Chapter Three
--
Breadcrumbs would have been useful in the long run. Maybe not for leaving a trail, but they'd have been good for food.
Alice had settled herself at the base of a large tree. Moonlight filtered down from overhead, casting shadows onto the forest floor. There was a thick silence that stretched through the forest. Though every now and then a breeze would blow through, the icy wind dragging the fallen leaves across the floor.
Alice hugged her knees to her chest. Part of her wondered if she should have stayed with the bird creature, maybe someone would have found her sooner if she had. But did she want to be found by those people?
Obviously the only people who'd know she was missing and what sort of creature had taken her would be the lot that had taken her in the first place.
She'd come to a couple conclusions since waking in the middle of the field. One, was that someone had kidnapped her. Two, was the fact that she was completely lost. And three, well, she really didn't have a third conclusion, but two was such an awkward number.
The man who'd kissed her had something to do with this, but his name was one she couldn't recall. She wasn't sure how she knew him in the first place. Part of her was just too tired to really try to think about it all. And in the end it only served to make her headache.
She also realized something, that his face, while older, reminded her of a face that should have been younger. But Wonderlanders were famous for the fact that they didn't age that well, the tended to stay the same age for such a long while, it was why Hatter and Hare had always had Un-birthday parties. Things stayed the same for such a long time.
She was still sitting at the base of the tree when a strange sound echoed around the woods. It sounded like, dare she say it, sobbing. A gut retching sobbing sound, as if someone had just realized that their whole world was falling apart around them and nothing would change it.
Alice slowly got to her feet. Her hand pressed flat against the bark of the tree. She was nervous to let go of it and fall. While her night vision had improved a lot in the last couple hours, she wouldn't have trusted her ability to find her way back to this spot.
Why was she doing this?
She wasn't brave, smart, or anything special. It was obvious that she was a coward, so why was she thinking about walking towards the sound of someone sobbing. It was obvious, or it should have been, that whatever was causing someone to sob like that was probably nothing that she'd want to meet in a darkened forest.
With a sigh, Alice pushed off the tree and plunged herself into the dark woods.
She never fancied herself to have much of a brain
--
Following the sound of sobbing, Alice found herself entering a clearing. In the clearing were well over a thousand tree stumps protruding from the ground. The sight went on as far as she could see with her limited night vision.
It was a sad sight. In all her time in wonderland, Alice had never seen such blatant abuse of natural resources. How anyone would cut down the wonderful trees was something she just couldn't understand, and for that she was thankful. It meant that she was different from the people who'd done this horrible thing.
She stepped forward into the clearing. Her eyes searching for the source the sobbing, and it didn't take long to find it.
The source of the god awful sobbing was a woman, tied to a tree trunk by two ropes that had been looped through a metal bracket. The rope ends were knotted together passing on the bracket, tight enough that the woman couldn't move her hands that much without serious pain.
Truth be told, the woman was a sorry sight. she had graying her, which was knotted and tangled. Twigs and leaves had worked their way into it. her skin was leathery looking. And her clothes were nothing more than rags. She was mumbling to herself, trying to bring one of her tied hands up to her mouth, but it always fell just short.
Every time her hand failed to reach her mouth she let out a loud wail. Like her world was shattering.
When she looked up at saw Alice, she began to laugh loudly. "What's this?" she cried, her voice crackly. "The girl returns? How many years, how many years did it take? How lovely it … must be to be loved." She shook her head.
Alice stepped forward, "Do I know you?" she asked. Doubting that fact. She'd think she'd remember meeting someone like this woman.
The woman crackled and turned away from Alice, she began the same repeatable act of trying to get the rope to her mouth, but as always, she failed.
"Sad, isn't it?"
Alice froze. She turned around and stared, eyes narrowing. "Hello, again." She said stiffly.
The man smiled. "I'm so sorry about how rude I was during our first meeting." He smiled shyly. "Would you believe me if I said it was for your own good?"
Alice crossed her arms against her chest.
"No? Ah, I didn't think it would be that easy."
"Never is, is it, brother?"
Alice's eyes widened as a second man stepped out of the forest and into sight. He was the twin to the man standing in front of her. But instead of a red shirt, he wore a black shirt, and a cap the same color. His brown hair was either cut short or tucked up underneath the cap. It was hard too tell in the dark.
"Hallo," The second twin greeted. "Do you remember our names now?"
"The Tweedle brothers," Alice said with a small smile. "Tweedledee and Tweedledum, though don't ask me to say who is who."
The twins looked at one another and grinned. "Ede," The one in red said, stepping forward to give Alice a sweeping bow.
"And Edu," The other said. He too stepped forward and bowed to Alice.
Alice smiled, she didn't mean to, but it happened all the same.
"So loved." The old crone hissed.
Alice turned and looked at her. "Loved? I think you're talking about someone else."
"You are loved," Edu said. He walked forward and laid a hand on her shoulder. Ede twinned the motion on her other shoulder. They stood beside her, their shoulders pressing against her back. It was awkward and uncomfortable, it was too… physical.
"Mind stepping back?" Alice questioned through clenched teeth. She didn't want a repeat of earlier, or the strange rush of feeling that the kiss had brought on.
"We haven't done anything." Both twins said.
"You kidnapped me!" Alice snapped, not to mention one of them had kissed her.
Ede's lips twitched upwards but he willingly stepped backwards, "It was for your own good, Alice." He repeated.
Alice shook her head. She glanced over at Edu. "Step back." She ordered.
Edu stared at her for a second; there was something in his eyes, anger? Whatever is was he closed it down, and stepped away.
"Why send your knights away?" The crone asked. "Am I so little threat that you believe yourself safe?" she hissed.
Alice stared at her, "Who are you?" she questioned.
"You ignorant brat!" The crone raged. "Off with her head, off with her head." She cackled.
Horror washed through Alice's body. She knew, without a single doubt in her mind, just who this woman was. "Hearts." She whispered.
"She knows now?" The crown laughed. "Finally."
Alice turned to Edu, "What is going on?" she questioned. "I figured she would…" she raised a hand, pointed a finger and made a slashing motion against her throat.
Edu and Ede exchanged glances.
"Do you believe our new queen to be so cruel?" Edu asked.
"What would her death solve?" Ede probed.
Alice shook her head, "After all she did to wonderland?" she questioned. "You let her live."
Ede chuckled, "The odds of her freeing herself are slim to none, none of us would free her. And there is only one way she can be set free."
"How?" Alice asked.
"The knot." Edu said, point at it. "It's magic. It can only be undone by someone who is willing to release her, it cannot be undone by force, only by choice." He smiled. "It's a brilliant bit of magic."
Alice stared at the single knot. Part of her had to admit that if the magic really worked it was a very cruel and unusual punishment. The ex queen would never be freed because no one would ever willingly release her. She'd done too many evil things.
"It's a very cruel fate," Alice commented.
"And just, she was cruel to us all," Edu said.
Alice rolled her eyes. She looked at the ex queen and felt a twinge of pity for her. The idea of being locked out in a forest for the rest of your life, with no hope of freedom. Because the ex queen had to know that no one would ever free her.
"Silly girl," Hearts whispered, "Silly girl doesn't know, Does she? Doesn't know that all her friends are gone… destroyed!" she began to laugh.
Alice stared at her, "Last time I checked they were still very much alive." She stated.
The ex queen lifted her head and looked Alice in the eyes, something close to sanity danced in them, "Alice, they're not the same. Can you truly not see? See how they look at you? See how they avoid you…"
"Enough!" Edu snapped. He reached out and laid his hand on Alice's arm. "Come, there's nothing out here but this old crone."
Alice glanced back at him. her eyes fell on his hand. She couldn't help but see the ring that he wore. The emblem on it was obvious.
"You're working for the new queen?" she questioned.
Edu and Ede exchanged glances. "Like White, of course." The both said.
Alice frowned. Wouldn't Cheshire have mentioned something about the twins working with the queen? Unless they really 'were' the bad guys.
"I think I'm doing just fine on my own." Alice said, shrugging off his hand. "If I need help I'll be sure to give you a ring."
Edu sighed loudly, "Alice, please be reasonable. I don't know what the others have told you, but our new queen, she is thinking towards what is best for wonderland. You have to believe me."
Alice cocked her head to the side, "and why is that? Would it have anything to do with the fact that it feels like winter?" she questioned. "Is that in the new queen's plans?"
"It's only a mild side effect." Ede said, "She'll get the seasons under control soon enough. Just as soon as… well just as soon as some pieces fall into place."
Alice smiled, just a slight turn of her lips. "Pieces into place?" she questioned. "What pieces would that be?"
Edu stepped forward again, he touched Alice's arm. "Alice, please. If you fight the queen you're likely to get hurt." He whispered. "That's the last thing we want for you. You have to believe me!" he pleaded.
Alice shook her head. "You're a little late on the 'please believe me' junk. I've already spoken with Cheshire." She glared at him.
"Cheshire?" Ede smiled. "Alice, Cheshire is part of the problem."
Alice shook her head. She stepped backwards away from the twins. "No. Your queen is the problem. Anyone who'd drain dream energy from children is a major problem."
"She drains only a little," Edu pleaded. "Just enough too…"
"Too stay young." Alice finished.
The twins shared a look.
"Alice. Let us take you to Hatter, he'll be able to explain everything to you."
Alice blinked in surprise. "Hatter?" she questioned. "He's… working for the queen as well?"
Edu's lips twitched, "Yes. He's one of her favorites." He reached out to take her hand. "We'll take you to him, he'll explain everything to you. Get you to see our point of view."
Alice stepped away from him. "I said no." she said.
Ede closed his eyes and mumbled something under his breath. When he opened his eyes there was a resigned look in his eyes. "Alice, we've been ordered to bring you with us. If those idiots hadn't shot down the Hawk you'd have already been safely at the castle. As it is, you have no choice but to go with us." He said.
Edu took another step forward. "Alice, please don't fight us. You'll get hurt."
"See," The queen mocked. "I told you they would betray you!" she cackled.
Alice looked back at the ex queen. What was the lesser of two evils? Going with the twins, probably get her self killed or locked away. On the other hand she could untie that knot and pray that the ex queen hated this new queen as much as Alice figured she would.
Edu's hand shot out and grabbed a hold of Alice's upper arm. "Come on," he said.
Alice shoved at him and he stumbled back in surprise. "Don't touch me!" she snapped. She turned and dove behind the tree stump. She reached up and began to tug at the knot.
The ex queen turned her head and stared at Alice, completely shock written on her face. "What are you doing?" she questioned.
Alice gave a final tug, her heart pounding. The knot slipped free and the ropes fell limp.
Edu's eyes widened, "Alice!" he screamed, "what've you done?"
Alice looked at him from behind the trunk, "That's your problem!" she yelled. She stumbled to her feet and took off.
She stumbled through the woods. Gasping for breath. She made a small mental note to remember to get in shape. If she was getting winded running such a short distance, what would she do if she actually had to run away from something out in the open, without places to hide? She'd be screwed.
She finally stopped running, her breathing was uneven and hard. She leaned back against a tree and listened to the woods around her. There was silence. A thick, even silence. No feet stomping after her. And no screams of terror.
Either the twins had decided to run, or Hearts still had enough punch in her to level them. Either way, she'd made a big mistake.
But Hearts was the lesser of evils today. Being kidnapped by psyco one and two. or facing someone who was just plain crazy. But she'd beat Hearts once, she'd like to think she could do it again. The twins on the other hand were her former friends, the idea of fighting against them was painful. Even if they were acting odd.
A strange smell suddenly fluttered over Alice. She lifted her nose into the air and drew in a deep breath. Suddenly she was aware of how hungry so was. how long had she been asleep? How long ago had she last had something to eat?
Her stomach growled loudly and she pushed away from the tree. Slowly, as if in a daze, she began walking toward the source of the wonderful smell.
It was like someone had taken the smell of all of Alice's favorite foods and mixed them into one mouthwatering scent. It was almost too much to take. She moved through the forest. Her mind thinking only of filling her stomach.
She stumbled out of the woods and into a bright clearing. A couple tables were set up, and a pot of something was simmering over a fire.
Alice looked around the clearing and blinked back her surprise. "Duchess," she greeted, her teeth gritting together in an effort to stop the chattering that had been about to start.
The Duchess was a large woman; she wore a dress that made her appear even larger. She wasn't one of those women who were timid about eating. She was proud of the amount of food she could put away in one sitting, and she was also the pickiest eater in the world.
The one thing she would eat without fail was Turtle soup. And her favorite blend of it came from a certain, former turtle's shell.
"Ah, Alice." The Duchess said, eyeing the teenager from the far corner of the clearing. She was sitting at a smaller table, a large umbrella was trying to cover her, but there was simply too much to cover. A few Gnomes were running here and there, trays in the hands. The Duchess flicked her finger and pointed at Alice.
One of the Gnomes rushed over to Alice, "Please, Miss Alice," He said, "Come have a seat, we'll get your tea."
Before Alice could protest she found herself being pushed over to the table that the Duchess was sitting at. She was shoved down into the comfortable chair, and a cup of tea was poured for her.
She stared at it with a confused expression on her face. she lifted her head and looked at the woman. "Why invite me to sit?" she asked.
The Duchess smiled. "Why not?" she questioned. "We're friends, aren't we?" there was a slightly wrong note to the woman's voice, as if she were forcing the word pass her lips.
Alice made a small snorting sound. "Friends?" she said, looking at the Duchess oddly. "We've never been friends. You tried to eat my friend."
"I didn't try to eat him. I only wanted his shell. He simply got in the way."
"You didn't seem to mind almost boiling him."
"It would've added a nice flavor."
"So you did try and cook him!"
The duchess growled low in her throat, "Alice, you ignorant child, I am not going to sit here and take your… your abuse!"
Alice snorted again. "And yet everyone takes yours." She shook her head. "I say that's a right double standard."
"You've grown to be a right brat!"
Alice smiled, "and I'm proud of that fact." She said. "Gives me character, something you wouldn't know anything about now would you?" she gave a grin that would've put Cheshire to shame.
The Duchess reached out and took her own tea. It was in a large mug. She tilted her head back and gulped it like it was something much stronger. When she'd finished gulping the amber colored liquid she slammed the mug down onto the table, causing the tableware to shudder, and a Gnome raced over with a pot of tea. He filled the mug with the whole pot and gave Alice a warning look.
Alice sighed and rolled her eyes skywards. She leaned back into the chair and tried to fight the hunger that was eating at her insides. She looked at the Duchess with, what she hoped was, a blank look.
"Alice, you've had to have noticed, no child, even you, is so dim witted that they wouldn't notice. Wonderland is changing." The Duchess said after another sip of her tea. "It's changing, moving forward."
Alice cocked her head to the side, "You don't say? Wow, I must really be a dim wit, I hadn't noticed." She smirked.
The Duchess glared. "Wonderland," she continued as if Alice hadn't spoken, "is moving towards to future. You, Alice, are the past."
Alice leaned forward, placing her arms on the tabletop. "You say that like it was my idea to come here in the first place." She snapped. "I'd like nothing more than to go home and get on with my life, I have a nice life, thank you very much. I don't need to be running around in make believe worlds!"
The Duchess smiled brightly. "And that is just what the Queen wants to hear!" she laughed. "You see, Alice, The queen was worried that you'd have gotten dragged into the game that those few rebels are playing at. I'm sure she'll be thrilled when she hears that you've decided to go home."
"I'd love to go home, there's just one problem. I don't know how to get there."
"That's a simple fix," The duchess said, "All you have to do is go through one of the looking glasses."
Alice's eyes narrowed. "The looking glasses are in the glass tower, it's locked. Only the true ruler of wonderland can unlock the door." She said. "It's a common legend." One that Alice's own mother had helped come up with.
The duchess breathed through her nose, "that's only a legend, my pet, the truth is that only a human born child can open the lock." She smiled. "you, my dear, sweet girl, are a human child. You can easily open the lock and be on your way home."
Alice frowned into her tea. "You're asking me to unlock the looking glasses and hand this… new queen the power to use them as she sees fit?"
"Alice, the queen means well. After she cleans up these… silly rebels, wonderland will return to normal. Our wonderland will never see winter, which is what frightens those fools. The queen would never allow it to go that far."
"And what happens when your queen runs out of dreamers to use as power?" Alice whispered. "What happens when the last child able to dream looses its ability to dream? Wonderland will die… you, this queen, and everyone will die with it." she looked at the Duchess. "Is that what you want?"
The Duchess stared at Alice. "I should have known they'd have gotten to you already." She growled. "I shouldn't killed you when I had the chance."
Alice didn't know what was going on. Or why The Duchess was talking like that. What did she mean, when she still had the chance? Wasn't Alice sitting in front of her?
Suddenly everything blurred oddly, like it was swaying to one side. Alice slid out of her seat and onto the floor.
She could smell the sweet smell of wet earth. The scent of dying leaves. And the rich smell of a promise. A promise that the land was still alive, it wasn't dead… but it would be soon. Soon winter would fall on wonderland. The land would freeze. And wonderland would never see spring again.
--
Alice opened her eyes. She was lying under an oak tree. Staring up into the bare branches. She frowned for a moment before sitting up. She turned her head and groaned. "I though you were a dream." She muttered.
Hearts stood there, eyes narrowed. "Why'd you free me?" she demanded. Her voice weak.
Alice sighed, her hands dropping into her lap. "I freed you because it seemed like a good idea," she admitted, "now I'm not so sure. Are you going to kill me?" she questioned.
Hearts lips turned into a sneer. "I can't." she said. "I would love nothing more than to watch your blood paint the ground red. But without you, wonderland dies."
Alice let her head fall back against the trunk of the tree. "Funny, everyone keeps saying things like that. But I don't know why." She closed her eyes and laughed. "I don't know what is going on. No one seems to want to talk to me, but obviously it has something to do with me."
"Of course it has something to do with you!" Hearts laughed. "it's always been you."
Alice blinked. "What?" she asked.
"Did The Caterpillar ever share the history of wonderland with you?" Hearts asked.
Alice slowly shook her head. "Bits and pieces, but a full history? No."
"Then I will."
"Wonderland isn't a place like your world is. It exists in a world made up of dreams. The world grows and dies when a child begins to dream, and a child enter adulthood." Hearts went on. "But the one thing in wonderland that never dies is the heart of wonderland. It's this land that you stand on now, this country is the heart of wonderland, the castle at the center is where the true King or Queen lives, and it's the only place that dreams don't affect.
The ruler is chosen by wonderland, and none of the peoples of wonderland are allowed to choose the ruler. The only change in this is when a ruler is elected for a short time, when a true ruler cannot be found." Heart drew in a breath.
"How is the ruler chosen?" Alice questioned, leaning forward. She was hooked.
"The ruler is chosen by fate. One day they simply show up, and they have a dream that is so bright that it leaves no doubt about their fate. Only a true ruler is able to shape wonderland into what they vision it as. And when they arrive a group of knights is chosen to care for the child. You should know all this Alice, you were the destined."
Alice blinked. "What?" she questioned.
"When you arrived in wonderland, I'd already lost my place as queen. I was hanging on by a thread. And the things I was doing was so horrid that it was wonderland itself that decided to get rid of me. When you showed up, a pretty little thing with such a bright dream, I knew. I knew that I was about to loose my throne. I fought to keep it. But in the end… I destroyed myself. My sanity… my life… it was lost. Look at me now Alice, this is what being queen did to me!" Hearts buried her head in her wrinkled hands. "I was like you once. A child with a dream. My own knights choose me. They loved me… and then they left me… they simply left me when I began to age… They wanted a child queen, someone they could love and cuddle, but not have to worry about being loved back…"
"You're saying that a queen isn't allowed to fall in love?"
"The wonderland queen has to remain a child. She isn't allowed to take the final step into adulthood. The body ages, the mind ages. But she's not allowed to age with it."
Alice's lips twitched. "Guess I can't be queen anymore," she muttered.
Hearts lips twitched. "Oh, they're still going to make you queen. Just long enough to find another child to take over for you. They'll put you on the throne. Wait for wonderland to heal, and then you'll be just another idiot in a long line of them." She sat down on the ground. Her ragged clothes spreading around her. "I wish I could go back to my life. I wish I could return home and find my family waiting… but they've died. Time's moved forward without me there."
Alice looked at her hands. She hadn't thought about her family since she'd arrived. She hadn't thought about her father, her sister's… would they even notice she was gone yet? How many days had she'd been gone? Time seemed to strange here that is was impossible to tell. She looked at Hearts, and she realized the truth. If they tried to make her queen, she was now looking at her future. "Who were you?" she asked.
Hearts smiled. "My name was Rose. I was the daughter of a farmer, and his wife, my mother, came from money, and my grandparents thought she was a fool for marrying him. They thought very little of me, and they treated me as something less than human. I hated spending time with them. I guess that's one of the reasons I found wonderland. I was so lonely… I just wanted a place to call my own." She lifted her head and stared at Alice with tears dripping down her cheeks. "Do you know what it feels like? To realize that you are completely unloved?"
Alice sighed "Yes." she closed her eyes. "I know what it feels like to have people treat you like something lesser. I know what it's like to feel like you don't belong. And I know what it feels like to have the one thing you love stolen from you. And I know what it's like to have someone you love more than anything over look you, as if you don't exist to them… while they're your whole world."
Hearts swallowed hard. "When I found wonderland, I thought it was the perfect place. I was thrilled when… my knights offered me a chance to be queen. I thought back to all those pretty fairytales that I'd been told as a child. The queen, princess, lives happily ever after. They never tell you that there are no happily ever afters." She sobbed softly. "There's nothing but unhappiness. Bitterness. And it tends to hit all at the same time." She wiped her eyes.
Alice looked at her hands; they were folded in her lap. She didn't want to hear these things. She wanted to go on believing that wonderland was a happy place. But if what she was hearing was true… wonderland was just the same as her own world.
There was no happy ending in this place, there was just another version of reality. Sugar coated and sweetened up, but it was the same as the other world.
"Is that why Cheshire refused to tell me what I'm here for?" she questioned.
"My Knight never told me what was going on. He simply sugar coated everything." Hearts said. "I assume that Cheshire is doing the same."
Alice sighed loudly. She leaned back against the tree again, drew her knees up to her chest. Her rested her chin on top of them and looked at Hearts. It was hard to imagine that the old crone she was looking at now had once been someone just like her. She'd been human.
"If you go that way," Hearts said softly, pointing with one of her bony fingers. "You'll reach a small gnome village. They'll alert your Knights to where you are. After that everything is up to you." She stood up and looked at Alice. "I truly wish you the best of luck."
Alice gave a weak nod of her head. "What should I do?" she finally asked.
The former queen turned around and stared at Alice for a moment. "The only thing you need to think about is this. Do you mind having your heart broken? Because I tell you now, they will break your heart. Every queen loves her knights more than life itself, but to a knight… The queen is only there for a time. When she gains and adult body… they stop loving her." She closed her eyes. "A queen, a true queen, is needed to heal wonderland. But the cost of that healing will by your heart, Alice, think it over." And she was gone.
Alice didn't know how long she sat there on the cold ground. she could see her breath puffing out in front of her. And it wasn't until small snowflakes began to fall around her that she realized that the sun was setting.
She stumbled to her feet. Her legs were stiff and sore. She used the tree to balance herself. And finally she started walking in the direction that Hearts had pointed too. Tears were drying on her cheek.
Would it be selfish of her to choose her own happiness above the fate of wonderland? Would her friends really betray her like Hearts had said they would? And wouldn't Hearts know? She was a former queen after all. Her friends, beings that were created by her, to love her, had betrayed her in the end.
And then there was one question Alice regretted not asking. Why had she been sent back home after defeating Red? It made no sense, if she were the rightful queen… why had they made her leave.
"Alice!"
Warm arms wrapped around her and she was lifted off her feet.
Alice's cheeks burned as she looked at the lilac eyed man.
"Cheshire…" She hissed between clenched teeth. "can you put me down?"
Cheshire set her down; the expression on his face was one of pure relief. He looked her over, his eyes scanning, checking for any hurt. "Are you alright?" he questioned. "Where were you? What happened?"
Alice held her hands out in front of her, a small laugh bubbled up. "One question at a time, please." She chuckled. "One of the Tweedle twins snagged me when I went out by the lake." She explained. And she began to recount the entire story for him, only hesitating when she came to the conversation she'd shared with Hearts.
"What's wrong, Alice?" Cheshire questioned.
"Hearts said something's too me… and I want some answers."
"What things?"
"She said you only brought me back so that I could play the part of the new queen." Alice whispered. "And she told me some of the things that happened while she was queen."
Cheshire's lips pressed together into a thin line. "What happened with R… Hearts wasn't fair. All of us screwed up." He sighed loudly.
"You were going to call her Rose, weren't you?"
Cheshire flinched at the mention of Hearts human name. "Yes. I was going to call her Rose." He admitted.
"Were you one of her Knights?" she asked.
Cheshire laughed loudly, "Dear Alice, do I look old enough to have been one of her knights?" he said. Grinning brightly. "I was only a child when she was our true queen. I only knew her because she'd host parties for all the local children." He smiled fondly, as if remembering something quite pleasant.
Alice studied him for a moment, trying to figure out if he was playing with her or not. It wouldn't have surprised her if she found out that he was creating a story to please her. But the look on his face seemed quite real, as if he really had known Hearts as some kindly queen. Though she realized that in the end, the person he was remembering was Rose, a girl very much like Alice. Hearts was no longer Rose.
"Alice, are you all right?" Cheshire questioned. His hand coming to rest on her shoulder. He bent down slightly in order to look at her. "You're not feeling sick are you?"
"Sick?" Alice questioned.
"…" Cheshire sighed. "The Duchess… she offered you tea didn't she? Did you drink it?"
Alice shook her head. "I really wasn't thinking about having tea with her. Tea is something you should only take with friends and there really is no loss love between her and I."
Something close to relief swam across Cheshire's face. His shoulder's slumped and he breathed through his nose. "Thank the gods for that." He lifted his head and looked her in the eye, "I was worried that she might have tried to poison you. I watched her do that to many people she didn't care for."
"…Cheshire, is that what she meant when she said 'I wished I had killed you when I had the chance?'"
Cheshire shrugged his shoulders. "I couldn't say." He admitted. 'There's a lot of things going on that don't make much sense to me."
"Do you know anything about them wanting to make me queen?"
"That… I do know about." He lowered his eyes. "I've heard the rumors, but in truth, no one has spoken to me about it. they know where I stand on that matter."
Alice's eyebrow rose. "and just where do you stand, Cheshire?" she questioned.
"…We had our chance to make you queen, Alice. We missed it because we wanted to try choosing our own queen." Cheshire looked her in the eye again, his lilac eyes filled with sorrow. "So that's what we did. We went and found a woman who we believed was suited to be our queen… I voted for it, so it's just as much my fault as it is everyone else. We did things we aren't proud of, and I do believe that we missed our chance to have a rightful queen."
Alice chewed her lip. She stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered. "at least there's one person in this crazy place who doesn't want to stick me on a throne."
Cheshire laughed loudly and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Yeah, at least someone around here is sane." He kissed the top of her head.
Alice fought the blush that rose from her neck and onto her face. she breathed through her nose and stepped away from him. Patting his chest awkwardly. "Can we go now?" she asked. "I've had enough of this place."
Cheshire smiled. "Do you know how to ride a horse?" he asked.
Alice opened and closed her mouth for a second. "A… horse?" she squeaked.
Cheshire grinned. "Should I take that as a no."
"…Stupid horses…"
Cheshire laughed loudly. "I love you sometimes, you're like my own private comedy!"
Alice crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at the sky. Storm clouds were building. "Is it going to rain?" she asked, changing the subject.
Cheshire looked up at the sky. "Rain or snow. It's only a matter of time before the rain turns to snow… its never snowed in wonderland before."
"The snow will be the end of wonderland," Alice whispered. "Once the ground is frozen nothing will ever grow. Wonderland will die."
"Alice?"
Alice looked at Cheshire, tears brimming in her eyes. "I don't want wonderland to die… but I don't want to die to save it."
Cheshire reached out and touched her shoulder. "No one is asking you to die for us Alice." He whispered. "I won't let you die for a place that… a place that without you would never exist."
Alice lowered her eyes. She felt a wave of shame wash over her when she realized that part of her was relieved to hear him say that. It was like she had needed someone to say that they didn't want her to die to save them. But if they asked her to become queen, could she do it?
The selfish part of her said no, no she wouldn't do it.
The wise and kind part of her, the angel on her shoulder, told her that she'd do it. because she needed wonderland almost as much as wonderland needed her. Another fact that she could have done without.
"So… where's that horse?"
--
Alice dismounted from the back of a rather large brown horse. It hadn't been as bad as she'd imagined it too be, but it wasn't something she wanted to have to do that often.
The gnome village looked so sleepy and peaceful. It was hard to imagine that outside this place things were going straight to hell.
The only major change to the village was a certain masked made who'd shown up looking for Alice. And he wasn't pleased to find that she'd been kidnapped.
"I told you to say on the path!" White snapped, shaking Alice by her shoulders "is that too much to ask?"
Alice gave him a world-class glare. "Is explaining things properly too much to ask?" she shoot back, just as angry.
There really were only a handful of people in wonderland who were able to make her feel like a little kid who'd just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. White was one of them.
"Alice, it's common sense that people will want to control you!"
"and why is that?"
"Alice…" White's whole body tensed, and it was obvious that underneath his mask he was grinding his teeth together in an effort not to kill her himself.
"I have a right to know."
"You only have to do a couple very simple tasks and wonderland will go back to normal, is that too much to ask Alice?"
"It depends on whether one of those tasks is me becoming queen over wonderland. Because if that's why you brought me back than you've got another thing coming." Alice did something very like her mother. She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him like he was simply an annoying child, not someone who was clearly older than she would ever be.
White looked away from Alice and narrowed his eyes at Cheshire, "What have you been telling her?" he demanded.
Cheshire held his hands up, smiling brightly. "I didn't tell her a damn thing, she found out all on her own." He smirked.
Alice rolled her eyes and grabbed White's arm. "You do realize that I'm no longer a child. You can't make me do anything."
"Then you'll sit by and watch as wonderland is thrown into an eternal winter?"
It was if White had reached into Alice's head and pulled some of her thoughts forward. He knew what to dangle over her, and just how badly it would hurt her to hear them said out loud.
The teenager closed her eyes, breathing slowly and evenly. Could she truly say her thoughts on the matter out loud. Would they give up on her and let her go home if she tried to explain things to her…
"White, if you're going to hit below the belt… so will I." She exclaimed, suddenly angry. "If you'd talked to me a couple years ago I would've jumped at the chance to be queen. But you're a couple years too late. You guys had your chance to make me queen and you missed it. I've saved your Asses enough for one lifetime. It's cold, and I don't like saying it… but it's the truth, you let me go. You've tried to trick me, and you've lost all my trust. White, I don't give a damn what happens to your lying ass!" she turned away from him and began walking towards Cheshire's house.
Her heart was pounding. She waited to be called back. To have White's angry voice ring in her ears as she ripped her a new one.
But there was only silence.
A sweet, blissful silence.
Part of her felt guilty over the outburst, but another part of her was pleased beyond belief by it. She liked the fact that she'd finally found the strength to speak her mind to the man who'd once held her in his arms and whispered promises that could never be.
Love.
He'd promised to love her always, and then he'd sent her away.
She'd spent so many childhood years wondering what she'd done wrong. People didn't send you away unless you'd done something to make them angry, or upset. She'd wondered what she'd done to make them think that she wasn't cut out to be queen, what she'd done to make them hate her.
Tears were pouring down her cheeks, hot salty tears and were causing her shoulder's to shake with the effort to stop crying. She'd long ago realized that Crying was just one of those major wastes of time. And she didn't have the time to waste.
She reached Cheshire's house, shoulders still shaking. She pushed open the door and stumbled inside.
She froze when she saw who was sitting at the end of the cot she was borrowing.
"Dormouse?"
Dormouse lifted his head, surprise danced into his icy blue eyes.
Dormouse wasn't his real name, but it had been his nickname from the moment Alice had met him. She couldn't even remember his real name. He was either the same age as Alice or perhaps a few years younger. A teenage boy with a mop of sandy brown hair, blue eyes, and tan skin. He was handsome in a way that needed filling out. A couple years and he'd grow into the striking good looks that his bone structure promised.
He was dressed in travel clothes. A green tunic style shirt, black pants, and a pair of soft leather boots. a belt and sword were lying on the cot.
He got to his feet when he realized who'd said his name. "Alice," he exclaimed. He walked over to her and hugged her to him. "God, it's great to see you again." He whispered.
Alice was surprised to realize that being in his arms didn't cause her cheeks to burn, if anything she felt rather safe. It was as if Dormouse was some soft pillow or blanket that she loved more than anything and she'd found it again after a long while. It was simply as wonderful feeling.
"It's good to see you too," she admitted, looking up at him. it came as a sudden shock to her when she realized that he had a good couple of inches on her. When they'd both been children he'd been barely taller than her. Having to look up at him was simply shocking.
Suddenly the smile vanished from Dormouse's face, his eyes darkened and narrowed. "You need to go home," he said, "it's not safe for you right now."
Alice's lips twitched slightly. "Let's see, I've been kidnapped, probably almost poisoned, and found out that everyone who isn't you and Cheshire wants to make me queen," she rolled her eyes. "I was beginning to think things were normal. Why aren't I say?"
Dormouse stared at her for a good while before shaking his head. "The twins?" he questioned.
Alice nodded.
"Damn,"
The Dormouse stepped away from Alice and went back to his cot. He flopped down onto it, stretching out. "I should've known they'd do something like that." He looked up at her, "You're a very wanted woman, Alice."
Alice's lips twitched. She walked over and hesitantly sat on Cheshire's cot. "So I'm beginning to realize. It's not as good a feeling as one would imagine."
Dormouse chuckled. "I can only imagine how it feels." He admitted. "Though I must say, I'm surprised that White would bring you so close to her royal pain in the ass."
Alice's eyebrow rose, "The new queen?"
"Don't even call the idiot a queen," Dormouse said, pointing at Alice. "I'm looking at my queen."
"I take it back, you're one of the crazy lot." Alice flopped backwards onto the cot.
"Alice, it's the truth. Wonderland made it's choice, you were it."
"You guys also made your choice. You didn't choose me."
"It was a mistake."
"Maybe. But it's too late to fix that mistake, Dormouse. I'm all grown up. I don't believe in this fairytale mumbo jumbo."
Dormouse sat up and looked at her, an amazed expression on his face. "You can say that while sitting here, in a make believe world that is just as real as anything."
"Sometimes I think this is all some silly dream and I'm about to wake up," Alice admitted, "But so far I haven't woken up… though believe me you, I want to."
Dormouse closed his eyes tightly. "Alice, we'll you let us die for a single mistake?"
"Dormouse, I went back to a world that was changing. I didn't want to live in that world. I didn't want to sit there while my mother died, But when I tried to return to wonderland, you guys had already locked the door… how am I supposed to feel about that?" Alice sat up, tears dripping down her cheeks again.
Dormouse closed his eyes and shook his head. "We messed up,"
"You did more than that."
"and do you hate us for it?"
Alice turned and looked at Cheshire and White. She hadn't realized they were there. She sat up and buried her face into her hands. "Yes!" she yelled. "I hate you for it! I hate you for leaving me alone when I needed you!"
"You were growing up, Alice." White whispered, kneeling down beside her. "It's hard for me to say this… but you need to hear the truth. You were going to grow up, and we couldn't help you with the things you were going through. Don't you remember how we were during those days?"
Alice blinked into his reddish pink eyes. Thinking back on it, she remembered them all as being very childish, one of the reasons she'd loved them so. But the men she looked at now weren't the same as they had been when she'd left. "You've grown up…" she whispered.
White nodded his head. "That's what's changed Alice. Wonderland is growing up… we're not children anymore. I'm not a young man, my body has aged into that of an adult… I see things very differently now." He closed his eyes. His fingers reached out and touched her face softly, his fingers trailing against her mouth. "Some things I never saw before now are all I see." His eyes opened, the look in them was the same look the twins had form, a look of something like love, but it was more lust than love.
Alice shivered, she wasn't sure she like White looking at her like that, though part of her liked it a great deal. "Why did you age?" she asked.
"Because you did." White whispered. "Our queen aged… so we aged to better suit her."
Alice blinked. "Queen?"
"What is there to understand, Alice," Cheshire said. "When you left, your body continued to grow and age. Because of that we aged as well. Your mind changed, we changed to suit it."
Alice looked at White. "Explain it in a more sensible way."
"Our queen chooses to stay in wonderland, there is no going home once she agrees to become queen. The body she uses on earth, the one that is able to travel between worlds, is sent home, but her being… soul, stays in wonderland." He drew in a breath. "Without a true body, our queen never ages. You are already our queen…" he trailed off.
Suddenly a chill passed through Alice. "What do you mean I'm already queen?"
"White, tell her." Dormouse whispered. "Tell her what you've done."
"It was a mistake, I swear that upon my life." White whispered. "When the twilight tunnel collapsed… you're body was sent back to your world without you. That's why everyone was so shocked when you appeared… "
"You're already our queen," Cheshire said with a sigh.
"You lied." Alice whispered. "You said you wouldn't make me give my life for wonderland!"
Cheshire moved forward, kneeling down in front of her. "Just because you don't have your human body doesn't mean you can't die, Alice. You can die just like the rest of us. I didn't lie to you!" he placed his hands on Alice's shoulders. "White only told me what had happen after he arrived today, I swear that I didn't know you were already queen!"
Alice jerked away from him, "Don't touch me!" she screamed. "This is all your fault!" she sobbed.
Her life was over. She'd never be able to return home. She'd be trapped in wonderland for the rest of her life. And that was that. She drew her knees up to her chest and sobbed while her guards looked on.
She was queen of wonderland, but in her mind, she was a prisoner.