Entering Wonderland

Entering Wonderland -- Part 3

At last I sat down, brushing away the dirt from my dress, and settling against a rock. The cat turned to me. 
        '"I'm an attendant of the Queen of Hearts. I will tell you why I need your help," she looked worried, frazzled even. It wasn't something that I'd seen in her before.

         "Chess?" the Queen asked me.

        "Yes?" I had replied.

        "We feel a disturbance. We would be grateful if you could see to it." she said.

        "At once, your Majesty." I said, grinning my famous smile as I curtsied. My straight, navy hair fell off my shoulders, covering my bright green eyes.

       "Then go," her Majesty commanded. After a few minutes of searching, I was called back.

       "Yes, your Majesty?" I asked.

       "He stole our crown! Get him!" she screamed.

       "Who stole your crown?" I inquired.

       "That danged Hatter," she spat out. I blinked. Once, twice.

       "The Hatter? Why would he do that?" I questioned.

       "He hates us!" she stated, as if obvious.

       "O-Oh... It seems I wasn't aware of that fact..." I trailed off. Two nights ago they were having a tea party. But I guess not.

       "Well, get him! Off with his head!" she ordered.

       At the Mad Tea Party, the dolls missing limbs or eyes stared at one another across the table. At the head sat the Hatter, frowning.

       "Hatter! Give back her Majesty's crown!" I demanded.

       "My, my. It seems as though I've been blamed, hasn't it, Harriot?" the Hatter smirked.

       "Harriot? Isn't that a girls name?" I pondered.

       I felt the tense air and glanced at Hatter's right. Harriot, the March Hare, bristled and his brown ears twitched.

       "It is, I guess! Yes it is. Harriot! Harriot! Harriot!" the mad man grinned. The dolls let out eerie laughs as well, shivering.

       "Shut up! Harriot is a guy's name!" the rabbit said, irked.

       "Wait, Hatter. Don't dissuade me! I asked what you did with Vivaldi's crown, yes?" I asked again.

       "Yes, I suppose you did. I hid it! I was bored...what better than to play? Now, you can just go back to your Highness and tell her that I stole it. And I'm ready for a fight." he grinned.

       "You truly are mad," I grimaced as I opened a portal back to her Majesty.' 

I looked up at the cat in front of me. Her toothy grin disappeared for a moment, revealing a wan smile. She looked annoyed, and slightly upset. I fingered my dress. 

        "If you'd just explain," I began, "What you want me to do, I'd be grateful to you!" 

        "I need you to help me regain the crown for my Queen. The sooner it has returned and the matter resolved, the safer Wonderland will be. This area around the portal you fell from," she laughed and I responded with a glare, "Used to be a beautiful glen with fresh grass and bright skies."

        "But now it isn't, as you can see," the cat turned into a young girl, hair as dark as night and sparkling green eyes. Hope filled her eyes, but somehow, it wasn't enough to fool me. I turned and looked up at her.  

        "Alright," I held out my hand for her to shake. "I'm in."