"I'd do anything just to hold you in my arms; to try and make you laugh. Somehow I can't put you in the past."—I'd Do Anything, Simple Plan
'I have 20 quarters, I have 20 quarters, that's a lot of quarters, and my mommy has 20 quarters…" Ok, don't ask.
So today, I looking at the Halloween Store for stuff for my Ladybug costume (because I'll be dressing up for Halloween as long as I live) and I saw wigs for Alice in Wonderland costumes. They looked so fake that I laughed! 'Her Majesty's White Wig' was a funny title….it made me thing Mirana wore a wig all the time…lol, so here we go
Happy Reading, lil' buddies
Marvelous Mirana
Mirana of Marmoreal, 24 years old (Where'd Time go? Oh right, he was taking a jog…)
I walked through the castle grounds with my 'new' inner court, looking at the trees. They didn't see as happy as usual; their leaves were drooping slightly. I turned lightly to look at Laura, and pointed slightly.
"The trees seem sad. Have you been speaking to them?" She nodded, uttering a 'Yes, Majesty.' I twitched my fingers in agitation. She knew that I was a little annoyed and back away one step. "Perhaps a bit more…kindly?" I suggested. She nodded, and I turned away. Oh my, here comes Bayard!
"Would you all excuse me for a moment? Thank you." I began to walk down the walkway, glancing over my shoulders to make sure they were gone. Once I was positive, I dropped my hands, picked up my skirts, and ran to the incoming dog. We met in the middle and I fell to my knees. "What news, Bayard?"
"Alice has returned to Underland." Hope welled in my heart as I looked into the horizon.
"Where is she now?"
"In Salazen Grum," he informed me, "Forgive me. I allowed her to divert from her destined path."
"No, no, no, no but that is exactly where she'll find the Vorpal Sword," I interrupted him, gently stroking his face. "We have our Champion. Rest now, you've done well!" He dropped so that he was laying his head on my dress. I petted the top of his head again, smiling since at least one of my friends had returned.
Mere days later, as I sat in my throne room, entered Alice herself. She carried in her hands the Vorpal sword itself as if it was the most precious thing in the world. She walked up the few stairs that led to where I was, and I stood, saying, "Welcome to Marmoreal." Excitement couldn't drag me away from making a proper welcoming.
"Believe this belongs to you," she said, smiling. She handed me the sword, and I flipped it vertically. I ran my hand down the blade and smiled, thinking of what the Frabjous Day would bring. I sighed, opening my eyes and putting it down horizontally again. I turned and placed it in the outstretched hands of the Champions Armor behind me.
"The Vorpal sword is home again," I announced. "The armor is complete." I turned around and gazed at the young girls face. "Now all we need," I said, hinting to her, "is a Champion." She didn't get my little suggestion. I suddenly noticed her size and hinted again, "You're a bit taller than I thought you'd be."
"Blame it on too much Upelkuchen." Ahhhh, Upelkuchen would account for it.
"Oh." I glanced at the ground and thought about Pishalver. I hope I still remember the recipe… "Come with me," I said, giving her my hand to take. She grasped it, and we began our walk to the kitchen.
"Are you the White Queen?" she asked me gently.
"Yes, of course! But please, cal me Mirana when we're alone, alright?" She nodded, and I let go of her hand as I smelled the spices from the kitchen. I walked in the door and immediately ducked, narrowly missing a ladle full of soup.
"Is the March Hare here?" asked Alice.
"Gaye!" He shouted, answering in a thick Outlandish accent. "Ye're late fer yer soup, ye ere buzzum!" I was about to scold him for using such words in a place where food was prepared, but Alice said something that I wish she hadn't.
"Could use some salt," she muttered, tasting a finger-full of the goopy liquid. The Hare responded accordingly, throwing a salt shaker in her direction (which she ducked) making it hit the wall. She then joined me at my potion table, kneeling in front of it. My hands flitted over every ingredient.
"Ahhhh, Pishalver…what do we need? A pinch of worm fat, urine of the horsefly," her face scrunched in disgust and I smiled, wait until she heard the next ingredient. "Buttered fingers," I said slyly. I picked one up and smelled it foolishly. My face contorted and I made an odd sound that came from my throat. "My sista preferred to study…Dominion of the Living Things," I said, sort of ashamed. "Tell me," I said, grinding a powder, "how does she seem to you?" How do I seem to you? We were basically the same person in two different forms. I almost didn't want Alice to answer that one.
"Perfectly horrid." Oh, terrific. I didn't let this bother me, though, and moved to my next question.
"And her…head?" I gestured to my head, only about three times larger.
"Bulbous." I wanted to laugh at that. Her head was always huge, but we never spoke of it. I confided in her something I never told anyone. Not even Tarrant.
"I think she may have some kind of growth in there, something pressing on her brain. Three coins from a dead man's pocket. Two teaspoons of wishful," I added one teaspoon, "thinking," I added the other.
"You can't imagine the kinds of things that go on in that place." This froze me so suddenly I nearly dropped the knife I was holding. I pictured exactly what was happening in there- beheadings, torture, misery, slavery. I felt the weight of the knife in my hand and nearly chopped off my hand in a moment of bloodlust.
"Oh yes, I can," I nearly whispered. Her eyebrows furrowed the slightest bit, and I realized I'd frightened her. I gently placed the knife on the table (trading it for a wooden spoon) and said in a happy tone, "But, when the Champion steps forth to slay the Jabberwocky, the people will rise against her." I spit into the concoction before me and wiped my lips. "That should do it!" I picked the little cauldron off the fire. That fire cooled things, burned others, and kept the rest the same. It was my favorite and oldest one. I poured the liquid onto the spoon and held it to her mouth. "Blow," I instructed. She did so, and drank the contents. She downed it rather well, considering it was terrible tasting thing. She stood, obviously used to changing size, and shrunk down. She, fortunately, held her dress up to her body. Her final height was only inches shorter than my own. "Fell better?" I asked. She must've grown tired of being so tall.
"Much, thank you." So polite…
"There's someone here who would like to speak with you," I told her. Absolem, of course, was going to try and subtly convince the girl to be our Champion, as she was still undecided. I took her hand and led her out into the hall. We'd need to get her some real clothes, not curtains from my sister's castle.
"Now, let's find you some clothes. I'm sure we can find something in my room. What color do you prefer?" She pondered this for a moment then answered.
"Blue," she decided. I smiled and made my way to my chambers. Once inside, I shut and locked the door and walked towards my closet. I opened the door and looked through the mess of white dresses and nightgowns. In the back, I found a little blue traveling dress. I pulled the slip of a thing out and handed it to her.
"Is this alright?" She smiled politely and nodded. I pointed her in the direction of a changing area, and she switched clothes quickly.
"This is beautiful. Thank you."
"It's nothing. You can keep it; I doubt I'll be wearing it any time soon." She, again, nodded her head, and I led her to the gardens where Absolem was waiting.
I sat in my room on the bed and glanced around at everything- white upon white upon white upon white and so on and so forth. I wanted cry out in frustration. My last hope was slipping through my fingers- Alice. Nobody likes to hear something is their last hope. It means that if that doesn't work, there's nothing left. And there will be nothing left if Alice doesn't step up. I ran my fingers over the bedspread and clenched it in a fist, taking a deep breath.
"Tarrant, please come home soon…" I whispered to myself.
"Excuse me?" said a voice behind me. I jumped up and spun around, seeing a blue and purple cat.
"Chessur Cat! You must stop that!" He grinned his famous grin and lay on my bed. I excused myself and changed into a nightgown, as it was rather late, and returned. I climbed into the bed and pulled my knees under myself, resting my hand on my thighs.
"Something is bothering you, Mirana."
"Well, Chessur, I'm not especially happy to have you here right now."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry for what happened on Horevendush Day." I scowled at him- something I rarely did- earning a scared 'meow' from him.
"A whole clan was wiped out. Sorry can't bring them back, can it? Now imagine if you had just told me that would happen. We wouldn't have to bother this Alice girl and basically send her to her death!"
"You will not be sending her to her death, Mirana…She'll be perfectly fine. But something else is on your mind besides the girl. A certain Hatter, maybe? If you can even partly forgive me, I can tell you what's happening to him right now." I bit my lip, considering his proposition.
"Fine. Spill it, Chess."
"Your 'sister' is having him beheaded tomorrow morning." The minute he finished his sentence, I felt as if all my breath had been knocked out of me. As my oxygen supply dwindled, my eyes grew wider. "Mir-Mirana? Love, you need to breathe." I inhaled deeply and stared at him.
"Chess, if you want complete forgiveness, you'll go save the last Hightopp. Do you hear me? I will forget what you did if you go and keep him from being…done away with. Please, you need to," I pleaded, bargaining with him. He seemed to consider it for a moment which angered me quite a bit.
"I'll do it." I smiled in relief and pulled him onto my lap, scratching him behind his ears.
"Thank you…"