Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 29 Alice

Slowly I started to wake up, but something wasn't right. I'm seated in a soft comfortable chair and nothing on me hurts anymore. My wrists are unbound and the gag was gone. I stretch out my limbs and slowly start to open my eyes.
I was in a garden? It was vibrantly colored like what I'd seen in Wonderland, maybe I was in heaven. At least I found some peace. I can only hope my family and Hatter will eventually find their peace as well.
"Glad to see you awake." I finally tear my gaze away from the fields of crazy colored flowers. And look to see a woman sitting across from the table were sat at. She looks familiar for some reason. She smiles at me warmly and passes me a teacup.
"You don't know me personally, but you know my name and you've met our guardian." Finally a memory of a picture Jack showed me while we were at the farm.
"Beatrice?" It barely comes out a whisper. I definitely must be in heaven. Or this couldn't be possible.
"Smart as a whip little one. Yes. I am your ancestor. And I've been watching over my line since Cheshire lost track of us after I married. I watched as the magic waited for you to come along. You were the only one who would have an open enough mind to accept Wonderland as real and not get thrown into an asylum." Her posture is completely relaxed as she talks as if this isn't the first time we've ever spoken. Her dress looks like its straight from the 1800s. My mind is racing from the memories and trying to remember what Jack said about her. I can feel myself starting to panic as I try to remember anything about my life, but it was all blurred and fuzzy.
"Ease your mind little one." She grabs my hand and holds it tightly in hers. She looks me in the eyes and starts to breathe deeply. I automatically follow her breathing and everything starts to slow down again.
"I know this is a lot for you to grasp especially after the time you've had. I wouldn't have a chance to talk with you directly if you hadn't been through so much." She gently pulls me from my seat and we walk down a familiar path, but I couldn't remember why.
"Where are we? And how the fuck did I end up here?" She barks out a laugh when the curse leaves my mouth and I feel my neck heat in shame.
"Don't be ashamed for your language. I was never that prudish compared to the woman of your world. I find it refreshing you are able to use words so freely. And I know your Hatter loves you just as you are." I'm not even surprised that she knows about me and Hatter. We're passing by a section of daisy's and tulips as she continues.
"You still haven't said how I'm here. And where here is." She sighs and pats my hand. And gently pulls me further down the path.
"Here, is where the magic stays between worlds. A pocket of what was and what may come back. I'm only here to talk with you and help guide you to your next place. As to the why." She sighs and stops in front of a patch of scarlet red tulips.
"The why is unfortunately much darker. Your body and magic are doing their best to keep you alive, however your soul is stuck wondering here. Like when we dream walk, but your to weak to hold on to your body. Cheshire, Hatter, and even the March Hare are working hard to get you strong enough to come back to your body." Hare? I thought he hated me. That makes no sense, how long have I been gone?
"The March Hare is a curious one. His magic is not quite like those before him." She passes me a red tulip before she starts to walk into the field. I follow behind trying to figure out why this is all happening.
"Your mind tends to wonder more than anyone else's. It helps you at times, but it disturbs your peace. You need solid answers to let the facts rest or your mind keeps chasing it like a Jabberwocky with its prey." Beatrice laughs lightly before the world shifts to look like a small cottage surrounded by trees with flowers and pears. The air is thick with the smell of the pears and something that makes my stomach turn.
"Why does it smell like pears and rotten seaweed?" She looks at me as if she's studying my face before she pulls me into a tight hug. The boning of her corset digs into my skin and I can't hold back my small grunt from the pain. She quickly releases me and brushes the hair from my face.
"You're reconnecting with your body little one. And that smell is a healing balm from Griffon and no doubt you taste pears because that young lady is feeding you fruit from where our line comes from. The lady the Hare is so attached to. Let Griffon know they're a good pair. Not quite a claimed half, but very close to it." She enters between two pear trees and walks toward the house so it must be her home.
"Our lines home, actually. This is where the first of the Hearts settled when our families came to Wonderland."
"How are you reading my mind? And if this is where we came from then why is it here?" She leads me towards the right side of the house where there is a small table and set of chairs waiting for us.
"I've spent countless years here and I've picked up a few tricks." She laughs then winks at me before she chooses her seat and waves me to the other.
"And this is more of an illusion that I prefer. This was my first safe spot. Tucked away in the garden away from my responsibilities. And this is where you make your choice little one. You came to me because of others jealousy, obsession, and greed. The hybrid was only motivated by fear but mostly greed. Cheshire probably won't kill him, but I can't make that a promise. I don't blame him though." She pauses and sighs deeply before she gently rubs her forehead. She has a tired look settle on her face.
"The other one, Dina, her mind was corrupted by her poisonous obsession with Hatter. She wanted to combine their magic so she could be more than her sister. The jealousy she feels towards her sister has slowly been turning her magic dark and twisted. Then you came along little one and that poison finally snapped her mind. She has no remorse for her actions and she never will. The Guardians will know how to deal with her. So don't let her poison your time with Hatter."
My body starts to feel tingly like when a dream walk was starting to end. Beatrice smiles at me and sighs.
"Time never did like his talents to be wasted. Which means my time in the pocket has finally ended and I get to see if I get to see my beloved Oscar again. Don't worry little one, you'll remember everything here, it will be nice to have someone alive remember me again. And take some time to explore my beloved Wonderland and our home. It needs some love to warm its walls again." She starts to fade, but I don't know if it's because she's fading or I am.
"Will I see you again?" She smiles, but says nothing. The garden around us slowly starts to turn to black as a searing pain in my wrists and hip come slamming into my body. I can't hold my back scream as the dream ends.


Cheshire

Alice's color was improving slowly. Her spirit didn't feel like it was fully attached to her body. And that was my main concern and none of the other Guardians had any knowledge of how to help. I did the only thing I could think of, I laid on her chest and purred. She wouldn't eat anymore of the pears and couldn't drink anymore water. It was driving Hatter mad. When he wasn't beating the hybrid, he was pacing outside of the room. He had already worn a groove into the hardwood floors, not that Hares mother or father would ever say anything to him. They had their own problems that they were coping with in their family.
"Any improvements?" Opening my eyes slowly I look toward Hatter as he crouches down next to us. As time passes and she keeps refusing more food and water he's starting to deny himself the same. No matter what is offered he refuses to accept unless she has even just a nibble.
"Same as the last time you asked, but she feels farther away lately. Like she's holding on to less threads than before. Don't fret Hatter. Her soul and magic is strong so she may need time, but she will come back to us." He just grunts at me and moves to sit on the bed and places her head in his lap. It seems to soothe him, laying her head in his lap and brushing out her hair before he gently moves her around so she's not in one position to long as she had before.
"If I loose her then you'll be down two lines. I will go to the other side with you and deliver the news to her family, but I don't know what will come next for me." His words are calm and ring true, but I know it will not come to that. The magic would never allow two of its founding families to die out. No. I felt something powerful brewing between the worlds and something is coming to a boil.
"Cheshire. I need a word with you in private." Griffon breaks us out of our routine and we look at him. He's calm and collected so we know there is no danger. I nod before I look at Hatter and he seems totally disinterested in what we have to say. I gently removed myself from Alice's chest before I gently tapped my head to hers. Silently asking the magic to bring her back.
I follow Griffon out of the house and through the garden into the forest.
I know the path were following by heart, we're going to the table. The table where we all meet to discuss the importance of future events.

The table is made from the fallen tree that we all remember waking up around. The first days were confusing for us all. Slowly the magic showed us the way. Once the first year past we decided to turn the tree into our common table for when we need to all gather.

The table is set and the other two are already silently staring at each other. We found out long ago they could speak normally through their own magic connection. Same as me and Griffon. 
Griffon clears his throat and they look at us with almost no emotion.
"Hello my friends. Who could have predicted what these last few days would hold for us all." They make a small huff in acknowledgement. Griffon settles in his usual chair as we all reminisce about the excitement that's come around.
"Not even the other side has held this much excitement for me in the hundreds of years that I traveled. And we haven't had such darkness in our world since the early days. And I thought that darkness was beyond our people these days." He shakes his head and pours us both a cup of tea. Mock turtle says nothing but he pushes a few papers towards me and Griffon. At a quick glance I can already tell what they are. A binding potion for Dina, to lock away what was left of her magic. Everything that she's grown with will be locked away till the day her heart stops beating for good. It was the most graceful punishment we could have given her, not that she deserved it.
"We've seen to much violence and heartbreak when we should have been rejoicing for finding our lost lines. We shall show what little mercy they deserve, but they will not be let loose. Dina shall stay in the abandoned stables near this table. The hybrid, Hunter, shall join her. Though for his crimes he'll have a few more scars to add to what Cheshire and Hatter has already given him. Now to our lost lines-" Griffon is cut off when we hear a blood curdling scream coming from Hares home. Alice. We're all moving before the scream died. All that was running through my mind was  to beg the  magic that she be safe.