by Lotus Rose
Malice says, “We shall do our best to help. We wish to visit her.”
“So you can kill her? I’ve thought of doing so myself, but she has powerful magic, and I am only one person.”
Malice says, “Perhaps we may bargain or reason with her. So...do you know?...”
“I do not know where her home is. He won’t tell me, and he refuses to let me come along on his trips to visit her.”
Malice’s shoulders slump. “Oh.”
“However...” says the munchkin. “Now that you’re here, I have a plan that can lead you to the witch, but it is risky, for me. I am willing to take that risk, but you must promise me to try your best to save my brother.”
“I promise...we promise.”
“Very well. The witch is always in search of new playthings. My brother has told me he shall take me to her, if I agree to become one of her so-called ‘lovers’.” She blanches and makes a yuck face.
Malice blinks in confusion. “But you’re a girl.”
Sleepy B gives a burst of surprised laughter.
When Malice looks at the girl, she makes a show of dramatically rolling her eyes, and says, “Really, Maly, are you truly that naive?”
“Hmmm? Ohhhh...now I get it. Sorry, the idea didn’t occur to me.”
“Well, you’re still young,” Sleepy B says.
Malice sticks her tongue out at Sleepy B, as the munchkin says, “Well, the very idea of even being near such a manipulative, heart-stealing witch is repulsive—and I don’t even know what she looks like. All I know is that she wants to harm my brother, so I must go along, to save him. But if he finds out I’m faking, I fear he shall kill me—that’s how powerful the witch’s spell is. And if the witch casts her spell upon me, that shall be most regrettable as well.”
“Love can be the cruelest trap,” the Cat says.
Humpty says, “What role do you wish us to play in your plan?”
“You may follow us, when we go to visit the witch. I shall leave a trail so that you can follow without him seeing you.”
“What happens after you get to her abode?”
She shrugs her shoulders.
The Jabberwock says, “If we should meet this witch, wouldn’t she enamor us as well?”
Neva says, “My understanding is that each person must voluntarily submit, at first, but over time they lose any will of their own, and they become completely devoted to her. However, as protection against the witch’s magic, I wear an amulet around my neck, magicked to repel love spells and such. I made sure to use a long chain so it can be adjusted for any size necks, because I thought I might have to use it on my brother, who happens to be a giant. Perhaps it would be better for one of your team to wear it...”
Her teammates’ eyes shift upon Malice.
Hatter even says aloud, “Malice,” and Sleepy B says, “Not me. This body is too young-looking to interest her, anyway.”
Malice says to Neva, “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather wear it?”
“I believe my role should be to make as little fuss as possible. My wearing the amulet would arouse my brother’s suspicion. I thought it would be foolhardy to wear it, even when I first got it. No, I believe I shall be pleasant and agreeable, until the cavalry arrives to save the day, Miss Alice.”
“Yes, about that. I am not Alice. I am Malice—Queen Malice—her twin of sorts. Nonetheless, we shall help you and your brother, and I shall wear your amulet, and am most honoured to do so. When may we expect your brother?”
“Within the hour. You may hide in my bedroom so he doesn’t see you. He is currently visiting his witch mistress. But I’m sure my news that I have finally decided to submit, shall make him eager to visit her a second time. But I also expect him to be suspicious and to search my person. But this bead bracelet...” She holds up her arm. “I have worn since I was eight. It won’t arouse his suspicion. Though it pains me, I intend to rip it and to drop beads at intervals to provide you the ‘bread crumbs’ so you may follow us. I believe that, using that method, you’ll be able to get around the witch’s magic, as long as you follow closely behind. I hope you won’t let me down, Queen Malice.”
“We shall do our very best,” Malice says. “Might you show us to your bedroom, if you please?”
CHAPTER TWENTY
THE TEAM WAITS ABOUT thirty minutes inside the munchkin girl’s bedroom, until they hear her brother arrive. He has the heavy sounding footsteps of someone quite large, though they don’t see him.
It doesn’t take long for Neva to tell him she wants to devote herself to the witch, after which they depart for the witch’s abode.
The team lounges about for a bit so they won’t be seen by the munchkin siblings, before going outside to follow the trail of beads, whilst hoping not to be seen by any of the villagers. Thankfully, the laundry-hanging munchkin is nowhere in sight—her wet laundry waits upon the clothesline to dry.
The beads can be hard to spot in the dirt, because they’re small and spaced far apart, but with the whole team working together, they follow the trail. (The Cat, of course, declines to help, citing his non-interference policy.)
The bead trail leads them outside the village, where they feel more relaxed. They weren’t spotted inside the village, and hope there’s less chance they’ll run into anyone in the remote desert.
The trail leads them in the direction of scraggly hills and orange-red rocks, all casting long shadows, since twilight is approaching.
They come upon a tall narrow rock outcropping. A spiraling staircase is fastened to its sides, leading to a wooden house atop a ledge.
Malice wonders if they’d ever be able to find their way back to it again, due to the witch’s magic—in any case, it’d be best to resolve everything on their first visit.
They climb the staircase. One of the stairs partway up has a blue bead on it. When they reach the top of the staircase, they find themselves upon a ledge. Only ten feet away sits the witch’s house that takes most of the rest of the ledge—the house is approximately fifty square feet, with an empty area ten feet wide—a yard of sorts in front of the front door. They spot a blue bead upon the ground.
I wonder if we’re being watched, Malice thinks as she looks at the two windows—they’re closed, with the rich-red colored curtains drawn. She cannot hear any sounds coming from the house, but smoke is rising from the chimney.
The team exchanges glances.
“Well what now?” Humpty says.
Sleepy B says, “I think I can knock the door down with a flying side kick. Do you dare me?”
“Absolutely,” the Cat says.
Hatter says, “I should think the windows would give way more easily, though one would have to contend with all that bothersome glass.”
Malice says, “Well, it is customary to knock.”
“Quite,” the Jabberwock says. “But perhaps the door is already open...”
When they get to the door, the Jabberwock presses at it, but it’s barred from the inside.
Malice presses her ear to the door, but can’t make out anything. “Very well, knocking it is.” She grasps the magic gold amulet for assurance before politely knocking.
“Who is it?” comes a pleasant sounding female voice from inside.
She can’t think of anything different to say, so, “Malice!” she shouts.
“Lightning blind me!” exclaims the female voice. “Malice. The Malice? The Queen Malice? Is it really you? Hold on!”
They hear fidgeting and scraping sounds from behind the door. The door swings open to reveal a human-sized woman with brown hair that is pulled tightly in a bun. She is of average build, wearing a red bustier and long flowing black skirt. If this is the witch who steals hearts, it would be odd that she doesn’t appear exceptionally gorgeous. She is pretty, but not overly so.
The woman looks at the team members, says, “You brought friends. Well, hello, my lovelies. So what business brings the esteemed Queen Malice to my humble home? I am the heart-stealing witch. My n
ame, you don’t need to know. Be ye friend or foe?”
Malice feels flustered. Maybe I’ll only mess up if I try to be deceptive, so I’ll try the straight-forward approach. “I come seeking to have a heart you took put into my chest, to replace my defective, mechanical one.”
“Ah, how intriguing, my lovely! Thank you for simply coming out with it. Come in, come in, and we shall discuss it.”
She steps aside, to reveal a medium-sized drawing room. The munchkin girl, Neva, is seated at a couch and flashes them a welcoming smile.
Malice and her team exchange glances—they seem as thrown off by the witch’s cordiality as Malice herself.
Hatter tips his hat. “We are much obliged, madam.”
The team enters the room—an unlit fireplace sits on one end, a bookshelf filled with books rests against one wall—from a glimpse at a few of the titles, they seem to be mostly books about magic. Paintings of various people line the walls.
“They are my former lovers. All of them gave their hearts to me.”
Malice refrains from stating that they were unfairly compelled by black magic to do so. “Including the Tin Knight? It is his heart that we seek to reclaim.”
“But not to give it back to him?” says the witch. “But to use for your own?”
They stand in front of the grouping of furniture set up to facilitate conversation. The witch gestures at the seated munchkin. “This is Neva, my newest lover.”
Sleepy B says, “Oh, are you a munchkin? I hadn’t noticed, since I’ve never met you before, nope, not at all.”
“Such a pleasure to meet you for the very first time,” Hatter says.
Malice resists the urge to groan.
After various greetings, during which Neva pretends to be meeting them for the very first time, they all take their seats, with Neva gazing adoringly at the witch, glancing at her eyes, her mouth, watching her movements, all whilst wearing a lovey dovey smile.
Yeuck. Gross. It’s certainly better to feel and appear that way, than have to gaze upon someone in the throes of those feelings.
“So!” the witch says, “there she sits. The legendary Queen Malice.”
Malice arches her brow. “I hardly consider myself legendary.”
“Perhaps not yet, my lovely, but I suspect you have great events in store for you. Events involving Dorothy and Alice.”
“Dorothy seems to think I am Alice.”
“Well you do look a lot alike, my lovely, but you have a mechanical heart.” She winks.
“You know?”
“I do. I like to stay informed of my past lovers. I know the ticktock heart used to belong to the Tin Knight. But I don’t know why you want to place his heart of flesh within your chest.”
“Hers is wonky,” Hatter says.
“It’s going kaput,” Sleepy B adds.
Malice says, “Yes, the ticktock heart was designed for the Tin Knight. Within my chest, it has been malfunctioning.”
“Oh, what an interesting pickle, my lovely. Why, if you had a human heart, you’d be much more similar to Alice. Perhaps you might even serve as her substitute in the places of history. Perhaps it is you who shall don the Vorpal Fist and traipse about ripping hearts out of the blokes close to you.” She glances at Hatter and Humpty.
Malice shakes her head, filled with dread at the very possibility. “No, that was Alice who did that, in the um, previous version of the future. But we shan’t allow that future to come about.”
The witch scoffs. “Your own words betray you, my luscious pretty. You yourself stated that the future can be changed, and prevented. So perhaps it is you who shall take Alice’s place in the future. Perhaps it is you who Dorothy shall shift her attention onto, even though I find it hard to believe she’d abandon her pursuit of her dearest chum, Alice, with whom Dorothy shared those fond past memories.”
“Fond past memories?” Malice says. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, goodness me!” says the witch. “I assumed you knew, for you are Queen, after all.” She takes in Malice’s clueless stare. “Dorothy and Alice were childhood friends, before things went awry between them. And before Dorothy went to the Wizard to have her age advanced to the age of consent.”
Malice looks at her male teammates. “Did you know about that?”
All the male teammates except the Cat shake their heads and deny any knowledge.
“Perhaps it was kept secret for some reason,” the witch says. “My point is, that Dorothy and Alice have a special connection with each other—they have a past, and a...familiarity. Dorothy has been anxiously awaiting for the right time to reunite with Alice.”
“But Alice went bye bye,” Hatter says.
“Yes,” says the witch. “She is in the Outside World now. So when Dorothy finally figures out you’re not Alice, it remains to be seen if she will consider you a worthy substitute for the real Alice.”
“Oi! I’m not a fake Alice. I’m Malice, my own, separate person.”
“Quite,” says the witch, “which is why she may end up sending one of her tornadoes to fetch Alice, rather than dealing with you.”
“Tornado?” Sleepy B says.
“Whirly air whooosh,” Hatter says while twirling his downward-pointing index finger, by way of explanation.
The witch says, “A magic tornado is how Dorothy traveled here. With effort, she can create them as a way of transportation between our two realms.”
The Jabberwock says, “Well, we can’t allow her to do that. Alice’s home is in the Outside World now.”
The witch shrugs. “Are you going to confront Dorothy to stop her, then? Perhaps it is destined. Perhaps the future can’t be stopped after all, and Alice shall return to Wonderland to fulfill her destiny as the girl who will tear your heart out and show it to you before you die. Oh, how I would envy her.”
“No, no no,” Malice says. “That future shall not come to pass, for we shan’t allow it. Neither I nor Alice shall be tearing out hearts.”
“Wishful thinking,” the witch says. “Who knows, perhaps it shall be me who plays that role in history. Why, imagine if I acquired the Vorpal Fist myself! I do so love taking hearts!”
Humpty says, “Don’t you do that already?”
The witch says, “The fist would make the process much more direct and easy. As of now, I have to use magic to transfer hearts from others’ chests—it’s quite a bother.”
The Cat says, “Oh, the fist would be so much more dramatic and bloody,” sounding almost gleeful, which earns him a few glares.
Hatter says, “That blasted fist needs to destroyed to keep it from being used in the same future as happened before...errr.” Confusion comes across his face.
“I agree,” the Jabberwock agrees. “Do you know where it is?” he says to the witch.
The witch says, “I wish I did. I’ve been looking for it. As for the idea of destroying it, it’s a magical object that cannot be easily eliminated. So perhaps either you or Alice is destined to don it.”
“No,” Malice says, shaking her head. “We shan’t allow—”
“Yes, yes,” the witch says dismissively. “Whatever the future holds, I hope it ends with Dorothy’s defeat. Oh, how I loathe that girl.” She rolls her eyes. “She’s obnoxious, immature, and has tried to kill me quite a few times. I pray that you, Queen Malice, shall prove to be a powerful adversary for her and her tribe.”
“I wasn’t even aware of her existence until a few days ago, and the only reason she seeks me is because she has mistaken me for Alice. I prefer not to make enemies.”
“Oh, pish posh. That girl has a way of forcing people to be her enemy, believe you me. And I believe you would be much more of a threat to her if, within your chest, was beating that heart of the Tin Knight, which you seek.”
Malice perks up. “You wish to give it to me?”
“I must admit, I find the idea intriguing, because I wonder what shall happen between you and Dorothy if you have a fully functioning heart.”
“Let’s find out,” Malice says.
“But what kind of wicked witch would I be, if I simply gave you the heart I worked so hard to attain?”
“We have money,” says Sleepy B.
“I don’t want your money. It is hearts that are my heart’s desire, my lovelies.” She chuckles.
Hatter says, “In all fairness, the hearts don’t rightfully belong to you in the first place. You stole them away.”
“No, I did what all women do. I wooed, I charmed them away, until my lovers couldn’t wait to give me their hearts, because they were overwhelmed with their love and adoration for me.” She looks at Neva. “Right, my lovely?”
Neva grins back and bats her lashes. “Oh, how could they not feel so? Oh, you’re wonderful.”
Malice rolls her eyes.
“But you ensorcelled them,” Humpty says to the witch.
“Hmmm?” says the confused Sleepy B.
“Enchanted,” Hatter clarifies. “You cheated your way into their hearts with unfair magic.”
“So what?” the witch says. “They’re mine now. This one shall give her heart to me one day as well, right snookums?”
Neva cutely scrunches her nose. “Oh yes, honey buns. If you’ll accept it.”
The Jabberwock says, “You stole those hearts, and you need to return them to their rightful owners.” He taps the hilt of his sword in his scabbard.
The witch raises one eyebrow. “And if I don’t, you intend to take them by force, is that it? Oh my poor naive little monster, that would not be a wise thing to try. Do you forget I’m a witch?” She gestures with her hand at the Jabberwock’s sword. It unsheathes itself and hovers in the air. She says, “A deadly weapon, indeed. So sharp.” She flicks her wrist and the sword whooshes through the air to hover in the air, with its edge pressed to the side of Humpty’s neck.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“DON’T MOVE, LITTLE boy,” the witch says. Humpty stays still except for widening his eyes in fear, and trembling. “Why, this blade is so sharp, it could slice through your neck like a hot knife through butter, and then I could take your head.” Her mouth lifts into a cruel smile. “But it’s not your head I want.” The sword pulls away from his neck and rises upright in the air. Humpty untenses and lets out a sigh of relief.