Disclaimer: I do not own it.
So sorry for not updating. I know I promised updates, but real life got in the way again... I know it's not much of an excuse but that's what happened. Not to mention my muse kind of took early vacation (I know, good muses are so hard to find...) I really hope I didn't lose any of you fans and readers because of it. Either way, thank you as always to everyone who's followed and continues to follow this story. I'm grateful for the positive reviews and reinforcement of last chapter for those who responded, and for those who didn't well I'm only hoping you enjoyed it one way or another. You're support and encouragement is always appreciated. Now then, on with the story!
The Hatter sat in his cell on the cold stone bench that was to serve as his be, though he would not be getting any sleep tonight. Tomorrow he, Mallymkun, and Alice were to be executed at the stocks. His and Mallymkun were to be done swiftly and quietly, while Alice was to be the main event, there was even to be a feast and music afterwords. The thought made Tarrant sick with failure and fear. This was not how it was supposed to go at all.
"You know this isn't right Ilosovic."
"I don't think I gave you permission to speak, Tarrant." Stayne barked. "If you'll remember, this is not a social call. I'm here to remind you that-"
"Yes yes, I'm going to be executed, along with Mally and Alice. My head will be removed in the most grueling way possible. All hope of resistance is gone, the war will be lost, and the Blood Big Head's reign shall live on and I'll never Futterwacken again!" He snarled at the man. "The Red Queen shall win, and you will remain at her side as her consort. Are you proud of yourself?" He shook his head sadly and looked up to the Knave. "Do you know why a raven is like a writting desk?"
Stayne stared hard and long at the Hatter. "You're going to die tomorrow." He dead-panned.
As the cell door slammed shut, the Hatter could only whisper. "I know." Not even Time seemed willing to save him now. Not anymore. But knew his death would be worth it, if only Alice could somehow escape...
Alice sat, looking out of the tower window, watching the attendants of courts play hide and seek among the maze which from this height now showed itself to be in the form of the Queen's Big Red Head. It was unusual to see adults playing foolish, unmannerly, childrens' games, as she'd once heard Lady Asboth refer to them when Alice had been playing with one of her younger cousins at court. She'd taken it upon herself to inform Alice's mother of how she'd 'trained' Hamish to be above such frivolous activities and suggester she might do the same for Alice should she so please. Her mother had thankfully declined, though once they'd arrived home had made sure to suggest perhaps being less expressive in front of company. She couldn't imagine marrying into such a bigoted family.
Sighing she turned her sights to the animals that were grazing and marching astutely as throughout the fields as though in a circus, and there encompassing the it all was the beautiful garden, so ripe with red roses and while still as lovely as before she couldn't help but associate the red with blood, mirroring the Queen's own nature. Though sweet and welcoming one moment, she soon revealed her thorns, keeping her prey prisoner as through the vines. She shuddered at the image and turned her observations instead to a part of the kingdom she hadn't noticed before. A field not too far away, where the Red Knights that were training, supervised by Stayne who looked dark and dangerous as ever, his whole body and mind focused solely on the battle formations they were having a hand in. And while the part of her brain that was strategic thought to note the techniques, perhaps send a message to one of their allies to give the Queen, for when Frabjous Day came, another part of her couldn't help but instead be glued to Stayne, couldn't help but notice his shirt and gloves were off, his whole torso glistening with sweat and he practiced, more at ease then she'd ever seen him before with his men. Come to think of it, he'd always seen him at ease with them. The respected him, perhaps part of it was fear, but a larger portion was genuine. The way he addressed him, the way they responded . She thought she'd even seen him laugh, though the thought seemed ridiculous. It was a wonder at how much of his form was hidden behind those robes. His entire appearance was a mask. From the red eye patch he would wear in court, to the heavy robes that hide his more than ample form... Her inner description made her sober, and the blush that lined her cheeks pale as she thought of how she'd mirrored Stayne's own thoughts from his approach in the hallway. Still filling slighted from his approach she finally turned her observations to contemplate what she'd learned from the maidservant who had so kindly come to bring her supper, only to just as suddenly have thrown it onto the bedside table, making half the wine spill and the lamb roast to roll onto the ground. Apparently this was yet another faithful follower of the Queen.
The woman had shouted in an almost jeering voice that she was to be hanged by morning, along with her friends the Hatter and Mallymkun. Then in a less than accommodating voice, she'd added that the Queen had thought she might appreciate a good meal. She then turned and left, slamming the door upon her departure.
Alice chanced a forlorn look at the fallen food. It was only fitting she supposed for the day she'd had, that it would end thus. In a dank and dreary tower cell, where the floor was grey, the stone walls faded, and the simply furniture. She was surprised she wasn't the dungeons, though she supposed the Queen had her reasons. Just then a rat came in of all things, from a hole she might not have noticed otherwise. It made her remember Mallymkun, who despite her disposition, would have been a much more welcome sight. The rodent began to bite into the meat. While the sight repulsed her, and the salad still remained, she couldn't find it in herself to eat despite the reminder of how long it'd been since she herself had eaten: supper the night before
A hiss sounded from behind. She turned, grabbing her dinner knife in defense- not that it would do much good- only to find no one there. Hearing things, wonderful. Shaking her head she started to walk back towards the window, only to slow her pace as something at the bottom of the curtain caught her eye. Curious, she knelt down, lifting the red velvet to find a letter.
She picked up the parchment and checking the room once more, opened it.
Look under the pillow.
Curious, she placed the knife atop the windowsill and turned to the bed, reaching out under the pillow, only to feel something hard and thick like leather. Pulling out her hand, there sat a book. Turning it over, she found neither title or author. Curious... She opened the front in attempts to discover the identity and gasped in surprise. It was the book from Stayne's room that she'd been so stilled by. A book about the Jabberwocky. She glanced upwards and around the room, half-expecting someone to be watching, or at least listening, though she saw no one. Hesitantly she flipped through the first few pages, eyes filled with wonder as she passed through the titles and brief yet informed writings, from the history of Jabberwockys, how the species came to be slaughtered for the destruction and havoc they caused among villages, humans, and creatures alike, how finally they were all thought extinct until... She shut the book, throwing it upon the mattress once more as she stood to pace.
The book had to have been from Stayne. But why? Why would he send her this? A book on the creature she was supposedly destined to destroy. The success of which seemed ever fading with each other that passed, since her sentence. What good could it do now? Give her strategy, knowledge for slaying a creature that she had no desire to slay. Was it meant to help her? Or simply taunt her failure... Because while she didn't want to slay anything- let alone something that from what she'd read was larger then five town houses put together- Frabjous Day would come and with it, the White Queen's champion would need to rise against it, if Underland had any chance. If she and the Hatter failed to return the Vorpal sword... All hope would be lost.
Just then the door opened. Alice quickly shuffled the book and note back under the pillow, and stood. In entered the White Rabbit, with two serving women- the first one being the one who had brought her meal from before, and the second of which was slightly rotund than the first- trailing behind him along with four monkeys who struggled as they carried a bathtub into the middle of the room before just as quickly departing. She noted as the Rabbit shuffled uncomfortably whilst he opened up the scroll in his hand and began to read.
"The Queen has summoned you to court. You are to bath and change into the following gown." One of the serving women threw a gown upon the bed. "And be escorted downstairs in when you're finished." For once he had not stuttered, but Alice saw how his fur shook as he closed the scroll. He was just as frightened as her. Alice smiled and mouthed, 'thank you' to him, watching as he then hopped away, slightly less shaken..
The monkeys returned with buckets of hot water which they consecutively used to fill the small tub, panting slightly as they too left. Alice felt a tinge of guilt for the struggle, now sympathetic to the struggles of doing large tasks in small bodies which were not always by choice.
The first serving woman barked at her to disrobe, the other urging her from behind when she'd been 'too slow', nearly ripping the fabric as she'd forcibly removed it. She was then urged into the tub, nearly but not quite pushed in, at which Alice insisted they give her some privacy to wash herself. They'd relented, but remained in place, staying blankly at the wall as they gossiped and chattered amongst themselves whilst a thoroughly Alice bathed. After which the rotund serving woman returned with a towel, roughly wrapping Alice form as she dried her. Her companion meanwhile grabbed the robe and together they began to dress an overall irritated Alice.
Mother had been very liberal about her and Margaret's morning routine, not that she would ever admit it. Alice hadn't been assisted in bathing and dressing herself in quite some time, hence her mother's occasional fury when Alice chose to be a little less severe in her attire. Nonetheless, the feel as the two serving women pulled and plucked at the strings of the corset, buttoning the buttons of the gown, and straightening out the wrinkles in her gown quite plainly made her feel like a child. She hated it and was quite grateful when they'd pulled away, turning her to be pushed into a waiting chair, facing the mirror to look at herself. One serving woman began to apply blush and lipstick, while the other began to comb through her wild hair.
It was the most extravagant gown she'd ever seen, and also the most elaborate. It was overly so, in a pattern of black, white, and red, befitting an opera or a show, with makeup and hair to match. Complimentary to her other outfits, it still revealed her shoulders, though whole of the bodice was pressingly tight. She imagined it was as uncomfortable to walk in as it was it to wear. Like a doll, she meant to look pretty though she had no choice in the matter. That was the Queen's pleasure and within her power to decide. She supposed that was the point.
Red and black studded heels that made her taller than she already was were placed next and she was pulled up, the chair removed as she gazed at her reflection blankly. She didn't feel at all like herself. "Come." Snapped the first serving woman once more, as she led her out of the room, while the other moved to clean up after her untouched meal, including the knife she'd left at the windowsill. Rats...
Alice was lead along unfamiliar and familiar corridors, proceeded by the serving woman and the Red Guards who flanked her sides. She held onto the railings and walls for support until the familiar doors of the courtroom appeared. The awaiting Red Guard's opened the doors, and she couldn't help but think back to her dream as the hall revealed the Queen, sitting upon her throne, a knowing smirk on her face at the sight of Alice. She was being fed to the wolves, and Stayne was part of the pack, standing at the Red Queen's side, barely giving Alice a glance.
Alice slowly began to walk towards the throne. Supper had ended and all the courtier's were lined along the path. She succeeded in ignoring their attentive stares, instead gazing at the transformed throne room with newly polished floors and extra drapery that gave it the air of a grand hall with mirrors to boot. She managed to walk straight for the most part, only to be pushed forward when the serving girl found her too slow once more- or simply out of spite- making her fall off step. She expected to fall, as was most likely the faithful servant's intention, when strong arms caught her mere inches from the floor. She looked up to her savior to find Stayne's cool eye looking deeply at her own, not having noticed him jump from the Queen's side to catch her. Pulling her up to a stance, he left her at the bottom of the steps to the throne, turning back from her it appeared completely, though Alice couldn't help but notice now the awkward walk in his step as he returned to the Queen's side. As she turned to face the Queen, she also noted from the corner of her eyes that his eye never left her face. It made her blush.
Iracbeth watched the interaction through narrowed eyes, suspicion and question shining in them. Stayne quickly muttered something in her ear, something that caused her to smile weakly. She trusted Stayne now. Noting how the rest of court was equally attentive to her reaction- or rather lack of reaction thus far, the Iracbeth straightened and barked. "Hilga! You should know better then to throw my playthings around. Go and make yourself useful in the kitchens." The maidservant's eyes widened as she nodded and gave a quick curtsy before rushing from the scene.
Once she had left, the Queen turned to finally address Alice. "Alice. How lovely of you to join us." She said through tight lips. "Have a drink." She snapped her fingers and a glass of wine was thrust into the blond's hand. "Drink!" She snapped and Alice did so, wincing slightly at the bitter taste. The Queen continued. "And how lovely you look... Does she not look lovely?" She addressed her yes-men, who all quickly murmured words of praise and agreement. "So lovely a gown should not go to waste... I have called you here to join us in a dance."
Alice's eyes widened. "Dance?"
Iracbeth smiled cruelly. "It would please me greatly." She said as more of a threat than anything else. "This is a kindness, and you did promise to repay my services to you in kind." Not giving her a chance to respond, the Queen clapped and cried. "Music!"
Blaring dance music resonated throughout the room. Before Alice could pinpoint its origin, the glass of wine was taken away, and she was pulled into a dance by one of the Lords. Some couples joined along beside her though the majority of attendants remained spectators as tempos changed and Alice was twirled and spun about by her partners which changed as the music played on. The tempo and passion of the movements was something she was unaccustomed to when compared to the dances of court. It felt more like the dances murmured home, country fairs and folk dances, which although fun, in here made her feel dizzy and distressed. The tight clothing had become suffocating, and the corset and stockings made it hard for her to breath. The changes in partners and tempos made her feel ill, the wine clouding her balance along with her varying partners changes in height which made her all the more unsteady. All the while the courts laughter and the Queen's claps accompanying the music made her feel simply humiliated.
Just as she was turned into another partner, she found herself pulled instead into familiar arms, as Stayne caught her, his black robes seeming to encase her body as she lay panting heavily against him. "The Queen." She murmured in warning.
"Quiet." Stayne hissed, his grip tightening on her arms, the leather digging into her skin. Another wine glass was brought forward for her to drink. Stayne tilted her face enough to put the cup to her lips, which she downed eagerly from thirst. Pulling back she closed her eyes and let her forehead rest against his shoulder, simply waiting for the wold to stop spinning. The music had thankfully stopped for the moment.
"One more dance." Murmured Iracbeth irritably. "It wouldn't do to waste our toy too quickly now would it?" She said speculatively to the court, which broke out into a murmur of no's and agreements. "Music!"
A steady, resounding tempo filled the courtroom, one Alice was much more familiar with. Alice blinked. "The Queen..."
"Humor her. Stayne hissed viciously into her ear, grabbing her by her skirts as he lifted her into the air, spinning her about before pulling her back onto the ground, changing positions as he pulled her too and away from him, releasing her as they circled one another. By now Alice had recovered her wits and was thankful for the familiar tune. After moments, some of the spectator began to join in, making Alice feel more comfortable to speak. She remained wary of the Red Queen who remained on her throne, watching ever so closely.
"Why is she doing this?" Alice whispered lowly so that only Stayne could hear.
"This is a celebration." He said evenly, placing a hand on her back and taking her hand in another as he trotted them about the room. "You're tonight's entertainment."
"Celebrating what?" Alice hissed.
"You're capture of course." They changed direction.
"I suppose it was only a matter of time... My fault for trusting snakes." She winced when his fingers grasped at her waist, pulling her up into the air once more before roughly jolting her to his side on the ground, ignoring her gasp of pain at the impact. He spun her so that his own angry eye was staring deep into her blue ones.
"Snakes know how to hold their tongue, unlike dogs." He whispered viciously.
"I don't blame Bayard for what he did. He did it for his family. He wouldn't have had to go to such lengths if you'd simply given them up in the first place like you'd promised." Alice accused.
"Yes well I hadn't realized when he'd been so successful in finding a human girl, that it would be just the girl we were looking for." He said the words without remorse.
Alice scoffed. "You must be so proud. Taking advantage of a poor dog by keeping his family prisoner. The White Queen would never have done that to-"
The sudden burst of dark laughter erupted from Stayne, startling Alice even more so as he sudden pulled her even more painfully close to himself, his fingers digging into her waist, her own hands positioned upon her shoulders, her eyes glued to his face as she forgot about the rest of the court and wished desperately to escape.
Stayne halted a moment, his expression dark. "The White Queen." He bit out. "Depended on our keeping his family just as much as we did." He chuckled, its sound chilling. "Perhaps even more so. That filthy mongrel would have served either party willingly, so long as one of them returned his precious litter. Since Bayard's dismissal from our service, Queen Mariana, under Underland law could have very easily exchanged the pups as prisoners of war for one of the many equally worthless subjects her own kingdom have captured and kept from ours. But no, she chose not to. You know why?" He leaned in closer to whisper into her ear. "Because it didn't suit her needs. It would have lost her a slave who might otherwise be used to manipulated for her own selfish means... To find you." He paused for effect. "I'm sure your precious Hatter never told you that, did he? Though I suppose it's not very well discussed to begin with. Tell me, what do you think of your precious White Queen now?"
Alice startled at the news. The White Queen could have freed Bayard's family from the Red Queen's dungeons, where they were met with constant threats to their lives, possible torture, and who knew what else, but she chosen not to... And meanwhile Bayard suffered heavily simply in trying to find someone who was willing to help him. Everyone had ignored his pleas. Stayne- obviously, though that came as no surprise. The White Queen as she now come to understand. Even Mallymkun, McTwisp, and most importantly herself. All this time she and everyone else who was an ally had discussed her own escape, along with the Hatter's which seemed ever futile, but never once had she given thought to Bayard, who's desperation she'd known since the beginning of this adventure. And while she understood why the Red Queen would not care to trade lives when her own current company of subjects was expendable, she couldn't imagine the kind ruler, the one working for the light, the White Queen, willing to sacrifice and put at risk those especially innocent and devote to her. The Red Queen would have had no quarrel releasing a family of mongrels, as Stayne had so delicately put it. Then again, there was never a certainty with the Queen. Stayne could be lying after all, but it was true... It could have prevented so much pain and devastation, including hers.
The revelation made her confused and sick in the struggle to not think badly of the Monarch she was to help succeed, should she escape.
"You're cruel," Alice snapped.
"I'm honest," drawled the Knave. "I don't pretend to have virtue where I have none."
"Won't the Queen get angry that you're dancing with me?" Alice bit out, not caring for the triumph in his expression at the doubt he'd successfully placed in her own. A hint of remorse also shined, though it was very faint.
"She granted all the courtier's a chance with you. I thought I'd be kind save the best for last." He purred, the implication making her wince with disgust.
"I'm honored," she said with unhidden sarcasm.
Stayne glared. "There were other alternatives suggested, but I think she wished for you to remain untouched, if you gather my meaning."
Alice did, and it made her stomach churn at the thought."What does she want from me?" She bit, this time without heat.
Stayne shrugged as he pulled into the dance once more, placing a hand on her back and taking her other hand in his. "What does the Queen ever want?"
Money. Power. Possessions. Devotion. No, she had enough of that already. What she'd learned since in the Red Queen's Kingdom, was that everything was a deception. Alice had deceive Stayne. Stayne had deceived Alice. Both Alice and Stayne had deceived the Queen. There was nothing without cause, no cause without action, and no action without consequence. Whether the cause be pride, anger, hate, or prejudice, the action be love, romance, betrayal or lust, the consequence would always be the same, death. But for what reason did the Queen kill for? The same reason she had killed her husband, then her friend. Each time someone had deceived her, humiliated her one way or another. This time it had been Alice, who'd she'd let into her home as a friend, her newest favorite, and she'd ended up being a lamb among wolves, an impostor who was trying to unravel all her traps. A sacrifice had to be made. And the Queen's only response was:
"Revenge." Alice whispered.
Stayne said nothing, though the fingers at her back clenched tellingly, and Alice wondered when he had removed his gloves, which now hung at his belt.
"You're arm is healed." He noted, releasing her hand to run his fingers down the smooth flesh, noting the way she shuddered at his touch. Alice blushed despite herself, causing him to smirk.
"Yes well, the Bandersnatch was rather helpful."
Stayne's eyebrow furrowed. "The Bandersnatch?"
"I had to get the sword somehow," explained Alice.
He pushed his hand down her back and used his other hand to turn her face to his whilst the Queen was distracted with the White Rabbit. "How?"
Alice startled at the intensity in his gaze. "I... I gave him his eye back." Just then one of the couples spun into her and she was pushed onto the ground, falling atop Stayne who was dragged down with her. The music stopped as Iracbeth stood from the throne, clapping thrice before crying out. "That's enough dancing for tonight. We have an early morning after all..." Stayne had by now straightened himself and was helping Alice from the floor. "Hilga." She snapped her fingers and the maidservant appeared. "Take the prisoner back to her cell. You will be relieved afterwords. Everyone else is dismissed!" She cried, her voice becoming irritating once more.
Stayne bowed quite suddenly, as was etiquette and Alice curtsied hesitantly, giving him her hand which he took in his and feigned kissing. As their fingers brushed, he slipped something into her palms, which she clutched tightly as Hilga waltzed her out of the room, and Stayne returned to Iracbeth's side. Once she was back in her cell, changed back into her regular clothes, and maidservant's and bathtub gone, she'd held herself to the door, listening until there was absolute silence before opening her hand. Inside was a note. The message caused her heart to race and her breath to hitch.
Wait for me tonight.
-I
S~s~S~s~S
Stayne awaited until well into nightfall to go to Alice's rooms. The castle had long since retired, but the Queen had insisted upon his presence until she fell asleep. The Queen had been suffering from insomnia as of late and thus required additional comforts before she would sleep passably easy. He'd left her clutching at her crown like a teddy bear. She would not rest east until Alice was dead and Stayne wouldn't rest until he knew she wasn't.
S~s~S~s~S
Alice was startled awake from the sound of a hiss. She stood up quickly, wincing as her head hit against the top of the windowsill. Tall definitely had its disadvantages, as did falling asleep so close to the window. She groaned and reached back to rub the crick in her neck, only to tense at the feel of a hand on her shoulder. She kicked back with all her strength, ready to defend herself when she heard a thump. She turned to find a wincing Stayne. Oh...
"Sorry." She muttered pathetically. "Are you alright?" She reached down to check his knee.
Stayne held her back with his hands no her shoulders, not pushing her away, but not letting her get any closer. He took a steadying breath before speaking. "You're not so little anymore are you." He said the question accusingly.
She looked at him strangely a moment before answering. "No, I suppose not..."
He let her go. "Do you remember when we first met?"
Alice frowned. "In the teapot." She didn't she would ever forget that day.
"No. The courtroom." He said plainly.
Alice sighed in exasperation. "If that is another one of those 'memories' I have from when I was supposedly here before, then no, I don't recall it. It never happened. I've never been here before. None of this is real. I know that. I'll probably wake up just as the axe is coming down on my-" She was silenced by his hand covering her mouth.
"Don't." He hissed, removing his hand. "Say it."
"What supposedly happened in this courtroom?" Alice leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms as she watched Ilosovic begin to pace.
He paused in his step. "You saved my life."
Alice's head snapped to him. "What?"
"Not in the literal sense of the word. I was on trial, for a frivolous matter... Stealing tarts."
Alice laughed and began to sing. "As in 'the Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts, all on a summer day. The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts, And took them quite a...way...'" She quieted the song at the look he gave her. Apparently it hadn't been the first time he'd heard it.
"Such a tiny little thing... You acted as a voice of reason among the insanity." He shook his head. "It was a setup you see. There was no true crime. You pointed it out actually. I hadn't stolen any tarts." He hated tarts. "But there was a letter..."
"A letter?" Alice asked.
"From me, to Iracbeth. It was innocuous in nature, and I never did sign my name but nonetheless the White Rabbit found it and showed it to the King."
Alice's wheels turned. "He knew about the affair."
Stayne nodded. "Or at least suspected one. Though it didn't truly begin until shortly after. He never said anything eitherway. Being a gentle man, I think he wanted to give her a chance to prove him otherwise. He set me up, had one of his poets write a much more revealing letter, accused me, and then forced her to put me on trial." He smiled bitterly at the memory. "I think he really wanted me dead. And she would have let him kill me too."
Alice frowned. "She would have let you die?"
Stayned shrugged, unfazed. "I would have in her position. But right after that you left, and the courtroom was simply in shambles, and I quite think they all forgot about by the end. That or he simply wanted to please her. The fool... He loved her to death, literally. And yet he somehow managed to let her believe the opposite. Not that my interference didn't help, but she simply made it too easy with her jealousy. That or she was simply too blind to see the truth."
Alice frowned and reached out to touch his right cheek, where three new scars appeared, looking suspiciously like nail marks. "Did she give you these?" At his nod, she added. "Why?"
"Drusilla told her about the hallway incident."
"And this." Alice asked, taking one of his right hand in hers and slowly removing the glove to reveal the bruise beneath. She remembered something unusual about his hands on the dance floor, though she hadn't thought to check until now.
"I got angry," Stayne said plainly. When he didn't elaborate, she released his hand.
Alice shook her head. "Why are you telling me all this?" She watched as he replaced the glove.
He stared at her blankly. "So that you'll know I'm not a good man. I've killed, tortured, lied, blackmailed and cheated to get where I am, where I want to me. I have no quarrel about using others to attain these means. I don't care for their feelings or well being. I don't feel remorse for any of it." He began his approach. "I am what I am, and that's not going to change anytime soon."
"I already know your dangerous." Alice reminded him, stumbling back as he got closer.
"I don't think you do." He said regretfully, running his fingers roughly through her hair as he reached her, effectively trapping her against the wall with his form. The contact made her pulse race. "I've kidnapped you, kept you prisoner, hurt your little friends, threatened you constantly, lied to you, betrayed you to the Queen. And even now in this room you're at my mercy..." He breathed upon her face, the words sending shivers down her spine "And now... I'm going to set you free." He released her hair, reaching down to clutch her hand between his two, passing something into her hand. Something big. Something heavy. Something hard. The Vorpal sword. "There's a rope attached to the windowsill. You can climb down it."
"Why?" Alice asked breathlessly, gripping the metal beneath her palms.
"The Hatter." He said plainly. "He and I finally agreed upon something."
"Oh? And what would that be?"
"That the Red Queen cannot be allowed to win."
Alice frowned. "Don't you love her?"
"I don't love." Stayne dead panned, watching her reaction. She seemed unsurprised by the news, though disappointment was evident from her expression. Good.
Alice looked away to the window, glancing downwards at the rope that reached the ground below.
"Go." Stayne urged. "You'll need to hurry before they come to check on you."
Alice looked up at him, swallowing slightly at the thought of what she was about to do. "Ilosovic, I just... Thank you." And reached out with her free hand to press to his scarred cheek, leaning up to place a sweet, chaste kiss on his lips. She began to pull away when he responded. His eye softened and he returned the kiss just as gently, as though testing the waters. It was really quite innocent in nature, just an exploration into uncharted waters. Alice felt him trembling as she placed her hands upon his shoulders, letting the sword fall onto the ground, as though scared. It was rather silly really. The kiss had only begun to build when she stopped, pushing him away with her hand."Wait." She gasped, panting as she tried to catch her breath. This was not the place, nor the time for this. She had to go to Mamoreal. And most importantly, how could she have forgotten about her friends? Her still captive friends. "What about the Hatter?"
At these words Stayne's eye, which had softened turned undeniably cold as he threw her off him, his jaw jutting out, and she could have sworn she saw him begin to shake. His voice turned equally cold as he addressed her. "I can't save the both of you, Alice. In every war there is sacrifice, and his will be tomorrow. Even you with all your naive denial will have to make choices." He snapped, turning his back to her. "Go, before I sound the alarm." He threatened.
Alice frowned. "Stayne, I'm sorry..."
"Just go!" He barked seethingly. "Go!"
Alice shakily grabbed the sword, mounting atop the windowsill as held the sword in one hand and used the other to grab the end of the rope. She took one step down, looking back up to Stayne. "I'll tell the White Queen what you've done. I'm sure she'll forgive you of your crimes, should the Red Queen Fall..."
"You should not interfere in matters that do not concern you, Alice." He said name the same so icily, that it felt more like an insult than anything. "My soul is already lost. If I am to gain salvation, it will be at my hand alone. Is that understood?" At her reluctant nod he said, "Good," before bringing down his sword upon the rope, cutting it and letting her fall freely to the ground.
Alice screamed, holding on tightly to the now useless rope as she fell dangerously fast. She closed her eyes, sure she was going to die when she fell atop something large and soft and... Moving. Opening her eyes, she saw it was the Bandersnatch and thanked heavens above as she rested her head atop the creature's fur, sword safely in hand. As they were passing the gate, Bayard appeared, head hung as he looked at her tentatively. "Bayard." Alice greeted gratefully to the loyal hound. "To Marmoreal!"
Throughout the castle cries of, "The prisoner is escaping!", "Sound the alarm!", and "Seize her!" were being shouted. Dozens of Red Knight's began to clatter out of the castle, but they were too late. Among them was Stayne who at the gate simply watched as Alice and the Bandersnatch gained momentum and distance towards the White Queen's kingdom.
Stayne turned back to the entrance of the kingdom, ready to accept whatever punishment Iracbeth chose to inflict.
"Your Majesty," he announced as he reached the throne. "Alice has escaped."
Okay, phew. Another long, exhausting chapter. Feedback is loved, so please comment and review. ^^