The Wonderland Rift

Haigha March, The March Hare
I watched her face for a moment, intrigued by her sudden appearance in my room and the way she seemed to shrink before my eyes, not to mention her outfit, her hair and the fact that she had pretended to be someone else at first. Did she really think I was an idiot?

Eventually I sighed and backed of. This was getting me nowhere. I wasn't angry anymore, since Charlie hadn't actually seemed that distraught for being retired, but I was still worried.

The queen looked up at me again as I turned to get some paper and a pen. I didn't usually write, except for the reports, 'cause even if the written word had no power I was still afraid that something might happen. When I was 7 I had blown my house to pieces, who knew what I could do now when I was 19.

I quickly wrote down what the queen needed to know, nothing more.
"Lordshire is infamous. All the soldiers knows that he is a fierce fighter and strategist, but they also know that he only fights for himself and that he would never (unlike Charlie who has done this many times) put his life on the line for a soldier that he barely knows.
Charlie has been in charge of the crown's army for thirty years. Does Lordshire even have any experience of leading an army?"
You also chose the wrong time to send him on a mission. His only priority right now should be to make the soldiers trust him. Soldiers who does not trust their leader deserts or become traitors. The amount of soldiers who wants to switch sides has increased since I left for my mission, and they who already doubt will surely betray you if you do not make Lordshire gain their trust."

I handed it to her, and hoped that she wouldn't get angry. After all, I only wanted what was best for the soldiers, and also what was best for her.

Yamani (Queen of Hearts)

I tentatively opened my eyes and peered at him curiously, as he scratched something down on a piece of paper. A strange feeling sprang up inside me, to know that he was writing me a note, though whether it was fear or honor, it was hard to tell. He rarely wrote notes.

He offered me the note. I carefully took it, surprised to see that, though his jaw was still set, he didn't seem angry. I tilted the paper towards the light.

Lordshire is infamous. All the soldiers know that he isa fierce fighter and strategist, but they also know that he only fights for himself, and that he would never (unlike Charlie who has done this name times) put his life on the line for a soldier he barely knows.

Charlie has been in charge of the Crown's Army for thirty years. Does Lordshire even have any experience leading an army? I bit my lip. Haigha, as usual, had a point. Lordshire was a fierce warrior- but that meant nothing when it came to his ability to lead other men.

You also chose the wrong time to send him on a mission. His only priority right now should be to make the soldiers trust him. Soldiers who do not trust thier leader desert or become traitors. The number of soldiers who want to switch sides has increased since I left for my mission, and they who already doubt will surely betray you-- if you do not make Lordshire gain thier trust.

I sighed and looked up at Haigha. "I know...you're right." I sighed again. "You're right...but...I didn't have much of an option. Lordshire was going to the Rebels if I didn't give him the command..."

I started to pace, absently fingering my sword with one hand, tossing the other back and forth in front of me carelessly, as I spoke. "He's a-- well, you know what he is. What should I have done?"

I looked at him, though I knew I wouldn't get a response. I offered the piece of paper to him hopefully, but he didn't take it.

"He's not actually the Head yet. The terms of his acceptance was that he gets Jobiah..." I smiled and turned towards Haigha. "Which means...which means that if he can't uphold his end of the deal, I won't have to honor mine! You're brilliant Haigha!"

He looked at me quizzically.

"If Lordshire can't get Jobiah- and most likely he'll dawdle for as long as possible before he even tries- then he can't get the title he wants! Which means, I won't have to worry about deserters."

Haigha gave me a small smile.

I bit my lip, my mind racing through all the possible plans-- "Do you think you can get to Jobiah? Or...I suppose even Lordshire would do...I mean...they're both threats to the Crown- Lordshire less so, if I meet his demands- but a constant threat of treachery if my generosity runs out..."

Haigha smiled- a slow smirk that slowly captivated his face.

"Alright...as soon as you recover from your trip, you could--"

Haigha nodded before I could finish the question.

I smiled. "Good...and with those threats out of the way, you might be next in line to be Head." I surprised myself with that comment. Haigha hadn't been around for that long- his uncle had only been killed two years previous- but he had already proven his allegiance and his skill.

He seemed slightly shocked. I felt a bit of pride when I saw that I had surprised him-- I'd never done that before. He'd always taken everything I threw at him in stride.

I smiled and inclined my head. "I know better than to rush you. Let me know your decision when you report your victory."

Knowing that, if I was caught, Haigha and I would be the topic of the palace whispering for a while, and not really caring, I slipped out into the hallway.

"Eh!"

I nearly shrieked as someone yelled in my ear. Where'd he come from? Did he see me coming from Haigha's? Is he going to tell-- of course he's going to tell. All my guards drink, and then tell thier secrets.

I considered bolting- decided that if it were a guard, that would only get me shot at- and froze.

"What're you doing here, boy?" A man asked gruffly, as he caught hold of my ear and wrenched on it.

I turned, indignation welling up in my chest, about to tell him to unhand his Queen, when I suddenly stopped- my disguise had worked. He didn't suspect that the Queen had been in this wing of the palace for weeks- he only knew that he caught a boy coming from a late-night meeting with Haigha.

The man grabbed my shoulder and shook me, making my head snap back and forth. "Answer me! Why are you coming from Hare's room? What were you doing?"

He shook me more, harder, violently. I was suddenly glad that I wasn't really a boy. No one had ever laid a hand on me like this- and the few men who were foolish enough to grab my arm, or even just speak sharply to me, were reprimanded immediately by any man standing nearby.

"N-n-nuthin', sir." I used a decidedly uneducated accent.

"Then why're you here?"

"B-because, I w-wa-was-wa-was askin' M-m-mis-mister Ha-har-hare what he-he-he ne-need-needs me to-to-to-to do."

"Quit stammering."

"I-I can't-can't-can't help it none, s-sir. I-I-I've had a-a-a s-st-stud-studder for as-as long as-as I can rec-rec-recollect, s-s-sir."

He growled in irritation. "Well what does the Hare want with a studdering idiot like you?"

"I-I-I do'na kn-know, s-s-sir."

"Can you read?"

"N-no sir."

"Can you do figures?"

"N-no s-sir."

"Something's not adding up," the guard growled, as he pushed me down the hallway roughly, his strong hands hurting my shoulders.

"S-s-sir?" I spluttered.

"Don't 's-s-sir' me. Just shut up and walk."

"W-wh-where are y-you takin' m-me s-sir?" It was exhausting to repeat myself so many times. Exhausting and painful- as I remembered my childhood, as I remembered all of those agonizing hours spent sitting in the chair, reciting poem after poem, reading book after book to my Instructor, talking to dozens of people every day- most of whom I didn't know- in an attempt to break me of this cursable habit.

"The Queen. I'll let her decide what to do with you."

I nearly panicked- my heels dug into the stone floor, and I started flailing my arms, trying to get free of his grasp. "No! No! Don't take me to see the Queen!" My voice was too high again.

"Oh," the guard's face turned up into a nasty sneer. "So you were doing something wrong?"

"No! I-I wasn't," I growled, that studder natural, "I wasn't doing any--nuthin' wrong. Let me go!"

I threw my fists into the man's chest, clawing at his face, using my elbows and knees as weapons. The man's fist struck my left cheek, making it smart and ache terribly, and give me an instant headache.

"What's going on here?" I heard an imperilous voice demand.

The fight stopped, the guard's hand posed in mid-air, about to strike again. I blinked, trying to clear the spots that were swimming around in front of my face.

"Duchess!" the guard hissed.

"That's right, I am. And as Duchess, I am your superior, and I order you to hand over your captive- immediately."

I swallowed, my pride making me hate her voice, my good sense thanking her for saving me- and Manny- from an uncomfortable situation.

"Er, um...you're not...you're a Rebel."

"What business of yours is it where my sympathies lay?"

"Well," he spluttered. "I've got to apprehend you."

"I'd like to see you try." Minerva challenged.

"You're...a traitor."

"If I were a traitor, the Queen wouldn't have me named as her Heir, now would she?"

"Erm, uh...yes Duchess." He bowed and quickly pushed me towards the Duchess. "Shall I escort her? She's awfully-"

"No. You are dismissed." She raised her eyebrows, challenging him to argue, or dawdle.

"Yes ma'am." He quickly disappeared.

"Saved your ass twice in one night." She smirked, as soon as he was out of sight.

I refused to answer that.

"You're not my heir!" I snapped.

"Aw, I'm not?" she asked sarcastically.

"No, you're not. How many of my prisoners have you intercepted?"

She smirked again, silently gloating. "Who is your heir, anyway? Does anyone even know?"

"Of course people know," I growled. At least they will, once I name one.

As if reading my mind, she turned on me. "You haven't named one yet!"

"Of course I have."

"No you haven't! I know that face- guilty and annoyed, because you haven't named an heir, like you were supposed to the day of your coronation."

"I've got time."

"You really should name one, immediately...I could be it, until you have time to properly make up your mind," she offered innocently.

I snorted. "Yeah, like I'd make you my heir. I'd have a blade sticking out of my back before the morning."

She smirked. "I was just trying to help."

"Of course you were. Always trying to help..."

"Always." She agreed, her voice too sugary.

I growled and eyed her carefully- well, eyed her as well as I could. My left eye was already mostly swollen shut.

"I wonder," she started, giddy, "How the Queen is going to explain it tomorrow?"

"Explain what?" My head was throbbing too hard for me to think reasonably.

"How she got that shiner. She goes to her room one evening, fine, and wakes the next with a nice black eye."

I growled again. She was enjoying my pain far too much to suit me. "Well, I am a child after all-"

"That's another thing that intrigues me," she interupted. "How one moment you're an innocent child, nothing more than a victim of the circumstances- and the next you're our valiant Queen, protector of the innocent, just and mighty."

I crossed my arms. "You know, that's the wonderful thing about being seventeen. Not a child anymore, yet not a woman either. I'm not very experienced yet, after all, and a child can only be so graceful before she's fully done growing."

"Child my arse," she grunted. "You weren't a child when you were one."

I raised my eyebrow, which hurt, but I tried not to grimace. "Ooh, that's deep, cousin dear."

"Shut up...come on, let's get some ice for that eye."

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
I sighed when I saw James' look. He didn't know anyone who'd want to switch places with him.

"Go and tell her," I said before he had time to answer. "Tell her that you're going to fight for me as soon as you find someone who can take your place.. And when you're free, come find me." I pulled my knife out of the counter and then reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll be with you as soon as I can," he promised. I really hoped that it was a promise that he meant to keep.

I quickly rubbed away the last remnants of my tears and left the bar. I was tired and had way too much to think about, so I went back to the hq to get some rest. Tomorrow I would have to speak with Alex about this whole thing. He wouldn't like the idea of James joining us, and I wasn't sure I did either. I had said that I would forgive him if he fought for me, but I didn't know if I could. And even if I did I was probably too broken to ever love him like I used to.


Haigha March, The March Hare
As soon as the Queen had closed the door I threw my jacket on, took my sword and jumped out of the window and onto a big branch. It didn't matter that it was dark. I had climbed up and down from the tree so many times that I could do it with my eyes closed.

I felt a bit tired, but the cold night air soon cleared my head. Kill or capture Jubiah, or kill or capture Lordshire. No matter who or what I chose I had to do it quick, before Lordshire had a chance to do it before me. Head of the queen's army? No, that wasn't a role that suited me. To lead an army you had to at least be able to speak, which I wasn't. But I knew a soldier who would make a excellent Head. A man who the soldiers already trusted and respected and who had fought in several battles. If I had the chance, I would recommend him. But now I needed to focus.

It didn't take long for me to make my way out of the castle and into the streets unseen. I had never been fond of Jubiah. He had never been loyal to the Queen, but I didn't think that he would chose to leave the way he did. I had simply expected him to quietly disappear one day. It seemed he wasn't quite as cowardly as he wanted people to think.

While waking to a bar that I knew that the rebels favored, I spotted a mane of white hair disappearing around a corner. Normally I would've followed, but I needed to find either Jubiah or Lordshire, and I needed to do it now. Instead I made a mental note of which direction Miranda was going, and swore to examine it later. The location of the rebel headquarters would surely be of use to the Queen.

I entered the bar and looked around. People didn't seem to take notice of me, they didn't know who I was. I might be well known in the castle, but to the rebels I was just another face and I had worked hard to keep it that way.

My eyes widened for a moment. Jubiah was sitting by the counter, in plain view. What a fool. He was sitting next to a girl who I vaguely recognized. She could be bothersome if I didn't play my cards right.

I walked over to him, as close as I could, and then pointed my gun at his back, careful to stand close enough so that no one would notice. He froze in mid-sentence. The girl stared, her eyes wide, so I glared at her to show that if she moved I would kill him.

I grabbed Jubiah's arm, pulled him up and led him out through the door. The girl he had been with followed us with her eyes, and she did not look happy. If I could I would simply lead him back to the castle, but if he tried to run or she intervened I would have no other choice but to shoot him and then drag him back. Dead or alive, it didn't matter.

Jubiah

"Um-" I am cut off as I feel the cold barrel of a gun press against my back. It presses hard in between my shoulder blades.

I don't try to escape or call out for help- I know that if I try, I will probably still end up dead, and lots of other people will be hurt too. Plus, if this person was with the Hearts then I can still escape once we get there. I will find a way.

He jerks me out of the bar, yanking hard on my arm, the gun barrel still pressed firmly in between my shoulder blades. I don't try to fight, just go along. I am jerks out of the bar and into a dark alley. I have a bad feeling about this.

When we are shrouded in the darkness of the alley, he cuffs me, and points to the castle. I was right. "I won't try to fight." I say, and he seems almost disappointed. We start to go out of the alley, heading towards the castle. That's when I see Luna behind my captor. 'Go.' I mouth, trying to stop Luna. She does not heed my warning,and steps closer to us, weapon in hand.

Luna


Before he could get a word, the bell above the door. I watched as he walked straight towards us and stopped behind Jubiah. He froze, his eyes going wide. I look down to see a gun being held to his back and look at the mystery man. He gives me a glare that said if I moved Jubiah would die. I stayed put. He grabbed Jubiah by the arm and led him out of the door. As soon as they were out of sight, I followed them. It was still pretty dark out, but that's not a problem with my eye sight. They darted down a dark alleyway and I followed suit, but as I rounded the I found my forehead kissing the barrel of a gun. I wasn't really surprised. I slapped the gun from his hand and hit him with a spin kick that sent him flying. I grabbed Jubiah by the arm and yanked him off the ground. "You hall ass back to the tavern and tell Lini to get you back to my place. You got that?"

He nodded frantically as I pushed him out of the alley. I turned back to survey the alley and find the guy getting back to his feet rather unsteadily. I didn't take any chances of him getting back up and tackled him to the ground, but before I could do any real damage he kicked me off of him and drew the Katana from the sheath on his back. That's when I realized I didn't have an of my weapons on me. Shit. He came at me, and all I could do was dodge his attacks, which were pretty precise and on the mark. He was fast too, though it wasn't much of a problem to keep out of his range until I slipped and lost my footing on a slick part of the concrete. That was all he needed. He got a good slash in on arm, side, and cheek. Damn slippery floor. I needed to get that sword out of his hand. He came back for another cut and I moved to his side and elbowing him in the the side. I grabbed his arm and flipped him onto the ground. Then I kicked the sword out of his hand and out of sight. He tackled me to the ground and knocked every ounce of air from me. I took a deep breath and rolled on top before pulling back. He came at me again, but this time I was ready. I blocked the punch he threw my way and caught him in the rib with a jab. The grunt of pain registered in my ears, but he quickly recovered and he came at me with a flurry of punches I blocked without problem. I got him with a jump kick to his stomach and he doubled over in pain. All of a sudden he charged, picking me up by the waist and ran me into the wall.

"Ugh!!" I grunted through my teeth.

He pulled back, and rammed me into the wall again. I brought my elbow down on his spine and kneed him in the chest. He let go and brought his hand up, but I wasn't having that. caught his hand and threw him into the wall. Just then a light was shined on us both. "Hey! What are you doing?"

I took a step back and we looked at each other for a moment. I backed farther into the dark alley, never taking my eyes off of his. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot. Completely engulfed by darkness, I let the shadows take me.

Tarryn Hatter (Mad Hatter)

I watched all the excitement happening from a corner of the bar, hidden in the shadows. My drink had sat mostly untouched on the small table for the duration of my stay. No one had noticed me, not even those from the Red Queen's courts. Was my hat with the red ribbon not clear? I guessed not. Didn't matter to me either way.

Somewhere deep down, I wanted to be noticed by at least someone. No one in the Red Queen's court ever talked to me, and those in the White Queen's made idle, awkward chit-chat. Sometimes the loneliness was overwhelming, and I was stuck here in the bar, drinking it away before my next assignment.

The Rebels were really naive, or at least, the ones I met were. They didn't realize I was for the Red Queen. I never wore Hearts, or Spades either, so no one ever really knew. But the red ribbon surely should have given some sort of clue. That made it well enough for me, being a spy for Yamani.

I downed my whiskey in two gulps, and tuned everything out.

Minerva

I may have... taken a few liberties once I got the scum to the dungeon. I had to shift into my new soldier form to get past the Heart soldiers guarding the dungeons which freaked the kid out a bit. I smirked at him. "I've got a few things I want to know." I shoved him down the steep stairs and followed calmly.

I love spying. I mean, I was made for it, but there was nothing like extracting information the old fashion way.

I may have gone a little overboard with this victim that was really borrowed. Knowing my way around the dungeons well enough, I led him to the torture chamber and chained him to a cold stone table. Perusing the wall of instruments, I chose the brand, sticking it in the coals that I had never seen cold. "The question of the day is, 'Who is your boss?'"

"Don't you want to know who I am?" he spat, acting fearless.

I laughed, closing the door as I morphed into my fuzzy natural state. "Are you your boss?" I smiled at his look of disbelief. "Little guys don't matter. It's obvious you're a lousy spy anyway. No one gets anything done peering through air vents." I chose a small knife and twirled it in my fingers. "You kinda deserve to die, if you think about it. There's no room for idiots in this kinda career. I think of it as my duty to weed them out." I was still riding on my wave of anger, was beginning to enjoy it as it became comfortable, familiar. "Your boss probably wanted you to get caught. I know I would send one of my clueless girls on a death mission like this." I bent over him, dragged the blade across his neck to see a line of blood.

He gritted his teeth, tensing his neck.

"It hurts more if you do that," I murmured absently and lifted the knife, digging the point in a little farther.

"I'm on your side," he tried again, attempting to beg.

I rolled my eyes. "Darling," I purred, turning his arm toward me, so I could see the inside, "Don't you know I'm the ruler of the spy world? There isn't a rebel spy that doesn't go through me first." I glared at him. "And I didn't know about you."

I wrote poetry on his forearm, murmuring it to myself. I glanced at him when he whimpered. "Wanna say now?"

He lifted his chin, clenching his jaw. "No."

I shrugged. "Okay." Bored with my poem and at a good stopping place anyway, I stood and removed the brand from the coals. I smiled at him over the red head and approached.

You should have heard him scream.
***
He was still breathing when I left with what I had asked for, but it was shallow. He was still bleeding in places, and the table already dripped with blood. I doubted he would last the morning.

I would be giving a visit to a 'friend' of mine in a few days.

I shifted into a soldier again to pass by the guards and ran through the halls swiftly, looking to get out.

"I-I-I do'na kn-know, s-s-sir."

I stopped midstride at a familiar stutter and smiled. I had to see this. The voice faded as I took the wrong turn.

"No! No! Don't take me to see the Queen!"

I had to muffle a laugh as that shouted exclamation led me in the right direction.

"Oh," I heard an overzealous guard sneer. "So you were doing something wrong?" What would he do if he knew he was treating the Queen of Hearts so?

"No! I-I wasn't," Yamani growled, "I wasn't doing any--nuthin' wrong. Let me go!"

I was at the opening in the hall when I saw Yamani jump at the guard ferociously. I flinched -and smiled- when he struck her cheek painfully hard.

I considered letting it go on to see her get beat up a little more but relented last minute. "What's going on here?" I demanded in the noble's voice I had tried so hard to purge myself of.

The guard froze, his arm raised in the air, ready to fall again. "Duchess!" he hissed.

"That's right, I am. And as Duchess, I am your superior, and I order you to hand over your captive- immediately." I withheld a grimace. It was a poorly executed heist, but I hadn't had much time to think of much better.

"Er, um...you're not...you're a Rebel," he pointed out oh so brightly, and there I had been hoping I was dealing with a dumb one.

I forced my features into a cold sneer. "What business of yours is it where my sympathies lay?" I asked enigmatically.

"Well," he spluttered. "I've got to apprehend you."

"I'd like to see you try," I scoffed, sizing him up as I did so.

"You're...a traitor."

I blinked rapidly, trying to think of something quick. It was amazing how these obvious statements hung me up. "If I were a traitor, the Queen wouldn't have me named as her Heir, now would she?" I said, pleased with how coolly it fell from my lips, and the position it put Yamani in if the soldier decided to spread the word.

"Erm, uh...yes Duchess." He bowed and quickly pushed Yamani towards me. "Shall I escort her? She's awfully-"

"No," I said, cutting him off before he could waste anymore of my time or ask anymore awkward questions. "You are dismissed."I arched my eyebrows. All of the royal words, all the proper motions, and pointless customs were flooding back.

"Yes ma'am."

I watched him turn the corner at the end of the hall and said haughtily, "Saved your ass twice in one night." I tossed a glance her way, smirking.

"You're not my heir!" she snapped, ignoring my previous comment which was slightly disappointing. I had thought it to be fairly appetizing bait.

I rolled my eyes. "Aw, I'm not?"

"No, you're not. How many of my prisoners have you intercepted?"

I merely smirked, knowing that said enough for me. "Who is your heir, anyway?" I asked, feigning nonchalance, "Does anyone even know?"

"Of course people know," she growled.

I knew her lying voice, could normally catch the slight stiffening of the mouth. "You haven't named one yet!" I accused, laughing.

"Of course I have." She tried and failed at being cool and nonchalant.

"No you haven't! I know that face-" I crooned, "guilty and annoyed, because you haven't named an heir, like you were supposed to the day of your coronation." I did a small, pointless dance of mirth, happy to have remembered most of my upbringing now if it meant causing Yamani some grief.

"I've got time."

"You really should name one, immediately..." I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, skipping a bit, and smiled at her sweetly. "I could be it, until you have time to properly make up your mind."

She snorted. "Yeah, like I'd make you my heir. I'd have a blade sticking out of my back before the morning."

I smirked. How well she knows me... "I was just trying to help," I sang.

"Of course you were. Always trying to help..."

"Always." I gave her a grin that dimpled my cheeks, partially because I made them do so, and batted my eyelashes at her.

She tried to glare at me, but that fell flat with one eye practically swollen shut.

"I wonder," I began, finding myself riding high on the roller coaster of emotions once more, "How the Queen is going to explain it tomorrow?"

"Explain what?" she asked, exceptionally duller than normal.

"How she got that shiner," I replied, "She goes to her room one evening, fine, and wakes the next with a nice black eye." I laughed at the situation.

She growled again, I was starting to become immune to it. At the moment, it amused me more than anything else. "Well, I am a child after all-" she said, sweetening her voice, making the pitch higher.

"That's another thing that intrigues me," I interrupted, accustomed to the spiel she was going to try to sell. "How one moment you're an "innocent child,"" I put air quotations around it, "nothing more than a victim of the circumstances- and the next you're our valiant Queen, protector of the innocent, just and mighty." I then held my fist out in front of my face, mocking an honorable pose.

She crossed my arms. "You know, that's the wonderful thing about being seventeen. Not a child anymore, yet not a woman either. I'm not very experienced yet, after all, and a child can only be so graceful before she's fully done growing."

"Child my arse," I scoffed. "You weren't a child when you were one." I giggled manically.

She raised an eyebrow which, with her wounds, could have only hurt.. "Ooh, that's deep, cousin dear."

"Shut up..." I snapped playfully and turned into her room, opening the door for her. "Come on, let's get some ice for that eye." I looked around the dark room and found it amazingly unchanged. "Does my old room look the same?" I asked as I rang a small bell on her dresser. I sat on her bed, uninvited of course, and swung my legs freely as they dangled a few inches of the ground.

She shrugged. "Why change what works?"

I nodded. "I could come back here and nothing would be changed. Except..." I worried my lip as I thought about it. "Your parents are gone, my parents are gone..." I assessed my reflection in the mirror. It looked a bit unfamiliar. "Huh... I'm gone, Miranda's gone." I scratched my jaw. Without those I had just listed, that huge castle got pretty empty. "...Is it lonely?" I asked softly.

She wasn't facing me, so I couldn't read her expressions, but her shoulders had stiffened. "No. I'm fine."

I smirked, in too good of a mood to pity anyway. "Alcander still hangs around," I needled, "I'm sure he's a comfort for you." My expression turned a little nasty. "And James is such good company."

She whirled around. "You have no right to mock me, you-"

Her tirade was cut short by a soft knock at your door.

I jumped off the bed and bowed mockingly. "That would be my cue to leave, Your Highness. I'll show myself out." Deciding the air vents were probably the best bet, I crawled into it before I remembered the dying spy in her dungeons which was something she would probably want to know. "Oh, Yamani," I began, crawling back out.

"Wait!" she hissed.

But it was too late. I was staring up at the King of Hearts.

Jasper, Jabberwocky

I didn't mean to sleep, but I was exhausted from the day’s events. It was still dark outside when I woke up, good, that meant I still had some time.

I finally found a rebel wandering around, drunk, in an alley. I smiled to myself, there was nothing I liked best than the adrenaline you get from a fight. I captured him with ease and brought him to the dungeons. I didn't know what the queen would want with a rebel like him, but I've learnt not to ask. I tell a guard to inform the queen that the Jabberwocky has finished his assignment. As I'm walking out, I hear screams coming from the torture chamber, probably a guard trying to get information to impress the queen.

Not knowing what to do for the time being, I decide to take a stroll in the city, hoping the queen would be satisfied with the prisoner I brought her.

Haigha March, The March Hare
Damn. It took me a while to catch my breath. My ribs were sore, but not broken. I would definitely get some nasty bruises, but at least I wasn't the only one. I had known that she'd be trouble, and I should've known better than to try to capture him right before her eyes. I would not repeat that mistake.. At least Lordshire hadn't caught Jubiah yet.

I looked up at the fire escape on the building in front of me. I had never been fond of stalking people, nor climbing on roofs, for that matter, but this time I had no choice. I'd have to follow Jubiah and wait for the girl to go somewhere else. If Lordshire approached him first.. Well, I'd just have to kill him. If I did, the girl would probably help me out. Or at least I hoped she would.

It didn't take long before I was up on the roof. Jubiah was quite easy to spot when entering the bar again, and after a while I saw the girl too. She used the back door, and I only managed to catch a glimpse of her. I took a breath and sat down, my legs dangling over the edge. This would probably take a while.

Jubiah

"What happened to you?" I ask Luna as she steps back into the bar.

"Well, he's not a problem anymore." She says cryptically.

"Wiat, did you kill him?" I whisper. I really don't care if he's dead- one less person out to get me- but I still want to know. Plus, Luna shouldn't have to kill to save me. She doesn't even know me. Doesn't know what I've done, how many people are out to get me. She should know first, before she agrees to hide me. She shouldn't hide me. She isn't part of this, even if she is in the resistance.

"No," Luna said, "But he's not coming back for a while." Cryptic as ever.

I give up, knowing that she will never tell me what happened in that alley. When I see her, I notice the cuts and scrapes on her, and feel really guilty. That should be me, not her. I should have been there. I shouldn't have run away. "Look," I say, avoiding her gaze. "I really apriciate the offer, you know, about staying at your place, but... I can't take the offer. It's too dangerous.". She gives me a hard look, like she's saying, 'you've got to be kidding'. Defensive, I say, "I know, I know, but you don't understand. The Queen herself is demanding my head."

"Join the club.'

"Look, I think the Knave has even employed the bandersnatch. Trust me, you don't want to be around when they find me. And they will find me. They will tortue and kill everyone affiliated with me when they do. I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."

"Okay." She says, deflated. "Be careful."

"I will be." I say and start to head out the door. Before I do, I go to the fireplace in the corner, the fire long put out. I rub my hands in the ashes and soot, running them though my hair to disguise its blondness. I also rub some on my face and arms, to make my skin look darker. Its a hasty disguise, but it will work in a pinch. I hope.

I walk out the door, and start walking away from the castle, away from the bar. Not even within five minutes of walking, I hear someone call my name, "Jubiah Roost!"

I instictively snap my head upward, which turns out to be a mistake. I look up to see the Knave of Hearts right in front of me. I turn to run, but am cornered by two other Heart soldiers. I'm trapped. Before I know it, I am shoved against a storefront wall, pinned. They jerk my arms behind me and slap handcuffs on before I have a chance to fight. They force me to my knees, so I am forced to look up at the Knave of Hearts, who is grinning, satisfied with himself.

I glare at him, hateful, my eyes filled with murder, as the Knave declares from an official looking document, "Jubiah Roost, you are hereby under arrest for treason by the Red Queen's orders. All of your previous rights have now been suspended."

Despite my fear, I say defiantly, "What rights did I have before? What rights do any of us have?"As they drag me away, I scream out, thinking there is nothing left to loose, "Down with the Bloody Red Queen!"

Haigha March, The March Hare
There he was. Lordshire. And the girl was nowhere in sight. Great. I quickly got down onto the ground, snuck up behind one of the two guards and knocked him in the head with the hilt of my sword. He collapsed like a bag of bones and his friend soon followed. I would have to apologize to them later.

I quickly twirled around and felt a shockwave go up my arm as my sword struck Lordshire's cane. "It seems the queen has given me some competition," he said with a mirthless chuckle. I grabbe hold of my blade with both hands and forced him backwards. With one last effort I pushed as hard as I could, which made him stumble backwards. Before he could regain his balance I pulled Jubiah up from the ground and made a run for it. I heard Lordshire curse behind us when we turned a corner and slipped into the darkness.

Yamani (Queen of Hearts)

Minerva carelessly pushed the door to my room open. Why wasn't I yelling at her for taking such liberties? Why did I not care that she was freely traipsing through my palace? Why did I feel a longing for her to be here more often?

I shook my head and tried- and failed- to glare at her as she jumped onto my bed with the same careless ease that she did when we were children- though, of course- according to her- I never had been a child. I rolled my eyes.

"Does my old room look the same?"

I never touched a thing, when you left.

I shrugged."Why change what works?"

She nodded. "I could come back here and nothing would be changed. Except...Your parents are gone, my parents are gone..." I sit in my chair, turning my back towards her, so she couldn't see how badly her words hurt me. "Huh... I'm gone, Miranda's gone."

I swallowed hard. I missed them- all of them- so very badly.

"...Is it lonely?" she asked softly.

Tears prickled at my eyes. and my shoulders stiffened. "No. I'm fine."

"Alcander still hangs around," She mocked. "I'm sure he's a comfort for you, and James is such good company."

I sprang up and started towards her. "You have no right to mock me, you-"

A soft rap at the door cut me short.

Minerva bowed to me mockingly. "That would be my cue to leave, Your Highness. I'll show myself out."

"What?!" I bellowed, at the rap at the door which came again, after Minerva was safely out of sight, through an air vent.

James threw the door to my room open. My breath caught. I hadn't seen my husband in weeks- if not months- and I had expected him to be with my sister for a time to go. My blood ran cold.

"Oh, Yamani," Minerva added, as she crawled out of the tunnel.

"Wait!" I hissed, hoping she'd leave before James saw her.

She stumbled as she hit the floor, and by the time she had sat up, James was standing over her.

"Oh, how lovely," he sneered, as he grabbed her shoulder and jerked her to her feet.

Great. How was I suppose to throw a fit about him being with Miranda, when he caught me talking with Minerva? The only thing I had to shout about was his affair- and that had been going on for years.

"I walk in to find my wife having a meeting with the Duchess. Are you turning on your own kingdom, dearest?"

I was starting towards them, about to push Minerva from James' grasp, when Minerva jerked her own shirt free, and stood, glaring at him. "You're one to talk, you pompous fool!"

"Oh ho, you want in this, do you?" his face turned into a nasty sneer.

I felt like punching them both, and, unable to believe what I was about to do, stepped closer to Minerva. "No, niether of us want in this, but you seem to be enjoying yourself." I just sided with my cousin over my husband...dear god, and I though we had problems before.

"You Majesty-"

"What the hell could you possibly want?" I bellowed, turning towards the door.

I saw Jenny, her face paled. "Er, your majesty..."

"What?" I demand, trying to calm myself. It wasn't fair to abuse my servants, just because my Royal Family were being bloody idiotic, pains in my arse.

"Er, the Jabberwocky asked me to tell you that he has apprehended a Rebel for, er, you."

"I don't give one bloody hoot in hell who he's got in my dungeon!"

"Er, yes ma'am."

I put my hand over my face and sigh. "I...I'm sorry."

"Yes you are," James sneered.

"Shut the f*ck up, you little f*ckhead."

Jenny's eyes were as wide as saucers. A royal battle-- a thing not often witnessed, especially not by handmaidens.

"How very Queenly of you, dearest," he sneered, invading my personal bubble, his face mere inches from mine.

I was getting tired of hearing that.

"I don't give a f*ck if I'm Queenly or not," I spat, driving my finger into his chest, forcing him to back up. "I have been being the perfect little Queen for two f*cking years, and what has it gotten me? A worthless husband who cheats on me with my slutty sister? A sister who's planning my assassination even now? A cousin who's helping to lead the rebellion against the throne? A palace crawling with spies and traitors? F*ck it! F*ck it all!"

He seemed a bit bewildered, his back against the wall-- literally.

"Jenny," Minerva warned. "Remember."

I sighed and pulled my finger from James' chest. "Right...alright, fine, I'll see Jasper. Might as well. He can't irritate me any more than these Royal pains."

I started towards the door angrily.

"Oh no you don't," James had composed himself, and started after me.

I whirled around. "You seem to forget, husband, that I'm Sovereign of Wonderland."

"That's a battle for another day," he waved it away, though his face turned redder in anger.

"Fine, just f*cking fine with me," I said, as I stormed into the hallway.

"But I'm not done talking to you tonight."

"Too bad, I'm done talking to you," I snapped.

I was flying down the hallway, my boots clomping loudly on the cold stone- James hurrying after me, Minerva following after us- eagerly, cautiously, coyly- with a bewildered Jenny trotting after us.

"You won't get anywhere running." James called after me.

"Sure I will. I'll get far, far away."

"Away from what, exactly? Your responsibility? Your kingdom? Your-"

"You, to start with. That'll satisfy me well enough."

"Fine! Just listen to me and I'll go away," he yelled. "Stop, dammit!"

He grabbed my shoulder and jerked me around, slamming me into the cold wall, making me hit my already throbbing head- making it ring. Tears sprang to my eyes in voluntarily.

"What?" I screamed, nearly sobbed. Minerva and James were blurry in front of me. "What do you want?"

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

I'd managed to get a hold of Jubiah, at least for a bit. After convincing two heart guards that he was convict, they were about to escort him to the castle, until he showed up.
It'd been a long time I'd heard from him, well not from him exactly. He never speaks. Atleast not that I knew of. He knocked out the guards with ease and managed to escape from me, WITH Jubiah.

After calming my nerves, I decided that I still had time. That recent action would definitely lead people to believe I was on the Queens side, but I knew Haigha wouldn't say anything, and I highly doubted that there was anyone that Jubiah could tell.
So with that though, I headed of to the Rebels HQ.

***

I walked through the doors and hoped anyone inside was listening.
"Hello? Anyone home? The name's Lord Lordshire, and I'm here to bring you both some good and some bad news."

Jubiah

"Uuh." I groan as I am thrown onto the dirty dungoen floor.

I start to get up, but apearently I am moving too slow, because after a moment they are dragging me over to the chains bolted to the wall at the other end of the cell. As thy tighten the cuffs, I grimice, the cuffs cutting into my skin, cutting off my circulation. I am certain that within the hour my wrists will be bloody and sore. They tighten them even more, taking comfort and pride in my pain. They spit at my feet as they walk away, slamming the cell door and locking it behind them, chuckling and hurling obscenities in my direction. I pay no attention. I am already thinking of the bleak days ahead, which will most probably be filled with the Queen's wrath, torture, lonely nights here in the dugoen, and will most likely end in the loss of my head. Not to mention my life.



A few minutes- or maybe hours, or even days later- it was inpossible to tell in the dungeons, they came again, and unchained me, only to handcuf me a moment afterward. They hauled me to my feet, and I stumbled along, the guards gripping me with their vicelike hands. Wewalk through endless corridors, into the heart of the castle, literally. Soon, we are at the doors to the Queen's throne room. The gaurds knock politely, and after a snippy 'come in' from inside, they step in.

"Your majesty." They say in unison, bowing. They then force me to my knees in front of the Queen. "We bring you Jubiah Roost, m'lady."

"Jubiah." She says coldly. She lifts up my chin to inspect my face. My eyes are burning with hatered, my cheeks flushed with rage.

"Yamini." I say with the same reptilian coldness. Both of the gaurds gasp. No one in their right mind would call the Queen by her first name. Not even the most daring of rebels has ever done that.

But the Queen still stayed calm, and said, softly, "Off with his head."



They took me back to the dungeon, and chained me again. They left me to contemplate my ffate, returning in about an hour, telling me of my fate. "You have two weeks in this hellhole before you die, jubjub." They laugh scornfully, and walk away, leaving me with my thoughts. And I was only thinking one thing: I have to get out of here, I have to get out of here. And somehow, I knew I would.

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
"Hello? Anyone home? The name's Lord Lordshire, and I'm here to bring you both some good and some bad news."

I was just about to crawl into bed when I heard him. I picked my shotgun up and exited my room, only wearing a white nightgown and no shoes. "What?!" I shouted, sounding just as angry as I was, and at the same time I undid the safety of the gun and pointed it at him. Wasn't Alex supposed to deal with things like this? I'd thought that we had some kind of deal.

Haigha March, The March Hare
As soon as I had given Jubiah to the prison guards I went back to my room and wrote a report quickly. I couldn't help but feel proud, even though I shouldn't. My uncle had always told me that pride had caused the downfall of many great men. Not that I considered myself as great, but the principle still applied.

I hurried over to the Queens chambers, not sure if it was alright for me to wake her up. "What?!" The was definitely the Queen's voice, and she sounded scared. "What do you want?"

I ran as fast as I could, afraid that someone might be hurting her. When I finally reached them I saw a huge man pressing her towards the wall, and the Duchess standing behind him. Without further thought I ran right into him, forcing him away from the Queen, then I dropped my report and pulled my guns at the two of them, careful to place myself in front of the Queen as a shield. That was when I noticed that the man looked an awful lot like the King.