Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind.
A/N: I was repetitive sorry, didn't think to change my message. *face palm* Anyway, one more chapter or two and this is finally done. ^_~
Chapter 12: Friends, Love or Nothing
"I feel like the victim in a horror movie." Alysia slowly flanked Hatter, keeping her eyes close to the direction he was watching. She knew the dangers thanks to her time in Underland, now she would have to be very careful, she would have to put her training to real use.
She wished the Bandersnatch had come with them instead of snorting at their presence before going back to sleep in his spot at the castle doorway. She yelped ducking when all she caught was black flying overhead and landed harshly backward. Hatter had his weapon at the ready and she heard the distinct clang sound of swords hitting together.
Her eyes focused in the dim light cast by the moon, a tall man with long dark hair and a scared face moved against the Hatter. A patch over a severely ruined eye, but she could see his good one seemed effective enough for him to give the Hatter trouble. She rolled out of the path of the pair, seeing the cape snag on a branch before the figure jerked free and sent Hatter sharply backward.
Alysia did not know why, she just knew he was attacking a friend and she caught the sword before Hatter was on the end of the sharp point. His eyes shifting in the darkness found her glaring up at the Knave of hearts while he eases himself over getting his sword.
"Be careful!" Hatter warned seeing she understood whom her enemy was, she caught him blow for blow seeing Hatter regain his footing and weapon.
"Who are you?" Stayne hissed his eyes never faltering from either of his opponents.
Alysia remained silent on her identity forcing him back and ducking as Hatter took over, at least they made a good team and with that, she felt more confident in herself. She watched periodically switching in when Hatter would be caught off guard, she now understood the concerns with Stayne and with that understanding, she let Hatter again in before the noise caught attention of others inside the palace.
"Hatter! Alysia!" Miranna's frightened voice distracted both long enough for Stayne to get a clean swipe at both parties and get back over the wall to safety.
"Flesh wound." Hatter winced catching his arm seeing Alysia holding her side; she glanced at the wound and sighed.
"Same." A raging Bandersnatch that went after the retreating figure, only catching a piece of cape in its mouth before the fiend escaped and with it a snort of distaste, greeted both.
Inside the palace during all the commotion both were taken to by Miranna to be taken care of, Alysia had led the way to her room dragging Hatter with her trying to maintain her sanity while everyone in the palace and some that were within the grounds under sanctuary fretted over the news of Stayne's attack.
The Knave of hearts was very much a real problem and she now understood it very clearly.
Alysia listened to Miranna fret over her side, while seeing Hatter wince at the care given to him by Mctwisp. Both met eyes before each in turn showing their dislike by rolling their eyes, apparently she had rubbed off on him in some aspects. Grinning she gently stopped Miranna's rantings of how she let security slip by touching her hand.
"It wasn't your fault, he came in the way of the tree we discovered and you healed. Stayne knew what he was doing Miranna." The queen stopped worrying long enough to glance over at Hatter, he nodded in confirmation.
"Oh dear, it's getting so much worse Tarrant…what do we do?"
"Worse?" Alysia saw Hatters eyes shift again; she wondered what color they were then.
"Not like we suspected, he was looking to see her progress. We have to be on guard." The riddle of the Hatter was getting on her last nerve; slowly Alysia stood and directed her attention on the three of them in the room other than herself.
"What are you hiding? Hatter why won't any of you tell me?"
Miranna and Mctwisp both knew why, it was clear he liked Alysia's company regardless of the hurt he was suffering through. They knew the idea of a way back would break him; he lost one that way and clearly, whether he admitted it or not he did not want Alysia to leave too.
"If you care it should be told." Miranna softly stated seeing Hatters eyes shift, his dark look did not ease her worries or offer a pleasant reply in turn, for her speaking up.
"No." he stated firmly before standing disregarding Mctwisp's protest to his sudden movement.
"Hatter!" Alysia's tone was one of frustration and distrust; it was enough to break his will again.
"Miranna, don't." he wished he didn't sound so hurt, Alice was gone and even though he couldn't bring himself to admit Miranna may have been right, he didn't want Alysia to leave too.
"I have to Tarrant, it isn't right to deceive even if it is painful." He left the room; he did not answer Alysia's plea to get back or the order to do so.
After he evacuated so quickly Alysia wondered if she did want to know, Absolum had tried and now that she understood the grief it seemed to cause it troubled her. Miranna softly told Mctwisp to find the Hatter before her dark eyes found Alysia's green worried eyes.
"In the Outland there is something that could possibly send you home, Tarrant is worried you won't come back. You have become his friend, he-
"He's afraid I will forget."
Miranna nodded seeing her understanding to the problem. "What is in the Outland that has that kind of power Miranna?" She cringed before glancing out of a window.
"A baby Jabberwocky,"
"The blood of the Jabberwocky is what sent Alice home," Miranna nodded again finding Alysia's gaze. "It is why she forgot for so long."
"Yes, I think the baby will be less potent…you won't forget. You need to decide where you need to be, not where you are forced to be." Alysia got it, because of the idea of being there, forever she had given in to staying to easily and it had alarmed Miranna.
"He doesn't want me to go." Alysia said ignoring the dark gaze on her.
"It can't be his decision, it is that complicated."
Alysia being left with this stayed in her room to stare across Underland, she had some hard decisions to make and tried to clear thoughts of Hatter from her mind. She could not let his past collide with hers; it would not be fair if she truly was not meant to stay.
Hatter never showed on the training field that day, Alysia found his lack of presence disintegrated her need to do so without him. She smiled at the night fight they had last night, they had done so well together and she had finally found herself fond of the mad man. She did not have the need to fear him or dislike him anymore and the decision she had made she knew could change everything.
"Alysia, what are you thinking?" Mallymunkin had given up on training her that day, it was clear she was not going to attempt it without Hatter.
"How much he's been hurt and what will happen after it's all over."
Mallymunkin's eyes hardened, her ears pinning back, as she understood Alysia's words all too well. "We were wrong; you are Alice…all over again." She moved away leaving Alysia; she did not see the sting to the girl's eyes or the regret that lingered at her words.
"SHE CAN WHAT!" Stayne cursed himself for telling Erazabeth anything, this would only make her realize her assassination attempts on the girl had failed and he had done so as well.
"She can fight, Hatter taught her as well as the door mouse." The queen's face was so red, he had to wonder why her giant head just did not explode and save him a headache.
"Off with the entire assassin's heads, every one of them that failed." She snarled before standing her dark expression scaring her servants into trembling and fleeing her wrath. "Gather the army, we attack."
"The baby?"
"It has been found, he is the secret weapon." The red queens' evil smile made him wonder if they would fail again, she had a knack for being over the top.