement, her fingers slamming into his throat. The move was precise and Alice recognized it as one that she herself would have used to disable an attacker. Her fingers almost itched in muscle memory what she saw and her mouth went dry as she watched the White Queen nearly cripple the far heavier Red King.

Just what else had the White Queen stolen from her?

With just one small move she had him on his knees and was staring down at him. The White Queen leaned close to Archibades and pressed her mouth chastely to his. A faint grey light went from his lips to hers and she sighed into his mouth while he struggled against her grip the way a bird would fight against a cat. By the time he was able to shove her off, the light had faded and she was wiping her mouth slowly. Jack, standing close to Alice, saw the red mists that had always trailed around the Red King were now gone.

"You...you stole it!" Archibades roared at the White Queen. She lifted her once perfectly unmarked hand, letting Alice and Jack see a new but tiny mark of a dragon that ran along the ridge of her knuckles up to her wrist.

She arched her brow again. "Just most of it, my dear. I've left just enough to let you have a bit of fun."

"You would dare," he began, stalking toward her threateningly. He was halted in his tracks when she pointed the Sceptre just beneath his throat and met his infuriated eyes with her cold ones.

"I would. Need I remind you that you are always going on about doing things the traditional way? That you always berated me for using my power so freely?" she asked. "Here is you chance. Take the boy. Execute him or give him to your Examiners...break him if you want."

Archibades backed off, not daring to step toward her while she carried the glowing Sceptre. "The girl?"

"She comes with me. She has something of value to me and I want to know why she lives. Then Wonderland will reach its end, my dear Red King, and you will have your chance to destroy it," the White Queen said before looking at Alice. "Come along, my dear. You look like you need a walk."

Her voice twisted into Alice's mind like a compulsion and the younger woman took hesitant steps toward her though she knew she shouldn't. Behind her, Jack yelled her name and went to grab her hand but found himself restrained by the two Knights at his back. Alice followed the White Queen like a lamb being led to slaughter, her head lowered and her steps sluggish, and they reached the doors leading deeper into the rear of the Palace. Two Crows took their place behind her.

"Alice!" Jack yelled again and she looked over her shoulder at him, her face almost grey. She gave him a small smile then and followed the White Queen through the doors. They slammed behind the Crows, the sound booming in the Ballroom, and Jack looked hesitantly at the Red King. Archibades stared back at him, a slow malevolent grin spreading on his lined face.

"I believe that you and I need our time together as well."

If it had been up to him, Hatter would have been racing through the halls and the stairways like the mad fool he could be, never stopping until he reached Alice and Jack. Never mind the danger he would put himself into...or the chance that he could be caught. He likely would have had to run into the masses of Knights eventually, likely been shot at or stabbed. Maybe killed, likely beaten, and even more likely, he would have some blood get into his clothing.

But as it was, he was forcing himself to think clearly and not with the anxiety pounding in his mind. He wasn't going to do something as silly as what he instinctively wanted to do. Not right now at least.

Charlie was winded from their sprint up the steps but he kept up with Hatter's quick stride surprisingly well. Hatter had, at first, been following the Knave through the halls but the older man was starting to lag behind, wheezing hard as he breathed. Even Charlie had passed him at this point and Hatter had to constantly check over his shoulder to be certain that the Knave was with them. The Knave was still giving them orders to go this way or go that way but he had to constantly hold himself up on the wall. The hurried pace was wearing him down hard and his eyes were squinted as if he were having a hard time seeing at all. Hatter slowed down and looked ahead of himself in exasperation.

"Come on, mate," he ordered the Knave lowly. "I'm not sure where we're goin', you know."

"I'm all right," the Knave insisted in frustration, the way he had to talk slowly in order to have the breath to speak showing that he was anything but fine. "I'm just tired."

Hatter stopped long enough to look him over. The Knave stared back at him, daring him to say anything but Hatter backed off. "All right. Let's just keep moving, yeah?"

The Knave nodded, pointing left to where the halls widened. Charlie and Hatter exchanged a brief look when the Knave turned to take the lead but Charlie gave the younger man a flap of his fingers to insist that he go first. Hatter shrugged, following the Knave. He overtook him eventually, the Knave's burst of energy leaving him quickly so that he took his place between Hatter and Charlie. He whispered directions to them, looking for the stairwell signs but seeing none.

His memory about this area of the Palace was foggy at best. Too many years imprisoned, too many days spent in strategy rooms, and not enough learning, the Knave thought wearily as he focussed on keeping his steps one after another. He had thought that he had escaped his fall in the White Manor with no more than a few bumps and bruises but just after their escape it had become clear to him that he was damaged internally. Now he was simply pushing to get himself to follow the others, to make sure that he could help protect Jack as he had sworn to do. The agony in his lungs threatened to make him fall once more but he kept his breathing shallow, not wanting to cause Hatter or Charlie to insist that he rest or worse...leave him behind when they realized how weak he was becoming.

They had come to a juxtaposition of the halls, lit up by bright white bulbs hanging from chandeliers overhead. Hatter peered around the corner, feeling the Knave come to his shoulder. The man coughed several times, the sound muffled by his sleeve pressed to his mouth. Hatter looked at him, seeing the blood staining the material but he looked away when the Knave raised his eyes to his.

"Which way?"

"We can get up to the Ballroom through the stairs. I just have to remember which one of the staircases leads up to it," the Knave answered.

Hatter gave a tip of his head. "Be real good if you could remember in the next five seconds."

The Knave bit into his lower lip as he tried to think it over, wracking his brain to think of which way to go. "Stay here," he whispered. "I have to see if the way is clear."

Before Hatter or Charlie could protest, he was slipping into the hallway and pressing against the walls as he went. Despite his obvious pain, he moved with incredible stealth and Hatter lost sight of him in the shadows. Hatter felt Charlie press close and saw that the old Knight was ready to question him but Hatter put his finger to his lips. The message was clear and Charlie closed his mouth and settled behind Hatter to wait.

The Knave moved quickly, counting the doors he crept past as he went. He clutched hold of his side, the tight bandages that bound his ribs no longer doing much good. Breathing in and out deeply now, he ran his hands over the doors, looking back and forth to make sure no one was following him and that no one was coming toward him. The doors led to a variety of places, if memory served, some to service elevators, others to the court apartments. But he knew that Jack would be going to the Ballroom and he remained focussed on it. The only moment he stopped was when his coat snagged on the ridge of a dumbwaiter elevator left open. He kept moving otherwise, checking each way and listening for anything. The halls, like many in the Palace, were empty and he relaxed just slightly, ready to move if he had to. He wasn't exactly sure how fast he would be able to move though.

When he reached the tenth stairwell door, he paused and put his hand on the doorknob. This should be the right one, but why was he hesitating to open the door now? Why did it feel like his hand tingle the moment he grasped the brass knob?

Pushing aside his discomfort, he let the door swing open and saw the iron stairs that ran in spirals from his feet upward. They were empty, the only sound the ping of water leaking to drop onto the iron rails. With a sigh of relief, he turned around to call the others and felt a sudden dull pain against his shoulder. As if someone had given him a clap on the shoulder. Turning around, confused, he looked at the stairs and saw nothing.

He made to step blindly through the narrow doorway and felt a sudden pain in his throat that was very real and very sharp. The sort that would follow a knife cut and he stopped himself. The pain of it shocked him to a standstill and he grew more aware how far away Hatter and Charlie were from him. He was alone...he should be alone here.

The shadows quivered and with a faint crackling sound, Chesh appeared the way a hologram might have.

The Knave froze as he stared at the Cheshire standing so casually before him. Chesh gave him that slow-spreading, vicious grin of his, the one that went nearly ear to ear, and tipped his head on the side. He flickered his eyes over the Knave with an expression of amusement and pushed his spectacles up his nose as if to take a better look at the pale man's ragged form. The Knave frowned in confusion at Chesh, lifting his hand to his neck and pulling it away with a small trace of blood. He stared at the drops of blood before finally looking back up at Chesh, who was no longer smiling.

"So sorry, Knave. But I think your time is passed. You did do what you wanted to do, somewhat," Chesh told him in a mocking yet friendly voice. Then his eyes hardened and the Knave put his hand to his gun holster. His fingers were just going around the butt of his gun when Chesh's hand lifted and slashed through the air from left to right and then back the other way. The Knave chortled, hands clasping at his throat and feeling the cuts made across his jugular, and he pressed his hands in vein to try to stop the spurt of blood. The cuts were deep and Chesh squinted his eyes at the man as he sank to his knees slowly.

The Knave managed to breathe out, struggling to hold onto his consciousness. He knew that Chesh had been smart, only striking out at him when he was so weak and dying already. "You'll meet your own end, Chesh. And you will wish for death."

Chesh smiled coldly while he wrapped his fingers in the Knave's short hair and tilted his head back, the fresh wounds on the Knave's throat gaping and weeping bright red blood. He knelt down close so that he could look the Knave in his now lavender eyes. "I don't take warnings from dead men."

That said, he lifted his short rapier again and stabbed hard into the Knave's belly, wanting to be certain that he would die. After the episode with the Queen regarding the Stone, he was not about to risk anything further. The flesh gave instantly to the sharp rapier and the Knave groaned when Chesh twisted the blade upwards. Chesh waited, holding the blade deep into the Knave until the man stopped twitching and, with a soft chortle of blood bubbling from his mouth, fell lifelessly forward into him. Sniffing in disgust, Chesh pushed him to the side with the manner of someone touching something disgusting before he stood. Calmly, he wiped the rapier clean with his handkerchief until it was sparkling silver once more.

Hearing the sound of someone running through the halls, he quickly closed the door to the stairs and stepped back into the shadows to wait.

Author's Note: Chapter title refers to my earlier reference in T&C about how all of our little Taiga travellers resemble a chess piece. Really, imo, Chesh also resembled a bishop, so to speak. Alas, the Knave drew short straw.