The Wonderland Rift

Haigha March
He had to be joking. How did he think that he could be of any assistance to me? And even if he did have his talents, he wasn't loyal to anyone, he had said so himself. I was and would forever remain the Queen's loyal soldier, nothing else. I could always let the Queen know about his little offer, but I wouldn't act without her consent.. I did almost kill Lordshire without any approval, but that was a mistake on my behalf.

I forced Jubiah's head down even lower, so that his forehead almost touched the floor. It looked like he was bowing for of the Queen, pleading for forgiveness. It suited him far better than that rebellious sneer he had when he stabbed me.

"My Queen.." Lordshire began. I still felt like bashing his head in. At least he looked a bit humbler now.

"You do realize that you just threatened me?" The Queen looked grim.

"It truly wasn't my intention." He glanced towards me. Maybe I should get angry more often, it seemed to have a good effect. "I was just tying to explain how useful I would be on your side."

"And how dangerous you would be on the opposite side." Lordshire was smart enough to not answer. "As I see it I can either accept your offer and be constantly worried about you stabbing me in the back, or I can let Haigha kill you now and thus prevent you from joining me dear sister."

I couldn't help but smile when Lordshire took a steadier hold of his cane. "That would not be wise, Your Highness."

Yamani (Queen of Hearts)

Soon the assassin flew off me, and disappeared once more. Haigha gently pulled me to my feet. I examined him quickly- I didn't see any new blood, but I couldn't be sure. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, glaring at me. I don't care what you think, I'll worry about you if I so choose.

Haigha kept his arm around my shoulder protectively. I glared at Lordshire, who was smirking. Haigha was tense, waiting for me to order him to kill Lordshire- and it was hard for me to keep from giving it.

"I see you're good for something, Haigha. It's not everyday you see a man appear out of the shadows." Lordshire sneered.

I felt my own body tense, ready to spring for Haigha's sake. "My Queen, I would never try to assassinate you. My one goal is to serve you. This was merely a demonstration of how much use I could be to you. The compensation I was about to ask you for, was to be your personal bodyguard. To make sure you're not harmed, make sure no one hurts you. With that, you'd also be able to keep an eye on me, if you still don't trust me of course." Lordshire smiled, twirling his stick.

Haigha lost his temper- probably at the threatening sneer in Lordshire's voice- and started towards Lordshire. I grabbed at the back of his tunic, but he was out of my arm's reach before I realized what was happening- and Lordshire couldn't get away from him either. Haigha had Lordshire by the shirt and was slamming him into the wall, hard, grinning like a madman.

"Haigha, put him down!" I scolded him, sounding far too much like I was scolding a puppy for my taste, as I hurried towards them.

Haigha pressed a gun into Lordshire's forehead.

"Haigha!" I shouted, as I glanced at the prisoner, who was sidling towards the door. "Jubiah is getting away."

Haigha glared at Jubiah sharply, stopping him in his tracks, as he dropped Lordshire. He started towards Jubiah and dragged him back into the room, forcing him to his knees.

"And of course, while you've met one of my associates, you'll never know how many more there are. Where they are. They can be your most secret of weapons, or deadliest of enemies." Lordshire threatened, smiling.

Jubiah had said something to Haigha, which only got him pushed further towards the floor.

"My Queen..."

"You do realize that you just threatened me?" I asked icily. And I'm not your fucking Queen.

"It truly wasn't my intention." He glanced at Haigha. "I was just tying to explain how useful I would be on your side."

"And how dangerous you would be on the opposite side." I snarled. "As I see it I can either accept your offer and be constantly worried about you stabbing me in the back, or I can let Haigha kill you now and thus prevent you from joining my dear sister."

Lordshire looked a bit worried."That would not be wise, Your Highness."

"Oh, and now you think it is acceptable to tell me what I should or should not do?" I asked, my voice rising until I was shouting.

"I only meant-"

"I don't give a fuck what you meant, you snivelling, oily-tongued bastard!" My voice hurt my own head- my aching, throbbing, head that dearly wanted a few hours on the pillow.

He seemed stunned.

"What, cat got your tongue?" I snarled when he didn't even try to defend himself.

"I've just never-"

"If one more fucking person tonight tells me how unbefitting my language is, their head will roll before nightfall." I say icily.

Lordshire shuts his mouth.

"That's what I thought. Guards! Take these to assholes to the dungeon," I say, turning towards one of the guards who rushed forward. "If you run into any trouble that...is hard to see, at first, take it too...get your whole squadron."

I put my head on my forehead as I watch Jubiah and Lordshire- who looked outraged- dragged from the throne room. Haigha looked at me. "I don't care what you do...maybe get some sleep."

I quickly start down the hall towards and empty anteroom, when I feel the presence of someone behind me. "Haigha?" I ask, stopping to listen for his familiar footfall.

Spoiler

Up to y'all who that is behind her.

Ellon

I'm kicked backward into the darkness, hitting the wall with a loud THUD. I sink into the shadows, and am unconscious - when I wake everyone is still in the room.

The queen and Haigha rush down the hall, I follow angrily.

The Queen says something to Haigha, and then he is left behind. I come out and stab him in the back - holding a hand over his mouth to muffle any noises that he'll make. He falls unconscious.

And then I move forward down the halls back in the shadows, she stops.

"Haigha?"

Now Die!

I come out from behind her, and stab her in the back. The blade digging almost all the way down to the hilt into her. She gasps, and tries to get at me. I dodge and stab again. The blade goes in only halfway to the hilt this time, she moves and kicks me back screaming.

Yamani (Queen of Hearts)

I hear a thud on the floor, and glance back. Haigha was on the floor, but there wasn't anyone else around. My heart starts as a sharp pain runs through me. I gasp and swing my arm around behind me, but it doesn't meet anything. It feels as if a blade is ripped from my flesh, and then I feel it sink into my back once more.

I screamed, partly out of pain, partly out of frustration, and kicked-- my foot landing on something solid. I look down on my dress, at the dark blotch of blood that was pooling on the front of it. I swallowed and started towards where I heard someone strike the wall, from where I had kicked him.

"You invisible little fucker," I spat, as I yanked my dagger from it's sheath. It disgusted me, how heavy I was breathing. "Why don't you come out, where I can see you?"

I heard a footfall, just in front of me, to the left. I threw my left arm up, to defend myself, just in time- as a blade was descending on me, and cut my forearm. I drove my blade towards where I thought the assassin was, and was rewarded by a blood-covered dagger and a small cry.

"Or are scared to face a woman face-to-face?" I sneered.

The boy flashed into view, just a brief second, clutching his side- and then disappeared. I wondered if he was trying to decide whether to show himself, or if that was an accident- caused by his injury.

Jubiah

Hiaga sneered at me, hateful and unbelieving. I really thought that might have worked. Well, at least I tried. Instead of saying anything to me, him being Hiaga, he simply forced my head even further down to where it was almost touching the floor of the throne room. Despite how embarassing and humiliating it was, I did not fight Hiaga. Hopefully it would help strengthen my case, and if not, then I needed to save my strength for later, when I will try to escape. No sense in waiting for someone to rescue you if you're not useful to them anymore. I bet that Lordshire will be thrown in the dungeons to for this last stunt he pulled, so chances are no one is going to come get me.

I started to listen intently to the conversation being held in the room, to try and figure out what was going to happen to Lordshire and I.

"My Queen.." Lordshire said, his voice humble. Lordshire was never humble.

"You do realize that you just threatened me?" The Queen sounded furious. Like she was ready to chop off his head- and mine.

"It truly wasn't my intention. I was just tying to explain how useful I would be on your side." She's going to kill him. If Hiaga didn't believe me then the Queen was not going to believe him.

"And how dangerous you would be on the opposite side." She paused, as if waiting for Lordshire's response, but Lordshire remained silent. "As I see it I can either accept your offer and be constantly worried about you stabbing me in the back, or I can let Haigha kill you now and thus prevent you from joining me dear sister." Great, now I'm really screwed.

"That would not be wise, Your Highness." Lordshire says formally.

"Oh, and now you think it is acceptable to tell me what I should or should not do?" The Queen shouted.

"I only meant-"

"I don't give a fuck what you meant, you snivelling, oily-tongued bastard!"

I'm stunned. Looks like someone's rattled her cage.

"What, cat got your tongue?" She snarled after what seems like an eternity of silence.

"I've just never-"

"If one more fucking person tonight tells me how unbefitting my language is, their head will roll before nightfall." So there's still hope that I won't die- at least not tonight. I silently will Lordshire not to say anything.

He says nothing.

"That's what I thought. Guards! Take these to assholes to the dungeon," Yamini says, shouting at a startled gaurd. "If you run into any trouble that...is hard to see, at first, take it too...get your whole squadron."

Great, I think as I am dragged away, into the depths of the dungeon.

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

Here I was, the infamous Lord Lordshire, being dragged in to the Quee-
no, Yamani's dungeon.

If you won't take my services, I'll find a Queen that will.

I looked around. There were about ten guards, including the two holding me and Jubiah. The one who'd confiscated my stick was standing just to my left. Even if I managed to get it back, I doubted I'd be able to take them all out, poorly trained as they were. With Jubiah's help, maybe, but I was still doubtful. I couldn't do anything now unless I was sure it would work.
If Ellon didn't do anything rash and continued to follow us, I knew we could take them out.

And to think this was all caused because I wanted to test out a little inexperienced soldier. To think someone like me would've known better.

I stomped on the floor twice, thinking I had nothing to lose. Nothing happened. Dammit.

"Keep walking." The guard pushed me forward as I fought the urge to kick him.

I looked at Jubiah. He was angry. Whether it was at me or the Queen, I didn't know, but from now on, I guessed he and I were on the same side.

So I whispered to him the only thing I could think of, "I'm sorry."

I turned away so I wouldn't see his reaction.

I'll get us out of this.

Haigha March - The March Hare
I groaned as I heard the Queen scream. He had come back, that damn rebel who hid in the shadows. I got up as quickly as I could, assessing the situation. The Queen was bleeding, a lot, and even if there was two of us we couldn't possibly fight someone we couldn't see. The stab-wound in my back was as good as healed, but the Queen had just stabbed the rebel.. Meaning that I could probably outrun him.

Since I saw no other choice that's what I did. I picked the Queen up once again, this time she didn't fight me, and ran of. "Haigha, this is getting a bit.." Cliche. Yes, but I didn't have much of a choice now, did I?

I ran around as many corners as I could, hoping to shake the rebel of our trail, realizing that I was making both me and the Queen look like idiots. When we finally arrived at her chambers there was something warm and wet on my shoulder, and I knew it was her blood. I really had to patch her up as quick as I could. I was no medic, but I knew enough.

I put her down on the bed and looked at her, the question clear in my face. "There's a first aid kit in the bathroom." I nodded and hurried to get it. I was getting seriously worried. She looked pale.

"It's okay, I can do it myself." I raised an eyebrow, so she continued. "Or would you rather that I took of my clothes now, so you can do it?"

This made me blush. I hadn't really thought that far. Guess I had been a bit to eager to help her. I gave her the first aid kit, backed of and then turned around. She probably wanted me to leave, but I couldn't. Not whilst that rebel was still around and could show up at any minute. He had been dangerously close to killing her once, and I would not let him do that again, even if that meant that I had to stay right by her side for the rest of my life.

Spoiler

Penicl2paper, it's Yamani and Haigha, not Yamini and Hiaga. Just so you know

Miranda Marble

Spoiler

Megsug, sorry for not noticing your explosion sooner.

I had just gotten back to my room when I heard an explosion. For a moment I thought it was heart soldiers attacking, but when no more explosions followed I just assumed the one of my idiot rebels had gotten their hands on a box of hand-grenades or something. None the less, I hurried through the corridors, finding Minerva laying sprawled on the floor, next to a door that had been torn from it's hinges. The room to which the door had belonged was completely thrashed, and it smelled like hell.

Suddenly Adonis showed up from behind a corner, covered in plaster. Oh, I should have known. "What the HELL did you do!? I mean fine if you want to go and blow up your own room but you could at least make sure that you're not blowing up my COUSIN along with it!" If it hadn't been for the fact that I needed him I would probably have shot him right then and there.

I cursed under my breath as I tried to shake Minerva back to life. After a while she groaned. "Please tell me you're fine."

She looked up at me, seemingly surprised. "Umm.. Yes. Yes, I think I'm okay. What..?"

"Yes, that is what I would like to know!?" I glared at Adonis. He'd better have a good explanation for all this.

Minerva

Spoiler

It's fine, Alvarin. Only in YWS can an explosion go unnoticed, I guess.

I awoke to a rough shaking, and groaned at a splitting headache.

"Please tell me you're okay."

My eyes fluttered open, and I frowned into Miranda's worried face.

Unsure of what had happened, I squinted, blinking several times, and found myself even more disoriented by Miranda's great concern. "Umm..." I shook my head slightly, my voice sounding too loud in my ears. "Yes. Yes, I think I'm okay." I looked around at the rubble around me. "What...?" I trailed off as she glared at the old man.

"Yes, that is what I would like to know!?" she cried, and the fairly unruffled man looked down his nose at her.

I struggled to sit up, wincing as I put weight on my wrist, and Miranda helped me up. I decided not to stand, worried I wouldn't be able to stay up.

The man slowly walked into the room, stepping over rubble carefully. "I was experimenting." He glanced back with a look that spoke volumes.

I found myself ruffled at how stupid he thought a Heart to be...

"Trying to find a permanent solution." He smirked and disappeared into the room.

Minerva glanced at me, looked into the room, glanced at me. "Will you... be okay if I..."

I shrugged. "I doubt I'll be running off anytime soon."

She nodded and stood. "I can't trust him by himself," she muttered, rolling her eyes, and hurried into the room after the old man.

Adonis
I glanced back at the queen, withholding a sigh at the black mess in and out of the pot. "I was looking for a cure, but it's obviously not time for the caterpillar to come from the cocoon with wings."

She sighed heavily. "Did the caterpillar make any progress at all?"

I looked back, shocked. "My dear, is there any movement that isn't progress in one way or another?" I allowed her a bit of time to reply, but she deigned not to, I suppose. I studied the black residue hanging under the cabinet and decided wouldn't be too dangerous for the time being.

I turned to face her completely and flashed.

The White Queen stood as she truly did before me, and the black silhouette of a person stood beside her. She faced the silhouette and opened her mouth as if she was going to be sick.

A huge moth with ragged wings flew out of her mouth and disappeared into the silhouette.

I blinked and shook my head, the queen looking at me expectantly. A huge grin split my face.

"...I think I have an idea," I murmured and practically ran out of the ruined room.

Jubiah

As both Lordshire and I are being escorted to the dungeon, accompanied by a little less than a dozen gaurds, my rage grows- at Lordshire, at both Queens, at the world. My rage is a writhing beast inside of me, and it is all I can do to supress it, to keep it from exploding inside of me. Again, the only thing that is holding me back is the rope tied tightly around my wrist, the shackles on my feet.

But all of that dissipated when I heard Lordshire mutter two simple words: "I'm sorry."

I am in utter shock. I can't believe that he just said that. I look at him, but he looks away before I get a chance to say anything. No one has ever said that before, at least not to me. All my life I have been warped, used, molded and taken advantage of by just about everyone- even my parents. Everyone has taken advantage of me, but no one has expressed any remorse whatsoever for the trouble they have caused me- except Lordshire. I find it interesting where human decency can be found- usually in the least likely of candidates.

"It's ok." I whisper back, sincere. It really is. We all make mistakes. Besides, Lordshire saved my ass once. It's the least I can do to accept his apology. I think it may have been worth all of this just to here those two words before I die. I don't think it mattered who said them, just as long as they are said.

We walk the rest of the way in silence, not tense, but opressive. We hear the constant tap-tap-tapping of the gaurds' shoes, the clank of the shackles and the dragging of our own feet. We descend into seemingly never-ending darkness as we descend into the shadows of the dungeon.

When we reach the bottom, they throw us into the first cell with snorts of dirision and sounds of utter disgust. They follow us in, fist approaching Lordshire, who they chain to one wall. After they are done they do the same to me, and I feel the now-familiar coldness of metal around my wrists, digging into my skin. They slammed the door with a decisive clang behind them, locking the door as well- not that we could get to the door. Their laughter slowly receeded as they ascended into daylight and warmth, leaving us in this cold, dark, desolate place. Home sweet home.

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

I chuckle. Not too loud, but loud enough.
"Do you know where we are, Jubiah?"

Silence.

"Take a look at the cell across from us," I say lifting my head, "That's the cell I broke you out of last time."

I could tell from his expression that he recognized it, but I had no idea how he felt about it.

"These people have no idea when they're underestimating someone, do they?" I chuckled again. "They locked us in the same cage for goodness sake. When we get out of here, I'll be sure pay Yamani and Haigha a visit, just to remind them of their constant failures."

"If we get out of here." Jubiah added.

"Dear boy, have you forgotten how popular we are? If worse comes to worse and Ellon doesn't find us here, Minerva will still be waiting for her orders to come and save us... or, you."

A couple guards walk by and make eye contact with me. I draw in a breath and proceed to spit at their feet.

Miranda Marble - The White Queen
"What id.." He ran of before I had time to finish my question. "Fucking hell," I spat and went back to Minerva, who was slowly getting up.

"Your rebels never stops surprising me."

"That makes two of us," I muttered. "Are you sure you don't want some help?" She was taking way to long getting up. She didn't look too injured. Just a couple of scrapes an bruises. Of course, the real danger was internal trauma.

"No, I'm good. Kind of. I was looking for my room, but I couldn't find it."

I squirmed, glancing about the room the Adonis had blown up. "Oh, yeah.. I think we'll have to find you a new room. Unless you like trashed rooms covered in goo that smells like.. Hell.. And doesn't have a door."

"Do I even have to answer that?"

"There's one further down the corridor. It's not quite as big as this one, but it has a bed."

".."

"A clean bed."

"I don't even care anymore, just show me where it is." For a moment I almost thought that she would throw some kind of tantrum, but then I realized that we weren't kids anymore, and that almost being blown to pieces didn't necessarily make you more than annoyed.

I smirked. "Will do."

Jubiah

"Dear boy, have you forgotten how popular we are? If worse comes to worse and Ellon doesn't find us here, Minerva will still be waiting for her orders to come and save us... or, you."

When two guards pass by, Lordshire spits at them. I just glare. They seem to pay no attention, and are soon passed us without a word. After they had passed, I say to him. "What do you mean by just me? The rebellion needs you more than it needs me. Even I know that, and I'm new here. Besides, even if you are a lying, kiniving bastard, I'd still have them take you too. I mean, now I know you're not a completely heartless bastard. That's got to count for something. Besides, compared to the Queen sisters, you're a warm, fuzzy bunny."

We laughed a little, Lordshire's a little off, as if he hadn't laughed in a long time. We fell silent for a while, thinking our private thoughts. Mine of which consisted of the brilliant thoughts of: it's cold, I want a sandwich, I could really use a drink of the alcoholic kind, and when in the hell are we getting out of here.

After a while, the silence and the drip, drip dripping of the water was too much, and I once again broke the silence. Being my cheery self, the first thing that pops into my head and out of my mouth is, "So what happens if Minerva doesn't come before the Queen is fed up with us being in her dungeon?"

"What do you think?" Lordshire asks tensely, irritably. I decide that silence may be better at the moment.

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

He's silent. I sigh.
"If Yamani stays this angry, we'll be dead within a week, but if she's in a good mood, she'll just forget to feed us after a while."

He nodded.

I had to think of a way to get out of here. Jubiah had a point, what would happen if no one came for us?
But nothing is going to happen with these chains on my hands.
I wiggled my right hand a bit, then my left.
Nope, these cuffs aren't going anywhere.
I was going to try my feet, but I figured I'd get the same result.
What if I got them to get me my stick somehow? No, these guard are much to foolish to sweet talk. What if...
No. I was over thinking it. I had to focus. Maybe I didn't need a plan. Maybe there was something right in front of me. Something...

"And believe me, you're much more important to this rebellion than you think." I said.

He raised his eyebrow.

"I'm just a good looking guy who knows too much for his own good, but Yamani believes you're a threat to her crown. That's why she wanted me to hunt you down. I haven't seen her go looking for just any rebels, you know."

"Yeah, but now's she's got me." He said.

"Not for long. When you get out of here, she'll know just how dangerous you are. You're going to lead an army against these heart soldiers. The moment you escape, get to rebel HQ, get everyone you can, and barge straight into this castle, but as quietly as possible. If thing's start looking bad, get everyone important to retreat, rebel soldiers are expendable anyway. Leave everything else to me.

He looked confused.

Something right in front of me...

Adonis
A man ran past me, skidding to a halt, and turning to face me as I sneered at him. "You! I need the White Queen! Have you seen her?"

I looked around me, expecting her to have followed. I scoffed and waved down the hall. "That way." I followed him slowly as he sprinted in that direction. Obviously she hadn't gotten the hint that I may have found a solution.

When I reached the Queen, she was speaking animatedly to the man as the Duchess did the same with a woman. They were all speaking at the same time, and I had no idea what was going on, not that I cared. I waited.

Finally both messengers ran away at the same moment. The Duchess was already transforming herself into someone different as the two women faced each other.

How nice it must be to call on metamorphosis at will.

"I'll go do my best to get Jubiah out."

"Lordshire too," the White Queen murmured, and the Duchess deflated a bit. She studied her cousin for a long moment. "Are you in any position to be running about, breaking into the Heart dungeon?"

The Duchess scoffed. "Please, Miranda, you're worse than my mother was." As she spoke the scratches disappeared, the bags under her eyes faded. "See? I'm fine."

The Queen gave her a dubious glance but nodded slowly. "Okay then. I think it may be time to begin gathering some troops for a real attack. Lordshire may have hurt us more than he meant to."

The Duchess rolled her eyes. "Or this is his plan," she muttered and turned to leave.

"Minerva!" she called and Minerva paused. "He's powerful. If we can get him on our side, I want him."

The Duchess flashed an impish smile over her shoulder. "But of course, my dear cousin. Your wish is my command." And she dashed around the corner.

The White Queen began to hurry away in the opposite direction.

"Your Highness!" I called haughtily. I smirked as she turned, looking angry enough to shoot. "Perhaps... I can transfer the curse."

Jubiah

Breaking the silence, Lordshire sighs and says, "If Yamani stays this angry, we'll be dead within a week, but if she's in a good mood, she'll just forget to feed us after a while."

I nod, more to myself than to Lordshire. That's what I figured.

I watch as Lordshire tests the cuffs around his wrists. Of course, they're way too tight to wriggle out of. I wait for him to finish, torealize it was futile.

"And believe me, you're much more important to this rebellion than you think." Lordshire says.

I raise an eyebrow, puzzled. Why would I be important to the reellion? I mean, I'm just a soldier anyway. Why am I so important?

"I'm just a good looking guy who knows too much for his own good, but Yamani believes you're a threat to her crown. That's why she wanted me to hunt you down. I haven't seen her go looking for just any rebels, you know."

"Yeah, but now she's got me." I say, still a little confused about why I was so important.

"Not for long. When you get out of here, she'll know just how dangerous you are. You're going to lead an army against these heart soldiers. The moment you escape, get to rebel HQ, get everyone you can, and barge straight into this castle, but as quietly as possible. If thing's start looking bad, get everyone important to retreat, rebel soldiers are expendable anyway. Leave everything else to me."

"Okay," I say to Lordshire, "So let me get this straight. I'm supposed to lead a rebellion, bust into the castle, without alerting anyone, no less, and then somehow keep everyone of importance unscathed. You know, it was a lot easier being a gaurd."

"If you were a gaurd then I may have killed you already." Lordshire grunts.

"That certianly helps. Thanks Lordshire." I say sarcastically,

"Happy to oblige."