As the morning dawn awakened the sky, Stayne was already up trying to soak in as much vitamin D as possible. Good weather was hard to come by in the Out-lands, and he couldn't very well take his shirt off with the bloody big head starring… For the first time in a while, Stayne was feeling at peace with the world.

Wherever the strong winds of fate had taken his to, it was a beautiful sight to the eye. The gardens were lush green and surrounded with flora and fauna. There was a spiral stone path with a sundial that was beautifully ornate with cupid pointing his bow. Dense trees surrounded the landscape apart from an old stone ruin. Stayne checked Iracabeth, who was sound asleep after crying the majority of the night. She wouldn't be awake for a while yet…

In his curiosity, Stayne ventured over only to be stopped by the river lake in-between. The water looked inviting surprisingly which made Stayne ache for a swim. So he took off his outer-clothes until he was down to his under-shorts and made an elegant dive into the crisp coolness.

Any strain he carried in his muscles seemed to be easing as he gently glided through the surface of the water. As he looked up to the sky he marveled at how heaven was a pure blue.

Would he be worthy of a heaven? No…he thought. No monster like me would be worthy of anything pleasant or gentle in life. All he had known since being young was cruelty, suffering and hurt…and he was certain that wishing on stars wasn't going to change that.

In a lapse of concentration, Stayne bumped his head onto the hard stone of the fortress. It was a very OLD looking building…covered in moss and totally inhabited in any way. Erosion had taken place meaning that the emblem of the castle was faded into obscurity. Stayne wondered at the mystery that surrounded this dark, inexplicable and mystifying place.

Out of the corner of his eye, a flicker of light came from the Iron door of the dungeon. Stayne knelt down, wondering if his sight was true.

There it was…a black creature hiding in the darkness…

What was it? Why is it here? Is it dangerous?

Memories flooded back of the bandersnap… that dreaded bird with an appetite for blood enough to rival the big head herself! And the Jabberwocky…the monster Iracabeth often used as blackmail on Stayne, her court and her Kingdom. Ruthless in battle as Iracabeth was at executions, no living soul could ever defeat the horrid creature. At least not until Alice Kingsley, the blonde haired warrior from the world above.

"Just a little closer…" Stayne whispered to himself, gathering up the courage to lift the dungeon gate and step inside.

"I swear by time, if I loose this other eye, lord take me now!"

The creature retreated further into the black corner, the only visible feature being large black feathers. Then suddenly, an elegant arch of its neck appeared. It was long and delicate and looked completely harmless. Appearing into the light, the animal was curious of its new company.

"You're…a bird?"

The monster and the animal, both eye to eye at last. This bird was a beautiful peculiar thing.

"For all the times I have thought of six impossible things before breakfast, I knew would have thought of you!" Stayne stretched his hand out to touch this magnificent creature. He then noticed shackles.

"Does someone own you? Oh time! I'm talking to myself…and I thought Hatter was mad" Stayne gently untied the rope from the shackles, then with his strong fist he crushed the bolts of the iron bracelets, setting her free.

Then in a magnificent soar of the wings, the black creature ascended into the sky. Rising high beyond the billowing clouds and sending off casts of dark shadows, which played patterns along the surface. Stayne stood in amazement at how for once he done a good deed. He felt good about himself…whole in some sense.

Suddenly, flashbacks appeared before him all muddled together until each memory lost it's identity. All chanting as one…you are a monster…you are fiend…you are unworthy of love. Sweat broke across his chest and he felt tight.

"ILLOSOVIC!"

A shrill voice diverted his haunting thoughts. Iracabeth was up and awake…another long exhausting day with the big, bloody, swollen, bulgy, bulky, huge, large, volcanic, explosive, throbbing, fat, hefty, out-sized, plump, chubby, stout, portly, obese, heavy, weighty, violent heap of head he had ever met.

Feeling embarrassed, he dressed quickly even though he was soaking from the swim back. The weather was beginning to change again into a frost, which froze Stayne's dark brown hair into thick hard strands.

"Illosovic! Illosovic!..." she began chanting "did you see that?"

"See what?"

Iracabeth smiled malevolently

"That magnificent Black swan! I have never seen anything like it…" she paused

"I WANT IT!"

Stayne looked at the foul-minded Queen, not surprised at her iniquity.

"How can I? I mean, how do I catch something that I set free?"

"Then it will trust you, Stayne! You must lure this animal back to the lake…it will suspect no harm. And when it's within reach…grab it and break it's neck!"

Her laugh was something criminal…sinful…wicked.

"Iracabeth-"

"DO IT!" then she openly gave an innocent smile "I want a new hat".