A/N- Long time, no squeak? :) I hope you enjoy this chapter. Not too exciting, but I'm fairly proud of it. Let me know what you think!

Chapter 19- Maddest of Them All

Parchment clung to her cheek as she awoke, groaning at the sharp pain now present in her neck. Mirana looked at the scrolls in front of her in exasperation. She had spent the whole night in the Royal Library, looking through all of the old scrolls trying to find away to bring her champion back home. No matter how many potions she attempted to make or how many cumpendiums she glanced over, she could not come up with a way to get Alice home. She was now left with only one option, sending out a search party. Why hadn't she thought of it before?

After convening the court, Mirana had asked her army to continue monitoring all of Underland for any signs of the Red Queen or her Knave. McTwisp hopped in nervously from the hall. He cleared his throat and then stated that he had something very important to discuss with the Queen. The rest of the court quickly fled the room, murmuring amongst themselves.

"You said you wished to speak with me about the Hatter and Oraculum, Your Majesty?" He hopped towards her throne slowly, as not to startle her anymore than she already was.

"Oh, yes, but where are the others?"

Mirana craned her neck to look in the halls, searching for her delightfully mad friends.

"Here we are your majesty, ever so sorry, but Thackery here, seemed very preoccupied with the dinner…" The Cheshire Cat drawled, appearing at the bottom of the grand staircase, followed by a loud crash coming from down the hall.

"Ye blasted cup!"

Another crash sounded and was quickly followed by a very mad hare "flopping" into the throne room.

"Well hello you two, how are you?" The White Queen rose from her throne smiling, and floated over to meet them. "I'm glad you got my message in such a hurry."

"Hurry? Really is that what you call it, my Queen?" Chessur purred, suddenly appearing over her shoulder. "It seemed a rather relaxed note to me…" The cat floated away from her on his back, his paws draped behind his head.

"Aye, he even stayed for tea!" The March Hare literally threw in, tossing the cup he had in his hand. Good thing the Queen knew how to duck.

Mirana smiled at their foolishness and continued. "What do you say about doing a favor for me?"

"But you mustn't tell anyone!" McTwisp interjected, tugging on the Queen's skirts as a way of reminding her.

"Sounds rather suspicious… and intriguing." Chessur gleamed and with a flick of his tail, materialized next to the always-agitated rabbit.

"Oh! Shoo! Shoo!" McTwisp yelped in surprise, earning a low chuckle from Chessur and a very high squeal from a very mad hare.

"Well, I'm glad you're up for the challenge, Chess. It concerns my champion…" Mirana twisted her hands together anxiously, her eyes flitting back and forth between her friends.

"Alice!" Thackery cried out, his eyes going wide.

"Yes. As you know, she has been kidnapped by my sister. You may also know that Tarrant has gone off to save her, even though he is still injured himself."

"Poor fellow," Chess sighed, "never really did have a good head on his shoulders."

"Chess…" Mirana scolded, "You know he means well, just as much as I do. That's why I wasn't too upset with him for stealing the Oraculum."

"WHAT?" Both Chessur and Thackery stood before the Queen in shock. "When did this happen?" Chess asked, finally being able to breathe once more.

"Just a few nights ago. I have racked my brain as to find a solution to return both Alice and Tarrant home without putting others in danger, but I'm afraid I have had no luck. Someone must go out and find them. The Hatter left without even taking a loaf of bread, let alone a weapon. He cannot do this alone. He will need all the help he can get. I have sent out Mallyumkin already, hoping to convince him to accept the help I can offer. I want the three of you to find them and give them this." In her small hand was a bottle full of a swirling silver liquid. She handed it to Chessur. "If Alice is where I think she is, this potion is the only way you will be able to reach her."

"And just where, may I ask, do you think she is?" Chess asked, looking at the glass bottle in his claws.

"The Hall of Mirrors. The knights have searched everywhere else; it's the only place she could be. McTwisp, you know as well as I do that the only way to enter the Hall of Mirrors is hopelessness. "

"It is true." He said to the others when they looked at him for confirmation. "Only someone who has lost all hope can enter the hall."

"Hall?" Thackery questioned

"The Hall holds over a hundred different mirrors to different exotic places throughout Underland and Above. One must be completely without hope to enter the hall, but yet have a very pure heart. The hall only opens freely to those who are truly in need of it. The only other way of reaching the hall is by finding one of its doorways, and that could take years. I can only imagine that is what the Red Queen and Stayne have been doing since Frabious day…" McTwisp explained, shuffling his feet.

"Years?" Thackery yelped again.

"Why of course, my dear friend. What kind of person wants to wait around at the same place every day? It's no wonder the mirrors want a change of scenery now and then." Chess smiled from ear to ear, resting his chin on of his folded paws.

"I take it this means you will help me?" Mirana leaned down, placing her hands on her knees, so that she could be more at level with her helpers.

"Why of course, Your Majesty, but only if I can have the butterfly!" Chess purred

"Absolem? In the name of Underland, why?" McTwisp exclaimed

"Because I'm Absolem, you buffoon!" The blue butterfly spat, fluttering in front of the rabbit's nose.

"At least someone will know what they are doing…" The cat hovered next to him with a sly look in his eyes.

"Don't think this is for you!" Absolem glared at him. "I'm doing it for the Queen."

Chessur smirked arrogantly. "What about Alice?"

"That foolish girl always gets herself into trouble." Absolem said, avoiding the question.

"Is that is?" The Queen asked, sitting back down on her throne.

"Only one more thing, your Majesty. After I "rescue" the Hatter, I expect a hat!"

Bright light blinded her once more when she awoke, but this time was somewhat different. She was strapped to a chair. It was very large armchair, and from what Alice could tell, it had a winged back to it. Her arms were bound to the leather so tightly that she could barely more an inch.

Closing her eyes and trying to forget her surroundings, Alice once again thought of the Hatter. He was smiling at her they way he always did, with his green eyes shining and the gap in his teeth ever present. Alice felt her lips turn up slightly, feeling as though if she tried hard enough, she would see him in front of her when she opened her eyes

The noise of a door squeaking forced Alice to open her eyes. Sure enough, he was not really there. She turned her face towards the doorway and strange sensation took over her when she saw who the person it was. It was as though she was being pulled, all of her sense going to mush when she looked the man in the eye. Alice was certain, if she could see her own eyes, they would be a maddening orange color. The man before her was Stayne, and for some unknown reason, he now meant the world to her.

They were traveling deeper and deeper into the Tuley woods now, and Mallyumkin was beginning to doubt that they would ever reach ever reach the famous Hall of Mirrors.

The Hatter pulled out the Oraculum and looked at the picture for the hundredth time. Nothing had changed. Alice was still in the hall, being held by a man. But the more times he looked at it, the more detail he noticed. The man was seated in what looked almost like a throne and Alice was sitting on his knee, her arms around his neck. Her face was one of pure delight, the many lights reflected in her eyes. The headless man's hands were placed around her waist, and though his head was missing, his body suggested that he was facing straight forward. The Hatter growled under his breath. How he hated this man…

"Almost there…" The mad man kept muttering under his breath. "Almost there, Alice."

"Oh would you stop!" Mallyumkin shouted, looking down at him from on top of his hat. "We all know you miss the girl, so just give it a rest. I bet the trees would complain to if they could, but they haven't got any bark or any bite at all. Still too scared, even though it's been years since the forest was burnt down. It's been since-"

"Go ahead, say it Mally…" Hatter growled, his fists curling up. "We both know."

"Well, I just thought they would start talking again since the Jabberwocky has been defeated and because it's been years since the…" She paused and then whispered, "Horunvendush Day", hoping whispering would make it less of a blow.

"Aye, ye'd think that they would, but they haven't. Sometimes," He began darkly, "things change us beyond any hope of going back to the way things were."

"I'm so sorry, Hatter, I shouldn't have brought it up." Mally murmured as she curled up in a ball on the brim of the hat.

Silence surrounded them both as the Hatter kept on walking, the only sound being heard was the gravel and the leaves crunching beneath the man's feet.

"Someone's uncharacteristically un-chatty," Chessur said as he appeared in front of them on the path, twitching his tail mischievously, "not that I'm complaining…" He grinned in his own teasing way and then circled the large top hat. "Why hello, Mallyumkin, long time no squeak!"

"What are you doing here!" The Hatter demanded, swatting away the cat from his hat.

"Why checking up on you of course!" The cat drawled on.

"Well then you've done your duty! You've seen that I'm alive, and miserably Alice-less… Are you happy?" Tarrant shouted at him, his head shaking violently enough that Mally had to hang onto his hat for dear life.

"Be careful there, Tarrant, wouldn't want lose two important ladies in less than a weeks time, do we?" Chess taunted, pointing at Mallyumkin, who was now hanging by only one paw.

As if he were a young boy who just got scolded, the Hatter took off his hat sadly. "I'm so sorry, Mally, I…" He tried to speak, ashamed.

"It's all right, Hatter. Nothing I haven't handled before!" Mally said with a bright smile, trying to make him lighten up. It, however, had the reverse affect.

"I know. I'm so slurvish, I'm sorry…" Tarrant shook his head sadly, before dropping it to his chest.

"No you're not!" Mally yelled. "Now, you've got to pull yourself together and find Alice. She needs you!"

Hatter lifted his head slowly and smiled at her sadly, his eyes a murky blue-green. "I don't think so, Mally. Alice is a champion, she doesn't need me…"

"Even champions need a little bit of help sometimes." Mally soothed, reaching a tiny paw out to touch the Hatter's cheek.

"Yes, come now, Tarrant. Cheer up! We can all see the girl is head over heels, why can't you?" Chess shot in, placing the top hat back in its rightful place.

"The question is, who with?" A blue butterfly stated, floating into view.

"Know-it-all…" Hatter muttered under his breath.

"Now tell me milliner, where is the oraculum?" Absolem spat, fluttering on top of the Hatter's nose.

"Oh would you stop going on about that! It's not as if the Hatter would leave it in a ditch. You didn't, did you?" The nervous rabbit hopped into view just as Tarrant brushed the butterfly off of his nose.

"Really, McTwisp? Have you no faith in me?" The Hatter groaned. Was his little private search for Alice going to be invaded by every animal in Underland?

"hhhmmm….Ditch!" The March Hare yelped, hobbling over to them.

"Well! That least there is someone here worthwhile!" Hatter said with a smile to Thackery. Thackery lifted something from his back. It was his claymore. He was in such a rush to save Alice, he had completely forgotten his sword. The Hatter smiled at his friend in thanks and hooked his sword to his side.

"So how were you planning on getting into the Hall without this, anyways?" Chess asked, drawing his attention when he held up a silvery liquid.

Hatter's eyes light up and a sly smile crept over his face. "Let's just say my day is getting more 'hopeless' by the second…animals" He muttered through his teeth.

"Hello, dearest. You fainted not too long ago. How are you feeling?"

Stayne called to her from the doorway, sickingly sweet. He watched the way she now reacted. It had worked. Alice smiled slightly at him, but yet she squirmed in the chair trying to break the binds. He quickly walked over to her.

"I feel…" Alice said, closing her eyes, trying to fight the potion in her system.

"Yes?"

Alice faced twisted up, as if she was fighting with all her might not to give into the poison claiming her mind. She reopened her eyes and then blinked several times, all torture or fear gone from he face. The only strange thing about her was her eyes. They were now a blazing scarlet color. "Why am I tied up?"

"Why, to protect you, of course!" Stayne said quickly, saying the first thing that popped into his head.

"Why am I here?" She asked curiously

"Because you love me…" Stayne said, changing the subject as he leaned down towards her.

"Love you?" Alice whispered, her eyebrows wrinkling as if she could tell something was wrong, but could not quite place it.

"Yes, very much. So much that you are going to help me." The knave said slyly, caressing her arms all the way down until he was holding her hands. He kneeled down in front of her, and kissed them both.

"Stayne!" Both heads turned to see the Red Queen glaring at them. "Has she taken the-"

"Why yes, Your Majesty!" Stayne quickly interrupted "She says she will take an oath of allegiance to you!"

"Oh!" The Red Queen grinned, her eyes glinting with power. "How perfect…"

"An oath?" Alice uttered feebly. None of this seemed right. She was so confused.

"Yes." The knave said, kneeling back down in front of her. "Do this for me, my love?"

Alice's heart betrayed her as it beat loudly in her chest. Her eyes burned an even darker, madder red as she reached out and stroked the man's greasy hair.

"Why of course, my love…" She whispered, defeated.

Underland was full of mad characters, but Alice, Alice was now the maddest of them all.

Dearest Mirana,

I believe it is time we overlook our problems and think about what is the best for Underland. Obviously, it is not you. Sister, you cannot handle all of the power of being Queen, you must face it. I obviously am more suitable for the position. How hard was it for me to take Underland out of your hands all those years ago? How hard was it for me to escape what was supposed to be an eternity of exile? How simple was it for me to capture your most beloved champion and convert her to my cause? That's right, sister, Alice, the slayer of the Jabberwocky, the great champion of Underland, has turned her back on you in favor of the mighty Red Queen. What do you have to say about that? I know it must come as a shock, seeing how close you thought you two were… But honestly, Sister, could you blame her? Your kingdom is falling apart at the seams and you don't know what to do. You don't know how to wear the crown and you never will. It is time to give up, Mirana. I have your champion and will have all your friends soon enough. What will it be? Either hand over the crown, or I shall kill your friends and destroy your kingdom. It is as simple as that. What will the good, caring White Queen do? I guess we shall have to wait and see… But, remember this Mirana, it shall not be long before the creatures you love and thought you could count on, start disappearing before your very eyes, one by one.

Your sister (and Underland's true Queen),

Racie

Oh what had she done?

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