I'll Take a Stand Until the End
Chapter One
Summary: A series of events in the Abovelands trickle in Underland, leading Mirana to venture to save Alice and find herself in her own Wonderland.
Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland or any of its plots and characters. This is simply for entertainment purposes. All rights belong to Tim Burton, Lewis Carroll, and Disney.
Alice stares at the remains of the ship. Her father's ship. Her ship. Her most recent trip was an international trip to Japan in regards to opening a new trade route when she was ambushed by pirates. Except this time, she wasn't as lucky in getting away. She had been entirely surrounded, a circle of five ships attacking at once, somehow knowing the route which she was taking. And just like that, it was over. Her whole life, her whole dedication.
The twenty-four year old grunts as a man, the captain, grabs the front of her jacket, yanking her up. Her arms are bound behind her back as a deep cut on her neck leaks blood out quickly, causing her to grow fairly light-headed. "Well, well, well," the man chuckles, holding her close enough to where she can smell the rum on his breath. "Look what I have here. The world renowned Alice Kingsleigh. Captain of The Wonder, best merchant to ever travel the seas… and best person to ambush.
"I've tried to get you more than once, you know, and you somehow managed to get away every fucking time. But not this time, that I ensured." He allows his eyes to roam up and down her body, his eyes darkening with lust. "A beautiful lass, that you are, but far too clothed for my liking. But I'll be able to fix that, hopefully tonight if all goes well. Bring her to the hull where the rates are," he now addresses his men, shoving her away to which she stumbles, two other men grabbing her, far too handsy. She's disgusted but she knows better than to allow her enemy to see any form of emotion, weakness, or victory over her.
They pull her onto another ship, one man leaving. The ship is a smaller one that has been neglected. Dragging her down to the hull, the smell of animal droppings fill the air. She can barely make out what's around her for it is too dim. All she can rely on is her hearing. She's aware of the water of the water leaking in from more than one crack as well as the scampering of feet that no doubt belong to the rats the pirate was referring to.
A pair of footsteps pull away from her before the sound of heavy chains ring out. She doesn't do anything as she's chained. She knows how pirates operate. They rely on strength and brutality and won't hesitate to show how far they're willing to go to ensure that Alice cooperates. They're the pirates that the majority of merchants fear due to their lack of mercy, where gold is worth more than even a crew mate of their own.
She's very much aware of the danger she's in. She knows that one wrong move can swiftly end her life. That's why she was so quick to surrender. As long as they have the gold, they couldn't care less about the people, whether or not they're dead. They kill simply because it's easier and let those go of which they've captured as soon as they get on land. Money cannot bring people back to life.
But now Alice has another problem besides her life, as the captain indicated minutes earlier. She's female… Which means she has to worry about their… other needs. Both women merchants and pirates are uncommon and it's safe to say that pirates roam the ocean for weeks up to month. She's seen it happen with her own crew but they have far too much respect for her to even consider doing anything to her in regards to relieving sexual tension.
"Aight," the man sighs as he pulls away. "This is yer home 'til we get back to the mainland. Give a week o' so."
Alice hesitates before speaking. "I am to be left alone down here?"
"Ser are, lass. Look, you built yerself a reputation through the seas. We ain't here to harm ye. Well, besides the capten. But we've got them braggin' rights that we captured ye and yer crew."
"And destroyed my ship," she mumbles bitterly.
"Ai, and that. We'll make it up to ya, lass… We know well what that ship meant to ya."
"If you're being so kind, why attack in the first place? You obviously don't want to harm me…"
"Captin's orders… Beside, we're looking for goods and yer ship was filled with it…" He chuckles slightly, almost embarrassed. "… Yer ain't gonna be let go though…"
""What?" Her blood runs cold as she lifts her head, attempting to see him through the darkness but she knows there's no point trying.
"Captin's keepin' ye' for profit… and a few other things… Yer name is worth thousands…"
"Profit? How the Hell is that going to work? I'm not a good that he can sell." She ignores the other part, truly not wanting to bring attention to it.
"No, but yer name is. Look, none of us wants to see ye hurt. That's why we didn't harm ye or yer crew… When we get to the mainland, you'll be told exactly what's gonna happen." He turns his head upon yelling. "Well, it's time to go. If ye need anything lass, just holler. I'm the only one on this ship since it's small." He gives a final heavy breath before leaving.
Alice is quiet as she sits upon the damp floor, pulling her coat closer to her in an attempt to keep warm. Her mother, thankfully, didn't embark on this journey for there's business back at home she wished to overlook. The trip was only to be half a month; a week going and a week returning. But now she isn't sure when she's to return, if ever.
She has other things to do besides sailing. She wants to go to different areas of the world still. Travel and explore, set up new trading routes… And she does have every intention of returning to Underland. She misses her friends. The Hatter, Chessur, Molly… Mirana. Mirana. Right. She has yet to marry and create a family. She's twenty-four. She should have children by now, at least according to her sister.
She hasn't found love yet, simply because she hasn't been looking. No one interested her, neither man nor woman. Sure, she's gotten more than one dating proposition and there are plenty of letters inquiring her hand in marriage. Even some close friends have asked to which she declined. None of them just… caught her attention. She didn't see a life with them…
As she sits in the darkness, the begins to wonder if anyone in Underland would be good for her. Perhaps Hatter? No, he's too much of a good friend. Her other friends are animals so they're out of the question. Then the queens… Well, the queen. Mirana. The only person she thinks about that actually makes her flustered, unsure.
She's not sure if it's anything to be looking into about. She finds her attractive and kind. But so does everyone else. Yet she somehow still remembers Mirana's hand in hers, the gentle caress on her cheek. Her voice, her laughter. Everything about her she remembers. But why? She hasn't seen her in five years. Why does she still think of her? Why her more than anyone else in Underland? Maybe because she's her champion for she still holds that title. She recalls going back to Marmoreal before entering the clock and her armour and Vorpal sword were still next to Mirana's throne.
"You still have the armour and sword?" Alice walks over, carefully taking the sword, remembering the sheer weight of it as it lays in her hands perfectly, still making her convinced that it was created for her and her only.
"Of course," Mirana speaks, smiling as she watches her. "It's the reason I have my crown back, a constant reminder. While you did all the work, I can't exactly keep you here on display, now can I?" she laughs. The laugh is like a bell to Alice, soothing and it seems to warm the captain straight to her toes as she feels her heart rate increase. "Are you alright?" the monarch inquires, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You appear a bit flustered."
"I-…" she attempts in return, her face somehow heating up even more. "I'm sorry. I'm just thinking, I suppose. But I am happy to see the armour again. I quite missed it."
"Would you care to bring it back to the Abovelands with you?" she offers.
"No. I'm afraid I won't be able to. One, I'd no place to put it, and two, it will be one Hell of a story I believe that no one will take to heart up there, unfortunately. And besides, Underland is its home."
"And it can be yours too," Mirana suddenly whispers to which Alice wonders if she even heard her correctly.
"I'm sorry?"
"No, no. Forgive me. I was merely thinking aloud," she responds a bit too hastily, as though covering a secret.
"You wish for me to remain in Underland?"
Mirana takes a small breath before nodding. "Truthfully, yes. I would love it if you stayed. You are exceptional company and I admit that I've missed you for the time that you've been gone."
Alice watches the queen for a few moments before turning, placing the sword down carefully, looking fully at the chest plate before noticing the addition of an 'A' on it.
Mirana looks over before smiling. "Do you like the little addition?"
"Yeah."
"Look closely at the sword."
She does so in confusion, her eyes widening upon seeing her full name carved into the handle of the sword. "Oh my-…"
"Did we get your last name right?"
She nods, a broad smile on her lips. "Holy shit, Mirana… When did you do this? Why did you do this?"
"Well, I felt that the armour and sword should be yours and no one else's. You've made the best use of it and I think it's just… right to put your name on both… A form of gratitude, if you will."
Alice smiles to herself as she remembers the sense of pride. She truly felt like the queen's champion and that title put her on cloud nine. Of course, she would never admit that.
The captain sighs as she thinks more. Queen Mirana is the queen. She is loved by everyone… Surely she wouldn't want to waste any time on her, regardless of what she says, even if she is the champion. A thick knot suddenly forms in the pit of her stomach, fear rushing through her body upon a thought that has haunted her time and time again. What if that was all she is to Mirana? Just someone to fulfill a prophecy and return the crown to her? Just someone they turn to for help?
She saddens even more as she thinks of it. It was a span of three years that she went back to Underland, literally nothing in between. No form of communication , no updates, barely even a welcome. Just thrown into a pit of problems almost immediately. No thank you from Mirana after.
And now, three, going onto four years… Nothing still. Nothing. And Time is much slower in Underland. Three years is around thirty or more down there. She still doesn't fully understand how that works. What if… that is all she is to her? Someone to use?
A sob builds in the back of her throat as her heart aches at the thought. It starts to hurt the more she thinks of it and before she is aware of it, tears are rolling down her cheeks. It isn't true, she continues to tell herself. Surely it isn't. But… what if it is? What is she to do then?
She can't help but chuckle to herself, wondering what Absolem would tell her if he was there. "Nothing is ever accomplished with tears," she mumbles to herself, shaking her head. She feels diminished, less than a person at the very moment. She knows what's going to occur. She's very much aware and she's curious if taking her life is a cowardly way to go. She compares it to being taken against her will by another captain. She's spent more than half a decade building her name, creating trade routes around the world, becoming a famous merchant, to be known as the captain who has no acknowledgement to the word "impossible". What will happen once they find out she's been captured and used as a sex toy? To be reduced to an object for a man whilst she spent so much time advocating for women to display the possibilities open for them as opposed to just being there for a mother and housewife.
Her name will be tainted and her work no longer acceptable. She'd be ruined.. .Absolutely ruined, even if it wasn't her choice. He'll somehow twist the story, state that she was the one who wanted him… That she was willing and ready. They will believe him rather than her any day, regardless of how famous and esteemed she is… It's just the reality of it.
Alice stands, squinting in an attempt to make out anything at all. She searches with her hands, moving them along the wooden walls and metal door of the cell. She eventually finds something sharp to which she manages to rip away. She runs her fingers over the jagged edge, satisfied with it.
Returning to her spot and sitting back down, she moves her jacket and shirt out of the way so there's nothing in the way. Clenching her eyes shut, she sucks in a deep breath as she positions it under her ribcage, tilting it up. "I'm sorry, Mother… Father…" she whispers aloud, "but I'd rather die to my own hand rather than being used a sex toy… I'll… see you soon, Father. I've missed you."
She steadies her hands that have been trembling, allowing the edge to graze her skin, marking where she wishes to insert it. She counts beneath her breath before pulling away and jabbing it in, utilizing all her strength. She bites back the scream of pain, not wanting to alert the man in fear that he will treat the wound in return. She yanks out the metal stake, feeling the blood gush out to which she heaves, growing sick to her stomach. With the amount of blood she is losing and it quickly pooling in her now punctured long, she knows that she doesn't have long as she lays down, allowing her body to relax, her breathing to slow.
As her vision fades, she can't help but feel… at peace, as though that something is telling her that she had made the right decision. She doesn't know why nor does she know the origin of the feeling but it brings her satisfaction and a sense of relief to which she's finding it that much easier to let go as darkness beckons her to enter. And just like that… Alice Charles Kingsleigh, champion of Underland, renowned merchant, is dead.
xxxXxxx
Time turns his head, sensing a death of another. He stands, making his way to the area that holds Underland's citizens, searching for the watch for the watch that has stopped. His eyebrows furrow in confusion when he cannot seem to find it before he feels something heavy in his pocket. He takes out the pocket watch, seeing that the hand has stopped before realizing who pocket watch it was. After Alice had left, he had fixed it, unknowingly making Alice a citizen of Underland despite her not being born there. As he stares at the watch, a great, foreign sadness falls over his shoulders as he wonders what could have happened to cause her sudden death.
He begins to head to the deceased area, going through the last names yet not finding an area specifically for Kingsleigh. He checks and double-checks before relenting. "Then I suppose I'll just hold onto you." He has never had this happen before, simply because he has always dealt with Underlanders, never someone outside his realm. Time works differently in Underland than the Abovelands for he hasn't control to the Abovelands. That is left to a higher being: Father Time.
Time enters his room, quietly lighting the hearth, watching the flame blaze to life. Collapsing in his chair, he absentmindedly fiddles with the pocket watch before looking down at it. He wonders since Alice isn't from Underland if he can somehow manipulate it to where fixing the watch would somehow bring her back to life. But he's hesitant for he doesn't know if that will be interfering with something he has absolutely no control over. Yet a part of him feels obligated to, something telling him that her death will cause problems in Underland for many… Perhaps another Eon of Sadness to fall upon the land… There's only been one to occur but when a great tragedy strikes, everyone is affected, whether or not they are connected to the event or person.
The event, although extraordinarily rare, is feared by everyone. Sadness, especially such a powerful one, cripples people so terribly so to where death by suicide is the leading factor, to where Time has done nothing but alternate between the rooms of the Living and Dead, to where he's had to force himself to stop to where he could catch up. It was exhausting and despite dealing with death daily, he himself could feel the drain of it.
He sighs before pocketing the watch, knowing that he has to visit someone that he isn't particularly fond of. All he can hope is that he will consider his request.
"So allow me to be clear," Father Time speaks as he stands above Time, looking at the pocket watch presented to him. "Alice Kingsleigh as traveled to your realm of Underland, caused a massive series of events, gave you a pocket watch of hers that no longer worked so you fixed it, unconsciously making her a citizen of Underland to where you were notified of her death despite the fact that she has died in my realm to which you come to me, asking to bring her back to life so that another Eon of Sadness does not occur in your realm."
He nods. "Will you?" he inquires, his voice low, almost pleading.
Father Time grunts as he looks over the watch. "You know that I have much stricter limitations in regarding life and death. Bringing her back will interfere with your realm to which you know well that I cannot, under any circumstances, manipulate for it shall cause a distortion within the Time-Space continuum." He hands the watch back.
"Then where will I go?" he asks now, desperate.
"I cannot interfere. But perhaps someone in Underland can cross to the Abovelands. That is all I can tell you." He raises a hand, stopping Time before he can leave. "If, if somehow, the people in your realm mess with the timeline, I'll simply kill them and take over your realm, which means you'll cease to exist. Do you understand?"
He nods almost immediately. "Yes, sir. Thank you." He leaves, sighing as he returns to his castle. He heads over to the portal to Underland, knowing well that the task won't be a simple one yet a part of him feels that everything Alice went through to ensure his friends were safe and happy, that the people of Underland will do the same. He isn't sure but he knows that he cannot allow her to give up. Not after everything she's done.
Time curses upon exiting the clock, wiping the cobwebs off of him. "Something so important should be cleaned sometimes," he mumbles as he looks around the room that has not been opened since Alice left.
He leaves the room, searching the castle, absolutely everything clean and pristine, so white to where he feels the need to squint in order to adjust his vision, using his hand like a visor.
Entering the throne room, he continues to search for any sort of presence before he spots the armour and sword. He can't help but become intrigued, looking closely before seeing Alice's name on the hilt of the sword. "Well, I'll be damned," he mumbles to himself.
"Ahem," comes a sudden voice from behind to which he turns, startled. He searches for an origin of the voice, perplexed that he can't pinpoint it. "Down here!" the voice calls. Time finally spots the dormouse to which he kneels down to hear her better and so she doesn't have to strain herself. "What are you doing here?" Mallyumkin inquires, climbing up his arm and resting on his shoulder.
"I cam baring news. Where is the White Queen?"
"Why should I tell you?" she demands, crossing her arms over her chest. "What news is so important that it requires the queen?"
"It has to do with Alice," he speaks solemnly to which Mally's attitude almost immediately changes. She nods and scurries off, allowing Time to follow.
"They're int eh garden at the moment," she speaks as she leads him. "It's the anniversary of Frabjuous Day and we were having tea. I heard you and decided to scope it out…" She rushes ahead as they enter the garden by the Sakura tree.
"Ah, there you are. Where have you been?" Mirana inquires as she looks down at her. Mally points to Time, everyone turning: Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Chessur, McTwisp, Hatter, Thackery, and the Bandersnatch. Mirana's eyes widen as fear consumes her almost immediately. "Time… What is it?"
"Alice Kingsleigh. I'm afraid I have some bad news pertaining to her."
Hatter immediately stands, his eyes filling with concern for his dear friend. "What of her? Has something happened? How is it we can help?"
He raises a hand to silence him. "… There's no easy way to put this but this morning, Alice… Died… She's dead. And I believe you are the only people capable of helping with the problems that it brings."