Chapter Three

They were playing cards! The soldiers surrounding them had bodies, thin-sliced card-shaped brightly painted bodies covered in diamonds and spades and clubs and hearts. She remembered playing games with cards like that--except they were much smaller, of course, and didn't have heads and arms and legs.

Tara stood befuddled and made no protest when Spike pushed her back against a tree. This world was so strange! She remembered little about home but she knew it didn't have people who looked like they were made of cardboard. Jabberwocks and cardboard men. She made a sound. She was uncertain whether it was a sob or a laugh.

Spike was standing straight, his legs spread and muscles tensed. He was her shield. She could sense he was trying to keep every bit of her out of sight and away from harm. She wanted to move closer, hold onto him but she knew better. H e would need to be free so he could fight. Or they could run. She hoped they were going to run.

One of the soldiers spoke, and she knew better, she knew, but couldn't keep from moving to the side, poking her head around and peeping about like a newborn chick. She had to see.

"Make no protest, thief and come along smartly. You'll fare far better if you do!"

She thought the speaker must be the Captain because he had two faces instead of numbers. Not that he was two-faced. Tara made herself take a deep breath. She was thinking silly things and they were in trouble. There was no time for girlish fancies. She took more deep breaths and looked at the other soldiers while Spike argued.

"We're no thieves. Caught this rabbit fair and square. Didn't steal it from no one."

"All rabbits belong to King Snyder and all who hunt them will be punished." The Captain pointed to One of Hearts. "Sound your trumpet! Poachers have been apprehended!"

One of Hearts looked at his hands and saw no trumpet for the very good reason that he didn't have one. His forehead crumpled in thought and after consideration, he curled his hand and brought it to the front of his mouth, and tootled. " Toot, toot, tootle, t-oo-o-o-t!"

"Well, I didn't know about the King owning all the rabbits or I wouldn't have killed one." Spike ran his tongue along his teeth. "Sorry. I won't do it again."

Tara didn't think he looked sorry. She thought he looked positively fearsome, a scowl twisted his mouth and his blue eyes were narrowed. He looked as though he wanted to fight and she found that the most frightening thing of all. There were so many soldiers and cardboard or not, they had spears! She struggled against the renewed need to hold onto Spike. She'd only be in the way. She had to remember that. What to do with her hands? She clasped them and tucked them tightly against her chin, biting into her knuckles.

The Captain clapped his hands together. " King Snyder has decreed that Ignorance is against the law! One of Hearts, mark that down. The poachers admit to Ignorance."

Tara stared at One of Hearts. Bits of his body had been torn away and new bits had been tacked on with tape and dried glue. His heart had been ripped in half and whoever had put it together again hadn't done a very good job, for one side was lower than the other. Pieces of him overlapped and others had gaps in between. She felt a little sorry for him.

It was Six of Clubs that made her stomach churn and made her turn her face away altogether. His body was whole but he had a boar's head, snouted and covered in dark, wiry fur. Tusks sprouted from his upper lip. One of his arms was made from armor and ended in what Tara recognized as the head from a Spike Hammer. She might have thought that was funny if she weren't so frightened.

One of Hearts made a whining sound and held up his hands to show that they were empty. The Captain glared.

"I don't have anything to write with!" One of Hearts jiggled and Tara wondered if cardboard soldiers ever needed to pee.

"Lack of tools, learning or ability is no excuse. Do your job!"

After a moment, One of Hearts knelt and smoothed the ground in front of him. Using his forefinger, One drew letters ... T-H-E--P-O-C-H-U-R-S ... in the dust. The ground was hard and dry and he left little mark, but the Captain seemed to be satisfied. Not waiting to see if the job was completed, he whirled toward the other soldiers and bellowed.

"Take them!"

Spike put his fists up and crouched into a fighting stance. His eyes were crackling with gleeful energy and he flicked his tongue along his teeth. Tara was indignant. He was enjoying this! Her anger didn't last long. She was too frightened. She didn't want him to fight but how could she stop him?

"Psst!"

Tara jumped. Huh? Who was that?

"Pssst! Up here."

Tara craned her neck and looked up into the tree, and looked but could see only shadows. She must be hearing things. Spike's life was in danger and she was hearing things. Could she be any more worthless?

"Hey, girl. Your boy's got some stones on him, but you better rein him in. These soldiers ain't playin' with a full deck--if you get my meaning."

Tara wasn't sure she did but was too shy to say so. She couldn't even get up the nerve to speak to a hallucination. How was she supposed to tell Spike not to fight? Why would he listen to her?

"Tell him you're frightened. He'll behave if he thinks his girl might get hurt."

She wondered if the voice person could read her mind and then she blinked. His girl? The voice thing thought she was Spike's girl? She flushed with pleasure in spite of the fear that curdled her stomach. She shook her head. She was certain that Spike didn't think that way at all. He probably thought she was clumsy and ugly and a nuisance. She didn't know why he was protecting her.

Watching him dance about, making rude gestures, his eyes shining with exhilaration, she thought he might have forgotten all about her and that didn't surprise her. He wasn't a coward like she was, wanting to run away or just obey the soldiers.

Spike motioned with his hands, inviting the soldiers to advance and taunted, "Come on, you miserable little snot rags! Quit hiding behind those letter openers and I'll show how you how a man fights!"

Tara thought he looked so brave, so handsome. She wanted to smack him across the back of his head and then was appalled that she could think of such a thing.

The Captain stamped his foot. "You're no man. You're simply a boy and as such, you are in violation of the King's ordinance requiring all children to be locked in their rooms! One of Hearts! Take note of that. The boy is in violation!"

"I'm still working on the last one!" One of Hearts protested. "How do you spell ignorance?"

The Captain paid no attention and continued his tirade. "Surrender, immediately or we'll carry you to Court on our spears!"

"You and what other roll of toilet paper!" Spike spat out the words and Tara thought she might faint. She thought the wispy, whispery sound was an effect of being light-headed then she realized the voice was speaking again. This time when she looked up she made out a shadowy form. A cat? Was a talking cat more disturbing than a disembodied voice? Wasn't she a sophisticated Miss to ask such questions? As her eyes became more accustomed she noticed more detail. Chocolate eyes, chocolate coat, a white, shiny, sharp grin.

She didn't think cats were supposed to have grins.

"Ask-him-to-stop! Things are getting dicey here, girl. Speak to him!" The cat's voice grew louder and Tara wondered that no one else seemed to react. Maybe she was hallucinating. Shaking her head and putting the thought aside, she concentrated. What could she say? Spike was so courageous. He might have had enough sense to run from the Jabberwock but he wasn't going to let a bunch of cardboard cutouts tell him what to do.

They had spears! Sharp spears. S harp and shiny like the cat's teeth. She looked up and the cat was gone. S he thought she saw a flash of white but decided it must be moonlight flashing through the branches. No one to help her. She took a deep breath.

"Spike ..."

Six of Clubs snorted, his hot breath visible in the cold air and red eyes flashing, he jumped toward Spike, angling his thin body so it sliced through the air, sharp as a blade.

Too late. She was too late.

Spike twisted aside but the corner of the card-thin body skimmed along his throat, just at the junction between his shoulder and his neck, and the skin split. Tara thought the bright drops of blood looked like rubies.

She thought her eyes must be moving at a different speed from her brain, while Spike and the soldier were moving at another speed altogether. The world was moving in stop-gap motion and she couldn't process the gaps.

Her brain whirled, and Spike was turned, face on to the charging soldier, whose massive skull was a battering ram, and his feet thundered against the ground and Tara wondered how a cardboard soldier could make such noise...

And Tara blinked and Spike was on the ground, on his back, his opponent over him. He held a tusk in each hand, his arms straining outward. He pushed against the boar's head and his arms shook, testimony to the strength of his adversary. Six of Clubs might look like he was made of cardboard but ...

Tara blinked.

Moonlight fell on Spike's knuckles and there was blood. Rubies on silver. Wouldn't that make his hand slippery? Wouldn't that make it harder to keep pushing the head away? Spike was going to be crushed. His hand would slip and he would be crushed. The fight changed in tempo, the gaps coming faster and Tara watched without absorbing.

Spike curled his knees into his body, then he kicked out with his feet...

Six of Clubs was on his back and Spike was rolling...

.. he was kneeling on the soldier. He shifted, renewed his grip on the tusks and twisted.

Tara felt everything pop into place. Her brain caught up with her eyes and her eyes focused. She turned away and listened to the ripping sound of the boar's head being torn from his body.

She didn't look away for long. A whistling sound in the air made her spin in fearful anticipation.

A spear whizzed through the air and Spike rolled away. A second spear followed hard on the first and this time the blade glanced along his arm tearing the fabric of his shirt. When the third spear wafted toward him, instead of dodging, Spike leapt up to meet it, ghosting into the moonlight. He snatched the weapon from the air, caught it between his hands and flipped it, pointed end out. He hefted it into position and grinned savagely. "Who's going down first, ladies?"

There was very little about him that resembled an eight-year old boy at that moment.

She had to do something. She had waited too long to ask him to stop. Spike couldn't dodge all the spears forever. She had to do something. She ran to Spike, and pulled at his spear arm with all her might. She dragged it down and wrapped her arms around him as she had been longing to do. She hugged him tight, buried her face into his chest. Maybe the spears wouldn't pierce her all the way through. Maybe she could keep him safe.

"Tara!" Spike was aghast--as were the soldiers. Murmuring with surprise, they put their spears at rest and moved a step back.

She heard the cat murmuring, "You go, girl!"

She paid no attention, lost in shock at her own action. Tears welled in her eyes. Spike was going to hate her forever. "I'm sorry! Y-You can't fight all of them. You'll be killed. Please, please just go along with them." Tara could barely see now, for all the tears that poured from her eyes and she was glad. She didn't want to see the look of disgust on his face.

She realized that Spike had thrown the spear down. He shrugged his arms from out of her grasp and took her chin in his hand. He lifted her head up to meet his eyes. She didn't want to face him but she deserved whatever he had to say.

He ran his other hand along the side of her face. His head tilted and his lips curled into the shyest smile. Tara felt she had her boy back--Spike was back.

"You were worried about me? Me?"

Tara could only nod.

"Hrrrumpph!" The Captain stamped his foot for attention. "Your Lady has the right of it. You can't fight us all!"

Spike took Tara by the hand but stood with his head down. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes and his voice was shy. "My Lady. I like the sound of that."

Tara liked it too.

Soldiers surrounded Spike and his hands were pulled back and tied. For a moment, she thought he would resist but he looked up at her and even though his shoulders fell, he stood still. They put a collar around his neck and looped it to his bound hands and Tara thought her heart would break. What had she done? What had she been thinking? Who knew what would happen now. Spike never looked away from her, even when they put the chains around his feet.

"Bring around the cart, and let the lady ride." The Captain's voice broke into her thoughts and she turned to him in horror. They were going to separate them!

"No. Please. I want to stay with Spike."

"He'll be moving slow, marching with chains on his feet. We can have you to the castle, and fed and in a warm bed long before he arrives. No worries, girl. You won't be held responsible for his crimes. And they can always use a new servant up to the castle."

"I want to be held responsible for his crimes. I mean, he hasn't committed any crimes. I want to stay with him."

"No crimes? Hunting the King's rabbit, resisting arrest, not staying in his room! King Snyder may well have his head. If he's lucky. He killed one of Queen Walsh's soldiers. Best hope she doesn't want his head."

Tara didn't understand what he was talking about but she knew it was terrible. She had done a terrible thing. Maybe Spike could have fought all the soldiers. She hadn't trusted him to be strong enough or fast enough and now...

"I don't care. I want to stay with him."

"Tara. Don't be silly. Nothing to be served, you staying with me. You go on ahead and I'll find you once I get everything straightened out." Spike's voice was gentle and resigned. He smiled at her. How could he smile at her?

"No. I won't leave you." Tara dodged the soldier closest to Spike and latched onto his arm, tightened hers around it. "I won't leave him. Just accept it." She held her breath at her own daring.

The Captain shook his head. "Very well, young lady. You do yourself no good hanging with a scoundrel like that but I have no more time to waste. Nines, hearts and diamonds, Sevens, clubs and spades! Gather up the bodily remains--Queen Walsh will want them."

She hugged Spike's arm close and adjusted her steps. His strides were severely limited in span and Tara knew if she hadn't been there he would have fallen more than once as the links caught on stone and brush. She kept her head down, afraid to look at him.

"Tara."

She swallowed and forced herself to look him in the face and she felt tears in her eyes. He looked so sad!

"Want to say I'm sorry. I've bollixed up--got us into a right fix."

Tara's jaw dropped and she couldn't speak. He was sorry? He dropped his head and looked down, stopped walking and when he spoke she could barely hear the words.

"I was showing off. Meant to protect you, I did, but got all caught up having fun. Wasn't thinking. Should have made a plan. Done something." He started walking again as one of the guards pushed at him.

"No, it was me. It was my fault. I should have said. I didn't think you would listen to me but I should have tried." The tears spilled over onto her cheeks, her nose was running. She was certain she looked like a snot-faced baby.

"Why wouldn't I listen to you? You're a bright little thing. I could see that right off. You see things, feel things. I'd be a fool not to listen." Spike stopped again. "Oh. It's me. You meant I don't listen. I don't always." He twisted his lips and Tara thought he trying to smile.

"That wasn't what I meant. I ..."

Tara was cut off as a soldier shoved at Spike. "Enough of yer yappin'. We're late, very late and the later we are the worse it will go. Save yer breath for travelin' or you will be separated."

They looked at each other and leaned closer together and started moving.

Tara found herself leaning on Spike again. Her short nap hadn't given her nearly enough rest and so much had happened. She wished she could go home. She wished she knew where there that was. She stumbled and would have fallen if Spike hadn't leaned over to block her fall.

"Wrap your arm around my waist, love. Give us better balance, I think."

She did as he suggested and leaned her head against his shoulder. She felt his head come to rest against hers. Suddenly, tired as she was and as frightened as she was, Tara felt she was home.

TBC...