~Author's Note~
So sorry for the long wait! I was working on finishing my book and Sebastian's potion made me forget to write up another chapter... (curse you, Sebastian). For those looking for my new book Bravery please feel free to read the first chapter at Fictionpress and enjoy!
Much love,
Regina~

Chapter 20

A Mad Tea Party, Alice?

Alice sat at the dining table, her face dark as she tried moving her arms. Sebastian was making her wear this hideous silver suit of armor to protect her from Ragnarok from casting a vodo spell on her. The White Queen sat at the far end of the table away from Alice as she sipped on her tea, her eyes casting away from the poor girl.

"It feels like war is about to begin," Hatter said as he sat in his chair near the middle, his orange fire hair was in knots and his face had saggy dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. The Queen placed her teacup down and looked at him, her face pale and scared as Hatter kept talking on about war and murder. "We will need many soldiers if you don't mind, my lady."

"Take as many as you need." The Queen replied as she looked down at the table. Hatter stared at her, his face worried and he looked over at Alice, her face grumpy.

"It's for your own good. If you fall down rabbit holes then you'll easily tripped onto something pointy." Sebastian said to her as he sat down next to her, his body wrapped in dark red and black battle clothes and not a hair out of place.

"Technically she was pushed." Hatter replied.

"The first two times too?" Sebastian threw at him in response. Hatter opened his mouth and… fell back against the chair.

"Sorry, Alice." Hatter said to her as he grabbed the teapot.

They sat there eating silently, the rest of the group finally arrived wearing proper battle clothes and carrying weapons, something Alice couldn't have either because of Sebastian. Aaron took one look at Alice and started to snicker. Sebastian threw a dirty look at him and Alice grabbed a teacup and flung it at him, her body rising from her chair.

"THIS ISN'T FUNNY, AARON!" Alice screamed at him.

"What I'm sorry I'm not some overprotected boyfriend who thinks every little thing my girlfriend does could cause danger to her life." Aaron sneered and this time Sebastian flung a teacup at him.

"I'm protecting her because Ragnarok wants to kill us both! You think he's not after Mary Beth? He'll try to kill her first to break you." Sebastian yelled at him. Aaron glared at him, anger rushing to the surface of his skin and he got up and stormed out of the room, his mother rushing after him. Sebastian turned and looked over at Alice, his own girlfriend looking angry at him. "What? If you have something to say then say it."

"I can protect myself." Alice replied to him and she left the room without another word as Nicolas and Hatter sat watching the dramatic scene unfold. Sebastian looked over at the two of them, cookies in one hand and a teacup in another.

"Well… this is just one season of an over powering soap opera in just two minutes don't you agree, Hatter?" Nicolas asked.

"Well Nick, what will the pretty boy, Sebastian do? Tune into next week's episode of the Love and the Loveless to find out. DUM DUM DUMMMM." Hatter replied and took a sip of his tea.

"Thanks for helping you two." Sebastian responded as he walked out.

"You're welcome!" They both said. Sebastian found Alice hiding in the ball room next to the fireplace, the suit of armor ripped off and tossed on different furniture sets as she cried near the fire.

"Hey… Come on, Alice don't cry…" Sebastian said and sat down next to her. He handed her a small handkerchief and sat back watching the rain pound against the window, the sounds of Hatter and Nicolas singing various mainstream songs started to annoy him. "We only have a few hours left together and it shouldn't be spent us fighting with each other."

"Then let me do what I was brought here for." Alice said to him.

"Which is? I sent White Rabbit on my own selfishness and… lust…"

"Clearly." Alice responded as she crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows at him. "What I mean, I'm here to stop Ragnarok. Wonderland is my home, I'm going to protect my home and the people living in it." Alice said placing her hand on his hand. He looked up at her and smiled.

"Sorry to barge in on your little romance moment but…" Hatter said as he walked in, his boots clapping against the ballroom ground. "About a hundred fairies from the Hollow are here to fight. Where should we have them place?" Hatter raised his hand to the door as the small but beautiful fairy queen fluttered in and sat on the table near them. Her hair was pulled back in a bun, her wand a dark shade of blue to match her mermaid style dress and long knee high boots.

"My lady." Sebastian bowed to her and she waved her wand at him.

"Oh please, we're here as friends to protect Wonderland. Now… What is the battle plan?"

"Alright what weapon do you want?" Sebastian asked Alice as they sat in front of the palace, a rack of different weapons placed neatly in a row on the stand. She studied each before picking up a bow and arrow her fingers tracing the string of the bow. "Um… Alice? Do you even-" She fired the arrow, the point missing him by inches as it flew into the brick behind him. Sebastian turned to see the arrow stuck in the brick and he looked at her, his face full of shock as she stood there with her hands on her hips.

"What? I didn't want to learn how to play the piano." Alice cooed and tossed the bow to him as she high fived Mary Beth.

"Beautiful stroke… and she didn't even take the time to aim…" Sebastian whispered as Aaron stood by the door, his eyes looking up to the sky.

"Oh yes, Sebastian. Let us look at the girl who could kick your ass without even using magic… ouch that must look good on your ego…" Hatter replied as he took a sip of his tea while sitting on the steps near the large double doors. Sebastian glared at him and took his gloves off, placing them into his pocket. "Ah… we should have a tea party…"

"Whose unbirthday is it today?" Alice said sitting next to him, both of them smiling. Sebastian looked at them confused. "Have a merry merry unbirthday!"

"To me?" Hatter asked.

"No me!" Nicolas replied.

"It's all of us!" Mary Beth said wrapping her arms around all of them. Aaron laughed and walked back inside the palace. Happiness… something he hasn't felt for a long time…

"Yes! Let's have a mad tea party!" Hatter shouted as the group walked into the main hall. Aaron scurried into behind the corner as he watched them walk into the dining room, Hatter singing off key.

"It's like the curse is already broken…" Aaron said to himself, his mother walking down the hall by herself, her white gown flowing behind her. "Mother…"

"Aaron? Why are you hiding?"

"I… For a long time, I feel like I lived in the dark, without hope or dreams but now… I feel free and the real battle hasn't even begun yet."

"Love is mysterious, Aaron. I fell in love with a man who read every book in the library three times, his head filled with dreams and hopes for the future. You take after him so much… but… your hopes and dreams can become realities. Tell Mary Beth thank you for me." His mother said as she kissed his head and walked down the hallway to the throne room.

"No! Nicolas we share the cookies! How dare you try taking them from girls, you awful dirty man. How can your wife even bear to look at you?" Hatter replied as he dramatically looked away from his friend, tears rushing down his face. Nicolas looked at his friend, his mouth stuffed with cookies. Aaron started to laugh while he stood by the door. He couldn't control himself as Hatter looked at him, his giant green eyes bright with sudden interest.

"Dear goodness, did we break him?" Hatter asked Nicolas.

"Should we call for help?" Nicolas replied and everyone looked at Aaron as he sat down laughing.

"A very merry Unbirthday, everyone!" He toasted his teacup high. Alice lifted her cup high along with everyone else before they drank.

The sound of something hitting the ground hard blasted into their ears and Sebastian looked outside, his face changing from a smile to anger as he dropped his cup, the cup shattering on the floor. He tossed on his gloves and shouted for guards.

"What's going on?" Alice asked as she looked out the window. She gasped as they saw from outside the frail body of Sebastian's mother, the Red Queen, on the ground. Her dress was covered in blood and her hair disheveled as her sister rushed to the door and opened it.

"Someone grab a doctor! I need help getting my sister into the hospital wing!" The White Queen shouted as Hatter placed his hat on the table and rushed to help the Queen.

"…Sis…ter?"