Later, back at the castle, Alice sat quietly in her room. In the main hall, Jabberwock lounged angrily at his desk. In front of him, five regents stood at attention in their fancy clothing.

One stood giving his report: "The Woodlands are the same as ever, Milord. Guards continuously capture Imagineers passing through, and March and Hatter still… continue their tea party." He grimaced.

Jabberwocky's eyes twitched, lost in thought rather than focusing on his governors.

Another regent stepped forward and muttered, "The Crystal Coast has been in havoc since the raid of Imaginine. Small Imagineer parties have been regaining key components of the coast."

Snapping to attention, Jabberwock growled, "Take some soldiers and regain them." He surveyed the five before growling, "Where is the governor of the border?"
The regents glanced uncomfortably as each other before the regent of the woodlands spoke, "He was found at the border dead, sir. Apparently, he lost control of his horse and crossed over. His companion hasn't been found yet."

"Companion?"

Scuffing his shoe, the shortest regent sniffed, "His wife."

Jabberwock slouched back into his chair with a sigh, "Taken for a slave, then."

"Sir?"

Fingering his chin, Jabberwock narrowed his eyes narrowed his eyes, " Salem, take the border. If you need more troops, take what you need."

The woodlands regent bowed, "Yes, sir."

Jabberwock stood and waved a hand at them, "Now get out."

Nodding respectfully, the regents spun away and exited.

Jabberwocky opened the door of Alice's room and cocked his head to the side, "Alice?"

Alice smiled softly, "Yes."

Gazing at her, Jabberwock crossed the room and sat besides her, "Did you notice the new bed?" He laid himself back, staring at the ceiling as his feet dangled over the edge.

Alice itched at her arm, "Yes."

"Now…" Yawning, Jabberwock blinked and glanced at her, "I have a question: In your world, what's your father like?"

Alice stiffened, "He died when I was just a kid. Never really knew him."

Silence before Jabberwock sat up and gazed at her with wide white eyes, "Wait… so I'm the… first father you've known?"

"Yes…"

Jabberwock frowned, baffled, mulling over this information before muttering, "I'm not a very good father, am I?"

Smiling softly, Alice took his arm and gave it a small hug, "You're being a great father."

Jabberwock scowled, "But I let you get kidnapped!"

"But you got me back."
Reaching up, Jabberwocky traced a finger where the claw wounds had been; they were already replaced with clear black skin, "But…"

Alice patted his leg, "It's fine. But you shouldn't have hurt Cheshire like that."

Jabberwock sat up and stared at her, eyes flickering to a yellow, "You hungry? I'm hungry."

Pursing her lips, Alice asked, "How did our conversation about you being a good father lead to food?"

"You mentioned Cheshire."

"And…?"

"I didn't have a chance to finish eating his mind."

Alice sighed, "Please say you're not thinking about eating someone else's."

Standing, Jabberwocky pulled her up and nodded, "But first, to the kitchen for you."

As soon as they stopped by the kitchens to order Alice's food, Jabberwock led her down to the dungeons.

Five guards glanced up as the heavy wooden door opened and hastily saluted, "Sir!"

Jabberwocky strolled into the barren room, taking a blazing torch from its rack, and glanced back at Alice, "Come on, Alice."

Sullenly stepping forward, Alice shivered in the cold air of the stone room, "Must I?"

"Yes." Turning to the guards, he paused then narrowed his eyes, "Aren't there supposed to be six of you?"

The guards nodded uncomfortably.

Angry, Jabberwocky grabbed Alice's hand and, shoving past the guards, slammed open the dark ebony door, revealing a long, dark hall. He started forward, boots clipping against the floor.

Alice let him drag her along, feeling her heart clench as shadows danced around them, trying to invade the torch-light.

Reaching a door, Jabberwocky paused. His eyes change to a crimson as he glared at it. Snarling, he dropped Alice's hand and ordered, "Stay here!" He yanked open the door and disappeared inside, leaving Alice in the darkness.

Inside, she heard mutters, than Jabberwock's enraged growl. Suddenly, shouts of pain chilled Alice's blood to the bone.

A minute later, the door creaked open, and Jabberwock stepped out with a satisfied little frown.

Alice watched him, thankful for the light, but distrustful inside, "Who was in there?"

His frown deepening, the Jabberwocky turned to continue back down the hall, "A guard and a prisoner. I have no idea of how many times I've said for the guards not to violate the female prisoners!"

Alice stopped and stared at him, "V-v-violate?"

Sighing, Jabberwock spat on the floor, "You know what I mean, Alice! Well, anyways, I ate the guard's mind. Let's see how many girls he violates now!"

"W-w-what about the girl?" Alice hurried up to Jabberwocky's side.

A smile flitted across Jabberwock's features, and he bared his sharp teeth, "She wasn't much. Had the sickness in her… unconscious when I went in. No appeal to me whatsoever."

"Shouldn't we go back and help her?"

Jabberwocky glanced at her blankly, "Help? Why? They're prisoners, bound to be executed."

"That's horrible!"

Leaning down to look Alice in the eye, Jabberwock leered, "Where I come from, each of these Imagineers would be doing something instead of rotting down here! The men would be doing hard labor. The women would be sold as pleasurables or house slaves. The children would be the same. Do not ever say that this is horrible!"

"It's still horrible!"

Whirling around, Jabberwock shook his head angrily, "You are stubborn little girl, you know that?"

"So what?" squeaked Alice hotly.

Scowling, Jabberwocky extinguished the torch's flickering flame, plunging the hall into darkness.

Instantly, Alice squeaked in fear and groped forward as Jabberwock's voice echoed around her, "If you were in the shadowlands, you'd be being whipped for talking back to me! In the shadowlands, I'd have all rights to disown you and make you a slave because you argued back to me!" He placed his mouth right by her ear and whispered, "Right now, I could kill you for disrespecting the King…" He traced a sharp finger across her cheek with a shuddering sigh, "But I couldn't do that… You're my daughter…" Throwing his arms around her, he squeezed her tight.

Alice felt her breath escape and squirmed, "Too tight!"

Loosening his arms, Jabberwock kissed the top of her head, "I never liked the Shadowland laws anyways… My father called me too liberal."

Alice twisted in his hold and embraced him softly, feeling a trembling sigh of contentment ruffle through his body, "Then what would I be?"

"Too nice."

That night, after taking an ice-cold bath and being sponged down by a maid, Alice returned to Jabberwock's study red-face and humiliated. Glaring at him, she furiously began to brush her hair, "I can't believe you sent a maid to clean me! She practically threw me into that water!"

Jabberwocky frowned, "You don't do it that way where you come from?"

"No!"

Sighing, Jabberwock stood from his chair and wandered over, yawning, "Ready to go to bed?"

Alice gazed at him and asked crossly, "Don't you have any pajamas or anything?" His livery looked uncomfortable and itchy.

Glancing down at his shirt, Jabberwock shrugged and started unbuttoning it. In a moment, it was off, revealing his midnight black chest. As he folded it neatly, he muttered, "I'll change into more comfortable pants. Go and wait for me."
Alice took a deep breath and walked into her room. Slipping into the bed, she groaned at the incredible plush-ness of it.

A few minutes later, Jabberwock appeared in the doorway, blocking the faint light from the torches. He stepped in and closed the door quietly, drowning the room in darkness.

Seconds later, Alice felt his weight next to her.

She felt for his arm and, finding it, hugged it like a teddy bear, "Good night." She just hoped she didn't dream tonight.

Silent, Jabberwocky turned on his back and pulled her into the crook of his arm and body, quietly combing his fingers through her hair.

Alice became aware of a cold pressure that pressed into her side. Shifting, she reached down, curious. Her fingers discovered a sheathed dagger at Jabberwock's side. Blinking, she prodded Jabberwock's side, "Why do you have a knife?"

His arm adjusted to her changed position and he flicked her nose with a small laugh, "Just in case. I have to protect you."

Alice sighed with relief and nestled against his arm, feeling a faint love for this adoptive father of hers.

The next week was a series of valuable experiences for Alice. For one thing, Jabberwock forced her to eat some horrific concoction of pork and spinach. She told him what she thought of it, and he relented to let her eat soup, but refused to ever let her have another blasted sandwich.

Second, the dresses that Hatter commissioned for her arrived. She instantly fell in love with the crimson dress with gold embroidered birds and roses spiraling up the sides. Her least favorite was the heavy brocaded one, but she liked it, anyways.

Jabberwock took one look at the diamonds, clubs, spades, and hearts and muttered, "I want it burned… Now." But Alice pleaded with him out of it.

Third, lessons were underway again. Every day, Jabberwock reviewed her in the waltz and taught her the minuet and tango. Also, horse-fly riding lessons had started, much to Alice's horror. But she managed to be able to stay astride her horse at a trot by the end of the week.

And then…

One morning, Alice awoke at the edge of the bed all alone. Apparently, Jabberwock woke up earlier to head-start the day. Yawning, Alice sat up and called blearily, "Jabberwocky?"

A shadow passed before the open door, and Jabberwock peered in with narrowed eyes, "What?"

The uneasy note in his voice made Alice curious, as did his unusual heavy fur-lined clothes, "Something wrong?"

Jabberwock switched and muttered cheerfully, "Dress warm and I'll show you."

Sighing, Alice pulled the heavy dress out and dressed.

Jabberwocky glared at her as she exited the room and flinched at the old house symbols, red against white, but forced a grin and complimented, "You look dashing." Holding up a large fur-lined coat, he wrapped it around her and ordered gently, "Come."

"SNOW!" Alice ran out into the falling white flurries, laughing cheerfully. She never had been in snow before!

Jabberwock stood in the doorway, watching her leap into a snowdrift with a small smile curving up his lips. Stepping slowly out into the snow, he shivered, "You like snow?"

Alice giggled and threw handfuls of snow upwards, "Yes! I've always wanted to see the snow!" Glancing slyly at the Jabberwock, she readied a snowball.

Jabberwock didn't notice her mischievous intentions. Glancing up at some black cards patrolling the battlements in heavy cloaks, he muttered, "Horrible weather for an inspection. I think I'll call off it off and-"

Alice threw the chunk of snow at him, hitting him in the shoulder.

Glaring at her, Jabberwock muttered hurtfully, "What was that for?"
"It's a game."

Jabberwock wiped the snow from his jacket, "You throw snow at each other. What kind of game is that?" Bending down, he scooped up a handful of cold slush. He gazed at the snow and started packing it into a globe.

Alice laughed and ran before he could finish making the snowball, crunching through the snow.

Bounding after her, Jabberwocky pelted her with his snowball, smiling playfully as he ran past her, "Bet you can't get me again!"

Alice grabbed up more snow, but when she straightened, Jabberwock vanished behind the barracks.

The cards on the wall stared in curiosity.

Running after his fast disappearing tracks, Alice rounded the corner of the barracks and paused. Jabberwock was no where in sight. She stepped forward, glancing around in confusion. Where was he?
A huge lump of snow fell onto her head. Yelping, she glared up at Jabberwocky as she brushed snow from her hair, "No fair! I can't go on the roofs!"

Jabberwocky jumped down and smiled, "But I got you!"

Sighing, Alice turned from him, "Okay… Want to make a snow-man now?"

Jabberwock echoed with a frown, "Snow… man?"

"Here… let me show you!"

Sipping some warm cocoa, Alice watched Jabberwock with bright eyes as he stoked the fire in the hearth, "So… did you like the snowman?"
Jabberwocky warmed his hands by the flames and smiled, "Very nice."

"Thank you…" Alice took a sip of her hot chocolate.

Jabberwocky turned and gazed at her silently. Sighing, he came over and ruffled her hair, "Do you mind if I leave for a week or two? I've decided to head the attack on the Imagineers at the Crystal Coast. I don't want those bumbling idiots to mess stuff up again. Did a horrible job at Imaginine."

"Why do you need to go? I mean, you've already defeated them!" Alice cocked her head in curiosity.

Pacing behind her, Jabberwock murmured darkly, "They've been raiding the regiments stationed on the coast, and, frankly, it's coasting me soldiers."

Alice turned in her seat to watch him, "A week?"

"Depends." Fingering his chin, he bit his lip, "Maybe… If the Imagineers decide to meet the assault, it could be less… But if they run, it'd be a bit more." He let his eyes settle on Alice and he grinned, "But you won't mind, will you? I promise to come back."

"…Fine…"

Jabberwocky pranced his horse-fly in front of the regiment as he called loudly, "Why are we riding today?"

Saluting, the cards replied as one: "To crush the rebels!"

Jabberwocky smirked. In his dark, fearsome armor and plumed helmet, he looked every part of a warlord. As his side hung two rapiers and a few daggers. His eyes glittering, he roared again, "Why are we riding today?" His voice cut through the muffling snow like fire.

"To crush the rebels!"

Alice watched silently as Jabberwocky spurred his charger to the open gate, the black-armored troops following him on their mounts. As he paused to glance back, she waved.

Jabberwock smiled grimly and nodded his head in brief goodbye before issuing a loud yell and thundering through the gate. Immediately, the regiment cheered and rushed after their King, leaving Alice all alone with one lone guard.

It had been a week and a half since Jabberwocky had left, and it hadn't stopped snowing since day number seven. Alice huddled in her coat as she watched Demeric argue with another card over the gambling game they played. Alice grew bored and anxious, hating the barracks for the boredom that permeated them. Alice now possessed more than fifteen 'friends' and 'admirers' in the guard corps, but they would not let her play this gambling game of theirs!

Demeric glared at Sajni, the silent one of the group, and glanced at his tokens, "You cannot have a better hand than I do right now!"

Smiling, Sajni shrugged.

Labros stared at his hand, sighed, and then glanced at Alice, "Bored, aren't you? Well… dear old Labros here is going to join you," he hefted himself up, "before he loses to the losers here."
Smiling faintly, Alice stared up at the giant bear of a man, "Thank you."

Demeric scowled, "If you want to amuse her, Labros, stop mooching up to her and throw yourself off the battlements!"

"But-"

A loud call echoed from outside, "The Jabberwock is back!"

Instantly, Alice leapt up and sprinted out of the barracks.

The gates opened just as she exited, and Jabberwock thundered through on his horse, smiling. Seeing Alice at the far side of the courtyard, he galloped over, jumped down, and swept her up in a great embrace, " Alice!"

Alice squeezed a tight breath in his tight hold before coughing, "You're killing me!"

Laughing, Jabberwocky glanced back at the regiment just coming through the gats, paused, then muttered, "I'll be right back." He vaulted up onto his majestic black stallion, trotted back, barked, "Men!"

The black cards saluted tiredly from atop their steeds.

"You have a week of leave, men! Seven days of whatever you want! You may go!"

Cheers issued from the regiment.

Spurning his charge back over to Alice as the regiment dispersed, Jabberwock slid off his horse, called an available guard over to take it, then took Alice's hand, "Let's go back to my office. It's cold."

Upon reaching the rooms, Jabberwock immediately went into Alice's room and fell upon her bed, sleeping almost as soon as he hit the covers. Daring not to wake him, Alice just sighed. She glanced around, and, seeing his discarded helmet, pounced upon it. Cramming it on her head, she looked into the mirror.

Nothing but a girl in a helmet…

It slid down to cover her eyes. Sighing, she took it from her head and played solemnly with the feathers on top. She hated being cooped up in this castle! There was nothing to do! The guards always guarded or gambled or flirted, nothing fun! Well… not that she needed little girl games…

She heard Jabberwock tossing and turning in his sleep, then a little gasp.

The next moment, Jabberwocky opened the door and said brightly, "Let's have a dance!"

Alice stared at him. One moment, he lay asleep, the next second, he stood announcing a ball? Stupidly, she echoed, "A gala?"

"Yes!" Bounding over to his desk, Jabberwock grabbed a pen, dipped it in ink, and started to scribble, "It'd be wonderful! You could meet the regents, and the lords, and the barons! Better yet, let's make it masquerade!"

Alice slowly came over and gazed over his shoulder as he scrolled down ideas, "Just a question: Where did you get this idea from?"

Pausing, Jabberwocky glanced at her and beamed, "The main Imagineer army has been crushed! I took some of their heads personally, too. But why not a celebration, like in the Shadowlands? After we successfully conquered another army, we had a big celebration? And, besides… I want one."

"Does this mean I'll have to dance?" Alice frowned sullenly.

Chuckling, Jabberwock exclaimed, "Of course! Now…" He turned back to the paper, tapping the quill against his chin, "Now… the date? What's the blasted holiday's name here?... Yule? That's it!" He scribbled the word down in big cursive letters. Smiling victoriously, he put down the pen and straightened from his leaning position, "I'll send you down tomorrow so the seamstress can take your measurements. You'll need a masquerade dress, something fancy…" He paced around her, eyeing her current metallic blue and silver dress, "Come to think of it, I do to… First thing tomorrow, then." Yawning, he turned back to her room, intent on sleeping some more.

Alice followed him and watched him curiously as he slipped back under the covers, "A masquerade is when you dress up in masks and stuff, right?"

"Uh… yes… why?"

"So no one knows it's you, right?"

Sighing, Jabberwock propped himself up on his elbows to gaze at her wearily, "Yes."
Alice shrugged, "But what about you? I mean, your… skin color kind of gives you away… so do your eyes."

Eyes furrowing, Jabberwock growled, "We'll worry about that problem later. No more questions. I want to sleep. Are you going to join me?"

Letting a long solemn breath out, Alice pulled out the light linen pajamas in her wardrobe, "I'll go to sleep."

Jabberwock regarded crossly, "I want to sleep. If you're just going to stay awake and talk, then go bother a guard."
"I'll sleep."

The next day, Jabberwocky ran around frantic to achieve order. Over his absence, reports and papers snuck onto his desks, begging for his attention and eyes, but he used them as scribble paper instead, planning the masquerade instead. At the moment, he lounged in a chair, penning down invitees as Alice allowed a seamstress take her measurements. Chewing the feather at the end of his quill, he muttered, "The regents, their families. The old houses, their families. Who else?"

Alice gasped as the seamstress pulled a corset tight around her, "W-what about Hatter and –OOF!- March?"

Glancing up, Jabberwock gave a small smirk, "Yes… them…" He wrote the names down.

The seamstress tried to inch the corset tighter, but Alice pleaded, "No! No! It's tight enough! Please!"

Sighing, the lady relented and, tying the corset shut, turned to retrieve her measuring tape.

Alice took in a breath as she held out her arms, "What about the guards?"
Jabberwock's head snapped up and he growled, "Why not just the whole of Wonderland, including the blasted Imagineers? Fine, the guards can come, if they want to." He jotted a note down.

The seamstress finished measuring Alice and nodded, "You're finished, milady."
Standing up, Jabberwocky stepped over to be measured. As the lady started timidly, he glanced over at Alice in her corset and smiled, "Now… what do you want to be disguised as?"

"I don't know."

Jabberwock frowned, "No idea?"

"No."
Grabbing the seamstress's chin, forcing her fearful face up, Jabberwock leered, "What can you make for the princess? It must be astonishing and very beautiful, the best only!"

Stammering, the lady stared, "Y-y-yes, sire! I'll make something!"

Jabberwocky released her with a satisfied growl, "Make sure you make it well, or else I'll be very angry."

Glaring at him, Alice fumed, "Don't pick on the lady."

Jabberwock allowed the seamstress to finish measuring before saying, "I think I'll have my costume be black, please, like my others clothes." Turning from the woman, he grabbed up his papers and shuffled them into some kind of flurried order, "Have them done by week's end."
"Yes, sir!" The lady backed out the room.

Reaching back, Alice tried to undo the corset with a grimace, "This thing's uncomfortable."

Jabberwocky glanced over and chuckled. Cheerful, he came over to help her unlace the thing, "Fashion is uncomfortable, Alice. Now come, I have to send off the couriers."

Demeric stood bored atop the gate house, staring over the town in disinterest. It still remained the same as always. His snow flecked cloak fluttered around him, snapping at the light snowflakes and wind. Hearing muffled horse hooves below, he turned to glance down into the courtyard. Several black cards wearing the ornamental banners of the King's messengers pranced around on edgy horses.

One called up to him, "Open the gate!"

Sighing, Demeric trudged to a lever at his right. Pulling it, he heard the gates groan below him and swing open. Calling thanks, the messengers galloped out, taking the main street before branching out in their respective directions. Some headed for the regents' mansions to hand off a masquerade invitation. Some galloped for the old houses' barons and lords with their summons. And one headed for a tea party.