Danny In Wonderland

Between Us Now

The army of the White Queen marched with Mirana and Danny leading them. There were no words between the two as they side by side. Danny was astride the Bandersnatch and Mirana was on Ashton sidesaddle. Danny noticed a look of fear in Mirana's eyes and held his hand out to her. She took it.

Now they enter the battleground of Underland. It was a great barren place with dead trees and broken stone battlements. The army of the Red Queen was entering on the other side. Both parties rode to the middle.

Standing on the large rock, Nivens McTwisp stood on his hind legs. He beckoned both Queens and their champions forward.

"Today, the fate of Underland will be determine by the skill of the Champions of the Red and White Queens. No one shall interfere with the duel. The winner will be concluded by surrendering or death." The white rabbit spoke.

"You sound like my friend, Pete." Danny blurted out after the white rabbit was finished. Mirana, The Red Queen, and the Knave all gave him a question look. Danny just shrugged his shoulders.

"He is perfectly mad." The knave mused, looking at the Red Queen. She snorted and walked away to allow the duel to start. Mirana gave Danny a kiss on his cheek and took her leave too.

"I have no qualms about killing you, boy. I live to serve my queen." The Knave expressed as the two men circled each other, swords in hand.

"You will be the first in my body count. I save her too many times to let her die now." Danny remarked. With that, the duel begun. The Knave attacked fast, thinking that Danny was just some kid. When Danny parried and came in for an attack himself, the Knave knew he was wrong. The Knave only had experience on his side where Danny had youth and determination as well.

Danny also had a skill that the Knave did not. The Knave staggered back after Danny place a kick to his side. The amour may be impenetrable by blades, but a kick to the ribs can be felt all the same. Danny landed a few punches, using the hilt of the Vorpal Sword like brass knuckles. Kicking the Knave in the shin, Danny made the man drop to his knee. Using the height different, Danny twisted the Knave's sword from his hand, tossing it skyward. Danny caught it. Danny laid both swords against the sides of the Knave's neck, crossing the blade like a pair of scissors. The blades biting into his flesh.

"I surrender!" The Knave screams as Danny was about to take his head. Danny took a breath, pulling the blades from the Knave. He fell back, holding his neck. The Knave knew when he was bested. He righted himself and took a knee. He bowed his head at Danny for Danny had won.

"NO!" The Red Queen screamed as she bought an ax down across the neck of her defeated champion. His head rolled to Danny who was shocked to witness a beheading right in front of him.

The Red Queen had murder in her eyes as she turned to Danny. She lifted her ax and charged at him. Danny started to lift his sword when a silver blur knocked over the Red Queen.

"Enough, Iracebeth! You have been defeated!" Mirana yelled at her sister who was struggling to her feet. "It is time to end this insanity."

"Never! I am the ruler of Underland, and I will have your head!" The Red Queen got up and started to swing the ax towards Mirana. Mirana jumped out of the way.

Danny started to move towards Mirana, but she held her hand. "No. This is between us now." She yelled, dodging another attack. Danny tossed the Vorpal Sword to her. She caught it singlehandedly.

"Yes. It started with us, and it will end with us." The Red Queen spoke as she circled her little sister. "The sweet and gentle Mirana holding a sword. Remember, the pointy end is the end you stab with."

"I will keep that in mind, sister." Mirana hissed. The fight started with an overhead attack from the Red Queen. Mirana successful block and twisted the ax away. With her free hand, Mirana landed a punch against her sister's face. Shocked, the Red Queen steady her feet and went in for a mid-body attack. Mirana parried and twisted, landing an elbow to the nose of her sister. Blood dripped off her face, as she continued to attack, and Mirana parried every single one.

"All those tea parties with my friends were excuses for Mallymkun to teach me how to fight." Mirana punched the Red Queen in her stomach. The hit sent her against a trunk of a dead tree. Mirana twisted the ax handle with the sword, making it fly up into the branch above, burying in the wood. Mirana pointed the blade at her throat.

"It is finished now." Mirana commanded, breathing heavy. The red crown lifted from her head. Cheshire Cat appeared floating next to Mirana, holding the crown. "Iracebeth of Crims. For your crimes against the people of Underland, I declare you unfit to be the Red Queen. You are now banished to the wastelands and can never set foot here again under penalty of death." Tears welled up in Mirana as she banished her sister, her last living member of her family. Danny came and stood by her.

"No! I want my crown! Give me back my crown!" Iracebeth cried, sinking to the ground. Tossing herself about, she slammed her fists repeatedly into the trunk of the tree. Danny looked up to see the ax loosening from the branch. Danny turned Mirana away as the ax fell, chopping off the head of the former Red Queen.

"Iracebeth!" Mirana cried, trying to twist out of Danny's arms. He held her tight, not wanting Mirana to see her sister like that. Mirana buried her face onto Danny's chest. She wept as Danny picked her up in his arms and carried her away.

The army of Card Suits started back to the Red Castle, free from the strangle hold they had been under. Behind them, the Bandersnatch carried Danny who held Mirana close to him. The bodies of the Knave and Iracebeth were wrapped up and taken back to the Red Castle in preparations for burial.