2.1 | Alice ✔

Wonderland Lives

Alfred swelled with pride as he listened to the excited chatter that filled the dining hall to the brim. There were so many people gathered here, that some had to be seated outside in the garden. Meredith was serving a round of her mass produced rainbow medicine with a side of tea, white rose sponge cake and assorted cookies. He couldn't remember the last time this place was so filled with life.

Jeremiah suddenly came to sit in the empty seat beside him, and Alfred became awkward as his brother smiled at him. After a few moments of strained silence, Alfred turned to him with remorse on his face.

"I'm sorry," they both said simultaneously, and as Jeremiah laughed, Alfred was taken by surprise.

"No, I'M sorry!" Alfred said, urging the other to be serious. "I told you I would share the kingdom with you, and I reneged because I'm a selfish, judgemental bastard . . . mother would be so disappointed in me."

"Mother is proud of you, Alfred," Jeremiah said fiercely. "She always has been. You were right about everything this entire time. I wasn't ready to rule a kingdom. I'm still not ready," he admitted with a rueful smile. "Damn it, I never even wanted a kingdom! I just . . . didn't want to be left behind. I didn't want our relationship to change when you became a king . . . I didn't want to lose my brother."

"Oh, Jeremiah!" Alfred burst into tears, standing to pull Jeremiah into a hug. "I love you far too much to ever leave you behind! I'm sorry I made you feel alone!"

"I love you too, Alfred," Jeremiah whispered, withering to tears as he hugged his brother just as tight. The entire dining room stopped to gush at the public display of affection. Meredith touched her heart while wiping a tear from her eye.

Zain and Saber exchanged a look before watching the others look around.

"Seifer," Zephyr finally sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry . . . about all the horrible things I said in the past," he murmured shamefully. "I . . . didn't really blame you for our parents' abandonment. I was blaming myself all this time, and I pushed you away because I secretly believed YOU blamed ME, and would be happier without me." He glanced up with sorrow. "Did you leave to be happier?"

"I left because I thought YOU'D be happier," Seifer grinned sardonically. "I never gave a damn about our parents leaving. All I cared about was raising you to have a good life."

Zaer sniffled emotionally beside him.

"Once I felt you were better off without me, I just left it as that. I would never resent your coming into the world, no matter what. You were the only one I had in this world for a long time, and that's a bond that no one could ever break or come between."

To prevent himself from crying, Zephyr turned into his beast form and tackled Seifer from across the table. Everyone gasped at the sound of wood breaking, but relaxed as they watched Seifer laugh and try to avoid the loving licks of his brother.

Zain and Saber glanced over and saw Elizabeth glaring resentfully at the Cheshires. She glanced up in time to catch them gawking, and she was taken aback as they nodded across the table at Katherine and Raelen. A dark blush entered her cheeks as she glanced over, and the two were already watching her intensely.

"Go on," Ridosen murmured, nudging her side. "Play make up like everyone else."

"Speak for yourself," she snapped, looking at Raelen's big, puppy eyes. "Look at how desperate he is to know why his big brother abandoned him."

"I don't have a motive for leaving White Kingdom," he said nonchalantly. "And Raelen knows I didn't abandon him. He just likes to look at me that way. He's my biggest fan. Right, Len???"