Fit the Thirteenth: The Upshot
All the denizens of Marmoreal climbed to the highest windows and turrets to see the triumphal sight of the hunters returning, bearing aloft a cage containing a creature so strange they knew in an instant it must be a Snark.
Being tugged along behind them, securely bound in ropes and carrying herself with a hostile dignity, came Mag. She was to be imprisoned until Queen Mirana was well, and then she would decide what to do with her.
All the Queen's cooks carried the creature off to the kitchen. An hour later, word was sent around that there would be a feast in the dining hall, Snark salad for all.
The dining hall was bedecked in bright candles and crystals. The White Queen had been led into the room dressed in a resplendent white gown. She sat at the head of the largest table, staring blankly. Servants brought in the salads, laying them out at each seat along with wine glasses and bread rolls. The hunters, as the guests of honor, were seated at the same table as the Queen. This was all arranged by a somewhat manic White Rabbit.
When all the guests were seated, one of Mirana's personal servants took up a forkful of salad, making sure to get a good chunk of the medicinal Snark meat, and fed it to her.
Everyone looked on breathlessly as the Queen swallowed one forkful of Snark salad, then two. Then three. Then she began to chew on her own. She chewed slowly, thoroughly, then swallowed. She looked around the dining hall, then a smile broke over her face. "A party! How delightful. Who's birthday is it?"
After the feast, the Queen's advisers explained to her what had happened: the poisonous spell, Mag's treachery, and her motive. Mirana listened carefully, and then nodded. "Let me talk to her."
Guards led the way to the tower where Mag had been locked away. They opened the door and Mirana went inside, followed by Alice and Tarrant.
The room was empty.
"No!" Alice looked around, trying to think if there were any place for the prisoner to hide or any way she could have escaped.
Then she looked to the window. The shutters were open. "She must have had some more potion on her. She must have turned herself into a bird again and flown away."
Mirana fluttered to the window, opened the shutters wider, and looked out over her kingdom. "Perhaps it is for the best. Let it be. If she returns, we shall deal with her then, and if she does not return, we are rid of her." She closed the shutters and drifted out of the room.
The Hatter followed her, nodding at the wisdom of his queen.
Alice was still uncertain. She didn't like the idea of not knowing the whereabouts of someone who tried to kill her. But if Mirana, who had suffered far more at Mag's hands than she had, could accept such an outcome it was hardly decorous for Alice to argue.
And she too left the tower.
The garden was awash in white wisteria. Alice wore a white gown of the lightest silk that drifted around her as she walked down the path. The guests stood as if in salute as she passed. Tarrant, dressed in a suit of the finest blue, walked toward her from the other direction.
They met in the center of the garden. Queen Mirana, waiting there, smiled indulgently at both of them. "Alice Kingsley, is it your sincere wish to be wed to Tarrant Hightopp?"
Alice took a deep breath to steady the fluttering of her heart and looked at Tarrant. "Yes."
"Tarrant Hightopp, is it your sincere wish to be wed to Alice Kingsley?"
"It is," he confirmed, gazing at Alice.
"Frabjous!" Mirana clapped in delight. "So be it! Before your Queen and all of Underland, you are wed."
"Hurrah!" shouted the guests in unison.
Alice blinked. "Is that all? That's all it takes to be married in Underland?"
Mirana smiled questioningly. "What more do you need?"
"I don't know. In England it is customary to tell the groom he may kiss the bride."
"And does the bride consent to the kiss?"
"Not that I recall," Alice admitted. "But I should hope she would, or it's not much of a marriage."
Mirana laughed, as did many of the guests within earshot. "You are wife and husband now; you may do as you please."
Alice turned back to Tarrant. "What would you like to do now, my dear Hatter?"
"Would you care to dance with me, my darling Alice?"
"I would care for that very much."
"Wondrous idea." the Queen turned to the band. "Musicians, let us have some music to dance to. I believe on a day such as this the happy groom may treat us to a futterwacken!"
The Cheshire Cat, in his grand happiness, smiled so brightly all that could be seen of him was his smile.
The End