The Clockwork Heart

Chapter Sixteen: the Siege

"Have you been to many places before, rabbit?"

" I've been to the Northern Countries."

"What were they like?"

"Well it was... interesting. I wouldn't go again, though."

***

Alice Liddell, the Rabbit, and the Hatter went to the Northern Countries. After many adventures and misadventures, they acquired the support of several notable wizards as well as their apprentices. They returned to the Kingdom of Roses, flying on the air with magic.

When the people in the city saw them, coming, they were so awestruck that they joined Liddell's group.

A small group became a swarm of people, washing over the roads like a tsunami.

"The Evil King will surely fall," they said among each other. "We have wizards on our side." Their eyes widened in fear and exuberation at the mention of sorcery.

When they got to the palace, the royal staff had already clamped the gates shut. Liddell told everyone to set up camps around the palace-they were going to siege the castle.

That night, the Rabbit couldn't sleep. He left his tent and stood outside, breathing in the cold air. Above him, the round white moon shone in the sky. Suddenly, he heard Liddell's voice.

"Nervous?"

He turned towards her and smiled nervously. "It's finally happening, everything we've worked for. After the Evil King falls, we'll be able to start our lives anew."

She nodded and then looked up at the moon with a forlorn expression. A whisper escaped from her lips. "...After I kill him, I'll finally be able to go home."

"Huh?"

She shook her head. "Nothing." She turned to go back to her tent. Before leaving, she called out to the Rabbit and said, "Get some sleep tonight; it's going to be hectic."

The Rabbit didn't listen to her. He stood outside until his limbs were so numb, he thought his skin was about to fall off. Then, breathing into his bare palms, he climbed back into the warmth of his tent. He collapsed and fell asleep.

***

The next morning, Liddell stood before the closed castle gates and closed her eyes.

She chanted a silent spell: rieoa-dfnekx rfedkk.

Tendrils of magic escaped from her finger tips and floated over the walls, and dived down into the area below. The magic found its way into the hearts of the club servants-the club symbol on their badges meant they were the royal guard.

The guards felt nothing but a prick. Some scratched at their skin, but then went back to what they were doing: playing cards with each other or patrolling.

"Now we wait," said Alice.

She expected a swift victory. In a few weeks, she thought, the castle would fall.

Days passed. Within the castle walls, the guards began to notice the change in their chests. Instead of regular beating, their hearts were making a strange tick-tock sound, like that of a clock. The guard captain called a meeting.

"What could this be?" said the captain.

"Maybe..." someone muttered, "I heard the peasants' leader is a witch. Maybe she used witchcraft on us?"