Almost Alice

All the right friends in all the wrong placesSo yeah, we're going downThey got all the right moves in all the right facesSo yeah, we're going downJust paint the picture of a perfect placeThey got it better than what anyone's told youThey'll be the King of Hearts, and you're the Queen of SpadesThen we'll fight for you like we were your soldiersI know we've got it goodBut they got it madeAnd the grass is getting greener each dayI know things are looking upBut soon they'll take us down,before anybody's knowing our got all the right friends in all the right placesSo yeah, we're going downWe've got all the right moves and all the wrong faces So yeah, we're going downThey said, everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goingYeah, we're going downThey said, everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goingYeah, we're going downDo you think I'm special?Do you think I'm nice?Am I bright enough to shine in your spaces?Between the noise you hearAnd the sound you likeAre we just sinking in an ocean of faces?It can be possible that rain can fall,Only when it's over our headsThe sun is shining everyday, but it's far awayOver the world is got,They got,All the right friends in all the wrong placesSo yeah, we're going downThey got, all the right moves and all the wrong facesSo yeah, we're going downThey said, everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goingYeah, we're going downThey said, everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goingYeah, we're going downIt don't matter what you see.I know I could never beSomeone that'll look like don't matter what you say,I know I could never facesomeone that could sound like the right friends in all the wrong placesSo yeah, we're going downThey got all the right moves and all the right facesSo yeah, we're going downAll the right friends in all the wrong placesSo yeah, we're going downThey got all the right moves and all the right facesSo yeah, we're going downThey said, everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goingYeah, we're going downThey said, everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goingYeah, we're going , we're going , we're going down.(All the right moves, hey)Yeah, we're going down(All the right moves, hey)Yeah, we're going down

All the Right Moves - One Republic

Tarrant woke to blissful warmth and softness, the fragrance of orchard peaches and sweet honey spice in his nostrils. He breathed deeply, drawing closer to the lushness in his arms. This, he thought to himself, is surely what perfection feels like.

Oh, he'd slept beside Alice often enough. Held her often enough, but this was different. For this was the first day of for always with her. To know without doubt that she was and always would be his and he hers. She stretched in his arms, rolling to her back and he stared down at her in wonder.

That lady Alice, champion of Underland and most wondrous beauty should want him. A hatter gone round the bend. The dark words of the previous night rolled through his mind and he felt the weight them on his shoulders and in his chest.

When her amber eyes opened, appearing nearly golden in the stream of sunlight from the window, he lost his breath.

She smiled sweetly at him, "Good morning Tarrant."

He nodded quickly, "Morning my Alice. Did you sleep well?"

She ran her hand down his cheek, "Of course I did. I always feel better when you're with me."

He smiled then, not the quick oft times nervous smile she knew best, but the slower, deeper smile that she loved most. "You will make a lovely Hightopp." he told her.

She closed her eyes and smiled as he bent to kiss her.

Pulling back she met his eyes, "What did they say?"

"Who?"

"Last night."

"Oh."

"Well?"

He was on edge now, she could tell for he pulled away and rose from the large bed. He began to gather his clothing and fold and refold it. When he caught her questioning gaze, he turned to the large wardrobe and pulled it open. "What color would you like today?"

"Tarrant?" she asked, pulling the sheet around herself and striding towards him, "What happened?"

He smiled and giggled a sure giveaway. She clasped his face between her hands and stood on tip toe to press their mouths together, "Please."

He put his hands to her shoulders and nodded, "I think it best that we see Absalom as soon as possible this morning."

She nodded, "All right. But can't you tell me what's going on at least?"

He ran his bandaged hands through his hair and sighed, "They believe that there are three potential rulers for Underland now."

She blinked, "How is that?"

"Well, I cut my hand on the black blade and Stayne stabbed you with it." he gestured with his hand as though that it explained everything, "And there has to be a fight until only a single ruler remains you see…"

Alice did see. "Isn't there something that can be done?"

Tarrant drew her closer, "I truly hope so. Lets hurry now."

They dressed, taking longer than usual for all the kisses that just had to be shared and then they were moving hand in hand down the white halls to the gardens where the butterfly was most likely to be found.

Espelth sat across for her long dead husband and sighed sadly. "Did you see him? He looked so much like you." she whispered. Of course there was no answer, the Hightopp didn't so much as blink. Espelth ran her hand along the table, a breath away from touching his cold skin.

Her sisters had fled the wrath of the knave, far to the Outlands. Unlike her, they could be killed and had no desire to be. She would remain to see this through. With her golem husband and her golem creations.

"Spending the day at rest with your love?" came the snide tones of the knave and Espelth bit her tongue before turning to see him standing there on his freakish looking legs, "Conversation must be wonderful."

She rose from her seat and faced him fully, "What do you want Stayne?"

"To rule of course. And have Alice."

'I've told you, she isn't for you."

"And I've told you to make her so. I stabbed her for you, that should have done it."

"And she lives. And you've thrown another ruler into the mix. You gifted her the breastplate as your champion and now you've lost both."

He eyed the lifeless, milky eyes of the Hightopp. "You can't ever touch him? Not at all?"

She nodded, "To do so would cause him to rot completely away. The magic bears that price. Even if I could use it on the girl, what use would she be to you?"

Stayne considered it, "She has to die one way or another now. I admit perhaps I hadn't thought it through when I stabbed her. But I detest that damnable hatter and would refuse him every scrap of happiness I can."

"Why?" she asked, her tone mildly curious.

"Favored by the white queen, favored by Alice. Have you seen him? He's a complete freak. Off his head, lunatic, a dangerous person."

"And loved" she added, "That is the rub isn't it? He has what you want. Love."

Stayne looked away.

"You had it and you killed her."

He laughed darkly, "Another freak. A pawn. She didn't love me, she never made me her king." he shuddered at the thought of the fallen red queen. Her open mouth, her sightless eyes staring back from the large head that he had tossed into the well that day.

Espelth eyed him critically, "You say that so often, freaks all of them. We are all freaks here Stayne" she reminded him, "Love is about embracing all of a person. Freakish or otherwise." Her eyes fell on her husband, "And risk everything for them."

He reached out to touch her pretty face, then slapped her hard. "You of all people, should not give advice on love. Your husband rots at your table."

She shoved his hand away.

"I want that crown." he growled at her and then he strode away, his boots clipping on the stone floors.

In the darkest corner of the darkest wood, where even the jabberwocky feared to tread, she went. Her steps quick and sure and there in an unmarked clearing she knelt and tore at the earth with her bare hands. Nails snapping to the quick, bleeding, throbbing.

Finally she scrabbled across a hard surface and slowly slipped it from salted earth. An ancient wood box, wrapped in oilcloth. She cradled it carefully and lifted the lid. Inside lay a small vial of yellow powder and she carefully drew it out and hid it away in the folds of her clothes. "This is the last chance we've got."

Then she carefully hid any trace she'd ever been and hurried away.

"It is quite a dilemma" Absalom agreed, "The cut of the blade and mixing of the blood is binding. Either of you three may now take control of Underland upon the demise of the remaining two. I am afraid there is no way round those facts."

Tarrant swore.

"Shouting your nearly unintelligible obscenities at me won't help matters, stupid hatter. I did not fashion the sword nor the spell."

Alice began to pace and soon the butterfly was quite certain he was getting motion sickness from it. "Alice. Why don't you go see the white queen. It is my understanding that you've not yet paid your respects."

Alice nodded, not really wanting to hear more anyway. Her heart was aching, why could nothing ever work out as it should? She and Tarrant loved one another and could be truly happy. Now they had to decide on the matters of life and death and none of the options available seemed very appealing.

How was one supposed to feel in moments like this? Tarrant had asked her just last night to be his wife and she had promised yes, when things were settled for Underland. Now Underland demanded a ruler and sadly they were not allowed to choose not to be.

She grumbled and sniffed to herself as she wandered to the small chapel at the far end of the grounds. She cast sad eyes to the soldiers lining the walls. Some white, some red. Too bad they had finally found some happiness and now it was being torn from them again.

She entered the chapel quietly and knelt before the stone sarcophagus. "Mirana, I really wish you were here." she admitted aloud, "I miss you and I feel so lost. You told me I had to make my own choices but none of my choices can be right at the moment."

She rested her head against the cool stone and closed her eyes. "Its just not fair. Why can't we break even?"

"Life is funny like that sometimes. No matter what world you live in."

She spun to face orange hued eyes hidden in a cloak. "Espelth?"

The witch pushed her hood back and nodded, one side of her face was bruised.

"What happened to you?" Alice asked.

Espelth pushed her back, "Not important Alice. Listen please I haven't much time."

"Can you help me change this mess?" Alice asked.

The witch shook her head, "No. The terms of the spell are quite clear. Only one can live. You have the breastplate?"

"In the castle" Alice confirmed.

Espelth nodded and covered her heart, "You mustn't lose it Alice. You'll need it when you come back from Overland."

Alice shook her head, "Overland? I can't go home even if I wanted to. I can't just leave Tarrant and the others."

Espelth scowled at her, "You must! Underland will die if you don't. The fire Alice. You must find it and bring it here."

Alice's brow furrowed in confusion, "Bring the fire? I thought I was the fire?"

Espelth shook her head, "You must go back. You must bring the fire here and you must put on your armor and fight the beast when you come back to life."

Alice went pale, "Come back to life?" her immediate thought went to the dead man she'd learned from.

"Not like that Alice."

"I don't understand!"

"I know girl and I've no time to explain. But when the time comes you must act and not hesitate or all of us are lost forever."

"But Tarrant.."

"Has his own battle to wage. These are your tasks to see to."

"But if you could just tell him.."

"No! No. You must not tell him that I have been here, or what I have said. If freedom is to come to Underland be lasting, you must not interfere with his destiny and he cannot with yours. If you tell him, he will."

Alice disliked the idea of keeping anything from him, "I don't like this."

Espelth chuckled grimly, "Neither do I. Too many things can go awry here Alice. But if we don't try, if we don't take this chance nothing will end as it should. Do you understand?"

She nodded, but she didn't not really. "I don't know if I can trust you." she whispered and she saw hurt flash through bright eyes.

"I can't say I blame you. After all it was me who set this horror loose. But you know I'm paying for it. You heeded my words once and turned out safe. Once more now Alice. For Underland, for our Hightopps. You will know my signal when you see it."

"But.." Alice's words fell away as the woman faded from view.

She rose to her feet and looked around the chapel, nothing out of place. No evidence that anything odd had occurred. But she felt cold and she wanted Tarrant. Right now.

The sea was cold and dark and deep. The waves slapping against the rocks and rolling back out to forever. Espelth sat near the edge and stared up at the moon. Yes, nearly there. She lifted her hand over the water and let the moonlight spill through her ring like silver liquid into the water. It became a chain that led from the air into the heart of the sea.

"Ye willna have much time." a small voice said nearby.

"Lets hope its time enough Balthus."

"Ye could drown in the depths."

She chuckled, "I doubt that. So long as the Hightopp lives I do as well. Remember what I said now, any sign of anyone at all, you toss the ring into the water and run far from here."

Balthus reached out and accepted the ring, watching the chain move as he did so. "If I toss it in, you might not find yer way back. The merrealms are dangerous places."

She nodded, "Chance I have to take." Then she smiled at him and glanced to where the Hightopp stood like a moonlit, windswept statue. "One day my love I will find your soul." She turned from him and cast herself into the sea. Swimming to the chain, she grasped hold and began to make her way down it. Past the long green plants that waved in the current, and the bright flitting fish of silver and glass. Down past the rocks and the larger beasts. Down. Down. Down. Feeling the crushing weight of water on her and for once she was thankful she could not die of it. Down to the place where the water goes nearly black and cold is eternal. Down.

Tarrant glanced up as Alice came round the corner, her steps quick. Her face set in a grim line of determination. "Alice?". She caught his hand and kept on walking forcing him to follow her. He increased his pace until he was level with her.

"What has happened?" he asked, his tone serious. His eyes searching hers.

She shook her head, the words on the tip of her tongue, looping madly through her brain. She couldn't say them, so she settled for a small truth. "I am afraid."

He pulled her to a stop. "I wish I could confide what was revealed to me" he said then, "But a promise is a promise. There may yet be a way out of this Alice. Please believe me."

She gazed up at him with a feeling of dread. They were both keeping things from one another. This was not the way to start a life. But the fault lay with neither of them and they could only play their parts and hope for the best.

"I do Tarrant. I do"

She crushed herself to him and he wrapped her in his arms, "Alice?"

"I need you Tarrant. I need to know that I am alive and you are alive and we love each other."

He caught her face gently, "You are, I am, we do Alice."

She felt her eyes flood and his long, elegant, stained and bandaged fingers brushed them away. "I hate this uncertainty."

He pressed a kiss to her temple, "Come with me then, and I shall make ye certain."