" Alice… go talk to the chess set or something…" Jabberwock cupped his head in his hands as he muttered. "I need to work."

Glancing over his shoulder, Alice tried to read his writing, "What you working on?"
"AHH! JUST GO TALK TO THE BLIDDY CHESS SET, YOU BLIDDY LITTLE CHATTERBOX!"
Alice pouted her lips but obeyed. Yes, she had been annoying Jabberwock end on end by talking about friendly stuff, asking him questions, but, instead of opening up, she had just succeeded on closing him. Sighing, she made her way to a small table in the corner where the chess set sat and the chessmen were battling once again.

The Black King had stolen one of the White Knight's horse and was galloping around the board with Alice's handkerchief fluttering out behind him like a white cloak. Seeing Alice, he called cheerfully, "Hello, giant girl! Come to watch us beat the enemies?"

The White King shoved off a Black Rook and called a halt to the battle in a shrill voice before turning to Alice and bowing, "G'day, milady. How've you been?"

As the Black King shot a glare at the White King, Alice smiled, "I'm fine. And you?"

The Black King spat, "My castle boy has gone down with sickness because of the other giant! Where is he?" Galloping to the side of the board, he pointed down at the small shelf that housed them when they weren't in use.

Alice stepped around the table and glanced down at the rook shivering against the small edge of the chess set. Leaning over, she peered into his stone face, "Are you okay?"

The rook sneezed and mumbled, "Yes, miss. Fine as pie. Not that I want that other giant to eat me again." He shivered in remembrance, "Darkness…. All the way down…" He gagged at the thought.

Alice sat down and put her head in her hands, gazing at him in curiosity, "So… I have a question. Why do you always have to move in straight lines, you know, in chess?"

Shrugging, the boy sneezed again, "Don't know… at least I'm a higher rank than the regulars." (By this, he meant the pawns.)

The Black King galloped up and down the side of the board, calling the black chessmen back to their side of the board, "Salute the Queen!"
All the blacks turned to the queen chess piece and saluted.

"Now salute the other Queen!"

The chessmen, including the whites, turned to Alice and cheered, "Long live Queen Alice! Long live Queen Alice!"

Jabberwocky groaned at his desk, "What have you got them believing now?"
Growling, the Black King trotted off the board to the edge of the table, brandishing his needle, "You! Giant! Come so that I and my army can slay you!"

Jabberwocky looked up from his papers, eyes narrowing, "Curse Jack for letting you go rampant for so long!"

"We are free, not slaves to anybody! We just let you play if we like you!"

"Can you please…. just shut up?"

Smirking, the Black King pranced his horse up to Alice and, untying the handkerchief from his neck, held it up to her, "Our thanks, Queen."

Alice accepted the cloth with a grin, "No! Thanks to you, Mister King! It was fun to talk with you!"

Scrambling up, the rook sprinted up to the edge and reached up with his hands, sneezing, "Can I come with you?"
Alice peered down at the little man, "Why?"

The rook pouted and pointed at the Black King, "He won't let me fight… better to be traveling than waiting the battles out."

Smiling, Alice held out her hand and the rook scrambled up on her hand with a small whoop of delight. Gently lifting him up, she asked, "You mind if I put you in my pocket?"

"Is it comfy?"

Alice nodded and slid the chessman into her pocket, "Is it okay?"

From inside the pouch, the rook called, "Yes! Mind if I fall asleep?"
Alice shrugged, "Sure…" She felt the small stone piece rustle to a comfortable position in her pocket before settling down. Glancing at the Black King, she asked, "You don't mind, do you?"
The Black King was wrestling with the horse, trying to keep it under control, "Blasted animal! No, I don't care! Just have him back soon!"

Nodding, Alice smiled and turned away, followed by another cheer from the chessmen. Strolling over to Jabberwocky, she stood in front of his desk, watching him in silence.

A few minutes later, he sighed and glanced up in agitation, "What do you want?"

Alice shuffled her feet shyly, "Can I go see Hatter?"

Fingers gripping the pen he held tightly, Jabberwock huffed, frustrated, "Go! Find someone and ask them where his room is! Go get eaten for all I care! Just leave me alone!"

Hatter was moodily sitting on his bed when the knock came at his door. Growling, he sat up, feeling some of the scabs on his back break, and stomped over. He slammed it open with a snarl, "What?"

Alice stood outside with a shy smile on her face, "Hello, Hatter."

Freezing, Hatter stared at her in horror, "A-A-Alice?"
Alice peered at his dark, tear-stained face and asked soberly, "I- I didn't make you mad… did I?"

"No! I mean, I just went a… I kind of went… It got out of hand…." Hatter glared at the floor in shame, a blush of anger tingeing his pale cheeks.

Suddenly, he was in a hug, and Alice nestled her head into his chest, "Just to tell you, I do like you, Hatter. But you kind of scared me back there."

Hatter stared down at the girl hugging him in confusion, "W-what are you doing?"

Grinning widely, Alice released Hatter from her hug and flicked him on the nose, "Giving you a hug. Don't expect me to kiss you, though, okay?"

Hatter was lost for words as Alice pushed past him into his room, just gazing at her in stupidity, "Hug?"

Sitting down on his bed, Alice glanced around the room, lip pouting out, "You don't have much decoration here, Hatter. I think my room has more personality than yours!"

Hatter shut the door slowly, eyes never leaving Alice, "Why… why are you here?" Crossing over to his bed, he stood before her, eyeing her enviously, "And why are you on my bed?"

Alice reached into her pocket, frowned, reached farther, than smiled as she drew out the rook chessmen, "I have a sick little person here."

Leaning over, Hatter peered curiously at the napping rook, "A chess piece? How'd he get sick?"

"Jabberwock ate him."

"How is he in your hand then?"

Alice frowned, "Jabberwocky spat him back up. It was gross."

Eye twitching, Hatter licked his lips as he gazed at Alice's face, and a pang of hunger invaded his stomach, but he forced himself to concentrate, "And… you want me to…?"

"March said that you guys had to know poisons and stuff because you used to make tea. So-"

"Yes, I know how to make simple cures and stuff. But never for a chessman." Hatter couldn't help but thinking how nice it'd be to put Alice out of her misery, hide her corpse where Jabberwock could never desecrate it…

Alice grabbed his hand and pleaded, "Oh, will you? Please?"

Instantly, all thoughts of devouring Alice disappeared, and all Hatter felt in his heart was the urge to do whatever she wanted.

This was his princess…

He had to obey…

Smiling softly, he nodded and took the rook gently out of Alice's hand, "I'll try to make something."

"Oh, thank you, Hatter!"
Setting the chessman down on the table, Hatter carefully noted the brief rasping sound coming from the rook's chest, the sneezes that erupted every so often.

Common signs of a cold.

He turned to his cupboard and bent, opening it to reveal small packets of dried herbs and spices. He used these to drown his horrible mental and physical pain often, but he could derive some sort of cure from what he had…

Grabbing some Liondane petals and a berry of Muscay, he straightened and glanced at the rook once more.

Quarter of a dose maybe?

No… maybe a sixteenth?

Sixteenth would be fine…

Scooping up a pestle and mortar, he went to his table and started tears the petals to shred.

Alice watched in interested curiosity.

Hatter dropped the berry and shreds into the mortar and started grinding all the mess together with vigor, eye twitching as a pungent aroma rose from the stone cup. Huffing, he glanced at the mixture, registering that it was nearly fully a powder. He pounded it a bit more, then stopped, stood, and walked over to the cabinet once more.

Slowly, he peered at each bottle, trying to remember where it was…

There!

He extracted a small bottle of gin from the back of the shelves, oblivious to the thick cover of dust that floated around the glass. Standing, he glanced around and smirked when he saw an open pack of Assas grass with the measuring spoons atop.

Ah… that's where he had put them…

As he picked them up, he paused, licked his lips in agitation, and then grabbed a small wad of Assas grass. He popped the brown strands into his mouth and swallowed.

Assas grass was a stress reliever… And he'd need to get March go and find some more…

Turning, he returned to the table and opened the bottle of liquor. He silently measured out a half-teaspoon. Pinching up some of the powder of herbs next, he sprinkled it into the small amount of brown liquid just as the Assas started making him light-headed.

Grinning, he poked the rook with a finger, "Wake up."

The chessman groaned and curled into a small ball away from Hatter's intruding finger, "Ermm… sterp it…"

Leaning over the stone man, Hatter grabbed him up unceremoniously, "Wake up!"

"AH!" The rook struggled as he woke, "Let me go! Where's Queen Alice?"

Hatter froze, "Queen Alice?" Glancing at Alice, he asked again, "Queen Alice?"

Alice shrugged, "Don't ask me where the Queen thing came from…"

Seeing her, the chessman waved at her frantically, "Miss Alice! Is he going to eat me?"

Hatter couldn't help himself. He licked his lips and gave a dangerous look at the rook, his soul laughing morbidly, "I've never eaten a chessman before… Maybe I can…" He opened his mouth, his tongue curling out, and held the rook over it as if to drop him in to his doom.

Alice leapt up, the joke not registering with her, "Don't you dare!"

Hatter closed his mouth with a chuckle and dropped the rook back onto the table, "No worries, Alice. I'd rather not eat a rock. Besides… what would the cure be for then?" Picking up the measuring spoon, he set it before the trembling chessman and ordered, "Drink."

The man shook his head, staring at the Mad Hatter, "N-n-no! It-it-it's poison!"

"Now why would I want to kill you?"

"I-I-I don't know."

Alice encouraged the rook, "Come on! He wouldn't poison you!"

"But! He was about to eat me a moment ago!"

Groaning, Hatter put a head in his hand and smirked, "Either you drink that willingly or I'll find some way to force-feed you."

The rook drew his sword with a growl, "I'll fight you!"

Hatter's eye twitched and his serpentine tongue flicked out, "I'll eat you. I wasn't kidding about never eating a chessman…"

Gulping, the chessman glanced at the rum and herb mixture, hesitated, then sipped at it sullenly, "Well… thanks for the beer."

Alice frowned.

Noticing, Hatter shyly put a hand on her shoulder, "You want something?"

"Not beer."

"But do you want something?"

Alice sat next to him with a sigh, "Is there any food? I didn't really eat much at breakfast, and I'm hungry…"

Hatter slumped, "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay."

"I could go get something from the kitchens for you… if you want…"

Alice smiled and leaned on him, causing him to stiffen in shock, "Kitchens? Can I come see?"

A low squeak came from Hatter's mouth as he tried to speak. Coughing, he regained his voice and muttered, "Uh… sure…"

Alice leapt up with a cheer, "Come on then! I want to see something new!"

Sighing, Hatter stood and, stalking over to a coat hanger near the door, tugged on his general's coat with a groan, "Those cooks are going to think I'm going soft."

"What's wrong with soft?"

"…Nothing."

The rook, still on the table, waved his arms, "Don't forget me!"

Smiling, Alice gently scooped him up and set him in her pocket, "We weren't going to leave you!"

Hatter's mouth perked in a faded smile.

Alice was too nice.

And he loved it.