Alice lay atop a thin blanket, sleeping quietly under the trees and stars. In her mind, she watched her mother and grandmother smile and wave at her. Rolling over, she felt herself roll over, she felt herself roll over the arm of the person dozing next to her. There was a groan, and Alice forced herself up off the arm. Blinking wearily, she sat up and glanced at the person next to her. Then, she froze.

It was Hatter.

Shadowed eyes closed in sleep, Hatter appeared peaceful. He was on his back, lips parted in quiet breath.

Alice sighed and turned to her other side, only to come face to metal face with March, also asleep. Confused, she pursed her lips. When she had fallen asleep, they'd been dozing across the clearing…

Why had they come over by her?

She saw Sylvantes curled up next to a root, tied up still. At least he hadn't come over.

A glint caught her eye, and she leaned over Hatter curiously. A small golden chain wound round Hatter's neck to disappear under his white shirt. Alice couldn't resist. Tugging gently at the links, she pulled till a small locket slid out from under the cloth. Silent and delicate, she picked it up and slid it open.

A small black-and-white portrait of a beautiful young lady greeted her eye with a painted smile. Alice studied it for a moment.

There was a shuffle from behind her, and then a quiet whisper, "That was the Princess of Clubs."

Alice turned and saw March peering over her shoulder at the locket, "Why does Hatter have-"

"He loved her. Invited her to tea close to every other day, not that her mother and father liked it. But when the Jabberwocky came…" March paused, shivering gently, then continued slowly, "When Jabberwocky came, he killed most of the royalty, including her. And Hatter was so… decimated…"

Staring at the portrait of the princess, Alice murmured, "That's sad."

March gripped her shoulder and sighed gently, "Hats went to the Jabberwock and challenged him to a duel. I was his second, not that it mattered. Jabberwocky beat him down over and over and over again. But Hatter just kept going, until… Hatter was nearly dead, and then the Jabber decided to keep him alive. Guess it was his stubbornness… So, anyways, I guess the rest is history. Me and Hatter began our training, and Jabberwock beat the stuffing out of Hatter nearly every day…" He sighed heavily, "Now put that down and go back to sleep." Moaning, he laid back down on his blanket and turned away, ears fluttering from the helmet.

Alice smiled sadly and set the locket down gently.

Alice still hadn't fallen back to sleep. Silently staring at the stars above her, Alice growled and quietly stood up. Since she couldn't sleep, she might as well go walking. Without a sound, Alice tip-toed to the edge of the clearing and into the trees. The black trunks crisscrossed the path ahead of her, broken to trails of disconcerted zigzags above. The leaves under her feet, shed for new apparel, crunched with every soft step.

A few minutes later, she reached another clearing. Smiling, Alice crossed to the center of the clearing and sat, watching the diamonds above her cheerfully. But her reverie was rudely cut short.

A knife appeared at her throat, and Sylvantes's voice hissed out, "If you make a sound, I'll kill you!"

Freezing, Alice dared not to move.

Sylvantes growled, satisfied, "You know what? I can take you back and then they'll have to rise me up in the ranks! I'd be a soldier! Finally!"

Alice gulped meekly, "How-how did you get free?"

"It's the only cursed thing they teach-"

There was a crunch from behind, and Sylvantes, grabbing Alice, whirled around.

Hatter stood at the edge of the clearing, still and grim. Staring at them with yellow and green corpse-like and shadowed eyes, Hatter strode forward, his step staggered.

"Hatter, sir? What are you doing h-"

Without a word, Hatter grabbed the fifer by the throat and slammed him down with a snarl, eyes blazing with sudden fury.

Sylvantes crawled back, prideful satisfaction turning to confused terror, "Sir! It's-it's me! Sylvantes! S-"

Growling, Hatter sprung onto the boy, hands latching around the boy's neck. His hands traveled up and, gripping the boy's hair, slammed his head down against the ground.

"Sir! Please, sir! N-" Sylvantes yelled with pain as the crazed murderer smacked his head down once more.

Smiling maniacally as he drew the knife out of his pocket, Hatter flipped the blade out.

"No! Please! Don't hurt-"

Hatter buried the knife deep into Sylvantes's throat without a sound, ending the boy's life.

Alice stared in horror as Hatter stood up slowly, turning towards her with a pointy frown. Gazing at her, Hatter whispered weakly, "Are you okay, princess…?" Then, quietly, without another word, Hatter crumpled to the ground.

Seconds later, March, Cheshire, Hubble, and a few other cards ran into the clearing. March was instantly at Hatter's side, cursing, "Darn it, Hats! You sleep-walked again!"

Cheshire flinched when he saw Sylvantes's corpse and hissed as he hurried over to a dazed Alice, "Is this normal?"

"Ever since the Royal Executions. He can't sleep without wandering about." Scowling, March shook Hatter awake, "Get up!"

Moaning, Hatter sat up slowly, eyes fluttering. He glanced around and froze when he saw the proud fifer's body. For a moment, there was no movement, then Hatter groaned, bringing up his bloody hands to massage his forehead, "I… slept-walked again, didn't I?"

Hubble crossed his arms spitefully and snarled, "And you killed your own?"

"It doesn't matter…" Stumbling up and using March as leverage, he glanced, ashamed, at Alice, "I didn't hurt you… did I?"
Alice watched him, eyes wide, "No! You saved me from him! He had a knife and…" She trailed off when she saw a card soldier extend a portable shovel and start digging into the ground. "What's he doing?"

Sighing, Hubble grimly spat, "We can't just leave the boy out to rot."

Hatter scuffed his boot, embarrassed and morose, "I'm sorry."