Disclaimer: Alice and Tin Man don't belong to me, they belong to SyFy. The craziness, however, is all me.
Jack could feel the edges of his control, already ragged, fraying further as he faced Princess Azkadellia Gale across the round table. There was something about that level amethyst gaze that made him feel as though he was being weighed against an impossible standard.
He batted that thought away with a flare of frustration. What did she know of him? What did she know of Wonderland, this foreign princess? He did not expect sympathy, nor would he welcome pity.
"I apologize for our sudden intrusion, Your Majesty," Azkadellia said, interrupting his thoughts. Her hands were folded demurely on her lap, and she sat upright in her chair as though it were a throne.
There was a slight snort on his left. He didn't even have to look at Duchess to know that her lip was curling in disdain as she leaned forward. "Such manners," she drawled. "But surely it's common courtesy to let your hosts know when you're planning a visit. No doubt Jack's steward is in a frenzy trying to get your rooms ready."
He had to hide a smile at that, for that was surely what Larkin Heart, the Eight of Hearts, was doing right now. And while he didn't often appreciate Duchess' acerbic tongue (especially when it was directed his way), he certainly appreciated it when it was on his behalf. As his fiancée she could poke, prod, and needle all she liked, allowing him to keep his composure.
It was both disconcerting and heartening that they could still read each other in this way and work a situation together.
He watched as Azkadellia's gaze cooled and her companion – Commander Jebediah Cain – stiffened in his seat at the subtle slight. "We had our reasons," she replied steadily. "It is no reflection on His Majesty or Wonderland."
Duchess kept her gaze level on her. "No, of course not." Sarcasm dripped from every word.
Jack laid a hand over hers. "Please, my love." He continued speaking, even as her hand turned under his to twine their fingers together in a movement that was both practiced and natural. "May I present my fiancée, the Duchess." He nodded towards Giacomo. "This is my Ten of Clubs, Giacomo Club. You are acquainted with his brother, Marino Club. Elisa Club is our Head Librarian and Chief Chronicler of the Great Library – " There was no missing the way that Azkadellia's gaze shifted and focused on the other woman. Ah. So she was still after books in the Great Library. This was something he could work with. "And I daresay you know my White Knight, Sir Charles."
"We encountered Sir Charles at the Diamond City." The White Knight was graced with a small but genuine smile. Jack could not blame the older man for reddening. Azkadellia was admittedly beautiful, but a smile elevated her to another level. "He was kind enough to accompany us to the capital."
"Your Highness," Charlie began, clearly still somewhat distraught. "I was indeed your travelling companion for several days, but it grieves me that you did not entrust me with your true identity!" He would have continued on in that manner were it not for Duchess, who kicked him in the ankle beneath the table and shot him a pointed look from beneath her eyelashes. He gulped and subsided.
"That was my decision, Sir Charles." Commander Jeb Cain, who had heretofore remained silent, chose to speak, glancing between Duchess and Charlie. "The matter of Her Highness' security rests solely on my shoulders and I wished for no one to know her true identity until we presented ourselves to His Majesty's court."
"May I present Commander Jebediah Cain of the Queen's Riders?" Azkadellia's tone was smooth and bland.
Jack nodded at the young man and refused to give in to the temptation to feel old. The commander had the look of a boy, but the expression in his eyes spoke of years of suffering and hardship. That, if anything else, was reassuring. Jack knew the absurdity of that: what kind of world did they live in where the pain of another set one's mind at rest? Perhaps it was the subconscious knowledge that one some level, they had all been through the same thing. "We have heard of Commander Cain's accomplishments even over here. Wonderland has not been militarized for – for many years – " Not since the fall of the White Kings. "And I wonder if we could implement a program similar to your Queen's Riders."
"I would be happy to discuss the logistics of such an endeavor, if Your Majesty pleases," Jeb agreed. Jack could not help but notice his deliberately relaxed, almost slouched posture. The only giveaway was the tension in his shoulders. There was no doubt that he was aware of everything in the room – every exit, every potential weapon. His job was to protect the woman beside him and Jack had no doubt that he would see that through.
"I trust you had a pleasant journey?" Jack inquired blandly.
"Well enough, Your Majesty. We were fortunate enough not to encounter too much rain."
"I think you will find that we discuss the weather far too much here in Wonderland," Giacomo observed idly, grateful for the change in direction. "If it's not raining, it's-"
"Raining," Elisa finished for him, flashing him a smile. "And even then, it's still raining. And when the sun is shining, we say that Cheshire is smiling, which is probably not a good thing."
Azkadellia turned towards her. "You are the Head Librarian."
Elisa nodded, clearly as unnerved by being the sole focus of that unusual, piercing amethyst gaze as anyone else in the room. "I am."
"I look forward to perusing the contents of your library." She glanced back towards Jack and the corners of her mouth hitched upwards with something akin to amusement. "If His Majesty permits, of course."
"It would be ungracious of me to refuse you, Princess Azkadellia," Jack conceded. "It does, however, depend."
"Depend on what?" Charlie asked, bewildered. "They're books."
"It depends on what each of us wants and is willing to give, Sir Charles," Duchess noted. Her eyebrow arched up ever so elegantly. "Forgive my impudence, Your Highness, but why are you here?"
Giacomo coughed discreetly into his hand to mask his surprise. Jack tightened his grip around hers to signal that she was perhaps taking it a step too far. Azkadellia looked as though she was sifting through a variety of diplomatic answers. Evidently she decided that diplomacy was not worth it, for she replied, in deceptively even tones, "You've lost Ambassador Raw. My mother would like him back."
The words struck true. Jack, Duchess, and Giacomo were able to suppress their flinches, but to Elisa and Charlie, this was news. Elisa turned to her cousin, her expression one of pure disbelief.
"Your Highness, I can assure you that we have our best people looking," Giacomo began.
"And yet there is still no word of him, Ten of Clubs," Azkadellia interrupted. Her eyes were hard now. "My mother has had no assurance that he even lives." She sat back. "No, my mother has lost patience. She has sent me in her stead to find Ambassador Raw and ascertain whether this tenuous alliance between the Outer Zone and Wonderland is worth pursuing."
That statement was the bombshell that sent Jack reeling. Would the Outer Zone truly break off the alliance? Wonderland could not afford to lose the assistance of the Gales. But as he looked at the princess, he remembered her fleeting glance towards Elisa. Perhaps she was not bluffing and eventually, the Outer Zone would back out. But in the meantime, there was something Wonderland had that she personally wanted. That much was obvious. And as long as Wonderland had the Great Library, he still had a bargaining chip.
"We will do our best to assist your efforts, Princess Azkadellia," he said as graciously as possible. "I do, of course, hope that the Outer Zone will consent to remain friends with Wonderland."
"We shall see."
Duchess had recovered from the mention of Ambassador Raw, though she still felt the insult keenly. She was beginning to feel slightly responsible for the missing Viewer, even though her primary job was to keep an eye on Lord Spade's dealings with Quox and Merry Land. "And how do you propose to find Ambassador Raw, Your Highness? How will you succeed when you believe our best efforts have failed?" She looked over at Commander Cain, who had not said a word for some time. "Have you brought your Riders? Do you intend to sweep the country from north to south?"
The commander of the Queen's Riders smirked slightly. "Something like that," he demurred.
It had to do with magic, Jack realized. Azkadellia was going to use magic to find the Viewer, magic that she needed to perform within Wonderland otherwise they would have already found him. "So you believe Ambassador Raw is alive."
"What do we have, if not belief?" Azkadellia countered. "Yes, I choose to believe that Ambassador Raw is alive, because the opposite is not worth considering."
Jack wondered at her reaction if her ambassador were dead. That would be a catastrophic event indeed.
"An admirable view," Duchess remarked. "Though not, perhaps, the most realistic." She also wanted to believe that Ambassador Raw was alive. But she was not here to be a commiserating shoulder for the princess. She was here to test her mettle.
And she had to admit, Azkadellia Gale had plenty of it. She was nothing but courteous, even when it was clear that the Duchess' comments vexed her. "Ambassador Raw is alive." Her tone of voice brooked no argument. "I have nothing else to say on the matter."
The conversation was clearly at an end. Jack understood. They had all just met and tensions were high. There was not enough time to gauge one another before they truly began to make their demands and counters. They needed time and space. "Very well, Princess Azkadellia. I am sure that you, Commander Cain, and your party wish to be properly settled." He nodded to Giacomo and both men rose to their feet, prompting everyone else to stand as well. "Please, go with Giacomo. He will see to your needs. If you wish, you may dine with us tonight or you may take food in your rooms."
"Our rooms will suffice for tonight, Your Majesty." Azkadellia's curtsey was picture-perfect, as was Commander Cain's bow. "I thank you. We certainly have much to discuss." She nodded gravely at everyone else in the room, her eyes once more lingering on Elisa.
Giacomo gestured to the door. "I presume your party has horses?" he inquired as they left the room. "The palace stables are located in a secure section of the Lower City…"
Jack settled back into his seat. If his posture was less than perfect, no one remarked on it.
"Whatever Princess Azkadellia wants from the Great Library, she wants it quite badly." Duchess raised an eyebrow at Elisa. "She kept looking at you, Ms. Club."
Elisa shifted uncomfortably. "I suppose. I have heard that the Princess Azkadellia is an avid scholar."
"There is a difference between being scholarly and needing something."
"Surely the princess' motives are honorable-" Charlie began.
She turned her glare on him once more. "Honorable? Sir Charles, you have been gallivanting about with Princess Azkadellia for days now. How much have you told her about the Hearts and Wonderland? Did she glamour you into coming with her so that she would have an ally in our midst?" She did not believe that he was capable of such duplicitous actions, but it paid to be cautious. She already intimidated the man, so it was easy to take an aggressive stance with him.
The White Knight was clearly taken aback. "I would do nothing to betray my king!" He looked wounded at the mere possibility.
Jack removed his hand from his eyes. "Enough," he said tiredly. "Duchess, I am sure that Sir Charles meant no harm. But I must admit, I'm curious. Why have you returned? You have made it clear that you wished to live out the rest of your days in the Diamond City."
"That has not changed, Your Majesty!" Charlie leaned forward, his dark eyes sparkling earnestly. "The Diamond City is my home! It was clear when the princess showed me that vision. I must restore it." His attention drifted, then focused. "But there are things there. New things. I did not know what they were, so I came here to speak with someone knowledgeable."
Jack frowned. It was a plausible story, but the coincidence of the timing was more than a little bit of a worry. What was happening here? At this rate, he wasn't going to be surprised if Ambassador Raw showed up with an army of jabberwocks at his back.
"I would be happy to speak with you, Sir Charles," Elisa said gently. "I have read many things about the Diamond City and if I don't know it, I can either find the person or the book to help you."
He lit up. "My lady, you have my thanks. I will most happily speak with you." His eyes darted to his king. "If my liege has no need of me."
"You may go." He had had enough of one high-strung knight today. Perhaps it was an uncharitable thought, but Jack was in a mood. "I have no doubt that we will speak again." He did, however, manage to flash Elisa a brief smile. One could always count on a Club to keep a level head.
Soon it was only Jack and Duchess in the ready room. The silence echoed between them as they sifted through their own impressions and thoughts of the last hour or so.
"She's interesting," Duchess finally commented.
"But?" He could hear the trailing thought, even when she did not voice it.
She shrugged. "I need more time. But you have something she wants. Use that to your advantage. I would almost suggest coming at her from Commander Cain, but that's useless. He's loyal."
"Why suggest using Commander Cain in the first place?"
"He was uncomfortable here. He did not speak."
Jack's brow furrowed, not sure if he understood what she was implying. "There was not much opportunity to speak. Perhaps he was observing."
Duchess shook her head. She'd seen the tension in him, watched the way that his eyes flicked from person to person in front of him. "He's a soldier and prefers actions to words. He's not meant for intrigue and yet here he is, in the thick of it all."
"Love is a strong motivator."
"Oh?" That was an interesting statement, coming from him. "Is that why you think he's here?"
"You said it yourself, Duchess. Commander Cain is a soldier. He's here to protect the future heir. She just happens to be the woman he loves." He'd recognized the look in the young man's eyes every time he so much as glanced at Princess Azkadellia. It was uncomfortably familiar, for he too had once been young and in love. He remembered that level of devotion and that willingness to do anything for the one who held his heart. It was something that he would rather have forgotten.
Duchess stood abruptly. The sharp click of her heels echoed hollowly in the mostly-empty room. Her fingertips trailed along the tops of the chairs as she walked. She'd painted them and they were the same crimson red as her lips. "Are you sure about that?"
"Speak plainly, Duchess." He'd had enough of treading around for the day.
"What makes you think that your new guests aren't thinking of a more…permanent alliance, Jack?"
He spared her an irritated look. Hadn't he just said that Commander Cain was in love with Princess Azkadellia, and she with him? Surely she knew the rumors coming from the Outer Zone as well as, if not better, than he. "The Princess Azkadellia seems very much…attached to Commander Cain." Otherwise, it would have been Wyatt Cain who accompanied her.
"As if that would stop the Gales if they truly wanted Wonderland."
"And why would the Gales want Wonderland? They have their own troubles." Jack leaned forward and folded his hands, his eyes clear and steady on hers. "Besides, I have no interest in any sort of marriage arrangements at the present. The last one turned out so well, didn't it?"
The barb was thick and perfectly placed. Duchess' fingers stilled briefly in their dance before continuing on. "Touché, Jack."
He paused. "I won't apologize, Duchess. You know my feelings on this matter."
"I do, Jack." Duchess turned and strode towards the door. "But do you know mine?"
She was gone before he could answer. Anyone else would have been subject to discipline for leaving the room without the king's permission. But when it came to the Duchess everything was different, whether Jack liked it or not.
"I trust the rooms are to your liking, Your Highness?" Giacomo folded his hands politely behind his back. He was so much taller than his brother, Az thought idly. With his height and all-black ensemble, he cut quite the imposing figure. She had no doubt that he used it to his advantage. Still, if she trusted her instincts – and Az always did – she felt as though the Ten of Clubs was not a threat.
"They will suffice, Ten of Clubs." She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Is there any other form to your title? I suspect that it will be awkward to address you as such for the duration of our stay. We have bypassed this with your brother by addressing him as 'Ambassador Club.'"
The advisor's face remained smooth and impassive, but Az received the distinct impression that he was amused. "You may call me Ten, Your Highness."
The look she gave him was one of pure disbelief. "That is a number, surely that's rude."
Giacomo shook his head. "It is my title, Your Highness. Those of us who have been given such will answer readily to them. I can assure you that no offense will be taken."
"But to address any of you by your first name without permission would be much ruder," Jeb guessed, pausing in his subtle inspection of the room.
Giacomo inclined his head. "That is correct."
"I find it strange," Az murmured, mostly to herself. Then, realizing that she'd spoken aloud, she straightened her shoulders, furious with herself. She was not so tired from this first round of political chess that she could not control herself. "My apologies, Ten. I meant no offense."
"I can assure you, Your Highness, that none was taken," he assured her. "I am well aware that we have many strange traditions and codes of conduct here in Wonderland."
"No more than any other country, I would think."
"Indeed. If there is nothing else you require, I will inform the Eight of Hearts that you and your party wish to dine in your quarters tonight. If you have need of anything regarding your accommodation here in the palace, Eight will see to your needs."
"Thank you, Ten. You have been most helpful."
The moment the door closed behind him, Az's carefully constructed façade dropped. She flopped most ungracefully into the nearest chair. The resemblance between her and DG was so strong in that moment that Jeb could not help but chuckle. The sisters even pouted in a similar manner. "Rough day?" he teased.
Az opened one eye and glared. Before she could speak, she waved a hand and purple light flowed from her fingers, sinking into every object in the room as well as the walls, floor, and ceiling. "That should take care of any eavesdropping," she said. "And yes, Jeb, it has been rough." She removed the diadem from her head and dropped it onto the table beside her. Jeb shook his head. Only a princess could treat such jewels so casually.
"May I remind you that this entrance was your idea?" He removed the cape from his shoulders, relieved that he no longer had to remember to sweep it out lest he sit on it. He shrugged out of the thick jerkin, leaving him in just a doublet and chemise. He much preferred the chemise and tunic of his Rider uniform, but those would not see any action while he was in Wonderland.
"It had the desired effect."
"It certainly did." Jeb thought the look of absolute surprise on, well everyone's faces was worth it. Especially that of the king. Jeb wasn't quite sure what to make of Jack Heart after that first meeting. He certainly did not trust the man, not when it was obvious that he needed Az for something. That much was obvious in the way that he kept looking at her, as though she held all of the answers he sought. Jeb would have called it pure male interest were it not for the way that Jack Heart interacted with his fiancée, the Duchess. Was it one of those Wonderland traditions that meant that the woman was only addressed as the Duchess, rather than her actual name?
"What are you thinking?" Az's voice was quiet.
"That this mission may be more difficult than we anticipated."
She rose to pour them both glasses of water from the elegant cut-glass pitcher on the sideboard. "Perhaps." The Ten of Clubs surely had a mind to rival Glitch's, with the added benefit of utter and complete mastery of his emotions.
Jack Heart was cagey, but she had expected that. He was attractive, charismatic, and debonair, but there was something that lurked beneath the surface that she found both unsettling and familiar. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but there was ample time to discover it.
Then there was the Duchess. Now she was the unknown quantity in this equation. Az had not banked on the king's fiancée having so much power and say in the proceedings. The Diamonds had insisted on equality in the relationships of their monarchy, but the Hearts' power had been firmly in the grasp of their queens. Was Jack Heart returning to the traditions of the Diamonds? Or was the Duchess seeking that power for herself?
Whatever the case, Az was not sure that she liked the other woman. She was combative and straightforward in a manner that did not befit the situation at hand. But she had long experience with hostility and distrust and would move forward as she always had. "These negotiations will not be easy, I admit," she said finally, acknowledging Jeb's previous statement.
"No, they won't." Jeb leaned forward. "I'm not sure that I can do what you do, Az." Even this one session had revealed that he was perilously out of his depth. If all he had to do was observe, then perhaps everything would work out. But he was both the Prince Consort and Shadow Man in training, and it was obvious that both roles carried their own set of diplomatic duties.
"What do you mean, Jeb?"
He thought back to his conversation with his father. "I'm a soldier, Az. I follow orders. I'm not worried about setting up a web of informants here; I did that work with the Resistance. But all of this-" he swallowed. "Diplomacy? I'm no good with veiled statements and fancy words and phrases that seem to say everything but mean nothing."
Az's brow creased with concern and she crossed to him, perching on the arm of his chair. "You've been introduced as the Commander of the Queen's Riders, Jeb," she reminded him, running her fingers through his curls. "You don't have to be anything more, not to them."
He shook his head. "But I will be more in the future and I have to live up to everything they entail." He lifted his eyes to hers. "I need to prove myself worthy of those titles…I need to prove that I am worthy to be at your side."
Amethyst eyes flashed and a truly formidable scowl stretched across her face. "Jeb Cain, that is the most asinine thing I've ever heard in my life. When have you ever needed to prove your worth or your merit? Everything you've done, everything you've been, everything you are…speaks for itself. And as for being worthy-" She made a sound that was equal parts disgust and disbelief.
Jeb had to admit that he enjoyed her indignation on his part. He knew that they never carried any doubts about their worth or meaning to one another, but it was still gratifying to be reassured. "That's not entirely what I meant, though I appreciate your confidence in me, love. It's just that your father is so good at this sort of thing-"
"Daddy does what he likes," she interrupted. "As have all the prince consorts before him, barring their official duty as Shadow Man. Dorothy Gale's Prince Consort was notoriously shy and shunned all diplomatic and state events."
"Yes, but as we said before, this is going to be much more difficult than we expected. I know you can do this yourself and do it fantastically well…but I don't want you to have to do it alone." He took a deep breath. "So…you're going to have to teach me the fine art of diplomacy."
Az gave him a searching look. "Is that what you truly want?"
"Yes." The reply was simple but firm.
"Then that is what we shall do. You can begin by telling me all that you observed-"
Jeb interrupted her speech by pulling her into his lap. "Can we hold off on the lecture for a moment?" he asked, burying his face in her hair. "I feel like I haven't held you in days."
"Well, you haven't," Az admitted, relaxing into his embrace. "We've been travelling." There had been precious little time that they could have to themselves, with her security detail constantly underfoot.
His hands tightened briefly on her waist. "Well, in that I case I believe we can postpone the lecture."
"I do believe we can."
Raw was beginning to think that his feline companion was more devil than angel. He'd continued to follow the dream-cat against his better judgment, moving south into the rainforests rather than north, where he knew he was more likely to find help. Any further south and he would be out of the rainforests and into Quox. He was sure that there would be no help there.
He had attempted to turn north several times only to have the cat leap in his path, fluffing its fur until it had almost doubled in size, hissing and spitting. Even so puffed up, Raw knew it was no challenge to him, but something in those yellow eyes, so clearly inhuman and also decidedly not feline in those moments, gave him pause.
What was the cat, exactly? It was certainly magical, from the way that it seemed to melt into the shadows, only to appear suddenly when he tried to change his path. Another clue was its mind. Raw had some experience looking into the minds of animals, though he seldom did so. Their thoughts were often basic and repetitious, hardly worth pursuing.
The cat's mind was utterly impenetrable. Every time Raw reached out to attempt a reading – and he did this several times a day – it was as though there was nothing there. He could feel the presence of birds several horse-lengths away but of the cat trotting by his side, nothing.
It wasn't that it was frightening. Raw never felt that there was any threat coming from it, even when it forcibly blocked his path back to Wonderland City. He also knew, at the back of his mind, that somehow the cat was protecting him. He had heard the calls of various horrible-sounding creatures in the night but never once had he glimpsed them and never once was he harmed.
The only danger was from himself, Raw thought ruefully as he gazed down at his right foot. He'd thought to sneak away from the cat during the night, early on in his escape. In his blind fumbling, he'd trod on some sort of needle bush and found a large thorn embedded in the thick sole. The cat had appeared out of nowhere at that point, hissing angrily and twining about his feet before piercing Raw with what was almost certainly a glare. The pace had increased since then and Raw knew why.
That bush, whatever it was, was poisonous. His foot had become shiny and swollen within a few hours and nothing he could do could ease the pain, not even his own healing abilities. He could feel the spread of the poison moving sluggishly through his blood. With each day it was becoming increasingly difficult to move through the forests, despite the urgings of his companion.
He could not believe that he had come this far only to die in the wilds of Wonderland. Raw sat on a rock, only dimly registering the cat's insistent head-butts against his uninjured leg. He thought, rather fuzzily, that he'd failed Queen Lavender. He'd been unable to hold up his end of the negotiations. He'd been captured. Sure, he had escaped, but he'd done the stupid thing and resisted help from the only one who'd been willing to give it to him.
The cat yowled, loudly, and disappeared with a loud crack. Raw stared at the place where it had been with dismay that was slowly bleeding into dispassion. And even now, he was alone. Why had he ever come to Wonderland? How could he have thought that this would be an adventure? He could no longer even move to find a place more comfortable to slip into oblivion.
Before the encroaching blackness could take him, Raw thought he heard a rush of wings and the sharp claws of the faithful cat digging into his chest. Wings? That did not make sense.
He needs medical attention. The voice was entirely in his head. It was cold, clinical, and calculating, with a tinny ring that he'd never heard nor felt before.
"You have lefffffft it long, old frrrrrrrrriend," a sibilant voice echoed throughout the clearing.
Well, perhaps if you hadn't been so lacking in your patrols you would have discovered us sooner. I cannot be everywhere at once.
"Husssssssh. We will take carrrrrre of him."
The mind that now brushed against Raw's was bright and golden, completely alien and utterly agonizing to his senses. His hands clutched at his head as he roared in pain.
Now look what you've done. The voice was annoyed. Can't you do anything about your blasted voices?
"Calm yourrrrsssssself, Viewerrrrrr. We arrrrre only herrrre to help."
The pain and the poison were too much. Raw fainted.
Please review!
I wonder what Raw has stumbled upon! It may not be what you think, because it's a little too early for dragons! Meanwhile, our characters have not exactly gotten off on the right foot, but we can't expect them to be friends right off the bat.
I do apologize for the long wait, but the academic year has started and I've been bogged down with teaching and various committee meetings, with precious little time to do my own research. It's no wonder that my supervisors are always so busy. I did, however, manage to escape to France for a week's worth of research and I will certainly never complain about being able to do research in France. :)
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed the chapter! Also, Isis36 has created a gorgeous banner for this story. Check it out on my profile page and show her some love!