Note-I know that HBC can sing. She was excellent in Sweeney Todd.

Disclaimer-Not mine.

Chapter Two A Cry In The Dark

Stayne was awakened what seemed like minutes later by a strange, horrible sound. To his poor ears, it sounded like someone was strangling two cats while swinging on a rusty gate. He looked around trying to discover the source of the horrible cacophony. Much to his dismay, he realized that it was Iracebeth. He looked at her, exasperated.

"Must you make that horrid squawking? You sound as though you were dying."

Iracebeth looked at him, a hurt expression on her face. "I was only singing. There's no harm in that, is there?"

Stayne laughed. "Is that what you call it? Well, let me be the first to tell you that your voice could curdle cream. And didn't I tell you to keep your trap shut?"

Iracebeth goggled at him. "Why can't I sing?"

Stayne smiled mischievously. "No you can't. In fact, I beg you to stop. My ears are about to bleed".

He grinned widely at the look of confusion and consternation that came over Iracebeth's face. Every Underlander possessed the knack for twisting words and logic around to suit his or her own purpose. Tarrant and Thackery had been masters of it. Stayne wasn't as adept, but he could still manage every now and then. Plus, he had to admit he got a perverse joy out of tormenting the former Queen.

'Turnabout is fair play,' he thought with satisfaction. He sighed in dismay as he noted the look on her face-one he recognized from having seen it more times than he cared to remember. She was pouting deeply, and her face was starting to turn red. Before she could begin to whinge, Stayne spoke in a flat voice.

"If you start whinging, I promise you will regret it. Do me a favor, and please try to show a little restraint." He rolled his eyes as Iracebeth began to cry loudly.

"Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do?" she sobbed.

Stayne glared at her. "You bought death and destruction. You massacred entire families, destroyed lives, and terrorized the citizens. You forced me to make choices and decisions that I wish I had never been forced to make. You effectively destroyed any hope I had for a life. That, Majesty, is the reason I hate you."

Stung by the vitriol emerging from Stayne's lips, Iracebeth fell silent. Stayne sighed in relief, and shut his eye again, hoping that he would be able to get a decent rest. Unfortunately, he was awoken very soon after by her frantically shaking his shoulder.

"WHAT?!"

"I…I think there's something out here!" Iracebeth said in a small, frightened voice. Stayne sighed.

"There is nothing out here. You are hearing things. Now quit your damned caterwauling and Let. Me. Sleep."

Just at that moment, there was a sound that seemed to come from all points, and shattered the silence-almost as if some large animal had bellowed, whistled and sneezed at the exact same moment. Stayne vaguely recalled the name of the strange noise as 'outgribing'. Iracebeth jumped with fear, and looked wildly around.

"I told you there was something out here!" She whispered frantically.

Stayne sighed. "I doubt it is anything to worry about. So far as I know, the only creature in Underland that makes that noise is a rath, and they're harmless. A bit noisy, and they can certainly spook a person, but it's nothing to be concerned about."

Iracebeth looked confused. "What would a rath be doing out here?"

Stayne rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free hand, sighing tiredly. "How would I know? Perhaps it got lost. Now please, be quiet so I can get some sleep."

Iracebeth frowned, but fell silent. Stayne smiled in relief, and shut his eye. Iracebeth sighed, and then shut her eyes as well. In a few moments, they were both fast asleep. Neither of them noticed the rath that wandered up.

It snuffled about, staring with its little eyes at the two strange creatures that were stretched out under the tree. Suddenly, its ears perked up as it heard a strange noise.

"Bruno! Bruno! Where are you, you damned nuisance?!" The rath-Bruno- gave a snort of shock and took off running. Unfortunately, he tripped over the outstretched legs of Stayne, and fell in a heap.

Stayne, who had been on the verge of falling into a deep sleep, was shocked awake by the rather unpleasant sensation of a rath landing on his legs. He nearly yelped in pain, but somehow managed to stay silent. He looked to his right. Much to his relief, Iracebeth was still sound asleep. He glared at the creature, who was grunting forlornly.

"Get out of here, you stupid beast," he hissed. The rath ignored him. Stayne waved his hand at it frantically.

"Get out!" He was about to give it a push when it suddenly clambered to its feet and ran off. Stayne sighed in relief as the blood rushed back to his legs.

'What on earth was that rath doing out here?' he thought, bewildered. Suddenly, he noted a shadowy figure. In the dim and failing light, it was hard to make out details, but he could tell that it was a person. He watched with mild interest as the person came walking by, pausing at the tree.

Now he could tell that it was a woman, and his breath caught. It may have been a trick of the light, but he could swear he had seen her someplace before. She was tall and shapely, with brownish red hair that tumbled down to her shoulders. She was dressed simply, in a green tunic and brown trousers. On her feet were black boots, and around her waist was a belt of red, with a dagger thrust through it.

The woman looked around, quietly cursing under her breath, and noticed Stayne staring at her.

"Have you seen a rath go by recently?" she asked. Stayne nodded, and pointed in the direction he had seen the creature run off. The woman sighed in frustration, and walked over to where Stayne was sitting. She gestured at the ground.

"Mind if I join you? I really don't feel like chasing that damned animal all over Underland."

Stayne shook his head dumbly, and she smiled. "Thanks".

She sat down, crossed her legs underneath her, and looked sideways at him.

"You're the Knave, aren't you?"

Stayne winced at the title. "My name is Ilosivic Stayne." He replied quietly.

The woman laughed quietly. "If you are worried about the Queen overhearing you, don't. It looks to me as though she could sleep through anything." Stayne looked over at Iracebeth. Sure enough, she was sprawled out on the ground, snoring loudly-dead to the world. He sighed in relief, and then turned his attention to his comrade.

"Might I know your name, Miss?"

The woman smiled. "Lady Alannah Sullivan."

Stayne gaped at her, and his heart began to pound. He was face to face with the woman of his dreams, and chained to the woman of his nightmares.