Chapter four - Alice back in Underland.

When the white castle came into view Alice couldnt wait to be inside, she ran as fast as she could down the long path that lead to the courtyard, when Bayard had carried her once before. Once she was standing in front of the doors she heard a dog barking, rather close to her, she turned around and saw Bayard, and she couldn't help but let a smile break out across her face, "Bayard!" she cried, taking him in her arms, he began to struggle but gave in and let her embrace him for a moment longer. "If you don't mind me saying so, what are you doing here again Alice?" she was confused, had they not expected her to ever come back? "I told you I'd be back before you know it didn't I?" she replied, hoping the subject would be dropped. She didn't want to hear whether she was welcome in Underland or not, she just wanted to, well, be there. "Come now Alice, I'm sure the queen will be so pleased to see you" Bayard exclaimed happily. Alice followed him through the castle and into her sitting room. "Wait here" he told her before, peeking his head around the corner to see if she was busy, which she wasn't. He was about to pull his nose out of the door and tell Alice to go inside when the queen spotted him "Bayard, would be so kind as to come here please?" he walked slowly over to her welcoming throne and stopped at her feet "Yes your majesty?" she looked at him kindly "I take it you weren't snooping around here for no reason, is there something to need to speak to me about?" she asked. Mirana sounded concerned for the bloodhound. "Well your majesty, now that you mention it, I do have some rather exciting news!" He began to smile and ran in a few circles, the white queen just say there, knowing that he would tell her the exciting news everntually. Bayard calmed down and was able to tell Mirana of what he had just discovered "Underland's champion, has returned."

"Oh my dear you look exhausted!" Mirana told Alice as they were walking through the halls of the castle to Alice's room "I think I might be too happy to be exhausted! Oh how I missed Underland while on my travels. All I could think about was coming back here and seeing my friends again! I never should have left Underland is like my home, I'm just so glad to be back, and hopefully, I mean, you will take me back wont you?" Alice looked rather worried. This was the question that had been stuck on her mind since Bayard asked what she was even doing here, she wasn't supposed to ask, but she was worried and began on a very Hatter-like ramble, only she managed to stop herself when she realized what she'd said. The queen looked outraged, as if to say 'Is that even a question?' and Alice took that for a good sign. Mirana saw her face relax a little so decided not to say anything. They stopped walking when they came to the end of one of the many halls in the castle. From the outside the room looked like all the others in the castle, but once Alice walked inside she realized this room was made especially for her. The walls were of course white, but the bedsheets were the same pale blue as Alice's dresses, which her wardrobe was filled with, all sorts of different dresses, mostly in blue. They had saved each dress Alice had worn on her last trip to Underland, which, due to size changing was quite a lot. The armour she'd worn when slaying the Jabberwocky hang on one of the walls, and next to it were two shelves, on the bottom one was a long black box, which when she opened saw that it contained the vorpal sword, and on the top shelf sat three magnificent Alice-like hats.

Alice stayed in that room for most of the day, but did come down for dinner, which to her suprise was rather crowded. Maybe it's always like this. No, definately not, she had many creatures large and small come up and thank her for saving Underland, and telling her that they were forever in her debt. She had just gotton back, and she really didn't feel like getting this much attention, but she did think herself rather silly for not guessing it would happen, of course Mirana would have told everybody about her return. Not many secrets were kept in Underland. She scanned the long table looking for someone, anyone that she knew, right away McTwisp caught her eye, Oh thank goodness she thought, happy to see such a familiar face. Walking toward McTwisp she also noticed Thackery, the Tweedles, Mallymkun and- No wait, something wasn'r right here. She could see and recognize every single one of her friends here, even the Bandersnatch - how they had fit him through the door Alice was not sure - but where was her beloved Cheshire cat and her best friend, The Mad Hatter?

"Nivens..." Alice began "Where are-" "Chessur and Hatter?" he finshed he question before she had a chance to even ask it, "yes" she replied, he shurgged "I dont know, I went out today to give them each an intivation to the queen's special dinner, but I couldn't find either of them, even Jane was miss- Oops" McTwisp quickly covered his mouth, and that didn't exacly slip past Alice. "Who is Jane?" Alice asked curiously, that's Alice for you. Alway curious. "Um, well, I didn't want to be be the one to tell you this, but Jane, she came to Underland a few months ago.. When you left and well, her and the Hatter have been getting awfully close..." he trailed off when he noticed Alice's face and how upset he'd made her. "Oh I'm sorry my dear" she said, and placed his small hand on top of hers, to comfort her. More than anything Alice was suprised at the jealousy she felt weighing on her heart, had Hatter really replaced her? Was he really not waiting for her to come like he always had? And could he have possibly given up on her?