The Missing Princess Of Hearts

Chapter 12

"Will you stop worrying about that? I haven't seen any signs of this queen that you keep talking about," Alice said while dragging Rowena along as she followed the homeless man who led her to the man who could help her out.

"That's because she doesn't leave the casino. She has people who go around Wonderland doing her bidding for her. The people who work for the queen. They are the eyes and ears around Wonderland. If they see or hear anything, they go reporting back to the queen, and she sends out her spades to retrieve the one who dares betray her and she cuts their head off as punishment; or at least that is what I was told by my older brother," Rowena said.

"Who is your older brother," Alice asked as she and Rowena entered the teashop where they were told to wait.

"Now isn't the time or the place to tell you who my brother is. There could be people around here who are spying for the queen, waiting to tell her who I am," Rowena said.

Rowena began growing anxious waiting there for the homeless looking man to come back. It got so bad that Rowena was tempted to get up and start pacing the floor before the feeling became too much for her. "I have to get out of here."

"What are you talking about? You can't just leave me here all alone, while I speak to the man who can help us find Jack," Alice said.

"You can stay here and speak with the owner of this ship. I, on the other hand, cannot. I'm too well known in my world. So, I have to get out of here and go into hiding before it's too late for me," Rowena said before someone knocked her out from behind.

Alice looked at Rowena in shock, before turning her gaze to the homeless looking man who knocked the young woman out; watching as he picked up the unconscious assassin. "What the hell did you do that to her for?"

"I knocked her out, because I can't have her go running off. Not when he wants to see her for himself. Come now. He is ready to speak with you," the man said leading Alice to the office.

Alice followed the homeless looking man as he led her down the bright hallway to a door. "Care to explain to me what my friend did, that your boss wanted to see her? Did she steal money from him or something of that sort?

"You're obviously not from this world. The mark on your arm is a dead giveaway of that. That and trusting this young lady here; deadly mistake on your part," the man said before opening the door, leading Alice inside the office.

Alice looked around the room in awe as the man walked over to a couch, laying the unconscious assassin down on the couch.

"So, where is this man that you said could help me find my boyfriend," Alice asked before jumping as a chair spun around revealing a man wearing a hat with a bit of unruly hair coming out from underneath it.

"It's rude to speak about people as if they aren't around to hear you," the man said before turning to the other man. "Did you bring 'her' back?"

"She's on the couch," the homeless man pointed causing the other man to turn and face the couch. "She's not easy to catch. And she was about to make a run for it. So, I had to knock her out."

"Much appreciated Ratty. Go and help yourself to two special teas for helping me out," The man said.

"Thank you, Hatter," Ratty said before walking out of the office to collect his payment.

"What do you want with my friend? Was it necessary for you to have her knocked out the way that you did," Alice asked as the man that she now know as Hatter turned his attention to her.

"You're a fool to call that young woman your friend. Do you have the slightest idea who that is," Hatter asked.

"She's my friend Rowena, who is also my next-door neighbor from across the hall. Look buddy, I don't want any trouble. Rowena and I only came looking for my boyfriend Jack, that way we can all head back home and live like we never seen this place," Alice said already growing tired of this man in front of her.

Hatter gave a sarcastic laugh. "Cute. But your friend as you keep calling her is home. She's from this world, not yours. The only reason why she traveled to your world, is because she was on the run, obviously. The queen of hearts has spread word to bring her in if seen. So, I had one of my people out on the lookout, keeping an eye open for the day she returns to Wonderland."

"What has she done wrong," Alice asked.

"She's the baby sister of the well-known assassin, Mad March Hare. That woman on the couch is Rowena March Hare. She was trained under her brother, and can be deadly," Hatter explained while walking over to the woman. "I have to be quick to tie her up, because she will wake soon."

"Rowena doesn't look like someone who would harm someone for no reason; let alone kill someone," Alice said.

"It's clear that this young woman was blending in to not only to keep from drawing attention to herself, but to gain your trust until she no longer needs it. It would be wise that you don't put all of your trust in this little lady," Hatter said missing the slight sign that Rowena was awake, waiting for him to get closer to her.

Hatter turned around making his way to Rowena with the rope in hand, getting ready to tie her feet up first to keep Rowena from running. As Hatter kneeled down to begin to tie her feet, Rowena sat up grabbing Hatter by the back of his head, slamming his head down on her knee, before shoving him backwards before jumping up off the couch, running towards the door on the side of the office, throwing the door open and running out.

Hatter struggled to get up, before Alice rushed over helping him up, only to have him shove her off. "We cannot allow her to get away. We have to get her before she successfully goes into hiding."

"Leave her be. She will come out on her own when she's ready to come out and speak to us of her own free will. If you go hunting her down, then you will only scare her into hiding even more. Be patient and allow her to come to us," Alice said hoping that Hatter will listen to her suggestion.

Hatter glared at Alice annoyed. "Do you not realize who is on the run?!? That was the baby sister of a well-known assassin, who had taught her many things. Now it is up to us to catch her and hope that we can still do so, before she has the advantage over us, because if she does, you don't have to worry about losing your head to the queen; Rowena March Hare will end your life."

"I don't believe Rowena would do that. If she wanted to end my life, she would have done so already when she was at my world," Alice argued. "But if you're hellbent on finding her, then lets go."

Hatter handed Alice a coat causing her to give him a confused look. "You need to cover your arm. Don't give away the fact that you're an oyster wandering around Wonderland."

Alice put the coat on before following Hatter out of the teashop.

The queen heard one of the spades wanted to speak with her and rushed out of her chambers to greet the spade. "Did you bring the girl? Where is she? I can't wait to lay my eyes on my little girl."

"We lost the girl. But we feel she may still be in Wonderland, traveling with Alice," the spade said.

The happy look dropped from the queen's face as she heard that. "What?!? I thought that we took care of her when she was younger. What business does she have wandering around Wonderland with my daughter?"

"She is helping Alice look for her boyfriend named Jack," the spade said.

"I can't have her in Wonderland again; let alone running around with my daughter," the queen said.