When Ilosovic awoke, it was just as he feared. Alice was no longer beside him, or in the same room for that matter. He was thankful however that she had left him unbound. Tearing the covers away, he proceeded to find his discarded garments upon the floor.
He would cherish last night, regardless if it was the only time he would get to be so close to his wildflower, but to wake alone left him with a miserable taste in his mouth. He reached for his tunic when he paused seeing that Alice had not completely abandoned him after all. She stood upon the balcony overlooking the sea, which had clouds casted over it, threatening to break with a storm. Stayne placed the clothes down and made his way out to meet her, not making an attempt to be quiet about his presence either.
"I didn't want to wake you." Alice confessed, her back still to him. "I overheard from Az and the doctor that you had not slept in days."
Ilosovic nodded in response as he came closer. He could tell that she wore nothing beneath her robe, and he felt himself becoming aroused once more, but he forced it down. As gentle as he tried to be, she should be given some time to rest.
She turned to face him now, gripping the robe closer around her, her eyes darting quickly back to the ocean when she realized he had yet to dress himself. Ilosovic couldn't help but smirk. She still maintained some of her innocence after all.
"How are you feeling?" He asked coming closer still, her eyes had yet to reach him.
"Alright I suppose. Although-… I'm rather sore," she whispered. "And I'm afraid I may have ruined the sheets. "She whispered embarrassed. Ilosovic gave a shrug placing his hands upon the railing and looked over the sea.
"You have nothing to fret over, Alice. That's all quite normal." He assured eyeing her now. "But how are you feeling?"
Alice paused at the question. She couldn't say. She felt the same, and yet she knew there was a change. By terms of her sister, she had officially become a woman, their marriage had been consummated, she was truly a Queen now and yet… she felt the same. She still felt like plain old Alice.
No, not exactly like that, there was something different. But it wasn't so much her, but her feelings on Stayne, and of Tarrant. If there was hope of reaching out to Tarrant again she more likely than not killed it upon last night's events.
"Ilosovic? When- when we engage into war with Mirana, I ask only one thing. Spare Tarrant." She swore she could feel the man cringe at the request but she continued. "I know you despise him, and I am not asking you to forgive him, or for either of you to put your differences behind, but for me… please. The man has been through enough." Stayne turned away from Alice and grasped the railings of the balcony. He should haven't been so critical. In many regards the race for Alice's affection was in his favor but the fact that she still clung to something with that lunatic was a thorn he longed to remove. More importantly however, Tarrant had proven that he is perfectly capable of bringing harm to Alice.
"He is a crazed beast, Alice. If anything at all he should be put out of his rabid misery," Stayne hissed bitterly. He bit at his tongue seeing Alice flinch at the comment. A heavy silence fell upon them both, but it was not long before Ilosovic gave in.
"If I can help it… I will spare your madman from my blade." He muttered, his hands releasing the railing, one of them to running through his hair as he inhaled the salt air. "However should he prove to be too much on the battlefield, or even when this is over, I will end his life."
"All I am asking for is a chance." Alice replied softly, moving away from him once more. "The hatter I know is still there. Mirana can't keep his mind occupied forever."
"What if Mirana isn't truly the cause of his rage?" Ilosovic asked, turning to face her again, Alice made eye contact now, giving a confused expression. "Alice, it is painfully obvious that the man doesn't want to be your friend. He wants you as his mate or spouse, or whatever the Hightopp clan called their lovers. And Alice, I am not sure if he will hold the same longing for you when you reveal that you have indeed made our marriage complete."
Alice stared at Stayne, wary of the words he spoke. Tarrant was less than pleased when they last met, but surely it was because of Mirana? A potion of some sort maybe? She shook her head and made for the chambers once more to dress for the day.
"He may be out of his mind at times, but he is still my friend," She called as she moved to the wardrobe, pulling out a riding outfit As Ilosovic began to throw on his own clothes from the night before. "He'll come to terms on the matter, just as you will." Alice warned, making the man scoff.
"I agreed to spare him if I can only for your sake, I made no indication that I would see him as anything less than a mad man who I would take immense joy in pushing into an oubliette," the Black King said as he pulled on his tunic and made for his boots when Alice approached him, only in her own white tunic.
"Give him a chance. Just as I have given you one." She pleaded, her russet eyes doing unspeakable things to his mind. Without warning he hooked her in and brought her close, his mouth ensnaring her briefly, but with an intensity that could sum up last night's encounter. When he broke the kiss, he grinned seeing that he had caught his bride off guard.
"Anything for you, my wildflower. " He whispered before releasing her and stalked out with boots in hand.
Stayne threw the boots at the opposing wall once he closed the door to his room. That bloody hatter. That idiotic, mindless, twit. He sides with Mirana, beats Alice, nearly forces himself on her and yet she still wishes for his safety?! He longed to break something, but he had already thrashed everything in his room.
He moved to the mantle, his hands ready to rip off his own scalp as he ran his bare fingers through his hair, his eye glared at the ceiling before turning to look at the fireplace once more and he felt a sickness creep into him. Alice had thrown The Oraculum into the flames last month, and there it laid, fully intact, nestled in the ashes.
He hesitated, but gave in as he reached to take out the fated scroll. Pulling it from its place he brought it up to the light to see what Time devised now. He tried to remind himself of Alice's words or defiance of the tyrant known as Time, but he threw her reason aside upon seeing the sight of her crumpled body once more, and with Tarrant standing over her with longsword in hand and raised over his head. He crumpled the scroll and tossed it back into the ashes once more. He would change her fate, just as she had changed his. Alice would not be lost to the Hightopp's lunacy.
Quickly getting himself dressed in simple garbs, he raced off to the armory. He would commence training again, and get Alice back into the rhythm of fighting as well. War was to come, this he was certain. And if he played his cards right, Tarrant would die on the field.
Mirana walked alongside Winthorp as he showed off the troops. They were nearly ready for war now. If only she had focused more of her men to combat at sea, but alas, she had not. Ground combat would have to do, and it would. Her eyes went to her scribe, Nivens, and she waved him over. As nervous as ever, he quickly approached her.
"Nivens. How many soldiers do we have?"
"Just over a thousand, My Queen." She nodded.
"And did you find how many it took to take Deces when there were three crowns?"
"Well, it was about two thousand.. One thousand from the White, eight hundred of the Red and the remaining warriors were that of the Hightopp Clan." He whispered, now looking to Tarrant who stood at the end of the line with his head held high, clutching his long sword before him. Mirana smiled.
"Well, Stayne hasn't had the means to prepare for war, has he?" She asked and she gracefully moved to meet Tarrant. In spite of his quirks and madness, he did make for the perfect soldier now.
"Tarrant, are you sure you wish to go through with this?" The White Queen asked, her voice laced with sugary concern.
"Aye. I mus, my Queen." He growled, his gaze not on her but through her.
"And.. Should you see Alice on the field?"
"I will ask her but once. Will she abandon the black and return to er' proper self."
"And if she says no?" Mirana asked, hardly able to breath, his rage keeping her on a most delicious edge. His eyes now a fiery orange.
"I will end her life. Alice will be no more." He whispered. Mirana smiled, just as Winthrop did, and if Nivens was able to become whiter, he was now.
Slowly backing away from the group, Nivens made a break for it once he reached a fair enough distance. He scurried though the gardens until he came upon the meeting place, only Chess, Bayard and Grail the wolf were at the secret meeting location.
"The Queen intends on attacking soon, I don't know the specifics but I will keep you posted as best as I can," the white rabbit whispered looking over his shoulder, in fear of being followed. Grail nodded.
"Have you found a hole to bring Alice up through?" The wolf asked and the white rabbit nodded.
"Yes. The hole in which she first fell though is still open. I will take her, but only if she is willing to go."
"Willing to leave Underland?" Bayard asked.
"Precisely." Nivens responded. "Otherwise it's useless."
The group fell silent, unsure of how to take such news. Alice was by far the most stubborn soul in all of the realms.
"What if.. What if she were asleep?" Grail asked. "A sleeping girl could have no real quarrel with where she is going if she doesn't know she is going!"
Everyone began to bicker on the statement, all but Chessur who glared at them all with disappointment.
"We don't exactly have the luxury to debate these 'what if' scenarios now, lads," Chess purred as he crossed his arms in midair. "The wolf may be right on that, and honestly, it is our best shot." He continued before looking to Grail. "And your king won't cut us up into tiny pieces for taking her away?" Grail shook his head.
"Not unless he changes his mind altogether," muttered the wolf as he scratched at the back of his ear.
"Then it's settled. Niven's go scrounge up what you can from the castle, Wolf, go back and alert your King of this plan and Bayard. Well honestly I don't really have anything for you." The cat confessed. The dog shrugged.
"I will lead the Queen and her champion off course while you smuggle Alice out," the hound suggested, making the cats eyes flash.
"I could not have planned it better myself."
