Alice remained in the throne room, expecting either Stayne or one of his men to escort her back to her own prison. It wasn't until night had crept upon the castle when someone had come for her, one of the maids from earlier. Az, if she recalled correctly.

"Alice? What ever are you doing still in here?" The woman asked in confusion.

"I was waiting for someone to drag me off to my cell just as the prisoner that I am." She whispered in pain at the knowledge that she was no better off than the Hatter now, only he would soon leave this place, and she would remain here until the end of her days.

"Alice… Do not despair." The young woman spoke soothingly trying to comfort her. "Many women would fight for the opportunity that you are now in. You should have seen how Hana fumed at the news you accepted the proposal. I think she may have actually quit too." Az said, trying to recall if Hana said where she was going off to.

"Well, anyone who wants the position needn't try to fight me. If I could bestow such a curse on a willing soul, I would do it without question." She muttered, her eyes looking over the stained glass for the ump something time. "Az. Tell me, what do you know of Underland? No lies, just what you know."

Az blinked at the question and thought hard seating herself on the steps before the thrones beside Alice who not took a seat as well.

"I only know what I have heard, and I have not heard much." She began her hands supporting her head. "I hear that it was at one time a most wonderful place, filled with wonder and amazement, but then the war came and split the lands, killing many. Apparently the Outlands were only made the Outlands after the war, its lands once as mysterious as the rest of the realm, but much of it was destroyed at the hands of the Red and White.

"But that tale Stayne said, he even admitted that the Black is cruel, how could this awful place have been anything like Underland with his kind ruling it?"

"Well Alice, that's the benefit of winning wars. The victors get to tell the story," Az replied looking to the stained glass behind them. "Our King had only just come into our crown not long ago. He was a walking corpse when he made it to the city. Everyone thought he was his father's ghost at first glance."

"If only," Alice muttered bringing her knees to her chest. The comment made the young maid frown at her constant displeasure to Stayne.

"I'm confused. Did you or did you not agree to wed our king?" Az asked shifting closer to the queen to be who scoffed.

"Is that what they are calling it? An agreement? I was coerced into this deal."

"…. The king gave you an ultimatum?"

"Yes… Well, no." Alice groaned getting to her feet. "I brought it up. He would have killed Hatter if I didn't do something!" She shouted in distress. "And I couldn't bear to see that happen." Az now stared at Alice as though she had stabbed her.

"You- you truly don't love our king." Her voice cracking. "This- Hatter. Do you hold affection for him?" She asked hesitantly. Alice paused at the question.

"I can't say, at least not for sure." She whispered in response. "I care very much for him, I've known him forever, and yet I hardly know him at all."

"And of our king?"

"I know him more than I would like," Alice retorted. "How could anyone be capable of loving such a monstrous man?" The question caused the maid to get to her feet.

"He may be a vile man at first sight, but you owe it to yourself to find out more about him. After all. If you are two are to wed, you'll be spending a considerable amount of time together. "

"I owe myself nothing!" Alice shouted, causing Az to shudder. "I sacrificed myself so that Hatter may live. So that perhaps my suffering shall not be in vain, and the White court will see the error in their ways and do what needs to be done. To burn this place to ashes…"

"All because of our King?" Az asked, her voice cracking and tears brought to her eyes. "I do not know what he has done for you to hate him so much, but for you to want to condemn an entire population for what? So- so you can be rid of him?" She shook her head, shame now sinking into Alice's heart.

"I'm sorry-"

"You don't get to apologize! Not until you know what you are apologizing for." Az whispered as she removed a handkerchief from one of her apron pockets. "We did not ask for our lands to be ravaged nor for it to be cast out from the rest of the realm. We may not be perfect, but at least we don't go seeking to burn entire cities over a single soul," Az muttered, knowing fully well she may never have the opportunity to scold Alice again once she became queen. "I bid you goodnight, Alice." She whispered walking away.

"Aren't you going to escort me and lock me in that tower?" Alice called to the retreating woman.

"The king sees no need to keep up locked away now that you have agreed to marry him. You can move about the castle as you please," the maid called back, leaving Alice to ponder to herself.

It wasn't much long after Az's departure that Alice ventured out into the halls once more. She had abandoned Chess at the sound of the Hatter's voice, or did he abandon her? It was all a blur now.

She finally found her way to what seemed like the courtyard, which wasn't much but overgrown weeds bushes and dying trees. Such a depressing sight made her long for Mamoreal more than ever. She made her way around a corner of the somewhat labyrinth to spot a gazebo, or what once was a gazebo. Overgrown with vines wrapping around its frame, it was admirable to see even nature attacking the foundations of this land.

Stepping into the garden's most appealing feature, she was meet with the kingdom's least appealing figure, or at least to her. Stayne. He sat upon the floor of the sheltered place, a leg stretched out and the other bent at the knee. Their gazes met one another, both had an expression of shock, neither one expecting to meet by chance.

"Knave." She muttered in greeting, wanting to infuriate him while she still could, but to her surprise he gave way to a smile.

"Come to be with your own kind, little wildflower?" He asked in response, revealing the reason for the smile. Such a smug man.

"Since I am no longer held prisoner in that tower I thought I may as well explore my cage while I still can."

"You were never a prisoner, Alice," Stayne said softly as he closed his eye, nestling himself against the beam that his back was upon.

"Then what do you call locking the door?" Alice asked raising her voice which disturbed his peace.

"I'm sorry, I don't recall you asking to be let out, do you?" He replied placing his dark eye on her now, a more stern look as he rose to his feet, dusting himself free from dirt and pollen as he stood.

"I thought it would have been pointless," the woman muttered watching him. The assumption made him scoff.

"Well, you thought wrong, wildflower," Stayne grumbled back. "All you had to do was ask and an escort would have been provided to you," he continued now realizing that his Queen-to-be had not been given a proper tour. That would have to be remedied tomorrow.

"And you still say I am not a prisoner?" Alice asked breaking his train of thought.

"It would be for your best interest to have someone to guide you," the King stated as he inspected one of his gloved hands.

"My best interest?!" Alice asked spinning to face him. The nerve of this man. "Who are you to say what is and is not in my best interest? My best interest would be to leave this place and return to Under with Tarrant."

"In case you may have forgotten, when I found you just this morning, you were a product on the black market, to be sold a slave-"

"I am a slave! You-" but she was cut off by Stayne just a raising of one of his gloved hands.

"Sold to whoever could have produced the highest bid on you. I wager that you would have either ended up in a workhouse of some sort or as a specialized slave," Stayne hissed, emphasizing on the 'specialized' part which made Alice curious, but she did not inquire. "Had I not come when I did, you may have never seen the light of day again," warned the former knave as he clasped his hands behind his back.

"These are your lands, are they not? If I were to end in such a predicament it would still be you to blame!" Alice snapped turning away from him in a huff and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I may be the king, but I still have to earn the loyalty of those within my realm, or at least place some fear into them. I've only very recently come upon this kingdom. While you were away, most of my days were spent out in the wilderness with that wretched woman at my side! It wasn't long after Iracebeth's death when I had stumbled across this place by chance," Stayne recalled. "But nothing here is ever left to chance, but destiny, even you should know this by now, Alice."

"Why? Why should I know better? Because I defeated the Jabberwocky? I did that because it was the right thing to do! Not because I was told that was my destiny! I fled from that path."

"And yet," Stayne began, his tone much calmer than her own. "Here you are. Swearing up and down that you and I would never unite."

"I did it for Hatter. Not. You." Alice said pointedly. Stayne would be lying if he wasn't wounded by this fact, but he now had their entire future to win her over. "Had you slain him, you would have lost all hope in my hand."

"Are you implying I had a chance before the arrival of Tarrant?" He asked with a smirk which made Alice roll her eyes.

"Absolutely not," muttered the woman as Stayne made his way over to corner her again.

"This is upsetting news, Alice. Because I intend to conquer you," whispered the king, his voice filled with confidence, but it was of another nature, something she was not familiar with.

"Well Stayne, it is my displeasure to inform you that you have indeed won, or did you miss that when I traded my hand for Hatter's head?" Alice asked, annoyed as she heard the man's chuckles. Turning to face him again she was surprised to see him towering over her, his hands grasping at the beams above them as he leaned in closer to her face.

"You misunderstand me, Alice. Such a naive thing you are. I do not wish for you by default, but because you want me." He purred.

"Are we not to be wed then?" Alice asked, her hopes picking up, only to be batted away at the shake of Stayne's head.

"Oh no, we will still marry, however, the consummation will not take place until you allow it." Alice blinked at the statement. She recalled her sister's gossip when she had wed Lowell. The wedding night had been less than pleasant for her. It was painful and he said he was a 'selfish lover', but Margaret did not mind it terribly. It was common among marriages.

"Why?" Alice asked suddenly. "Why are you placing such a burden upon me?! You are a monster, taking what you please in every other aspect of life it seems, why aren't you forcing yourself on me?!"

"I've tried that before with Um, if you recall. You were not who I thought you to be, but it was you none the less." Stayne began, again his voice was somewhat soothing to hear. "You rejected me, rather unpleased with my advance upon you. I am no stranger to sharing a bed, Alice, most women I have pursued have been very eager at warming my bedsheets." His right hand now coming forward to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She did not stop him, but she did not seem pleased with this action either. "I did not chase after you. I knew I was not wanted, I knew for you that I was too brash. "

"No, instead you wanted to execute me for 'Unlawful Seduction'," Alice spoke bitterly to which Stayne shrugged off.

"That was nothing personal. Call it self-preservation. Someone had gone off and told Iracebeth of our encounter, had my neck not been on the line I would have let it be and try another tactic to win your affection," Stayne said still having no clue that it was 'Lady Big Ears' who blabbed.

"Am I supposed to feel better about that?" Alice asked perplexed at the notion that having her killed off for something he did was 'nothing personal'.

"Do you want an apology? Because I am so sorry" Stayne asked, the sarcasm dripping from his mouth, but he was losing track of the point of the conversation and desired to get back to the point. "Alice, you may see me as whatever it is you please. I must admit that your judgment is better than most, but I see no benefit to taking your maidenhood by force."

"Is Ilosovic Stayne incapable of rape?" Alice asked, almost taunting him, which set the gears in motion for the Black King to pounce, pinning her frame to the wooden beam behind her, panic set in for the woman. His face nearly pressed to hers with a glint in his eye.

"It is an empty thing, Alice." He whispered, his voice gruff. "I could very well take you here and now and I would have no one but myself to answer too… but it would be a hollow victory because you would not enjoy it." Stayne purred as his mouth moved to the side of her throat, "No, what I want, Alice, is to make you feel pleasure and pain and love every ounce of it. To be wrapped in bliss at my very touch to the point where you beg for my company rather than to continue to push me away." A hand now under her chin to lift her eyes to meet his.

"What I want is for you to scream my very name before you are lost to oblivion by what I give you, knowing fully well, that you could never consider another suitor. That is what I'm after," the king pledged, his carnal desires now in view for the innocent woman before him.

Alice quivered in his presence. The ideas he was putting into her mind scared her, but not in a way that she feared for her life. No, she was fearful of the feelings swelling inside of her. She knew very little of intimacy, it held her no interest when her sister spoke of Lowell, but with Stayne's words. It was different.

Stayne saw this, he had corrupted innocent girls before, and she held the tale-tell signs now. He grinned with satisfaction now, prepared to go in for the kill, but he needed to do this right. It took everything he had to back away from the trembling flower before him, but that was the way this wicked game was played. He did not say another word, nor linger around for Alice to get her words out, leaving her in such a state that a predator would see as an easy kill. And it was, but in order to fully gain the Champion, she would have to come to him by will.

She would have to give up her innocence and muchness by will.


Since Tarrant's departure from the White Court, McTwisp was assigned to the constant supervision of The Oraculum and to report to the queen at the end of the night. It had not been a full day, and today, The Return of The Champion already had so many important events take place, or at least what was revealed.

Alice had arrived, taken to The Outlands, captured by Stayne's forces, locked in the highest tower in the realms. That was all done just before afternoon tea! Tarrant had recruited Chessur and made it to the Outlands not long before dinner. Tarrant was captured while Alice ate, and when Chessur helped Alice escape, it set Time's plans into motion. Alice had accepted the Black King's hand in marriage.

"Oh Heavens." The white rabbit whispered in shame. He could not help being such a stickler for the laws of Under, but he was ashamed of himself for not voting on rescuing Alice. Unable to do much for the ones in the Outlands, he rolled up the scroll and made haste for the queen's chambers.

It was a common fact that the White Queen seldom slept. There was much speculation over why Mirana did not sleep. Some say it was because she was born upon a full Luna, and was most alive in the dead of night. Others say it would be from a potion she made for herself out of a wager with Time himself when she was just a young soul. McTwisp did not place bets on such a trivial thing, all he knew was that she was awake at all nearly all hours of the day.

He rapped his paws against the door, and the door was immediately swung open to reveal Mirana in a white satin nightdress. Even though she did not sleep, she abided to the proper customary dress attire all hours of the day and night.

"Nivens! What news do you have? Please, come in!"

The rabbit obliged and entered, telling her of the events revealed. She was indeed upset with news of Chessur's aid to Tarrant's quest. Had the cat stayed behind then perhaps this ordeal could have been stopped in its tracks.

"I should have tried harder to get Tarrant to stay.," Mirana sighed, but she did not mean much of what she said. It was a matter of will, and the kingdom's hatter had much. He would have gone no matter what anyone had said. But then there was the matter of him losing his head. She may have took a vow to not take any life, but if Tarrant were slain, he would have died a martyr, and this new prophecy would have ended before it began.

"Your majesty, what are we to do now?" The rabbit asked, still in a fuss. He was a worried wreck having seen all these events take place. "Alice is going to marry Ilosovic Stayne in less than six sun passings! We'll-"

"We'll send gifts," Mirana said flatly moving to her desk, readying herself to write a letter. The poor creature stared at his queen in such an incredulous fashion. Had she a clue of what was going to happen?

"You're Majesty?" He asked again rolling out the scroll again. "This- This is THE Alice, is it not?"

"Of course Nivens." She replied not even looking back to her advisor. "Which is why we must send gifts."

"THIS IS ALICE!" The rabbit shouted, slamming his foot down with a heavy 'thump' which caught Mirana's attention. "I must protest, we cannot just leave her at this fate, can we?"

"Well Nivens see what our course of action is, and we shall have it done." Mirana replied setting the quill down. There was no point in writing a letter if a letter was not requested after all. Niven's frowned at the order but opened The Oraculum to further inspect what the future held.

Time rarely answered to those who called, especially to those impatient of his will, so the future went no further than the Grievous Day. McTwipsp's gaze moved to the queen's now, who smiled at him in such a childlike fashion. So young yet all-knowing.

"We shall wait until the proper moment to act." Her head held high. "Go rest your worried mind Nivens, before you lose track of it," Mirana ordered holding out her hand to take a hold of the scroll.

Defeated in more ways than one, the white rabbit obeyed, passing The Oraculum to his queen, and left her chambers to burrow himself into bed for the remainder of the night.

Once Mirana was sure Niven's aurora could no longer reach the scroll, she laid it upon her bed, looking along the events that had passed this day. She did pity Alice, who was the noblest and truest soul in all the lands. Why Time wanted her to take her place at Stayne's side she hadn't a clue.

She knew better than to question Time's intentions, but it was still such an odd match. Alice, the Champion of Under, most beloved soul in the realms and Ilosovic Stayne, the knave turned king, the most abusive and most abused man she had ever known.

Then again, Time requested many odd things. Making a child from the world above their fated hero, demanding a day once every two hundred days that you had to speak backwards, and arranging the marriage between Iracebeth and The Duke of Hearts. She smiled softly as a memory came to mind.


"Honestly Mirana, I don't see why you are still fussing over those Lowlop people."

"Hightopp Iracey. They were the Hightopp clan." Mirana corrected sipping her tea.

The pair sat across from each other in Iracebeth's castle, seated in the garden for afternoon tea. They were still at war with one another, however, they came to an agreement to see one another if either one of them were to see an impossible thing.

"Oh whatever, they were barbarians. Had you just given me the crown in the first place that could have all been avoided…" Iracebeth spoke without care. She beheaded at least three creatures a day, why would she fret over the killing of a group? It happened quite a while ago.

Mirana eyed the crown on her sister's head now. She remained composed, but a storm was swelling within her.

"So what impossible thing did you encounter?" Mirana asked deciding it would be best to change the topic.

"Oh, sister, it happened back on the Curose Day! Why, the whole kingdom was in a fit!" Iracebeth exclaimed setting her tea down. "I know I should start from the beginning, and I would if I could, but I only know the end of this story."

"Well out with it. What is this story?" Mirana asked, she was not in the least bit interested, ready to return back to her home at the first chance.

"A girl was here. A little girl." She whispered. Mirana paused. This was not absolutely impossible. True, not many children were born in Underland, but a girl to be in Crims was not out of the question.

"But how is tha-"

"She was not from here! I did not think it so odd at first, but my hunting hounds all agree, that she is not from this land!" Iracebeth spoke. "Her name was Alice. Such a rude little thing too! I should outlaw that name!" Iracebeth fumed turning red.

"Did you know that my Knave stole my tarts and what does she do? She defends him! True, he didn't actually touch them, but still! The nerve!"

"And how is Ilosovic these days..?"

"Oh how should I know? Since the fiasco with the tarts and the cat and Alice, he's been in the dungeon."

"On duty?"

"Oh no, no. He's being whipped. He may not have been guilty of the tarts, but he did still lead us astray. False evidence," the Red Queen noted with a smile as she sipped her tea.

Mirana sat, considering the news of this so-called 'impossible' thing. Her hand reached down to her bag of belongings, her fingers just tracing The Oraculum. It was a nasty habit of hers to bring it wherever she went, always losing it. A gift from Time himself when she had been declared THE queen.

The timing could not have been more perfect for a card to interrupt their tea.

"You're Highness, the knave wishes to confess now."

"Oh goody!" Iracebeth chimed ever so pleased at the news. She was most upset that she could not behead him at first, she was told by one of her favorites that the Knave often took tarts into his room. It was only after the Alice incident that it was confirmed it was a misunderstanding of words. The Knave took women to his room. Not sweets.

"I must go see the Knave now, I'll be back shortly."

"I really should go-"

"You'll stay for dinner. It's settled." Iracebeth warned before strutting off with the card behind her.

Mirana sighed heavily but did not argue. Her sister was as stubborn as her head was big. Pushing her tea and treats aside, the white queen made room to place the Oraculum out and view its pictures.

She saw what her sister spoke of, and there was indeed an odd girl in Underland, but she left as suddenly as she came. There was the Knave now, being dragged into the Throne room, and then there was Harold Pith, The Duke of Hearts. Her sister's husband and now the king.

Mirana thought it funny how such a feeble soul could be attracted to someone as rough as her Sister. Mirana was not jealous by any means. Marriage was not something she longed for. A child she often considered. She may not be as keen in ruling the living as Iracebeth, but the idea of having a living thing be inside her was far more thrilling.

All the men she took to her chambers failed to grant her this one wish. She even considered if a woman might grant her a child, but no luck.

Mirana took a hold of her cup to drink once more when The Oraculum changed again. The Duke of Hearts was not only in the scroll, but in this sketch, he was inside of her. A smile now on her lips. She set of to do Time's will.


Mirana couldn't feel guilt for act against her sister. It was Time's will, so how could it be wrong? Aside from that, it had also been Harold's will. She still remembered how he had begged her to take him to Marmoreal. He was beheaded the next day, and Mirana would not see Iracebeth again until the Frabjouous Day.

"Whatever is to be done about my Champion and the knave?" Mirana asked, her voice not demanding the answer, but seductive, wanting to lure it out of her old friend's hand. She patiently waited for a response, but it did not take long before an answer was being scribbled out before her.

A trip to see Time was in order it seemed. She remembered the last time she had seen Time's face as though it were yesterday. It was the day she had won over Underland's throne, and he had given her the gift and burden of his will. It was clear that this was an important event. All the greatest events were planned in secret, and this would the greatest plan yet.


Alice sobbed quietly in the gazebo. She hadn't felt so lost since her first trip down the rabbit hole, which she could hardly recall, yet the memories haunted her nearly every night. Only bits and pieces came to her in sleep, and it was the same ones over and over again.

Now her mind was plagued with the memory of being chosen as the White Queen's Champion. What was the point of it all? She knew slaying the Jabberwocky was the right thing to do. She did not slay the beast just because everyone said that she must, but did it because she knew it was right in the end.

Was it not right then, for her friends to save her from the fate of marrying Stayne? Hatter came, as did Chess, but Chessur did not play in politics, a neutral party who proved to be so much better than any other party yet.

"It would seem that you have taken a few steps back, Alice, if I can still call you that." Came the voice of Absolem. Alice's head raised from her knees and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Hello, Absolem," Alice whispered, slightly ashamed as she wiped at her eyes "I'm not sure who I am anymore."

"Well, if you are not sure, do you expect anyone else to believe you?" He asked in response.

"Must you always answer me with riddles and questions?" Alice asked, her shame quickly being replaced with frustration.

"I don't know, should I give you all the answers to your questions, or should you find them on your own? Which is the more beneficial answer, girl? The one that is handed to you or the one you find on your own?" Came the butterfly's voice as he perched himself upon a vine beside her.

"It would be nice if someone here could help make sense of all this for me," Alice confessed looking to the brilliant blue creature. "I had thought that I was done with all this nonsense! Why can't I just do what I wish and not what others say?!"

"Have you done anything someone has told you to do, just because they said to do it?" Absolem asked.

"Well, no. I have not done anything out of the reason because I was told." She confessed.

"Then you have only done your wishes, not the will of others." Absolem scolded, which put Alice in a worse state.

"But whatever I choose is the choice of what other's want!" Alice shouted in distress. "I do not wish to marry Stayne, but now I must for Hatter's sake!"

"You can only blame yourself, girl. You could have still refused him and yet you did not." He scolded again.

"But-"

"No buts about it. You should do well to not mind what others say. You did much better in this world when you were younger. Have you lost your muchness again?"

"I hardly remember my first round here," Alice said while getting to her feet and dusting herself off. "Can you remind me of who I was? You've done it before."

"I can, but I won't" Absolem began talking off in flight and fluttered about her head. "You need to know who you are NOW, not of who you were THEN." Alice frowned at the answer.

"But you just said-"

"It doesn't matter what I said, but what you want."

Alice thought hard about the words from her greatest tutor. Suddenly a new question came to mind and she dug into her pocket to retrieve the letter she had found in the tower.

"Well Absolem, if you won't solve my dilemma, can you help me make sense of this?" She asked unfolding and laying the parchment upon the floor. Absolem went to inspect the parchment for himself.

"This was not for you to question, but the answer has already been told."

"Well, what is the answer?" Alice asked, growing terribly tired, in more ways than one.

"I cannot say, but I know who can say. Look at the paper, Alice. What other important document does this remind you of?"

Alice frowned picking up the letter and re-observed the paper. It was not of normal paper, this was true. Its material felt more durable, like a silk of sorts. Alice narrowed her eyes, and an image of herself flashed before her eyes before returning to its original letter state.

"The Oraculum!" Alice shouted looking to Absolem. "Why? Why would this be in Stayne's possession?"

"Because it belongs to him. Do you not recall the first trail you witnessed?"

"Trial?" Alice asked. "You must be mistaken. I have never been in a Court Justice before."

"A bold statement coming from a girl who hardly knows who she is," retorted the wise butterfly. "Think. Think hard."

Alice sighed seating herself against the railings of the gazebo and reread the statement, over and over again, but nothing came to mind. "I've thought hard enough for the day. I'm going to rest my head. Maybe it will make more sense in the morning." Alice muttered folding the verses up again.

"If they don't make sense in the cover of night, why do you expect them to be true in the light of day?"

"I don't, but I am quite tired of all of this," Alice replied. "Honestly, such a thing doesn't make any sense. Stuff and nonsense!" But this brought the memory to mind.

"I called them a pack of cards." She whispered. Stayne had mentioned she had twice now saved his life. "The case of the missing tarts?" Alice asked, but no one answered her questions now, for Absolem had flown off.

"Of course you leave when I have the right answers. You always do!" She shouted after him.

"So that you don't pester me with more foolish questions!" He replied in return, his form seen eclipsing the moon then off over the sea. Alone, Alice knew it was high time she should retire.

Alice steadily made her way back through the castle, reaching the doorway that would have led up to her room in the tower she was stopped by a guard who told her she would now be sleeping in the chambers across from the kings. She was far too tired to argue and followed the black-suited knight though the halls.

Alice's eyes hovered over the walls, this part of the castle seemed newer than the rest. It held the same appeal of gothic architecture, but not the weathered look that could only be achieved through age.

"Is this part of the castle new?" Alice asked, a yawn following the question.

"Yes ma'am." The guard replied looking back. "The construction began as soon as King Stayne arrived. This part of the castle was burned down long ago, in the Great War."

"Was the armory on this side?"

"No ma'am. Only the royal family chambers are on this side. This wing faces out towards the sea, and it was vulnerable to attacks from the sea, still is technically, but it was burned down by White armada ships."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Alice whispered, a twinge of guilt sinking in at the question. "Sir, is there a library here? I should very well like to know more of this land and its history."

"Alas, not much our history was preserved. After the kingdom was sieged, The Red burned most of the books and beheaded many of the scholars. We are in the process of recovering what we can now."

"Really?" Alice asked, another yawn. "I'm terribly sorry, I am interested, but I am just so weary."

"No need to apologize ma'am."

"You can call me Alice if you like. How much has been recovered?"

"Not much Ma'am." The guard said stopping before two large doors to what Alice assumed was Stayne's quarters. The doors certainly looked as though they were meant for the ruler of this castle. "This is your room ma'am."

"Surely you must be mistaken. Is this not the Kn-.. Stayne's chambers?" She asked looking over the woodwork.

"You would be correct Ma'am, however, His Majesty did not care for the view of the sea, and took to the room meant for you." Alice scoffed.

"I couldn't imagine why after hearing why this part of this place was built."

"He refused the room even before we had told him that fact, ma'am." Alice frowned at the news.

"Did he say why?" Alice asked, curiosity burning once more.

"He just took one look at the sea and wanted the room across the way." He said simply before bowing low to Alice who looked confused as ever at the action. "I bid you goodnight, ma'am."

"Goodnight…" Alice murmured now turning to face the doors before her. Pulling one handle she took a glance inside the bed chambers certainly was fit for a king, and they were certainly made for someone the size of Stayne, then again, the entire castle was suited for his size.

Closing the door behind her, it was a bit of a relief to not hear it lock behind her, and became more of a relief that she could lock herself in and everyone else out, but she decided against it. Alice made her way over to the bed, which could have fit seven or so people for tea, although at this point in time she had stopped making observations of that sort, she could inspect the room more carefully in the morning when she was more awake.

Climbing up onto the bed, she felt like a child clambering into an adult's bed, but she stopped thinking of such things after feeling how comfortable the bed was, she hadn't even taken her shoes off. Once her head made contact with the pillow she was asleep, not even remotely aware of the cat eyes watching her from across the room.