I am finally back…I am working on WAY to many stories and they just keep coming! It is maddening. I hope you guys like this update.
Jane woke groggy and in pain. She tried to lift her hand to her head only to find her hands bound. She moaned and rolled to her knees finding her ankles bound as well. The cold stones underneath her were a dull grey mixed with red.
"Wh-where am I?" she muttered.
"Welcome to Salezen Grum, Lady Jane of Overland," came a gruff voice from the darkness. Jane's golden head whipped around to see Ilosivich Stayne step from the shadows. Jane twisted her face in a glare of rage.
"What makes you remotely think that whatever you have planned will even remotely work? My Hatter will find me. The White Queen won't stand for this. I will be freed."
"Because Lady Jane, you may have confidence in your hatter and your queen but it could take weeks to find you and that is long enough for me to break you," Red Queen's voice echoed through the dungeons. Her scepter hit the bars sharply as she stepped into the blood red light of the dungeon.
"And why do you need to break me?" she demanded. "What have I done to you?"
"It's not something you have done. It's something your mother did. She took my monarchy and gave it to my goody two-shoes sister."
"And you hold a grudge with her and her descendants," Jane said, shifting on her knees.
"Indeed," the queen said. "My vengeance will never know its thirst as satiated."
"At least you are poetic," she said with a trace of snarkiness in her voice.
A black gloved hand struck Jane hard across the cheek, knocking her to the floor, "You will address the Queen of Hearts properly," Ilosyvic demanded.
Jane sat back up and spat out the blood from her split lip, "Why should I? Even you attempted to kill her."
"A moment of madness," he explained nonchalantly, "Surely living with the Mad Hatter you, of all people understand this."
"Tarrant has never once attempted to take my life," Jane said, glaring up at him.
"Keep that attitude and I just give it some time," Stayne said stepping back giving Iracabeth room to look Jane over.
"You look just like your mother," she said with a hint of disgust.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Jane replied with a smirk.
"You insolent little brat," she hissed lifting Jane's chin roughly with the end of her scepter. "I am the RIGHTFUL Queen of Underland and you will address me and RESPECT ME Properly!"
"I respect the True Queen of Underland, not her destructive sister," Jane snarled, "I am the White Knight and I shall not break, no matter what you do to me. I am loyal to death to my Queen."
Her reward was a violent shot to her jaw with the golden scepter and the sharp rubies sliced into Jane's smooth pale skin drawing ruby blood to the surface.
Jane wiped at her cheek with her shoulder, staining the pure white cloth of her dress. She gave a dark glare at the Iracabeth.
"That is not helping your case," Jane said darkly.
"I don't suppose you have much say in the matter now do you, White knight," Iracabeth spat, "Do as you will, Stayne."
With that she stormed from the dungeon her heels clicking sharply as she stomped the stone. Jane glanced up at the man assigned to torture her into submission and gave a dark glare.
000
Tarrant and the Bandersnatch were at the front of the army marching forcefully across Underland to Salezen Grum. The Hatter's eyes hadn't changed from their enraged amber since discovering Jane's kidnapping.
All of the guards following him were wary of his wrath. They all knew how volatile Tarrant could be when angered and none of them wanted the brunt of his wrath brought down on them. Best to save it for where it was supposed to be aimed. Toward the Red Queen and her minions. Even little Mally, usually the only to brave Tarrant's stormy rage, kept her distance and stayed on the Bandy.
The great Bandersnatch was the bravest walking equally enraged (but not mentally dangerous) as the Hatter. His eyes were pinched near closed in anger and his hair along his back was spiked in fury. Mally had a paw on her hatpin and a strong anger in her little brown eyes, she had a small suite of armor on made special for her and was ready to find her friend.
It was war all over again. Only this time they didn't have a champion, they were going to save her. None of them were happy about it and they all vowed to their queen they wouldn't return until they had Lady Jane home safe again.
"I am coming, Janey," growled Tarrant, "We'll get you back and take out the Bloody Red Queen."
I hope you guys like it!
Windwolf1988: I am glad you like it so far.