CH 14

My head hurt really badly and so did my left leg. I tried to sit up.

"Don't, you need to rest." I looked up to see James. His warm smile caused a tear to roll down my cheek.

"You came after me?" He laid me back down.

"Remember when we got to the orphanage and you asked if I was staying?" I nodded. "I told you I would never leave you." He kissed my cheek. "Now how about something to eat, I will get you some tea first. Everyone else is outside." He got up and left.

I looked around and saw hats everywhere. It was a small cottage I seemed to be in and there was not much light. The window curtains were open and what little window they didn't cover allowed the sun to sneak in. I tried to sit up but I was still too dizzy. My leg was hurting with a stabbing pain and I couldn't figure out why it hurt so badly. I couldn't remember ever scratching it on anything but then again I was pretty sure I had a concussion. I heard the door open and watched to see who it was.

"Hello Little Lily" The orange haired man came in and took off his hat.

"Hatty!" I couldn't control my excitement. He came over to hug me and I hugged him back. "Where's Chessy and Mally?" I was anxious to see my once best friends.

"Well, Mally is out side showing one of your friends how to use a sword. I do believe his name is Sam. Rather good he is, not better than Mallymken." He frowned "Chessy was captured by the Red Queen so was Nivins." He got up and handed me the tea. I looked down at the cup.

"Are they.." I gulped at the thought and he put his hand on my shoulder.

"We don't know." He sighed and checked my leg. "So how does your leg feel?"

"Hurts" I took a sip of tea "Kinda like everything else."

"Well, the wolf was smart to bring you hear." I looked into his eyes.

"What wolf?"

He grinned "Now don't need you freaking out. It's a rather large white wolf about as tall as you and she saved you. Now all we need to do is get you to your Mom."

I sighed at the thought of seeing her. I hadn't seen her in 10 years and I was angry that she had me run into the forest without anyone with me. Though I knew it wasn't her fault and she wasn't to blame, I was still upset and the loss of Sarah made it worst, but more than anything I did want to see her again.

"By the way, the wolf is waiting for you to name her." He patted his head and left. It is so strange here. Seemed normal when I was little and now it just seems impossible.

The Red Queen's Castle

Knave rushed through the long hallways. He past the guards and knocked over some people with some deformities such as large noses and ears. He tightened his black gloves on his hands and tied on his red cape as he went to the Queen's throne room. She was sitting and discussing the beheading of some unfortunate soul. He came in and kneeled on one knee.

"Your Majesty." He began and looked up with his right eye to so see her large head. "There seems to have been a problem with the kidnapping. It seems the kidnapped has been, well kidnapped."

"That was the plan." She spoke in a soft innocent voice.

"I mean we lost the girl." He watched as she became red with anger.

"Send in those incompetent creatures!" Knave clapped his hands three time with enough space in between them. They waited for a moment and then heard at least two dozen of the creatures come in snarling. She held up her staff and pointed at four of the creatures.

"RETRIEVE THAT GIRL!" The four creatures ran off snarling on four legs.

The Tea Party

"Look who decided to come join the party.' Brandon beamed as I came out of the cottage. I limped over to them and Tiffany and Crystal hugged me.

"We thought we lost you too! I can't believe this place! It's amazing!" Tiffany squeezed me and I giggled. Crystal put her arm around me and helped me to my seat.

"So how are you feeling?" I looked at Sam and Brandon.

"Fine I guess. My head hurts and so does my leg but other than that I am in one piece." Sam smirked and Brandon winked at me. I looked over to Mally whipping off a tear.

"Are you crying Mally?" I grinned.

"No, just had something in my eye is all." I watched her twirl her sword in the air.

"Hello Thackery have you been cooking lately?" He grinned and threw an apple at me that I caught. "Thanks" I was so happy to be seeing them all again. I looked over at the wolf coming towards me and sit down next to me. I petted her head "Thank you."

Her mouth curled into a gentle smile and laid her head on my lap. "Your name is definitely Angel." She gently licked my cheek.

We finished eating and catching up by noon. Apparently all of yesterday I was asleep while my friends were looking for me and this morning was when I woke up. Hatty gave me some cherries which tasted better here than in London. Mally was teaching Sam how to sword fight while crystal tried to find something new to wear with no luck. Brandon and Hatty talked about art stuff seeing as they could both make stuff and James and I sat together at the table.

"Hurry we need to leave!" Angel barked at us. Hatty rushed over to her over to her.

"Why?" He asked.

"There are four creatures coming after Lily. I need to get her to The White Queen."

"I won't leave everyone." I argued. Everyone shook their heads.

"Will this do?" I heard a male voice and looked over to see The White Queens soldiers with two empty horses. "Hello Lily." He smiled at me.

"Sorry but I don't really remember you."

"The guards you use to throw the pebbles at." He laughed and I blushed.

"Oh, yeah I missed you. I never did know you name though."

"Mark" We hugged and I turned to Angel.

"I can carry two and your friends can distribute themselves on the horses." I patted Angel. James helped lift me up onto Angel and hoped on behind me. Brandon rode with Tiffany and Crystal and Sam rode together.

"You sure you all will be ok?" I looked back at Hatty, Mally, Thackery and the two guards. Mally jumped up onto the table and with her sword.

"We will be just fine, now you need to go." I watched as the creatures finally appeared.

Angel took off with the horses behind her. She was actually very fast and it looked like the horses were having a hard time keeping up, but they managed. I was starting to get dizzy so James had to hold onto me. Behind us were the rest of our friends with the boys steering the horses and the girls holding onto them from behind.

"Is that it Lily?" I looked over to Tiffany pointing ahead of us to the white castle. I smiled and nodded. I was almost home.

We were about to enter the kingdom but someone screamed. "Lily!" I looked behind us to see the creature between the horses coming after James and me.

"James!" The creature pulled James off Angel and left him.

"Lily, keep going we got James!" I saw my friends stop to help him. My eyes started to water but I held it back.

"Faster Angel!" She began to pick up speed but the creature was still behind us. We were in the court yard. "Ah!" I felt the creature grab my arm and Angel tumbled to the ground. I fell on my back. I looked over to Angel and saw her leg bleeding.

The snarling creature slowly came towards me. I tried to back up as much as possible. It jumped at me and we ended up rolling around fighting each other. Trying to avoid the claws and teeth I held onto it as much as possible knowing that if I let it go I was done for. I heard voices in the background. Angel was staggering to her feet trying to get to me and I heard my friends running towards me. Just when it was about to chomp onto my arm with its sharp yellow teeth, it stopped. My eyes opened to see a sword going through its head. It turned to dust. I looked up and saw a white dress. I stared longer and realized it was my mom.