A figure moved through the white castle, sticking to the shadows in order to avoid the Red Card soldiers. He moved to duck behind what appeared to be a statue of a chess soldier, specifically a perfect representation of one of the mighty knights. The when the Red Cards marched past, Nathaniel 'Snicker Snack' Mortimer, the Blade Baron, and he looked up at the 'statue.' He let out a sad sigh at the sight of the once mighty Chess Soldier, turned to stone by the Red Queen through an arcane item in her possession. Nathaniel knew, if not for that then the blood thirsty monarch would've been easily defeated. Nathaniel shook his head, doffing his hat in respect to the Knight before continuing on, making his way into the castle through one of the escape routes he hadn't told the Red Queen about during his ordered betrayal. Before long, he had made his way into the White Queen's former chambers. When the Red Queen took the castle, she had searched high and low for anything that would further her own campaign, looking everywhere, except where no one would've expected. Nathaniel crawled under the bed and emerged with a long, thin package. He opened it and grinned as he looked upon the mightiest blade in the land, the legendary Vorpal blade! Whichever Alice wound up wielding this blade would decide the fate of Wonderland, and Nathaniel knew just what to do with it. He lifted the sword, admiring it's legendary perfection before pulling out a small device from his pocket. He touched it to the sword's pommel which began to unscrew and fall off. Nathaniel grabbed the pommel and pocketed it as the sword's magical glow seemed to fade away as it was no longer perfect, smiling as he muttered, "Ah, gotta love the Undo-a-fier!" He placed the device in his pocket, put the sword back into it's case, and headed towards the bedroom door. He closed the door, pulled out a small copper key, and relocked the door before unlocking it. He opened the door wide and stepped through it, entering his room in the Red Castle. Kicking the door closed, he put the key away with the pommel in his secret place and headed for the throne room, ready to present the Red Queen with a mighty, though flawed, gift, package in one hand, sword cane in the other.

He waited outside of the throne room, waiting for Alice to stop yelling before entering and heading towards the throne. As he walked, he turned on his most charming smile and said, "Your most beautiful Majesty, you look posolutely ravishing this evening, if I do say so myself! I, your most humble servant, come to you with a mighty gift!" He approached the steps to the throne and kneeled, offering up the package.

Morticia turned her glare to Sessa before, like the light switch of a personality she had, the glare disappeared and turned into another sweet smile. How she adored her Sessa kitty. "My Sessa," she started, "Do as you wish my dear. I'm sure they could use your help, you would be much more useful in the forest gathering information and aiding us than keeping me company here." The Red Queen had moved to pat Sessa on the head when she began to feel angered that she still didn't have her hands on white Alice yet.

She moved her hands to her sides as her fists clenched, "GO!" she yelled to the pair before hearing someone step into the throne room. Her attention moved to Nathaniel as he flooded her with compliments. She cocked her head and batted her long dark eye lashes. She usually received such compliments from her loyal servants, followers, etc. But out of fear for the most part. Although none of them meant the compliments, Morticia believed them true enough as they fed her massive ego.

A wide grin came over her face as her eyes lit up. "A gift? For me?" she asked as she reached out greedily for the box when he knelt. Ripping rabidly at the box, the Red Queen threw the top over her shoulder and her eyes landed on the blade. Without so much as stopping to think about why Nathaniel had brought this gift or what it could possibly be, her fingers clenched around the box crumpling the edges as she closed her eyes. Her eye brow began to twitch and she was clearly growing increasingly angrier by the second. "You brought me a broken sword?" she asked through clenched teeth. If he didn't have a good explanation soon, it would be off with his head.

((I didn't know if Morticia should know what the sword was or not. So if she is supposed to know, I'll have her remember in my next post!))

Alice grinned when her Queen told Sessa Kat she could join her. It would be so much more fun for her if she was accompanied by Sessa and the Hatter. She had really become bored and frustrated lately. Hearing Nathaniel come in Alice looked over her shoulder to watch him. The box in his hands made her curious and his words even more curious. Cocking her head to the side she shook her head when Morticia took out the broken sword. Yeah this wasn't going to go over so well. What an idiot the man was.

Grabbing Sessa's hand she pulled her up and out of her room. Once they were behind the now closed door she let go. "Well my Sessa Kitty are you ready to find the hatter with me? I do so wish you would join me! I've been so bored lately. It'll be oh so fun with the three of us together hunting my bratty other self. Gah, how I hate white Alice!" She shuddered and rocked back and forth on her boots.

Nathaniel chuckled, not a single flicker of fear on his face or in his voice as he said, "Oh, but my dearest monarch, this is no ordinary sword... this is the Vorpal Blade! Surely you recognize the legendary blade? The sword of swords and mightiest of weapons! I discovered it hidden within the castle of your pathetic sister and brought it to you straight away. I also found information that may lead to the missing piece. Imagine it, your majesty, your champion wielding this blade! Your enemies would bow beneath you, your sister's hidden castle, once found, would be brought to ruin in but one day! ...If it was in the hands of a proper champion." He glanced over his shoulder at Alice's retreating back before turning back to the Queen, saying, "Still, though the sword is incomplete at the moment, your foes would not know that, nor would the cowards claiming neutrality. The fear that would come with simply possessing this sword would ensure loyalty in your subjects while terrifying some of the neutral Unwonderland denizens to come forth and bow before your banner! My dearest Queen... I bring you a weapon that can grant you an army now, and, once I find the missing piece, win you the war."

Sessa smiled happily. She loved it when she could sneak around, and Alice was such a fun companion. The girl purred as her Queen patted her head. Sessa cocked her ears, hearing Nathaniel enter the room. She didn't mind sharing her Queen with other females, but for some reason she felt a little threatened by Nathaniel's presence, any males presence around her Queen.

Sessa held in the laughter bubbling up her throat when she realized that the man had brought her Queen a broken blade. Alice was quick to grab her hand and lead her out. With wide eyes, Sessa smiled and shifted to disappear -except for her head- in the nearest shadow. Now no one knew how she did it, but some how she managed to twist her head upside down. "Oh Yes Oh Yes Ali Alice! Let us track and let us hunt. The Hatter should have fun as well! Oh if we find the other me, could you please leave him to me? We have a bit of a... well mono-a-mono type fight... not even a fight, a tease if you please. To annoy, distract, and eventually bring down the other us." She laughed at her own words.

Shaking her head Alice grinned at Sessa's upside down head. "How you do that is beyond me!" She exclaimed. Listening to her words she let out a chuckle. "Always so good with words you are my Sessa! Don't worry Wren is all yours as long as you leave my other half to me." Just then a servant walked over to say that their horses were ready. Giving the man a nod he bowed and walked off. "Well then, shall we be off sweets?" Sessa Kat had always been her favorite and she tended to be nicer to her than most of the others.

Sessa giggled and hopped out of the shadows. "I am only as good with words as Alice is fighting." The girl smiled and walked beside her. "Do you think it will take long to find Hatter? And when we do, do you think he'll come with us? I mean, Hatter does love his tea parties an awful lot." If she hadn't been speaking, anyone would have thought that Alice was by herself, as Sessa's foot steps made no sound down the hallway.

Wren smirked, raising an eyebrow as he followed Kat. [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]"Well, my head has always been safe. The trick is to just smother her with gifts and flattery."[/COLOR] he commented. So long as he stayed on her 'good' side, the Cheshire cat was left to his own devices. For the most part. He bit his tongue on saying that, because of the whole, 'hiding' part. He had decided he would have hated being on her side. It was far too dull, hiding out. Fearing for his life. Also the fact that they were all basically waiting for Alice to come and to train her. For all he knew, the girl would be a failure and they would be doomed.

No.. He would just have to do whatever it took to stay alive and under the radar. Even with his pesky counterpart. Oooo she was so annoying. Such a pet for the queen. Always following blindly. He hated people like that. "Where do you walk, that you haven't grown bored from?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned his eye to the pale queen.

Peter had been running, well hoping may be a better term, along, the cards still some distance back, when he decided to take a break to let them catch up. Looking around he noticed he was quite near the Hatteress' home. Oh how wonderful! Maybe she could help him look for Alice! Standing on his hind legs, frowning severely- not that anyone would know as a rabbit never changed their expressions much- He did however cross his arms. "Belladonna Amelia! I will not be one of your insane hats!" He commented, just before shifting back to his more human like form. Hopefully she wouldn't be taken by too much surprise, but as she was already quite batty, who knew what would happen. Shaking his head, he unfolded his arms and reached into his pocket for his watch. Pulling the tiny contraption out he let out a loud 'eep!' and jumped in the air. "Oh dear! Oh dear oh dear oh dear! I'm late! We're late! No time to talk, we need to find Alice! We're late late LATE!" He shouted, suddenly vibrating with tension to get going, to find Alice and present her to the Queen. Oh why didn't he just stick beside her?!


Yawning softly as she woke, Alicia stretched her arms above her head and arched her back. Blinking blue eyes open, she looked around hoping that the owner may have returned, only to sigh in disappointment as that was not the case. Though now she wondered if all of this really was a dream. After all if this were and she'd fallen asleep and woke up, she should be in her own bed at home. That was not the case it seemed. "Grandmother was right. Her Wonderland really does exist." The blonde murmured as she stood and paced around. She couldn't wait around any longer, she had to find a way home! Exiting the shack, she looked both directions of the path, trying to decide where to go. Maybe she could ask the pair that were talking down that way? Alicia had been so close to walking that way, but the sight of running Card Guards had her turning the opposite direction and running away. Grandma had said that the Card were on the side of the wicked Queen, who liked to chop everyone's head off! Alicia really didn't want that to happen!

"She doesn't deserve gifts and flattery!" Kat all but snarled. She hated, just hated how people smothered her awful sister with those two things. Morticia was evil and just awful, she didn't deserve any of those things. Letting out a heavy sigh she shook her head. "Sorry, I let my anger go." In some ways the two sisters were a like. Kat had a temper just like her sisters, but she knew how to control it. That was the difference between them. She could control herself where Ticia couldn't control herself at all. Also, Kat was nice where her sister was just evil.

Smiling lightly Katerina pulled Wren off to the right quickly. "I usually shake my guards, grab some disguises that I've hidden in the woods and go to my castle. I like to visit my people, spy on my sisters guards and what not. Tends to brighten my mood and I learn information sometimes." She really hoped Wren didn't use this information against her.

---

Laughing Alice shook her head as they walked. She loved to hear Sessa speak, it was always entertaining. "I don't think it will take that long. Not with our horses. If I tell him the Queen requested he help me I'm certain he will agree." Occasionally as they walked Alice glanced out of the corner of her eye to see if Sessa was still there. She knew how to walk silently and it sort of unnerved her. But she also wished she could walk like that.

Once they were outside she pointed to two very large black horses. "Come kitty, off to find Hatter!" Grinning she skipped over to her personal horse and got on.

Sessa nodded a bit nervously as they approached the horses. She hated riding, but knew it was the only way to get to Hatter quickly. "I'm I'm coming Ali Alice!" She spoke softly, as she got on the horse. Riding, Sessa always felt to open, to exposed. If something bad happened, she'd have a hard time hiding.

Shaking her head, the girl pushed down her bad thoughts.'Ali will protect me.' she smiled to herself. "Lets Go Alice."