There were many workers inside the palace, doing their daily job as normal, ignoring Bill and his men. They wore fantastic outfits, kimonos of all styles, as they went about their business. I simple gawked at them, wondering if I could get my hands on one. But the realization that I wasn’t here on vacation kicked in. I was here to be taken as prisoner to the King and Queen.
We walked further into the palace, more decorations and scrolls covering all the walls. I didn’t say a word as Bill led me, only a couple of his men now following us. I wished I could read his face, but the darkness made it near impossible.
Bill stopped me in front of two grand doors. Dragons were carved into the wood, along with cherry blossoms. “This is it, Alice, the moment you have been waiting for.”
I held my breath as the doors began to open.
CHAPTER 19
I couldn’t believe my eyes. The room was magical, and if it weren’t for being worried for my life, I might have enjoyed it. Glorious golds and reds swirled up the walls with more paper lanterns floating in the air above us. Steps led up to where the King and Queen sat.
The King wore a traditional deep blue robe, the same color as night, with small stars that were sprinkled on it. If he stood in the window, I probably wouldn’t have seen him. It appeared that he had brown hair, but it was hard to tell as his face was masked in the darkness. Did that mean he was going to disappear as well?
The Queen, on the other hand, wore a light color, almost like that of a cloud. Light pinks and yellow and purples accented the brightness of her kimono. She wore a light blue belt that made her seem more like a dream. As I entered, they stood up.
“At last, we meet the spectacular Alice,” the Queen said as she stepped down the steps. “Was she a bother to capture, Bill?”
“No task is too hard for my queen.” Bill bowed down. I just stared at her. Her golden hair draped loosely on her shoulders. I wondered what beauty the darkness hid beneath. Her skin and hair seemed to be perfect, and she must have had such great beauty underneath.
She stopped in front of me. “What is it? Have you never met a Queen before?”
“I have not,” I answered, realizing that I had been staring. It was probably incredibly rude of me and I felt stupid for doing such a thing.
“Well, now you have,” she answered. “But what I want to know is why my dear Malcolm left my side and went after you. Why you are more important than his Queen, the Queen he swore loyalty to.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
She let out a sharp laugh. “Such modesty, my dear girl, will get you killed. Now answer my question.”
“I really don’t know. They abducted me from the real world and brought me here, I’m still not sure why,” I explained.
“Hm. The real world? Is this world not real?”
“I… I just meant my world.”
“Both this world and that world go together, they cannot be separated, each ties into the other,” she snapped. “They are, in a sense, one and the same. Although I haven’t seen your world, I would believe it is much like this one.”
I glanced around. “Not quite, but sure.”
The Queen stood there for a moment, as if examining me. “I still don’t quite get it. My best men left me. Malcolm, Melvin, Davis, all three of them left me for you. I don’t understand why you are so special.”
I shrugged. “I really don’t know.”
“And they were in the Red and White Kingdom?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yes ma’am. That is why her capture took so long.”
“Not because Malcolm is a better soldier than you?”
Bill didn’t answer, which made me start to wonder if what Malcolm had said earlier about him being better at tracking and fighting was true. I guess he had showed this entire kingdom how powerful he truly was.
But then I messed up, and here I was.
“I thought so,” the Queen added. “But Bill, do you have anything to say on the matter? Is this not the Alice of legend?”
“Your majesty, this is the girl the boys had with them. Howard even gave his life for her. She is the one,” Bill explained, trying not to upset the Queen any further.
I felt my heart fall into my stomach at the mention of Howard. He had given his life to protect me only for me to get myself captured. I was such a nuisance, I should have learned how to fight better, I should have been able to protect myself.
“Then explain to me how this girl can be connected to the Alice of legend.” She pointed at me viciously. “This girl is puny compared to her! She can’t be the one they risk their lives for.”
Bill didn’t say a word as the Queen approached me. Her face was right in front of mine and I could almost make out her eyes. I think they might have been blue.
“What makes you so special?! What makes you think you can overthrow this kingdom?” she yelled.
I wanted to back away, but there was nowhere to go. I was cornered with a Queen yelling in my face. Not something I could ever prepare for, that was the truth. I was scared that she might order my head to be chopped off, even though it was another Queen’s trademark.
“Answer me supposed Alice!” she demanded.
“I already told you I didn’t know,” I murmured. “It wasn’t my choice to be here. Your White Rabbit tried to kill me.”
She whipped around. “Where is that Rabbit?”
“Right here,
