Chapter Fifteen Stolen Treasure

Stayne walked through the halls of Marmoreal, looking for Tarrant. He had left Alannah sleeping, and now he needed to find and make it clear to the Hatter that Alannah was his. He passed by a closed door, and paused as he heard voices. Quickly recognizing Tarrant's voice, he stopped and listened.

"But Alice, I never realized that I was causing any harm. I was merely trying to be friendly to Miss Alannah. It is not my fault that Stayne cannot take a joke. After all, I do not get mad when you and Thackery hold a conversation without me," Tarrant said in confusion.

Stayne sighed at Tarrant's mad logic, and then carefully knocked on the door. Alice opened it, and looked at Stayne. "Been standing there long? You had best come in, and then the matter can be resolved much quicker."

Stayne looked at her guiltily, and then stepped into the room.

He sighed, and looked at Tarrant. "Tarrant, I realize now you were only trying to be friendly. But that didn't stop me from being rather jealous at first. I saw you talking to her, and…" he sighed deeply, collapsing onto a chair. Alice smiled at him in understanding.

"You must love her very much, Stayne."

Stayne nodded. "I do. She gave me back my soul. She is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."

Alice smiled, and then looked at him with a serious expression. "Do you trust her?"

Stayne gaped at Alice. "Of course I trust her! She's…never given me any reason not to", he finished in an awed voice. He looked at Alice, who nodded. "You know, Alice, I think your Overland logic works quite well sometimes."

Alice laughed. "Thank you, Stayne. Now, you must tell us how you two met."

Tarrant's eyes lit up. "Oh, I love a good story. Please do tell one, Stayne."

Stayne smiled softly. "I first noticed Alannah when she performed at the Red Queen's Masquerade Ball…"

Alannah walked through the Gardens, drinking in all the beautiful flowers. She had awoken earlier to find Stayne missing, and at first had been nearly sick with worry. But upon going downstairs, she had been informed by Mirana that Stayne had come down earlier looking for Tarrant. Alannah was quite alarmed by the news until Mirana assured her that he was merely trying to make amends for that morning.

She stopped at one of the beds, and bent down to smell the rose in the middle. Much to her surprise, the rose pulled back and looked at her. "Well! Did you ever see such impertinence? How would you like it if I went around smelling you?"

Alannah smiled. "I am very sorry if I offended you. But you have such a lovely fragrance that I could not help but smell it."

The Rose smiled. "Well, dear I guess there was no real harm done. I do have a lovely fragrance, don't I? And my petals, what do you make of them?"

Alannah gently stroked the Rose's petals. "They are exquisite petals, madam. I have never seen a lovelier rose."

The Rose smiled. "Thank you. Now, about your petals…they seem a bit brown. Perhaps you should be watered a bit more. Your color is quite nice, though."

Alannah nodded seriously. "I shall try to make my petals a bit more presentable."

She bowed to the Rose, and then walked on, chuckling quietly under her breath. "Bloody conceited flowers."

She reached the middle of the garden and sat under a large tree, humming softly to herself, and listening to the buzz of the rocking horse flies. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. She never noticed the shadowy figure watching her from behind a wall.

Lord Maxwell crouched behind the garden wall, gazing at Alannah as she drifted off to sleep. He smiled wickedly at her, and whispered to himself. "Mine, all mine. I am her suitor, which makes her mine. She thinks she can just toss me aside for that Knave, but she is wrong." He turned at the sound of footsteps, and smiled at the owner. "Well, Jeffrey-did you get what I asked?"

Jeffrey nodded an expression of guilt and shame on his face. "I did, but I wish I never had to. I may have worked for you once, but…"

"But you did not want the Queen to know about…other things. Such as the fact you seem to always acquire certain… items of great value?"

Jeffrey hung his head, and Maxwell grinned wickedly. He held out his hand, and Jeffrey placed a small vial in it. The vial was filled with a clear blue liquid. Maxwell tilted it. "Will this work?"

Jeffrey nodded. "It's got Dormouse fur, a sliver of Gryphon feather, and two teaspoons of dream logic. It should put her to sleep for a few hours."

"Long enough for me to get away." He slowly approached Alannah, and silently knelt in front of her. Her mouth was slightly open as she slept, and Maxwell quickly uncapped the vial and forced it between her lips.

Alannah's eyes shot open as the cold liquid sloshed down her throat, and she stiffened in terror at the sight before her. She opened her mouth to scream, but then the potion took affect, and she slumped in a heap.

Maxwell grinned, then gathered her in his arms and quickly carried her outside the walls of the palace, where a carriage sat waiting. He quickly opened the door and shoved Alannah in. A coil of rope lay on the seat next to her.

Taking a length of rope, Maxwell tied her hands and feet, then gagged her with his handkerchief. "Just want to make sure you stay secure. Don't want you waking up and trying to escape."

He finished tying, and then began to climb onto the seat. Suddenly he paused, and smiled wickedly. He pulled a piece of paper and a small pen out of his pocket, and quickly composed a note. He hopped down from the seat and walked to the front door. His knock was answered by an old man dressed in white. "Yes, Sir?"

Maxwell held out the note. "I understand that the Knave of Hearts is here. Could you please see that he gets this?"

The man bowed. "Shall I give a name, Sir?"

Maxwell shook his head. "That will not be necessary."

"Very good, Sir." The butler closed the door, and Maxwell smiled wickedly, walked back to the carriage and drove quickly off.

Meanwhile, Stayne was beginning to get very worried. He had been looking for Alannah for what seemed like hours, and no one he spoke to had seen her. One of the servants had said he saw her in the garden. Stayne had gone there only to find it deserted, and the flowers weren't any help.

Now, he stood in the main hall, pacing back and forth in worry and frustration. Mirana and Alice watched him, concerned expressions on their faces. Alice spoke up. "Did you check the library?" She winced as Stayne turned his gaze on her.

"Yes. I checked the library, the throne room, the kitchens, the garden, the ballroom. I checked everywhere. I cannot find her!"

They turned at the sound of footsteps, watching as the butler walked into the room. He approached Stayne, and bowed.

"Pardon me Sir, but I was asked to give you this." He held out the note, and Stayne took it, bewildered.

Stayne opened the note, and he moaned in fear at the contents. "Oh no."

He staggered, his back hitting the wall. "No, no. He…Oh Time!" He shut his eye, fighting the urge to scream. The note fell from his fingers, and Alice bent down and picked it up.

'I have stolen a great treasure. It is a very precious item, and I am certain you are going to miss it terribly. But it was mine first. I am merely reclaiming what was mine.'

Alice looked at Stayne in slight confusion. "This note seems to have some meaning for you."

Stayne shook with anger. "It does. It means that Alannah is in danger from an old…suitor of hers."

Mirana looked serious. "How much danger?"

Stayne laughed bitterly. "She could die." The laugh turned into a strangled sob, and he sank to the floor. "She…could…die." He moaned and buried his head in his hands.

Mirana spoke seriously. "Then we must do all we can to find her. I shall send out search parties immediately. Alice, you and Tarrant will be in charge of that. Stayne?"

Stayne looked at her, a dull expression on his face. "Yes?"

"Would Alannah have gone willingly with this man?"

Stayne shook his head vehemently. "Never. He would have to take her by force. It's the only way she would have gone anywhere with him."

Mirana looked grim, and then turned to Alice. "Go to the kitchens and tell me if a vial filled with a clear blue liquid is in the potions cupboard, please."

Alice ran down the hall. She retuned a few moments later, shaking her head. "No, Majesty. There was no vial like the one you described. What was the potion?"

"One of my more powerful sleeping draughts. That must have been how he managed."

She knelt in front of Stayne, and clasped his hand in hers. "We will find her. I promise you."

Stayne looked at Mirana. "And if we find her dead, what then? What do I do then? If I lose her…" he choked on a sob. "I can't lose her."

Mirana shook her head. "You won't. But the sooner we start figuring out a way to get her back, the better."