Sorry for another delay, folks! Things have been getting dramatic at home and I'm still debating on ideas for future chapters in this story. But before we get to this chap, I'd like to clear up some things.
1) I have read some of your comments concerning some scenes in this story that seem familiar. Understand that they are completely coincidental; I haven't seen some of the mentioned movies in forever (probably since about five or six years ago) and never thought about it until they were mentioned. Please note that this story is only made out of fun; I'm not making any profit out of this except to ease my boredom and to entertain readers.
2) I know that 'Stephan's' true identity is obvious; I didn't intend to keep it as a secret (except from the heroes, of course… XD). So yes, it's Stayne. Said it. No need to keep pointing it out. But I won't state his plot; that'll spoil the real surprise.
3) Thanks so much for the critiques and comments. It tells me that the plot is going great so far. However, I'm having some trouble of coming up future chapters. Some helpful pointers would be really appreciated.
4) One more important thing. I've just recently applied to join the Navy (Congrats to me! Yay!) and am going to RTC on October. Don't freak out if I don't respond to any comments or if I don't update soon. I'll just be working hard to get back into shape. Plus, after Christmas I'll be staying in Florida for a vocational school assigned to me. I'll still update, but not as often as before. This also depends on if I am up to updating; I'm seriously running out of ideas and have no time to come up with more!
Other than those notes, enjoy!
Alice in Wonderland II: Underland's Champion
Chapter 9: A Night to Remember
Alice could feel her heart pounding as she slowly descends the stairs. She feels her cheeks burning as she looks at the various faces that are staring at her with wide eyes. She forces herself to smile as she continues walking through the small crowd as they part like waves for her.
Alice continues looking around until she sees Mirana and Tarrant together. Her eyes soften and her anxiety eases a bit. As she walks towards them, she notices that the music resumes playing and everyone begins murmuring amongst each other. Several people glance at her as they whisper but Alice pays no heed to them as she approaches the White Queen and milliner. Her Highness looks both surprised and delighted while the Hatter seems stricken.
"Hi…" Alice smiles shyly.
Mirana finally gets over her shock and smiles widely at Alice. "Alice… You look positively exquisite! I trust that my maids haven't given you a hard time?"
Alice thinks about the small argument she had with the women about how hard they were tightening her corset. Not wanting to mention such an irrational scene, she shakes her head. "No. Elizabeth and the other three were wonderful."
Mirana smiles and nods in approval. Then she glances at Hatter and nudges him gently on the arm. The Hatter blinks and glances at her questioningly. Mirana raises her brow and gestures to Alice. Alice looks curious. The Hatter seems to get the gist and is about to say something when a voice calls out to the Champion.
"Alice!"
The trio turn to see Bayard and his wife walking towards them. After they carefully walk through the large crowd, they finally catch Alice's attention. Alice smiles as she kneels down and pets the dogs' ears. She notices that Bayard has a small black bow on his collar while his wife has a pink flower headband and a pearl necklace. She thought that they both look cute for the occasion.
"Bayard!" Alice smiles warmly at the hound dog. "How are you both doing this evening?"
"Much better knowing that our Champion has returned home." Bayard's wife responds with a kind glint in her eyes. Alice flushes a bit. "Well-"
"Come! The others want to see you!" Bayard insists as he leads the blonde and his wife through the crowd. Alice glances at Mirana and Tarrant for a moment. When they nod with smiles (Tarrant's smile was off for some reason), she leaves with the dogs.
As soon as they are out of sight, Tarrant lets out a soft sigh and closes his eyes. Mirana glances at him and smiles sadly as she places a hand on his shoulder. Her expression suddenly grows firm and she clears her throat.
"Remember, Tarrant. Not a word about what we have learned."
The Hatter says nothing and stares at the ground as the White Queen walks away to greet more of her guests.
Various thoughts run through the milliner's mind as he walks through the crowd. He mumbles incoherent things that cause some of the guests to stare at him strangely. He continues to sulk until he walks out of the back exit and walks towards the magnificent garden.
Compared to Marmoreal's magnificent beauty, the Crystal Castle's garden is far more surreal. Even in the moonlit night, the crystal sculptures glow radiantly as the milliner walks past them. Various bushes with random sculpted designs are scattered around the grounds and beautiful flowers of all species rest in separate beds or bushes nearby tall willow trees.
The Hatter feels at ease as soon as he walks down a small flight of stairs. The scent of raspberries and fresh dew fills his nose and he smiles softly as he breathes deeply. Going out for a walk always puts him at ease, especially during nighttime and if he is alone. He continues to walk through the gentle cool breeze and gazes around at the beautiful flowers. Although they each display magnificent beauty and grace, they are of little interest to him.
Suddenly a soft glint catches his attention and he looks ahead to see a small pond. In the center of the pond is a dark blue glow that seems to be slowly crawling towards the shore. Curious, the Hatter slowly walks forward and kneels down to look more closely. As soon as the glow dims, he sees a small beautiful sky-blue and white lily resting on a lily pad. What surprises him is that the lily's texture is made out of pure crystal.
The pad gently collides with the surface and remains still, as if encouraging the milliner to pick it up. The milliner looks around silently. When he realizes that he is alone, he looks back at the lily and gently picks it up from the pad. Almost instinctively, the lily glows from where it rests on his palm before the light dims once more.
The milliner stares at the lily in curiosity and wonder. It couldn't be a flower or a crystal; it was far too light for its size. Yet it's density is very delicate; the petals are very flexible but firm in their spots. No flower in Underland held such a firm texture; none of the petals could easily be removed. No flower can glow such a radiant hue in the dark, either.
Just what on Earth am I holding, the milliner thinks.
It truly is a wonder, he knew that much. A beautiful wonder that is a pleasure to look at and seems as delicate as any other flower is. Such a treasure must be taken care of with love, adoration, and utmost care.
Perhaps Mirana knows what it is? After all, she has grown up in the Crystal Castle all her life. Maybe this object only grows in the Crystal Garden; he hasn't seen or heard of anything like it.
Thinking about Mirana reminds the milliner about their last talk. He remembers her last piece of advice. Treasure each time you have with her while you can.
He smiles when he thinks about Alice. She is also truly a wonder to behold. Not only is she a beautiful woman, she is a fantastic warrior and a wonderful understanding friend. It is no wonder why he loves her. He can no longer deny it.
He smiles widely as he looks down at the fragile object in his hands. He cradles it close to his chest before he turns around and walks quickly back towards the castle to look for a certain blonde.
He is just about to walk inside when he notices a lone figure sitting on a small porch a few feet away from the door. When he sees the blonde hair, his smile softens and he holds the flower behind him as he approaches the champion quietly.
Alice sighs quietly as she leans back on the bench. She closes her eyes and shivers as she feels the cool breeze blow through her shoulders. She rubs her arms to warm herself before she looks up at the large moon.
A sense of ease washes through her as she imagines her father smiling at her. She knows that he is somewhere up in the good place and prays that she has made the right decision. While she has anxiously ridden on her carriage prior to her arrival at the ball, she has been debating on if this is truly what she wants to do. Becoming a Champion of a world that she barely understands yet feels welcome in is a very big responsibility that was given to her the moment she first arrived in Wonderland. She would have to leave so much behind her; her old life, the world that she has been forced to accustom to, and above all, her family.
She would never give her sister and mother one more hug or kiss farewell. Although her business with Lord Ascot has finished weeks before her return, she felt guilty for not bidding him a final farewell. He has been there for her like her father did, after all. Alice and Hamish have just rebuilt their friendship and she almost would have considered him as a brother if things went smoothly. She wouldn't be able to apologize to Lady Ascot for her rash mistake and make amendments. Worst of all, she wouldn't be able to see her only nephew grow up and hopefully fulfill his own dreams. She wouldn't be in his life anymore.
Maybe Alice can arrange something with the White Queen to occasionally see her family, but is she really wanting to risk her family for a new change in her future?
She hears soft footsteps from behind her and turns her head slightly. She smiles when she sees familiar green eyes staring down at her. Tarrant smiles back at her. "Any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"
Alice's smile widens as she shrugs. "Haven't the slightest idea. I've thought about it for four years and still have no clue."
Tarrant smiles softly as he walks around the bench and makes himself comfortable on the seat beside her. He sneakily hides the gift on his lap between his palms before he focuses on Alice. "It's the thought that counts." His smile fades a bit as he glances away. "I have thought that you forgotten about us… About me…"
Alice glances at him in surprise. "How could I forget? You are all wonderful people! It's just…" She exhales a bit. "It took me a while to think about what I want. And what I wanted is to finish my father's dream before I do anything else."
"All a simple misunderstanding, my dear." Tarrant smiles widely at Alice. "Bygones are bygones."
Alice smiles back at the milliner. They are silent as they gaze at each other's eyes. Suddenly Tarrant clears his throat and straightens up as he looks up at the moonlight. "How are you enjoying your ball?"
"In all honesty, I think that it's a bit too much." Alice responds quietly. "I mean, I do appreciate all the attention and honor, but it's really too much excitement for one night. Bayard and the others showed me various rooms that held so many different secrets. It's quite enchanting yet mysterious."
"And what about the dance itself?" The Hatter couldn't help but ask. His heart throbs at the thought of someone else dancing with the blonde. "Have you danced with anyone, yet?"
"No; I've spent the whole time looking at various rooms." Alice smiles a bit sheepishly.
Tarrant returns the sheepish smile. "Of course."
The duo are silent again as they watch the moonlight together. The duo can see various stars twinkling around the moon while others are just barely noticeable. The sounds of music and cheerful conversations are barely noticeable while the sounds of cricket chirps and owl hoots fill the night. Suddenly a strong gust of wind passes through the duo. Alice noticeably shivers and rubs her arms.
She is quite surprised when she feels a jacket placed over her shoulders moments later. She looks up and sees Tarrant smiling as he removes his hands and places them over his lap. Alice smiles gratefully as she holds the jacket closely and instantly feels warm. The black jacket strangely smells of cinnamon and tea. Just like the Hatter does.
The duo are silent once again before Tarrant speaks. "So what brings you out here all alone?"
Alice shrugs. "Nothing in particular. Just needed to be alone and think about some things."
"Such as?" Tarrant looks curious.
Alice hesitates as she glances at Tarrant. "Well… I've been wondering about what will happen now that I've decided to stay here. I mean, everything I know in my world is different from here. I'm leaving behind so many things…"
Tarrant looks a bit upset and cautious at the same time. "Are you regretting it?"
"No! Of course not. It's just that… I wonder if I will see my family again. They mean so much to me; I haven't really thought about if my stay here will be permanent. I do wish to occasionally see my mother and sister if not every day. I have left them with more questions than answers about my choice."
Tarrant is silent as he thinks about Alice's statement. He understands all too well about her love for her family. He too had a family that he has loved more than anything in the world. But when the Jabberwocky destroyed his village, the fires demolished his home along with his parents, siblings, and clan. That tragic day has destroyed the milliner; he lost everything that day. He can understand Alice's fear of being completely out of her family's life and not knowing how they are doing.
But the issue is travelling from Wonderland to the Upperland and vice versa. It is quite difficult considering the circumstances; Alice was lucky that Jabberwocky venom was available last time. The venom itself is hard to obtain, especially since the Jabberwocky was the last of its species in existence. Finding another method to travel between both worlds will be a difficult concept, but Mirana is the best potion maker and knows more than most people admit. Perhaps she can find a way for Alice to return to and from Wonderland to see her family.
Tarrant smiles softly as he gently caresses Alice's gloved hand with his own. Alice looks at him in surprise. "Do not worry, Alice. I promise that we'll find a way to work this out. Together, yes?"
Alice stares at him for a long time before her fingers lace with his. "Thank you…" She mouths as she smiles widely. Tarrant returns the smile and squeezes her hand reassuringly.
Then Tarrant glances at the gift hidden beside his lap. He lets go of Alice's hand as he reaches out to cup the delicate flower and holds it out to her. Alice looks curious and delighted by the object.
"I saw this lily and thought of you." The Hatter says as Alice's fingers brush over the texture. Her eyes widen in awe when the lily glows as a response to her touch. "I haven't seen anything like it, but I am positive that it must be a very good sign. I'd like to give it to you as a good luck charm. And as a promise gift from me."
"A promise gift?" Alice tilts her head curiously. "What do you mean by that?"
"By accepting this gift, you will accept my vows to you. Here on the night that Underland honors you, I vow upon my soul and heart to protect you from all danger and harm. I will be there for you for whatever you need or desire. No matter what happens, I will not leave your side. I will assign myself as your official guardian, closest friend, and counselor. I will do my best… To make your happiness my top priority. Will you accept my offer, Champion Alice?"
Alice couldn't stop a tear from flowing down her cheek. She reaches up to wipe it away but stops when Tarrant cups her cheek and uses his thumb to wipe it away for her. He waits anxiously for a response as she sniffles. She holds his wrist as she stares at his glowing green orbs. "Oh, Tarrant… Do you really mean all that you say? Are you telling me the truth?"
"Every word, love." Tarrant smiles widely as he holds the flower up to her again. Alice squeezes his wrist a bit before she murmurs. "In that case, I accept your offer, Tarrant Hightopp."
Tarrant says nothing but smiles widely as Alice takes his gift. The object seems to glow brighter than usual before it dims and rests comfortably in her palms. Alice marvels her gift in delight while Tarrant smiles adoringly at her reaction. Suddenly he reaches out to the object and uses his other hand to brush a free strand of hair from her ear. "May I?"
Alice nods and gives Tarrant the gift. Tarrant then carefully arranges the root of the plant upon her sparkling headband just on the brim of her ear. Her hair looks so smooth and silky as the milliner focused on finishing the final décor. When he finishes, his fingers linger on her neck before he pulls away. "There. Perfect." He smiles brightly. Alice returns the smile graciously.
Suddenly a gentle waltz begins to play in the background. Tarrant tilts his head back in surprise; he hasn't heard that song in years and it's one of his personal favorites. He then glances back at Alice before he stands up. He smiles as he holds out a hand to her. "May I have this dance, milady?"
Alice glances at the hand before she smiles and takes it. She stands up and helps the Hatter put his jacket back on before she murmurs, "Of course."
With her hand on his offered arm, the milliner gently leads her towards the doorway. The duo ignore the incredulous stares of watchers as they walk towards the dance floor. About five to six other couples are dancing away as they make their way to the middle of the floor. Tarrant turns Alice to face him and the duo smile bashfully at each other as they move along with the small beat.
As they dance to the slow movements, their eyes focus on each other and nothing else. They don't notice Mirana smiling widely at the scene while Chessur tilts his head, holds his paws together, and smiles even wider. Mallymkun retches from Bayard's head as the dog nuzzles against his wife and pups. Tweedledee subconsciously leans his head against his twin. Amongst the crowd that is watching, a pair of dark eyes narrows dangerously at the couple.
Oblivious to everyone around them, Alice and Tarrant are in their own private little world. Everything turns into clouds as they gracefully move around the floor. The music fills their ears as their hearts soar in union. Green glowing orbs focus on bright blue pools as they spin around in each other's arms. They smile the entire time as they remain transfixed with the other person. The music begins to slow to an end and the duo spin slowly to a stop at that precise moment. As the music smoothly plays out the final notes, Tarrant subconsciously cradles Alice's jaw and leans closely towards her face. Both dancers slowly close their eyes and hitch their breaths until they are merely centimeters away…
… Until a tap on the shoulder snaps the Hatter out of his trance. "May I cut in?" A deep voice asks smoothly. The Hatter pauses and slowly opens his eyes to look at Alice's puzzled expression. Then he slowly turns to see Stefan waiting for a response expectantly. The milliner's blank expression slowly fades as his eyes begin to turn orange out of fury. The advisor smirks at him and steps back as if expecting a violent outcome from the milliner. The Hatter turns and is about to release his rage until a hand on his shoulder stops him.
He slowly looks down and sees Alice giving him a worried look. Seeing those blue orbs soothes his rage and he lets out a ragged sigh before he curtly nods. Giving Alice a look of sadness, he walks away before she could stop him.
Alice's worry increases when the milliner disappears in the crowd. He seems to be sulking as the guests move aside almost fearfully. Then the whole ordeal is forgotten as some of the guests return to their business. Alice continues to stare at the direction where the milliner disappeared to and instantly feels a sense of loneliness, sadness, and disappointment. What has just happened…?
"My Champion…" Stefan steps closer to Alice. She looks up at him and is a bit irritated to see that he held no sympathy or guilt in his eyes. In fact, he looked a bit triumphant as he held his arm out to her. "I wish to have a word with you privately. It concerns your stay here in Underland."
Alice hides back the urge to scold Stefan for rudely pushing her friend aside as if he was a common bother. But not wanting to create a scene amongst the guests, she sighs and nods before she takes his arm and lets him lead her towards the hallway. She is quite curious as to what he needs to tell her.
Stefan releases Alice and shuts the doors closed. Once assured that they are alone, he turns to her. Alice is a bit put off when he stands a bit too closely before her. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with that man in the porch. You are concerned about seeing your family again, yes?"
Alice looks horrified. "Were you spying on us?"
"No, of course not. I was simply looking out for you and just happened to overhear your conversation. It is my duty to make sure that you have a marvelous time in the ball, as is it is Her Highness' duty as well."
Alice relaxes a bit as she exhales softly. "Oh, well in that case… What about it?"
"I understand that you don't understand much about our world, but please be rest assured that you are in good hands. The White Queen is a good woman and she has made many good choices that helped us all."
"I know. I have no doubt about that." Alice nods.
"And don't forget that you have friends here that will guide you through your new life. Her Highness will give you time to adjust here before she assigns you to your duties. Use all the time you have to study about anything and everything in her library. Marmoreal is now your home."
Alice looks a bit surprised by the man's words. She looks up at him and sees the seriousness in his eyes. Maybe he isn't as bad as she first thought he was. "Um… I appreciate that, Stefan. But what about what you said earlier? About my problem concerning my communication with my family?"
"Yes." Stefan nods. "That will indeed be a problem. You see, while it is much easier to come to Wonderland, leaving it is much more difficult. You cannot return from the way you came here nor can you use Jabberwocky venom. Its venom allows you to go to any place you desire, but you have slain the last Jabberwocky in existence. Using the Jabberwocky venom is out of the question."
Alice's heart drops in dread. "Then is there no other way…?"
"I'm afraid so. Unless…" He hesitates.
"Unless…?" Alice looks insistent and she gazes pleadingly at Stefan. The advisor hesitates before he sighs. "Have you ever heard about the legend of the Looking Glass?"
Alice tilts her head and furrows her brows. She shakes her head.
"I didn't think so." Stefan sighs and shakes his head before he continues. "You see, it is rumored that the Looking Glass is an object similar to a mirror that was used as a portal between Wonderland and another world, presumably your world. The late king and queen have used it to study how your world works and how your people handle changes and work together. But when they saw humanity turn against each other simply because of ignorance and diplomacy, the royal family decided to throw away the Looking Glass and buried it deep in the most forbidden parts of the outlands. Up to this day, no one has seen nor found the mirror. I doubt even Queen Mirana knows where it is…"
"Wait a moment… Are you telling me that the Looking Glass is practically a door between Wonderland and Earth?" Alice couldn't believe what she was hearing. "How is that possible? Can't you return to Underland through that same way?"
"Of course." Stefan nods and Alice looks surprised. "Since the portal is a mirror in Underland, it is also a mirror on Earth. But since there are millions of mirrors on Earth, no one knows which one is the actual doorway to Wonderland. And even if they find it, they had to say a certain secret code to activate the portal. Only the royal family knows of the phrase."
Alice sighs as she rubs her temples tiredly. This was obviously her only choice, but it wasn't going to be easy to handle. She greatly hoped that Mirana does know where the Looking Glass is hidden and the password to activate it. After that, she is in God's favor when she lands in who-knows-where on Earth. That missing mirror could practically be anywhere on Earth; returning to her family would be difficult depending on where she is.
"Maybe I can persuade Mirana to give me the information if she has it…" She murmurs. Then she smiles widely up at Stefan. "But it certainly gives me hope to see my family again. Thank you so much."
"Of course." Stefan's smile is crooked once again and Alice suddenly feels uneasy once more. To her surprise, the man turns and picks up two wine glasses that were sitting on a windowsill. He hands one over to her. "Now how about a toast?"
Alice stares at the drink a bit cautiously before she accepts it. She smiles as she holds her glass up along with Stefan.
"A toast for a long prospering life for Underland's Champion." Stefan claims as his smile widens.
"A toast for a good healthy future." Alice adds.
The duo click their glasses before they take a sip from their drinks. Alice is a bit surprised by the pleasant taste surrounding her tongue. The wine taste strangely like a mixture of cherries and raspberries. Delighted, Alice drinks down the small glass.
"Mmm, this is delicious. What is it?" She asks curiously.
"My private special." Stefan smiles even wider as he puts aside his drink and walks closer to Alice. Alice suddenly feels a wave of dizziness as she stands back and leans against the wall. She grows uncomfortable when Stefan places his hands on either side of her head and leans down closely to her.
"Um… Stefan…? What are you doing…?" Alice chuckles nervously. Stefan licks his lips before he leans even closer to stare at her wide blue eyes.
"It took me years to get up to where I am today…"
"Huh?"
"But I never thought that I would ever see you again so soon, Alice…"
"Again… What are you-?"
She is cut off when Stefan suddenly caresses her jaw line and breathes against her face. Alice is caught off guard when the scent of alcohol and something else fills her nose. The smell is not at all comforting and it is quite alarming.
"While it took me a year to become the White Queen's most trustworthy apprentice, it takes you just days to regain your title as Champion." Stefan's voice suddenly changes. "I like how you've grown so fast, Alice. I like you, Alice. I like your determination to fulfill your duties to your people. I like your new… Largeness."
His face completely transforms into a maniac grin and Alice gasps as a sense of dread hits her like a mallet to the head. She tries to run but she is pinned firmly by the man before her. Before she could cry out for help, she groans when she feels a sting on her neck. She suddenly loses her balance as her knees give away. She weakly looks up and sees the face of Stayne grinning as he puts away a needle. She realizes that he has injected her with something and tries to voice out her question. "How…? That is from…" Her voice is barely above a whisper. Shouting would be pointless. She didn't have the strength to do it.
"Earth? Yes." Stayne examines the needle curiously before he places it into his hidden pocket. He steps over her body and kneels closer to her. He caresses her hair softly. "You see, during your little trip from London, Her Highness has managed to find the Looking Glass after the late queen gave her the location and password. She wanted her favored daughter to have some sort of familial heirloom that was of some importance and gave the Red Queen access to the portal."
Alice could feel her heart stop. "Iracebeth…? She has the Looking Glass…? Then that means…"
"She and I can travel to and from your world and back here. Haven't you noticed the strange ways that we managed to get away from Mirana's guards? It was by pure luck that the Red Queen's new spell has managed to keep me disguised for so long. It's quite useful to know of Mirana's motives nowadays."
Alice looks confused. "A spell… She's studying magic…?"
"Black magic, actually." Stayne chuckles. "I won't bore you with all the details so I'll cut to the chase. During our exile, Iracebeth went to find the hidden chamber that her parents left behind. Upon finding the Looking Glass, she found forbidden spell books and began to study black magic. She used that black magic to remove our chains and used it to start a new army. We use the Looking Glass to steal all other essentials that are needed for her spells. By the time she finishes her studies, both Wonderland and Earth will be ours."
"But… That makes no sense…" Alice found it hard to breathe when the injection began to shut down her senses. "I thought you hated her…"
"I did. But we made an agreement to divide the worlds by our preferences. She will have Wonderland, and I will have Earth. Simple and easy like that." Stayne suddenly yanks Alice's face to look up at him and he leans dangerously close. "But when the White Queen began talking about your return, the Red Queen and I had to change our plans a bit. We knew that you would try to stop us so killing you was our first priority. Next will be anyone else that will stop us, including Mirana and that freak of nature."
The vision of the White Queen and Tarrant harmed suddenly alarms Alice. "No… Don't hurt them…"
"Can't make any promises, my dear…" Stayne fakes a sad smile. "But it is a shame having to kill a lovely creature as yourself, Alice." Alice cringes when Stayne kisses her forehead down to her cheek and just at the corner of her lips. He pulls away and promptly drops her on the ground. He laughs as he stares at her helpless form. "Farewell, Alice. It was nice to see you one more time…"
With that said, the man turns on his heel and walks away.
Alice's breathing becomes labored as the poison in her bloodstream begins to do its work. She fights to breathe as she tries to reach up for the windowsill to pull herself up, but her arm refuses to go any higher than her head. She tries to cry out but only a croak comes out. She closes her eyes as cold sweat runs down her forehead and heat flares through her body. She could feel her heart giving out and she groans when she feels herself blacking out…
"ALICE!" She could hear a distorted voice call out to her. She weakly opens her eyes and looks around when she feels a pair of strong arms holding her head up. Although her vision is blurry, she could faintly make out a white face with red hair and stricken blue eyes staring down at her. She feels a bandaged hand clasping one of hers tightly against his chest as he urges Alice to respond.
She manages to squeeze his hand and murmurs one last thing before she blacks out. "Tarrant…"
And there's the twist! Again, sorry for the delay, but hope this makes up for it! Some suggestions for future chapters would be appreciated! Comment please!