Meanwhile, as Iris was entering the Black Army's headquarters…

Third POV

The Red Soldiers who'd launched that surprise attack on the Black Army were brought before the King of Hearts, Lancelot Kingsley. He stared down at the men before him, his blue eyes as cold as ice and his gaze impassive, "Raise your heads." He commanded. "Yes, my king!" A soldier spoke. "These soldiers are key figures in our cavalry. However.." Another voice spoke, this one belonging to the Jack of Hearts, Edgar Bright, who was smiling. But despite his smile, there was nothing kind in his expression.

"Disregarding the chain of command to launch an attack goes against everything our army stands for. How do you not understand that?!" The Queen of Hearts, Jonah Clemence, shouted. His expression was harsh, not hiding just how angry he was. "We're so sorry, my queen! We thought we'd lose our only chance if Alice took refuge in Black Territory!" they explained, panic spread across each of their faces. "I see. I understand how you feel. However.." Edgar began, "Rules are rules." His gentle smile was the only signal Edgar's men needed before they moved to surround the cavalry troops.

A smile formed on Jonah's porcelain features, "I'll leave the punishment in your capable hands, gentle demon." Edgar narrowed his eyes, smirking, "Please don't call me that, Jonah. It will only scare people." Jonah glared at the Jack of Hearts, "Shouldn't you take responsibility for that yourself? You're the one who grins while casually destroying young men's futures." The faces of the cavalry troops turned pale, all color drained from them as binds were tied around their wrists. "Wait." Everyone fell silent.

Both Edgar and Jonah turned to Lancelot, their expressions serious, "King Lancelot?" Everyone in the room had stopped whatever they were doing and all gazes fell on the King of Hearts, awaiting whatever he had to say. "Tell me again what you saw," he commanded. "Yes, my king!" One of the soldiers began- "We launched a surprise attack on the Black Army as they approached the Black Bridge. We penetrated their defenses enough to get close to Alice's carriage, but then the Ace of Spades retaliated-"

Lancelot's cold gaze narrowed, "What did you see inside the carriage? Give me details." "There were two people in the carriage. One was Alice, and the other was the Queen of Spades, Sirius Oswald." Lancelot tensed, his gaze narrowing further in a troubled look at the soldier's words, yet he said nothing as the soldier continued. "In spite of the fact that our attack came as a surprise, the enemy moved immediately into battle formations around the carriage." One said, with another adding- "I believe the Queen of Spades was issuing orders from within the carriage."

Lancelot's expression fell impassive, "I see. If he's at Alice's side, their defenses won't be broken so easily. I will hold off on the order to have you discharged," he decided. "King Lancelot! Thank you very much!" Lancelot narrowed his gaze once more, glaring harshly at the soldiers who'd decided on breaking the rules so loosely, "However, you will be stripped of all your privileges. I shouldn't need to say this, but… don't expect to get a second chance."

His gaze was as cold as winter itself, sending shivers down the spines of the men as they gave silent nods. "Remove their restraints. It will be as my king commands." Edgar spoke. Despite Edgar's immediate compliance, Jonah didn't appear to be as easily swayed. "Wait a minute! Aren't you being a little lenient, King Lancelot?" the Queen of Hearts retorted. Lancelot's cold gaze fell on Jonah, "You are my right-hand man. Do not argue my decision."

Lancelot stood from his seat, his powerful voice commanding immediate silence. A cruel grin spread across his lips, "It's not like this attack didn't have results." His final words had come out on a soft breath, neither Jonah nor Edgar had caught wind of them.

"Hold onto your hats! It's time for 'Seth's Rip-Roaring Headquarters Tour'!" Seth smiled boldly, excitement dripping into his tone of voice. "Mm. Thank you, Seth." Iris smiled, crossing her arms lightly across her torso. It was the evening of her first day staying with the Black Army. Gratitude flowed so easily into her heart for Seth's open kindness. "And I sincerely apologize for this trouble. I understand all the leaders are busy with the emergency meeting." Iris muttered, averting her gaze.

Seth smiled gently at the girl, "It's no trouble really. Taking care of you is an important part of my job, Alice!" he reassured her. Iris tensed, despite how sweet he was being, she wasn't fond of being called 'Alice.' She wasn't Alice, nor did she intend to be 'Alice the Second.' Her being here was an entire accident. But, it wasn't like this was the first time someone had disregarded using her actual name in favor of calling herself something else. After all, ever since she was 16, her aunt had constantly called her by the name, 'Hope.' She could handle being called 'Alice' for just a month.

Being with Seth had a way of making Iris feel less worried, though. Yet she felt a bit uneasy under his gaze. In an attempt to avoid eye contact, Iris glanced around the large room he had brought her to. The room was tidy and clean, decorated to be a comfortable and cozy little lounge with a few places to sit and a fireplace off in one corner. But rather than having a flame lit, the fireplace seemed to be lit with magic crystals. There were also a few tables off on the other side of the room. "This is our dining hall and also our main lounge. It's Black Army policy that soldiers and leaders all eat the same food in the same place." Seth explained.

Then he added- "We hold a lot of parties, so there's something to look forward to. Okay, next up…" Taking Iris through a doorway in the lounge led to another room, one that looked to be your average cottage kitchen. "This is our kitchen! It's so nice having it right next to the dining hall." Seth explained, "It means we get to eat our food while it's still piping hot!" "Ah.. That sounds nice." Iris commented. Everything looked so well taken care of, so clean and well laid out. Iris could already imagine this being a nice place to cook in.

"The first floor also has a library and a medical room. The leaders all live on the second floor. Your room's up there, too." Seth explained. Iris tensed up, was it really okay for her to have a room near them? But before she could question it, Seth led her out of the kitchen and up to the second floor. "The room right across from the stairs is the office. And since they're in a meeting right now, we should keep quiet." To provide emphasis on his point, Seth raised a finger to Iris' lips as he lowered his own tone to a whisper, "The leaders' rooms are on both sides of the office. Each room is quite spacious, so we're all guaranteed privacy."

They continued walking down the hall as Seth explained more, before pausing at a corner door. "And the most important room is yours, Alice! It's this corner room at the very end." The door opened, revealing a beautiful room decorated neatly in white and teal. "What do you think? I designed your room around the concept of cute and cozy, with some inspiration from your outfit." Seth explained with a little wink. Glancing down at what she was wearing, Iris realized that the room really was on a similar concept as her clothing choice.

She wasn't dressed in anything fancy or impractical, just a long-sleeve, soft blue sweater and a flowy white skirt, with some white knee-high socks and easy-to-run in shoes to match. She wasn't sure what could be classified as 'cute' with her outfit, but cozy was there. Iris gave a kind smile in Seth's direction, "It's wonderful. Thank you, Seth." Seth's expression seemed to light up at her praise, "That's the reaction I was hoping for! It makes it worth rushing to get it done for you."

The two of them sat down on the white sofa together, with Seth sitting up straight. A bright smile on his face, "Now! If anything about your new life here troubles you, you tell me right away." He told her, then added, "And I'm sure there'll be things that might be hard to say to me, being a guy and all. But in that case, just write a note and give it to me." Iris blinked, but then averted her gaze. She had nearly forgotten about what some of her accommodations may be, with her being a woman and all. But it was thoughtful of Seth to say that.

"It's um.. Kind of you, to cover every detail like this.. Thanks, Seth." Iris muttered, slightly embarrassed. But Seth's smile didn't falter, "Don't worry about it at all! I'm doing it because I want to!" Then his smile fell, "I understand all too well how hard it is for a woman to live in a man cave like this." His expression had clouded slightly, but Iris only blinked at him. Not exactly sure of what he meant, "Um.. I'm not sure what you mean? Has it.. Been hard for you, or something?" She asked.

Seth suddenly snapped out of whatever mood he had fallen into, smiling brightly once more, "What? Me?" "..Living in a man cave, I suppose.. It's not hard if you're used to it, but if you're not.." She glanced at her hands, folded in her lap, then looked back to meet Seth's gaze, "I guess some people can feel like they don't belong?" "Oh-" For a moment, Seth's face fell completely blank as he stared at Iris. But then he grabbed a cushion and squeezed it against his chest, laughing loudly. "Goodness me, Iris. I'm a man, through and through! I'm as manly as they come! I was just making a general observation, you know?"

Iris' pale face flushed pink with embarrassment as she realized what Seth had thought she was suggesting, "Eh?! No! I was only talking about how some people are used to living differently, not- Never mind.." she muttered. Seth only laughed once more, "If you say so, besides, I wasn't the first person to suggest that we check in with you and make you feel comfortable." he began, "That was Sirius." Iris' dark blue eyes widened in surprise, "Sirius was the one who said that? Really?"

Her voice had come out as one of complete surprise. She hadn't been expecting that. Yes, she was grateful that Sirius was being so considerate of her, but- It just didn't match with his appearance all that well. Iris' strongest memory of the man was his deep, sonorous voice that had managed to cut through her panic, alongside his piercing, amethyst gaze. "I know his gaze can be as sharp as a hitman's, but he's not scary, you know." Seth giggled. "Eh?" Iris sputtered out the word, almost horrified that he'd somehow figured out what she was thinking. But Seth only grinned at her.

"Real hitmen are actually better at smiling than at looking scary." Seth commented. "Hmm.. Really?" Seth nodded, "Really. That said, if Sirius actually gets mad, he's waaay scarier than any regular ol' hitman." Iris was still trying to fully comprehend what he had meant when Seth glanced over at the clock, and then tossed aside the cushion in his grasp. Seth's brown eyes widened as he exclaimed- "Oh no! How did it get so late?! Alice, you must be so exhausted!" "Well- now that you mentioned it.. I am a little sleepy." Iris muttered, stifling a yawn.

"I'm sorry for rambling on for so long. Get some rest, okay? Goodnight!" As he walked out the door, Seth turned off the lights while Iris sat down on the bed, taking off her shoes then flopping down. Suddenly, the extension of her exhaustion hit her and her body seemed to instantly relax. The sheets felt fresh and clean, the blanket soft and filled with warmth. Without realizing, Iris fell asleep, unable to resist the lure. As she slept soundlessly, snuggled comfortably underneath the covers, her vision suddenly brightened.

From somewhere behind her, Iris could hear the clatter of horse hooves approaching, a sudden rush of intense noise overwhelming her senses.

"This is our chance to fulfill King Lancelot's wishes and prove our honor! We won't let her get away!"

'Who.. Who are these people? W..Why.. Why do they hate me? What.. What have I done wrong?'

"Alice the Second is inside this carriage! Drag her out!"

'I'm.. I'm scared.. Please.. Leave me alone!'

"Iris.."

'NO.'

The ground underfoot felt as though it was crumbling away. And as she fell, dozens of visions and memories flashed before her eyes. She could hear the enemy yelling, horses crying, gunfire, and the clang of weapons striking each other. She saw the carriage door, countless cruel blade marks marring its neat surface. Her vision shifted once more, to that horrid night from when she was 16..

"NO!" Iris sat up with a start, tears streaming down her face as she panted heavily with fear lacing her mind and body. Yet everything around her was dark and quiet. As she slowly caught her breath, reality returned to her grasp. She was in bed. Everything was just a dream. She could feel her forehead was damp, covered in cold sweat. Her hands, clutching at the blanket, felt as cold as ice. What an awful dream..

It felt as though she had slept forever, but it was clearly still the middle of the night. Iris looked back at her pillow, but she couldn't bring herself to lay back down. She didn't want to go back to that dark place within her mind. Feeling just how dry her throat was, Iris made the subconscious decision to go and get some water. But before she exited her room, she used the sleeve of her sweater to dry her face.

Stepping quietly down the corridor, she noticed that a door just up ahead was slightly ajar. A thin beam of light filtered from inside, striking the floor. Recalling Seth's tour, she knew that door led to the office. Was someone else still awake? She tiptoed quietly to the door and peered inside the crack, inside was Sirius. But it seemed her presence hadn't gone unnoticed, as Sirius glanced up at the door, his eyes wide. "Hmm? Iris?" Realizing she couldn't just walk away, she opened the door and gave a small smile, "..Good evening, Sirius."

Sirius paused with his hand on a document, placing down a pen he was holding. "You're finally awake." He smiled, letting out a small sigh, "You've been asleep a long time." Iris tilted her head, giving the brown-haired a man a slightly confused look," Really? It was only 10 o'clock when I went to sleep, and it's only after midnight now." Sirius' expression softened, "That's true, but.. It's the day after you went to sleep." Her body tensed as she stared at him in shock. Was he being serious? Had she actually slept through an entire day?

"I.. I apologize, sincerely. I.. I've never done that before." Iris muttered, panic etching her tone as she averted her gaze away and lowered her head. She felt like a complete and utter fool, but Sirius only gave a shrug and smiled faintly at her. He hastily tidied up the documents in front of him on the desk, then stood from his chair. "Come with me for a bit."

"Sit down," he told her. "Erm.. Okay.." Iris did as she was told, and a moment later, Sirius turned on the lights. A warm, comforting glow filled the room. Iris glanced around, confused. Why had Sirius brought her to the kitchen? He moved over to the sink, and without any warning, picked up a large, sharp knife. The blade glimmered dangerously in his hand, reminding Iris of the way his eyes had glimmered in the carriage.

Enfolded in his large hand, that long blade looked less like a simple chopping implement, and much more like a fear-drenched weapon. Even after all these years, Iris could still recall the harsh punishments her aunt induced. The scars that littered her skin underneath were a terrible reminder, and a cold shiver ran down her spine.

"Iris! Come here this instant!"

"Yes, Aunt Mindy?"

"Did you talk to that boy again, even after I said not to?!"

"W..What? No, I swear!"

"Liar! Tyler says he saw you. Give your wrist."

"N..No.. NO PLEASE-"

Even if it had been so long since she had faced a punishment like that, the memories were still fresh. They still served to harm her. And in the dark of night, they filled her with fear. A sudden shout tumbled out of her throat, her voice shaky and cracked, "P..Please. I.. I'm sorry for whatever I did.. D..Don't hurt me." Sirius turned around sharply, his eyes wide as he stared at her panicking form, "Do what?" he questioned, his tone slightly alarmed.

As he stared at her, a tense silence filled the room around them. Unable to bear it, Iris lifted her arms to cover the sides of her head, lowering down to appear as small as possible as she shut her eyes. And a good thirty seconds passed. A sudden laughter erupted from Sirius' throat. When Iris hesitantly looked up at him, she saw that he was smiling, "Look here, little lady. I'm not going to hurt you." Sirius carefully placed down the knife, and walked over to Iris, gently tweaking her cheek, "You're quite adorable when startled, though."