Chapter 14

"Humiliating Alice"

It seemed like it was a narrow victory for the Queen of Hearts and her allies. For days, she had longed to capture the one who had embarrassed her in that croquet match back in Wonderland. Now, here she was with that same girl, thrown in the brig of her ship with the Wonderland citizens and her card soldiers celebrating on deck. In front of the ship was a guillotine, specially created for this occasion.

"What are your orders, your highness?" asked a card soldier. "Shall we bring the girl forward for her beheading?"

The Queen was taking in the celebration for a moment, but then turned to the soldier to respond to his question.

"You may bring her forward at once," she replied, smiling evilly. "But first, I think we should have a little fun humiliating her, wouldn't you say?"

Smiling at what his queen was thinking, the soldier saluted her and went down to the brig to collect Alice, who was now sitting inside, feeling as helpless as she could possibly be. Alice had been in plenty of helpless situations like the Tulgy Wood, but this was worse. As she sat helplessly awaiting her fate, she began to sing quietly to herself a song that she had sang while trapped in the Tulgy Wood:

Just as she finished singing, the card soldiers came forward and stood in front of her cell, smiling evilly at her. Alice was scared and wanted to be brave, but she was now staring death in the face and there was nothing she could do about it.

"It's time," said the card soldiers as they barged into Alice's cell and dragged her onto her feet, with one of the card soldiers roughly ripping the black ribbon out of Alice's hair, causing her neatly blonde hair to go into a tangled mess. "We are going to enjoy watching you lose your head."

The fear of what she was about to endure consumed Alice as she was led up to the deck of the queen's ship with a loud cheer that was awaiting her. Alice was then led to guillotine where the executioner, wearing a black mask was smiling evilly as he looked at the scared little girl he was going to behead.

"Little girl," called the Queen of Hearts down to Alice. "You are charged with embarrassing me in that little Croquet match we had in Wonderland and for evading capture. As a result of your crimes, you are to be sentencing to humiliation and beheading this very day!"

A loud roar came from the crowd and Alice started to lose control of herself, fearing that this was indeed the end of her life. She didn't know why or how she was going to be humiliated, but Alice knew that it was something that was meant to break her spirit.

"SILENCE!" cried the Queen and the crowd fell silent at her command. "Now, then, little girl, I will order you to remove whatever clothes you have on and turn them over to the card standing next to you."

Alice was shocked at what she was being told to do and wanted at that moment, to break down and start crying. Her eyes were welling up with tears of humiliation, but she had no other choice as she would soon find out.

"Fail to heed my command," said the Queen and she directed Alice to the lost boys who were now tied up together with a knife to the throat of Tootles, the youngest of the lost boys. "And these boys will die!"

Alice silently nodded and allowed herself to be subjected to this humiliation that she was about to endure.

"Now, remove your shoes," began the Queen, pointing down to Alice's black Mary Jane shoes. Alice slid her left foot out and then slid out her right foot before picking up her shoes and turning them over to the card soldier.

"Remove your stockings," said the Queen and Alice bent down and slid off her white stockings, one by one, turning them over to the card soldier. She could now feel her bare feet touching the cold surface of the ship's deck.

"Remove your dress, my child," continued the Queen and Alice wanted to stop this humiliation, but she couldn't and looked over to the Lost Boys knowing that their lives were at stake. She placed her hands on the back of her dress and pulled her blue dress over her head, revealing her undergarments that she wore underneath it: a white corset and her white petticoats.

As she handed her dress to the card soldier, her tears of humiliation began to show and the loud cheers were starting to drown out the cries of humiliation that she was producing. All Alice wanted at that moment was for this nightmare to be over. She didn't want to be in Neverland anymore and wanted to back at home where she belonged. But, all she wanted was for Peter to be back at her side again.

"Remove your petticoats," said the Queen, her grin getting even bigger as Alice slid her petticoats down to her ankles, leaving her in just her corset and bloomers. Stepping out of her petticoats, Alice handed them to the card soldiers and at that moment, the executioner then grabbed Alice and pulled her over to the guillotine.

"Now, you shall feel the pain of losing your head!" shouted the Queen as the Executioner placed a black blindfold over her eyes and at that moment Alice began sobbing loudly, fearing that this was the end. Alice struggled to get herself free as the executioners placed her down on the guillotine with Alice kicking and screaming for her life.

As soon as Alice was placed into position, the Queen of Hearts raised her arm and looked down at the helpless Alice now in position to be executed. She was just about to lower her arm and signify the executioners to lower the blade when the sounds of a cannon were fired and struck one of the sails of the Queen's ship, causing everyone to scream.

"Who dares fire upon me?!" she screamed and turned to discover the Black Pearl with Peter Pan and its crewmembers on board, armed with weapons, ready to free Alice and the Lost Boys from the grip of the Queen and her allies.

The Battle of Neverland was about to begin…