Third POV
Iris stared up at the drifting clouds above. A part of her still hadn't yet come to terms with the fact that she'd be spending the next 30 days underneath this unfamiliar sky. The blue sky outside the carriage window grew brighter and brighter as the sun rose higher in the sky. Iris subconsciously rubbed her eyes, not having noticed just how tired she really was.
"If you're tired you can go to sleep, little lady." A voice interrupted her thoughts. Iris glanced over, meeting the gentle amethyst gaze of the Queen of Spades, Sirius. "..I.. Thank you but.. I'm fine." Iris spoke, her tone slightly standoffish. "Don't push yourself. It won't do anyone any good if you pass out." Another voice spoke, this one belonging to the Jack of Spades, Luka.
Iris sighed, "I know that.." It was so easy for them to say that, wasn't it. It frustrated Iris, but she'd never dare speak that out loud. She was far too nervous to sleep, regardless of the fact she had been up all night. It wasn't like it was anything new. Back home, whenever she had done something wrong, her aunt would find it appropriate to "punish" Iris by not allowing her to sleep. Sometimes for days on end.
But things were different now. She had somehow fallen into this wonderland called Cradle the previous night, and she had only just agreed to work with the Black Army. And now, they were on their way back to headquarters after a confrontation at the Central Quarter. No way in hell was she going to agree to falling asleep in front of two men. Especially not in such a cramped space like the carriage. Iris' gaze subtly fell on the two men sitting across from her.
Luka didn't seem to look that much older than her, but looks could be deceiving. Speaking of looks, just one glance and Iris could instantly say that Luka was much prettier than she was. Yet the greatsword he carried on his back spoke numerous volumes of just how different their lives were. And then there was Sirius..
Sirius sat with his arms folded across his chest, silent as he gazed out the window. Iris thought back to their discussion in the plaza.
"Iris, it sounds like you've come here from the Land of Reason." Sirius commented. Iris turned her gaze to the Queen of Spades, and gave a small nod. "Yes, I have. It was a complete accident, yet now I have no way of returning home until the next full moon." she explained. Sirius smiled, his expression gentle, "Well, there's no need to worry. We'd never abandon a lost lamb."
Despite his gruff voice, his words were kind. A small part of Iris felt at ease with Sirius. But looking at him now, he had an unusually perceptive gaze. She could tell he was no ordinary man, that there was something more to him. In all honesty, when Sirius wasn't wearing a smile, he looked as though he could drown someone, no questions asked. Sirius looked like the stolid type, someone who wouldn't even crack in the slightest under pressure. Iris couldn't help but be curious about him. Yet suddenly-
"Hey, Sirius?" Luka spoke up. Almost as if communicating wordlessly, Sirius sighed, "I know.." The atmosphere in the carriage changed so drastically in a matter of seconds that Iris couldn't help but notice. She tensed, smoothing out her skirt and grabbing the end of her sleeves. Nervously biting her lip, Iris leaned back. Laying one arm across her torso and gently lifting her other hand to play with a lock of her white hair. But even if it seemed like she wasn't paying attention, Iris still noticed the way both men turned at the same time to look out the window that sat closest to them.
Iris subtly peered out the window as well, taking note of how the Black Army troops were now approaching a large bridge. But behind them, she could see a group of people dressed in white uniforms, rushing forward on horseback. Panic flared up in her chest as the realization struck. The Red Army was pursuing them.
Sirius narrowed his gaze, seeming to analyze the situation, "They pretended to retreat, only to come after us? That's not like the Red Army at all." "Fenrir's rushing towards the enemy now. Seth's right behind him." Luka commented, his expression hardening. "Luka, Formation C. Inform the troops." Sirius commanded. "Roger that." "Go." was the last word Sirius spoke to the Jack of Spades before Luka threw open the carriage door.
A squall of wind whistled past, yet Luka pushed through it. He leapt onto the back of a horse that was running alongside the carriage. "I won't let them cross this bridge." Luka spoke, his voice hard with determination as he strapped his sword to his back again, and then unsheathed it. The way the blade gleamed in the sunlight's warmth seemed to sear itself into Iris' mind. The door slammed shut, and the carriage continued to rumble onwards in the direction of the bridge.
Iris let out a shaky breath, almost in disbelief that it was only her first morning. Yet here she was, already caught up in a battle. "Tell me, little lady…" Sirius began. Iris' gaze quickly turned in his direction, "Y..Yes?!" "What sort of work did you do in the Land of Reason?" he asked. "I.. Uh.. I.. Pardon?" Iris stared at him in confusion, had she actually heard him correctly? "Should I speak a little louder?" Sirius asked, then raised his voice just a couple octaves, "I'm asking you what sort of work you did."
Iris paused for a minute, then answered- "Um.. I worked in a confectionery, making and selling candies and such.." Sirius smiled, "That sounds like a great job. Why did you choose to do that?" "Well, um.. I enjoy.. making others happy. And I.. I guess it's where my skill-" "Here! In this carriage!" A voice interrupted. Panicked, Iris crossed her arms, almost hugging her own body tightly. "What.. What's going on?!" she asked. The yell of triumph had been so loud that she could hear it over the rumble of the carriage, her thoughts scattering.
Iris peeked outside and could see several Red soldiers on horseback, drawing up too close for comfort to the carriage. "This is our chance to fulfill King Lancelot's wishes and prove our honor! We won't let her get away!" One of the Red soldiers shouted. "Alice the Second is inside this carriage! Drag her out!" came another.
Alice the Second? Were they really after Iris?! For what? "Miss, you didn't finish your sentence." Sirius spoke, once again pulling Iris from her panicked state. "I.. Huh?" she turned her attention back to the man sitting across from her. "I think you were about to say something about your skill set, and then you stopped. Well?" he prompted. Iris stared at Sirius, almost in disbelief. "Why.. Why are you even asking me such questions at a time like this?!"
Sirius smiled, "I'm just making small talk." She couldn't believe him. They were under attack, yet here he was, making small talk with her?! But then, Iris noticed something. While Sirius was speaking calmly to her, he was also making hand signals out the window every once and again. Was he giving signals to the troops all while making small talk with Iris? He was even smiling gently the whole time. Iris stared at him in confusion, she wasn't sure what to make of the Queen of Spades.
The sudden ringing of gunshots outside caused Iris to jump in surprise. She turned towards the window again. "They're attacking from behind! Keep your heads down!" one of the Red soldiers shouted. "Keep 'em down all you like- I'm still gonna shoot ya!" Fenrir called. He was on horseback, guiding the horse with his legs as he closed the distance with his enemy, both pistols he held at the ready. Iris' gaze was fixed on the wild stunt before her, until a strong voice right in her ear snapped her out of her daze.
"Focus on me. We were making small talk." Sirius reminded her. "Oh- Yes, yes, of course. I apologize. Erm.. What.. What was your question again?" she asked. She had no idea why he kept asking her questions, but at the same time.. She didn't want to end up on Sirius' bad side. "Um.. Oh right! The reason I chose my job is um.. In regards to my skill set. My aunt and.." she trailed off, but quickly spoke again, "My aunt had a real sweet tooth so.. She would often make me bake for her, whenever I misbehaved. I er.. I baked for her at least 5 times a week and actually started to enjoy it.."
"Really? What sort of things did she have you make?" Sirius asked. "Um.. Anything, really. Pancakes, and-" More gunshots rang out. "Man down! This gun-crazy maniac's too dangerous! Evasive maneuvers!" A voice shouted from outside. "Wait, wait, hold up! Don't you wanna play a little longer?" Fenrir called out, his tone wild. Even just the voices and noises were enough to tell Iris that something crazy was happening outside.
The carriage swayed as it picked up speed. The gunshots sounded again, seemingly closer together this time. But Sirius continued to smile at Iris, and his small talk didn't falter for even a moment. "Pancakes, hmm? Well, I hope you like them since you'll find them a lot on our breakfast table. Did you or your aunt have a favorite topping?" Sirius asked. "Uhh.. My aunt didn't really have a favorite, no. She often just told me to put whatever. I ended up using vanilla ice cream a lot.."
More gunshots followed by more voices, "I can't dodge fast enough! I've never seen such a quick-shot!" "Thanks! But I'm not that great, y'know!" Came Fenrir's voice. "Anything else?" Sirius asked. "Err.. Oh! My-" She paused, thinking if she really wanted to mention him, "..My aunt's husband really likes banana and chocolate sauce. And-" She noticed how Sirius seemed a bit confused at her choice of wording, but Fenrir's voice interrupted again- "I appreciate the flattery though! Gotta reward ya for it!" "I'm not flattering you! Stop, please, stop!" "And don't forget, I'm here to provide backup!" Came Seth's voice.
"Your uncle liked banana and chocolate sauce, hm? And?" Iris tensed at Sirius' choice to use the word 'uncle,' but she didn't comment. "Ermm.. My sister is quite basic.. She loves maple syrup." Calls of "Retreat!" and even more gunshots echoed outside. "It's over for you!" Iris could hear Fenrir shout. "My horse is down! Somebody! Help-"
"Maple syrup, eh? I see. I'll remember that." Sirius nodded slowly, and at the same time, the loud tumult outside faded away. The carriage began to slow down at last until finally drawing to a stop. "It's over. Hop down for a moment, and get some fresh air." Sirius told her. "I.. O..Okay." Iris muttered, her voice shaky. She stepped down from the carriage, and was surprised to find herself in what appeared to be a peaceful little country town.
The other soldiers seemed to be stopping for a rest as well. And there were no Red soldiers in sight. "We've left the Central Quarter and crossed the Black Bridge. This is our land." Sirius explained. So, this was Black Territory. The part of Cradle that the Black Army took care of. "They won't come after us anymore." Sirius told Iris. "..Are you positive about that?" Iris asked. Sirius smiled, "I'm sure. Those guys may be stupid, but they're not trying to get killed."
Iris wanted to feel relieved, but a weight still hung heavy in her chest. She hadn't even been here a day, yet she'd already been labeled as "Alice the Second" and now an entire army was after her. And for what? All because she hadn't allowed their King to kill the entirety of the opposing Army for whatever reason? She let out a sigh, trying to calm down and relax. But her body was still tense.
"Sirius! Iris! Are you okay?" Ray called out. "Of course." Sirius answered. "I should've known." Ray came galloping towards them, dismounting quickly as soon as he was close. Soon, the other leaders had gathered around as well. Iris stepped back a little, glancing around. She felt relieved that they were all okay, but she didn't feel comfortable letting that show. "Oooh, the nerve!" Seth began, "I can't believe the Red Army pretended to retreat and then came chasing after us like that!"
"They launched a surprise attack, but they were just a pack of weaklings. I didn't even break a sweat!" Fenrir bragged. "They had no coordination. There were only a few of them, leaving themselves wide open. That definitely wasn't an official operation." Luka pointed out. A thoughtful look crossed over Ray's expression before he spoke- "So you think it was a couple of idiots acting on their own in an attempt to prove their honor?" "I knocked a couple of 'em out and left 'em behind. But what should we do?" Fenrir asked.
"Should we go back and collect them so we can punish them?" Seth suggested. "No, leave them. I'm sure the Red Army will hand down a sufficient punishment as it is," Sirius said, "Over there, the cost of making a move without consulting your superiors is very, very high." Ray nodded in agreement, "Exactly. And right now we need to prioritize getting home."
"They weren't trying to diminish our military strength. They were after Iris." Ray pointed out. Iris' heart jolted uneasily when Ray had spoken her name, a frown forming on her lips. Those soldiers had attacked because they wanted to capture her and hand her over to the King of Hearts. Iris had no idea crossing the Red Army would prove to be so dangerous. "Sirius." Ray began, turning his attention to the taller man, "Take care of Iris until we reach headquarters."
"Roger that, boss." Sirius spoke, then turned to Iris- "Let's go, little lady." "..Alright." Iris muttered. She turned around to climb back into the carriage, but something stopped her right in her tracks. A gasp escaped her lips as she stumbled backwards a little. Hesitantly, Iris reached out and touched the door of the carriage. The wood was chipped and battered with slash marks across it, like someone had come at it time and time again with a sword in hand.
They had been trying to hack their way in and drag Iris out, no matter the cost. A shiver rushed down Iris' spine. She pulled her hand back from the door as if it had burnt her. She had been so confused and distracted by Sirius' determination to make small talk that she had forgotten to be afraid. But-
"Just be warned, Alice- I consider anybody who gets in my way an enemy."
"I doubt it will be long until I see you again, but until then, enjoy what little time you have left of your life."
Lancelot's cold words echoed over and over again in Iris' mind for the entirety of the carriage ride.
"We're hoooooome!" Fenrir and Seth called out in unison. "Once you've taken your horses to their stalls, I want to see everyone in the office. We're holding an emergency meeting." Ray informed them. "Very well. I'll make something we can nibble on." Luka spoke. "Yaaay! I'll help." Seth smiled. But Fenrir interrupted, "Give it up, Seth! Wouldn't you be better off setting up Iris' room for her?"
"Oooh, Fenrir! Occasionally you actually come up with a good idea." Seth spoke gleefully. "There's a free corner room that gets lots of sun, so you can use that." Ray informed them, then turned to Iris, "Is that okay, Iris?" Startled by someone suddenly talking to her, Iris' voice came out as rushed and panicked- "Oh! Um.. Yes, that is perfectly fine. Thank you, King Ray." "Just call me Ray. You don't need to use titles or formalities with us." Ray told her.
"That's right!" Fenrir spoke up, "Relax and think of us as family!" "I'd be soooo happy if you thought of us as your family, Alice!" Seth smiled. Iris tensed up, smiling awkwardly. She'd barely been here a day, and everything felt so new, so surreal. So.. Uncomfortable. "I promise the food will taste good." was all Luka said. Iris let out a small sigh, "Thank you, Luka."
Their smiles had been so friendly as they headed towards the main building, but all it had done was raise Iris' nerves. They were all so kind. She was thankful to have ended up here and not with the other Army. But, a part of her couldn't help but wonder if their kindness was nothing but an ulterior motive. Even if they were all smiling and making jokes with each other, the tension from earlier still resided heavy in Iris' heart.
Then she thought back to the fight from earlier. Wondering if it was a regular occurrence for them. With the atmosphere, it almost felt like nothing had even happened. And yet.. The image of that battered carriage door wouldn't leave her mind, sending shivers trickling down Iris' spine. She could still hear in her head the yelling of voices and the sounds of guns firing. They all may have had nerves of steel, but Iris didn't. Could she actually manage to survive a whole 30 days of this?
Iris stood at the gate, frozen in place. The slowly darkening sky was so different from the cloudy skies of London. It was clear and beautiful, but that beauty was what nearly scared Iris. She felt the same way she had when she had gotten lost as a child and somehow wound up in the next town over. Her aunt had been furious.. But now..
Iris was scared, scared and anxious. She wanted to be back at home, safe in her own bed. Knowing what tomorrow would bring. She could easily picture her room in London inside her mind, and her body trembled ever so slightly. Iris found herself wishing that she would just wake up, safe and sound in her bed. That this was all nothing but a nightmare.
Suddenly, she felt a large hand lay gently atop her head, fingers running softly through her long, white hair. It felt warm and comforting. Not at all horrid as all previous touches had felt. The warmth seemed to seep into her, gently chasing away some of her fears. "C'mon, Iris. Let's go home." Came the gentle rumble of Sirius' deep voice. Home, huh. "It's almost dinner time. And Luka wasn't kidding about the food. It's worth getting excited over." Sirius smiled.
Sirius paused, and this time when he spoke, his voice was deeper and more gentle. "You'll be okay. We're here to take care of you." he told her. "..Sirius.." She mumbled. His voice flowed gently in the twilight atmosphere, pooling deep within Iris' heart and chasing away some of the darkness gathered there. "Take your time, and you'll get used to it here." Taking a deep breath and letting some of the tension fall away, Iris' shoulders seemed to relax a bit. "..Okay." she breathed. "Good."
Sirius patted her gently on the back, and then began to walk towards the building. But when he glanced back over his shoulder, the setting sun beautifully illuminated the side of his face. "I almost forgot to mention. Dinner comes with dessert." For the first time in what felt like years, Iris let out a genuine laugh. "Sirius, just because I work in a confectionery doesn't mean you can bribe me with sweets." she smiled, her expression falling soft and seeming to light up.
Sirius gave a smile in return, "Worth a shot. Come along anyway." His smile only seemed to brighten up his features as he gestured for Iris to follow him. Slowly, the ice walls that surrounded Iris began to slowly crack as she pushed herself to follow after Sirius. She had been so anxious only a moment ago, yet now- She didn't understand how he'd made her feel so at ease so fast. She looked up at him, studying him curiously.
But her staring hadn't gone unnoticed by Sirius- "What? Have I got something on my face?" he asked. "Ah-! No. It's nothing, don't worry." She hastily turned her gaze away from his friendly smile, unsure of why she felt so flustered all of a sudden. At that time, Iris still had no idea of what was yet to come. She had no idea that soon, he'd become someone she trusted so much. Someone who she felt a desperate longing to be close to.
