The Wonderland Rift

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

"What!" I heard the angry voice scream at me.
Just a moment later I was staring down the barrel of a shogun held by none other than Miranda Marble.

"My my. Looks like they brought out the White Queen herself to greet me." I said, bowing.
She wasn't flattered.
Knowing I was probably a few seconds away from having brains blown out, I spoke quickly, "Yes. The good news is, I've managed to get on the Red Queens good side. The bad news is... I've seen her army, and her weapons, and you won't be on the winning side of this war."

Hopefully, I'd be able to survive the next few seconds with this Queen to see their reaction to my bluff.

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
"Yes. The good news is, I've managed to get on the Red Queens good side. The bad news is... I've seen her army, and her weapons, and you won't be on the winning side of this war."

I laughed. Couldn't help it. The man must be insane. I'd heard plenty of reports telling me otherwise. But still.. I was a bit impressed that he had the guts to lie right into my face. "And the solution would be hiring you, I suppose?" He stayed silent, which was wise of him since I wasn't in the mood for any more bullshit. For a moment I considered shooting him right on the spot, but maybe he could be of use to me. "Stop talking out of your ass and give me the truth, I'm tired of being lied to."

She laughed. She knew I was lying.
"And the solution would be hiring you, I suppose."
Quite the opposite, actually.
"Stop talking out of your ass and give me the truth, I'm tired of being lied to."
Well I suppose YOU would be lied to often.

I kept both of my comments to myself. Something about her made me keep quiet. Something in her hands.

After choosing my next words carefully, I said, "What I actually had in mind was... For you all to help me."

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
"What I actually had in mind was... For you all to help me."

I blinked. That was not what I had been expecting. But at least he was honest enough. I decided that I liked it and let my shotgun drop a little, just enough to not risk accidentally blasting away any important part.. Like his head."Oh?"

Lordshire. I had heard about him before, but not really seen him up close. He looked younger than he was.. That made two of us. Had he really gotten on her good side? No. If that was the whole truth he wouldn't have come here.. I suddenly realized where here was. How had he found us? A drunken rebel had probably told him. Idiots. Every single one of them.

I realized that he was speaking and blinked again. I really had to stop doing that. To my great discontent he seemed to notice that I hadn't payed attention and started repeating himself. That was why I wanted Alex to deal with these things.

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

Haigha March decided to hop his ass on in as if he could stop me from doing any harm to the Queen. Foolish hare.

"Oh, please!?! Don't act like you don't know!" I bellowed. "All I want. All I ever wanted was to be with Miranda. You haven't seen me in weeks and even if I hadn't gone to visit her, you would still be absent of love for me. You would still be absent of compassion, of worry. You wouldn't give a rat's ass if I were dead or not. So, don't pull that bullshit on me. Yamani, don't you dare. You can call her a slut, a whore, a cunt, a bitch, anything, but as long as my heart beats, it will beat for her...not for you."

I could see that my words had rattled her. Maybe she did care...no...she doesn't all she ever cared about was control, and that's what's upsetting her: her lack of control.



I had woken up to find that Luna had disappeared. I saw Alec's solemn face looking at me.
"How long have I been asleep?" I asked him groggily.
"About two days." He said sheepishly.
"What the fuck!" I shouted.
"Yeah, quite a hangover, if you ask me."
"Hah, I haven't been that drunk...well...since I won that drinking contest years ago."
Alec just looked at me, he tilted his head.
"Where's Luna?" I interrogated.
"Uhm, she...uh...left. The morning after...well you know..." Tears were welling in his eyes. They were bloodshot, and his hair was a black mess.
"What a shame, I sorta liked her." I murmured. "Well let's get our shit together and kick those Hearts in their pretentious, surprisingly hairless asses!"

Yamani (Queen of Hearts)

A moment later there was someone between us- someone that I couldn't recognize through the wall of tears over my eyes. I blinked stupidly-- finally realizing that it was Haigha, standing between us, his guns on James. Oh dear. Haigha ought not get himself caught in the middle of this. But I was too relieved to order him to stand down.

"Oh please! Don't act like you don't know!" James bellowed, his face the picture of rage and desolation. He could want to shake me, I could tell. "All I want- all I have ever wanted- is to be with Miranda."

Miranda the word ran through me like a hot iron.

"You haven't seen me in weeks and even if I hadn't gone to visit her, you would still be absent of love for me. You would still be absent of compassion, of worry. You wouldn't give a rat's ass if I were dead or not. So, don't pull that bullshit on me. Yamani, don't you dare. You can call her a slut, a whore, a cunt, a bitch, anything, but as long as my heart beats, it will beat for her...not for you."

I felt my arms trembling but, for the first time today, instead of trembling in fear, they were trembling in anger. A cold rage that filled my body. He was right. He was absolutely right. I didn't give a shit about him- or my slutty sister- but he had no right- no right at all- to speak to me like this in front of everybody.

His resolve seemed to falter- just for a moment- but then he drew himself up and glared at me imperiously. All tears were gone. My jaw was set and my eyes narrowed- and I wanted nothing more than to shake him. To shake him and shake him and shake him until nothing remained.

I took a step towards him, but Minerva caught me, placing her body between mine and James'. A dangerous spot- especially for one without guns. I glared at her for a long moment, breathing heavily. Minerva's sharp eyes bore into mine, and a flood of indescribable emotions washed through me.

I was right. I was right. I could see it in her eyes. I had been wronged- by James, by Miranda- and I had every right to be angry with them. It all hurt, so very badly. My husband, my sister, ganging up, against me-- it was never my fault that I was married to James. I didn't-and never had- loved him.

I never wanted to marry him- yet they both acted like it was my fault. Like I should apologize for being forced into something I hated as badly as they did. I took a shaky breath, and turned my glare back on James.

"You're right," I said coldly, my voice no more than a dangerous whisper. "I don't give a shit about you. I never have."

Being told he was right seemed to unnerve him a bit-- be faltered, but I didn't.

"I have never loved you, and I never will. If you want to choose my sister over me, that's fine. Get your things packed and go. I won't stop you." I gently pushed between Haigha and Minerva, who reluctantly parted to let me through. I rested my hand on his chest, and peered up into his eyes.

"But I promise you this- if you leave, you will never be welcome back in this palace again, and I will no longer be your wife. I will never think of you." I grabbed his collar and pulled him down to my eye level. "And I will kill you."

I searched his face and chuckled coldly at his bemused expression. "Goodbye dearest." I planted a cold, mocking kiss on his forehead. "Happy hunting."

I turned on my heel and briskly started down the hall. "Haigha, Minerva!" I called sharply. I had no right to call the Duchess, but by the time I reached the door to my throne room, she was behind me.

I turned towards the two, hoping my voice didn't crack. "Don't stop him. Let him go."

Haigha nodded once.

"Are you sure?" Minerva asked gently.

"I am."

"...are you okay?" she laid her hand on my shoulder gently.

I swallowed hard. "I am...now, if you will both excuse me, I think I'll retire to my throne room."

"You mean you're going to go brood?" Minerva asked.

I glared at her, and then looked at Haigha, as he silently offered me a piece of paper. I blinked at the paper, and then looked up at Haigha. "That's right, you were...you were going after Lordshire and Jobiah." I said stupidly. "Have you finished already?"

He offered me the paper again, and I took it. I hastily unfolded it and scanned the paper. "Here? In the dungeon? Guard!"

I left Haigha and Minerva without a farwell, and ordered the nearest guard to bring Jobiah up. I shift nervously on my throne, waiting impatiently for them to come. Finally I hear a soft rap at the door.

"Come in!" I snap.

"Your Majesty." The guards forced Jubiah to his knees. "We bring you Jubiah Roost, m'lady."

"Jubiah." I growl, stepping down from my throne, lifting his face.

"Yamani." Jubiah met my gaze.

The guards gasped at his gall, but I merely smirked. "Off with his head," I said softly, nearly twittering the words.

The guards dragged him out of the throne room, and I sat down, sighing. It had been a long night.

"It's going to be longer still," I thought outloud, as I pushed myself up. "If I've got so many Rebels coming and going freely, as they wish, like coachroaches in my framework, they're going to have some Hearts to smoke out."

I silently slipped into the barracks, swiping a Rebel breastplate from the confiscated armor- along with a Rebel sword, Rebel cloak, and Rebel hat. I tucked my hair up under my hat, threw the armor and cloak on, belted the sword to my hip, and started outside.

I slipped into the tavern I had followed Jasper to, to test my disguise. I sat down at the bar, and looked up into the tired face of the bar boy.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, lad?" I ask.

He stifled a yawn. "No sir. What can I get you to drink."

I suppressed a smirk. Even my 'assistant' didn't reconize me in this disguise. "A pint of ale."

Haigha March, The March Hare
So the Queen had finally banished her husband from the castle. I must say I was surprised that it took so long, but then again the Queen had to uphold her reputation. A Queen with someone like James at her side seemed much more scary than the Queen on her own. Not that James had ever been on her side, but the image of the huge man was more than enough to scare people into submission.

I bowed to the Duchess before walking to my room. It had been a long night, and I had deserved some rest. In the morning I would visit the Queen again and see if she had another mission for me. If she didn't I would go look for the rebels' headquarter.

When I took my shirt of I noticed bruises all over my torso and my right arm. The left arm felt sore, but it wouldn't get bruised since the whole arm was covered in scar tissue. I sighed and sat down on the bed. The scar was a constant reminder of what I had done to my parent, and hated it. I'd even considered cutting the arm of once, just to be rid of it, but that wouldn't be very practical, especially not for a soldier.

Luna

As I head in through the side entrance and back to my seat, Jubiah walks uo to me.

"What happened to you?" he asked

"Well, for now he won't be much of a problem." is all I say.

"Wait, did you kill him?" he whispers.

"No," I shake my head, "But he's not coming back for a while."

I guess at this point he just gives up on trying to get me to talk, and looks away from me. "Look, I really appreciated the offer, you know, about staying at your place, but... I can't take the offer. It's too dangerous.".

I give him a look that says, you've gotta be kidding me, and he gets defensive and says, "I know, I know, but you don't understand. The Queen herself is demanding my head."

"Join the club." I shrug.

"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 torture and kill everyone affiliated with me when they do. I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me." he frowns.

I sigh. It's really his choice if he wants to do this on his own. "Ok, just be careful."

"I will." he nods before taking his leave.

I turn back towards the bar, and take a sip of my vodka. Lini's sets down a glass she's just finished cleaning and looks at me. "You know he's probably going to get caught, right?"

I look at her for a long moment, then instead of answering, say, "Another drink, please."

She shakes her head as she turns to get my drink. My gaze wondered to the man sitting a seat away from me, and had to stifle the urge to stick a dagger in his throat. What the hell was e heart soldier doing in a rebel hang out? He didn't wear anything identifying his allegiance to the Queen, but the red ribbon on his stupid top hat kind of made it obvious. I looked around and saw that quite a few people in the bar noticed it too. Since I wasn't a rebel and I had nothing against him, I decided it would only be fair to give him warning I moved over to sit next to him. "How are you on this fine night?"

He turns towards me absentmindedly and blinks. "Just about as good as it can get."

"Hm." I nod and lean closer to whisper in his ear. "If you had any sense, at all, you'd get up, and walk out of here right now."

Lini walked over and sat down my drink, her eyes straying to the red ribbon on the man's hat. Her lip twitched as she looked at me. I gave her an I don't know what to tell you shrugged and shook my head. She looked around for a moment, and then headed off to tend to another customer. The man sitting next to me said nothing as I moved back to my seat. Quickly and quietly, he put money on the bar, and looked at me for a long moment. I stared back. "You've either got a pair of brass ones, or dumber than a retarded squirrel for walkin' in here, but i'm only going to say this one more time. Walk away right now, and don't come back."


"You're not like the others in here, are you?" he says quietly.

"Now why would you say that?" I brought the glass to my lips and took a sip. "My sparkling personality?"

He smiled. "Your mouth says one thing, but your eyes say another."

That puzzled me. My eyes were mostly covered by my bangs. "And what, prey tell, do they say? What do you see when you look into them?"

"Something quite fascinating." he murmurs before tipping his glass up and emptying the contents of it. He tips his hat to me, and then Lini. "I bid you good night."

He takes his leave. Hm. Interesting. I look back at my drink and finish it. "One glass of water and some wings, dear sister."

"You got it." she wisks my glass away and sets a readied glass of water down in it's place.



Just as I finish eating, someone else walk into the tavern and takes a seat next to me. Lini walks over to greet who ever it is, but her steps falter slightly as she makes her way over, but quickly recovers, which peaks my interest. No one else would notice that but me. I was the only one to notice her hesitation and wide look of shock in her eyes because i''d already been watching her. I look next to me. Rebel cloak, rebel hat, rebel sword, and rebel armor, but not a rebel wearing it. My eyes met Lini and I nodded, and she began to sign. I couldn't believe it. She has to be screwing with me.

I sign back, Are you sure?

Hell yea i'm sure, she replies. She must have a death wish too.

She heads off to tend another customer. I clear my throat. "So, your highness, what brings you to the local rebel hang out?"

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

I began to say something, but quickly noticed she wasn't paying attention.
When she regained her focus, I started again, "I know it's not like me to ask anyone for help. And I promise you, I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't think it was absolutely necessary. But what I need done won't be an easy job."

She looked at me as if to say get to the point. It was hard to get a reaction from her. I had thought just mentioning the Red Queen would've set her off in a rage. But right now, I didn't think anything would surprise her more than the truth.

So I continued, "I made a deal with the Queen, the Red Queen, that is. I would declare my alliance to her side in the war, but only if I would be named commander of the Hearts army. She would accept my offer only if I captured the rebel soldier, Jubiah."
A look of anger touched her eyes.
"But my plans were foiled earlier today by a man I hadn't seen in a long while. The March Hare, Haigha. It seems he's returned from his vacation, and he's taken Jubiah. And without a doubt he's headed back to the Queen, in fact I wouldn't be surprised if she asked him to find Jubiah to foil my plans. My request to you, is to find Haigha and kill him. Then find Jubiah, and bring him to me without the Queen, Red Queen, finding out."

She was about a second away from refusing and blowing my head off when I added, "One of my terms to the Queen, was also the freedom of James, the King."

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
I caught myself staring at him like an idiot. Haigha was back, the jubjub bird had switched sides just to be captured again, Lordshire was going to join her but she didn't want him to lead the army and he wanted James to be released to my side. It was a lot of information to process. Why would Lordshire want James to be released? Maybe he intended to take the throne himself. Considering the things that I had heard about Lordshire it was more than possible. Well, as long as she wasn't sitting on the throne it didn't matter much to me who did.. No that was a lie, I wanted to be the queen. But at least he was better than her.

Haigha wouldn't be easy to take care of. He was smart and strong, and even worse, his loyalty to her was written in stone. Haigha's death would be a hard blow to her. With a bit of help I could definitely take care of him. Freeing Jubiah on the other hand, that would be a bit trickier. I would have to use my spies within the castle. Maybe Minerva could help. She had after all made it quite clear that she was on our side.

"Fine, I'll make sure it's taken care of. But I need you to lure Haigha here, so I can set up an ambush. Manipulate her into telling him to locate our headquarters, or target me or Alex.. Or give him a clue about where we are. Just make sure he comes looking." I knew Haigha was more than capable of finding us, I counted on it. Able as he may be, he was also cocky, and that would be his downfall.

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

I had to bite the inside of cheek to stop myself from smiling like an idiot.
Was it really that easy? Had I really just convinced Miranda Marble to do me a favor? It was like a dream come true.

"You got a deal. If he's not here in a day or two, you'll know I couldn't send him." I was about to walk away when I added, "And make sure you have Jubiah by the end of the week. I wouldn't want the keep her waiting. Meet me at the bar nearby when you have him."

Before she could say anything, or do anything, I headed off.
I was on my way to the Queens castle.

Miranda Marble, The White Queen
"You'll owe me one for this," I yelled after him. I couldn't believe I had forgotten to ask for something in return. Not that I could come up with anything. James was all I wanted.. Well, him and the sight of my sister laying dead in a pool of her own blood. I smiled, it seemed so real, but then I realized that there really was a pool of blood on the floor. Whoops. I did that sometimes. Make the things I thought about come real.

"Hey, you! Clean this up." A drunken rebel had fallen asleep on one of the pickup trucks, and I woke him up by poking him in the side with my shotgun. Was the safety still off? He did what he was told without complaining, knowing damn well what I would do if he didn't.

Now I needed to contact Minerva, and if she couldn't get Jubiah out I would have to find someone else who could do it. Maybe I could do it myself, but that was an unnecessary risk. Unlike my dear sister I didn't have the physique to dress up like a man, but I knew all the hidden pathways in the castle. No, I'd better try Minerva first.

I went back to my room, wrote down what I needed her to do and then gave it to one of my soldiers. I told him to bring it to one of the whores at Minerva's brothel. That was probably the first time that I've seen a rebel so eager to be useful.

Minerva
"Oh, how lovely," James sneered as he jerked me to my feet, grabbing my shoulder with a painful iron grip.

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

I jerked away from him and glared angrily. "You're one to talk, you pompous fool!" I wanted to slap a hand over my mouth. Had I really just said that? I had taken Yamani's side over James' when I should be welcoming him with open arms into rebel ranks… What was wrong with me?

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

I was about to answer positively, sure he didn't know what he was getting into when Yamani took a step towards me. "No, neither of us want in this, but you seem to be enjoying yourself."
I studied her searchingly. It seemed I wasn't the only one who was suffering from lapses of judgment. James wasn't a rebel yet.

"You Majesty-"

I craned my neck around to glance at a maid at the door and grimaced. What awful timing.

"What the hell could you possibly want?" Yamani roared, whirling around on the poor girl.

"Er, your majesty..." The blood seemed to drain from her face.

"What?" she demanded, seeming to calm quickly.

"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."

Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she sighed softly, "I...I'm sorry."

"Yes you are," James sneered.

I faced James again, ready to verbally destroy him.

"Shut the f*ck up, you little f*ckhead." But it seemed Yamani had it all under control here.

"How very Queenly of you, dearest," he sneered, passing me to get threateningly close to Yamani.

"I don't give a f*ck if I'm Queenly or not," she 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!"

Poor James, for the man did seem quite unsure of himself at that moment and it was about time for me to be on his side, stared down at Yamani, his back against the wall-- literally.

"Jenny," I bit off, glancing at the maid who stood in wide eyed shock. "Remember," I muttered, mainly to Yamani, but to James as well if he happened to have the sense to care about public opinion at all. A maid who would surely talk to other maids didn't need to see what was going on with the royal family behind closed doors.

…I had spent far too much time in the forsaken castle if I cared about that…

Yamani backed away suddenly, collected once more. "Right...alright, fine, I'll see Jasper. Might as well. He can't irritate me any more than these Royal pains."

I wanted to be offended by that. What had I done? I had tried to help her out, let her know her spy was probably dead in her torture chamber. James was the one who had done all of the annoying. I wasn't even a royal anymore!

She started towards the door as I opened my mouth to voice my complaints.

"Oh no you don't," James muttered and began to follow… which left me no choice but to tag along. I didn't want to miss the party.

She 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 I could see a blush of anger travel up his neck.

"Fine, just f*cking fine with me," she snapped and continued into the hallway.

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

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

I was slightly… worried for my safety, only slightly. Both James and Yamani could kill me themselves or call a guard to kill me because I was still a traitor to the throne in the castle, and I could be sneaking out right now, but how could I let myself miss this. The excitement was a high I was always searching for. Maybe that was part of the reason I had left in the first place. Excitement.

I walked calmly as Yamani practically ran down the hallway, James lengthening his stride to catch up. Jenny trotted by my side, eyes still huge with shock.

It was a parade of royal drama. I giggled at the thought.

"You won't get anywhere running." James called snidely.

"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!" James grabbed her shoulder, and if it was anything like the way he had grabbed mine, it hurt. He slammed Yamani against the wall as I came to a stop behind him.

"What?" Yamani screamed, nearly sobbed. "What do you want?"

And damn it all, I was on Yamani's side again. There were two things I couldn't stand, that made me morally righteous. Cheaters, which James definitely was, and wife beaters.

I didn't care about the situation. Miranda was a Heart too, and that was that. If she got the crown, I would probably still slink around and try to stick a knife in her back. At the moment, Miranda and I were working towards the same goal if I could ever get myself to hate Yamani as I did mere hours ago.

I also didn't care if Yamani deserved it. Yamani was my cousin, shared my blood. She was a Heart, and James was nothing more than an inflated peasant. How dare he lay a finger on her that she didn't want!

What was it with this castle? I hadn't thought like that in years!

Suddenly, Haigha had bowled James aside and was standing in front of Yamani. How disgustingly loyal. I frowned when he pointed a gun at James and… me.

Again, I was going to voice my irritation, and possibly, to relieve the awkward tension growing, when James bellowed,

"Oh please! Don't act like you don't know!" "All I want- all I have ever wanted- is to be with Miranda."

I sneered at him… at his back.

"You haven't seen me in weeks and even if I hadn't gone to visit her, you would still be absent of love for me. You would still be absent of compassion, of worry. You wouldn't give a rat's ass if I were dead or not. So, don't pull that bullshit on me. Yamani, don't you dare. You can call her a slut, a whore, a cunt, a bitch, anything, but as long as my heart beats, it will beat for her...not for you."

I blinked in horrified, disgusted shock and glanced at Yamani. She was livid, and the emotion had been growing for the entire rant. James was a blind fool to have not seen it sooner.

To stop anything more embarrassing though most definitely deserved, like the murder of the King in the hall where anyone could see, I stopped Yamani from taking a step towards him, protecting the scum by using my body plus Haigha's as a shield.

I met her gaze, trying to put all of my emotions into my eyes. She was in the right. This once, she was in the right.

"You're right," she whispered, looking past me, past Haigha to stare at James. "I don't give a shit about you. I never have."

I couldn't withhold a smirk, just couldn't. It was about time. I continued to watch her face for any sign of violence, but she seemed calm now, sure.

"I have never loved you, and I never will. If you want to choose my sister over me, that's fine. Get your things packed and go. I won't stop you."

I backed away as she pushed at my shoulder softly, studying her face hard once more to ensure that no violence would come to James in this hallway at this moment.

"But I promise you this- if you leave, you will never be welcome back in this palace again, and I will no longer be your wife. I will never think of you." I grabbed his collar and pulled him down to my eye level. "And I will kill you."

She laughed softly. "Goodbye dearest. Happy hunting." And she was hurrying down the hall, the same cold, untouchable Yamani I had always known. "Haigha, Minerva!" she called sharply.

I raised my eyebrow at her command but decided, because of prior events, to go easy on her this time. I followed her easily, looking back to make a beautifully immature face that involved crossed eyes, a stuck out tongue, and several other mocking inventions.

"Don't stop him. Let him go," Yamani sighed, looking incredibly tired.

Haigha nodded.

"Are you sure?" I asked gently, willing to give him hell.

She nodded. "I am."

I laid a compassionate hand on her shoulder. "...Are you okay?"

She was silent for a long moment. "I am...now, if you will both excuse me, I think I'll retire to my throne room."

"You mean you're going to go brood?" I muttered, sounding much harsher than I meant to. I wanted to take her out for drinks. I wanted to tell her to forget James. I wanted to… Do all of those things a person should do with their best friend, but I was reminded of the unbridgeable differences that had grown between Yamani and myself once more.

She glared at me, and I felt guilty, but I didn't let that guilt show on my face. She accepted a note from Haigha, reading it. I stood by, completely useless. "That's right, you were...you were going after Lordshire and Jobiah." She glanced up at him, returning the note. "Have you finished already?"

He offered the same piece of paper, and she scanned it again, and I stood there again.

"Here?" she cried, "In the dungeon? Guard!"

I withheld a wince of regret. Jubiah was in this situation because of me, but it had been a fair trade. My life for Jubiah's. I wouldn't interfere this time.

I watched her worriedly as she hurried toward her throne room, always hurrying. She was going to die of a heart attack if she didn't attempt to relax from time to time.

I looked at Haigha to voice my worries, to ask him to watch out for her, but he was already wordlessly bowing. I watched him walk away too and licked my lips.

It was definitely my time to depart from this place.

I looked down the hall once more, unhappy for whatever reason, and saw Jenny, standing where we had left her alone in the hall. I rushed towards her, grimacing at her look of terror, and held up my hands. "I'm not going to hurt you," I said softly. Licking my lips, I glanced around for any witnesses. "If this gets out, I'll know you were the one to talk, and I'll come for the sole purpose of getting rid of you," I warned darkly. I pulled out a blank card and leaned toward her to whisper, "If she gets out of control…" I glanced around again. I didn't need anyone seeing me caring about the Queen. "If she's about to do harm to herself by pulling some crazy, unnecessary stunt, tell me. My address is on this card."

She turned it over and frowned. "There's nothing on this card."

I winked at her. "You're bright, dear." And I left her and that dratted castle with that.
***
I had just gotten back to the brothel, thinking of a hot bath, some red wine, and a long, long sleep. Of course, one of my girls comes up to me then. "A messenger of the White Queen just left. She wants you immediately.

I sighed and turned around in the doorway I had just come through. It was time for me to pay a visit to my other cousin, the beautiful White Queen.

Jubiah

As I was lying down on the cold dungeon floor, only my arms raised from the strain of the shakles, my eyes snapped open as I realized that the gaurds had misse one of my weapons when they searchd me before throwing me in the dungeon. I had forgotten before,because the gaurds beat me as they did. I was alost knocked out cold whe they did. Where was it? I wondered, and tried to remember where I had hidden my smallest blade.

After a minute of thinking, I remembered. It was in my shirtsleeve, sewed by a few stitches with some thread. Carefully, I sat up and looked at my left shirtsleeve. Thank god for my long neck, I thought, the first time Ihad ever been thankful for my akwardness. I carefully moved my arm over to the right side, as far as the shackles would allow. At the same time, I moved my neck over to the left, gripping the shirtsleeve inbetween my teeth. After hoursof trying, I finally am able to rip the knife from my sleeve, only to have it it drop on the ground and land out of sight. "Fuck!" I whisper-yell. "Where'd you go dammit!"

Unable to get it with my hands, I use my feet to feel for the kife, for the soft chink sound of metal. After what seem like forever, I finally hear it and edge it over until I can grip it between my feet. I then lay down, bringing the kife to my mouth with a folding over of my legs- thank god for gaurd training- and grip it again betwee my teeth. I then stand up, my arms behid me, palms up, the turning of my wrists in the shackles making my raw skin scream. I grimace, but keep moving, until both hands are fully turned. When they are, I turn my neck and spit out the knife backwards, towards my waiting hands. Miraculously, I aimed well, and the blade lands in my waiting hands. It gives me a cut on my right hand, but I can live with that.

I sink to the floor again, and supress a scream as my bloodied, raw hands turn once more. I turn the blade over, and move my hand once more to my right, knife in hand. I am gratified by the sharp sound of metal grinding agaist metal, a sound of freedom, a sound of escape. Let's just hope the gaurds don't see me doing this.

Yamani (Queen of Hearts)

I glance casually at the girl sitting beside me.

"So, Your Highness, what brings you to the local rebel hangout?" she asked, her voice tense, though she was obviously trying to be casual about it.

It took every ounce of self control I had to keep my own back from tensing at the recognition. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. I slumped a bit more and gingerly cradled my pint between my hands, clinging to it for dear life, as if I were a weary peon- nothing more.

"Eh?" I asked a little too loudly. "What br'ngs me h're? I's justa get'n a bit o' ale 'fore I goes 'ome to the ol' wom'n."

She wasn't satisfied. "Oh yeah? Sure you aren't the Queen of Hearts, trying to spy?"

Blast it all! This was a good disguise-- and I'd never seen this girl before. How could she recognize me so quickly?

I gawhuffed, trying to sound a bit drunk, as well as masculine. "Sure, I's the Queen of Hearts as well as you's the King."

She looked at me hard, skeptically.

I made my face blank, innocent. "I's just joshin' yous. It's right obvi's yous a pretty lass." But too smart for your own good.

I took a long swig of my ale, glad that I wasn't a prissy teetotaler like most princesses were. Choking on a pint wouldn't help my case any, but I hoped that taking a long drink without flinching would.

When I finally lowered my glass, sighing in satisfaction and rubbing my mouth with the back of my grubby hand, I saw the girl was still glaring at me. I felt my cheek twitch, and mentally cursed that damnable twitch.

"Look swe'art, I ain't got no idea how yous expect me ta' prove it ta' ya. I ain't nobody but a thirsty soldier."

"Right..." she said slowly, reluctantly.

I raised my pint. "Down with the Queen o' Hearts!"

The few remaining people in the bar were instantly alert. "Down with the Queen!"

I turned towards the girl and smirked, offering my glass. She bumped it with her glass, and together we drank to my fall. It was irritating how quickly, eagerly, they drank to my kingdom's destruction, but it was also flattering. There wasn't likely a soldier in the bar who would have the guts to openly defy me if they knew I was sitting among them, sword on my hip- and that made me even surer of my disguise.

I slammed the empty glass down on the bar and gestured for another drink. It was slow in the coming, reluctant, as if the barkeeper suspected me of being the Queen as well-- and I figured that there was any amount of spit in it, but I still nodded at the girl who gave it to me, and promptly lifted it to my lips.

I sniffed it, carefully, discreetly. I'd been poisoned many times before, but, unfortunantely for the Rebels, the first person who tried it didn't use enough to kill me- and since then I had learned the taletell signs of poison in a drink, and had built up an immunity to many different types.

I caught a whiff of something that ought not be in ale. Gonna have to do better than this... I thought grimly, as I took a drink. I smiled at the barkeeper, who was watching me intently. This poison wouldn't have killed me when I was nine, and first learning of poisons.

"Anyhoo," I say, as I rise. "I'ma go over here f' a bit. It's been most charm'n talking t' ya." I make a clumbsy bow, making a show of nearly spilling my ale, and quickly recovering it. Giggling at my success, I walk to the corner and sit next to a soldier who's three-sheets in the wind.

"Hi'ere," I nod, "'an I sit 'ere?"

The drunk soldier blinked as if he was thinking. "Er, yeah, sure thing."

"Many thanks," I sit in the chair opposite the table from him, and exchange my beer for the one that sat, unguarded, on the table beside ours. I drain half of the pint and, my toes and fingers suddenly warm, my head buzzing nicely, I grin at he man. "Got good drinks."

"Yeah," he agreed, clinging to his drink.

There was a pause in our conversation, as I suspiciously watch the girl get up and stride from the bar. I scoffed. There wasn't a chance I'd walk into that trap.

"You work for the White Queen?" I ask casually.

His eyes get wide and he recoils, and then he leans forward, grinning. "How'd you know?"

I smirk at his slow wit. He was perfect for what I needed. "Call it intuition."

"In-tu-what?"

I bite my lip. "Er, nothing. A lucky guess."

"Oh...wait, what's a lucky guess?"

"You workin' f' the White Queen," I supply.

"Right! Shh. It's a secret."

"Is it?" I ask, pretending to be captivated by his revelation. "Why's that? Is you a spy o' sorts?"

He smiled smuggly. "Nah, but might as well be. The Red Queen's never once suspected me."

That's because you're a worthless peon and I don't care.

"Wow. I think I could learn a thing or two from you, sir, if yous don't mind my a sayin'."

He beamed. " 'course not, Laddy. You could learn more 'en a few things from a man like me."

"W-would you...never mind."

"Would I what?" he asked, his voice slurred, as he sat forward.

"Well...I'd like an awful lot to be a Rebel and-"

"Shh! Keep it down, people will hear."

We're in a Rebel hangout, you drunk old fool. People don't care. "Yessir."

"Good. Is you a sayin' that you want in?"

"Yessir," I whisper eagerly.

"Well you happen to be in luck. I happen to know t-the way to the Rebel...the...the..."

"Sir?"

"Yeah?"

I bit back a sigh. Drunk men were only amusing to a certain point. "You were saying that yous know th' way t' th' Rebel Head Qua'tas?"

"Yep," he said smuggly. "Why? Yous wanting to go there?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright, let's go then."

He stands up and staggers backwards, until he falls into the wall. I drain the rest of my glass and stand, not bothering to supress the smile on my face- the first genuine one I'd had in a while, and this one, most likely, brought on by the ale- and grab his waist, staggering back and forth across the floor, leading him out the back door-away from that girl's trap- like two drunks on thier way home.
~~~~

Blast it all! He'd fallen asleep...again. I cursed at him, kicked his shoulder, and paced for a moment. I then had a sinking feeling. If that girl, who I'd never met before, had suspicions that I was the Queen, I needed to change my disguise.

I pulled my dagger from it's sheath, and quickly, sloppily, chopped the rest of my hair from my head- leaving me a patchy, dark haircut, suiting for a boy who couldn't afford to go to a barbor. I glanced at a shard of mirror lying nearby and cursed. I wasn't beautiful- not even very attractive- and I certainly didn't have defining features. But I still was too old- too tall- not to have facial hair, and my face was too perfectly unmarred-- too feminine.

I sighed, knowing perfectly well what I had to do, and dreading it. Quickly relieved the drunkard of his cloak and threw my own on top of him, along with my breastplate. I closed my eyes dug the tip of my dagger into my flesh, and jerked it across my abdomen, ripping my clothing, the blood oozing from the fresh wound, saturating the fabric.

I gasped and clutched the handle of the dagger tightly. I blinked as a fresh wave of pain hit me again. I swallowed hard and made a thin slice along my left shoulder, the tail of it curving down, flicking carelessly onto my arm.

I looked into the mirror once more. When my face was knotted in pain, I looked more masculine, but...not enough... flinching, I made a fairly long, hairline scratch along the right side of my jaw. I roughly wiped the few beads of blood away, smearing them across my face. The guard had already given me the black eye I needed.

I looked like hell. Good.

I kicked the drunkard a few more times, punched his face as hard as I could, making his nose bleed, and jerked my blade across his face, laying open his flesh as I had my own. I cut his knuckles, wiped my blade, tucked it away, and then grabbed the canteen of water he had on his belt. I threw his sword on the ground, smearing the blood that oozed from my side onto it, and then stood.

I splashed him with water, and then dropped his canteen. He sat up, spluttering, cursing. "W-what's- who's there?"

"A friend," I croaked. "Get up."

"What happened?" he demanded groggily, as stumbled to his feet.

"Heart soldiers, scum, snuck up b'hind us."

He looked at me hard. "You look rough."

I nodded. "Yep, you too...I...I don't know-I mean-what if-"

"Spit it out boy."

"What if the Heart Soldiers come back? What will we do?"

He growled and looked around. "Er...come on, let's go to the Rebel HQ. We'll be safe there."

~~~

Spoiler

Sorry if Alex is busy somewhere else. From what I see, it seems as if he's free, but I'm not sure.

"What happened to you, old man?" A man asked jokingly, as he jumped down from his perch on something that I couldn't see in the dim light. The man was short, only just taller than me- and I wasn't certain that he even was taller- but he looked strong, and...he was attractive.

I swallowed my girlish feelings. I hadn't been stirred in years- and I'd been married for the past three- and I wouldn't allow this man, this Rebel, to tease my emotions this easily.

"Get into another fight? It looks like you got whupted." The man's grin was only slightly broken, as he leaned forward and examined the drunkard's wounds. My breath caught, hoping that my handy work was believable. It was hard to make authentic-looking wounds on a man sprawled across the ground. The man's eyes narrowed. "Did the bastard pull a knife?"

"Yeah," the drunkard said, rubbing his face. "Heart Soldiers."

"Bastards," the man spat. "How many?"

"I don't know," the drunkard blushed. "They snuck up behind me, and conked me over the head before I even saw 'em."

"Then how'd you-"

The drunkard jerked his chin towards me- where I had lingered in the shadows, embarrassed, and, to be honest, a bit frightened. "My new buddy saved my ass."

The man squinted at me and waved me closer to him. I nervously stepped forward.

"Heart Soldiers?"

"Yessir."

"How many?"

"Five."

"You get them?" he asked without much hope.

I shook my head. "No sir. They got away."

"That's alright," he said, squinting at my face. "Looks like you're lucky they didn't get you."

I balked, like I would've if I really were a boy, and really was in these circumstances. "If they hadn't a warped me o'er the head with that club, like a bunch o' cowards, I'd a got 'em all. 'Specially if they hadn't a knocked him out."

The man smirked. "Alright, alright, fine...I don't seem to remember you, though. How long have you been one of us?"

"I,er, well-"

"He's just now starting, sir," the drunkard interjected. "I met him at the bar, and he asked me to meet you-- we were on our way when we got ambushed."

"Oh..." the man turned back towards me. "How old are you?"

"Sev'nteen, sir."

"You pretty good with that sword?"

"Fair."

"You fast?"

"Er, well-" his fist was swinging towards my head, and I threw my forearm up, out of reflex more than anything, and then swallowed as his forearm hit mine, stopping with a loud crack.

I looked up, worried, but the man only smirked. "Good."

"Y-yessir."

"I'm Alex," the man offered his hand.

"Manny," I supplied, suspiciously taking his hand, half expecting him to flip me over his shoulder.

"Welcome to the Rebels, Manny."