I love people that review my story! *Gives them an imaginary cookie, a hat, and a cup of tea* And I am sorry my chapters are so short; I'm working on a schedule here.

Chapter 8: The Queen

The Queen stared off into the distance, thinking about what the caterpillar had just told her. She didn't need the reminder; she'd already seen it coming. After the King had died, Absalom had shown her the Oraculum for the first time. She was at first furious that he hadn't shown her before it happen-she could have stopped the death from coming. But Absalom reminded her that you can't change the future if you see what the outcome is.

And now, the Queen pondered over the most recent event that would happen: her death. It wasn't like she was scared of it now anyway. Her husband was dead and her eldest daughter was a tyrant, broken beyond repair. The Queen's only hope lay now with her youngest daughter.

The Queen knew what would happen in the future, she had been a wreck for days about it. But she knew there was nothing she could do. The only thing that she now wanted was her husband…

"Mother? Mother? MOTHER! Wake up! Please, wake UP!"

Mirana stared, horrified, at her mother's unmoving form in her bed. "Please… don't do this to me, Mother…"

The funeral was held two days later. Everyone in Underland came. The doctors had confirmed she had died in her sleep, from "natural causes," but Mirana knew that the Queen had died of a broken heart.

Mirana cried as the casket was lowered into the ground, but Iracebeth stood by stiffly, without any expression on her face. Inwardly, Iracebeth was dancing. Now she could finally be Queen! Oh, how she would change Underland…

Mirana suddenly felt someone squeezing her hand gently. Turning around, she saw Tarrant staring back at her with a sad smile on his face. "It'll be alright, Mirana," he whispered.

"I hope so, Tarrant," she replied through tears. "I just wonder what her advisers are doing to decide who should be Queen next."

The Queen had had a set of advisers that would help her out when she had hard decisions. Right now, the advisers were debating about whether to give the crown to Mirana or Iracebeth. Everyone wanted to give the crown to Mirana so far. But in the Underland tradition, the older sibling usually got the crown. So the advisers did something that had never been done before, and probably would never be done again: they held a voting ballot in Underland.

Everyone in Underland voted. And the unanimous result was: Mirana.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

Iracebeth screamed again in frustration. With her sword, she decapitated another dummy.

"It's not FAIR!" she screamed. "AAAAAAAAHHHH!"

"Now, now, I wouldn't get that mad if my sister took over my kingdom…"

Iracebeth turned and saw the Jabberwocky watching her, greatly amused. "You humans have very odd ways of showing emotions," he continued.

"Oh, shut up. I don't need this wight now," Iracebeth glared at him.

"Well, I just get bored staying in one place all the time. I like to stretch my wings," the Jabberwocky replied.

Iracebeth ignored this and continued to decapitate more dummies.

Meanwhile, in the castle of Crims, Mirana was taking a break in her bedroom for the first time. The past week had been quite busy: She had been talking to all sorts of people from all over Underland, and she was asked if she had wanted to redecorate the castle (she said no), and… and… oh, it was all too much for a girl of only sixteen. Mirana lay down on her bed and sighed.

"Your Majesty." Chessur appeared at her side.

"Hello, Chess. Please, don't call me 'your Majesty.' I've had enough of that today. It's all too much to handle."

"I just wanted to drop in and say hello. I am terribly sorry this is all being forced on you like this."

"Not your fault, Chess. I just wish Mother was still here." Mirana felt the tears rush to her eyes again.

"Come now, Mirana, it'll soon pass," Chessur soothed. "I'm sure you'll be a great Queen, just as your mother was."

Mirana sniffled. "I hope so, Chessur. I hope so…"

That night was a fitful slumber for both Mirana and Iracebeth.

Mirana was now sleeping in the Queen's old chambers, and it was very uncomfortable to sleep in the bed her mother had died in. She had a lot on her mind, and she didn't think she could handle it all. No one should have to ever bear this, she thought. She rolled over and cried softly, crying for herself and her mother and her father.

Iracebeth, however, was not crying. She was tossing and turning angrily. She wanted that crown more than anything, and when the perfect opportunity had come, Mirana and Underland had taken it away from her. Just like that!

"Ooh, I'll make you pay, wittle sista," she whispered, her eyes glowing with hatred and malice. "I'll make you ALL pay!"

She just didn't know how to do it… yet.

Yes, this was short too. Don't worry though; longer (and sadder, sorry) chapters are on the way. Hang in there readers!

*Becca*