Chapter Twelve
JACK
He wasn't entirely sure if he had just gotten used to the rain or if it had just gotten warmer, but Jack was less cold on his way back to the Anti-Realm. He even kicked up a few puddles on his way back. Although he had dreaded seeing the Queen of Hearts, he was relieved to see that she was at least alive even though she wasn't quite well. He would have to talk to Ms. Scatter about hiring some help to take care of her, he would cut his check if he needed to, but someone else but himself must take care of her. Although Jack knew her very well, he just couldn't be around her for too long without fearing for his life; not that anyone else was any different in that regard. All the warmth he thought he had managed to keep left him at the thought of being there alone with her and a chill ran through him. He rubbed his arms to get some heat from the friction when he suddenly stopped and slapped his forehead.
"How could I have been so thoughtless?" He hissed. He had completely forgotten to get the Bandersnatch Salve from the Queen's secret stash. He hated himself for not getting that, though by the looks of things he would have been surprised if she would have any. There was no telling what the servants took when they left, not that she needed a ton of possessions, and Jack just wanted at least a handful of honest people that would make sure she had regular meals, bathed daily, and got decent sleep.
Coming up to the Anti-Castle he pushed past the iron gates and walked up along the walkway. Much to his surprise, Tres and Ms. Scatter stood under the porch waiting for him. He threw on a quick smile as he climbed the steps and tapped the raindrops from his umbrella.
"Master Jack!" Tres called happily.
"Oh, thank goodness, you came back!" Ms. Scatter her hand went to her chest as she released a held breath and fell back against the door in relief.
"Well isn't this a kind welcome?" Jack snorted as he looked between the two.
"Come, let's get inside before you catch your death." Tres threw a warm fluffy towel over Jack's shoulders and pulled them both inside the Anti-Castle. "There's a fire in the drawing room, let's warm up in there."
"When I had heard that you went to see the Queen of Hearts alone, I was half expecting to have to go and drag you back." Ms. Scatter said as she watched Tres assist Jack in removing his wet outer clothes.
"I knew I wasn't going to be gone long." He gave a shrug as he handed his hat off to Tres so he could dry his head. In all honesty he wasn't sure himself he would have actually been able to leave. "I just needed something from her; turns out that she didn't have it though."
"Jack, I used to work for the Queen of Hearts." Ms. Scatter spoke seriously as she stared at him. "I know she isn't the easiest to deal with. . . Especially when her temper gets out of control."
"Her temper was very mild today, actually." He snorted as he let the towel sit around his shoulders. "All the servants are gone, the soldiers are just torn cards, and she was entirely alone."
"How dreadful." Tres commented as he removed Jack's wet towel and replaced it with a fresh warm and dry one. He took it graciously and loved the warmth he was now receiving.
"The servants were all gone?" Ms. Scatter blinked at him. There was a worried look in her eye and Jack smiled softly at this. She was a gentle soul in a dark Realm, it must be hard for her to be so kindhearted in a cruel and nasty world.
"Yeah. . ." He nodded his head and just stared at the floor. He couldn't blame any of the servants for leaving, he himself left, but that still didn't ease the guilt that was quickly nibbling its way at his heart.
"Come with me." Ms. Scatter grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him from the foyer to the drawing room. Not having a need to fight her he simply allowed her to drag him along behind her.
"I'll prepare some warm drinks." Tres called after them.
Jack merely stared after Ms. Scatter and was impressed with her quiet strength that she possessed. She had a rather difficult job of having to juggle so many responsibilities being the secretary to the Recruit program, not to mention what other duties she had as well, it was impressive that she was able to manage so well. Her work was often scattered and her thoughts even more scatterbrained, but she held herself together rather well and even had a small amount of confidence as well.
The drawing room was large, just like all the rooms in the Anti-Castle, and had high ceilings and a large fireplace that warmed the entire room, perhaps the whole house even. The wallpaper was green, a rather common color for most drawing rooms, with dark leather furniture accommodating sitting arrangements in the room. After pulling him into the drawing room she pushed him down in a seat and sat in the one across from him and stared at him intently. She was trying to read his mind, or something, without actually asking him any questions and it was weird.
"Is there something you would like to ask me, Ms. Scatter?" He raised an eyebrow at her, not liking feeling like an examination specimen.
"Did she hurt you while you were there?" She didn't even blink upon asking.
"No." His brow furrowed. "She was actually crying, terribly upset about not having her magic cards as well as being alone."
"Did anything happen while you were there?" Her black eyes searched his own, looking for any traces of lies within them.
"Not while I was there." He shook his head and chewed on his lower lip. "Something obviously happened between the time I joined the Recruit Program to the time I went to visit her, though."
"Like what?"
"The entire building in in shambles, there's old food crusting it's way off the tables, water is getting in through the windows; I'm not sure when the last time she ate, actually." He said thoughtfully and guilt ate away at him again for only making her tea. "She still pretty sturdy though, so I'm sure she's got some tarts hidden away in her room."
"But she didn't last out at you?" She asked, nearly disregarding his statement.
"No, she didn't." His brow furrowed at her. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I know of your past with her. . ." She twisted her hands together and took a deep breath. "I know that things are different now since you're here, but if she had lashed out or assaulted you, all you have to do is tell us and we will take care of it."
He could only stare at her in shock at her words. Yes his mother the Queen of Hearts had terrible temper tantrums; yes she took her anger out on him from time to time; yes she beat him senseless from time to time, but it was only when she was at her absolute lowest or if he, God forbid, ever disobeyed her. It wasn't a regular occurrence in his upbringing under the Queen of Hearts, but it also wasn't something he liked to think about.
"I can handle my mother better than you think." His throat very dry upon saying that.
"You would call her mother, after everything she's done?" She sat up straight, eyes blinking in surprise.
"Despite everything she put me through, I'm stronger now than I was when she first created me." He breathed in carefully. "I know that she loves me because I'm the last thing she has that could even remotely love her. . . She would never kill me or else she would be completely and utterly alone. . ."
"Jack –"
"That's why I'm here, though, to make sure she gets a Happy Ending so she's not alone in the end and ends up the way she is now. . ." Was he telling her this because she needed to know it, or because he needed to remind himself?
"Are you sure that's what is best for you, Jack?" She asked gently, her voice soft and rather motherly.
"Whatever is best for the Queen of Hearts will be best for me." He threw on a smile, though it didn't feel very convincing. "So long as I do my duty and get her the Happy Ending to prevent such sadness from happening in her life, then that's all that matters. . ."
"But what about Alice?" She asked and his heart seemed to stop at the mention of her name. "What about trying to see color?"
"She's just a distraction." He shook his head and his right leg began to bounce up and down quickly. He wasn't wrong that Alice was a distraction from his original mission, but he really liked her as a distraction. He liked being able to see color when she was around and hated how things grew cold and monochrome again when he had to leave her. She was in the way, though, of the Queen's happiness, of the Queen's Happy Ending. She is part of the cause that prevents her from being happy, right?
"Don't lie to yourself like that, Jack." Ms. Scatter scolded. "You wouldn't be so interested in her if she was just a distraction."
"Allegedly." He sighed and stood to leave just as Tres entered with a tray of warm drinks.
"I come bearing the sweet warmth of hot chocolate with ghost marshmallows." He declared as he displayed a tray with three mugs that had mini mountains of marshmallows on top of them. Jack sat back down and rubbed the towel on the back of his neck against his neck.
"Perfect." Ms. Scatter smiled and immediately took one for herself as Tres offered it down to her. "You made it just the way I like it, Tres!"
Her glasses already began to fog up the minute she sniffed the delicious scent of hot cocoa.
"I'm so glad, Ms. Scatter." He smiled appreciatively at her before turning to Jack. "Master Jack."
"Thanks, Tres." He took his drink and quickly sipped the warm chocolaty goodness. The hot chocolate was putting him a slightly better mood, though not enough.
"I hope you like it." He gave Jack a smile before retreating to the doorway with his own mug.
They all sipped their hot chocolate quietly, slowly to allow the warmth to run from their mouths to their toes and just listened to the crackle of the fire in the room. Ms. Scatter practically chugged hers by the time Jack even drank his down to half point. He stared at the melting marshmallows floating on the surface of the hot chocolate and sighed.
"Ms. Scatter." He didn't dare look at her as he tried to think of his words carefully.
"Yes, Jack?" She tilted her head as she looked at him.
"Would you be able to give me a list of contacts that have available house cleaning and housekeepers?" He dared a glance at her and her brow furrowed.
"Whatever for?"
"For the Queen of Hearts." He sat up as he looked at her dead in the face.
"Jack." She frowned with a tilt of her head.
"I know she is problematic and is difficult to work with." He sighed and set his mug of hot chocolate on the coffee table. "But she can't keep living the way she is, and I can't be there to take care of her. I just need the peace of mind that she will be all right until I complete my mission."
"Jack, it's not that simple. . ." She chewed on her lower lip. "Most places won't lend out their help for hire to the Queen of Hearts because of who she is."
"It doesn't have to be more than three." He tried to think of better ways of convincing her. "They will be rewarded greatly in pay and all they have to do is make sure the remnants of the place are clean, that she is fed, and to never allow a pack of cards to enter the household."
"I understand the first two." She raised an eyebrow at him. "The third reason is rather questionable."
"Not if you don't want her attempting to conjure up a magical army of cards." He rubbed his hands together nervously as he looked at her. "Which Master Yen Sid had her powers removed the moment she entered the Anti-Realm, but if she still has the capabilities of coercing them into doing the magic for her."
"You would still treat her kindly after everything she's done for you?" She narrowed her eyes in disbelief at him.
"You don't get to choose who your parents are, Ms. Scatter." He threw on a grin at her. "You can either hate them and let that hate eat you to death, or you can forgive and try to be a better person. It's not easy I'll admit, but she doesn't deserve to starve to death on the account that I knowingly wouldn't help her. . ."
"You're too soft on her, Jack." Ms. Scatter sighed and flopped back in her chair. "You're letting her off too easy."
"Not if you knew everything about her." He shook his head in disagreement. "I'm just giving her an ounce of kindness that she needs. I can't say she deserves it, but I do know she needs it."
She was always temperamental that much was true, but she did have an underlying sweetness that became bitter over the years after being lied to by the members of her Court, cheated on by the multiple lovers in her life, and pushing away the things she held most precious to her. Those who she loved she did so in great quantities and affections, even towards her parents and little sister, though they never saw it the same way she did. Despite the grudge she held over her sister she did secretly love her even after she sent her into isolation.
He only hoped that Jack would somehow help the King produce enough courage to help save the Queen from the path of destruction she was nearly treading. She was balancing on a very thin and fine line that would make her topple straight into the life of misery she would later choose in her life if he did not do something to change the Queen's affections.
"I think you're the kindness of the Queen's heart that she somehow seemed to have lost, Jack." Ms. Scatter gave him an appraising smile before standing up. "I'll prepare a list and get in contact with those that I deem suitable for the task."
"I can make the calls –" He stood to argue, but she held her hand up and silenced him.
"I will do it." She spoke in finality. "You have your own mission to worry about, this would only get in the way of things and distract you from the original plan."
Jack opened his mouth to argue his point but thought better of it and nodded in agreement to her plan.
"Thank you, Ms. Scatter." He spoke earnestly, his heart feeling lighter somehow.
"You're welcome, Jack." She crossed her arms and smiled at him. "Don't worry about the Queen of Hearts, I'll take care of everything."
"Again, thank you, Ms. Scatter." He walked over to her and held her hands. "You have no idea what this means to me."
"I-I already told you not to worry." Her face flushed as she snatched her hands away. "N-Now go upstairs and get a hot shower before you get sick! I-I don't need you getting sick when you should be completing your mission!"
He couldn't resist the laugh that bubbled in his chest as he left and only laughed harder as Ms. Scatter burned a deeper shade of red.
"Your room should be back in order, Master Jack." Tres confirmed as he walked out of the door.
"That's great." Jack hoped that his last jar of Bandersnatch Salve was somehow miraculously back in its original position too.
He left the drawing room and took the stairs two at a time to continue down the halls to get to the West Wing. Just like Tres had said, his room was back in order; he noticed by the door being put back in place on its hinges. The moment he opened the door he first looked to the floor to see that the heart scorch marks were gone and there was not even the hint of scent left of the charred carpet. Jack would admit that he was extremely surprised to see everything was back to normal; well almost everything. He looked over his shelves twice and several of his Underland quality potions and ingredients and things had returned to their original locations; everything except for the Bandersnatch Salve.
He cursed under his breath as he turned to his bathroom to get a shower. Some things he could win, and other things he just couldn't. He would have to come up with a new plan to heal Alice's arm. He only hoped he had enough time to heal it before it got worse.
ALICE
Spending the night in the Cheshire Cat's house for a second night had not particularly been a very ideal thing for Alice, but if it meant that she would live a day longer then she wouldn't complain. She was, however, alone in the house and she did not quite like that. The Cheshire Cat had said something about having a business affair that he had to take care of and that he wouldn't return until later in the evening. The Cheshire Cat actually provided her with a clean pair of socks and another nightgown, she did not bother to ask where he managed to procure this from, which kept her nice and warm on a rather chilly night. He even made sure she had a hearty meal to keep her belly full as well as a nice warm tea to help lull her into sleep.
She was very comfortable in her large bed, but even after drinking the tea she simply could not fall asleep. Her mind was spinning too fast and being alone in an unfamiliar house was not easing her into sleep either. She had forced her eyes shut, willing herself to sleep, but it simply wouldn't come to her. When her eyes opened up to stare at the big moon above her, she huffed and threw the blankets from her and rolled over in the bed in frustration.
"It must be because I'm still in my dream." She threw her fist against the soft bed. She just couldn't stop the frustration from building within her. Her life in reality seemed much simpler than the one in her dream. She was just expected to say yes to a wedding proposal that she didn't want to accept in reality in comparison to having to slay a dragon.
How did her dreams become so strange, so extreme, so out of her control?
"It's not a dream, just a different reality." Jack's words replayed in her head and made her chew her lip. The concept of it was simple, almost too easy to believe, however this was her dream. How could she have been living the reality of her dream for the last nine years? It was impossible.
"This is all too strange to be a reality." She argued with the nonexistent Jack. Upon thinking of him she felt her face warm and her heart hiccupped. Her hand slid over her heart and she pouted at herself for responding that way. Jack was altogether something different entirely.
He freely spoke his mind, he treated her like a lady and acted as a respectable gentleman, and he didn't seem to be afraid of anything. There were also the occasional daydreams where Jack almost seemed to have inserted himself in her memories of her Wonderland that she couldn't really understand either. He was far better looking than Hamish, not to mention he had a personality, but the thing she admired most about him was the fact he asked her questions to hear her opinions; and he didn't make fun of them and encouraged her independent thought. He was nothing like the boys back home where they all strived to be the better man to be on top, shutting down any independent thoughts a woman could have, and would use women for their own devices and benefits.
Her teeth clenched as she thought of her poor sister having decided to accept the ways of life of their time. She hated knowing that her brother-in-law was the lowest of the low and having affairs behind her sister's back; her sister deserved so much better. Alice couldn't help but feel that if she were to be with Jack that he would never do that to her.
"What am I thinking?" She sat up and held her face. Her cheeks were very hot in her hands and her embarrassment only grew as she realized she was thinking about Jack romantically. She snatched up her pillow and yelled into it trying to get rid of her embarrassment. Holding the pillow to her face she flopped back against the bed and mentally scolded herself for thinking such things; though it was rather difficult not to think them. He was a very attractive young man with curly chestnut brown hair, deep alluring brown eyes, not to mention he was tall and slim with a good build and he was actually interested in her thoughts and –
"Stop it Alice!" She rolled from side to side and rolled off the bed. She needed the fall to help her stop her thoughts. The floor was cool and helped to calm her flush and cool down her body. Much to her chagrin her heart was jumping happily in her chest for her thoughts, but her brain was very cross.
"He's only a dream. . ." She reminded herself. This entire place was a dream, albeit a very real one and she was not complaining about the newest addition to her dream; but she should know better than to fool herself any further in this dream. If she wasn't careful, she felt as though she would truly be stuck here forever. If she had to choose between killing a Jabberwocky or accepting a marriage proposal to a loveless marriage, she would easily choose the slaying of the Jabberwocky. Somehow that too was much easier than choosing to marry Hamish; but it shouldn't be.
Her choice should have been easy, she should have been ready to tell Hamish yes because it was the practical thing to do; but she just couldn't. No matter what her brain had told her, her heart told her another, and no matter how she tried to reason it within herself she just couldn't see herself being happy with Hamish; especially with his indigestion. It was 1874, so many things were already changing in England! Women were marching in the streets demanding the right to vote, to have a say in politics; some women were even working, some of them even owning businesses; but they were all better off than Alice and her mother. Despite her heart screaming to be part of a better future for women, her brain still tried to be practical and safe. Marrying Hamish, thanks to years of friendships between the fathers, would provide her and her mother financial security, economic safety, and they would be able to maintain their class of living within their society, it only cost Alice her freedom. It was what her sister did, because it was the smart thing, and although she loved her husband greatly and was excited about having children and creating a family, her no good husband only married her to get his father off his back and to inherit his fortune. No matter what her sister said Alice couldn't see her sister being happy; and Alice simply couldn't bring herself to do that, even it was the smart thing to do.
It wasn't that Alice was blind or unaware of her mother's financial arrangements, her mother wasn't a big spender and was rather frugal, trying to spend what little money she could and spend it wisely; but money still runs dry for the penny pinchers. Alice was aware that her mother was carefully and slowly selling things, it started off with paintings that she allegedly did not like, all which Hamish's father bought; more than likely storing away for her for a later date in a future home. But as the years have passed and even in the recent months, Alice has been overtly aware of missing pieces of furniture, old dresses that were no longer in style being sold, not all for the price they were worth, and even seeing some of the middle class wearing some of their older dresses. Alice wasn't entirely sad to see them go; she had the ones she cherished most locked away in a chest at the foot of her bed that her mother would never touch.
So many precious memories were in that chest, learning books her sister recited with her, dolls and teddy bears her mother has bestowed upon her, and maps and journals and old drawings her father had blessed her imagination with as a child. There was a dress her father bought her on his last sailing adventure before his illness. Things just weren't ever quite the same after he passed; she missed him greatly.
Despite so many of the other widows in the area trying to convince her mother to remarry, she simply wouldn't; couldn't she always said. She always said it was something like a bird that mated for life, and no one else would be able to make her laugh the way her father did. It was probably better that way because her mother focused on raising Alice and her sister rather than focusing on courting or dating to find another husband. After Alice's sister got married Alice clung to her mother, and in a way so did her mother to Alice. With just the two of them and a handful of servants the house seemed too big, too empty with so many things been sold that the two of them kept each other company. Thinking of it all now Alice felt rather guilty for not accepting Hamish's proposal, but not guilty enough to sell her freedom away.
"I am a terrible daughter." She concluded as she sat up and stared at the ceiling. Her mother had given up so much to ensure she raised her daughters well in the world, yet she couldn't spare the rest of her life for her own mother.
"Oh, well I'm sure that could be put up to debate." The Cheshire Cat spoke as he suddenly vaporated beside her. She screamed as she jumped, and he only laughed at her for her scare.
"Must you do that?" She snapped as she clutched her hand to her chest.
"Yes." He stretched before sitting beside her.
"I thought you had business to attend to?" She huffed and pushed her hair out of her face.
"I did." He nodded in confirmation. "It is done and now I am home again."
"That was fast." Her brow furrowed as she looked at him.
"Time is funny like that." He chuckled and gently bumped into her shoulder. "Now, shall we discuss and debate on why you consider yourself to be a terrible daughter?"
"I'd rather we didn't." She admitted and brought her knees to her chest and hugged them to her.
"Very well." He rolled his head. "Shall we get you back into bed?"
"Yes please." She nodded and stood up. He stood up and solidified his paws so he could carry her up to the bed where she could walk and settle herself against the pillows again. She winced a little as her arm brushed against the pillows.
"How's the arm?" He raised his eyebrow at her.
"It's fine." She held it with her hand as she looked at him. "What sort of business did you have?"
"Just had to deal with Time." He shrugged and her forehead wrinkle. "If you keep making faces like that, you'll get wrinkled early."
"I'll take my chances." She snorted with a smile.
"Now, why do you consider yourself to be a terrible daughter, as you so put it?" He sat up on the bed and looked down at her. "I highly doubt that the hero to be of Underland is truly as terrible as you believe yourself to be."
"Oh, but I am." She fell back against the pillows. "My mother gave up most of her life to take care of my sister and I, but I can't bring myself to give away the rest of mine."
"My, my, that does put you at a bit of a disadvantage." He puckered his lips in thought. "However, I do not believe that alone is enough to truly make you a terrible daughter. I feel as though you would have to do much worse than that."
"Surely not!"
"You are still young, and still have time to choose choices." He gave a shrug. "Whatever you choose will ultimately affect you, but you will have to make your choices and learn from your mistakes."
"Are you saying that accepting the marriage proposal would be a mistake?" She looked to him and he merely smirked at her.
"You surely seem to." He raised an eyebrow at her. "You should trust your instincts rather than just listen to what others tell you. You do have a brain in that pretty skull of yours, at least I think you do. You should trust your instincts."
"Well that's not very helpful." She huffed and turned into the pillows again.
"Maybe not." He shrugged as he floated in the air. "Or maybe you shouldn't ignore the advice that others give you."
His tail flicked in the air before he floated away to his room. "Sweet dreams."
And with that he ended the conversation and left Alice alone to her thoughts. He clapped his paws and the lights were turned out and left Alice in the dark. She could not decide if that were a good thing or not, but after hearing his words some of her guilt ebbed away. Perhaps after a conversation with Jack to hear his thoughts she would be more confident with her own. She rolled over onto her side and tried to get comfortable so sleep would take her, and she would stop thinking.
Author's Note:
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you're enjoying the story so far!
I know you're waiting for more Jack and Alice moments; I promise they're coming!
For those of you curious, I wanted to add a few historical elements to the story. I chose the date 1874 because it nine years after the book of Alice in Wonderland was published; which was 1865. It is to signify her being nineteen and help represent the time period it was written in. I also wanted to include how things were changing for the better for women during this time and so were many of the social norms. Things like marrying for love was such a rare and strange occurrence during many centuries throughout history up until the late nineteenth century because it was not always practical nor safe for the woman. Love did not always provide the stability that wealth did; which is the struggle Alice is facing.
Please remember to leave a comment or a review and feel free to message me if you have questions as the story progresses. I love seeing your thoughts.
Thanks for coming along the journey with me, stay tuned for more!
Ko-fi/SarahtheWriter.