The Roles They Play, Part 1
The warning from Cheshire rang in Alice's mind, "Don't ever, ever trust the Mad Hatter."
Neither had spoken since. The forest grew darker still, and Alice had to lean on Cheshire's shoulders when she kept losing her footing. She was glad for the big cat's presence in the forest. If he were not here, she would have to lean on Hatter. Her heart thumped in response to the thought, but her insides shrank…he hated her so!
The sounds of the forest grew louder, reaching almost a cacophony. But they weren't the sounds of any forest she'd been near. There were sing-song whoops, giggling sighs, and calls thundering like bursts of mighty waterfalls that would suddenly stop. Alice marveled that she could feel so calm and determined, especially when the White Rabbit was whimpering and moaning so loudly behind her. It was certainly all to do with the two powerful creatures escorting her…the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat. Now, if only they didn't despise each other…
The Cheshire Cat kept picking up pace, and Alice had to cling to him for dear life just to keep up. Suddenly Cheshire stopped, and crouched low. "Ride," he commanded. Alice didn't argue, but carefully felt her way onto his back.
Cheshire's back was warm, and his muscles bunched strangely. Alice had ridden horses for a short while, and there was no comparison. Cheshire was broad across the shoulders, his mid-length hair tickled her arms. Now, more than ever, Alice realized the size of the cat. She felt a little thrill, and hunched over his shoulders, keeping her head near his left ear so that she could speak to him over the raucous night noises. Cheshire stood, then whipped his head back to Alice's right boot, "What the devil have you got poking my side..?" Alice's skirt was hiked up enough from straddling the large beast's back that her boots were clearly visible. Alice imagined that with Cheshire's lamp-like eyes, he could see her sharp arsenal quite plainly. He blinked twice, then let out a rumbling laugh that momentarily quieted much of the noise around them. "Ah, but you are a delightful girl, aren't you? Just lay your coat under your leg so that I don't fall victim to your prudent packing, will you?"
Alice readily complied. The feel of him laughing beneath her was strange and a little unsettling, and his words rang out in the sudden silence. Alice felt her cheeks glow under his apparent approval. The madness of being 'delightful' because she was armed to the teeth…Alice thought she liked the Cheshire Cat better with each moment.
"Can you take the White Rabbit?" Hatter's voice came out of the darkness as almost a hiss. It was clear the madman was not happy. Alice imagined that it was Cheshire's approval of her weapons that made him angry, and she didn't spare a glance back at her companion. Better to heed the words of those who liked her for the way she chose to be. Or so she told herself.
"Hurry. It's close to the Mid Night," was all Cheshire said. Wordlessly, Hatter settled the squirming rabbit-man onto Cheshire's back behind Alice. Alice didn't budge. Then Hatter did a surprising thing. He came up on Alice's left, and wrapped his long fingers around the top of her boot, on her knee. The girl stared at him suspiciously. In the meager glow of Cheshire's eyes she could see crystalline glints from the Hatter's blue orbs.
"My feet can see just fine, but my eyes are blind at the moment. I wouldn't want to lose you, now." The madman's voice was lower than usual, and his grin was almost suggestive. Alice was taken aback, but couldn't respond. Suddenly, she felt the bunch of Cheshire's muscles, and had only a moment to flatten herself against him before the great cat launched himself forward.
It was a miracle that Alice could hold on, what with the White Rabbit clinging haphazardly to her so. He seemed to have a much harder time with the ride than she. But once he gained momentum, Cheshire's impossibly quick rhythm seemed easier to manage than any horse.
Hatter held her boot loosely and easily, and she realized that his feet must, indeed, be able to see. He seemed to launch himself forward without fear of mis-step, leaping great distances as the cat to his side bounded forward. *What a terrifying pair they would make! * thought Alice.
Alice dared to pull her face up enough to look about. At first, it was only darkness, and the growing nocturnal sounds of the forest. The glow from Cheshire's eyes was too faint to see anything.
But then the forest seemed to be lit by streaks of lightning. The greenish-silver tint seemed to be drawing nearer. As Alice's eyes adjusted to the sheer speed, it seemed less like lightning, and more like creatures. There were two on Alice's right. She whipped her head to the other side. One on her left. Cheshire seemed to move even faster. Alice could not imagine how. Hatter was struggling to keep up, but didn't let go of her leg. Alice reached down and clasped a hand over his. Just in case.
One of the two creatures on Alice's right got too close. It grasped Cheshire behind the ear, and seemed to just peer at Alice. The opal-white of its scaly body shone brightly in the midnight blackness. It had a head and arms of a human, but its torso and body slid down into the form of a magnificent snake. Alice felt a sickening dread build inside her. It just peered at her a moment longer with white-on-white, slimy eyes. Then a bulge in it's forehead opened to reveal a third, black eye. The thing screamed as though it had just seen her…it's call was the thundering waterfall she'd heard before. Now Alice realized…it was the hiss of this gargantuan snake-man. It reeled it's head back as though it would strike, opening it's jaws impossibly wide, and revealing long, dripping fangs un-sheathed from pockets in it's lower jaw. Alice did not think, she did not hesitate. She pulled her long-dagger from her right boot, and jammed it into the creature's face to the hilt. It knocked the creature's head far enough back for the Cheshire Cat to whip his head around, and snatch the offending head away. He hurled it away with a sickening thwack. Alice was sure the body and the head couldn't possibly be attached anymore.
She heard the crashing waterfall to her left, and turned to see the Mad Hatter wrenching another creature away with one arm. He was still clenching Alice's booted leg, and, much to her surprise, Alice still clung to his hand. The Cheshire cat never slowed his furious pace. Alice was glad for it. She could hear more crashing waterfalls behind.
*One more, * she thought, turning back to her right, just in time to see the last snake-creature launch itself at the White Rabbit. But something struck it mid-air, and sent it hissing away. Alice could see the warm white glow of a spiraled horn, covered in a phosphorescent slime that she imagined must be the creature's blood. She could see little of the rest of whatever had attacked snake-creature, but it made no move to stop them, or to even come closer. It just kept pace. But Alice recognized the horn, she was sure.
"Is that the Unicorn?" she cried, relief and adrenaline making her voice louder than she wanted. A very horse-like snort was the only response.
The Cheshire Cat instantly slowed. Though he was no longer running, he loped along quickly enough. Alice could feel him panting below her. It must have been a great effort to run so quickly with she and the rabbit on him. Alice felt all the more grateful.
"Ah, thank my lucky teapots you're here!" Hatter exclaimed, more than a little winded himself. Alice didn't understand. She could still hear a cacophony of waterfalls behind her, and feared another attack. She turned to look at their pursuers, but they were too far behind to be distinguishable as anything more than an opal glow, lighting up the undersides of the forest trees and canopy as though they were a vast gathering of ghosts, haunting the forest.
"But won't they come after us?" Alice asked.
"Not while I'm here!" the Unicorn announce, proudly. Alice remembered his voice from so very long ago, when he had been fighting the Lion for the crown. She wondered that he could really frighten off those herds of nightmarish things when he'd been beaten all around the town by just one lion.
"Indeed," Hatter agreed. The unicorn's horn glowed ever more brightly, and Alice heard the tree branches creek and moan, and the leaves shake.
"Oh, my," said the White Rabbit. It was the first comprehensible sound he'd made since they'd entered the forest. Indeed, the branches were parting to reveal the sky, and it was dawn. "We can't have been traveling all night!" Alice exclaimed.
"I am the prince of the forest. All things in the forest obey me. Even the sun." the Unicorn said, tossing his mane proudly. Alice thought that the sun was not in the forest at all, but she didn't feel like arguing it. She also wanted to point out that the snake-creatures didn't obey him, either. *Ah well, * she thought. At least that explained why the lion beat him all over the town. She would bet that the Lion would never beat the Unicorn in the forest, and told him so.
"Quite right!" said the Unicorn. Alice didn't think he could be any more pleased with himself, so high did he trot. He peered over at her more closely, and his brow seemed to furrow. "Why, you're not the fabulous monster-child at all! I thought I recognized your voice from before, but…" he trailed off. All at once, his trot faltered to a plod, and he seemed crestfallen. Even the dawn seemed to lose some of it's luster.
"Why, I did what all little girls do. I grew into a woman," she explained.
"You transformed?!?" he exclaimed, his eyes widening impossibly.
"Well, something like that, I suppose."
"Magnificent!" the Unicorn neighed, bucking just a bit. The dawn grew impossibly bright. "You really are a fabulous monster!"
"Indeed!" the White Rabbit scoffed. "I would hardly call Mary-Ann fabulous."
Alice rolled her eyes. Suddenly she felt her left hand jerk slightly back. Hatter had elbowed the White Rabbit, but had kept hold of her hand, that had still been resting on his. Her chest started hammering. There he was, just casually holding her hand, long legs stretching spryly as he kept pace with Cheshire's lope.
"I beg to differ, Rabbit," he countered, winking at Alice.
Alice could feel a low growl rumble in the cat's ribcage below her.
"Right you are, Hatta!" the Unicorn chimed in. "Mary-Ann is the most fabulous monster I've met! And now I know her secret power of transformation!! But I can tell that the monster-child is still in there, hiding just below the surface of her cunning disguise."
"Oh, no!" Alice cried, unsettled by the double meaning in his words. "I mean, I'm not Mary-Ann! I'm Alice," she explained, shakily. Maybe she'd finally ditch the White Rabbit's pet name for her.
"So, in this form, you're Alice? Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me," the proud equine assured her.
"Who's Alice?" the White Rabbit muttered.
………………………………......
It wasn't long before they finally reached the outskirts of the forest. Here the Unicorn hung back, reluctant to leave his domain. The Cheshire Cat paused, and crouched. It was a none-too-subtle hint. Alice and the White Rabbit quickly dismounted. "I wish you luck on your fantastic journey, Monster!" the Unicorn said. Alice cringed a bit. Hatter noticed.
"And you, as well, Unicorn-Monster," she said, with a half-hearted smile.
"Just Unicorn will do," he replied, then pranced back into the forest. He sang a happy tune as he trotted out:
"I know a monster, a Child is she,
Hiding as a woman, ferocious, you see!
She slew the Naga, my enemy,
But we're fast friends, the Monster and me!"
Alice thought she might be sick. She didn't dare look at the Mad Hatter. He had held her hand until she dismounted. But didn't he also call her a murderous monster? She reminded herself that he was insane, and this must be why he doted on her so when he hated her. Or perhaps she was mad, because she believed he cared for her, when he hated her, and the Cheshire Cat said not to trust him. Oh, dear.
"The nerve!" the White Rabbit whispered. "Surely you're no monster I've ever heard of!"
"Thank you," Alice replied.
The White Rabbit looked at her quizzically, his bulging eye taking in her blanched face, but grateful expression. "Yes, well…" he trailed. "I suppose you did slay the Mome-rathe."
"The Mome-rathe?" Alice asked. "Is that the Naga that the Unicorn was talking about? Those creatures back there?"
"Well, of course. What a silly question. What else would they be?"
Alice didn't comment. The White Rabbit seemed out of his element, having inadvertently said something kind to her.
From behind them there was a slurping, wrenching sound. They turned to see the Cheshire Cat pulling at something with his teeth, while holding something else under his giant paw. When it finally gave, he turned to Alice, her long dagger dangling from between his teeth. He laid the slime-covered weapon gingerly into her hands. "I believe that's yours," he said simply, licking his chops.
Alice wondered why he'd been so quiet during the journey. She looked where he'd been working it loose, and saw the head of the Mome-rathe. He'd carried it the whole way.
He turned back to the head, snatched it with his powerful jaws, and devoured it in two crunching chomps.
Alice was taken aback, not by the brutality of the Cheshire Cat, but at how much she admired the frankness of his brutality.
"YOU!"
Hatter's enraged shriek made Alice jump.
But it was a strange being she was looking at when she rounded on him. His hair was suddenly wild, blood-red tresses curling and reaching in a wind that didn't touch anything else. His eyes were so shadowed that even the iridescent blue of his irises was gone. The black tear-paths seemed to be bleeding the ink of the darkness where his eyes used to be. His grin was stretched impossibly wide, teeth bared more than just showing. The black of his lips was suddenly eerie and threatening. He trembled from striped top-hat to booted toe. If ever Alice could have seen Rage itself, here it stood.
He held Jester's cane out to his side, and advanced slowly, slowly at the Cheshire Cat. It was then that Alice noticed that the Dawn wasn't advancing, it was fading. Was it the Unicorn's departure, or was the Mad Hatter summoning darkness?
"Is that what you did to her?!" he finally gritted out through his teeth. It sounded like hissing, but in Hatter's peculiar, high voice. "She was our Queen, and you snatch her head fresh from the executioner's axe! Was the poor kitty so hungry he took the head, that last flicker of her dulcet soul, to crunch-crunch among the bushes…"
Hatter reared back when the roar of something from dark jungles and wicked places erupted around him.
It was Cheshire, and he was laughing. Really laughing. A full, booming sound, shaking the very ground. Alice thought, again, that she might be sick. It shook her whole frame.
The voice of the great cat carried as though all of Wonderland were his audience. "You think the True Queen's head edible? Surely Faelyn's head was too hard, even for my jaws," the Cheshire Cat grinned, showing upper and lower rows of terrible fangs for all to see clearly. Alice grew pale. Hatter's rage was slowed, but the desperate lunacy was palpable…and growing. Plants nearby were dying before her eyes, and the torrent of wind around the Hatter was whipping his coat. When it would have reached Alice, it was not wind that brushed her skin, but cold. Terrible, terrible cold.
"What a wretch you are, Hatta," Cheshire growled. "You stood there, that day, and let the filthy Queen of Diamonds behead our Lady. You watched, and did nothing. Then you would have left her head and body to be defiled? YOU know the depraved depths to which the foul Queen of Diamonds sinks when she defeats a foe. I've not forgotten what she did to YOU when you crossed her."
Cheshire crouched, his low, growling rumble the antithesis of the hissing shriek of the madman. "I would have saved our Queen's whole body, but the guards were too many. I couldn't help but notice that still, YOU stood there. And did nothing."
"I. Obeyed. My. QUEEN." Hatter spat. "My queen bids me stay, I stay." His hand whipped forward, a dark pantomime of a queen ordering her subject.
"She bids me be her eyes and her ears, and happily do I array those organs on a platter for my Lady," he said, pantomiming to his sunken black sockets, then to an invisible tray, balanced on his fingers.
"She bids me not to rip out your furry neck, nor that bulging sack of skin that cushions the fat chin of the Queen of Diamonds. She bids my wicked hands do no more violence, deal no more death for her cause. Her decree stands," he said simply, shoulders shrugged and head cocked.
"But you! You had a real task before you, Cheshire! 'Ensure that the Page of Hearts succeeded in his mission,' my Queen said. But the Page failed her. YOU failed her. Her death is on YOU," he began to shriek again, pointing manically, wildly at the massive cat.
But Cheshire was unimpressed. "You are less than worthless, Hatta, if you cannot do what must be done despite orders. Faelyn knew that the Page's mission was dubious. And she knew what would happen if it failed. And here you stand, refusing to engage in violence to save the daughter of the Queen? It was not for love of the queen that you stay your hand. It is because your violence does not discern friend from foe. If I had left Faelyn's daughter in your faltering hands, I have no doubt SHE would have died, just as her mother did. Lucky for the both of us, the girl can fend for herself, in spite of your failings."
Both males looked to Alice. Alice looked up at them. The story of her mother's death, unfolding so casually, finally; the hatred between these two, and their accusations: it only made the sickness in her belly feel stronger. But as the Hatter gazed down at her, the blue of his eyes seemed to glimmer and shine through the inky blackness. Cheshire flicked his tail at her with bemused approval.
"And as for my duty," continued Cheshire, "I DID see that the page was successful, though not in the way we had hoped. He was murdered, trying to return from the asylum, where the first part of his mission failed. But his soul made it back. And with it, by happy accident, he brought Faelyn's daughter. And there he lies, our faint-hearted Page. Seems he can't take so much talk of his former days."
Hatter turned and Alice spun to see the White Rabbit, indeed, sprawled on the ground. Alice, already on her knees, herself, crawled the short space to the small man. Her mind reeled at the thought. That day, so long ago, when she followed this little creature down the rabbit hole: what had he been so late for? Running madly with his pocket watch, confused and trying desperately to get back to Wonderland, to get through Wonderland to the Queen, but too confused and disoriented from his own death to remember what needed to be done, and for whom he needed to do it. Not to mention he was always - just as everyone else was here in Wonderland - stark raving mad.
From her left boot she unhooked a small fan. It had been made as a toy for her little brother, to look just like the one she fetched for this man ages and ages ago. She gently tried to give him air.
She stopped when the terrible cold returned, rolling eerily and angrily up her back.
Hatter stood over them both, that beautiful blue of his eyes gone, gone. The black ink where those icy seas of emotion used to rest swallowed the light, killed all warmth.
"This? THIS is that worthless Page who failed my Queen??"
………………………………............................
A/N: Hot-diggity-dog! Finally ready to post this chapter! I'm here in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The move was a success, but it took a few weeks of catching up on sleep, learning porteno Spanish, and getting to know my new country before I was ready to re-tackle this chapter. There were two or three ways to take this story, and I really couldn't decide. So I tried writing it each way, and two ways just petered out and left me with a bad taste in this chapter, so I went with the third. I've got the beginning of my story and most of the end, it's just filling in the between-chapters that's the adventure! Thanks again for hanging in here!
I also have an ink drawing of Hatta and Alice that I've been pecking away at, and I'll put that up on DeviantArt asap. Love you guys! You keep my dream alive and make all this madness so damned much fun!
-Snapps
