Finally! After what felt like forever (and an unintentional hiatus on this), I finally got to work on another update for this story. I know I left off on a huge cliffhanger, but this chapter is helping to build more onto the major climax that I have in store for this story. Anyways, on to the story. =)
Leaving the cottage, AJ took her place walking with her Wonderland friends. In a place like this, there was rarely anything that happened that merited the attention or need for a gathering of the residents, so news of the Jester's execution was something that piqued the interest of everybody. But since AJ wasn't from this world, she had no clue who the Jester was. As the group made their way through the forest for the castle and the site of the Jester's execution, AJ decided to ask about this person that seemed to be such a big deal to her friends.
"Umm, if you don't mind me asking, could you guys maybe tell me a little bit of information about your friend?" AJ asked.
The brief period of silence that followed after she asked her first question gained a measure of uncomfortable silence from her friends until she decided to try to apologize for asking the question.
"I'm sorry. I didn't really realize that it'd be a touchy subject to talk about this person. I guess it just comes from how things are back where I come from," AJ said, hanging her head.
"It's OK. No need to feel bad about wanting to talk about our friend and find out information about him," John said, reassuringly.
"I'm still sorry. It's just, I'm not from these parts and there are still so many things that I'm curious about and want to know more about," AJ said.
"If you're really curious, I could tell you all you want to know," John said.
"Are you really OK with telling me?" AJ asked.
"Absolutely. After all, since you're our friend, you at least have a right to know. You see, our friend is what you would call a bit of an unconditional joker at times. He was mostly always the one person that never failed to help cheer people up and make us all laugh. Well, one day, things were going the way they typically do. We were all gathered for a tea party when all of a sudden, the high members of the court of the Queen and King that are supposed to be our 'rulers' appeared and tried to stop our party," John said, a look of bitterness slightly crossing his face.
"Why did you say 'rulers' the way you did? Is there something about them that you don't really like?" AJ asked.
"That'd be the understatement of a lifetime to say it that way. They pretty much rub everyone the wrong way," Zack piped up.
"What is it about them that seems to be such a bad thing?" AJ asked.
"Well, for one thing, they seem to pretty much have a general dislike of most of the fun things we do," John said.
"Another thing is that they always seem to find ways to try punishing us for things we didn't do," Alicia said.
"Anyways, back to my story. Our party got interrupted by several of the head knights that guard the King and Queen from any kind of harm. When we asked what was wrong, the knight leading the group told us that the Jester was to report to the court of their highnesses to be executed. Not fully understanding why he was to be executed, I asked why he was going to be executed. And in response, I was told that he simply did not fulfill his duties as royal entertainment," John said.
"That's terrible," AJ said, shock lacing her voice.
"Which is why it seems like all of us are determined to try to save him," John said, as the group continued forward.
As AJ let this new information sink in, she honestly felt like she had a better image of who exactly this mystery person was. However, before she could ask anymore of the questions that were swimming in her brain, the sound of trumpet fanfare ripped her out of her own private thoughts. Looking to see where the fanfare was coming from, AJ looked up to see that the group had all but stopped several feet away from a large, white castle that was surrounded by high bushes, which ended with what looked like a heart marking the entryway.
"Whoa. Look at the size of that castle and those bushes," AJ said in wonder.
"Indeed. That is the castle of the King and Queen of Wonderland," Ted said.
"Or as many of us like to call it, the fortress of no return," Cody said, a grim look crossing his face.
"And just think. Our friend is in there, awaiting his unfair execution," Alicia said.
Hearing the tones of the voices of her friends, AJ suddenly started to feel doubtful. She didn't exactly know how she'd deal with it if the mission they wanted to carry out would fail. Also, she couldn't help but pay notice to the way John looked when he first mentioned the King and Queen and the grim tone that laced Cody's voice. Before AJ could try to voice what was really on her mind about all of this, she felt nudging in her sides followed by two arms wrapping around her shoulders. Looking to both of her sides, AJ saw that it was Alex and Kaitlyn.
"Feeling scared?" Alex said.
"The tension is practically rolling off of you," Kaitlyn said.
"I don't really know. Yes, I guess. I've never been to a place like this before and I don't know what I'm getting myself into. I know I said I would help you guys try to speak and save your friend, but I don't have a clue about what to do," AJ said, defeat starting to creep into her voice.
"You don't have to worry about a thing," Alex said.
"We'll take care of everything," Kaitlyn said.
"And how exactly do you guys think you'll be able to handle trying to save someone that could be guarded heavily?" AJ asked, confused.
With similar smiles starting to creep across Alex and Kaitlyn's faces, the two said "You'll see what we mean soon enough."
Before having time to think about what the two meant, AJ was being hurried forward through the high gates of the castle. The fanfare grew louder with each step that the group took towards the center of the castle grounds. As AJ looked around, she was in awe of what she was seeing. All around her were various stone sculptures, fountains, small ponds, and bushes with red roses in full bloom. These were sights that AJ had never had the privilege of seeing up close and personally, so her curiosity got the better of her and she had wandered over to one of the rose bushes. Looking around, AJ carefully leaned in and pulled a rose from the bush. As she examined the rose in her hand, she was in awe of its natural beauty. However, with each careful lookover she gave the rose, AJ soon started to notice that something was entirely right with the rose.
"Hey, the petals on this rose feel like they've been painted on. Plus, it reeks of fresh paint," AJ said, wrinkling her nose.
"It was more than likely an oversight by the royal gardeners. I'd imagine by now their highnesses have done something to the person responsible for painting these roses red," John said, taking a look at the rose himself.
"Done something like what?" AJ asked hesitantly.
"More than likely, they've been executed themselves," John said, his voice taking on the same grim tone AJ heard in it earlier.
"The people that rule this world would really kill innocent people for a slight oversight like this?" AJ asked.
"Of course they would. Things have to be done their way. For you see, all ways are the King and Queen's ways," Ted and Cody said.
This recent bit of information had AJ feeling even more frightened to try to go forward with her earlier plan to help rescue the Jester. She had almost let the tears that were starting to form in her eyes roll down her face before she felt two pairs of arms wrap around her. Feeling this new warmth, AJ fell to her knees and let all of the tears that had been slowly building up inside of her fall as she let out all of her sobs. At this very moment, AJ let out all of her frustrations over everything that had been happening to her, whether it was her inability to voice her opinions on how her storylines were going back in her own world or the fact that she was in some strange new world trying to help a group of familiar strangers save some person she knew next to nothing about. As she progressively calmed down from her crying fit, which smoothed out into hiccups, AJ wiped her face and proceeded to stand. Looking up, she saw that one of the people that was holding her was Kaitlyn, so she could only guess that the other pair of arms belonged to Alex.
"Thanks for that, you two. I'm sorry you had to see me break down like that," AJ said.
"No need to worry about that," Kaitlyn said.
"We just thought you would've needed shoulders to cry on, so that's what we gave you," Alex said.
"And I appreciate that. I actually feel a bit better after that," AJ said, a small smile starting to spread across her face.
"As long as you're feeling better, that's all that matters," John said, resting a hand on top of AJ's head.
Before AJ could respond to this latest gesture on John's behalf, the sound of Punk clearing his throat brought all of the group's attention to him.
"This all looks very touching and everything, but if you guys want to do anything about trying to stop the Jester from getting killed, then I suggest that we get a move on," Punk said.
Looking down at AJ, John asked "You still feel up to doing this?"
AJ honestly didn't know how to answer this question. There was a part of her that didn't feel like trying to go through the strain of going forward, but at the same time, there was a part of her that kept saying to push onward and see the rest of her journey to its end. Taking a breath and fully rising to her feet, AJ said "Yes, yes I do. Let's all go save your friend before it's too late."