One- New Hearts

The Fair was the last time I stood in the courtyard of the White Queen because for the next thirteen years, Underland was ruled by the Red Queen.

On a plus side, since the White Queen was no longer in charge; Emerella wasn't in a foul mood as much; although she had invented some peculiar rule, to say that I was only allowed to leave the house on the rare occasion that we had run out of supplies and I had to retrieve some from the market down the path.

"Where do you think you are going?" Emerella demanded, as I tried to creep past her and out the back door.

"I wanted to venture down to the lake Emerella," I stuttered, before I remembered my age and I tried to act mature. "Just for a mid-day stroll."

Emerella lowered her aging eyebrows.

"Do you know what day this is?" she asked, leaning forward in her chair and causing her left eye to twitch.

I bit my tongue in defiance.

I was twenty-five now and officially of age in Underland, she didn't have the right to order me about anymore.

But alas, she was still my mother- apparently.

"Erm… a sunny one?" I lied, fiendishly.

The truth was I knew exactly what day it was, I had overheard a Bloodhound and a Sparrow talking about it on my way to the market a few days ago; it was Frabjous Day- the day when some girl named "Alice" would slay a vile creature and return the White Queen to the throne.

Emerella scratched her chin before sitting back in her chair and continuing on with knitting her red and black scarf.

"Alright, but do not wonder too far!" she warned, spitefully.

I headed for the door, eager to get outside for once.

"Wait, take your cloak."

I huffed before taking my cloak from the hatstand and draping it around myself, leaving in a hurry and shutting the back door behind me.

I threw the cloak down at the back steps and hastily removed my ugly red clothing which I had cunningly worn over my hand-made lavender dress and shoes.

I skipped along the rocky path towards the dried up lake of which I used to spend soo much of my time.

There were various reasons why I used to prefer to carry out my days down at the lake than at home; first because Emerella wasn't there and secondly; because I had a clear view of the White Queen's Castle.

I crossed the path into the woods and hurried my way over to the old lake, falling onto the soft grass when I arrived.

Oddly enough this seemed to be the only place in Underland that had grass anymore.

I crawled over to the big tree and removed a tattered book from the hollow part inside it.

I grinned as I opened the book and lent down against the tree, flipping through the pages with joy.

I was aware how mad it seemed, but over the years I had written a story, about the man that I had met at the Fair all those years ago. In the story he was a bold knight who saves a princess from her cruel mother.

I knew it was most probably not true, but a girl can dream can she not?

All of a sudden the ground began to tremble and the trees did shake.

I stood up and gazed about but I could see nothing over the large hill.

I placed the book on the ground and mounted myself onto the tree, climbing my way up a few branches and peering out through the vast leaves.

There was an army -a white army- marching away from the castle for miles and miles.

I looked up; I was only a mere halfway through the trees' grand height.

I pushed up through the thick branches, further and further until I was at the very tips of the tree and could see almost all of Underland.

There, beyond the last clearing was an enormous chequered board occupied by a white army and a red army.

The White and Red Queen's battle for the throne- the dog had been right.

The people were minuscule so all I could see were the colours. A few people began to step forward when suddenly a monstrous creature flew over the board and began to fight someone. Soon everyone was involved in the fight and it lasted for almost an hour before the creature was beheaded- the White Queens Champion had won.

I grinned with excitement- Underland would change now.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!?"

I looked down.

Emerella and her horse Auburn were standing underneath the tree- Emerella holding my red clothing.

"She won!" I cried as I made my way down the tree, not even concerned as to how Emerella would punish me. "She won! She WON!"

Emerella stormed over to me and gripped my arms, her face going as red as the clothing she was wearing.

"YOU LITTLE- wait, what did you say?"

"She won! The White Queen won!" I cried, smiling.

Emerella's face suddenly turned from anger to concern.

She released me and looked away, pondering.

"Isn't that great!" I beamed. "No more slavery, no more madness."

Emerella spun around.

"We must go," she ordered, taking hold of my hand and tugging me away, throwing the red cloak over me.

"Wait, where are we going?" I asked, tugging up my cloak as she pulled me atop of Auburn.

"To see an old friend," Emerella said briefly, before climbing on behind me. "YAH!"

She steered the horse onto the path and we rode towards the woods.

We rode for hours and hours- days even, until we reached the very centre of the woods to a place I had never dared venture before.

We emerged into a clearing where a small old cottage stood, alone and sturdy.

"Off," Emerella ordered, as I pulled myself off the horse and felt the ground beneath me for the first time in many days.

Emerella dismounted after me and lead the horse towards the small stables beside the cottage.

I struggled to find my feet as I followed her into the damp, dusty cottage.

Inside it was almost darker than it was outside; with only one small candle lit atop a giant fireplace.

Beside the light sat a dark figure, rocking slowly backward and forward in a rocking chair.

"Cylis," Emerella said, her voice changing immensely than what it usually sounded like. It was now kind and solid when before it was course and malicious. "It has finally happened; the Red Queen has been defeated."

The figure lit a pipe and I could see glimpses of his old face.

"I am aware Horracks; so it seems that we must enlighten our guest to her future," the man said, coolly.

Emerella turned to me, a look in her eyes that I could have mistaken for care.

"Sit Arietta," Emerella requested, pointing to a nearby stool.

I felt the stool with my still wobbly legs and sat as they requested, holding my bare arms which were as frozen as ice due to the lack of a fire.

"The truth is, the reason why I've never allowed you to call me "mother", is because I am not your true mother," Emerella explained. "Your mother is fair more beautiful and braver than I."

I lowered my eyebrows.

That would explain why she would never allow me to call her that… but then who was my mother?

"Then… then why tell me now? Why not inform me earlier?" I enquired, politely. "I would rather have lived not knowing who my real mother is than discover twenty five years later that the woman I thought she was, isn't!?"

Emerella sighed.

"Because now that you are of age you can take over for your mother, as Queen," Emerella explained, slowly.

I held in my astonishment but couldn't withdraw a small gasp of air in shock.

"Yes Arietta, you are the daughter of the Red Queen," Emerella said, slowly. "I was the Vice Captain of her Private Army, the CREST of Hearts. Myself, Cylis here- as well as three others are also members. Two of which, are now dead. One of which, I am not so sure of- Cylis?"

The man in the shadows stood up and placed his pipe into the fire causing it to roar into flames and brighten the whole room.

The man "Cylis" had bushy grey hair and wore a heart over his right eye. He had many scares over his old tattered face and wore fully black clothing apart from a cloak which was red on the inside.

"Stayne is not dead as such, but he and our dearest Queen have been banished from Underland, never to return," Cylis explained, leaning on the nearby mantelpiece.

"Which means the White Queen will rule forever after," Emerella cut off. "And we can not let that happen- not with you in the picture of course."

I remained silent, trying to think of the possibility of this bizarre pretence.

I had often dreamt of perhaps being the White Queens long-lost daughter, but never the horrid Red Queens! After all, I hated red.

This must be a dream, it must be!

"How is this possible?!" I asked, shocked.

"It is My Lady," Cylis stated. "And we must get you to the Castle right away, gather the Queens loyal followers and once you are ready, you will take the throne and overthrow the White Queen."

"But I-"

I could no longer speak.

The White Queen was kind, and lovely- the Red Queen was horrid and the ugliest creature I had ever seen! Well in reality I had never seen either of them, but I presumed.

"Come now My Lady," Emerella said, standing and grasping my damp hand, "we must leave, whilst we still have the cover of darkness."

Emerella tugged me out of the cottage, down the steps and over to the stables, practically tossing me onto Auburn.

Cylis walked in quietly, gripping a long dark sword.

He briefly spoke to Emerella near the doors before Emerella returned to me and mounted the horse herself.

"Cylis will travel behind us to make sure we are not followed," Emerella said as we rode into the forest. "We must reach the gates of the Castle before daybreak."

"May I enquire as to what this place is?"

Emerella laughed fiendishly.

"It's home Ari," she stated, intelligently.

As we rode, part of me wished I could pinch myself and this dream would all be over- after all that's what someone had once said?

Who that was however, was just another mystery to me.

Authors Note: So I hope you liked this chapter, I know it's kinda slow and most of the main characters aren't even in this chapter but I swear it'll get better- I just have to explain the story I'm trying to create if you get what I mean? Well I'd love to know what you thought and whether I should still keep going or not, after all you guys are the ones keeping me going- oh and thankyou for all your nice reviews! It means a lot to me 3 MikiChik x