Luna in Wonderland

LittleScottieGal

Chapter Four: Escape the Castle

Luna tumbled into the large red doors, flipping herself into the Throne Room. She landed roughly on her bottom, and was just a bit dazed by all the sudden movements.

"My Queen," Harold entered smoothly, a graceful mein about him as he aproched the queen. Luna hmpfed and stood, dusting off her apron and dress. "I have come upon this lady, you highness. She speaks in a wayward manner, and she has not yet disclosed her name."

"I would, but you see you haven't asked-"

"SILENCE!" the queen bellowed, and Luna shrank back abit, as did all the frogs standing wait around the room. "You will speak when spoken to young lady," Luna gave a curt nod, not that the queen picked up on her displeasure. "But I don't see why, Sir Harold, you have brought this disgrace of a girl to my castle."

"I am not a dis-"

"SILENCE!" Again the queens harsh voice echoed through the room. Luna clenched her fists. This woman made Luna want to vomit. She was beautiful, pale skin, long wavy auburn hair, very thin, but she was obnoxious in the worst ways. Her golden crown was focused around a ruby. A man with brownish hair and bunny ears stood at her side.

"You see, your majesty, she carries a small vile." At the mention of this, Harold held his hand out in front of Luna. Reluctantly, she handed him the pink glass, and in turn Harold gave it to the queen.

"Peculiar... " she mumbled. "She may not leave this realm until she has refilled the bottle." Luna remained quite, even though many questions darted through her mind. "She most likely drank it, and now she may not leave before it's filled. The more persons she interacts with, the more the bottle will fill."

"But your highness, I think she may be a second Alice."

"What?" The red queen wearing a face of surprise and shock. "This can't be!"

Harold bowed his head. "But look at the Grand Tapestry, your majesty," the queen stood from her thrown, her dress of pleated hearts falling around her in a carefully crafted train. She squinted off in the distance, at a rug that hung high above the door to the room.

On it, was the picture of a girl with silver-blonde hair. She was adorned in prisint white armor snd their was a burning fire in her wide blue eyes. She carried a scepter of gold tipped with three different stones.

The queen darted her eyes back and forth between the illustration and the girl. "It cannot be her!"

Harold firmly disagreed. They bantered between each other, Luna growing restless which each disagreeing remark.

"You know, I don't know who that girl is in the picture, but it's not me. She appears to be brave and strong, as such a trait of a Gryffindor. I like to stay behind the lines. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my father."

"Where is your father?" Harold asked.

"I-I'm not sure. I-I've come to find him." Luna blushed and intently watched the brown and tan tile checkered floor. The queen scoffed and Luna's cheeks burned more.

"Doesn't even know where to start. Such a shame. You see, she isn't the girl portrayed. This girl is weak. She could never be an Alice." She actually did no where to start, but she was certain the Queen wouldn't let her freely roam the castle.

"You're right," Luna snapped, never once lifting her head." I couldn't be an Alice because I'm not an Alice!"

"You dare to speak to me that way! And out of turn, at that!"

This tipped Luna over th edge. Her newfound bravey gave her strength. "You didn't seem to mind it earlier when I was making fun of myself!"

Her highness tucked her arms by her sides and clenched her fists, face growing red rapidly. The man with the rabbit ears, tan pants, and red over coat stepped forward. "Andromeda, Just calm down... " he soothed.

"Ted White don't you dare to to console me!" she schreeched, and the rabbit simply bowed his head and backed off. "And you," she pointed an accusing finger at Luna. "You had better stop if you know what's best for you."

Luna shrugged, adrenaline pulshing through her veins. "I'm sorry. I'll just be leaving then." She turned, skirt swishing out behind her.

"You stop, now!" Andromeda yelled. Luna continued forward, and she could hear Harold's metal shoes clanking against the floor.

"Please, miss, you must stop... "

"I won't." Luna said defiantly. And then, loud enough for the queen to hear, she spoke, "And that Queen had better learn herself some manners. The way she treats people is just downright awful."

At the mention of this, Andromeda let out a high-pitched squeaking sound, all the while shouting, "That is it! I've had enough! Off with her head!" At this, all the frogs sprang forward.

Luna spun on her heel and sprinted towards the door, but the room seemed to stretch like taffy and the frogs were too fast. They all glomped Luna, burrying her in a mess of slippery, slimy green skin and red overcoats.

"You majesty, I-"

"Silence Harold. Ted, take her to the holding cells. Now." Ted the Rabbit sprang forward, grabbing Luna by her underarms and dragging her out of the Throne Room.

"I could walk, you know." Luna pointed out after having hit so many stairs with her legs. Her legs were bruised badly. She coud feel it. "It'd be easier on you and me."

"Fair enough, but I must have hold of your arm," the out-of-breath bunny-man wheezed. Luna obliged, anything besides the stairs.

"In here," the rabbit-man shooed, waving his hand into a cell. Luna gave a little curtsey and ducked uner the small door frame. Ted shut the iron door behind her.

"A Heart officer will be here promptly at three to escort you to your beheading." Luna nodded, and rested her head in her laugh. As soon as his heavy footfaults could no longer be heard, Luna whipped out her wand and began to work on the lock.

She cast spell after spell, and nothing seemed to want to break the lock. "I'll just have to wait for a Heart Officer to come and escort me, I guess."

Henceforth, Luna sat in silence, in the dark room, waiting. The checkered hallways perpetually staying empty. It seemed no one was going to come and let her out. Boredom set in easily, and she began to get restless.

"Hello!" She'd shout, her cries echoing long into the corridor. "Is anybody there!" No one answered her calls, and frustrated she slouched against the corner.

It was darkening in the hallways by the time her escort came to relieve her. "Fancy meeting you here," came the unmistakable voice of Tweedle Dum.

"Yah, we're here to bust you out!" Tweedle Dee nearly sang.

"Bust me out? I thought you were to take me to my beheading."

"Naw, we couldn't let such a fair maiden die like that. We're takin' you to our boss." Dee talked while Dum worked the lock.

"But she wants to behead me. I'll be doomed anyways." Luna sighed. There was no escaoing it.

"Haha, the Queen, our real boss?"

"You've got another thing coming lass if you think the Queen's out leader."

"Yah, Didn't we tell you that the 'Atter 'as loads of spies?" Dee and Dum were switching lines, baffling Luna ever so.

"Well, we be sayin' in high hopes that you figured out that we were his spies in this quadrant."

"You're spies? Of the Hatter? And what's this about Quadrants?"

"Never you mind," Dee replied, opening the door.

Dum stretched out his arm. "We'll explain it all later, miss."

"Uhm... Okay," Luna gingerly took his arm, as he helped her out of the cell.

Dee began speaking as the moved in unison. "Now, the tricky part is getting out."

"But I can't leave."

"What?"

Luna sighed. "My father's being held here. Please, we've got to look for him."

"Miss, I'm afraid we have no time. We must go."

"We can't," Luna said, turning around and going the opposite direction.

"It's too risky!"

"I don't care. I came to get him and I will!"

"Look, miss, if we promise to come back, will you leave with us?

"Yes, leave with us," Dum echoed.

"Well I-"

Riiiiiiiiiibit!

Silence followed. All of them atuned their attention to the end of the hall. Their stood one measely frog, who had just let out a croak.

"Run, he's signaled the alarm!"

"C'mon, miss!" Dee latched onto Luna's hand and soon they were flying down the corridors. It seemed that frogs were just leaking out of the walls. They swarmed the trio, but Dum and Dee were prepared. They swung their silver axes, falling frogs left and right.

But more came. A mariad of green toads, bunching up and sealing the exits.

"Dum, I don't think we'll be spies 'ere, anymore."

"I get that, Dee," said the other, and the ran.

One frog manage to escape their weak barricade and latch onto Luna's arm.

"EEEEH!" She squealed, whipping her wand out and blasting it away in a flurry. Dum and Dee gave her approving nods. So Luna kept at it, firing spell after charm after jinx at the frogs, rendering them useless.

There were guards hoevering by the large palace doors. They charged, determined to stop the three from escape. Luna cringed, eyes shut tight, not wanting to watch as they were overrun by guards. She felt a sharp tug downward, and all of a sudden they were outside, surrounded by rose hedges.

"How-"

"We ducked underneath them." Dum smiled happily, firey red hair flopping around. Dee girnned too, but not as cheesy a grin.

"So now what do we do?" Luna queried. She was devasted. They hadn't got to search the castle for her father. What were they supposed to do?

"We go to see the Mad Hatter, that's what."