Alice's plan to overthrow the Queen of Hearts is thwarted by a dashing pirate with a hook. Years later, after the curse is broken, they reunite once again.
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slowly editing! You'll see at the end of each chapter if th...
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We come across a clearing in the woods and I take some deep breaths. Turns out spending almost three decades in a cell with such little food will make you a bit out of shape. I already feel tired and achy.
"This will do. We'll make camp here. We just need to find water and collect firewood." Mulan says and I breathe a sigh of relief.
"If we're hiding from Ogres, shouldn't we maybe, I don't know, not start a fire?" Emma asks sarcastically.
"Ogres are blind. They hunt by sound alone." Snow explains.
"Like bats! Well, bats aren't blind but-" I begin to ramble.
"Right, 'cause that's something everyone would know about Ogres." Emma cuts me off snidely. Me and Mulan share a look, stepping back to give Snow and Emma some space.
"Look, I know you're out of your element-" Snow starts.
"I'm fine." Emma cuts in defensively.
"I know." Snow takes a deep breath before continuing. "But maybe you should just stay here while we get wood and water? Guard the campsite?"
"You mean the big empty clearing?" Emma asks with a look of disbelief.
"It's the safest place. We'll be right back." She replies and walks off without giving Emma time to argue. Mulan walks in the opposite direction and I follow Snow.
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"She'll come around." I say, bending down to pick up some smaller sticks for kindling.
"I don't know." Comes her reply in a defeated tone, someone from behind me.
"She just needs time to adjust. Especially since she's stuck here, away from Henry." I explain, shooting her a sympathetic smile over my shoulder which she returns halfheartedly.
"I know, it's just hard..." She trails off for a minute before changing the subject. "So what exactly happened between you and Cora? I know you said something about a prophesy." She pries softly. I clench my jaw at the mention of Cora. I've been on edge since discovering she's here. I've never talked about what happened to me in Wonderland, wanting to forget about it and move on. Convinced that I would never get a chance to have closure but now...
"When I was a little girl I fell into a portal on accident that led me to Wonderland. When Cora realized that I was the person prophesized to overthrow her, she erased my memories and threw me back into a portal. Years later, I fell into another, back into Wonderland. That time, she tried and failed to kill me. Eventually... she used Jefferson to blackmail me into going through the portal. I could either let him die and overthrow her or..." I trail off with a rueful smile.
"And you chose to save him." Snow finishes with a soft smile. Before I can respond there's a dagger at her throat and I see that other woman that was with Mulan when we first arrived.
"Don't move." She orders. I draw my sword. "Phillip's gone because of you." She cries out.
"Drop the dagger." I say calmly, knowing this girl doesn't have the nerve to actually do anything. Snow grabs the woman by her head and throws her over her shoulder. I let out a little laugh of surprise. Snow pins the woman down who struggles underneath her.
"You listen to me, Princess. You think I don't know what it's like to be separated from the people that I love?" The woman tries to squirm away again but Snow pins her harder. "What happened to Phillip was not our fault so I suggest you find another way to channel your anger." In a split second Mulan comes from behind me and rips Snow off.
"Don't talk to her like that." She spits out. I look at Mulan like she's crazy. I think Snow was being pretty nice, all things considered.
"She tried to kill me." Snow grits out.
"I will deal with her." Mulan snaps back before kneeling by the woman.
"What are you? Her mother?" I bite out. Mulan gives me a viscous look but our attention is quickly drawn towards the loud boom. I look over to see Emma holding her gun in the air. "Oh fuck."
"Emma! What are you doing?" Snow whispers, panic lacing her voice. My heart drops as I look around, trying to sense where the Ogres might be.
"Protecting you. Drop the weapon." Emma says and points the gun at Mulan.
"Idiot." I spit out, sheathing my sword.
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" Snow asks but then off in the distance, we hear a roar.
"Ogres?" Emma asks, a look of horror crossing her face.
"Run!" I order and take off in the opposite direction. I don't look back to make sure they're following but I can hear their footsteps and heavy breathing coming from behind me. I can hear the Ogres getting too close for comfort. "Split up!"
Me, Emma, and Snow go in our own directions down a hill towards the clearing. My heart pounds from over exertion. I feel light headed. Just keep moving forward. That's what Andy had told me when we were climbing a mountain. That feels like a life time ago now.
I hear Emma yelp from behind me and I spare her a glance and see she's tripped and fallen. I stop in my tracks when I realize she won't be able to get up in time because the Ogre is closing in on her. She goes to pick up her gun but the Ogre quickly swats it out of her hand.
I draw my sword, bringing it over my head and throwing it with all my might, directly into its right eye. The Ogre screams and stumbles back but doesn't fall. Then someone whistles from behind the Ogre, catching its attention to reveal Snow.
"Back away from my daughter!" She orders protectively before drawing her bow and shooting the left eye. That finally does the trick as the Ogre falls to a heap on the ground.
Emma gets up and I go to help her but I stumble, my head spinning. "Alice?" I hear Snow's voice as though I'm underwater. It's the last thing I hear before my vision goes black.
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