Jabberwock wasn't letting Alice leave his side. Shrugging on his dark cloak, he turned to her as he buttoned it, "Come on, Alice. I have to be at the guard inspection in a few minutes."
Glancing up out of a random book she pulled from the shelves, Alice cocked her head and asked, "Inspection?"

"Every other week or so. Hurry up now."

Sighing, Alice placed the book down and followed him quietly. They passed through halls and staircases at a brisk pace, reaching the outer courtyard sooner than Alice expected.

Outside, all the black cards stood in groups of fifty-two. In front of the ranks, March stood in his uniform, frowning in the bitter wind. The mist had refused to give up the morning as it grew into afternoon, and it now blew its breath across the scene.

Alice shivered and huddled closer to Jabberwock, whose cloak emanated a small amount of warmth.

Without a blink, Jabberwock eased forward, the pale, ghostlike apparition of a cold Alice breezing hurriedly to catch up with him.

At the sight of Alice, small mutters broke out in the regiments, but March ordered loudly, "Silence! The King is here!"

Jabberwocky came to March's side, gazing at the troops, and then muttered, "How is Hatter?"

"Wrist broken. Bruises. A shadowlander's eye trying to take over his face." March's voice rang cold.

"Have him come see me about that. Drill the troops."

March cleared his throat before roaring, "About left!"

As the Hare kept yelling orders and cards scrambled to complete them, Alice leaned against Jabberwocky, clinging his cloak to her.

Noticing, he smiled softly, unbuttoned his long overcoat, and slid it onto Alice's shoulders before resuming watching the parading cards.

Alice nestled in his cloak, relieved at the warmth, and glanced at him as his loose shirt sleeves fluttered in the breeze like a beige flag. A smile skirted his lips, and his eyes danced with inner joy. His black hair rustles, the red highlights much more noticeable outside.

Unclenching his hands from behind his back, Jabberwock nodded to March, "That's enough. Dismiss them."

March obeyed, "You're dismissed!"

The ranks broke, and most of the cards started to walk back towards the walls or the barracks, but some dared to approach to peer cautiously at Alice. One ventured closer than the rest and dropped to a knee, "Good afternoon, Princess Alice."

Jabberwocky glanced over from his talk with a card captain, but turned back with a suspicious growl.

Smiling, Alice offered a hand, "Thank you! What's your name?"

The guard watched her hand warily, still bowing, "Demeric, milady."

"You can just call me Alice."
A shadow fell across her back, and a hoarse voice rasped, "Well then, Alice… Making friends?"

Demeric shuddered as Alice spun around, "Good afternoon, General Hatter."

Hatter stood in his uniform, right hand bandaged up till his elbow to form a stiff wrist cast. His left eye, the shadowlander eye, lay beneath a square of gauze, and bandages covered the rest of his face. Alice only saw his morose human eye. "Hatter!"

The bandages shifted; Hatter smiled underneath, "I didn't scare you yesterday, did I?"

"Well… just a little… but-"

"Ah… Hatter…" Jabberwocky stepped up behind Alice with a forced smile, "I trust you're sane today?"

Stiffening, Hatter slid his one visible eye into a slit, "Yes… sir… Just hurt and hungry."

Demeric bowed low and edged away.

Meanwhile, Alice stood between the two giants, feeling hate and glowers pass over her head, "Uh… so…" Her mind popped up a new idea! "Can Hatter have lunch with us?" Seeing March's ears perk, she added, "March, too?"

Jabberwock grimaced, but nodded, "That'd be an excellent idea, seeing that I want to take a look at your eye." His glare never left Hatter's face.

Hatter bowed slowly, painfully, "As you wish."

Bounding up besides them, March cheerfully said, "I heard lunch. That'd be right now, right?"

A maid stood trembling in front of Jabberwock's desk, waiting for everybody's lunch orders down to the kitchens.

Waving his hand nonchalantly, Jabberwock growled, "Just some wine." He glanced at Alice, eyes curious.

Biting her lip, Alice started, "A sandwi-"

Jabberwock groaned, "Get something else, Alice. You've been having those blasted things every meal!"

Sighing, Alice tried again, "Uh… soup?"

Jabberwock rolled his eyes and glanced at March, "March?"

March sat at the small table to the side with Hatter. Ears up and swiveling, he smiled, "Salad. And salt. Lots of salt."

Before Alice could ask, 'Why salt?', Jabberwock nodded and growled, "And… Hatter?"

Hatter had his head nestled into his arms, but his voice came out clear and malicious, "A maid."

Freezing, the servant glanced fearfully up at Hatter, "What, sir?"

Hatter brought his head up slowly, "Bring me a bliddy person!"

Flinching, Alice turned to argue when Jabberwock motioned with his hand, "Just get him one of the prisoners."

Nodding fearfully, the maid curtsied and backed out of the room.

As soon as she was gone, March crossed his arms and watched Hatter curiously, "You must be hungry to be asking for that."

Hatter snarled, "You don't know the half of it."

Alice bounded down to Hatter and asked worriedly, "You- you were kidding, right? You're not going… not going to eat a person, are you?"

Growling, Hatter turned his gaze to Alice with a small light of anger in his visible eye, " Alice, you know I said what I said."

Before Alice could retort, Jabberwocky stood from his chair and ordered, "Hatter, come here. I want to see your eye."

Hatter hefted himself up with a moan of pain. Fingering his cast, he sullenly plodded over to his master.

"Take the bandages off, please."

"Yes, sir…" Reaching up, Hatter pulled the bands of linen from his face. His entire right upper face lay engulfed in black, small rivers of veins pulsing across his forehead and cheek.

Jabberwock stared at the discoloration, tracing it with a claw silently, "It's really gone haywire…" He pulled back the eyelid of the fetid yellow eye, peered inside, "Hmm…"

Subjecting himself to this treatment, Hatter mumbled solemnly, "What's wrong?"

Jabberwocky bit his lip in frustration, "Your anger made it spread. If you continue letting your temper fly off like that, it won't be long before you turn shadowlander. It shouldn't have spread this fast though…"

Stiffening, March asked incredulously, "Shadowlander?"

Hatter wasn't happy. Hissing, he snarled, "How do you get rid of it?"

"Well, one option, I can rip that eye out and leave you half blind…" Jabberwock turned and stepped back to his chair, "Or I can just have you stay calm and let your body fight if off."
"I'd prefer the second one, sir."

Suddenly thoughtful, Jabberwock gazed at Hatter, chewing his lip in careful thought. Finally, he turned and muttered, "I'll allow you a supply of tea, and you can go back and have your…" he struggled with the word, "tea party."

Hatter and March stared at the Jabberwock. Regaining his voice, March squeaked, "Tea? Really?"
"Just till Hatter gets better."

Hatter sank to his knees and bowed, almost immediately joined by March, "Thank you, sir!" Glancing up, Hatter hesitated, "Does this mean I'm off my three month restriction?"

"Yes, Hatter." Jabberwock sighed.

The door opened, and the maid peered in, "Sir?"
Smiling broadly as Hatter and March leapt up, Jabberwocky brought a hand up and crooked a finger, "Come in."

Bowing, the maid opened the door, and two boys with plates came in. One set before Alice a steaming bowl of soup, the other reverently setting a salad topped with cubes of salt at March's place. Hunched over in respect, the maid brought forward a bottle of wine, along with a glass, and placed it on Jabberwock's desk hastily. Turning to bow at Hatter, she stammered, "I sent word down to the dungeons, sir."
Hatter smiled wolfishly and licked his lips, "Thank you…"

The maid hurried out.
Bounding over to his salad, March sat and motioned to Hatter to join him at the table.

Alice took a sip of her soup as she watched Jabberwock wrench the wine open and pour a glass. The broth was warm and rich, tasting of chicken and vegetables, bits of rice floating round the spoon. About to take another spoonful, she felt eyes on her and glanced up.

Hatter watched her hungrily, his eyes soft but ravenous in that infected face of his.

Sensing a glance on her other side, Alice looked to see Jabberwock glowering at Hatter, sipping at his wine as his eyes cast pure hate out. She sighed. Jabberwock looking at Hatter, Hatter looking at her, March not looking at anyone…

March just crunched happily into his salad, oblivious to the little 'looking' war.

The door slammed open and two black cards dragged a woman in roughly. Coughing, one muttered, "Maid said that-"

Hatter stood, "Mine."

Nodding hastily, the cards saluted and ran out, leaving the prisoner.

Jabberwock sighed as the woman writhed, bound and gagged, on the floor, "I really wish they wouldn't barge in like that…"

Eyes gleaming, advancing, Hatter pulled the woman up with a hungry smile, "Hmm…"
Alice leapt up, furious, "No eat-"

Clapping a hand over her mouth, Jabberwock pulled her down into his lap. As she struggled, he whispered, "Let him be, Alice. You cause him too much pain as it is… Just let him eat. It's his job."

Hatter pulled his knife out, fingering it in his left hand as he put the lady in a sort of head lock. He smiled widely and casually as he placed his knife against the front of her neck.

Alice tried to rip free, eyes wide in fear, but Jabberwocky held her tight, "Now, now, Alice… It's just a little blood." She tried to turn away, but he forced her face to the front and ordered, "Watch."

Silently, Hatter jerked his knife across the lady's throat and instantly put his mouth over the cut, ravenously guzzling the red passion that spilt forth in great gouts. As the blood slowed and the lady slumped, Hatter bit deeply mouth stained a dark crimson. Ripping the mouthful out, he let the body drop and knelt, lowering his knife to start cutting expertly.

Alice screamed into Jabberwock's hand, struggled, and then bit down viciously.

Yowling, Jabberwock released her, and she bound forward. Regaining his voice, he snarled, "March! Get her!"

March leapt up and lunged, but missed.

Hearing the commotion, Hatter slowly stood and turned to face them, eyes glazed in bloodlust. His eyes widened when he saw Alice bounding towards him.

" Alice! Don't go near him!" shouted March, "He's-"

Before March could finish his panicked warning, Hatter lunged forward, grabbed Alice, and bit her where her neck turned to shoulder.

Everything froze.

Alice stared past his head in shock, dumbfounded, horrified. Hatter's hot breath grated against her skin, his teeth digging deep into her shoulder. Eyes rolling back, she fainted, but Hatter's grip held her up.

March grabbed Hatter and tried to yank him off, but Hatter stood frozen, refusing to release his prize. His eyes locked in place, oblivious to everything.

Jabberwock stormed forward, furious, scared, and worried, "March? Is… Is Alice-"

Inspecting Alice with a careful eye, March nodded as he tried to pull Hatter away, to no avail, " Alice is fine, but Hatter just had an insanity attack."

Jabberwock drew his rapier, growling, "If he doesn't let go of my daughter, I swear, I'll cut him to pieces!"

"No need for that. His brain's gone and froze. It happens sometimes, good thing for Alice here. Here… hold Alice while I get Hatter."
As Jabberwocky worriedly put his hands under Alice's arms, March reached from behind Hatter and, gripping the top of his head, started to slowly pull up and back.

Hatter's teeth slowly slid out of Alice's shoulder, his eyes still staring off into space.

Jabberwocky pulled Alice from Hatter's grasp and clamped a hand over the bleeding bite wound. Eyes flashing, he growled, "Take him away! Go and get your things, then go! I don't want him near Alice anymore!"

Hefting a suddenly limp, moaning Hatter up, March bowed his head and dragged comrade out of the room.

Jabberwock hoisted Alice up and carried her to her room, sighing with relief. The wound just oozed now; soon, it would stop bleeding altogether… But at least she was safe… Laying her softly down on the bed, he bent and kissed her forehead gently, smiling sadly. His child just liked attracting danger, didn't she?