Fit the Tenth: The Letter
Even after the potion wore off and Mag returned to her regular size and form, she refused to speak. She sat in her place in the storage room staring impassively past her guards.
"Why'd you do it, then?" Tweedledee asked her.
"You tried to 'ave Miss Alice off and go dead," added Tweedledum.
"Why'd you try to have Miss Alice go dead?"
They had been interrogating her thusly for several minutes and it had been Thackery's turn before theirs. Pepper and a guard of geese looked on.
Alice and Tarrant entered suddenly, Alice carrying a much blackened roll of paper.
Mag's eyes flicked up when they entered, but her face betrayed no emotion.
"Revenge," Alice stated. "She did it for revenge."
"Revenge?" Ellieita asked. "Whatever for? What had you ever done to her?"
"She is also the culprit in the poisoning of our dear Queen," the Hatter added.
Pepper gasped. "You? You, Mag, poisoned Queen Mirana?"
"Here, read this," Alice said, handing him the letter.
The captain unrolled the scroll and cleared his throat.
"'Brother Dearest of my heart,
I hope this letter finds you well,
As well at least as matters are
Until we break Mirana's spell.
You may at least have half the calm
Of knowing Alice will soon be dead
Searching for the White Queen's balm
In this forsaken isle of dread.
The White Queen's Hatter will suffer too,
Don't worry yourself on that,
For the injustice bestowed on you
To conclude their petty spat.
And then I'll deal with the Bloody Queen,
(Let her read over your shoulder, or shout it in her ear.)
And let the chips fall where I mean,
And I'll see you soon, my own. See you soon, my brother dear.'"
"The Knave of Hearts, Ilosovic Stayne, is your brother," Alice said, addressing Mag. "That is why you poisoned Mirana and left me to die in the pit, and I suppose you had some similar end in mind for Tarrant, the three people you hold responsible for exiling your brother with the Red Queen."
Mag's eyes lifted to hers. "Ilosovic is my brother. That is true. We are all each other have, and I have always looked out for him."
"You also wrote the letter entered as evidence at the trial of who stole the tarts from the Queen of Hearts so many years ago," Tarrant accused.
"I don't deny it. When my brother went to work at the castle, I kept watch over him to make sure he did not lose his head. I communicated with him in letters. I was terrified for his life when he became a favorite of the Bloody Big Head, with how fragile her good graces were known to be. He did what he had to do to keep his head on his shoulders, and for that your precious Mirana condemned him to such a horrid fate as being chained to that vile Iracebeth for as long as they both shall live. And yes, you and the Hatter are to blame as well." Her head tilted, shifting her eerie ravenous gaze to Tarrant. "But I had no designs for his death. Why would I bother, when it's plain as daylight he's so in love with you that your loss would hurt him more deeply than a thousand Jabberwock teeth? Convenient, that. Cut down my work by a quarter."
"Ay, it would have," Tarrant agreed. "But you failed. Alice is still here."
"Yes, alas, but Mirana is gone."
"And when we find the Snark, we will save her too."
Mag smirked. "You really believe in Snarks? Have any of you ever seen one? There's no such creature." Her eyes shifted back to Alice. "You will find no Snarks here; only Boojums."
"What do you mean there's no such thing as Snarks?" Pepper exclaimed. "All the oldest texts assure us they go very well with greens."
"There are no Snarks. I have said it thrice: whatever I tell you three times is true."
"That's impossible!" Pepper squealed. "If there is no Snark, how shall we cure the Queen?"
"How indeed?" Mag said smugly.
Alice turned on her heels and left the makeshift cell in an instant.
Tarrant followed her.
"She's lying, but we won't get the truth from her. There will be no reasoning with her," Alice said. "We have foiled her revenge against us, and she will do whatever she can to make sure she won't be cheated of the revenge she has already taken against Mirana."
"If she is lying, then there are Snarks. And if there are Snarks, we shall find one, my dear."
Alice turned toward him and her anger and frustration ebbed. "Was it true what she said?" she asked softly. "Do you really love me quite so much?"
Tarrant didn't know how to answer. He looked at his gloved hand and let it open and close for no reason. There were advantages to being mad.
Alice nodded to herself, letting a tired smile part her lips. "Because if so we definitely have some details to work out."
He wasn't sure if she was proposing marriage or telling him to, but either way he smiled.
"In the meantime we should call a meeting of the hunters."