Faith wandered the halls, looking for the way out. She had been led through so many twists and turns... now it seemed as though she had been up and down every hallway and corridor in the Red Realm that she was thoroughly backwards. "Cat!" she called. There was no answer this time, and she turned all the way round, confused. Where was he? Was he hurt? Then the words of the Red King popped into her head. "He is one of the rebels' most shady members." She shuddered. No. Cat had to be a friend.

She was in an entirely new corridor now, she knew. Perhaps this was the way out. It was dark, and she crept in, realising that it couldn't possibly be right. What was that? Something moved, hadn't it? Over to her left, and she turned to try to see what it was. The moment she turned though, something clubbed her from behind, and she fell unconscious.

Maggot stood over her, walking stick in hand, and smiled at his handiwork. Hatter had rather begged to see his old friend again, and maybe even introduce her to some of his experiments. Maybe even let her become one. That would be quite exciting.

He picked her up and staggered a little. What in hell was weighing her down? After a moment he shrugged, and summoned up a portal, and with a dramatic flare with his cape, walked through.

A rebel spy looked on, perched on a doorframe. His eyes narrowed when he saw the unknown man turn away, Faith swinging limply at his back.

It seemed to Faith that the world was spinning all around her. Where was she? What was going on? A dream within a dream, she thought, and laughed. She heard the sound, but it was strange. She heard the noise, but didn't feel the movement.

She stopped spinning, and found herself in a large room, in what had to be the Queen's palace. The ceiling was divided into quarters, in the colours black and red. The walls were the same two colours alternating. The floor was red and black tile. She was in the middle of the room, and was totally alone. There were bookcases to her left, and she read a few titles idly. None of them seemed to be pleasant. The Wheel, the Iron Maiden, and the Impaling Stick: A Soldier's Guide to Torture. That one made her shudder a bit.

The opposing wall was lined with mirrors, and had a tailor's stool. Faith stared. Was she in the Queen's room? Perhaps... she shuddered. If the Queen came in at that moment and found her... she knew for a fact that if the Queen did indeed find her then, she would be a bit more than toast. Deeply toasted.

Then she heard voices from outside. "No, I don't think she is... But I'll check again, just in case."

Faith darted behind the bookcase, but the footsteps passed the room by, and she slunk out in relief. She looked down, drawing a breath when she realised that she seemed to have changed clothes again. Her dress was red, and reached down to her ankles. It had an Asian-style collar, and it connected to a sheer type of fabric that went down a few inches past her shoulders. Solid red formed the lining of the sleeves and the rest of her dress. Two side vents that reached up to her knees completed it.

She groaned and leaned against a pillar, suddenly feeling very sick. This was a dream. It had to be a dream, and nothing but a dream. She scowled up at the ceiling and shook her fist. "I hope that you're pleased with yourself," she hissed at her self. It felt very strange, but she had been mad at herself before, so it also felt very normal.

Escape seemed to be necessary. She slipped through the door and found herself in a long hallway. One half was a row of doors; the other was a railing that allowed her to see all that was going on in the ballroom. Or at least, as people in there were dancing, that's what she thought it was. Where were the stairs? She picked a direction and started hurrying, trusting that her luck would hold for long enough to get her out of there. What she did once she was out, in a fancy dress and unarmed, would have to wait until she actually got out. She heard gruff voices, and the word "Faiff," and ducked into the nearest unlocked room.

Once in there, she listened through the door until the footsteps were gone, and sighed in relief. She reached towards the door's handle, but someone grabbed her arm before she reached it.

"Faith?" the voice was thoroughly confused.

She turned, and saw General Samien, and nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh, shite..."

"What in hell are you doing here? You aren't supposed to have arrived in Wonderland yet."

"What? I was in the King's throne room when you and Maggot were there, arguing about me. Then you left!"

"Maggot?" He was more confused than ever.

"Yeah. Kind've a high, whiny voice, light blue eyes, shorter than you?" Recognition dawned in his face.

"Oh! Him. But, what gave you the idea that his name was Maggot?"

"Well, that's what you always call him." Now it was Faith's turn to be confused.

"No, I've never called him that. Good idea, though," he said reflectively. "And what do you mean that the last place you saw us was the King's Keep? And how do you know about... Maggot, as you call him?"

"I killed the King, and I heard you two arguing. Then you said that you had reporting to do and he agreed and then you two vanished!"

"You didn't kill the King, Faith. You haven't been to the Pale Realm yet."

"Wha..?"

"Faith, you're still supposed to be in the asylum. The rebels don't even know about Maggot yet."

"Then what in bloody hell am I doing here?"

"How should I know?" He sat down, resting his forehead on a hand. "What exactly is going on? What happened before you killed the King?"

"Well, if it doesn't seem to have happened yet, why would I be so stupid as to tell you?" He shrugged. "How do you know that I'm not supposed to be here yet?"

"If you were here, we would know you by whatever alias you go by." He stopped and stared at her, taking in her uneven hair, her exaggerated paleness, and the almost military set of her feet: ready to fight at less than a moment's notice, despite the tiny problem of her lack of weaponry. "You don't look fresh into Wonderland, that's certain, so it seems that you have been here awhile." She thought for a moment. There had been one sunset and sunrise that she had definitely seen, but she knew that there had to be more.

"I don't know how long I've been here. Maybe a little under a week."

"A week," he muttered. "No, that's impossible."

"What d'you mean?"

"Because, a source just returned from the asylum and said that you were still there."

"What? When?"

"Just ten minutes ago. It said that you still wouldn't come."

Faith paused, wondering. "I never got that many visitors from Wonderland... I don't remember who came what was apparently a week before I got here."

"You cannot leave yet," he said sharply. She had started heading towards the door, with that very intent in mind. She turned back to him, angry. He put a placating hand on her shoulder. "If you left now, you would be caught within ten minutes. I am not the only one who knows what you look like."

His hand still rested on her shoulder, and she gingerly plucked it off. He let it drop to his side. "Why am I trusting you?"

He raised a quick eyebrow at her, and turned back to the table that he had been sitting at. There was a bowl of fruit on it, along with a formal uniform jacket and belt. He began putting these on, thinking. "Probably because I seem to be the only one of your foes that hasn't actually directly tried to kill you."

"Well, beyond that. You haven't totally abused my psyche, either."

"Shall I start?" he asked dryly. She shook her head.

"Anyway. Where is Maggot? I'm going to want to avoid that area."

He turned to face her. "Yes, you are. Unfortunately, you picked rather awful timing to create a paradox."

"What do you mean?" She frowned at him.

"I mean that we are in the middle of a ball. There will be soldiers everywhere, and Maggot will be mingling freely."

"As will you," she pointed out.

"Yes. And the Queen. You must stay here."

"I will NOT!" she snapped. Her better judgement told her that it definitely was the safer thing to do, but she also did not want to be trapped in here like a sitting duck. "Besides, you're probably going to send fifty guards here to arrest and kill me!"

He turned sharply. "I would not, Faith. You're unarmed, and however much you hate to admit it, you're defenceless as well."

She glared at him from underneath her eyebrows. "So it's merely honour that's saving my neck right now, isn't it?"

Samien leaned against the door in exasperation. "You are the most frustrating, stubborn... arrogant female that I have ever talked to!"

"What, because I'm not acting like a doormat?"

"No, because you're ignoring your own safety, and you aren't even trying to prove anything by it! You're acting stupid!"

"No, I just don't wish to be cooped up in a pen like a-"

"Shh," he whispered suddenly. She shut up, as there seemed to be a quiet urgency. Then she heard voiced. One was a man's... Maggot's, definitely. The second was a female... low, raspy and inherently evil. Her blood ran cold at the sound of it. Samien grabbed her suddenly, around the waist, cupping a hand over her mouth. "Come with me," he whispered.

He led her into his room. His bulk covered most of the view, but she did catch the edge of a rather hideous bed, and raised an eyebrow. Samien pretended not to notice, and sat her in a chair. "How will this help?" she started to whisper, but he bent down and hit a lever under the chair. The wall and the desk revolved, and Faith found herself in a small chamber- a secret one, judging by the entrance.

Then the voices came inside. Faith froze and held her breath when she heard Maggot thumping the wall, almost carelessly. The thumping was coming closer, and she shrank back.

"Cut that out!" Samien snapped. "You're destroying my wall!"

"So sorry, General," she heard Maggot's voice, snide as ever, though with a slight note of superiority that she didn't hear when they were alone.

The Queen spoke. Faith couldn't hear what she said, but Samien replied smoothly. "Yes, just go on without me. I'm afraid that I haven't quite finished getting ready."

"A little problem?" Maggot asked, pseudo-innocently.

"No, not a problem. I just underestimated the time I'd need to get ready."

The Queen's voice sounded again, and she heard the fading sound of footsteps, and sank to the floor in relief. The panel swung around again, with Samien standing just in front of the desk. He stood there, watching her for a moment.

"Why in hell did you join her?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. He turned away.

"Who wants to be on the losing side? I had nothing to lose, and everything to gain by joining her army."

"If you led the rebels, though, they may not be on the losing side!" she said numbly.

He turned to face her. "They have two fairly competent leaders and a wise advisor," he said tersely. "We have-"

"Brute force and love of carnage," she shot back.

He thought for a moment. "Not my choice of words, but true enough, in most cases. I have no great love of carnage, but brute force... I do have an army."

"None too intelligent one," she muttered.

"They know friend from foe, and that is enough," he said shortly. But she caught a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "Not many people have this much spunk after an encounter with the Queen."

"I am easily frightened, but I don't stay that way for long," she shrugged.

"Then what does frighten you?"

"I... I don't know," she said quietly. She was afraid that if she spoke louder, her voice would tremble. Truth was, she was scared at that very moment as her situation fully dawned on her. Then he pounced at her, and she dived, clamping her hand down over her mouth to cover a shriek. He turned to her, grinning smugly.

"Were you frightened?" he asked in a low voice.

She didn't know how to respond. Now, she was terrified. She didn't know at that moment... how could she know if she was afraid? But for sake of her pride, she shook her head. He smiled.

"That is impressive," he said. "Now, I must go. Please, for your sake and for mine, stay here."

"What if you come back and I'm gone?" she asked.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But be assured that I will not be quite so hospitable at our next meeting." He started to turn, and stopped. "One piece of advice, for when you actually are supposed to be here," he said, with a quick quirk of the lips. "The way to tell friend from foe: many friends will ask you favours with the intention of furthering you in Wonderland. The best thing that they'll ask of you is the saving of this place. Foes will ask you for meaningless favours; favours that will only weaken you or impede your progress."

She nodded. He fastened the last decoration onto his jacket, and stepped on a tiny section of the baseboard. The platform rotated once again, with him on it.

Faith hugged herself, nervous and uncertain. What would she do, now that he was gone and she was stuck there for any amount of time?

Then she heard footsteps- and they weren't Samien's. They sounded more like ...Maggot's. He started tapping the wall again, listening for a hollow spot. Faith froze. If she was discovered... "Faith, wake up," she whispered. "Wake up... wake up!"

Maggot knocked on the wall, only this time... victory. It was hollow. Now, how to activate it... he was convinced that Samien was hiding rebels in some secret panel, and all he needed to eliminate his rival was proof. He searched around, and he found a small lever on the bottom of the chair. He smiled, satisfied, and pressed it.

The wall twirled, and there was nothing to greet his eyes but an exact replica of the desk. He kicked it in frustration, and stomped off to rejoin the party.