Chapter Nine
JACK
Alice was so cute and small but still seemed uncomfortable and stayed quiet throughout the walk. Although it was faster to carry Alice, he had completely forgotten how winding and long the Twisted Forest was; the fog was of no help either.
"Do you like walking in circles, Wild Card?" The Cheshire Cat purred in amusement.
"Unless I'm trying to waste time, then no." He sighed and stopped as they came to a multi series of crossroads with signs pointing in all directions.
"Shall I lead the way then?"
"Please, sir." Jack nodded in approval and the Cheshire Cat floated ahead to lead the way.
"Why couldn't he have offered to do that earlier?" Alice sighed as she cast a small glare at the Cheshire Cat.
"He probably wanted to test me and see how well I truly knew of the things in this area." Jack sighed. "I think I bored him enough to have him actually lead the way."
He glanced down at her and enjoyed the pretty shade of blue in her eyes as she looked up at him.
"Why are you helping me?" She asked while their eyes were still locked.
"At first it was to complete a promise I made to Absalom." Jack admitted as he continued to walk. "But now I'm beginning to think it is for my own selfish reasons . . ."
"What reasons would those be?"
"I can see colors when I'm around you." He admitted and enjoyed seeing a few hints of green in his world of gray and black and white.
"You can't see colors normally?"
"Nope." He shook his head. "I have a very monochrome world. I think it has something to do with the fact I am a Wild Card; and just the fact I'm a Card in general."
"Why would your being a Card matter?" Her brow furrowed.
"When you think of playing cards, what do you think of?" He asked just to get her mind thinking.
"Hearts, diamonds, spades, clubs."
"Good, but no." He chuckled. "The colors. What colors do you think of when you see cards?"
"Black, white, and red." She answered almost immediately. "But I still don't see why that has anything to do with how you can't see color."
"A Card is primarily made up of black and white." He tried to explain with more simple terms. "Though red is an addition, that is on rare occasions, or if it is striking enough for me to see it."
"So you can't see color because you're a Card?" He could tell by the tone in her voice that she wasn't comprehending it.
"Essentially." He quirked his mouth to the side to see if he could think of a better way to explain it to her. "When I was made, there was no color added into the pot other than red for the Queen's blood, so with the absence of color in my creation, there is absence of color in my existence."
"Then how can you see colors while you are around me?"
"That is what I'm trying to figure out . . ." He stopped and looked down at her. There was honestly nothing terribly striking about her that would make extremely unique or even powerful. She was a simple girl thrown into Underland, yet that seemed to be extremely unique entirely on its own.
"Do you possess any magical powers?" He asked.
"None that I know of." She shook her head.
"That scratches out the witch theory then." He hummed to himself. "Do you have any secret talents?"
"Secret talents?" She blinked.
"Something that you alone can do and no one else can do?"
"I don't think so." She shook her head. "Unless you count being able to have the same dream every single day for nine years, I'm pretty ordinary and boring."
"Or completely obsessed with a reality that is better than the one you originally live in." He smirked knowingly down at her.
"My father, on the other hand was able to think of impossible things." Sadness, a deep sadness, flickered in her eyes as she looked away from Jack. "He used to think of them all before we had breakfast."
"That sounds incredible." Jack nodded approvingly. "So many people are afraid of creativity because it means they have to think of things outside of their own limits. Quite the courage there."
"He would have loved to have met you, I think." She offered a weak smile to him before hugging herself. "He would have even loved this place too. It is pretty wonderful, actually." She looked around at the twisted branches above their heads. "There are just so many impossible things here."
"What makes them impossible?"
"There's fog that removes all sense of smell." She listed on her fingers. "There's a drink that makes you shrink, and a cake that makes you grow; how are those not impossible things?"
"Well, when most people eat cake, they usually grow." He snorted and continued his walk. "But a drink that makes you shrink does sound pretty impossible; except that it isn't here."
"I'm beginning to wonder if you're an impossible thing." She commented as she looked up at him.
"Why do you say that?" He raised an eyebrow at her. In all actuality she was more than likely right on that account. Wild Cards aren't supposed to exist in Underland, too many uncommon occurrences happen when one shows up; at least that's what Jack had always been told.
"I know for a fact that I have never met you before, but I feel as though I have known you for my entire life." She sounded far away as she answered. "Why is that? I don't know anything about you."
"Would you like to get to know me?" He stopped and looked down at her again. There was an immediate blush that came to her cheeks as he did so.
"Perhaps." She began to braid the ends of her hair rather nervously. "But should I?"
"Why shouldn't you?" He tilted his head in his question.
"You were sent to kill me, weren't you?" Her brow furrowed in confusion again. "So, should I really get to know you if you plan to kill me?"
"I think you should." He gave her a shrug.
"And I think we should keep going." The Cheshire Cat vaporated with his arms crossed. "If you keep dilly dallying, we will never leave the Twisted Forest."
"I'm following." Jack stuck his tongue out at the Cat and received and eyeroll in return. Jack continued to follow the evaporating cat and waited for Alice to decide if she wanted to get to know him or not. Much to his surprise she had finally relaxed against his arm and laid back in the crook of his elbow.
"What is your favorite color?" She finally spoke and Jack could only look down at her. "Oh, wait, that's right." She blushed and looked away. "Never mind, I'll ask another –"
"What is the color of your eyes?" He asked.
"They're blue." She blinked in surprise.
"Then I like blue." He smiled. "I really like the blue color of your eyes."
"Why?"
"It was the first color other than red that I had ever seen." He answered and her brow furrowed.
"Red was your first color you could see?"
"Yes." He answered shortly. He really did not want to get onto the topic of why he could see the occasional color of red and thought quickly of another question to keep her from asking. "What color are my eyes?"
"They're brown."
"Brown?" His nose turned up at the name of the color. "I don't know if I like that color. It doesn't sound very pretty."
"Some shades of brown are pretty." She looked up at him.
"Is the shade of my eyes a pretty brown?"
"Yes." She said almost instantly and looked away just as quickly.
"What is your favorite color, then?" He flicked his head to get his bangs out of his eyes.
"I think I'm really drawn to green a lot." She said thoughtfully. "It is a very popular color in England currently, though I like the shade of green that everything turns after it rains."
"Why is that?"
"Everything is brighter, happier, almost." She mused.
"It sounds like a pretty color." Jack secretly wished he could see the particular shade of green that she spoke of. It sounded very interesting.
"Why do you work for the Red Queen?" She asked suddenly. "You seem simply too different from her to possibly be working for her."
"In a way, she is my mother so it would be rude of me not to respect her and work for her." He bobbed his head left and right as he thought about it. "But, there's a certain responsibility that only I have, and I must do it. So, I must work for her in order to fulfill that responsibility."
"It sounds like it is a taxing responsibility." She commented. "I hope that it is rewarding for you in the end."
"I know it will be." He smiled quickly, though he was really speaking to himself. "She's still very young currently, so she's impatient and has a terrible temper but is full of so much passion in everything that she does. I can teach her some things to help her out as she continues to mature, but she's terribly stubborn and does things the hard way; especially with love. She has always had terrible luck with it. If she could finally love herself, even just a little, then she would be able to see the love that she has and the fake love that surrounds her in the court."
"It sounds like she has quite the romantic problem; though I don't think that I can say much for myself." Alice frowned with a sigh. "But, why would she need to love herself? Isn't that rather selfish thing to do."
"Sometimes it is a little okay to be selfish in that regard." He huffed as he began to climb a rather steep hill. "Far too many people do not like themselves, and even loathe their very own self being, so they try to seek out affections from someone who has an interest in them and try to leech off that to learn love. But that's not love, a lot of times that is just lust; and that rarely ends well if at all."
"I still don't understand why she should love herself though." Alice looked up at him.
"Because when you love yourself, you can know yourself better, you know what your self-worth is, you can be independent and not need the validation of another person to make yourself valid in such a crazy world such as this." He answered with a heavy sigh. "Love is such a fickle thing that can leave as quickly as it comes; and too many bad things happen to those who are not familiar with the falseness of another's affections and pretenses. If you don't know how love yourself then you will be easily swayed by the opinions of others, and others will make you vulnerable . . . She has never truly loved herself and has tortured herself by trying to find someone else to love her."
"Are you speaking from firsthand experience?"
"Just plenty of years of observations." He kept his eyes on the road ahead of them as they finally exited the Twisted Forest. The Cheshire Cat was waiting in midair with his tail flicking impatiently.
"You certainly took your time." He sounded miffed as he looked at Jack.
"Sorry." Jack panted with a laugh. "Not all of us have vaporating skills such as yourself."
"It is quite the pity." He smirked rather smugly as he stood up and stretched. "However, you still could have walked just a hair faster."
"At least allow me to catch my breath." He huffed and looked at the grand expanse.
Standing on the high hill that they were on Jack could see practically everything. All the way to the east he could see the White Castle sparkling in its pure glory. All the way to the south he could see the Red Castle radiating triumphant power. Below him would could see the winding hills and old haphazard Hat House with a series of long tables piled high with multiple tea pots, old cakes, and other oddities. Jack could see the Hatter's flaming hair from where he stood.
"It feels so much bigger than I remember. . ." Alice commented as she looked out to the grand expanse of Underland.
"Just when you think you've explored it all that's when you discover that there is so much more to Underland." He had a strange urge to pet her head, but he decided against it.
"There isn't an end to Underland." The Cheshire Cat purred as he appeared around Jack's shoulders. "The people may come and go, but Underland will never die."
"I don't know it that is a good thing or not for me." Alice sounded far away as she looked off in the distance towards the White Castle.
In all honesty it probably wasn't a good thing for her if she never wanted to return here, then again it probably wasn't a good thing for Jack either. He was a Wild Card and just like Alice he was an Outsider than had more or less been pulled into Underland. In different ways they posed as threats to the residents of Underland and depending on the choices that they made would determine just how threatening they could be. With Alice being so small in his arms he couldn't see her as a threat, especially since she was lost within herself as well. He hadn't been around her much, but he just couldn't figure out how she was supposed to take down the Jabberwocky. Jack on the other hand was perhaps the biggest threat posed to Underland. Not only was he working under the Queen of Hearts, but he could freely do as he wished because none of the others in Underland could really challenge him; not even the Jabberwocky would be able to oppose him.
Alice suddenly winced and brought his attention to her arm.
"What's wrong?" He continued to look at the bandaged arm.
"It just prickled a little." Her hand went to cover her arm.
"Perhaps the Hatter will have something for you." He tried to be reassuring, but he wasn't that hopeful that the Hatter would. He excelled in having everything that could possibly be made into a hat, but not always in medicinal items. If he didn't have and Bandersnatch Salve Jack would have to get some from his room in the Anti-Realm. Alice seemed to grow paler by the day and if she didn't get it taken care of then her arm would rot off and that would not be a fun thing to have to clean up.
"I just hope he has the cake that will make me grow." She settled back down into his arm and held her wounded arm as closely to her as she could. "I'm so tired of being this small and helpless."
"But you're so cute like this." He stuck his tongue out in a tease and enjoyed watching her face flush.
"I do agree." The Cheshire Cat purred alongside him. "You would make such a cute little doll."
"No thanks." She shook her head. "I want to go back to my normal height."
"Let's see if we can't accomplish that then." The Cheshire Cat floated on ahead and Jack continued to follow him.
The hill wasn't too bad of a descent and was much more manageable than it looked. Jack just had to be careful not to jostle her too much with her arm being so wounded. As they got closer to the Hatter's Tea Party an old record player drearily played a cheery ditty tune and all the normal tea partiers were all asleep. The Dormouse was in a teapot, the Hare was on a giant dinner platter, and the Hatter was slouched down in his high-backed chair.
"How funny would it be if I were able to scare the Hatter, hm?" A wicked flint in his eyes and a mischievous smile played about the Cheshire Cat's face as he stared predatorily at the Hatter.
"Hilarious, yes, but perhaps not the best." Jack suggested. "The Hare, on the other hand would be hysterical to see."
"But he's always such an easy scare." He pouted as he looked to the Hare. "Still, though, you are right, Wild Card. We will just have to settle on scaring the Hare."
"Why must you startle any of them?" Alice scolded. "It's rude to wake someone with a scare!"
"But it is also really funny." Jack snorted and glanced down at her. "Would you like me to put you down?"
"Yes please." She nodded. Crouching down he made set her sure on her feet before standing up and allowing her to walk ahead of him.
Jack to the moment to lean back with his hands behind his head to watch the Cheshire Cat creep up on the Hare and the Hatter sit straighter in his chair as he realized he hand guests. The Hatter had a wicked grin on his face as he watched the Cheshire Cat merely sit on the table in front of the Hare.
"Looks like my lunch is all prepared." The Cat chuckled at the Hare as his eyes immediately snapped open.
"Cat!" He bolted off the table, food and teacups being thrown about, as he ducked away from the evaporating cat.
"Good show, Chess!" The Hatter clapped happily in laughter then his eyes were brought to Jack. "My, my, my, we have guests today! The Wild Card no doubt!"
"I hope that's all right, Hatter." Jack tipped his hat off to him.
"Of course, my friend, you're always welcome for tea!" The Hatter stood and his wide eyes locked onto Alice who stood in front of Jack at the end of the long tables. In a weird sort of trance, the Hatter stood, climbed onto the table, walked the full length of the table.
"Hey, watch what you're doin'!" The Dormouse snapped as the cups and pots and spoons all rattled around him. Even the Hare defensively held a cup to himself protectively as the Hatter continued.
The Hatter still moved in a trance, as if not hearing the minor complaints of his companions or even noticing the disruption he was causing to the already chaotic tea party. Once he reached the end of the table, he kneeled to the ground to be somewhat closer to Alice's level.
"It's you!" He breathed ever so relieved and excited. Jack had the minor thought of scooping Alice back into the safety of his arms but did not do so since he knew that the Hatter was not a threat; as long as they remained friends anyways.
"What?" She blinked as she stared at him then glanced back to Jack.
"No, it's not!" The Dormouse hissed as he fixed a series of cups that had tipped over.
"Who is this?" The Hare twitched as he stared at Alice.
"It's Alice!" The Hatter gasped.
"Alice!" The Hare threw his cup in excitement.
"No!" That terrible little Dormouse slammed his cup down on the table. It took a lot of self-control not for Jack to pick him up and throw him as far as he could. "McTwisp brought us the wrong Alice!"
"It's the wrong Alice!" The Hare cried out in pain and terror as he pulled down on his ears and bit at his nails.
"She's the right Alice." Jack bit back a snap with a tooth gritted smile.
"It's absolutely Alice!" The Hatter confirmed to the Dormouse, only to earn an eyeroll in return. "You're absolutely, Alice, I'd know you anywhere!"
Jack was relieved by the Hatter's certainty and was very pleased to see that the Hatter believed in Alice's assuredness as well. The Hare released his ears as he relaxed.
"I'd know him anywhere!" The Hatter called over his shoulder loudly before grabbing Alice's arm and yonking her up to have to walk with him on the table. Having seemed to be pleased with his confirmation that she was the right Alice, both the Dormouse and the Hare giggled with delight.
"Come with me!" He pulled her further down the table and Jack was finding himself in the predicament of wanting to hurt the Hatter. . .
"Ah!" Alice cried out.
"Well, as you can see, we're still having tea." The Hatter spoke, not even noticing the pained look on Alice's face as he escorted her down the tables. "And it's all because I was obliged to kill Time while waiting for your return!"
"Hatter!" Jack tried to stop him, but the Hatter would not listen and kept rambling to Alice as he took her all the way to the other end of the table.
"You're terribly late, you know." He snorted a bit as he looked down to her. "Naughty."
Alice grimaced as the Hatter was pulling on her injured arm and the Dormouse only laughed at her discomfort. The Spade within him kicked in as Jack walked by, he flicked the back of the Dormouse's head do he went headfirst into a pot of tea. The Dormouse sputtered and gasped for air as he reemerged from the brown liquid. Jack had to keep his back to the Dormouse to hide his proud smirk.
"Hatter, you shouldn't pull her." Jack called and the Hatter turned and looked to Jack just as he was at the edge of the table.
"What?" The Hatter looked so confused.
"You need to quit pulling on Alice's arm." He pointed and the Hatter immediately released her tiny hand. "She's hurt."
"Oh, terribly sorry." He gasped as he stepped off the table and sat down in his own chair. "You're just so tiny that I couldn't see the bandage."
The Dormouse chittered a chuckle and Jack merely held onto a butter knife as his smile grew more strained.
"Well anyway." The Hatter shrugged as he sat down and poured himself another fresh cup of tea. "Time became quite offended and he stopped time here altogether."
"Really?" This was quite the information Jack needed. If time did not move here, perhaps Alice would be safer for just a little longer.
"Not a tick ever since." The Hatter chuckled as he displayed his pocket watch to him. Stammering and scuttling about the Hare hopped on over with a pretty tea tray, a normal sized one for Jack and another tiny one for Alice.
"So does that mean that you are safe from the future plans with the Red Queen?" Jack asked and took a quick sip of the tea the Hare just poured for him.
"Only while we reside here." He giggle and stirred his own cup of tea loudly. "The moment we step outside the Tea Party the moment we remerge with the flow of Time again."
"How funny." Jack snorted happily and sipped on his tea. Perhaps things could be turning in his favor.
"Time can be funny in dreams." Alice's brow furrowed and she scuttled over to Jack. He pulled up the chair that had a high pile of books on it and assisted her in sitting on it.
"What's even funnier is that you came with Jack." He chuckled as he poured two more cups of tea and slid them over to the newest guests of the table.
"Why is that?" She looked from Jack to the Hatter.
"Because he's a Wild Card." The Hatter responded and stirred in a couple lumps of sugar. "He's not supposed to be helping Alice, he's supposed to be helping the Red Queen!"
"But since he's the Wild Card he can technically do anything that he wants." The Cheshire Cat purred as he vaporated at the other end of the table closest to the Hare. The Hare immediately jumped and held his cup to himself again.
"They make you sound very dangerous." Alice noted as she looked up at Jack.
"Because I am." He chuckled, his eyes closing in his smile.
"Not right now." She tapped her own cheek as she looked up at him. "You have the Heart on your cheek."
"He always has a heart on his cheek." The Hatter chimed in. "It shows he's part of the Queen's Court!"
"But it changes." Her head tilted to the side as she stared at his cheek. Jack could only stare back at her in return with a breath being withheld in his mouth. "It was just a Spade. . ."
"Someone has a very good eye. . ." Jack was thoroughly impressed, but as also alarmed. There were very few people who were truly able to catch the change in suits unless he allowed them to. Alice was just proving that those pretty blue eyes of hers were going to get him in trouble.
"Yes, yes, or course, but now you're back, you see and we need to get on to the Frabjous Day." The Hatter waved his arms and moved onto the next topic in his brain. Jacks jaw tightened at this and he could see how tense Alice grew from the Hatter's words.
"Frabjous Day!" The Hare salute his cup of tea in the air sloshing it around.
"Frabjous Day!" The Dormouse giggled in extending his own cup out.
"We don't have to rush into it." Jack tried to ease this topic of conversation off the table; but the Hatter simply was not having that. Alice's hands clenched in to fists in her lap and she was growing more and more uncomfortable in her seat.
"Oh, but we must!" The Hatter banged his hand on the table.
"No, we mustn't." Jack raised his voice, getting ready to argue with the Hatter. He really liked the Hatter, but he was beginning to second guess his coming here.
"I'm investigating things that begin with the letter 'M'." The Hatter hummed as his thoughts just kept rolling from his mouth.
Alice cast a glance at Jack and Jack almost looked to the Cheshire Cat for permission to allow her to stay another night when the Hatter leaned forward on the table inching closer to Alice. Alice leaned into Jack's arm a little and he rested two of his fingers on her arm to reassure her that he was there for her.
"Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" Hatter whispered and his face changed from excited to rather worried.
"No, I'm afraid I don't -" Alice tried to respond, but the Hatter was switching out so fast he simply couldn't slow down. Alice's own hand reaching up and resting on Jack's fingers
"Downal wyth Bluddy Behg Hid!" His voice distorted and sounded as though more than one person were saying it. "Downal wyth Bluddy Behg Hid!"
"What?" Alice looked to Jack for an answer.
"Down with the Blood Big Head." The Cheshire Cat sighed and stirred his tea cup listlessly. "The Bloody Big Head being the Red Queen, or as the Wild Card here knows her as the Queen of Hearts."
"That isn't a very nice name for her." Alice's brow furrowed.
"It's not." Jack's voice felt tight. "But she has a terrible habit of chopping off people's heads, so she rather had that coming."
"What?" Alice gasped and her hand retreated from Jack. Jack frowned at that. He really didn't like her shrinking away from him.
"Come, come!" The Hatter said ever so cheerfully. "We simply must commence with the slaying and such!"
"Hatter. . ." Jack tried to warn, but he was simply too mad to be listening.
"Therefore, it is high time to forgive and forget, or forget and forgive, whichever comes first." He looked to the sky and tried to reason it in his head.
"Hatter." Jack spoke more firmly.
"Or is, in any case, most convenient." He yanked his pocket watch from his pocket and stared at it. Much to Jack's dismay he heard ticking. "I'm waiting."
"Ticking!" The Hare laughed gleefully. "It's ticking, ticking again!"
"Right, well it has been a wonderful time, Hatter." Jack slapped his hands on the table. "But before we leave -"
"Leave?" Hatter blinked with a gasp. "You can't leave, you just got here!"
"Frabjous Day!" The Hare called and pulled on his ears.
"And Frabjous Day!"
But Alice is hurt." Jack snapped and everything around them grew quiet. "Do you have any Bandersnatch Salve?"
"Saliva?" The Hatter twitched as he looked at Jack.
"Yes, but no." Jack huffed rather frustrated.
"I'm afraid I'm clean out." The Hatter shook his head with a shrug.
"Do you have any of the cake that makes you grow?" Alice asked rather urgently.
"Doesn't most cake make you grow?" The Hatter laughed and the Hare and the Dormouse fell into laughter with him.
"But I need to grow taller. . ."
"She means Upelkuchen." The Cheshire Cat huffed and slid his cup of tea away from himself.
"Oh, Upelkuchen!" The Hatter laughed, then stopped and shook his head. "No, I don't have any Upelkuchen. I accidentally had it at a party once and it was a terrible mistake. I lost so much tea that day."
"Well there goes that." Jack huffed and stood up.
"What am I going to do?" Alice hissed and covered her face with her hands.
"We're going back to the Chess's house and see if we can't come up with another plan." Jack answered.
"Oh, you are, are you?" Chess challenged with a purr.
"That is if you'll allow us." Jack looked to him but couldn't manage a smile. He was too worried about what was going on and how to get Alice out of this without further involving her with the Queen of Hearts.
"Of course, I'll allow Alice to stay with me again."
"But Frabjous Day. . ." The Hatter looked between the Wild Card and the Cheshire Cat.
"We can discuss it another day, Hatter." Jack said decidedly. "Alice isn't feeling well and it's not much of a good dicussion for her right now."
"But -"
"I'm sorry, Hatter. . ." Alice spoke up. His eyes darted to hers and he looked so distraught. "I am indeed Alice, but I don't think I'm the Alice you think I am."
"But you are Alice." He shook his head, his brows furrowing proving he was ever so lost.
"I'm sorry." She winced as she stood and looked to Jack. "Please help me back?"
"Of course." He nodded his head and scooped her up. The Cheshire Cat had already evaporated way and Jack tried to walk away quickly so as not to cause a bigger conflict.
The way back to the Cheshire Cat's tree house was far less cheerful and far less conversational as they returned. Alice looked deeply upset with the way things turned out at the Tea Party and Jack had no real words of encouragement for her. The Hatter was one of the nicest people that he knew in all of Underland, but he could be rather unpleasant at times. Those times being when he really wants things to go his way and they simply choose that they won't go his way; the curse of being a Wild Card.
"I'm sorry to have wasted your time." Alice gripped the insides of her elbows tightly.
"Unlike everyone else here, my time can't be wasted." He gave her a reassuring smile and winked. "If anything it only helps me see the kind of person you are as well as the person everyone here believes you to be."
"And what do they believe me to be exactly?" There was so much frustration in her voice, and no matter how polite she tried to make it sound Jack could see the frustration written on her face. He couldn't blame her though, she was tempted away from her own reality to this one to try to solve other people's problems; he was very familiar with that terrible little task.
"They believe you to be the hero, of course." He stated rather matter-of-factly as he looked down at her. "The one who will save them all."
"I can hardly save myself." She huffed. "How am I supposed to save everyone else?"
"I think you have much more searching to do." Jack hummed.
"Searching?"
"You're terribly lost, Ms. Alice." He chuckled at her as he approached the Cheshire Cat's tree. "Not only within Underland, but also within yourself. Just like everything here, you're at war with yourself. To do what everyone wants you to do, or to do what you want to do."
"How did you know?" Her voice was so soft as she asked.
"I see it in those pretty blue eyes of yours." He spoke just as soft, but still strong to her. "You've briefly given yourself an introduction to me, and the way everyone perceives you made me assume you were a great threat to me and the Queen."
"Do you still think that?" Those blue eyes stared up wide at him.
"I do." He nodded affirmatively.
"But I haven't done anything other than get myself hurt." She argued.
"Do you still think that I'm dangerous?" He quipped and she blinked in surprise.
"I do. . ." She nodded slowly.
"But I haven't done anything to hurt you." He gently touched his finger to her tiny nose.
"Are you going to?" She turned her face away from him, though her eyes never left his.
"Not if I can help it, I don't think." He pondered aloud. "I don't think hurting you is going to help me achieve my goal. In fact I think it could possibly even be the opposite."
"Then what will?" She was always so blunt, so straightforward in her questions. It was rather cute.
"I'm still trying to figure that out." He sighed. "But that's for me to worry about. Right now we need to get you up there where it's safe until I can get you some salve for that wound of yours."
"You mean saliva?" The Cheshire Cat purred as Jack arranged Alice to hang onto him so he could climb up the rope.
"It is a salve." Jack huffed as he climbed.
"From the Bandersnatch's saliva." He chuckled relentlessly. "I, of course, could always clean it for you if you'd like."
"I'd rather you didn't." Alice's little hand clutched the inside of Jack's coat. "I'll be fine once I wake up."
"Still think this is all a dream, do you?" Cheshire sounded bored as he huffed. "Such a pity."
"I'll come up with a better plan so she doesn't have to keep staying with you, Chess." Jack called over his shoulder. He was halfway up his climb and he could feel his muscles burning from the workout.
"Oh, I really don't mind." Chess purred warmly. "I do like The Alice, and if I can stay in the favor of the Wild Card, then so be it. It doesn't come as a problem to me yet."
"I hope to prevent this from being a problem." Jack grunted as he could see the edge of the house. He was so close, but his body was not particularly excited about climbing the rope ladder again for the second day in a row.
"I don't mean to be a problem." Alice huffed. "If I were just my normal height, I wouldn't be such a problem."
"You're not a problem." Jack snapped as he reached the top of the rope. "Just things aren't working out as smoothly as I would like them too. And you're height is fine, you're terribly cute this way."
"It is ridiculous." She pouted and pushed away from him to try to hide her blush from him.
Jack chuckled in response and thought about teasing her further but decided against it since the Hatter already put her through enough for the day. Once he was close enough to the house and felt like it was secure enough underneath him, he set Alice down on the ground so that she could enter the Cheshire Cat's house. She stomped into the house and disappeared from Jack's sight as the Cheshire Cat vaporated in front of him.
"If I were you, I would do something about her arm." His large teal green eyes stared back at Jack. "Though she is just as unique as you to Underland, if she goes that much longer without tending to her arm things could get very gruesome in the days to come. Which isn't a good thing for our hero of Underland."
"I will go and see if I can't get the Bandersnatch's Salve. . . " Jack answered quietly. He knew he had a jar of it in his room back in the Anti-Realm, and it was looking as though that was going to be the only way that was going to get the salve he needed for Alice. Although he knew he shouldn't really be messing with the Fate of Underland while he was under the Queen of Hearts, Chess was right and that her arm was only going to get worse unless she allowed Chess to clean it or if he got the Bandersnatch salve.
"She'll be safe here until you return." His tail flicked behind him. "I would hurry if I were you."
"I'll be back as soon as I can." He promised and stole a glance at the house. The doll-sized Alice stood in the doorway though she were trying to hide behind it, and stared curiously after Jack. He tipped his fedora off to her before completely jumping off the tree in search for a door to take him back to the Anti-Realm.
KING OF HEARTS
Remaining in the shadows, Rubeus watched as his beautiful wife laughed and enjoyed her game of flamingo croquet. She was wearing the entire ensemble he had custom made for her, thanks to Auris intervention, and she looked simply lovely. She always wore dark colors, and though he would never steal the color red from her, he did like to occassionally see her in a pastel color. The different array of white, black and red on her suited her so well that it gave his heart palpitations. He was so glad that she looked so happy. He was winning and she was even laughing with her Court members as they all played. The Court members were more than likely doing everything they could to let the Queen win, which was a smart move on their part, all except for Stayne. Ever since he had been dismissed last night he has been in one of the most foul moves the King had ever seen.
His hostility towards the servants was worse, his flirtatiousness was through the roof, and once again he was completely unprepared with a present for the Queen. Rubeus would be lying if he wasn't somewhat smug about that, especially since he saw the poor attempt at giving her chocolate; which is not her favorite thing to eat on her birthday. Rubues enjoyed knowing all of his wife's favorite things, even if she had no idea that he knew them in such great detail. The fact that she had forgotten him still caused a great aching in his heart, but he could not blame her for not remembering him. He was not a very impressionable child nor man, and could easily remain in the background without causing and up rise. There was also the swelling of her head to be taken into consideration that when she hit her beautiful head that day it did something to her memories. . .
"My King." A hushed whispered hissed from the bushes.
"Auris?" He kept still as he strained his ear to hear her. Today would be the worsts of days to be caught alone with her with it being the Queen's birthday. The last thing he wanted to do was somehow ruin her special day.
"It is I, My King." She confirmed and stepped out from behind a rose bush.
"You realize us meeting like this will put us both in peril?" He laughed nervously and kept his eyes trained on the Queen and her happy face smiling ear to ear.
"I only wanted to tell you of your success." She offered a gentle smile. "She has loved everything you have given her today and has simply loved the gardens. Had we not scrapped a croquet game together I'm sure she would be so happy to get lost in her own maze of red roses you so generously put together for her."
"That eases my mind and heart to hear that." He could not suppress his own smile upon hearing that. "Tell me, what has gotten the Knave in such a dreadful mood? He looks ready to throw a tantrum at any second."
"After being scolded by the Queen last night he has been extremely foul of temper today." She frowned and her black eyes glared after the Knave. "He spent most of his night with Poitrine, they were quite loud throughout the night; much to my dismay. He also woke up late due to having to sneak out of Poitrine's room undetected and missed his opportunity to steal your credit for the gifts."
"Isn't she engaged?" The King frowned as he looked at the large breasted woman who unabashedly laughed and remained close to Stayne's hip.
"I believe to, My King." She nodded as she too kept her gaze at the other member of the court. "To a soldier, I believe. One of the threes, I don't know which suit, not that it matters since she's cheating on him nonetheless."
"Tres, I believe his name is." A small sweet memory was returning to him as he thought of the Three of Spades. "Of the Spades, he actually asked for my permission not only to propose but to set a wedding and honeymoon date ahead of time so as not to conflict with the Queen's schedule should she need Poitrine."
"Her Majesty does not rely on Poitrine to do anything for her." Auris rolled her eyes. "She only ever asks me for assistance in certain things and allow the men to take care of certain estates and affairs and businesses that she does not want to attend. Poitrine and Nasus are only there for show, for the public representation that she has Court Members at all."
"You should not sound so bitter." Rubeus had to chuckle. He knew this to already be very true and he appreciated the fact that Auris was not blind to it; then again he asked her to be his spy on the inside for a reason. "It does not suit you."
"I do not think many things suit me, My King." She huffed. "But I digress. Is there anything else that you wish for me to do while the day still goes on?"
"I have one more present for her." He nodded his head and pulled out a small red velvet box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal a gold heart locket with a small garnet heart in the center of it.
"It's beautiful." Auris cooed as she stood closer to the King.
"I even had it engraved. He felt a little bit of pride swell up in him as he used his pinky to flip the heart over. "I even got it engraved."
He pointed to show Auris the engraving of "My Queen of Hearts, Iracebeth" in fine cursive when a shadow fell on the two of them.
"My, my, what do we have here?" Stayne's voice slurred as he stood in front of them. Both the King and Auris glared up at the Knave. "Conspiring against the Queen?"
His voice was not loud, but it wasn't quiet either. It was just loud enough to catch the attention to anyone not paying attention to the croquet game.
"Do you need something, Stayne?" Rubeus quickly snapped the box closed as he looked up unafraid at Stayne.
"I had noticed that Auris was missing and went to search for her." His black eye, cold and sneering, had a nasty glint in it as he looked at Auris. "What were doing with the King, Auris?"
"None of your concern." There was a sharpness in her words and a fierceness quickly growing in her eyes as she glared up at Stayne.
"Stayne?" The Queen's voice called. "Stayne, what are you doing?"
"I have just found two interesting suspects conspiring together, Your Majesty." He smirked down at the King before turning to reveal them to the Queen.
Taking off her heart sunglasses, her brow furrowed as she looked between Rubeus and Auris.
"And just what are they conspiring together about?" He noticed how her little hand tightly gripped the wire that would go over her era. His heart began to sink as he could see so much of her happiness disappearing as fear and anger quickly replaced it.
QUEEN OF HEARTS
She was doing so well in her croquet match, most of the Court had already lost and she was only in her third game. The rose lemonades were cool, the finger sandwiches crisp, the tarts and other pastries such delights and for the first time she wasn't even thinking about Jack or Alice. She was simply enjoying herself and having a pleasant day on her birthday. Swinging the flamingo to make her shot she secretly began to wish that Rubeus would have just taken her to the gardens himself to show her the wonderful present he had put together for her. She enjoyed having her Court with her, but they were quickly losing interest in her favorite game and she could sense their boredom. Not that she should seriously concern herself with their entertainment since is was her birthday after all, but she wanted someone to at least enjoy the day with rather than have her pose be forced to.
Claps echoed softly from behind her as she finished her move and she could see the fake and disinterested smiles plastered to their faces. It was rather warm and unlike her they were wearing quite a few layers of clothing that was making them perspire. She had to look over her red colored heart glasses to see who was present and accounting for and was rather miffed that both Stayne and Auris was missing. Stayne had been rather cold towards her for most of the day so she was the least interested in seeing him, but the fact that Auris had suddenly disappeared caused a touch of alarm in her.
Auris had been leading the plans for her birthday and though she was excited to see what would happen next she also worried that she could potentially be off somewhere with Stayne. Resting her flamingo on her shoulder she stepped aside so Nasus could take her turn and casually looked about the gardens to see where the two members of her Court could be hiding. She was mostly looking for Stayne because he was easier to find with his height. She only saw a snippet of his black cloak towards the entrance to her croquet ground, but she heard his distinct deep and sultry voice.
"My, my, what do we have here?" Her head snapped to attention upon hearing those words come from his mouth. "Conspiring against the Queen?"
Conspiring against the Queen? On her birthday? Her hands balled into fists, her jaw clenched and the poor little flamingo squawked as she gripped his legs a tad too tight.
"Sorry." She quickly released him and set him in the flamingo stand. While the others were taking their turns to move the Queen stole herself away, her eyes set on Stayne she started walking over to him.
"Do you need something, Stayne?" She heard a very displeased Rubeus speaking to Stayne. Every so quietly and doing her best to stay in the cover of the rose bushes.
"I had noticed that Auris was missing and went to search for her." Stayne spoke rather sneeringly.
Why eas Stayne looking for Auris? Why had Auris left? Was she going to work on another surprise?
"What were doing with the King, Auris?" Stayne's tone was very accusatory.
"None of your concern." There was a sharpness in her words that the Queen had never heard of before. Why would she be speaking that way to Stayne? Was Stayne actually threatening them?
"Stayne?" She called to see if she really needed to step into whatever they were discussing. "Stayne, what are you doing?"
"I have just found two interesting suspects conspiring together, Your Majesty." He turned to reveal Auris and Rubeus standing together glaring up at Stayne to the Queen. The little red box in his hand did not go unnoticed from the Queen's eye. Just who was that for?
A happy part of her merely assumed that is was for her, but another side of her doubted and thought there was a chance it was indeed for Auris. Taking off her heart sunglasses, her brow furrowed as she looked between Rubeus and Auris. She wanted answers.
"And just what are they conspiring together about?" She straightened her back and would force herself to be strong. She looked between those beautiful blue sapphire eyes to the angry onyx ones beside him.
"It looked as though they were committing treason against you, Your Majesty." Stayne hissed in her ear.
"Treason?" She clenched her jaw and cocked an eyebrow at Auris. She almost wished she could say she couldn't believe it, but far too many of her closest people are the first ones to plot against her.
"We are not committing treason!" Rubeus raised his voice and stood in front of Auris. The Queen simply just blinked at him. Why was he defending her?
"Then what were you doing?"
"I was simply asking Auris when a would be the best time to give you my final present. . ." His hand clenched over the little red box in his hand.
"Ha, lies." Stayne pointed at the King with such a look of hatred the Queen felt as though she were looking at another man entirely. "I saw how close the two of you were together."
"I was going to have her give it to you later this evening. . ." There was a growing storm in those sapphire eyes and Iracebeth would be in denial if she said that look wasn't doing something to her own heart.
"Then why not give it to the Queen yourself?" Stayne asked with such venomous accusation as he stood beside the Queen. "Or was the gift for Auris and you're just lying?"
Rubeus locked his jaw, eyes storming with dangerous thunder as he walked up to the Queen.
"I had wanted to set a few more things in to motion so you could continue your day unbothered by me." He took a deep breath but the anger did not leave his eyes as he looked to the Queen. He stood very close to her to the point that Stayne felt obligated to draw his sword from his sheath and point it into the King's neck.
"Withdraw your weapon, Stayne." The Queen's snapped in a tone very low and warning.
"I must refuse, Your Majesty." Stayne argued and kept his hand firm.
"Stayne."
"I do not wish to allow the King to harm you!"
"You idiot!" She snapped and slapped his cheek. "He will not harm me!"
The entire Gardens grew quiet, the croquet game coming to a pause at the loud smack of a slap that echoed. Clenching his jaw and casting a very dangerous and challenging look to the Queen, Stayen re-sheathed his weapon. Hot angry tears burned her eyes, but she clenched her jaw in refusal to allow them to fall. She could not falter here, she could not be seen as weak here, she could not allow Stayne to speak to her that way in front of the entire Court, she could not -
"I had hoped to give this to you when you were at your happiest today. . ." Rubeus spoke slowly as he quietly pressed the red velvet box into her hand. "I had not wanted to use it as a way of proving Auris's innocence as well as mine. . ."
She froze as his hand involved hers with a kind of warmth she had completely forgotten about. It was a pure touch, a sweet touch, and innocent touch that sent a creeping fire up her arm before it was snuffed out by his releasing of her hand. Her fingers tingled where he had just barely touched. His gaze held her longer than his hand did and she really wished that he would have held her hand for a second longer. She quickly looked to the box and opened it and her mouth fell open upon seeing the heart locket.
There were so many intricate details on the entire border of it and it had the prettiest garnet in the very center of it. No words could express her happiness, her shock, and her shame for allowing Stayne to somehow ruin such a sweet gesture.
"I was hoping Auris could deposit it into your room later this evening, or even at dinner." Rubeus's voice was so soft.
"Why weren't you going to give it to me?" Her eyes immediately looked up to those sapphire eyes and searched for some sort of answer.
"I didn't want to push things, or worse ruin your day. . ." He gave her such a gentle smile that her heart swelled in happiness.
"How could you have ruined my day?" She asked in a voice just above a whisper.
"Through a misunderstanding," He glanced at Stayne before giving her a quick smile. "Like always it would seem."
An ache ran through he as she remembered how Auris told her of the years of presents that Stayne took credit for. Had their marriage, their entire relationship truly been nothing more than a misunderstanding?
"Please do not be angry with Auris." He quietly pleaded to her. "She was only assisting me, nothing more. My eyes are only for you, My Queen."
Her heart throbbed in her chest and her knees shook as she looked at him. What a strange power he seemed to hold over her whenever he spoke to her. He made her both feel weak and strong as he stood in front of her; what a terrifying person he would have been as an enemy if she hadn't married him. . .
"Auris did nothing wrong." The Queen gulped and tried to straighten her shoulders to keep control over her voice as it dared to wobble with emotion. "Therefore Auris is not in trouble."
"Thank you, Your gracious Majesty!" Auris curtsied low with her head bowed as she thanked the Queen.
"Rise, Auris." She ordered and the sweet big eared girl stood as she was commanded. "Go and tell the others that they are dismissed for the day. I am officially done playing with them and will soon wish to spend the rest of my birthday alone."
"Yes, Your Majesty." She bowed again and scurried off to go and tell the other Court members.
Standing tall and strong she could feel the eyes of both Rubeus and Stayne on her as she quickly tried to figure out what she would do next. Taking a deep breath in through her nose she turned and looked to Stayne who stood tall and proud looking terribly cross and white as a sheet.
"Stayne." She spoke quickly as she looked up into his face; he was trying to avoid looking her in the eyes.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" His lip curled in anger as he responded. His attitude was very quickly angering hers and very quickly making her want to lash out.
"Why are you acting to terribly n my birthday?" She asked briskly. "Is there some reason that you are trying to pose everyone around you as a traitor?"
"As your Knave, it is my duty to protect you, Your Majesty." He spoke through gritted teeth, and Iracebeth found herself gritting her own teeth. "When I see people acting suspiciously, especially in your Court, it is my duty to eradicate them so they do not hurt you."
"Because trying to point everyone out as a traitor is going to protect me, how?"
"They were conspiring against you!" Stayne's voice dropped into a low tone that the Queen did not like. "What would you have me do, Your Majesty if I thought the King, who is your husband, was going around behind your bac being unfaithful to you?"
Quite the hypocrites he was making them both out to be. Both Stayne and the Queen new that she had been in the wrong for months, the King has yet to show her any sign that he was truly being unfaithful to her. She could not tell if he was simply saying this because he actually suspected the King of being unfaithful to her, or if he were merely making accusations. It is true in the past she had always feared that the King would leave her, that is why she has held the tightest grip of authority in all of the castle and have guards stationed outside not only his doors, but also his windows to ensure that he doesn't. It was not for the sake of loyalty or romance that she did this to protect him, but out of fear and the need for power that his title of being her husband provided her as the Queen of the Red Kingdom. Her temper boiled and she could feel the heat causing her face to burn red.
"Allow me to make this absolutely clear for you, Stayne." She seethed with anger and held a firm grip over the little box in her hand. "You are my Knave to keep others from trying to attack me, from preventing them trying to behead me. In that job description it does not include pointing out everyone as a traitor because you are suddenly becoming paranoid. I understand that you do not know Jack yet -"
"The Wild Card is the biggest traitor you've yet to allow to walk through the gates!" Stayne stood straighter and galred down at her.
"Stayne you are to remain in your quarters for the rest of the day." She roared over him. "I do not wish to see your face or hear your name for the rest of the day, you idiot!"
A dark shadow was cast over Stayne's face as he looked down at her. His hair fell over his shoulder and his hands balled into fists, full of rage.
"Mark my words, Your Majesty." He spoke lowly and loomed over her. "You will regret allowing so many surround you and will be begging for your Knave to return to your side."
"Wow, you're really high up on a horse, aren't you?" Jack snorted as he suddenly appeared between Stayne and the Queen. He gently pushed her back to get her away from the Knave.
"Jack?" She gasped as she fell back into the arms of the King. He held her close to her and her cheeks burned a deep red as she enjoyed how warm he was.
"I'm sorry I'm late, My Queen." He called over his shoulder as he continued to stare down Stayne. "I got caught up with my mission and wasn't able to get here as soon as I wished."
"Sure you were, Wild Card." Stayne took a step closer and was chest to chest in a glaring match with Jack. "Just what mission were you trying to accomplish?"
"I was on the search for Alice." He answered coolly. "But I lost track of time when I stopped to get a special tea brew from the Hatter for the Queen's birthday."
"You knew it was my birthday?" She was so surprised that the Wild Card knew it. He had hardly been here and hadn't been around for the party planning today.
"Of course I knew, Your Majesty." A soft laugh escape him as he gave a quick glance to her. "I'm the Wild Card, I know about a lot of things that go on in Underland than most. But let's push that aside for a moment; would you like me to escort the Knave back to his room?"
"There is no need for that, Wild Card." Stayne hissed and slapped Jack's rising hand away from him. "I shall do as her majesty wishes and remain unseen for the rest of the day."
With an angry hair flip, Stayne turned on his heel and stalked off into the direction of the castle. Jack remained in front of the royal couple, as if making sure to defend them to the end before turning and looking to them with a smile.
"Looks as though I missed out on a few things, huh?" He laughed and scratched the back of his head as he looked to the Queen.
"That would be quite the understatement." The Queen huffed and relaxed a little in Rubeus's arms.
"Well it seems as though things will be okay from here on out." He gave the Queen a wink and it was only then that she realized that she was still in the King's arms. She rather abruptly disentangled herself from him and dusted her clothes of.
"O-Of course." She quickly put her heart sun glasses back on her face. "The King here was just about to escort me through the Gardens."
She glanced at the King and could see tears in his eyes and a broad smile on his face.
"I'll leave you to it, then." Jack chuckled and tipped his hat off to them and he too turned on his heel and left.
With Jack gone it was truly just the King and Queen alone together and she was feeling very exposed. She suddenly blanked, not sure what to say to him. Should she apologize for having volunteered him to escort her through the gardens? Should she just tell him to return to his room? Should she just leave?
"May I?" He suddenly held out his elbow to her and she was very taken aback. She had half anticipated him to run away and leave her alone.
"I want to see the things you had done for me." She tried to sound confident to hide the little bit of glee that was bubbling up in her heart. She slid the red velvet box into the pocket of her dress and looped her own arm with his. "Auris told me that there was more to be seen that what I already saw."
"I had the entire gardens done." His cheeks reddened as he cleared his throat. "I wanted to make sure that it was perfect for your birthday."
"Then show me." She beamed and hoped she didn't grip his arm too tightly in her excitement.
If there had truly been years of misunderstandings and lack of communication in their marriage over the last few years, then perhaps a long walk in the Gardens would be a good way to clear some of those things up. . .
Author's Note:
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you're enjoying the story so far!
Much like Underland I feel like quite a few things are out of place and all over, but I hope that you all have Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. I hope that next year will be much better and give everyone a chance for a better hope.
Please remember to leave a review and tell me what you think.
Thanks for coming along the journey with me, stay tuned for more!
Ko-fi/SarahtheWriter.