Warning: Just a little bit of violence here, more battlefield than torture.
Alice was glad to see that Harriette was where she was expected to be and when she was expected to be there. Nudging the Bandersnatch forward, several in the small party of future explorers backed up nervously, still intimidated by the creature's frumious appearance. Alice slid from the Bandersnatch's spotted fur, landing with a thumb on the cobblestone below.
"I've done just as you've said, love," Harriette beamed with a proud smile. Alice returned the gesture, nodding her head.
"And for that I greatly appreciate it," Alice replied, her hands on her hips as she surveyed the people and creatures before her.
Beezy was the first to speak up, holding up a dagger in her hand as she looked at the blonde with a determined grimace, "I'm ready for whatever commands you have for me, m'lady."
Alice returned her set gaze, knowing that the woman would take whatever she had to say to heart; "You need to be the bravest you have ever been." Alice looked to the other creatures, knowing that they would all need the pep talk. "One can never guess what terrors can be found where we are going, but it's still important that we keep our wits about us and we go forward in the name of courage. If you don't think you'll be able to have bravery and valor, then it would be best for you to stay here with King Gavin and try to repair the damage that has been served our dear city." Alice met each of her friend's eyes, not wanting them to be intimidated to leave, but trying to convince them the severity of the mission at hand.
Chess apparated at Alice's shoulder, his luscious striped tail curling around her neck as his teal eyes remained half closed, forever portraying a sense of ennui. "Our dear Alice is most correct; bravery and tenacity are certainly required for this mission. But don't forget you are Underlandian," he instructed enigmatically. Alice looked to the cat with a confused glance, but he was quick to answer her puzzlement, "You must be careful to remember that this is a world of nonsense. The most dangerous thing that one can do in the Red Keep is to try to make things make sense of anything and everything." He purred to her.
"Wise words, Chess," Alice nodded her head. "Now, if you wouldn't mind setting off ahead of the party, I am sure we would all be grateful."
"I'm sure," Chess replied, flicking his tail as he examined his claws mockingly. "The things I do for your husband…"
"We all appreciate it, Chess," Alice's voice was tight with vexation, "and we'll certainly appreciate it more once we've done something about this particular predicament."
"I'm off, Mrs. Hightopp," Chess answered with the tilt of his head and the roll of his eyes. He brought his tail tightly about his body and quickly evaporated into his usual dimension.
Alice, shaking her head at the cat's irritating stalling, turned to the rest of the party. They all watched her eagerly, awaiting the woman to give them further direction. Alice took a deep breath, nodding her head curtly to call upon her own courage, and crawled atop the back of the Bandersnatch once more.
She had also fetched several horses for the other adventurers to ride upon, letting loose their reigns for Harriette and Beezy to catch.
Harriette climbed atop her red roan mare expertly, taking the leather leads in hand and settling her body into the supple saddle. Beezy, on the other hand, looked up at her dappled gelding with wide brown eyes. With some instruction from her friends, she was able to scamper atop the horse clumsily, sitting like a fish out of water on the saddle. Her knuckles were white as she clutched her own set of reigns, the look of terror not once leaving her brown eyes. The Captain of the Knights crawled up behind her, allowing a firm and confident rider upon the same horse, in the off chance that Beezy lost her collection and sent her horse on a wild run off in the wrong direction. Alice tried to stifle a chuckle, not wanting to insult her friend or interrupt her brave first attempt at riding, but finding amusement in the petrified look of the all-too-determined-but simultaneously-terrified servant.
Alice watched as Mally scampered up the fur of the Bandersnatch, her small hat pin sword bouncing at her side as joined Alice atop the beast. When she had reached the Bandersnatch's back, she climbed to Alice's shoulder, looking to the girl with her chocolate brown eyes, a resolved frown upon her small mouth.
"Let's go, Alice; there's a Red Queen out there who needs to be served some justice," the dormouse said emphatically, looking to the horizon ahead.
Alice nodded her head in agreement, raising the Vorpal blade in the air in a martial symbol of commencement of a journey. Alice nudged the Bandersnatch, the creature's slinking gate beginning slowly, but quickly began to pick up speed as she led the small army through Marmoreal. The sharp clacks of the horses echoed behind her. The group attracted the attention of the courtiers and citizens of Marmoreal, all turning to look with faces agape with awe and optimism. Some of the children began to run alongside the trio of animals, whooping and shouting, ushering the group toward the outskirts of town. The men and women lined the main street into Marmoreal, clapping and cheering as they watched Alice pass, determination set on her round face.
This small battle was going to decide which party would win the war. The small group was inspiring hope in a people that were losing everything. Alice prayed that they would be able to begin to gain it back.
Alice now had more on the line than just her head.
The day's journey through Witzend, and to the surrounding Outlands, was tedious and tiring. The Bandersnatch below her kept an even pace throughout the day, even as the sun rose to its zenith, but she knew he was growing weary from the exertion of energy. The horses behind her, carrying the rest of the party, could be heard snorting and gasping. Alice held on fiercely to the creature and even his frumious smell couldn't keep her from pulling herself tight, flattening her body against his. Mally clutched to Alice's shoulder, her small hat pin sword in her hand. The woman turned for to look back at the horses, occasionally, noticing that were pushing hard to keep up. Surely they would not be able to keep up the pace throughout the evening and into the night.
Oh, please let us be close. She prayed.
She knew that they were reaching their ends, as well, and hoped that they were well enough after a short rest to be able to turn around and return to Marmoreal that same day. She didn't dare stop now, no matter how weary all were getting; stopping for a moment could tempt the travelers to stop for the night. Alice had waited far too long for this venture out to risk it being stopped by one of the well-intentioned friends who rode with her.
As the afternoon wore on, the horses and Bandersnatch charging forward on unbelievable verve, a feat Alice didn't question, but appreciated. As the Time passed, so the uneasiness grew. Tension filled the air the closer they got to the Outlands; Alice found that her chest hurt every time she tried to take a breath, her ribcage pressing in on her, threatening to squeeze all the air from her body. She wished for the one hundredth time since Mirana had told her about it, that she was able to hellseziend. She would be to tell Tarrant in soft soothing tones, her mind could imagine them, that she was on her way, she was nearly there.
Just a little longer, my mad man. She thought wildly, hoping that perhaps maybe, just maybe she could break the barrier and send him the message.
Nothing but silence came in the thought's wake.
Even if she wasn't able to hellseziend, she could still feel her pull to her husband increase as the party began to cross the sunbaked wastelands of the Outlands, beginning to slow down as the Bandersnatch's keen nose picked up the scent of his previous master.
This part of the world Alice did not know; she had come to know much of the Tulgey woods and could travel about Marmoreal with no fear of getting lost. But Tarrant hadn't taken her out this far, and while certainly there was possibility that he didn't have Time, she figured there was probably a good reason to avoid such places.
Before reaching the scorched desert land of the Outlands, the trees had begun to grow less bright, appearing to fight to even stay alive in such an environment. The thinned and waned the closer they got to the woods' edge, until the last few trees bowed their heavy branches toward the desert beyond. Here they were subject to the elements; the hot white sun bearing down on the group, hanging above in a graying sky. As the Bandersnatch continued forward into the desert, Alice began to feel fear gripping her heart.
The desert had been eerily quiet since they had entered; any sounds of wildlife had been quelled by the inhospitable environment and there were no more trees for the wind to rustle their leaves. Even Harriette and Beezy remained silent since entering the desert. They had been chatting freely about their childhoods in Witzend and Ipalm, longing for the way that old Underland had run under Mirana and Iracebeth's parents. There was no infighting between monarchs and their land had flourished with trade with outside kingdoms. All had been stemmed when the Queen had died, bequeathing her throne to the eldest. Not long after her death Iracebeth banished her sister and murdered her husband, setting up her fortress at Salazan Grum and ruling the land with an iron fist. The less than charming monarch had cut ties with all trade relations and sent the land into an isolated retrograde, determined to have ultimate control. After Iracebeth had dismissed all ambassadors and tradesman, Underland slipped into a dark age and many moved to Marmoreal in the hopes of helping the wise Mirana take back control.
Alice hoped that she would be able to experience the Underland Beezy and Harriette spoke fondly about, knowing that the upcoming trial would be a test of whether she would have the wits, skill, and tenacity to best Iracebeth one final Time. Alice felt her heart pounding in her ears as her chest pounding with fear of the uncertainty. The silence was unnerving her, sending her head spinning with the possibility of not being able to find where Iracebeth and her horrid crew had holed themselves away.
In the midst of her racing thoughts, she heard The Captain of the Knights let out a cry of alarm, his horse braying out a terrified whinny. Alice quickly turned in her seat to investigate the source of such panic. To her dismay she found that the crew had been jumped by red rooks lying in wait; the horses of the Captain and Beezy had been knocked down, stopped by the much larger leopards that the rooks rode.
Alice panicked, directing the Bandersnatch to turn around and face the enemy. Surely he could defeat the leopards with the swipe of his terrible claw.
"No! Go!" The Captain yelled. Alice watched several of the rooks atop leopards turn to face her Bandersnatch head on. She wrapped her hands tightly into the creature's fur, holding for dear life as he rose up on his hind legs, pawing at one of the leopards. The first leopard was swift and dodged the attack, the second was sent flying to the desert floor with a snarl. Several more circled the Bandersnatch, their green eyes watching him warily as they calculated their attacks.
"Oh, Alice, what are we going to do?" Mally squeaked, dropping down to the safety of the fur before Alice. The mouse had her hat pin sword in hand, ready to jump down into the midst of the fighting if Alice were to command it.
Alice knew that fighting this outnumbered in a strange place would led to certain defeat and unnecessary death. Surrender, however, would ensure capture…which would guarantee a journey to the Red Keep, where Tarrant was being held.
But only if they didn't know who they had taken captive.
"Keep quiet about who I am," Alice ducked her head to whisper to the mouse, "that's the only way we can keep Tarrant, and the rest of you, safe when we are captured. But first, let's try to give these rooks a bit of a fight; we can't go down that easily."
Mally paused, her mouth hanging open as if she was about to say something in protest. A sudden twinkle in her eye showed that she realized the benefit of Alice's plan to be taken by the rooks— but to not appear too eager to be capture in the meantime.
Mally smiled precociously up at Alice before she took a blind flying leap backwards, landing on the head of one of the leopards. Swiftly she stuck her hat pin in his nose. The leopard roared and pawed at its sensitive oral factory which gave the Bandersnatch enough time to swipe at the leopard, taking him and the rook out. Mally quickly jumped to the next rook and stabbed the soldier's hand, causing him to let go of the leopard's reigns. He gave a sharp scream and tried to bat at the small creature, who used his upset balance to kick at his castle-head and send him falling to the earth below, his leopard running off back into the mountains beyond.
Satisfied that Mally was doing just fine on her own, Alice turned back to see the status of her friends. The Captain and Beezy had been thrown from their horse, who was already heading back for Marmoreal with Harriette's horse in tow. The Captain had his sword in hand, taking experienced swings at several rooks who had engaged him in unfair swordplay. Alice knew he would be able to hold his own as a skilled soldier, just as her dormouse friend would be able to take care of her own tail. She worried most for her servant friends, who had little experience in defending themselves.
She turned to discover, much to her delight, that her dear friends were holding on their one more than she thought them capable. Harriette and Beezy stood back to back, instinctively hiding their most vulnerable positions and working together to make themselves into an all-around defensive reaction. Harriette was the surprisingly more confident of the two; she held her sword with white knuckled fists, her dark eyebrows crossing as she grimaced at the beasts before her. Beezy's hands shook, her face felled to a look of fear and apprehension as the four rooks upon their terrible leopards cinched their circle around the two ladies in waiting. One dared to come close enough to Harriette, the woman striking out deftly with the sharp saber, catching the large cat on the eye. He howled in misery, jumping back and keeping his distance. Harriette let out a triumphant guffaw.
"Serves you right!" She shook her sword in a scolding fashion at the cat. "Stay back or I'll do it again!"
"I don't think we should be making them more angry, Harriette," Beezy's suggestion came out in a squeak. "They outnumberin' us and all."
Harriette's face paled at her comrade's words. Alice knew that the girl was right; it certainly wasn't a Time for celebration. Even this surrender would be but a small victory, not winning the entire war.
This game was still able to be won by either party.
Alice shook her head, directing her Bandersnatch toward the two lady servants in the hopes that she would be able to get them upon her steed's back and away from the imminent threat of the rooks. She was halted in her attempt by two snarling leopards that bounded into the frumious creature's path, setting the Bandersnatch into a blind rage. She held on as the Bandersnatch reared again, as he began to wipe at the guards before him. Her fingers dug into the spotted fur, her knees pressing into his round sides as she struggled for balance and control.
Thus, it was to her surprise that a hand weaved itself into her own tumbling blonde waves, yanking her backwards and upsetting her already precarious balance. With a cry, Alice conceded to the pull and tumbled off the back of the Bandersnatch, landing on her stomach in the dirt. The wind was knocked from her chest and she gasped in fright, trying to catch a breath of air. Pain shot through her ribs as she continued to gape like a fish out of water. She looked up with wide eyes to discover that a sharp dagger was pointed at her face.
"Tell the Bandersnatch to stop," a rook commanded from beneath his tower-like helmet. Alice found small tendrils of breath as she was pulled to her feet by the red soldier; her fingers wrapped about his arm as she was pressed to him, the cold metal of the dagger that was once presented in her face was no placed in the sharp curve of her neck.
Alice coughed as she fought fear and the need to take in large gasps of air. The Bandersnatch continued in his rage as the rooks that had startled him tried to quell his fury. Their lances were pointed useless towards the creature who had enough strength to snap them in half like dry twigs.
Alice struggled in the rook's arms, letting go of his wrist with one of her hands to try to reach her own dagger at her hip. The rook twisted his other arm about her body, blocking her reach toward her side and biting the blade of the dagger deeper into her throat. She gulped as she could feel the weapon begin to hewn her skin.
"Tell him to stop or I slit your neck." The rook commanded once more.
Alice could tell that this man meant his threat and with a heavy heart she ceased her protest, falling limp into his tight grasp. Catching the Bandersnatch's attention with a low whistle, she subtly shook her head, commanding him to stop.
The Bandersnatch complied, ceasing his rearing and falling to the ground with a low groan; one of the leopards that had been blocking his path took the chance to pounce on his humped back, his compatriot circling the creature to allow his mount to bind the Bandersnatch with ropes.
Mally had tried to bury herself in the massive neck of the Bandersnatch in the hopes that she wouldn't be spotted, but a leopard quickly sought her out with several inquisitive sniffs. She was caught by her tail, left to dangle unceremoniously as the rook look at her with a small laugh.
"They haven't got enough left in their army, they have to send their smallest soldiers," the knight quipped as Mally glared back at him with chocolate eyes filled with spite.
The Captain of the Knights was overtaken as several more red rooks joined in the fight against him. He was engaged in sword combat with three rooks on their feet, not noticing the fourth sneaking up deftly behind on his leopard. With a snarl, the large cat pounced forward and knocked the Captain to the ground, ensuring victory by placing his sword to the back of the fallen knight's head. Seeing that the more experienced warriors had fallen, Beezy quickly dropped her weapon, allowing it to clatter to the ground as she held her hands up in surrender. Harriette had to be disarmed by one of the knights; she cried out in protest as her wrist was caught and twisted, her sword falling from her now opened hand. Left defenseless, the rooks had the bound the ladies in waiting in a matter of moments.
Alice felt her heart grow heavy as she watched her friends fall slowly and surely to the hands of the enemy, knowing that she was the reason that they were all in such danger to begin with. She tried to ignore the ache in her muscles to fight back, to grab for the dagger in this moment of distraction and fight just a little longer. But such a move would ensure that she or one of her fellows would meet harm. Much to her chagrin, she instead fell limply into the rook's arms that held her.
She had known coming into the Outlands that there was a chance that she would need to be captured in order to save Tarrant. She had been right in her calculations, now it was Time to play the part of clueless captured victim. She had little work let to do; let them lead her right into the Queen's liar and to Tarrant.
She was surprised when she was turned to face the rook behind her, instead of being bound by the wrists and caravanned away with her comrades.
"Where is Alice?" The soldier demanded, shaking Alice and jarring her as he prematurely began his interrogation.
"I don't know." Alice replied, shaking her head. She winced as he shook her hard once more, her neck cracking at the force. "She certainly isn't with us, because that would be stupidity!" Alice laughed, trying to force a crazed smile across her reddening cheeks. "Sending in the Champion to the heart of the enemy's camp? Even a lunatic would' make that choice."
"The White Queen would be foolish enough," the rook shook his head, disagreeing with the girl before him. "She thinks this Champion of hers to be indestructible; if I even had a juggernaut such as this famed Alice is supposed to be, and my city was just sacked, I would be desperate enough to send such a soldier forward. I am sure Mirna would do the same." He increased his grip on Alice's arm.
"You're hurting me," Alice hissed, trying to ignore the metal of his gloves that was beginning to punch through the tender skin of her arm.
The rook shook his castled head. "Oi love, this is nothing if you don't reveal to us where the White Queen and that Alice creature is," he shoved Alice sharply between her shoulder blades, letting forth a laugh as he shook his head.
He roughly grabbed hold of her wrist, binding first the right tightly with metal chains, uniting it with her left. Her wrists clenched as she gave an experimental yank at her binds, but her arms would not separate from one another. Taking her by the elbow, the rook led her to his great cat, tossing her unceremoniously on to the striped fur, harnessing her to his crudely made saddle. The cat smelled of rust and salt, his fur damp with perspiration.
"Oi, lads, come on!" He shouted to his band of soldiers, nudging his own steed into a lope across the sun cracked desert.
The bumps of the leopard's strides made her head ring, a dull pain beginning at the base of her skull from the whiplash. She would have preferred to have been tucked before him, able to watch where they were headed instead of seeing everything in hindsight.
The pack of cats and their chessman riders began to ascend into the mountains, skillfully leaping from rock formation to rock formation as they lithely made their climb into the crags and crevices of the looming peaks. Alice hissed as a mountain wall came close to her head, grazing her temple along the rough edge of a small crevice that cats were winding themselves through.
The leopards were forced into single file as they continued through the small opening in the mountain, their bodies rippling with muscle as they moved deftly and swiftly. Alice held her breath as her leopard took a flying leap across a chasm, landing easily on the other side. The path soon gave way to a valley that was as arid and dull as the Outlands wastes, but held a promise of life as shade was abundant and the sounds of a flowing river could be heard in the distance.
As the leopard's slowed, Alice hung her head in defeat. She would never be able find this place on her own, again, and it was a miracle that she was being brought to such a secluded fortress now. It was just as well that she was caught and taken here.
As they entered the camp Alice watched closely as they passed through small burrows and tents and nests where the surrounding army had staked places to sleep and rest after their campaigns. Rats, wolves, monkeys, weasels, leopards, woodchucks, people who had limbs of odd proportions or strange growths on their extremities, even some flamingos were counted among the rabble. She was astounded not only by the sight of the rebels she observed, but their sheer number. She found herself shaking her head in dismay. All these people following Iracebeth because they wanted to be seen as better. Wasn't being seen as equals and being treated fairly enough?
She supposed that some people would just never be satisfied until they made it to some type of high in society, even if that high society was among tyrants and thieves and murderers. Anyone that would give them a sort of place, a name, a title. All the things Alice dreaded and loathed when she was growing older. High society had made spoiled imbeciles out of so many she knew; it was not worth it. And surely a title and prestige was not worth the harm.
Though, perhaps this was not too unlike the socialites she was raised among in London and the surrounding country.
The leopard Alice had been tossed upon slowed to a stop, its rider slipping to the ground below with a thud of his metal riding boots. Alice groaned as her body, cramping from inuse, was pulled from the back of the leopard. She was set upon the ground where she struggled for balance, her calves screaming in pain as she tried to stand upon them.
"I think it best to be as cooperative and useful as possible, silly little girl," the rook said to her with a grimace, "if you think my treatment is bad, you would be wise to keep King Istvan far from you."
Alice pursed her lips, showing that she was not going to talk to anyone, regardless if such an interrogator was a rook or a 'king'. The rook shook his head, leading her toward the formidable fortress before them.
The castle was made out of limestone and fauna, carefully pieced together to stand as tall as a tower could in the midst of a desert valley. Its top spire was cockeyed, as the vine twisting around the thing limestone was bending the rock. She was led through a carved arched entryway, her riding boots clicking on the stone tiles below her.
She knew she was not going to be offered a tour of the temporary palace, but she had hoped to see more of what Iracebeth had achieved in her Time in the Outlands. Clearly she had accomplished more than Mirana thought she was capable.
Alice was dragged down the main corridor of the crudely constructed castle, the rooks holding onto both of her elbows opened one of the first sets of doors off to their left. It revealed a twisting staircase that descended into the belly of the palace.
This was the dungeons. There was no doubt about it. Her stomach curdled with bile as she heard cries for mercy, the scent of urine and blood hung in the air. Alice felt her body contract, fighting against her captors as she desperately fought for freedom. The rooks proved stronger than she, and she was incapacitated with the right amount of pressure placed on her shoulder muscle.
She watched limply as they led her past the grim looking cells lining the corridor, only stopping when they reached an ominous black door. The portal squeaked on its hinges when it was opened, and Alice gasped at the sight of a blood stained and dirty holding cell. She began to kick furiously as the rook let go of her arm, but they used her force to send her reeling into the cell before her.
The door was shut behind her loudly.
She gingerly placed a hand to her head, her fingers dancing along the side of her temple, realizing it was thicker with blood than she had originally thought. Pulling her palm in front of her she saw it was painted crimson. Alice let out a groan of frustration. She had little Time to concentrate on stemming the bleeding; she needed to have her mind together so she would be prepared when the questions started.
"All you alright, Miss?" a voice hissed through the vent next to her.
"Who is it?" Alice looked about the room, noticing an overturned barrel left to rot in the corner. She grunted as she dragged the barrel across the soiled floor to the wall right before the vent. Climbing atop it she stood on her tiptoes, her hands clutching the bars as she looked into the cell beside her.
"Oh, you two!" Alice cried out with relief. Harriette and Beezy were looking up at her from the ground below. Alice pressed her forehead against the bars. "I am so sorry I led you into this mess. I thought it was going to be so much easier."
"It's alright, miss," Harriette shook her head, her normally coifed brown hair was tumbling over her thick shoulders. "We stand with you, duck, no matter how hard the circumstances. And we knew they'd be hard, right Beezy?"
"Ali-"Beezy began, but Harriette shushed her, tackling her to the ground, placing her hand on her mouth.
"Shh, cloud heads, we can't be using the Missus's name because then they be knowing who she is!" Harriette's voice was lined with irritation, as she rolled her eyes at her friend. Beezy nodded her head in understand.
Alice stifled a laugh, looking about the cell to see the type of cage Harriette and Beezy had found themselves confined to. She noticed in the corner that there was a gilded swinging bird cage, but the small jail did not contain any bird creatures. Instead a little mouse was pacing back and forth, back and forth, her tiny paws clacking against the metal bottom of her personal confinement.
"Who else is here? Can you see?"
"Sure we can!" Beezy nodded her head conspiratorially. "The Captain of the Knights is across the way, and he looks right miserable. And Mally be in our cell," she pointed up to the birdcage Alice had already noticed.
"That Cheshire cat be here, also, he's in the cell to the other side of us." Harriette answered. Alice's eyes widened.
Chess is here? But how?
"Chess! What are you doing here?" Alice whispered harshly, hoping he'd hear her through the vent.
"Ranghild found me snooping around," he answered her, confirming that he was able to hear exactly how irked she was that he had been caught. "I had just found the way into this disarray of a camp and was about to return to find you when he found me. Rather rotten string of luck on my part."
"Oh, Chess," Alice shook her head, wondering how she was going to get all of them out of this mess.
A sudden clanging of bars along with the rattling of chains silenced any hope of further conversation among the capture party. She watched as Beezy and Harriette cowered in the back of their cell. Alice rushed to the small windowed door of hers to see what the racket was about.
She watched as one of the black knights dragged an unconscious prisoner down the filthy corridor, the inert lull of the man's head giving her hint as to how he had fared against his interrogators. His shoes dragged along the earthen floor, making terrible digs along the corridor. His hair was dirty and speckled with blood, but Alice could almost swear in the dim light that it was red.
The door of the confined cell next to hers was opened on similar rusty hinges, and she could hear the thump of his body as he was thrown into the cell on the left.
The voice of the knight was muffled through the thick walls. "If you talked, you wouldn't be treated so harshly. He might be merciful if you helped out our little coup."
The door next to her was shut with a gentle click, the rook walked by her room, the clicking of shoes grew dimmer as he continued down the hallway. The sound of doors closing echoed down the corridor, signaling that the prisoners were once again alone.
Alice quickly turned back to the discard barrel, dragging it from one side of the room to the other, where she found a similar looking vent. She was glad that the men in charge of interrogation didn't want their charges to suffocate. Else she'd have difficulty peering in on the stranger beside her.
He looked the worst for wear as she looked down at him, he was sprawled on his stomach, face turned away from her, in the position he must have been dropped in by the rook. A frown crossed her mouth as she felt pity for the poor creature.
"Hello there," Alice tried to get his attention with a soft voice, she saw the man stir his head slightly. She gingerly placed her head against the bars, hissing as the scrape on her temple hit the rusty piping. "Are you here because of your support for Mirana?" She inquired hopefully. Perhaps if he was on the White side, she would be able to include him in their escape plan.
"Downal bluddy behg hed." His voice was rough, thick from thirst and damage.
Alice bounced on her toes, a smile crossing her face. "Yes! Yes. Downal!" She agreed, glad to hear the code word from the original rebellion. Alice lowered her voice as she gave her confession. "I am here because I want to see the Red Queen fall also. I came to save someone, you see, someone very near and dear to me," Alice's heart pounded, as the idea that he might have met Tarrant in his captivity ballooned in her chest, "if they found out who I am though, I am afraid that both of us would be in very big trouble." She frowned, shaking her head as her thoughts raced. "I don't know how much longer I can fool them, I have had a good string of luck so far but we both know that luck's string only goes so far and then you are left dangling with whatever cards are given to you. They really aren't the brightest bunch, since they clearly cannot see who I am now; I am not even in disguise. The royals haven't seen me yet and I'm not convinced that the Queen will be fooled for long, and while the King has never properly met me I can't help but feel that he's-"
"Alice," the voice cracked.
"I'm sorry," Alice shook her head, knowing she was rambling onwards.
She paused again when she realized that though she had talked about her identity, she had not revealed it. Tilting her head, she looked down at him with stitched eyebrows. "Wait...how do you know who I am?"
A renewed strength seemed to enter the man's body and he was able to sit himself up, his head tilting upwards to reveal a very familiar, and very comforting, face.
"I know a mad woman when I hear one." He managed a pained smile, his brilliant green eyes looking up to her welled with tears.
"Tarrant!" She nearly cried, swallowing hard to keep herself from screaming in joy. She fought back tears as she pressed her arm through the vent, knowing it would be impossible to reach him at the bottom, but wanting to try in desperation all the same.
"Oh, my Mad Hatter," tears ran unbidden down her cheeks. "I was worried for a time that I wouldn't see you again."
Tarrant stood, his taller stance allowed him to reach up and grab her proffered hand, lacing his fingers within her own. He studied her face, a frown crossing his crimson lips, cracked and bruised, as he looked her over. "Alice, is that blood I see running down yehr 'ead?" He stepped forward, cocking his head in concern.
Alice blinked away tears, shaking her head as she brushed away the scrape. "It's nothing, I cut it on our way through the canyon. I wasn't as...free as I'd liked to be and I met the face of a rock instead of avoiding it." She had little interest in talking about her own trials when it was clear he had gone through worse.
Her heart shattered as she looked down at him, seeing a grotesque version of a husband she had come to adore. While his green eyes were bright beholding her, they were still swollen and purple, his prominent cheekbones were lost because of the bruises that marked his pale face. He was naked save for a tattered pair of pants, without his shirt she could see the red welts marking his chest and abdomen, the flaming stripes that crossed the tops of his shoulders and certainly made their way down his back. Alice pressed her face to the bars and looked at him more intensely.
"What have they done to you?" Her voice was filled with horror, an emotion she wished she hadn't conveyed so readily.
Tarrant smiled at her mischievously. He rocked up on his tiptoes to place a delicate kiss on the smaller knuckles of her fingers. "Alice, I will never ever tell them where you are or who you are."
His smiled showed his pain, a wince at the corner of his mouth showed that it clearly hurt to move his cheeks. Alice felt a tear slide down her face, hugging the gentle curve and dropping to the floor below.
"'ow Ah wesh Ah coul' kiss yeh," he burred, placing another kiss on her hands. "Ah'm afrai' Ah donnae 'ave any 'elp o'er 'ere teh reach yeh."
"Oh Tare," Alice returned his longing gaze, wishing she, too, could press her lips to his, no matter how chapped they were.
"Ah really shouldnnae anyway," Tarrant shook his head, trying to regain power over his errant emotions. "They are looking for both Alice and my wife. That is rather silly for why is Alice like my wife?" He asked with a sly wink.
"Because she is so," Alice smiled sadly, tilting her head as she continued to look down at him, wanting more than anything in the world to kiss him and hold him. But he was right, now was not the time. "We're going to get out of here, Tarrant, I promise."
She paused when footsteps reverberated down the corridor, signaling a return of a guard. Alice pulled herself away from the vent, falling to the floor below clumsily. A hand jiggled the doorknob of her cell and Alice froze, her upper body supported on her hands while she stopped in trying to gather her feet under her.
The door opened to reveal the dark featured man she had encountered in Mirana's bedchambers just days before. The crooked king who had ransomed her husband for information.
Being reminded of Tarrant's wounds, it took all of Alice's strength not to lunge at him in an attempt to strangle the life from his body.
"Well, well, well," he clucked as he entered Alice's cell. "One of you has to be the real Alice. And seeing as I've heard she's a pretty blonde thing, I doubt the two maids next door would fit the bill." His hands rested on his hips as he sneered down at her, a condescending frown crossing his pink mouth.
"Why would Alice want to come here?" The blonde looked around, shrugging her shoulders and gesturing to show her own disdain of such quarters.
The man laughed haughtily, shaking his head. "She would be foolish enough to come back," he looked waywardly to the wall next to Alice, the wall that house Tarrant on the other side. "Especially if we have her prized Hatter."
Alice glared at the man as he left her door, stepping over to the Hatter's to torment him. Though he no longer stood guard, Alice found her limbs frozen as she listened to Istvan's taunts, unable to lunge at the opportunity.
"Poor little White Rabbit almost scatted himself when my rook found him cowering in the study," Istvan's voice was cold and cruel, Alice shuttered. "Though you play me unfairly, good friend," Istvan's tone suggest he and Tarrant were anything but friends. "Tell me I'm not the only one who now finds it ironic that I scolded you for risking your wife for Alice when she is Alice!"
Alice brought her hands to her lap, carefully slipping off the rings and sticking them into her dress pocket, hiding any evidence that she was a married woman. She shut her eyes as she prayed that Istvan would leave Tarrant alone, that he would come and antagonize her for a while. Spare my husband.
"I am sure a little...convincing…will help us discover which one is you, Alice." Alice could hear him enter into Tarrant's room, his riding boots click-ing sharply. "Or, I suppose I could speak with you just a little longer…you don't seem to have been bothered much by our previous conversations," Istvan spoke to Tarrant gaily. She heard Tarrant groan as his chain clinked; he was being pulled to his feet.
"DON'T!" Alice jumped to her feet, the need to react coursing through her veins as she sprinted into the next cell. She leapt, landing on Istvan's back, her fists wailing on his shoulders and head, a feeble attempt to stay the enemy.
"Ah, Alice, you give yourself up so easily," the man shook her off, as if shaking off his coat, grabbing hold of her bound wrists quickly.
"Don't believe her, the girl is mad. I've never seen her before in my life." Tarrant laughed, weakly. "She's trying to be an Alice imposter, the nerve." He pulled himself up with a grimace, looking Alice over with the shake of his head. "You, little lass, do not have the courage nor the nerve to be my brilliant Alice. Your beauty is lack luster to the Champion's." Tarrant tipped forward, fighting for his balance as he cruelly mocked Alice.
Istvan reached forward and grabbed a fistful of Alice's blonde hair, producing a yelp from her as he exerted great force on her scalp. "We shall see who is and who isn't the real Alice, just a few questions should solve that for us."
Alice wriggled under his grasp, desperately trying to find freedom like a rabbit caught in a noose. She only wrapped herself tighter.
Istvan's eyebrow arched, his tone disinterested at Alice's attempt to struggle. "The Queen would know that brat of a girl anywhere, I am sure you are lying through your teeth, you spineless son of a milliner." He sighed.
Istvan quickly let go of Alice's hair and instead gripped the skin on the back of her neck, his nails digging into her tender skin. He then spat on the milliner, before turning sharply with the man's wife in his hands, pushing her forward on unsteady steps. Alice dared to glance back; Tarrant's face was etched with dismay and horror, an unbecoming look on a man she wanted so desperately to remain her rock. But it was killing him to see her treated like this, she knew that but there was nothing she could do to ease his pain.
And she only hoped she was able to endure hers with as much bravery and tenacity as he had borne his.
A/N: Holy guacamole, this story is getting so long thanks to my edits. I'm almost wondering if it's double the size of the original. Well, I hope you are enjoying this story nonetheless, despite the darkness we are going into. Every war has its causalities, right?
If you don't mind leaving a review, a like, a favorite, it's all appreciated! For those of you who have been faithfully reviewing, I thank you to the moon and back. This effort is made entirely for you!
Fairfarren,
Lydia