The next morning, back at the capitol, Hatter stalked down one of the castle's halls, hands clasped behind his back in thought as he mindlessly wandered the fortress's corridors. His thoughts ranged from the masquerade to Alice to Lily then to the masque. His costume took a long time to spruce up, but he succeeded, and now he took a much-needed break. It now lay in his room, ready for dancing. He wondered how March fared at his family's Yule reunion. So engrossed he delved into his thoughts that he smacked into Jabberwocky.

The black skin ran with sweat and Jabberwock's eyes watered in worry. Obviously, he hadn't noticed Hatter either. Staring down at him, he muttered, "I was just coming to get you."

Hatter pushed his thoughts away and replaced them with nothing, "Yes, sir?"

" Alice is sick." Pacing in front of his general, Jabberwocky rasped some curses in the Shadowland language before turning almost teary eyes to Hatter, "It's bad. You know medicine."

Hatter eyed him cautiously, "How bad?"

"She's hallucinating. A fever too. I can't go in there without wanting to eat her."

Eyes widening, sullen attitude retreating, Hatter nodded hurriedly, "Give me ten minutes." He turned and ran for his rooms. He'd salvage his supply cabinet and go back to his thoughts later.

Alice lay on the bed in her darkened room, the maid attending her patting her burning forehead with a moist cloth. Eyes switching from empty space to empty space, she saw things nonexistent, oblivious to the real world.

Hatter set his bag on the table, scanning her limp body grimly. Fever, hallucinations… Curse it! Only a few things would cure that in a day; only a few things that would heal her in time for the day after tomorrow's masquerade! Pulling out a jar of the profian plant's red leaves, he bit his lip. Profian… or balsha? Or both? Yes, both. He pulled out a vial of balsha extract and set it down next to his bag as he dug out a mortar and pestle.

The maid glanced at the profian leaves and shuddered, "Isn't profian poisonous?"

"The berries are, but not the leaves." Grinding the leaves furiously, he added a few drops of the extract, ground again, and then glanced down to check the consistency of the mixture. He turned his eyes slowly to the maid, "Has she been able to keep anything down?"

"No, sir… Well, she doesn't want to swallow anything, sir. She fights when I try to put stuff in her mouth."
Hatter licked his pale lips as he gazed at Alice with his shadowlander eye turning a jade. Sickness permeated Alice's head, but not her stomach. She'd be able to keep this paste down. Calmly, he knelt on the bed. He took a deep breath before placing himself over Alice, a knee on both sides of her body, his weight lightly pressuring her abdomen. Hatter leaned forward and tried to open her mouth. Alice squirmed as her fevered dreams broke. Glancing over his shoulder as Alice's hands pushed his away, he growled, "Will you please help me?"

The maid nodded hastily and held Alice's arms down.

Trying again, Hatter forced her lips apart with one hand as the other strayed up to transfer the medicine from the mortar to her mouth.

Alice gagged, tried to spit it out, but Hatter clamped her mouth shut and whispered with eyes aglitter, " Alice, swallow the bliddy stuff! I want to dance with you and I can't bliddy do it if you're sick!"

Swallowing, Alice fell limp under him, and Hatter checked her with his eye, seeing her body temperature go from erratic to more streamlined colors and shapes. If she still lay sick tonight, he would be surprise. Silently, he willed himself to lift himself off of her and staggered out of the room after ranging his things.

As soon as he left the room, Jabberwock cornered him, "How was she?"

"She'll be fine with the medicine I gave her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."
Sighing with relief, Jabberwock stepped away, "Thank you, Hatter."

Hatter turned away and muttered, "Don't thank me." Quietly, he walked away.

Alice blinked to consciousness six hours later, head aching, stomach clawing at her insides with hunger. Weak, she shoved off her covers and stumbled across the floor to the closed door. It took a few moments for her to become oriented enough to grasp the knob and open the door, but she succeeded.

Jabberwocky glanced up from his book, eyes widening in relieved surprise, " Alice!" He stood instantly at her nice and embraced her warmly, "Are you okay? Anything you need?"

Her faint voice barely made its way out, "Hungry…"

"Oh, yes, yes! That's fine!" Leaving her, Jabberwock yanked open the door and called, "Guard!"

A few seconds passed before a black card appeared, saluting, "Yes?"

Jabberwocky smiled, "Bring Alice some soup, please. Nothing strong."

"Yes, sir." The card slipped away.

Turning back to Alice as he closed the door, Jabberwock grinned cheerfully, How do you feel?"

"Sick," Alice groaned, "But lots better than I was."
Eyes burning to a brilliant green, Jabberwocky eyed her, "I don't see much sickness in you anymore. You'll be able to attend the masquerade, certainly."

"Uh…"

"You have Hatter to thank."

"Hatter?"

Jabberwock nodded, "He gave you some medicine."

Frowning, Alice flinched as she remembered some of the images that paraded through her head that morning.

" Alice… you're imagining."
"Oh… sorry…"

The rest of the day passed quickly, as did the next morning and afternoon. The evening of the second day brought March back to the castle, hyperventilating excited. Alice felt much better, good enough to greet him warmly. And then, the day of the masquerade arrived.

The morning started off with Alice's quick review of the waltz, the minuet, and the tango under Jabberwock's critiquing eye. Deeming her passable, he told her to wander about the castle as he made last minute preparations and to be sure to return two hours before the masque so she could get ready.

She first tried Hatter's room, who again refused to come out, than March. Success prevailed, in an odd sort of way.

Trailing after the gray-furred, long-eared general, she asked, "Where are we going?"

Chuckling, March answered, "The walls. The soldier's morale always falls with the snow, so I figured I sneak them out some wine." He patted the satchel at his side, "They'll have Alice and wine. It'll be wonderful! They absolutely adore you, you know. You'll be the most sought out maiden tonight!"
Alice blushed, "You're not going to ask me to dance, are you?"

"Ah… no. Hatter's going to steal you away, if you don't mind." March started up the steps to the battlements.

Following him, Alice complained, "But I only know three dances!"

"Enough for him to dance with you, certainly. Personally, I detest dancing, so, if you need me, I'll be by the punch bowl, drinking my heart out." He paused, then muttered, "Absolutely no liquor for Hats, that's for sure."

"What is he wearing?"

March laughed, "Red, velvet monstrosity! But that's all I'll say. Other than that, he pretty excited about dancing with you."

Groaning, Alice wondered if she could avoid dancing at the masque.