A/N: Hi folks, hope you are still enjoying the story so far, I apologize if my pacing is a little slow but I don't want to rush the story either as I've seen this problem with some fanfic writers before. Anyway here's chapter 6 and hope you will read and review!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Lewis Carroll's, Disney's, or Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland anything. The plot and characters I create are mine!

Rating: T

*Chapter 6*

*In the Jungle of the Outlands*

After a long journey in the hot Outland desert, Stayne and Iracebeth finally reached the edge of the jungle. Stayne was thankful that the guards hadn't bothered ridding him of his sword. He unsheathed it and used it to hack through the tough vegetation. Iracebeth followed a safe distance behind him. Occasionally she would complain about the debris flying around her, sticking to her clothes and hair only to receive an ugly retort from Stayne. After several hours of hacking through the jungle, they finally made it to a clearing near a large waterfall. They could feel the mist on their faces as the water continued to fall into the large creek below. They slowly made their way to the large smooth rocks on the outer banks of the creek. The water was crystal clear and they could see to the bottom.

Iracebeth and Stayne both cupped their hands and started to drink greedily. After getting their fill, Iracebeth washed her face off to rid herself of the sweat and grime. Stayne hadn't noticed Iracebeth washing her face because he was trying unsuccessfully to get his gloves off but the iron cuffs were on way too tight for his gloves to slip through.

"Ahh! Curse Marmoreal! These blasted gloves won't come off!" Stayne angrily stated.

"Stayne, I don't know if I would curse Marmoreal just yet. After all, Miwana could've had us executed." Iracebeth stated bringing her face out of the water.

"Being executed would've been better than bloody living like this! She wouldn't have killed us anyhow cause she can't even hurt a rocking horse fly!" He stated as he turned to meet her gaze and his jaw dropped.

"You, Stayne, don't know my sister very well then! Believe it or not, we are of the same bloodline and she does have a dark side. A dark side that if crossed, she can be deadly and I fear more deadly than I." She looked up at him and noticed his shocked gaze. "Why in all of Underland are you looking at me like that? I demand to know!"

"Y-Your makeup…." He trailed off.

"Well? What about it?"

"It-It's gone…"

Iracebeth looked at her reflection in the water and softened. How long had she worn that makeup continuously? It had been so long that she had forgotten what she looked like without it. During the first few years after her head had quit swelling, she remembered that one of her maids had advised that she wear makeup. Not just any makeup, but she advised her to cover her original eyebrows and paint pencil ones up higher to make her face fit the size of her head more properly. What a fool she had been. Nothing hid the size of her head, not even those wondrous hats that Mirana's hatter made. She had lied when she said she didn't like them because she did, she just didn't like the size of her head. She wanted to be normal and she still wanted to be loved.

"You thought it was my skin did you?" She smirked.

"I-I didn't know! I never saw you with it off, so how was I supposed to know?" He stated but still couldn't believe his one eye. Although the woman before him head was still big, her face was very attractive. Her skin was not even white like her sister's. It was a fair complexion with normal thin red eyebrows right above her eyes and soft pink lips.

Iracebeth noticed he was still staring and it was making her uncomfortable.

"Why are you still staring? I demand you to stop at once!" She seethed.

"I can bloody well stare if I want too! Remember, you're not the Queen anymore!" He retorted angrily but once he noticed the hurt and faraway look on her face he softened. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. Why did you cover your face up anyway? If you want my honest opinion, you have a lovely face and shouldn't have covered it up to begin with."

She looked up at him in surprise.

"You really mean that?"

He gave her a devilish smile. "Of course I do! NOT!" He said jokingly and proceeded to splash her.

"Why the NERVE!" She screamed out as she splashed him back. For once they were play fighting like any friend or couple would do. Eventually they both fell into the water laughing. After sunbathing to get dry once again, they headed off into the jungle in search of food and maybe shelter. After an hour of searching they found several squimberry bushes and started eating them at once. While they were eating the most loved fruit of Underland, they heard shuffling and distant voices getting closer.

Iracebeth looked as if she was about to open her mouth to say something but Stayne put his hand over her mouth to silence her and then took it off and put his index finger to his lips to make sure she got the message to be quiet. They peeked through the bushes to find another clearing that had some type of markings to it. It resembled a type of sundial, no a wabe. A large group of lizard-looking creatures with corkscrew beaks and badger looking feet, made their way to the clearing. Iracebeth had never seen such a creature.

"Stayne, what are those things?" She whispered.

"Those would be Toves." He stated.

"Toves? You mean like the ones mentioned in that Jabberwock poem that silly hatter was always reciting?"

"That would be them and please don't mention that blasted hatter again! That man puts a bad taste in my mouth!" Stayne silently huffed.

"If I remember correctly, that hatter saved my life! You tried to kill me!" She fumed.

"Hush or they'll hear you!" He said to silence her.

They once again turned their attention to the toves. The toves got into position around a large circle. A larger-looking tove, with a tribal garb on, made his way to the center on the circle. Once there, everyone silenced and bowed in respect.

"Family and friends, I'm so glad you could join us today as this meeting is of the utmost importance. Today we are but humble toves, living off the land, never knowing where our next meal will come from or who our next ruler will be. I think that's what scares me most. Sure the White Queen is supposed to be kind and harmless but we forget she is a blood relation to the Red Queen and need I say more on that subject. The Red Queen is the reason our dear brother Jabby couldn't be with us today."

A few of the toves in the crowd started to whisper. A nervous looking fellow raised his hand for permission to speak in which the speaker allowed.

"Uh…who's Jabby?"

"Jabby, my dear friend, is or should I say was the Jabberwocky." The speaker stated smiling cryptically. What he said earned him some gasps from the crowd.

"Hmm…it's seems as though I jumped too far ahead without explaining some things. Jabby was at one time one of us. Jabby was a tove, living a carefree life like the rest of us until he became the chosen one. Each of us toves carries a recessive gene that enables us to turn into a mighty Jabberwocky!"

With this information, he earned more gasps and the others looked from left to right as if scared one would turn into the dreaded creature.

"My friends, this is nothing to be scared of, if anything, it's of the highest honor a tove could receive. After all, only one is chosen at a time and since Jabby was so horribly used by this Red Queen and killed by this White Queen's Champion, it has given me great cause to think. We absolutely can't allow this abuse to happen to us once again, especially since the next Jabberwocky will be female, as they take turns." He paused for effect and then laughed rather wickedly and continued.

"For those of you who do not already know, the female Jabberwocky is the most dangerous. Not only is she several feet taller but she also comes equipped with a spiked tail full of poison. The poison alone could kill a team of horses with three small drops. Already a young female whom I left in the village is showing promising signs of being the next chosen Jabberwocky. She can and will help us take over all of Underland!"

This caused the whole crowd to uproar. A small portion of toves were in full support of the idea but he could tell some of his followers were on edge or sided with the White Queen so he had to make what he said next count.

"My friends, I know Mirana has promised to be a great queen and she very well might but who's to say she doesn't wind up having children later that are going to fight for the throne just as she and her sister have at the expense of using one of our brothers or sisters. These future chosen ones could be your mother, father, sister, brother, cousin, best friend, need I go on? Would you want your loved one to be controlled or worse killed by a power hungry monster of a King or Queen? Worst of all, we are ruled by the humans of Underland, they can't possibly understand our animal needs. So again I will ask do you side with a Queen that doesn't understand you, a queen that can go from kind to evil at the drop of a hatter's hat. Or do you side with me, a future King who understands his brethren and others animal needs. We will no longer be the servers but we'll be the served!" He powerfully stated receiving cheers from the crowd. If there were any doubters beforehand, there weren't any now.

Iracebeth and Stayne looked at each other in shock.

"Stayne, we can't allow this to happen!" Iracebeth said suddenly shocking herself more than anything.

"And why not? You're not the Queen anymore so it's not like it matters. The way I see it, Mirana's getting what she deserves. I thought you despised her?"

"I did…but she's still my sister and the only family I have left."

The cheering and shouting started to calm so once again Stayne and Iracebeth were forced to be quiet.

"Also as most of you may know, we have a traitor among us. The Bandersnatch has sided with the White Queen after siding first with the Red Queen. His traitorous ways know no bounds and he must be punished immediately upon capture. We will not tolerate traitors! Traitors will be punished either by torture or by death!" He stated so any doubters he still had wouldn't sway. The threatening of life was always useful in keeping others mouth shut.

"My friends, we're finally reaching the climax of this meeting for I have two honored guests that will most certainly help us in our rise to victory at their own expense! Ladies and Gents, I'd like you to give a heartfelt welcome to the ever famous Red Queen, Iracebeth of Crims and her Knave, Ilosovic Stayne!"

Iracebeth and Stayne looked at each other shockingly as if one betrayed the other. They weren't sure what to do and they weren't sure how the toves knew they were there the whole time.

"Well don't be shy! I knew you were there the whole time of course!" He stated as he sent his guards to make sure Stayne and Iracebeth didn't escape. They tried to escape but didn't get far cause they were still chained together from their banishment and Iracebeth couldn't keep up with Stayne's long strides. The guards brought them to their leader and forced them into a begging position.

"Aww, there's no need to be bashful! You two should be honored to be a part of my magnificent plan to take over all of Underland. If you're nice and do what you're told, I might even let you help with the over-throwing of your dear sister Mirana."

"What's in it for us then sir?" Stayne asked quick to the point. Iracebeth looked at him fiercely.

"Well you see, I have this planned out so that when rumors spread of a takeover of the White Queen's crown, they'll automatically turn to you two and you will be to blame, not us."

"That's impossible! Miwana would see you in the Oraculum!" Iracebeth tried to reason.

"Funny thing that Oraculum, it only shows animals if they are accompanied with humans. That's how I knew your location and planned accordingly." He turned to Iracebeth and smiled.

"Y-you have the Oraculum Mister?" Iracebeth questioned.

"My name is Bardrick…and no, I don't have the Oraculum."

"Then how do you know that you're right?" Stayne asked.

"Stayne, I'm surprised at your question. As a military man, I figured you'd guess that I had insiders or informants. Ah yes, even the White Queen has rats among her."

"How did you get them to talk?" Stayne questioned further.

"Everyone has a price, even the White Queen's servants…pay them the right amount and they'll squeal like the Duchess's pigs."

"That can't be right…everyone loves Miwana." Iracebeth solemnly stated.

"Aw, poor Racy still thinks everyone either loves you or hates you without a mixture of the two, such a childish pity. I think it's time for you to wake up my dear and smell those pretty red painted roses of yours. The real pity is that Mirana still holds the hope that you'll change to be a better person one day. What a laugh that is, the murderous Red Queen turned saint? I think not. You'll do good to take note of this so you can help us overthrow her. After all, the image in the Oraculum has already been viewed and they've already called for Absolem. My informants have told me that they suspect you and Stayne as planned."

"THAT'S ENOUGH BAWDWICK! I WILL NOT LET YOU DO THIS!"She screamed.

"Iracebeth, what are you doing? It's either this or nothing! I apologize for her outburst Bardrick; she just needs time to think." Stayne reasoned.

"Yes…maybe you are right. I'll let you both think on it but for now we will make our way to Salezem Grum."

After a long journey, they finally reached Salezem Grum. Once in the castle, Bardrick ordered Iracebeth and Stayne to the dungeons.

*End of Chapter 6*

Hi folks, I believe this is my longest chapter yet! LOL! I'm sorry that Tarrant and Alice weren't in this chapter but as I said before I'm taking my time with this and I'm trying to make my characters well rounded and give my new characters their own personality and bring more life into the ones that already exist but to keep them in character as with the movie. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the next chapter will have more of Alice and a certain mystery man! =)

Also I made up the part about the Oraculum so as to make it go along with the story better. For research purposes I did look up pictures of the Oraculum and there are Underland humans in each picture as far as the one's I found.