Cruel as a Queen

by Kendra Moreno

  No, he can’t hear me in another world.

  We will write our story together, and when we perish, we will do that together, too.

  I’m sorry, I think. I’m so sorry I won’t get to keep my promise. . . .

  Alice’s laughter is all I hear.

  When another feather is yanked from my skin, I scream, and scream, and scream.

  Grief is the price we pay for love.

  A VERY MAD WEDDING

  Kendra Moreno

  It’s time for a new Reign to begin. . .

  A Very Mad Wedding

  I watch a pair of frog creatures hang up flower decorations along the walls, trying to ignore that some of the flowers have faces open in grotesque rage. Once picked, they’re no longer a threat, but the sight of them still skeeves me out even after all the time I’ve been in Wonderland. White bounces around the tearoom, dictating where each decoration goes, what has to be done before the ceremony. The colors of the décor are mostly black and purple, the Hatter’s colors, but soon, I will have a color of my own. Wonderland will decide it for me. I’m hoping it’s not red or white. I can’t bear to wear those colors after everything we’ve been through. I won’t be the new Red Queen. I’ll be the Empress. I take a deep breath.

  Today is not only my wedding, but also my coronation.

  All of Wonderland will come to witness my marriage to the Hatter, and the crowns placed upon our heads. Well, my head, anyway. The Hatter refuses to wear anything but his top hat. I’m a little relieved by that, that he isn’t going to change just because the threat to Wonderland is over and that he’ll be an Emperor. I refused to take the crown as well, but Hatter said I have to at least wear it for the coronation. After that, he promised to strip me of my royalty and treat me like the Hattress I am. His words, not mine. I’m most definitely looking forward to that.

  “Clara?”

  I turn towards Jupiter as she strides up to me. She’s not dressed in her formal wear, but that’s okay. Neither am I. The ceremony is hours away still, but I should be getting ready. Jupiter’s bright hair is loose and wild around her, an endearing trait that I know White likes as much as I do.

  “Hi,” I mumble, biting my lip. I’ve been caught. There are, no doubt, some women waiting in a room somewhere to do my hair and makeup.

  Jupiter, though, isn’t stupid. She’s far from it, so smart that I sometimes wonder what we would have done without her. The Hope Bringer is a whole other creature. Wonderland couldn’t have chosen a better person for the job.

  She eyes the robe I’m wearing, my loose hair and clean face, and smiles.

  “Are you nervous?” she asks, holding out her hand for mine. I take it without hesitation. We’re sisters of a sort, not by blood, but by circumstance. I only wish Cal and Cheshire could have stayed, but I understand why they didn’t. Cal has more responsibilities than just Wonderland; she has a brother to raise. I know they’ll come back, but I miss them while they’re gone. I’m looking forward to their arrival for the wedding. White assured me that they would be on time.

  “About the wedding, no.” My answer is honest. I’m not nervous about marrying the Hatter. I’m excited. I’ve waited for this day since the moment I fell down the rabbit hole.

  “About the coronation, then.” Jupiter smiles and starts to tug me towards the preparation room. I smile at her gratefully and follow behind. “What makes you nervous for it?”

  “Only everything. Girl, I’m about to be crowned an Empress of an entire world. I am woefully underprepared and not suited at all to the job.”

  When we reach the preparation room, Jupiter smiles at the women waiting there, one with gorgeous antelope horns, the other sporting goat legs. “Would you mind giving us a few minutes to talk please?”

  “Of course.” They both curtsey and leave the room.

  “See, that!” I point out once they’re free from the room. “I don’t want anyone bowing to me, or curtseying.”

  “So, then make it a law when you’re empress that no one needs to bow before you,” Jupiter shrugs. “You’ll be the ruler. You can make the rules.”

  I sigh. “That’s a very good point. It still doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing.”

  “Does anyone know what they’re doing when they’re called for a higher purpose?” Jupiter grins. “I certainly didn’t know what I was doing when I fell into Wonderland, or when I started slipping into dreams, or when we found out I’m the Hope Bringer. Hell, I still don’t know what I’m doing. There’s no Punisher here at the moment. That means it’s up to me to defuse any situations that spring up. So, consider this me defusing you.”

  “Damn.” I laugh, scraping my hair out of my face. “Now I feel like a bomb.”

  “You should. You’re a strong, independent woman. Because of you, Wonderland is alive.”

  “Not only me, though.”

  “But you were the first, and you might not realize it, but without you, it would have never worked. You’re the glue that held us together, that made Cheshire see the light, that helped me rescue White when Alice took him, that raised your sword at the final battle. You are our glue, and now you get a fancy title for it. Just consider this a promotion.”

  Snorting, I shake my head, but a small smile pulls at my lips. “But how am I supposed to be ready? How do I know when I am? And how do I know I’m not making some massive mistake?”

  The smile on Jupiter’s face falls, and I realize I’ve touched a nerve. I’m tempted to tell her never mind, that I’ll figure it out myself, but I can sense she also wants to talk about something hurting her, so I reach out and take her hand again, before we take a seat on the small couch.

  “I used to have a sister, a twin.” Jupiter doesn’t look me in the eyes. “Actually, she’s the only reason I ended up in Wonderland. Before she died, I promised her that I would go on an adventure, so when she was gone, I packed up everything I owned and moved from the east coast to California.”

  “What happened to her?” I whisper, squeezing her hand in reassurance.

  “Neptune was different, always addicted to something. At first, it was books, then boys, but then the wrong boy introduced her to drugs. I didn’t notice until she started lagging at softball practice. And then I started finding the drugs hidden in her room. When I asked her about it, she said it was just a passing fancy, that she was just experimenting. But she never stopped, and it only got worse. The last time I saw her, she called me to come over. I didn’t know it at the time, but she was saying goodbye. My sister was a firm believer in the universe and told me that I would have adventures while we grew up. She never said we.” She turns sad eyes to me. “She never said we. Now, I know she always knew that she was going to die young. After she made me promise to have adventures, and I left, she committed suicide.”

  The words “I’m sorry” almost spill from my lips, but I know from my own experience that those are the worst words to say. They only cause more pain.

  “And the promise she made you keep sent you straight to White,” I clarify, pulling Jupiter into a hug. “Have you told him that?”

  “We’ve discussed it. White thinks that Neptune had some of the powers of Absalom, that she saw things. If she would have told me, then I could have helped her. But it’s my mistake that I didn’t see something was wrong with my twin. That’s my point. We don’t know if we’re making mistakes, and if we do make one, that it isn’t some preordained nonsense that leads to something better. You’re gonna make mistakes, Clara. There’s no doubt about that.” She meets my eyes. “The point is, you won’t be alone when you make them. You have a whole family behind you. Something I’m eternally grateful for myself.”

  “Thank you,” I whisper, taking a deep breath. “For sharing your story and helping me to clear my head.”

  “Anytime,” she grins. “If you need me to start making nerd jokes or to tell you the entire table of elements, I’m your girl, too.” The wink she throws me is all awkward and completely Jupiter. She’s a breath of fres
h air, and it’s easy to see why White is so in love with her. “Now, let’s get you ready for your wedding.”

  The ladies come in when Jupiter calls for them, and they start bustling around my hair, wrapping it up into a fancy updo that I never could have achieved myself. A string of glowing crystals is threaded through the locks, casting a soft purple glow.

  “Let’s see the dress,” Jupiter claps, reaching for the large bundle hanging from the door. When she opens the bag, she gasps. “It’s glowing!”

  “Hatter said something about being infused with the mushrooms’ phosphorescence.” I know Jupiter will appreciate that piece of information. When she strokes a finger gently down the dress and checks it for the essence rubbing off on her–it doesn’t–she sighs.

  “Remind me to ask Hatter how it was done. That’s a very neat trick.”

  With the help of the two other women, they manage to get the dress on and laced up the back until I almost can’t breathe. When I look in the mirror, I sigh. While I don’t want my color to be white, the base shade of the dress is of that color, but the glow from the mushrooms gives it a blue glow that kind of dances around like it’s covered in glitter. With a dropped-waist skirt that poofs out around my hips and a sweetheart neckline, it really is the wedding dress far greater than any of my dreams. And I get to marry the Hatter in it.

  Just as I’m turning to check out my butt in the dress, the door opens, and Cal strides in. I choke. “You’re in a dress!” I exclaim. I don’t know why I’m so shocked. She looks gorgeous in a dark-blue formal gown, short in the front but long in the back. She’s wearing her black-leather jacket over it, and her combat boots stand out beneath it. She’s certainly still dressed in her style.

  “Of course, I’m wearing a dress,” she laughs. “I’m coming to a wedding and a royal coronation. I had to get a little fancy.” She strides forward to hug me first before doing the same for Jupiter, and suddenly, it’s a little hard to swallow.

  It’s been a year in Wonderland since the final battle, longer probably in the real world, and we still haven’t told Cal and Cheshire about the newest problem, about Neverland.

  “Cheshire and Attie are waiting outside with the other guys. The decorations are morbidly awesome by the way.” Cal grins. “I can’t help but appreciate the nasty little assholes being used in the flower arrangements.”

  “I’m glad someone likes them,” I moan. “I really could have gone without so many beady eyes looking at me when I walk down the aisle.” We all laugh at that, none of us losing any love on the carnivorous plant life of Wonderland. “I can’t wait to see your brother and Cheshire. I’ve missed you all.”

  “We missed you, too. I’ll tell you all about it when you get a moment to breathe. There’s a particular story of Cheshire getting into a fight with the washing machine that I can’t wait to share.” Cal stands up like she’s about to leave, and I panic. Now, I need to tell her now.

  “Wait!”

  Cal turns, a smile on her face. “What’s wrong?”

  “I have something I need to tell you.”

  “Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait until after the ceremony.” Cal grins. “I gotta go make sure Cheshire and Attie stay out of trouble. The two of them have started playing pranks together. Let me tell you, I’ve never been so nervous in my own home as I am when those two start getting ideas in their heads. Would you believe they Saran wrapped the toilet on me?”

  I smile, letting my anxiety go until later. “What did you do in retaliation?”

  A wicked smile spreads across her face. “I Saran wrapped their motorcycles together. Took them hours to get it all off.”

  She laughs and leaves the room, leaving Jupiter and I to chuckle over their antics.

  I look in the mirror again. “I’m not looking forward to the conversation,” I sigh, glancing at Jupiter.

  “Neither am I. But it’s better to come from us, and she knows that there will be a whole host of people making sure he’s safe.”

  “Will he be safe, though?” I ask, biting my lip. “None of us know much about Neverland. I only know what the storybooks say, and I doubt it’s anything like those. Wonderland sure wasn’t.”

  “White won’t talk about it. I don’t know if it’s because he doesn’t know, or if he just genuinely is frightened of what he knows.”

  “It’s just a new obstacle we’ll tackle together, right?”

  “Of course. We totally got this.”

  I wonder what it means when even the Hope Bringer can’t calm my nerves with her words, when her enthusiasm doesn’t ease my heart. No, something bad is coming, and unfortunately, Atlas will be a large part of it.

  Someone just has to tell his big sister first.

  Back at home, the bride’s father walks her down the aisle and gives her away, but I no longer have a dad, and this isn’t the regular world. In Wonderland, the bride has the option to walk with whomever she likes, whether it’s a single person or a whole train of people spread out behind her. I considered asking Cheshire, because outside of Hatter, he felt like the next logical choice, but I decided not to when I saw him so comfortable with Cal and Atlas. Whoever walks me down the aisle would have to stand at the front with me, as a sort of Man of Honor. After debating for a long time, I realized that it’s okay to make the journey alone. Besides, my dress is far too poofy for anyone to actually walk beside me comfortably.

  The song that plays as the wide doors open to the tearoom isn’t something I recognize. The tone is different, the cadence bright and happy and still somehow dark. Leave it to Wonderland to make me feel as if I’m both marching into battle and getting married at the same time. The Hatter’s table isn’t in the center, moved away until after the festivities. Instead, the entire expanse of the large ballroom is filled with tree stumps for guests to sit on, each one filled. It’s decorated as if the outside came in; a small rolling mist even flows along the floor, giving everything a romantic, and a creepy, feel. Candles add another level of ambience to the area as every pair of eyes turn to watch as I step inside the room. In my hands, I hold a skull that Hatter swore was part of some sort of ceremony. I asked who it belonged to, and he shrugged his shoulders.

  “Honestly, I don’t think anyone remembers at this point.” That had been his answer. So, now I carry an unknown person’s skull in my hands as I walk up the center aisle, my eyes on Hatter.

  The Hatter doesn’t look much different than he does normally, although he’s wearing a mesh shirt beneath the more ornate purple jacket he wears. He still wears his combat boots, although he might have shined them up a little, and his top hat still sits precariously on his head. His face lights up as he watches me step down the aisle, heading right for him.

  He doesn’t wait for me to make my way up to the stage set up at the front, like I was told he should do. He swoops down the steps and runs right up to me, the crowd gasping at he ignores all sense of tradition. Hatter never cared for such things, and there are no laws anyways against the slight. I laugh with glee when he picks me up and swirls me in a circle regardless of the large dress. He doesn’t waste time before he throws me over his shoulder, rather roughly, and sprints towards the stage. If I wasn’t wearing a floor-length gown, I’d worry about flashing everyone. I just barely keep ahold of the skull as I wave at the guests in delight, almost upside down. There’s a mix of laughter and sniffs of disdain from the crowd, and it feels kind of like when an older generation thinks the younger one is insane. Funny, that even in Wonderland, there are those who look down on change. I hear Cal and Atlas whoop in excitement at the proceedings before Hatter steps up on the small stage and gently sets me on my feet again.

  “Are you in a hurry, Hatter?” I ask, my face red with laughter.

  “To marry you? Absolutely!” He grins, tipping his hat. “Can’t have you changing your mind.”

  I hold out the skull with my own grin stretching my face, and he clasps his hands around mine. I really do love this man.

  Because the
re is no current King and Queen, our wedding is being overseen by the next best person, the Time Keeper. White grins at us as he stands there in a weird version of a pope outfit. I think it’s a joke, at least I hope so, because the black robe and funny looking hat are a little ridiculous. I don’t even know how the hat stays on his head. It’s decorated with skulls and gold thread, some jewels added for good effect. It has to be heavy. His ears are spread to the sides of the hat, making the sight even weirder.

  “We are gathered here today to join these two creatures in honored matrimony,” he reads from a piece of paper in his hand. The handwriting is rough and hastily scribbled; I wonder how he’s even able to read it. “More like mad matrimony. Since when is anything we do honored?” I laugh even as Hatter scowls at the Time Keeper, but White continues as if he doesn’t see the hard look. “The ceremonial skull has been presented, the poor sap. Please place both your hands over it.” He looks up to where our hands are already clasped and clears his throat. “Right, then. Uh, the skull is a symbol of your everlasting love, that you will cherish each other long after death, and carry each other into the Here After.” He raises his brow. “Well, however that works with Hatter. You get the point.” White looks up at me, a gentle smile on his face even after all the joking. “Do you, Clara Bee, solemnly swear that you will hold the Hatter’s hand whether into the dark, the light, or the Here After, as long as you shall exist?”

  “I do.” I smile up at Hatter, glad that there’s at least some similarities between a wedding in my world and his. There’s something satisfying about saying those words.

  “And do you, Hatter, solemnly swear that you will hold Clara’s hand whether into the dark, the light, or the Here After, as long as you shall exist?”