She was half-way to the Hatters Mansion when her attention was caught by a wild rose bush. It was a rarity in Heart and just as much a rarity in Clover – Alice couldn't remember the last time she saw a rose not being as big as her fist or of this particular delicate shade of pink. Her host might appreciate it, being an avid rose lover, Alice decided and stepped off her path to pluck some flowers.
This was what she was doing, barely paying attention to her surroundings when she heard her name being called. When she turned, Alice was surprised to see no other than Nightmare Gottschalk, the dream demon, the Lord of Tower of Clover, her boss (technically), and a close friend. It must be said that seeing him wasn't such a rare occurrence in the girl's life, especially after the Move took her to Clover. But even though there have been many meetings in the past, both inside the dreams and out, none of those could quite match this one.
For instance, Alice was sure she has never seen incubus looking any less than perfect, even during his mad dashes around the Tower in order to avoid Gray. But Nightmare who stood before her looked like he has sprinted all the way here from the highest balcony of the Tower and that simply couldn't be true (even Nightmare wouldn't run that far away to avoid medicine). Also, she didn't know how to interpret the long look he gave her – there was emotion the moment their eyes met, but whatever it was, was quickly replaced by his usual neutral expression.
"Is Gray cooking again?", - the only other reason Alice could imagine Nightmare outside his domain.
"No, he is attending to other matters", - the reply felt surprisingly flat, given Nightmare should be the one celebrating this small mercy. Sometimes Alice wondered if that was the true reason behind Nightmare's poor working habits – to keep Gray busy and give him no time to cook.
"Hmm", - finished with her task, Alice returned to the road, her hands full of dainty pink flowers. Incubus looked like he was about to say something, but when she resumed her walk, he simply followed her.
"Do you have a sudden craving for some tea?", - it felt slightly unnerving to walk next to a silent Nightmare, so a small discussion was needed. - "Blood sent a word he obtained a new variety. Something that looks red as blood when properly brewed"
"Is that so?", - dream demon sounded disinterested, his eye fixed on the road. - "How appropriate"
"That's what Dee and Dum claimed when I ran into them in town. Both sounded so excited", - as expected of the Bloody twins, who usually cared not for tea, as long as there were enough snacks provided.
"I suppose they were". Again, another disinterested reply.
It looked like Nightmare was in no mood to converse and Alice was far too polite to insist more. However, despite his lack of enthusiasm dream demon also didn't seem like leaving her any time soon, steadily striding next to her, offering no explanation as to why he decided to join her today.
After what felt like long minutes of silence Alice made up her mind to ask him outright what was going on when he suddenly stopped.
"I believe there is a very nice valley nearby. Why don't we take a look?"
"A valley?", - there was something wrong about the way he said it. - "I don't know, Nightmare. Do we have enough time? The tea party shall start soon, remember?"
"But of course. I am sure, Hatter won't mind too much"
She isn't sure this is a good idea, not with the way Nightmare seems to be slightly ill at ease. Has it been Ace or Boris, she'd outright say no to the idea of leaving the main road and marching straight into the wilderness. But this was Nightmare, who acted as her guide in Clover town many times before, and not even once was the girl left disappointed with his choices. More importantly, she trusted dream demon. He'd never led her anywhere dangerous, unlike the twins. So Alice smiled and nodded.
It wasn't clear what brought a small smile to his lips – her reply or her thoughts, which he undoubtedly peeked into(one day, Alice vowed, she'd find a way to make him stop doing that), but for a moment dream demon looked.. Almost happy. It suited him to smile like this. Still, it was but a moment, and the smile vanished, replaced once more with seriousness.
"Please, follow me"
They stepped into the forest. Secretly, Alice was grateful the Joker's Forest was on the other side of Clover, so there were no spooky doors around them, even if all too soon it started to feel like the two of them somehow entered the forest's depths having made but a couple of steps.
"We're almost there", - dream demon said, undoubtedly sensing her slight worry. Alice smiled. It was something very Nightmare – to catch her worried thoughts and to tell her something soothing. Perhaps, she'd be able to pluck more flowers in that valley they were heading to. Dream demon always had a wonderful taste when it came to beautiful places.
"We've arrived"
And as abruptly as it started the forest gave way to the loveliest valley one could imagine. It was spacious and everywhere the eye could see the delicate flowers of narcissus were growing abundantly.
It did look like something Nightmare could create inside a dream, a place of infinite beauty.
"I am glad you are not disappointed", - incubus cast her a brief look, - "Would you like to get a better view?"
"Oh, I don't know", - the girl hesitated. Getting a better view meant having to step onto the pretty flowers and that seemed a poor act of admiration.
"If that's your concern, don't worry. I happen to know just the place". Before Alice could inquire what incubus meant, he stepped closer to her and picked her up. It shouldn't be this easy to him, Alice thought, clutching the roses she plucked earlier tightly, as dream demon flew up. With his sickly disposition carrying her should present at least some minor difficulty to him.
"You seem to have forgotten all about my recent visits to the hospital, despite being the one to insist on them", - Nightmare chided her lightly, as they landed on top of something Alice couldn't quite see in her current position, - "I am more than capable of many things"
True, Alice grudgingly thought, as he carefully let her down. The place they landed on, turned out to be a giant red mushroom. Why was such a thing here, in a place full of blooming narcissus flowers, the girl decided not to dwell on. This land was surely bizarre in many ways.
But it did provide a nice viewpoint. Now it seemed as if they were in the middle of a yellow sea, with narcissus flowers stretching as far as the horizon (just where did the forest go?).
"How lovely", - Alice breathed. As usual, Nightmare didn't lie about a place worthy of being visited. - "Does it have a name?"
Lots of places in this land seemed to appear out of nowhere and vanish without leaving a trace behind, once you left them. It would be a shame if this place would also disappear before Alice has a chance to enjoy it.
"It's called Caterpillar's valley", - came a brief reply.
"How unfitting", - the words left her lips before Alice could stop herself, but Nightmare didn't seem to mind. He didn't seem to be willing to add anything else, so the girl decided not to bombard him with questions. There would be time to ask him if incubus had anything to do with this valley later.
For now, Alice felt perfectly content to sit down on the top of their improvised perch and enjoy the view and its dream-like perfection. This would make a fine topic to discuss at a tea party later, even if Blood didn't really care about any flowers other than roses. But surely, the girl considered, just a couple of these yellow wonders wouldn't be considered ruination of her small gift?
Alice was about to ask to be taken down, so she could pluck some narcissuses and add them to her bundle of roses when her companion suddenly floated up.
"I should think not, Alice. It is much safer up here"
Before the girl could open her mouth, incubus said, "I know you are hiding out there. Whoever you are, reveal yourselves"
His voice seemed to boom over the whole valley. Alice involuntarily shivered.
The roses nearly slipped from her hands when the valley started to be filled with dark shadows.
It seemed all too soon when the sea of yellow delicate flowers was completely overrun by a dark mass of people in black suits. The flowers were mercilessly stepped over, and in less than a minute the mushroom was completely surrounded with what Alice could see now were faceless people, dressed in dull black. Each held a weapon.
No.
"I see now. A mafia clan from Diamond, ha?", - Nightmare seemed eerily calm. Seeing him absolutely unperturbed filled Alice with fear. Diamond? What could people from Diamond want from them here in peaceful Clover?
The answer was given sooner than she expected.
"Give us the girl", - someone of the faceless said. Alice's throat tightened with dread.
Nightmare looked bored. "I am afraid that is out of the question"
There was a soft wave of metallic noises and now, Alice noticed with horror, all of the weapons were pointed in Nightmare's direction. Dream demon made an easy target, the girl thought with chagrin, as he floated up there, as if he were in the Dreamrealm. He didn't even have a weapon and even if he did what good would it be? No one among Role Holders, not even Ace, not even Gray would be able to take down this many opponents alone and stay alive. The faceless filled the valley from brim to brim and who knew how many more were still lurking in the forest. It was pure madness to struggle.
Do as they say, she silently begged. Leave me behind. Fly back to the safety of the Tower of Clover. Escape to your realm, where no one and nothing could hurt you. Please, Nightmare.
But incubus didn't seem to be paying any heed to her.
"Perhaps, you lot are unaware whom you are addressing, being from Diamond and all", - he sounded cold and regal. - "I will have you know you run into the Lord of Clover. This girl is under my protection"
"We know who you are, incubus", - someone barked out. - "We're not afraid of you"
"You only have the power inside dreams"
"Surrender the girl or die"
Please, Nightmare, - Alice nearly cried. People in Clover whispered in trepidation and cleared the path when they caught a glimpse of the dream demon on the streets, but for some reason, these people from Diamond showed no fear of him.
Again incubus didn't seem to have heard her frantic thoughts.
"How utterly droll. Making all the way from Diamond to here, just to have your revenge on the Hatters", - Nightmare shook his head in disgust, - "Your spies aren't worth much if you don't know this girl has nothing to do with Mad Hatter"
The faceless still kept pointing their guns at him unwaveringly. "She comes over to his Mansion often enough"
Again the answer filled Alice with dread. This shouldn't be happening. All the times' Nightmare, Gray, and Julius warned her about visiting the Hatters too often, the girl always brushed those comments aside as her friends being over-protective (and maybe, in case of Nightmare, a tad bit jealous, though this particular idea she determinedly pushed away).
To learn now in such a way what the price for that friendship might be. Alice felt sick with fear. Again she helplessly thought to Nightmare. Please. Please, do as they bid you. Leave me at their mercy.
Just get to safety.
There were too many of them. What chance had Nightmare, delicate as glass, against such a crowd? A thousand bullets could shoot at any given moment. And then there wouldn't be a single inch of his milk-white skin not pierced, broken, bloodied. All because of her.
She doesn't want that.
Incubus, however, seemed absolutely at ease, as if not noticing a thousand guns pointed his way.
"Contrary to what you think, Clover isn't a very safe place for strangers. However, I might forgive your ignorance, if you take your leave at once"
There was some laughter. "Just what do you think we are?"
"And have you rat on us to Hatters?"
"I couldn't care less about what happens to Dupre", - Nightmare replied in a bored manner, - "His affairs are not mine to interfere"
"Then step aside", - someone sneered. - "The girl is coming with us"
There was a small pause. When Nightmare started speaking again all traces of boredom were gone from his manner.
"Foolish of you to even think I might allow you to do as much as touch a hair on Alice's head. I was willing to be merciful despite your impertinence. But not after what I've heard"
His voice now had a dangerous edge in it, sharper than any knife. It was as if he turned into a different person all of a sudden. She never knew Nightmare could speak like that, could sound so deadly. Beneath Alice saw how some of these men, so fierce and mocking a moment ago, wavered, showing the signs of the doubt for the first time.
"Had you dwelled any longer in Clover, locals would have told you that in your dealings with me, ample caution is in order. Let me show you why"
With this said incubus finally turned his gaze at Alice. "Close your eyes"
She did as told, not daring to disobey this kind of voice.
She expected shooting, but a silence that stretched turned out to be much scarier. It felt as if the world has completely stopped, frozen in this particular frightening, suffocating moment. When Alice couldn't take it any longer, she dared to open her eyes.
The sight before her made the girl finally drop the flowers she's been clutching for what felt like a millennium.
The day period changed and now the sky was painted red, looking as if someone spilled blood all over it. The valley still seemed pitch-black, but there wasn't a single man standing. The weapons were dropped. Each faceless gangster was clutching his head, soundlessly screaming in what seemed like agony.
And up in the air, above it all, floated Nightmare, his dark silhouette like that of an angel of death, sharp against the dawn-colored skies. His whole being radiated cold proud power. With his right hand on his hip, his body was carelessly at ease, as he observed the fallen with a face as impassive as that of a marble statue.
Alice has never seen anything more terrifying. He just brought a thousand men down to their knees. Without a single shot, a single bullet wasted. What was it, what sort of dark magic was incubus using? The men who stood tall and dangerous just a moment ago now were splayed on the ground like a pile of broken toys.
"Lord Nightmare! Alice!"
A familiar voice, something inside Alice registered. Gray.
Of course, he'd come.
He seemed to be shocked at the scene, for he stopped at the edge of the valley, not daring to step upon the sprawled bodies.
There was another cry of alarm from another direction."What the heck is goin' on here?"
She knew this voice too, Alice faintly thought. Elliot. As she automatically turned her head to the sound, she saw that the Hatters also stepped upon the valley.
And even they, the dealers of incalculable death, looked disturbed by what they saw. Even Blood, usually so indifferent to the pain of others, seemed paler than usual. Even Dee and Dum, who played death games more than anybody else in this world, didn't have their usual glee at the sight of numerous bodies squirming in silent cries.
For the long moment, no one said a word, and the silence was filled with unheard cries for mercy.
"Hatter", - Nightmare broke the silence, - "How nice of you to finally join our little gathering"
Blood curtly nodded. His hand was clutching his walking stick tighter than usual, Alice noticed.
"I'd like some explanations, Dupre", - Nightmare continued. At some point, his regular pipe appeared in his hand. - "You do realize what took place here, don't you?"
"We are at fault here", - said Blood slowly, - "Not going to deny this"
The two shared a long look. And then everyone spoke at once.
"Our reports say-", - Gray started.
"This wasn't supposed to happen!", - Elliot passionately cried out."These bastards-!"
"-planned to attack two time periods later!", - the twins shouted.
"-a mole in your midst", - Gray kept speaking, - "They've learned about your plans and-"
It was difficult to understand with the way everyone seemed to be talking at once. What were they going on about?
"Didn't you realize it by now, Alice?", - Nightmare addressed her suddenly. As he spoke the rest of the Role Holders went silent, as if only now noticing she was still present.
Alice felt uncomfortable, having all of the Role Holders look at her.
"I'm afraid I missed a thing or two", - the girl spoke slowly, - "Why were these people after me?"
"Why, indeed", - the corner of Nightmare's lips twitched, - "Why don't we ask Hatter over here?"
Alice looked at Blood. For the first time in all the history of their acquaintance, the mafia boss didn't quite meet her eyes.
"Not willing to share anything with the class, Dupre?", - Nightmare mocked him, - "I shall say it then"
"There is no need. I'd rather explain things myself.", - Blood finally spoke. - "We received reports of the new gang". His voice sounded dull.
"Caused us lots of trouble, those bastards did", - Elliot hurried to continue, - "Seemed to be pretty determined to get to Blood"
"They were sneaky", - the twins added, - "We cut many, but they kept coming. Like cockroaches"
Nightmare took a drag of his pipe and let a string of smoke out. "Enough of the prelude", - he said briskly, - "The invitation you received this time was a deliberate plot to get you out in the open, Alice"
Sudden understanding froze her. After all, if some new gang arrived in Clover and proved to be a worthy opponent, there was no way the boss of the Hatters wouldn't try to eliminate it. By all means necessary. "Blood, did you..?"
"Used you to lure his enemies out ", - finished Gray.
"I'm terribly sorry, young lady. You were supposed to have sufficient protection", - Blood said. He seemed to be genuinely sorry.
Elliot and the twins nodded, their hands on their weapons.
"But there was none", - Nightmare mercilessly pointed out, - "It was a miracle she didn't walk straight into their trap"
After a small silence, Nightmare continued, his voice quiet and deadly, - "Do you know what they planned to do to her, Hatter? Or better – do you know what I plan to do to you for dragging Alice into your affairs?"
Perhaps, it was the first time Alice knew for certain the head of the mafia was afraid. And no one could blame him. There was, she thought, no one scarier than Nightmare right now. Not when the ground around them was all covered with agonizing bodies and the air filled with soundless cries of pain.
Elliot stepped forward. "Blood's not at fault. If you're out for vengeance, start with me, Nightmare", - his voice was gruff. He didn't even attempt to pull out his weapon.
"We do apologize", - the Mad Hatter said evenly, completely ignoring Elliot's feat of courage.
"Do you truly believe apologies shall be enough, Dupre?", - Nightmare too seemed to be ignoring Elliot.
"We are ready to provide ample compensation for caused harm"
Nightmare's going to kill them, Alice thought. Just like this. He'd do to them the same as to those faceless or worse.
And though she too, was angry to be used for mafia dealings, Alice didn't want her friends to be killed.
"Shouldn't I be the one to choose the punishment? It was my life that was put on the line, after all"
Her voice shook a little, but it was enough to get the attention.
"Alice", - Nightmare spoke evenly. His voice sounded less deadly now, - "You do realize what transpired here? It was all a trap"
"Yes, and I was supposed to be the bait", - the girl impatiently finished. She may be shaken, but she got this much.
"It wasn't supposed to turn out like this", - Elliot spoke up, a fierce look on his face.
"We planned to meet you half-way", - the twins continued.
They were sorry. That Alice knew even without Nightmare's abilities.
"I am not happy about what happened", - Alice said, - "And so I came up with what I think is a sufficient punishment"
They all tensed at her words, she noticed. All but incubus, who kept smoking his pipe. Probably, he already knew what was on her mind.
"These men", - at this she gestured at the faceless on the ground, - "Are they to be dead?"
Her calm surprised her.
The Hatters nodded, without even exchanging a glance. "Not without some interrogation before that"
Alice suppressed a shiver. When they found out who betrayed them, the offender shall be the unhappiest faceless in Clover.
"What do you want to ask for, young lady?", - Blood looked at her seriously, - "I have to warn you if you want us to be merciful.."
"Their clocks", - she didn't let him finish. Blood blinked.
"After you're... done. Their clocks should be brought to Julius, not to Pierce"
There. This should be enough.
Her words were met with astonished silence. She thought there was a spark of resentment in the mafia boss's eyes, but couldn't be sure.
"Very well", - he finally spoke.
"It shall be done", - Elliot nodded grimly. He must have hated her idea a lot, but dared not speak against it.
Alice looked up at Nightmare's unreadable expression. Please, let them be, she silently begged. Enough of gore for today.
"Consider yourselves lucky", - incubus finally spoke. With that said, he flicked his wrist and some of the faceless on the ground rolled over, clearing a path to the mushroom. "Gray, take Alice back to the Tower"
"What?!", - Alice was taken off guard.
"I heard the party was canceled. Best to head back", - incubus didn't even look at her.
Gray nodded and made his way to the mushroom, careful not to step on any bodies. "It will be done, Nightmare-sama".
"Wait a minute!", - Alice protested. It was unfair to send her away like this.
"It is alright, young lady. What is about to happen is.. unfit for the eyes of the lady such as yourself, even after everything you were forced to witness", - Blood tipped his hat at her.
"Yeah. You better go back and have some nice dinner, Alice", - Elliot awkwardly joined in.
"Go, big sis", - even the twins seemed serious.
"Come down, Alice. I'll catch you", - Gray opened his arms and reluctantly Alice slid off the mushroom.
The dutiful assistant didn't let her down as she expected, instead steadily carrying her away. Too shocked by what happened, Alice came to her senses only when they stepped upon the road.
"You can let me down, Gray. I can walk by myself"
With reluctance, Gray did as she asked. He kept close, however. As if afraid she'd run back.
The thought crossed her mind. But something told her what she'd see wouldn't do much to erase what she saw earlier. So Alice started walking in the direction of Clover town.
She was certain she heard a sigh of relief when Gray easily caught up to her.
"Nightmare-sama wouldn't kill the Hatters", - Gray quietly said, - "Not after you've chosen punishment for them. You don't need to worry"
Alice made no reply.
"I am glad you are uninjured", - Gray, probably sensing her state, softly said. - "And sorry about it all"
"Does this happen often?", - Alice asked, without looking at him.
"If you mean what transpired there..?"
"Yes"
"The Move is like shuffling a card deck. Be it Joker himself, one can never predict the results. It happened before when the whole gangs would be brought to Clover this way"
Alice abruptly stopped. "You know perfectly well what I meant, Gray"
Behind her, Gray stopped too. "You want to know if Nightmare-sama killed before"
"Yes", - she never knew her voice could sound so dull.
"I have no good answer for you. Though I have joined Nightmare-sama quite a while ago, there is no way for me to know what did or didn't take place before that"
Alice turned back to face Gray fully. "There is no need for such evasiveness, Gray. Just give me a straight answer"
"My place is not to speak too openly of his lordship, Alice"
Surprisingly, now Alice felt rage. "Why can't you speak straight?", - she angrily demanded. - "I should think I deserve a little honesty after what I've been put through"
Golden eyes narrowed at her. "Your anger is misdirected"
Tears were springing into her eyes, the girl realized. She hastily turned away, but Gray was quicker. With one deft movement, he picked her up again.
"Let me go", - Alice demanded.
"You are tired and shaken. You don't think straight", - Gray calmly replied, not paying attention to her attempts to wiggle out of his iron grasp.
"I am more than capable-", - she stopped mid-sentence when she remembered the last time she heard these words and who said them. The recollection was enough to make her freeze.
I am more than capable of many things.
"It is his lordship's own prerogative to tell you of himself", - Gray said quietly.
And in a way dream demon did, didn't he? She knew all along he possessed powers no one else could even dream of. Ever since she came to Clover she quickly discovered just how feared Nightmare was.
And now she knew why.
"As you know I've been in Nightmare-sama's service for a long time. I can't recall a single accident such as this"
"He just makes you do all of the dirty work", - Alice dully supplied.
She more felt, than heard Gray's mirthless chuckle. "Perhaps. But I'll have you know I gave him enough reasons to turn his powers against me"
"By trying to make him drink medicine?"
"By trying to assassinate him"
The reply made Alice blink. Gray? Who acted like a worried mother even more often than as a dutiful assistant?
But then it was most likely true. There had to be a reason why a person, who seemingly only did desk work, was so good with knives.
"I see you weren't very interested in my past", - Gray dryly commented, - "If after all this time you seem to know nothing"
"I didn't want to pry. And nobody told me anything", - now her position on his shoulder seemed even more uncomfortable.
Wordlessly, Gray set her down. They made it all the way back to the Tower, and she didn't even notice.
"I came to Clover with a sole purpose to rid the world of lord Nightmare", - he spoke bluntly. Some faceless around them heard him and hurried away. "Straight enough talk for you, Alice?"
Alice could just bow her head.
"Then I'd tell you more", - Gray mercilessly went on. - "There were others, but I came closer than anyone before me. There were times when my knife would be an inch away from his throat"
"Enough", - Alice wanted to cover her ears.
He didn't listen. "Never once did he use that power of his. Never once, Alice"
"I got it, enough"
Golden eyes studied her for long agonizing moments. "But you don't. Not really"
Gray started climbing up the white marble stairs, leading to the entrance hall. "Come", - he threw over his shoulder, - "There is something you must see"
He took her to the last place Alice expected – the Assemblies Hall.
Despite the assemblies been over, the place was kept in perfect order, ready to be used for another event, whenever it should come. The sun (when did the night period turn into a morning?) was shining upon polished wooden tables. It was quiet here, just as always when nobody had to sit through Nightmare's speeches. Despite it being a place for boredom, Alice liked the Hall. It was one of the most impressive rooms inside the Tower of Clover – with high vaulted ceilings and airy windows, decorated with stained glass.
One of which, the girl noticed with surprise, was broken, the floor around covered with pieces of shattered glass.
Gray led her straight to it. The glass crunched beneath their shoes, when he finally stopped, three steps ahead of her.
"This gang from Diamond. Naturally, we knew about them but were not too concerned. Usually, Hatter is quick to deal with such matters", - Gray started speaking abruptly, - "But this particular gang proved to be resilient, so we had our own agents tracking them down"
"Why are you telling me this?", - Alice asked, her eyes glued to the broken window. There were things neither Gray, nor Nightmare shared with her.
"Soon after you left, one of our agents returned. He didn't get to say a word when Nightmare-sama leaped through the window"
This made Alice turn, eyes wide. "You mean to say that this-?"
"Yes", - Gray's golden eyes were serious, - "His lordship read in the agent's thoughts about the upcoming attack on you and rushed to your rescue"
Alice thought back to the events of the day. How unusual it seemed to see Nightmare so far away from the Tower, let alone disheveled and out of breath. Now she knew the name for the emotion she saw on his face earlier.
Relief.
"Why didn't he just tell me what was going on?", - she would have listened to him.
"Would you have let lord Nightmare accompany you back to the Tower?", - Gray didn't even bother to hide his skepticism, - "And stay indoors until we eliminate the threat completely?"
She'd go mad, if forced to stay inside all the time, even despite the size of the Tower. Apparently, the thought showed on her face because Gray nodded.
"Nightmare-sama never wanted to keep you under a bell jar", - the ex-assassin informed her gravely. - "I believe he weighed the chances and decided to deal with the matter himself"
"And dragged me in, the same way Blood did", - Alice couldn't help, but bite.
"Not the same way", - Gray protested heartily. - "Hatter put your life at risk for his own gain, yet failed to protect you. His lordship kept you safe"
That Nightmare did. Even if she never experienced such fright before.
"He could have told me what was going on, could have-"
"There wasn't enough time", - Gray interrupted her, - "The whole road was already under surveillance. You would have been attacked whether you'd go forward or try to return"
"Why bring me to the valley?", - why show her all the beauty, just to have it crushed beneath the bodies minutes later?
"The Caterpillar's valley", - started Gray slowly, - "I believe his lordship has chosen it for a reason"
"To lure me in", - Alice brought a hand to touch a broken edge of the window.
"He certainly didn't want to alarm you beforehand", - Gray didn't deny, - "But I also suspect, it is the place where it was the easiest for him to do as he did"
"His place of power?"
"Most likely"
Gray stepped closer and gently took her hand off the window's sharp edge. "In a couple of periods, this window will repair itself. Just like the valley. Soon there will be not a sign left of what happened. That's just how our world is"
He carefully released her hand. "But you, Alice, are a foreigner. Our rules don't apply to you. Should something happen to you, should we be too late to shield you from danger... you will be gone forever"
Alice shivered. Perhaps, this was the moment when she belatedly understood how close to death she came today.
"You don't seem to realize just how important you became for us", - Gray kept talking, - "Especially for lord Nightmare"
"He still shouldn't have risked himself like this", - Alice whispered.
Gray smiled. "He'd strongly disagree with you on this, I believe"
Author's Notes: the place where the whole ordeal takes place is heavily inspired by the scene from "Alice in the Country of Hearts: Wonderful Wonder World".