I was almost literally jumping up and down with anticipation! I couldn't wait for Greer to get here, what was taking so long? Had Greer done something to upset time and now he wouldn't work for either of them?

Or maybe it was I! Have I upset him with my impatience? I looked at the clock, perhaps I had! My mother finished arranging the train of my dress, "Alice, hold still! You're shaking like a leaf on a tree in a wind storm!" She was right. I couldn't seem to stop shaking, I was nervous, fearful, anxious, annoyed, and a mix of many other emotions. My mother moved to my front to adjust me bodice next, my breathing was labored, stupid corset! As she did so the chain around my neck caught her eye.

"Alice dear, what's this?" She began to reach for the chain; before she could I grabbed it and pulled away.

"It's something I got in West Africa!" I lied quickly, she nodded and walked away.

"Would you like some tea dear? Perhaps it would help to calm your nerves." She picked up the tea pot and poured herself some.

"Yes, that might be best."

Someone knocked at the door, it surprised me so greatly that I jumped and stepped back, I stepped on the train and sprawled backwards, I fell right on my bottom. "That must have hurt Miss," I stood up and shook myself off, Greer was smiling like her brother - minus the gap in teeth - and tried her best not to giggle madly. "If you'll excuse us Mrs. Kingsleigh, I must get to work right away." My mother nodded and left the room.

Greer shut the door and walked over to me. She made quick work of the dress, then stretching as she went, she walked to my teacup, "Tell me love, which one is yours?" I pointed to the one closest to her hoping it was the right one. She casually took out the vial and opened the top. Ever so gently she let a few drops fall into my tea. It swirled around in a swirling tornado of purple, finally mixing in with the brown tea and disappearing all together. The few tealeaves that floated near the surface took on a purple color, particularly dark in the veins.

"Be careful love, this is jabberwocky blood directly from the heart, their will be a short ten to fifteen second delay before it takes you away," I nodded, I understood just how tricky Underlandian things could be. Greer picked up her dress making tools and got up to leave. "I'll see you at Mamoreal," she winked and began to leave.

"Greer, stop!" Before she could even touch the doorknob I ran over to her and hugged her with all my might. "Thank you. Sister." I could tell she was surprised by my suddenness but hugged me back.

"You helped save my brother and my beloved land. It is I who should be thanking you champion Alice!" She let go of me, "Your mother is coming," she said simply. She picked up her bag - she must have dropped it when I surprised her - and left the room. My mother and Margaret walked in, both gushing over how I looked. They placed my bouquet in my hands and turned me toward the looking glass. I frowned. What if the Jabberwocky blood didn't work?

"What if the sky caught on fire and your nose fell off?" said a voice in my head.

My mother and sister walked over to the teacups and grabbed them at random. Almost instantly I forgot which one was mine. The tealeaves were nowhere near the surface! How could I tell? I began to panic. I saw a single tealeaf floating on the surface of my mother's cup. She lifted it to her mouth and allowed the liquid to go past her lips and down her throat. Before either Margaret or I knew what had happened, Mother was gone!

"Oh no! It didn't work!" I was hysterical. My mother had just disappeared, and there's no way to get her back! Greer's gone!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Mamoreal * Greer's narration~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stood by the White Queen's side, awaiting the arrival of our champion. "Look there! Something's appearing!" I pointed to the figure slowly appearing. A gray dress began to take shape around a thin, old figure. This wasn't Alice! "It didn't work!" Alice's mother began to appear.

"Oh dear!" Exclaimed the Queen and put a hand to her lips in shock.

"You're Majesty what will we do? Alice will be forced to marry Hamish in a matter of moments!" I turned to the Queen she looked certain of her answer the second I finished.

"Find Tarrant! Drink some Jabberwocky blood and the second it's the right time have him object!"

"Your majesty, there's not enough time t-!"

"Go!" she roared fiercely. Running all the way to the other side of the castle where my brother's workshop was I pounded on the door until he opened. I grabbed his hand and forced him to run to the throne room, explaining the situation as we went. The Queen handed us the Jabberwocky blood and we quickly drank a few drops, leaving just enough for three to return home. "I pray this will work." That was the last thing The White Queen said before we disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~London England * Alice's narration~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Margaret didn't seem to notice Mother was gone. She grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly out the room to the front door. She stood me there and began to fix my dress again. She gave me the bouquet and took my arm, half dragging me down the aisle of concrete. My breathing increased and my eyes became moist.

It had failed. Our plan had failed! I would be trapped here; I would never see Nivins, Mally, Thackery, Mirana, Cheshire and especially Tarrant. My knees buckled and I nearly fell in the grief of never seeing him again. Margaret placed my hand in Hamish's; he pulled me up the last step and turned me so I was facing him.

The priest began, "Dearly beloved, we gather together to bear witness to the union of Alice Kingsleigh and Lord Hamish Ascot. Marriage is an important and holy union between a man and a woman; it is also one of many keys to happiness. Are there any who object to this holy and sacred union?"

No voices came. I looked, trying to find someone who would object on my behalf. Lord Ascot wasn't present. He couldn't save me from the thing I wanted least. And neither Greer nor Tarrant could save me now. I began to cry and just about broke down then and there.

"If there are none, then let us continue." Still no one spoke. "Hamish Ascot, do you-"

Two voices rose up, "Stop!" screamed one and the other with equal volume to their voice shouted, "Nae!" Behind the rose bushes Greer and Tarrant came out. Lady Ascot stood horrified at the sight of Tarrant

" By what authority do you stop this marriage?" She screeched. Greer ran to me and took my hands, a silent plea to come with her, I followed gratefully and for the first time looked her over. Her green eyes were red, her flaming hair still had it's slight curl, but instead of a dress. She wore black and red stripped trousers, a gold shirt, burgundy vest, and a black coat with black buttons and a gold lace trim. Tarrant on the other hand had, a burgundy coat with black laced hand cuffs, a black shirt, blood red vest, black and white stripped pants, Tarrant also had one gold and one white sock. This same scheme was repeated with Greer, but opposite. That is to say where Tarrant had gold on the right her's was on the left, Tarrant didn't have his hat, he must have dropped it or left it at Marmoreal.

I know it sounds odd, but something was off about all of this. Why would they wear so much red? Weren't they loyal to the White Queen?

Greer gave my hand to Tarrant, he pushed me behind his back protectively. "The authority that I have is that Alice and I are already engaged!" The entire assembly gasped and many of the women fainted. There was a lot of murmuring, I had expected Lady Ascot to faint, but she never did. Greer grasped Tarrant's wrist in one hand and my shoulder in the other. "I think its best we leave now," she whispered. I felt a strong chill run down my spine, this doesn't sound good.