Wonderland? Wonderland!

11.

I had spent a few days at court now. My days beeing filled with crazy clothes, meetings with the Queen and cricket. I had quickly risen in the Queen's eyes because I was useless at cricket. It allowed her to outshine me, and for some reason she found it extremely funny. In other words, she was amused by my ignorance.

How long I'd been here wasn't really that important. Every morning was a reminder that I wasn't home, but honestly, I didn't care. My own father had tried to marry me of, his business had been more important than his daughter. So as a thank you I didn't even send him a thought. Someone who was constantly on my mind thoug, was Louis.
Where was he, was he okay?
Oh how it bothered me that we parted as enemies only for him to disappear. Every waking moment he was there, had something happened, did he know I was back?
He was such a good friend and all I wanted was for him to be okay, but here, in this palace there were no answers.

At least that's what I thought, until that day.

Since I 'didn't remember anything', the Queen hade seen me as her personal little project. I spent almost every waking moment by her side, it was as if she was trying to shape me. As if I were her daughter. Of course there were times when I wasn't allowed to be there, then she had made sure I was with her son. Come to think of it, she was very particular about me spending time with her son. Not that he protested, but I guess, neither did I. He wasn't as dangerous as I first thought, he was actually more protective, almost friendly.
As if he wanted to help me. Make sure everything I did was right, especially when his mother was around.

Everything was as usual, until lunch. The queen accompanied us, it was not usual, but not usual either. Most of the time it was probably just me and Henry when I think about it. But this particular lunch caught my attention. Fpr the queen could not stop talking about how dissatisfied she was with the hatter's latest work.
The Hatter?!

When she said the hatter, I almost choked. A few coughs escaped me and Henry looked at me worriedly, but I smiled reassuringly back.
The Hatter, could it be? No, it surely couldn't, could it? Maybe, just maybe it could be Louis!
But how could I ask without revealing that I knew who he was. I thought for a moment before cautiously asking.
"May I ask who this hatter is?"
"Ohh no one special, just a lousy crazy old man who can't even complete the most menial tasks!"
Understood, don't talk about the hatter, he seems to be a touchy subject. But old man, my hope was instantly gone. Then it couldn't be Louis.
"Yes I agree mother, totally worthless."
I was taken back by what Henry had said and immediately understood by his look.
"Yes, he sounds incapable, completely hopeless."
It hurt to judge a man so unfairly. A man I had never even met. But I did it to keep my head. Rather she took his than mine.

Then and there, the queen decides that Henry should attend the next trial. He hadn't been around since, since mine, and he didn't seem very hapy abouther decision. But still he saide.
"Brilliant idea mother, but what about Y/n/n?"
"What about Y/n/n!"
"What is she going to do while I'm present at the trial?"
That sly fox! He tried to use me to get out of a trial! But joke was on him, because after less than two seconds of thinking, the queen exclaimed.
"She can attend. It's about time she learned the workings of my court!"
I smiled at both of them, but Henry, he got a look that said everything I couldn't. Thank you, very much, how fun. NOT!!
Little did I know that trial would change my life.

I stood there. At the front of the crowd gathered in the hall. The queen herself had placed me there, why I didn't really know, but I assumed it was to keep an eye on me. I had only observed, a few prisoners had been dragged in, many had been sentenced to prison but also some were beheaded.
It could have been you.
Still, I just stood there silently, didn't say a word. Only until a guard pulled him in, and my heart broke for my friend. It broke, for the persion in front of the queen, dirty and with tattered clothes, was Louis.

I ended up with all the strength in the world to keep the mask. No one could look at my face and understand that I knew this prisoner. No one. It really looked like she was enjoying herself. Only now did I see the monster my mother had told me about, the Red Queen who beheaded everyone in her path. It amused her, and it made me fear for Louis' fate.

Someone went through who he was and what crimes he had committed. But I didn't listen, whatever happened I had to make sure he survived. At any price.
I think they mentioned he was the hatter's son, but I didn't care. All I could hear was the voice in my head screaming, save him!
SAVE HIM!! over and over.
Only when the queen said my name did I realize that I had lost myself. So in an attempt to try and cover up for my thoughtlessness I replied.
"Yes, your majesty?"
"What do you think is a fitting punishment for this one, barbarian?" I bit my bottom lip and thought hard. I had been given a golden opportunity. Don't mess it up Y/n! "May I suggest, a more inventive punishment than what we seen today?"
I saw how Louis flinched at my voice, was it because he recognized it, or because he feared his punishment? "And what would that be?"
Think Y/n, think fast.
"I suggests, uhh, I suggest you take advantage of him."
"How?"
"Didn't her majesty say the hatter had begun to lose his wits?"
"Well yes, but what do you suggest girl!"
"I suggest that you let the hatter have his son, this great deed from her majesty might be able to make him realize your greatness and let him regain his diligence."
Everyone was silent, not a human, or animal for that matter, moved. No one but Louis whose gaze finally landed on me. Now lets just hope that neader of us showed that we knew each other.
"A fine solution to two problems. I declare this boy to join the hatter at once! Guards take him away!"
Thank all the gods!
He would be allowed to live!
Now I just had to figure out a way to meet him.