The large oak door stood majestically before them, the granite sign above engraved in flowing script: The Garden of Live Flowers.
"So, this leads outside?" Alice ventured.
"No, it leads to the garden." The Red Knight smiled, seemingly pleased with his own contrary answer even as he pulled open the door.
The room was lavishly decorated. Ornate, brightly colored tapestries hung from the walls and lounge chairs and pillows were strewn about in numerous quantities, all for the comfort of the room's occupants. There were women reclining in flowing, gossamer gowns who looked slightly bored as though they were waiting for something. Their eyes all focused on the intruders to their scene.
"There aren't any plants…" Alice whispered to Red.
"No," he smiled, infuriatingly amused by her confusion. "But the flowers are obvious enough, put here for the same reason anyone plants a garden; to spend leisurely time amongst the flowers, taking in their fragrance, the soft feel of their petals…"
Alice's eyes widened as she started to pick up on his innuendo.
"This is a harem?" She asked in hushed alarm.
One of the women stood, her dark hair hanging loose to her waist, hands on her hips. "It's rude to whisper between you. We flowers can talk as well as you and a great deal louder."
"Forgive me this intrusion, ladies," Red started, "but the Unicorn has asked that I leave this beauty in your care for a short time, there being no safer place or better company within the whole of the White Kingdom."
The women smiled, obviously pleased enough by his flattering comment to ignore, for the time being, that a favor was being asked of them.
"May I introduce Tiger Lily," he said, gesturing to the woman who had spoken, "and Rose…" He gestured to a woman in a red dress with fiery locks to rival his own. "This is Daisy," a petite, blonde woman stood waving cheerfully, her other hand tugging a dark haired beauty to stand beside her, "and Violet."
"And why should we do anything for the Unicorn when he hasn't paid us a visit in ages?" Tiger Lily asked as she pouted her full lips. "He only sends you when he wants us to do something boring."
"The Red Knight should visit our garden more often," Rose suggested with a seductive purr.
Tiger Lily laughed, "Knights have no use for flowers, Rose. This one would prefer a long, hard lance."
"Careful," Red narrowed his eyes, the hint of a smile belying his serious demeanor. "Flowers with too many thorns are cut down." His threat was uttered with no real bite behind it, as though there was an understanding that their exchanged barbs were meant to keep the conversation going and not truly to offend.
Alice, meanwhile, was watching their interaction and fighting the urge to blush and hide behind the knight. These bawdy women made her so uncomfortable.
"Then again, maybe he should visit our garden," Violet chimed in, "I doubt any man could take him as a lover since he already seems to have something up his ass."
"Decorum, ladies! Such low talk is unbecoming."
"Oh, dear," Daisy cooed, wrapping her arms around Red's neck and pressing herself sinuously against his side. Her fingers were lightly twirling a strand of his red locks. "Have we offended our knight of flowers?"
With an exaggerated, long-suffering sigh, Red disentangled himself gently but forcefully from Daisy's embrace and made for the door.
Alice touched his arm lightly, not wanting to startle him and repeat the scene from the hall. "You're not leaving me here?"
His gaze was focused on the crook of his arm where her touch resided. Gently, he reassuringly placed his hand over hers.
"I must go and this is the safest place in the castle. We have to keep an eye on you, after all."
"Hatter…" She whispered, ignoring the subtle furrowing of the knight's brow. "If he knows I'm here-"
"Then he'll only help us by persuading Jack to agree to the Unicorn's offer." He interrupted, again treating her to that maddening grin. "Play nice."
And with a final, resounding slam, he was gone. Alice had to admit that it was better than being dumped in some cold, dank prison but she was still trapped in an unfamiliar place. She tried the door, frustrated to find it locked and she turned to face four flowers staring at her expectantly.
"Hi…I-uh, I'm Alice." She started meekly.
"It isn't manners for us to begin, you know," said Rose, "and I really was wondering when you'd speak! Said I to myself, 'Her face has got some sense in it, though it's not a clever one!'" The other flowers tittered at her comment.
"Why is this place the safest one in the castle?" Alice asked, ignoring the gibe and glancing around the room but not spotting any kind of fortification. There wasn't any that she could see even on the stained glass windows.
"Because," Tiger Lily smiled smugly, seating herself on a chaise and reclining slightly. She gathered her skirts, lifting the hem of her dress just past her knee so that Alice could see the two knives and a small pistol tucked into Tiger Lily's garter. "These flowers have thorns."
Alice nodded, quickly looking away.
"Come, darling," Violet said. "Sit. There's no knowing when someone might come to fetch you and you don't want to be standing the whole time, do you?"
"Besides, now that you're here, you can help us to pass the time." Daisy smiled brightly.
Alice took a few awkward steps towards them and sat on a fainting couch, staring down at her hands. She just wanted to go home. If she could just close her eyes and fall asleep, then this nightmare would be over. She could wake up in her own bed and David would be there to hold her and tell her how silly dreams are. She remembered having similar thoughts the first time here.
"Who's Hatter?" Rose drawled from the couch she was stretched out upon, drawing Alice's attention.
"None of your business." Alice replied, suddenly feeling defensive.
"Ah," Rose said, as though understanding something that Alice hadn't said aloud, "He's that important to you. I love my love with an H…" She recited, breaking off the rhyme to giggle at Alice's blushing cheeks.
"There's no hurry so you may as well tell us. After all," smiling, she rolled onto her stomach, resting her head on her folded arms, "Roses speak the language of love. So what's your story?"
*~*~*~*~*
Hatter was more than ready for some rest after his exhausting afternoon. He exited the main building, blinking at the sudden light of the setting sun, making his way along the stonework streets easily.
He was angry and it was making him tired. No, he realized. It wasn't that he was angry… just violent. He wanted a fight. Maybe it was the Lion and all his talk of war that had put Hatter on edge like this. He could feel his heartbeat pounding in his temples.
"…looks half starved and desperate enough…"
The Lion's words resounded in his head and Hatter clenched his fist. The urge to find that arrogant sod and punch him was very tempting.
Hatter stumbled, catching the wall for support as the wave of emotion surged in him, making him light headed. His vision tunneled and, for a brief moment, Hatter thought he might pass out. He clamped down on it, grasping desperately for his anchor.
As he thought of Alice, the sensation dulled and he could focus on it clearly: aggression, determination, and exertion. He let out a slow, calming breath just as Charlie rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you alright, lad?"
Hatter turned, over Charlie's shoulder he could see the recruits in the courtyard going through their evening drills. He met the White Knight's concerned gaze and forced a smile even as unease settled in the pit of his stomach like a ball of lead.
"Never better, just could do with a bit of rest." He lied, even as one thought echoed in his mind.
What was that?
*~*~*~*~*
"And that's when the Unicorn had the Red Knight bring me here." Alice concluded her story, noticing the last rays of the setting sun barely lit the dim room.
The four women had been listening intently to her every word, eyes wide as they absorbed what she said.
Rose sighed longingly, "How romantic…"
"Though," Daisy started politely, "you oughtn't to think ill of him, the Red Knight, I mean. He really is a good-hearted lad." The flowers all nodded in agreement.
"He hasn't had an easy go at it since…" Tiger Lily stopped, fingers to her lips as though realizing she just said something she shouldn't have.
"Since when?" Alice prodded, hoping to glean at least a tiny bit of information that might gain her an advantage in her situation.
"Since his father died." Daisy explained. Tiger Lily shot her a pointed look but Daisy just raised her chin determinedly and continued, "His father was a messenger for the White King. Haigha was his name."
"He was sent to the Red Kingdom, had been there dozens of times, but the last time… well, obviously, he never came back." Violet added.
"We heard rumors, though. That the Red Queen had taken him… done something to him… something awful… tortured and twisted him, made him do terrible things." Daisy continued, eyes downcast.
"That's why he distrusts the Hearts." Alice concluded, a familiar anger rising remembering just how many lives the Queen had torn apart. "That still doesn't excuse him for kidnapping me."
"Oh, you silly thing!" Rose exclaimed. "The Unicorn is the one who kidnapped you. He just sent the Red Knight to fetch you and you should be grateful it were an honest man like him, not some brute who would've taken part of his payment out of your flesh without flinching at trading damaged goods to the Red Prince!"
Alice was shocked. "I…I never thought of that before."
"It's my opinion that you never think at all," Rose said severely.
"Hold your tongue," said Tiger Lily to Rose, "we've said more than we should know." She then addressed Alice. "You'd be surprised the things people will say in front of us. After all, who will a flower tell besides the busy bees?"
"She's right," Daisy said, yawning. "And it's getting late, we should get some sleep."
The flowers wordlessly nestled into comfortable spots, the room hardly lacked for them. As darkness crept upon the room, Alice curled up on the couch and hoped that when the sun rose she would be one day closer to finding David and going back home.