The sun shone down upon the fields overlooking the fortress, its soft glow reflecting lightly off the buildings and spires of the kingdom of the knights.
Hatter admired the view, a hint of a smile playing about his lips as a gentle breeze ruffled his hair. It was so peaceful here. It felt nearly perfect, only nearly because he remembered sharing this same scene with Alice. Without her by his side, it did seem lacking.
"You're not chanting, Harbinger."
Hatter slowly turned to face the white knight, "And I'm not likely to."
"Balderdash! How else do you expect to channel the force of will to concentrate?"
"By concentrating, I expect." Hatter replied. "Now, how exactly is this supposed to work?"
"Firstly," He started, "You feel."
"That was the start of my troubles as I recall…"
"Second," Charlie continued with a good natured smile, "You be silent and listen to the knight who's trying to help you."
Hatter held his hands up in mock surrender, silently gesturing for Charlie to continue with a raise of his eyebrows. Charlie nodded.
"You feel the wind around us now. You feel it but it doesn't sway you. You must apply this inside of you as well. Take note of which way your emotions blow so that you have the weather gage, in a manner of speaking, but do not let yourself be caught in the updrafts."
"So how do I manage it?" Strangely enough, Hatter thought, the old knight was making sense.
"The same way you stop the wind from blowing away anything important. You weigh it down with an anchor, of course." Charlie stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Yes. Focus on one idea and let nothing deter you."
Hatter took in Charlie's words but the application of the idea seemed to escape him. What could anchor him? His first thoughts were of Alice, but she could sweep him away like a maelstrom; Nothing stirred up such deep and varied emotions as his very own oyster.
Hatter decided to return to conversation before his train of thought made the aching of her absence even more unbearable.
"They'll be all right without you for a while?" Hatter gestured vaguely in the direction of the fortress, referring to its citizens.
"Yes, I do suppose they shall carry on fine without me for an afternoon." Charlie gazed out upon the sprawling city as he smiled proudly. "Besides, the Red Knight is out patrolling."
"Patrolling? But Jack told me that the Queen-"
"Is imprisoned, as he said." Charlie hastened to explain. "I sent the Red Knight to watch the borders of the white kingdom."
"So the threat's from without?" Hatter nodded.
"Hmm, it is too soon yet to tell. The White Queen and King have not chosen a successor. Their sons battle each other, amassing their own power bases, hoping their claim to the crown will prevail. His highness has been meeting with their ambassadors, trying to appease them without making any promises to either side."
"They're amassing armies, you mean?"
"They've each established their own crests." Charlie nodded, "The eldest son marches under the banner of the Lion and the younger under the banner of the Unicorn."
"Would either of them really attack us?" Hatter questioned.
"There is no telling what a cornered creature will do. So it's best we are all on our guard." He sighed, a steely resolve on his features, "Now center yourself, Harbinger. We will begin."
*~*~*~*~*
Alice stood beneath the lush tree, trying to gain her bearings. A thorough examination of the tree and the ground around it provided her with no answers and no way back. Whatever portal she had passed through on that train seemed to have sealed itself again. The rolling fields looked as though they stretched on endlessly. She turned around, viewing yet more fields that gave way to vast woods on the horizon.
She knew she couldn't stay here. If she did, the best she could hope for was another wayward traveler to come stumbling through the Rabbit Hole and then they could be lost and confused together. So she made up her mind to find help. If she could make her way to the city, she could find someone to help her. She might even be able to remember the way back to Hatter's tea shop.
The thought froze her in her tracks.
Would he even be there? There wouldn't be any business now that the casino was gone; the supply of tea would be dwindling with no way of being replenished. On the other hand, the shop was also his house. Could that be why he left, to come back here? Had she been so selfish? Was she so absorbed in enjoying having him as a part of her life, in her world, that she hadn't even noticed whether or not Hatter was missing his home?
Well, she wouldn't get her answers by standing under a tree all day. And the curiosity in her was urging her to go to his shop to investigate. She couldn't deny that her heart did a happy leap within her chest at the thought of reuniting with him.
Her heartbeat was pounding in her ears. She paused.
No, that was the sound of hooves galloping nearby. She glanced around and, sure enough, off in the distance someone on horseback was riding in her direction and, from the scarceness of the surroundings, she could guess that she was what the rider was heading towards.
Alice was wary but she couldn't very well hide behind the tree all day. The person had already seen her so it was best if she faced the situation head on. She started to move forward and noticed that the rider wore armor of a dark crimson. He wore no helm, and the sunlight almost cast a glow against his auburn hair which hung loose to his shoulders.
The boy, and she could see his youth clearly now, looked about ten years her junior. When he brought the horse to rear to a stop beside her, his face was hard and stern as though he'd been through experiences that had aged him beyond his years.
"State your business." He said. It did not escape her notice that his hand was on the hilt of his sword.
"I don't have any," She stated plainly. "I've lost my way."
"Your way?" The boy said with a humorless laugh, "Don't you know that all the ways here belong to the Red Prince?"
"Jack Heart. Yes, I know him."
The boy paused a minute to regard her, the look in his amber eyes was intensely serious. Alice resisted the urge to cross her arms and shield herself from that penetrating look.
"Who are you?" He asked, finally.
"Alice." She replied without thinking.
He quickly dismounted and Alice took a step back, slipping into a fighting stance.
"Are you really her? Are you Alice of Legend?" His face seemed to soften as he looked at her with awe, his eyes wide. "You are, aren't you?"
"I've been called that." She said, not dropping her guard.
The boy began to approach, hand on his sword hilt. Alice drew back, preparing to strike if he attacked, but the boy only adjusted the angle of the sword hanging at his side and once he was within arm's reach, much to her surprise, he knelt before her.
Alice stared down in confusion at the boy knight. His head was bowed.
"You've come back to us." He said softly, his voice full of reverence.
"Excuse me," Alice managed.
"Your coming is a sign." He gazed at her adoringly as he stood, a youthful smile brightening his features. Alice noticed that although he looked young, he was still slightly taller than she was.
"My coming here was an accident, just like the last time and I need to find a way back."
The boy's grin grew wider but he remained silent.
"What?" Alice asked, her irritation starting to seep into her tone.
The boy began to blush, his cheeks quickly rushing to match the color of his hair. He swiped a hand through the fiery locks, mumbling something unintelligible.
"Want to try that in English?" Alice vented her frustration.
He stepped closer and raised a gauntlet covered hand to gently caress her face, "You're more beautiful than the legends say…"
"Look, Handsy," She batted his hand away, taking a step back. "I don't know why I'm here or, for that matter, who you are."
"The Red Knight," the boy said, bowing as he did. "Lewis Dodgson is my name but you, radiant maiden, may call me Red."
If there was one thing that Alice had learned from Hatter, it was to take opportunities as they came. If this boy knew who she was, and saw her as a legend, perhaps she could use that to her advantage.
"Red, I need to get to the city. Can you help me?"
"As my lady commands," the boy quickly moved back to his horse and knelt with his hands clasped, palms up, gesturing with a jerk of his head that he would help her to mount.
She approached, resting a hand on his shoulder for balance before grabbing the horn of the saddle and pulling herself up. Once she was astride the horse, he gracefully mounted behind her and grabbed the reigns, setting off in the direction of the forest. Alice wasn't entirely happy with the seating arrangement, as the boy held her in a loose embrace, but he was willing to help. Besides, what other options did she have at this point?
He slowed the horse's gait as they neared the treeline, "I should warn you before we enter that these woods are dangerous. People can lose themselves here if they're not careful."
"And you know the way?" Alice cast a glance at him over her shoulder.
"More or less," He said, urging his horse into the trees.
"So how does someone so young become a knight?" Alice asked, curious to know her new companion.
"I never wanted to be anything else. I grew up reading tales of the kingdom of the knights and I was training to be a fighter since I could hold a wooden practice sword." Alice smiled at the wistful tone that his voice held, his enthusiasm evident.
"Did you have to perform some great deed to get your knighthood?"
The boy cleared his throat "I-uh…I did." He replied, his tone suddenly flat and somber.
"What was it?" Alice asked.
"I killed a jabberwock with a vorpal blade." The boy's voice was soft but it left her uneasy, as though there was a terrible story behind that statement. Alice did not ask for more details, after seeing one of those beasts up close, she wasn't sure that she wanted to know.
After a few silent moments passed, with nothing but the sound of the horse's steady hooves on the leaf-strewn forest floor, she tried changing the subject.
"Are there more knights now?"
"I… I'm not sure. I don't remember things as well here. Let's move away from this place and then I'll tell you, Miss."
She nodded, not quite sure what he meant. But as they rode along, she realized that she was having trouble remembering where they were going. For that matter she didn't know where she was currently. She was looking for something wasn't she? No… someone. She was sure of it.
She gazed up at the leafy canopy as they rode, trying to think. In fact the harder she thought, the more it seemed as though the thoughts were slipping away from her. She couldn't remember where she had been before here or what her name was. What was her name?
She felt arms around her and warmth at her back from the other rider. Had she known him long? She must have to allow him to hold her this way.
A bright light off in the distance drew her attention. It was a clearing beyond the trees. They were coming to the edge of the woods. As they emerged into an open field, Alice could see a town far off in the distance. Its buildings were all made of stone as though the whole kingdom were white. It was no town she'd ever seen before.
As they began to leave the forest behind them, Alice started to remember: Wonderland. That was the name of this place. She remembered her adventures here and what the city looked like as she and Hatter traveled so very unnecessarily high above the ground. The place they were riding towards looked nothing like that city.
"Alice," she recalled, musing out loud. "I'm Alice."
She felt something tight against her wrists and glanced down to see that Red had tied them without her noticing. She turned her head, throwing him a questioning glance.
"I am the Red Knight," He affirmed, a triumphant smirk on his lips, "And you are my prisoner."