Alice

5. Tea with the Queen

5. Tea with the Queen

After about twenty minutes of me bouncing up and down on a horse, a castle came into view.

It was very large, with towering torrents that stretched to the sky. The entire thing was colored black, red, and white. Getting closer, I could see the outline of tall windows. The castle was enclosed by a black stone wall, the only opening in which was the large, wrought iron gate.

A gatekeeper sat in a tower next to the gate. When he saw us, he hurriedly opened the gate.

We stopped by the stables, where everyone dismounted. I cautiously climbed off the horse's back. I was then led out into the garden. It was beautiful, with every type of tree you could imagine. Fountains, stone paths, and flower patches dotted the stretches of neatly cut, lush green lawn. The bushes were shaped into topiaries. Red rosebushes were everywhere.

The herald led me along the stone path to the castle door. Two doormen opened the double doors, and I followed the herald through the door and down the halls.

The decor was the same throughout the castle. It was gorgeous, elaborate, and expensive-looking. The floor was tiled red, white, and black, with hearts alternating on different ones. The walls were red, with a pattern of black and white hearts. On the walls were heart-shaped mirrors and portraits of elegant-looking women and stately men. Light was provided by the hanging chandeliers.

After going along many winding corridors, we came to a set of double oak doors. The doormen opened them, and we walked through.

The throne room had basically the same design as the rest of the castle, with the white, black, and red and the hearts. On the back wall in the center was a raised platform, on top of which was a single ornate throne. The cushions on it were red, and the frame of the chair was pure black. On the throne sat the Queen of Hearts.

The herald ushered me forward, and I knelt at the Queen's feet.

"Ah, there you are Alice," she said when she saw me. "I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't come. Come, come. Don't grovel on the floor like that! Stand up!"

I scrambled to my feet. I opened my mouth to say something, but just then the throne room doors were flung open.

"WHAT?!" the Queen yelled.

A man walked forward. "Your Majesty," he said, bowing. "Terribly sorry to disturb you, but my men found this in the North Tower." he gestured to the guards behind him. They came forward, holding a boy.

He looked about my age, with slightly shaggy black hair. His head was bowed, so I couldn't get a good look at his face.

"How many times have I told you," the Queen said slowly, her voice brimming with anger, "not to go into the North Tower?!"

The boy said nothing.

The Queen turned to the man who had first entered the room. "How many times has it been, Marcus?"

"It must be a hundred, Your Majesty," Marcus replied.

"Don't let this happen again," she spat at the boy. She turned and was about to walk back to her throne, when he spoke.

"Why?" he asked. "Why can't I go up there? You forbid the entire court from entering a room, and you don't even give a reason!"

The Queen whirled around. "You live in my castle. You live by my rules. I tell you not to go into the North Tower, you don't. Is that clear?" The boy nodded, a frightened look in his eyes. "Good. Now, come, dear," she said to me. "Let us go have tea."

I followed the Queen out of the throne room, but the whole time, I kept looking at the boy. Who was he? Why did he live here? I wanted to talk to him, or talk to someone about him, but I couldn't, because soon I found myself in the garden, sitting at a table, having more tea.

I swear, I thought to myself, when I go back home, I will never have tea again.

The Queen talked, and I just listened. Or rather, I pretended to listen.

After about an hour or so, the Queen said, "I like you, Alice,"

"You- you do?" I asked. After hearing the story of how she became queen, and seeing how she treated that boy in the throne room, I didn't think she'd be capable of liking anybody.

"Yes. You amuse me. You shall live here in the castle with me."

I was shocked. Live.... In the castle... With her?! What if I end up like that boy?

"Is there a problem with that, Alice?" the Queen asked, her voice deadly.

"I- No, Your Majesty."

"Good. Martha!" the Queen called, and a maid came hurrying up. She had red hair, freckles on her cheeks, and emerald green eyes. She was young, not many years older than me.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Martha asked.

"Take Alice to one of the empty bedrooms," the Queen ordered.

"Right this way, miss," Martha said to me.

I followed Martha through the castle corridors and up some flights of stairs, until we came to a hallway. We stopped in front of a single oak door. Martha retrieved a key from her apron pocket and unlocked the door.

The room looked very comfortable, with mahogany furniture, wooden paneled walls, and wooden floors. Whatever wasn't wood was red. The comforter on the bed was red, the cushions on the chairs and couches were red, and the curtains were red. There was a fireplace, and Martha hurried to get a fire started.

"There are clothes in the wardrobe," she announced. I thought about how every person I had seen so far had been wearing medieval style clothing; the men in waistcoats, the women in corsets and gowns. I thought about putting on a corset. The image was horrifying.

I think that Martha read my mind, because she smiled. "Don't worry, Miss Alice. It's a magic wardrobe. It figures out what you want to wear and that outfit appears." Wow, I thought. I need a magic wardrobe at home.

"There are toiletries in the bathroom. If you ever need anything, or have any questions, miss," Martha told me, "just ask."

I was glad she'd said that, because I'd been thinking a lot about that boy in the throne room.

"Well," I said. "Would you mind telling me about someone?"

"Of course, dear."

I took a deep breath. "There was this boy... He has dark hair.... He looked like he was seventeen or eighteen...."

"Oh." Martha said. "That's the Jack of Hearts, her majesty's nephew."

"He's her nephew?" I asked, shocked. If that's how she treats her nephew....

"Mm-hm."

"But... Where are his parents?"

"Dead. Rumor has it that the Queen had them both executed."

"Oh." I wanted to know more, but I kind of felt like I was invading his privacy. Maybe I'll see him again, I hoped.