A Place in This World // Helaena Targaryen

15. Damn Mouse

Helaena approached the Tweedles who were stationed on either side of the Queen's courtroom door.

"Tweedles!" Helaena declared 

"Helaena!" Dee declared grabbing her hand and giving it a vigorous shake.

"Howdoyedo again." Dum remarked.

"Where's...?" Helaena began as she looked around.

"How is it you're being so great big?" Dee questioned.

"She ain't great big." Dum countered. "This is how she normally is."

"It's not." She corrected. "Where's the-" she tried again

"I'm certain she is smaller when we met." Dee countered

"She had drank the pishsalver, to get through the door, recall it?" Dum countered. She put her hands over their mouths to silence them.

"Where's the Rabbit?" she demanded.

"TWEEDLES OVER THERES!" they declaring pointing in opposite directions, Helaena huffed out a breath.

"Well that is certainly useful." Helaena remarked. They nodded in agreement. "Just show me." Helaena countered and they nodded. Helaena followed the Tweedles when she saw Mally the mouse, dressed as a chamber maid. She was whispering with the White Rabbit.

"What are you doing here?" Helaena whispered kneeling before them.

"I'm rescuing the Hatter." Mally declared confidently.

"I'm rescuing the Hatter." Helaena countered "But you can help. He told me that the Vorpal Sword is hidden in the castle. That means someone must have seen it..." Helaena whispered back "foot frogman, a chamber mouse, a pig stool, someone! Ask them all! Go!" Helaena begged and the Tweedles ran off. But Mally and White Rabbit remained staring back at Helaena.

"I don't take orders from big clumsy, galumphing..." Mally shouted, little furry hands rooted on her hips. Helaena chuckled a laugh as she loomed over Mally.

"Shoo!" Helaena demanded pointing a finger down the hall. Humiliated but outsized, Mally stalked off.

The White Rabbit however was still there staring up at her nervously.

"What is it, McTwisp?" Helaena asked hopefully.

"I know where the Sword is." White rabbit remarked softly.

"Why didn't you say so?" Helaena demanded. The sooner she got the sword the sooner she could save the very handsome hatter.

"You'll hit me again." Rabbit remarked and Helaena's face scrunched up.

"I won't hit you!" Helaena countered. "I don't hurt animals, maybe Mally, she is a bit much... Just Show me."

+

They stood in front of the stables. Helaena looked to the rabbit confused.

"The Sword's hidden inside." Rabbit offered pointing a fluffy white paw ahead. Helaena opened the door just a creek. She flinched back at the stench, flooding around her.

"What is that?" Helaena declared taking a step back but then she realized that she knew that smell. "Oh no, oh one." Helaena murmured. "I know that smell." Helaena whispered bringing her hand up to cover her nose. She looked inside the stable. 

 The Bandersnatch lay in his stall with his huge ugly head on its paws. He moaned out. The socket with the missing eye oozed blood. Helaena gasped and quickly closed the door. The White Rabbit ducked to avoid getting hit.

"I'm not going in there!" Helaena declared. "Look what that thing did to my arm." She showed him the wound. It still seared red, deep cuts larger, very swollen. The Rabbit gasped out.

"Dear oh dear! Why haven't you mentioned this?" Rabbit questioned.

"It wasn't this bad before." Helaena whispered touching it gently but she sucked in a pained breath. 

 Rabbit twitched, breathing faster, flapping his paws and fainted at the sight of her wound. Helaena looked back at the door, considering it. SHe knew they needed the sword. She knelt before the rabbit and pet his fur gently. 

"I always wanted a rabbit." She remarked softly. "I'm getting that sword." She whispered as she rose up. "Please be okay." 

A rabbit that was afraid of blood, Helaena thought with a chuckle. Wonderland kept getting more and more peculiar. 

She opened the door again but couldnt do it. She wasnt brave, she wasnt courageous. If Aemond was here he could do it but he wasnt and she was alone. SHe headed back to the castle looking for the hatter but couldnt find him. 

She had to try and save him. Even if this was a dream, what if it wasnt... she had to save him. Save wonderland. She had to try. She saw Mally the mouse studying a decorative sword on the wall.

"Mouse! Do you still have the Bandersnatch eye?" Helaena demanded.

" Right here." She said proudly. She hiked up her maid's skirt to reveal her breeches beneath. The Bandersnatch eye was still at her waist.

"I need it." Helaena declared. She reached out for it and tried to take it. But Mally jumped back and swatted her hand away.

"Get your own!" Mally sneered back at her.

"I need that eye, Mally." Helaena begged. The dormouse drew her hatpin sword, brandishing it dangerously.

"Come and get it." She declared ready for a fight but Helaena chuckled. 

"Brave little one you are." Helaena declared. "But I need that more." Mally the mouse was much much smaller than Helaena and even with her tiny weapon she was no challenge. Helaena laughed. Mally realized the absurdity.

"Right." Mally agreed. She tossed the hatpin at Helaena and jumped up yanking the decorative sword from the wall. She ran at Helaena with the huge sword. A battle cry on her little mouse lips. "AHHHHH!" Helaena side stepped her attack, then tentatively stabbed at her with the hatpin.

"I'm fighting a mouse." Helaena remarked. "I have gone bonkers." She looked to Mally with a sword as Helaena just had a little hatpin. "I have gone man."  The Tweedles arrived looking between them.

"Thrusting now!" Dum declared trying to help Helaena.

"No, stabbing!" Dee countered

"Thrusting like this!" Dum demanded waving his arms around. He poked him. Dee poked him back. They go at it as the Dormouse and Helaena fought. Helaena stepped ...back ...and back. They passed the Queen's dressing room. Hatter stared at her longingly as she dueled.