A/N: Took a while longer then I'd hoped, anyway... my more complete copy (of this story) has reached over 50,000 words and still isn't finished. Unfortunately, I still have to write in the next chapter and some other chapters. Until then, enjoy this wonderful little chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Alice in Wonderland okay!

Warning: bitch warning: warnings will no longer be included from here on out, if you haven't read up to this point or bothered to look at the title and summery and read... well... I'm afraid you might suffer from illiteracy and an acute case of stupidity.

Chapter VIII

~o~ Alice/Celia ~o~

She remembered almost all. The scattered and shattered pieces of the mirror which was her past had been picked up and replaced. Still missing was the back of the mirror, the part of her which was her childhood. The years which had grown her into her own skin, and her name. When she was around Mirana, it didn't seem to matter, the woman's presence completed her. Though it seemed unlikely Mirana held all of Celia's past, it was likely she did know the girl's true name, and through it, Celia.
In a way the girl felt like a dog, a playful puppy circling around Mirana's legs and getting in the kind woman's way. A wild dog whom worked for none but those she so deemed worthy. A wild dog tamed by Mirana's gentle and willing spirit. But with the curse still partially intact, as even she knew, she would not recover certain things. Yes, Raven had explained it to her-Honestly and clearly-The day before. The first day after Mirana collapsed in the hall from exhaustion.
"There are, in reality, two glyphs acting as three, on your chest," Raven had said, pointing to Celia's chest with one boney digit, "There's the top layer, middle, and bottom. The middle is easiest to point out and explain, so I shall start with it. The middle is the transforming glyph it's the one trapping you in the body your currently in, keeping you from looking like yourself on the physical plane. Both above, and below it is the binding glyph. It's more difficult to explain. First off, it was written in parts. Half before the transformation seal, half after. From the way it's written, I believe that breaking the transformation seal will also break the second half of the binding... Do you understand?"
"Yes," Celia had replied, catching some of what the witch had said but not all.
"No doubt, the event breaking this next glyph is going to have to be even more powerful then the last," Raven continued, eying Celia, "I'd think about what I want most in life if I were you... the 'It' is a powerful thing, satisfying it may be your best course of action for now... feel grand..."
Most of what Raven had said, Celia hadn't understood. Some she had though, she understood that she should think about her life and what she wanted. An easy task considering the one thing she wanted was Mirana's happiness. Unfortunately, she had no knowing of how to bring the light of happiness to Mirana given that Underland was waking to the dawn of war. Such dark light was sure to follow. The thought occurred, as Celia was standing by the large window in Mirana's chambers. Watching the fingers of dawn peeking over the horizon to touch the ground and the sky and grasp the dark webs of the storm clouds above. As Celia watched, Mirana came to stand beside her, the queen was still very tired and was possibly even worse then days before.
Her eyes were ringed with black and gray, though she tried to hide it beneath the face powders many of her court used. A frown tugged at the queen's sweet, dark lips. She shuddered as light fell over one side of her and dark over the other. Conflicting with one another. Mirana continued to shudder, as if cold, her eyes haunted by the images of the Oraculum. Celia wished to embrace the woman, but knew even then that it was best she not. She settled for wrapping her wrist around Mirana's, never once letting their skin touch for fear of upsetting Mirana. Celia still hadn't told her queen of the recent happenings involving her state. She couldn't bring herself to for some reason, found in her heart that it wasn't yet the right time. The girl loathed herself and her incompetence and procrastination and how it so hurt her and those around her. Her eyes locked with Mirana's, clear blue meeting deep brown. The pale queen looked away, from fear that Celia would see her supposed fate. After many minutes of watching the sun rise, Mirana left Celia's side with after coughing lightly. The queen was running herself ragged, and would not rest despite her many friends' concern over her deteriorating health. So dedicated to her country and it's protection was she. Mirana had been ill in war before, but then her concern had been only enough to warrant her hiding her sickness and healing herself. This time was different, she could not-would not-waste her energy hiding her cold, nor would she waste it healing herself when she knew the battles would soon begin. Sleeping was also out for her, she would not waste her time sleeping when she could be making potions for future use on the front lines. When Mirana left her side, Celia first looked to the sunrise then to her queen. A frown light upon her face, and yet heavy, reaching her eyes which filled with concern. It was just then that Celia realized just how heavily the war would wage upon her queen, and how much the ordeal would tax the woman. More than ever did she wish nothing more then to stand beside Mirana and console the woman as a lover would. But she knew, she knew so well, that Mirana was reluctant to love any for fear of hurting another. That being, Celia stayed where she was and simply stared after her queen with care blossoming in her heart. She would fight for her queen regardless, be her love requited or not.
"I will fight," Celia said surely, breaking the silence between her and Mirana and causing the other woman to straighten herself with surprise, Celia stared at the unanswering queen with cool eyes, "I ask you please, for your blessing... though... though I will fight regardless."
Mirana turned to Celia, her eyes hard and flashing, a hand poised at her dark lips. For a moment she did not answer. For a moment she tried to intimidate Celia with the fires burning within her dark orbs, the girl's ice laid waste to her plans.
"You have my blessing," Mirana finally said, her voice devoid of any emotion, her eyes harder then before: but there was pain within them, so much pain and loss, "Go."
"Thank you my queen," Celia replied, with her head slightly bowed, before she left the room-Biting her lip with glad all the while.
As soon as she'd left the room, Mirana grabbed the back of a nearby chair. Her knuckles turned an almost translucent white as she grasped it and cried. Sobs racked her and soon she fell to her knees begging answers. Why did her loves' always go to war when she so wished them not to?
Alice, her champion, had chosen for herself. Mirana had never truly wanted her to go, quite the opposite, but she was expected to persuade the girl. Now, having met a new love, Mirana found herself losing. Celia was leaving to go to war for her and Underland, just as Alice had. Alice had returned, yes, but only to grab the Jabberwocky blood and return to her world. Mirana feared that Celia would never return, and that should she, the prophesies of the Oraculum would complete themselves and Mirana would lose her new love to her old. She would lose them both to battle, just as she'd lost her family to the carnage of war. And so she questioned fate, she questioned why her loves' left. And while she questioned and sobbed, Celia geared for war to leave with the next group of troops for the northern front. She would miss her queen, and friends, terribly but knew she'd be back soon. Relaying messages and traveling with the wounded, she was but the stand in for Mirana's champion. Or so people thought and assumed.
While it had been Celia's hope for herself to fight as an average soldier, that was not what the generals and commanders had decided. She had no training and was stubborn and unbroken. With Mirana's blessing with her, they gave her the tools, and hoped she'd live long enough to employ them. They gave her the title of the champion, though even they knew she was not, it was simply their way of ensuring they wouldn't be responsible for her. After all, the champion was just that. A lone figure of power above the army and above politics, they were the queen's companion in every sense of the word and treating Celia as such seemed only fitting. While she didn't wear the champion's armor, knowing it wasn't her place, Celia did still wear armor. Long and heavy chain-mail which reeked of oil, and a shoulder guard over it along with a set of gauntlets. Strapped to her hip was a short sword, and just below it was a long sword. Before leaving, Celia returned to Mirana's chambers to say her goodbyes and found her queen curled up on the floor. Having cried herself to sleep. Carefully, oh so painstakingly carefully, moved her queen to the bed and kissed her forehead.
"Until later my queen," Celia whispered softly, her dark hair falling over Mirana and making the woman look even paler then she was.
With her goodbye said, and Mirana asleep, Celia left. Beginning the march to the northlands on foot, a horse by her side whispering of the last war-of which she remember comparatively little.

~•~ Mirana ~•~

Mirana awoke alone, her room seemed empty and there was an air of sadness hanging in the still air. Outside dry lightning flashed, heralding the storm which was soon to come. She coughed lightly. Though she was alone, and though she'd only spent an hour sleeping, she felt strong. As if that hour of sleep had been the best ever, an unintended consequence of the kiss Celia had placed on the queen's worried brow in parting. Parting was still such sorrow, and for much great time it was all Mirana could do to watch the storm clouds roll in and feel empty. As she had since Alice had left.
A void which could only be filled by emotion, the emotions of one in love. Attraction of a certain kind which seemed to be the core of the core of Mirana's soul. The love she received from her family and her friends filled the outer shell, but the very center! It was so barren, so devoid of love! Alice had shown her that, Mirana hadn't even known she was empty until the other woman made her hasty exit. Celia, another of Alice's nature, had filled the hole so briefly. Now that the girl had gone to her death of her own free will, Mirana's heart ached more than ever before.
With her heart heavy in feeling, and lightened from the taking of something which seemed so needed, Mirana left her room. Deciding it was best she return to making her potions and aiding her men in any way possible. Perhaps her skill would be enough to save Celia, perhaps they could win yet. Perhaps she was mistaken on the many grounds of which she tread upon.

~0~ Empth ~0~

Empth watched as the storm-clouds broke, a smile wide upon her mad mad face. She sipped tea and watched the rain as it began to pour down. It would be a miserable day for the soldiers of the White Queen, as they had to traverse the mud and muck. Walk through miles of mire, and be soaked through and through just to reach their destinations only to have to set up camp. Mad eyes sparkled ever so softly, glowing just as her grin did. Luck, for all of Underland, was a fickle mistress indeed. One so tender and soft spoken, but whom changed as quickly as the winds on an open lake.
There were many things going through Empth's mind, many legends came to her. Legends, which if true, meant Mirana was suffering doubt and inner turmoil. Great sadness, and sleep deprivation. Yes. A little more and Mirana would snap and break to rain down a rage upon the opposition and all those whom stood in her way. A little more. Empth would not allow it to happen though, she would not allow her friend to break when luck and fate had in store for her such wonderful surprises. Horrible ones as well. But that was the way things worked. That was nature, and through her madness, Empth had come to understand nature and become one with it. She understood that everything would play out well for her friend, so long as the woman was kept well enough. A hard deal, given that the string was already so taunt and frail. A little slip. Just a little slip and it would all be over for Mirana. Just a little accident, and the woman would break. Unleash her rage, as the storms above so did, then pass into nothingness as so much in the Abovelands did. A queer end for a queer queen.
So Empth sipped her drink, watched the storm clouds beat rain upon the land and listened to the whispers of that which is beyond. She would not allow her friend to fall, but she could not stop the arrow as it flew from the hand of the archer. And for that she frowned, and drowned her displeasure with her tea.

~0~ Raven ~0~

Always something to do, potions to be made. Breads to be baked. They could not lose the war, for if they did then all would be lost to dark. It was the epic war, one which would separate the world. Rip it into two parts; one dark, one light. Combat had not yet begun and there was much to be done before hand. Emergency potions to be prepared, supplies to be gathered, people to be moved like cattle. Raven knew where she stood, and she knew where her unson stood too. For her, it was the light to which she held her allegiance. Alhowl, however, stood beside his once lover. He was a servant to the dark and Raven knew he enjoyed every moment of it. How could he not, when he himself had been born of wedlock and rape and therefore, born of dark? His half-sister had belonged to Raven's late husband, a man killed during Iracebeth's uprising. Alhowl was no son to Raven. Celia was a better daughter to the woman then Alhowl had ever been as a child to Raven. The man worshipped the power of arrogance, he held in with those whom let forth billowing static and harsh feudalism. It was in Raven's hopes that Alice, even in her current state, would find Alhowl on the battle fields of Heart and smite the man where he stood.
As much as Raven hated to say it, for she was as stubborn a woman as Alice, Alice had such a light shared and born of her and Mirana as to vanquish the darkness. If one looked, there was blinding light and all that could be hoped was to be left with vision. It was that light, shared and strong, which kept the darkness creeping. And the light was growing, it grew as Alice and Mirana drew closer-though even they were unawares with neither knowing the whole truth-and as the seals on Celia grew weaker and weaker and more Alice became. The thoughts brought a smile to Raven's time weathered face.
She knew as well as Empth what was to come next, and while she didn't like it she knew it had to happen. Such was the problem with those blessed, or cursed, with visions. The heart had to choose without bias in order for the reality to happen, one could not interfere or everything fell to pieces. Stepping on butterflies was not a very wise profession, but being a witch paid well. Raven stopped thinking for a moment as she added another ingredient to the potion before her. When she started thinking again, she began by looking at her hands. They were callused and wrinkled, they shook lightly and the tips of her nails seemed permanently changing in color from what she handled. There was no way around it, Raven knew she was at the end of her career. She'd seen her husband and child die, and her land fall. She'd survived a war, and was going through another. She was so tired, and more than ready to give up her title. But to who? Mirana was queen already and adding stress to her wasn't a good idea, Alice-as much as Raven admired the girl's qualities-showed little magical ability and what of it she did show was that of natural magic or that created through the consumption of Jabberwocky blood! There was but one choice... A long shot yes, and perhaps not the best person suited for the job, but she was the only who was available and could hope to hold a candle in comparison to Mirana and Raven. Empth Hightopp. She had the natural ability, and an inquisitive nature, mad as she was she'd make a fine witch and a good replacement. As well the girl held strong connections with those in Marmoreal and would assure Mirana that Raven and Wastings meant her no harm and only aide. A wise decision. It was decided, Raven would begin the training at once.

~•~ Mirana ~•~

It had been but a few hours passed since Celia's parting, the queen worried. Her face contorted with fear and pain, she wouldn't have been able to stop Celia if she'd tried and she didn't want to force the girl to stay. Her thoughts would not cease spinning about in her head, and her hands repeated the work she'd been doing for such a long time. Boil, bottle, stopper, label, pack. Boil, bottle, stopper, label, pack. Gathering healing potions and creating a surplus for the inevitable. Mirana repeated, and made as many potions as she could, and yet was still surprised when she found she'd run out of materials and had to run and grab some more. A mindless task, potion-making was-though only when there was no one around to converse with or name the ingredients to. There were only three people she'd ever read the ingredients for her potions to; one a life-long friend, one her champion, and the third hardly known. Yes, she'd first told the ingredients to Empth in an attempt to teach her friend and stave off the empty loneliness growing in her breast. Alice, no doubt, would've asked to know the ingredients: but it was a nervous habit which had made Mirana want to list the ingredients to Pishalver. And it was the same for the day before, when she'd begun her potion-making and spent time with Celia. The girl was almost Alice, and yet she could not be, she did not react when and where Alice would've in the same condition. There were questions now buzzing in Mirana's busy bee mind, but there were no answers.
"With her so like Alice, would it be right for me to openly love her? How can I when my very touch leaves shocks running up and down her? Would she even love me? Does she? Perhaps it's because I love her that Alice kills her... but wouldn't that mean that either Alice would have to be jealous or hate this sort of love? In one case there's a chance she may want me... Oh my head is so confused! My hands are tied here, bound together and being pulled across by the strings of these two! And if I follow my head then I'll only be much more confused! Should I let my heart speak for me, then I do not and will not know the consequences of my actions! I don't know!" Mirana's thoughts seemed to scream in her head, she stopped momentarily, staring out into open space, "I don't even know if either Alice, or Celia is going to make it to the end of the war!"
Mirana looked down and went back to her work. She wished she could shut-up her thoughts, shut them off and go automaton until the end of the war. But she couldn't. She was only human. She had weakness, but could not show them. She had fear, though none would know it. She was a figure to her people and her courts, and very few knew her well enough and many of them were dead, mad or gone. Mirana longed for the afternoon to be calm and sunny, for the sun to beat back the rain and shower down life upon the gardens. It wasn't to be, the gardens would stay cold and wet and the storm would rage on well into the night. The hours passed, and Mirana found her thoughts more distracting then ever. She was losing to her inner darkness, losing one of the most important wars of her life. The war against herself, and her society, a war which she'd thought won: a war of love. Her inner turmoil was well hidden, just as her illness had been during the last war, but it was stressing her out ever so much more. For the war against darkness pushed down on the White Queen from two fronts. One external, the other internal. When at last night fell, Mirana hardly noticed, she was trying to absorb herself in her work.
The queen worked through much of the night, skipping dinner and never leaving her place for more than a minute. When at last she stopped working it was because she was too tired to think and the sudden stop of the storm outside surprised her. Mirana then shuffled back to her chambers. Alone. And settled down into the chilly room, feeling very much alone. More so than earlier, and all the more cold and tired. The room felt empty, and the sheets faintly smelt of Celia and even much more faintly of Alice. They even smelt similar. A scary thought indeed, and yet she would've been intrigued had she not fallen into the cruel hands of her nightmares. Exhausted to the point where not even her fear of the dark dreams of the night could wake her. Mirana screamed that night, she screamed in her sleep and cried, and continued until her throat was hoarse and the harsh light of a post storm morning awoke her.

A/N: Mwhahaha *cough*. I'm rather evil, aren't I? Don't answer that. Evil is in relation to good, and changes based on the person because good and evil are a collection of values and moral perceived to be as either detestable or lovable. Therefore, my good could be you evil and vice versa. Instead of saying I'm evil, I should say I'm cruel. That you can all testify for. Anyway... next chapter will probably not be up for a while because this story, and this whole huge month, has taken a hell of a lot out of me. See ya peeps.