I am so sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out, I have been extremely busy. Also this chapter has been rewritten more times then I can count and I still don't fully like it bleh, but You guys shouldn't have to wait so long. Oh good news I am a Official College Graduate of 2010 with a degree in Criminal Justice YAY! Oh I actually have pic in my profile it's of me that It kinda reminded me of Lily when she is hiding from the soldiers in one of the previous chapters go check it out. And no Lily isn't me the only things we have in common is the hair and eyes oh and the liking of The KnaveJ

Dis:I own nothing except Lily, and Rose

Chap 5

Meeting the Alice and Riding to Marmoreal

The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn. ~David Russell

The weeks that passed were uneventful for Lily. She did her normal routine as always wake up, combat training and tea with her friends. Things were as they always were except for memory like dreams the day her and Rose fell down the rabbit hole, the day she fled the red army and of course when her and Stayne almost kissed. They were relentless haunting her mind every night. Today was to beautiful for her to let those things plague her mind. The day was bright and sunny which certainly picked her sprits up. She walked up to Thackerys house were it looked like Mallylukum was telling them a exciting story. As she reached her regular spot she caught the last sentence.

"And that's when I stabbed the beast in the eye and we got away!"

"Well what did I just miss?"

"Oh Lilly! Sit, sit have some Tea!" Hatter replied happily.

The young woman did as she was told sitting down . She smiled at Hatter as he poured her a cup of tea "Thank you My kind sir, Now onto this exciting story that I just missed."

"Mctwisp and the Dee's though that they had the right Alice so we brought her to Absolem who said she was hardly Alice. I already knew she wasn't the right Alice from the start, Then the Knave came out of nowhere with soldiers and the Bandersnatch . The stupid girl stopped right in front of the beast and almost got eaten I stabbed it in the eye and saved her." Mally sliced that air with her needle size sword.

"Well how did you guys know she is the wrong one?" Lily asked taking a sip of tea.

"Absolem consulted the oraculum and she said she would not slay the Jabberwocky on the Fabjous day.

"Oh dear that is a problem isn't it…. She is still here?"

"Somewhere if nothing has gotten her yet."

The girl looked at Hatter with a nervous glance with which he returned." I'm sure she will be fine, if she was trying to stand up against the Bandersnatch then she is pretty brave."

"Think what you want, "Mally mumbled.

Hatter stared into his teacup in deep thought his crazy green eyes slightly hazed over. Lily knew what he was thinking about or more like who he was thinking about. She placed a hand on his and patted it in a comforting manner. "Well I'm kind of tired and I think a nap would do us all good." Lily said with a smile

"Agreed," Hatter said scooting as far back as he could in his chair getting comfortable.

Lily turned sideways so her legs hung off the left arm on the chair her side and head rested against the back of it. Mally climbed into her teapot and Thackery simply pushed everything out of his way and laid his head on the table soon all four of them were sound asleep.

Lily was outside sitting in the garden watching the gardeners plant red roses. Her hair was in a messy braid to keep it out of her face while she was training with her sister and Ilosovic.

"Lily what do you think you are doing?"

The girl jumped up at the voice and was at full attention in a heart beat bowing with grace despite her heavy armor." Your Majesty I was simply admiring your lovely garden that is all."

The Red Queen along with her entourage eye balled her" Yes well we are about to begin a game so be off with you."

"Yes your Majesty my apologies ." With that she was off leaving the Queen and her lackeys to do whatever. As she walked down a stone tunnel away from the garden a hand grabbed her by her shoulder causing her to jump. She spun around ready to attack until she saw who it was. "Rose, You almost got hurt don't sneak up on me like that."

The younger girl scoffed," I highly doubt you would have hurt me or even have a chance to lay a scratch on me"

Lily rolled her eyes at her sisters overly confident words, she began to walk off her sister keeping up with her pace.

"Stayne was looking for you after training but you had vanished now I know where to look next time."

"Why did he want me?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders." I don't know probably something to do with your training to be his second in command. I still don't see you being up to the position."

Lily looked at her sister her eyes narrowing "Shove off Rose, You have no idea what I am capable of doing."

"I don't mean it in like that, there's just something about you Lily in here that makes me believe you can't do it." She pointed her chest where her heart was. "You're my sister I love you I always will even if we compete for ranks. I don't want to see you slowly kill yourself with hate or become coldhearted….You're to good for that."

Lily was shocked at her sisters words, "Thank you Rose that means a lot to me, but then what about you?"

Rose chuckled, "Don't worry about be Sis, I'll be fine trust me. I have to go though I am supposed to be going with some of the other soldiers scouting." With that Rose ran down the rest of the tunnel disappearing into the light at the end.

Lily woke with a jerk her eyes hazy as they came into focus she saw Hatter leaning forward smiling widely at something or someone. She swung her legs off the arm chair sitting In the right postion she saw what actually all three of them were looking at. A girl the size of a mouse with pretty long wavy blonde hair and pale skin even at her height she was still a eye catcher. Hatter climbed onto the table making his way towards the girl kicking over tea cups and plates on his way causing Mally and Thackery to fuss. She watched him kneel down beside her almost giddy with excitement. "It's you" he said through a grin.

"No it's not Mctwisp brought us the wrong Alice." Mally argued.

"The wrong Alice!" Thackery grabbed his ears and yanked on them as he shook in his seat.

Hatter shook his head, "It's absolutely Alice, You're absolutely Alice I'd know you anywhere.' He said confidently and looking back to the others "I'd know him anywhere."

Lily and her two friends giggled at him calling the young girl a boy. He grabbed her arm and pulled her along as he walked across the table again back to his place, sitting the girl down in the seat across the table from Lily.

The two looked at each other and smiled "I'm Lily, you must be Alice."

"It's nice to meet you Lily but-"

"Now that your back we must get on to the Frabjous day." Hatter said happily.

"Frabjous day!" Lily, Thackery and Mally cheered.

"I've been investigating things that start with the letter M, Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk.?"

"Downal wyth Bluddy Behg hid," all four of them said in unison.

Alice looked confused, "What?"

"Down with the bloody big head, bloody big head being the Red Queen," a sly voice replied at the end of the table. Lily looked to see no other than the Cheshire Cat.

Hatter continued to talk which Lily let slip into one ear and out the other until she heard something that made her blood boil. "What happened that day wasn't my fault, You should talk to Lily on that matter after all she was there that day and she certainly wasn't helping us."

The cup in her hands dropped onto the table her hands were shaking so badly but before she could do anything Hatter had already taken action. He was storming towards the feline he makeup darkening and his eyes a blood chilling orange he was truly scary when he was angry. Lily could barely understand him with his Scottish accent but what words she did catch were not the most tasteful. "Hatter"Mally yelled snapping his attention from the cat, his make up and eyes quickly returned to normal.

"Thank you," He wheezed. He began to walk back to his seat looking over at Lily she gave him a look of thanks as he sat back down. The rest of the conversation she paid no mind to she caught bits and pieces of it but what Chessur had said was gnawing at her. It was not until she head the panicked voices of her friends did she come out of her own thoughts. She watched Hatter shove a even smaller Alice into a teapot and placing it on his lap." What are you doing?"

He gave her a nervous look and slowly back in front of him. She slowly turned her head to where Chessur once sat yet instead of seeing the smiling cat she saw the last person she wanted to at the moment. Ilosovic strutted down the hill a dark grin on his face" Well if it isn't my favorite trio of Lunatics and Lily what a surprise."

"Care to join us Ilosovic?" Lily asked In a sickly sweet tone.

He chuckled as he looked her dead In the eyes and seeing how nervous she truly was. He couldn't blame her, he was sure she that had not told a soul about their run in with each other.

"Yer all late fer tea!" Thackery yelled and flung a tea cup at Ilosovic's head which he quickly ducked allowing it to hit the solider behind him.

"We are looking for the girl called Alice" Ilosovic said as he walked over and stood between Lily and Hatter.

"Speaking of the Queen, Here's a lil song we sang in her honor. Twinkle, Twinkle little bat how I wonder what your-"

Ilosovic grabbed Hatter around his throat and squeezed," If you're hiding her you'll lose your heads."

"Already lost them, "Hatter wheezed.

Lily leapt from her chair sword out and raised at Stayne. "If you don't want to lose yours you do wise to let go of him." She could hear the guards behind her getting ready to advance on her but Ilosovic smiled and let him go.

"All together now." The three continued to sing while Stayne walked away past Thackery at the end of the table. She remained standing keeping her eyes on him just incase they decided to attack. A blood hound came rushing from under the table howling as he picked up on what she could only guess was a fake scent.

"Follow the blood hound" Stayne commanded.

The soldiers' ran off after the animal while he stayed back looking at all of them. "You're all mad."

"Thank you very much," Thackery said with a laugh.

Ilosovic gave a scowl before he walked off back to his horse as he climbed on he gave one last look to Lily a devilish handsome smile appeared on his face then he was gone. Lily stood there a smile tempting to pull at the corner of her mouth but she quickly shook it away. Looking back to Hatter he was slipping a miniature dress into the tea pot, she chuckled feeling bad for poor Alice. " I have to go I have some business to take care of in MarMoreal, FairFarren my friends make sure she stays safe." Lily ran down the hill to the forest edge and made a high pitch whistle noise. Suddenly out of the forest ran a large charcoal black horse with a white strip right down the middle of it's face. "Vixen my old friend it is so good to see you again"

The horse stomped its foot. "It has been a long time, Does this mean?

"Yes, We ride to Marmoreal to the White Queen."

"Finally, Come then let's not waste anymore time." The horse lowered herself so Lily could climb on. Once Lily was sitting comfortably she stood to her full height and ran off as fast as she could causing the girl to warp her arms tightly around her neck to hang on. Lily may have chosen a side but she now had joined the fight and if Vixen knew Lily she was burning bridges and giving up more then anyone would know to right what had been wronged.

Hope you guys liked it I just got done typing it and it's officially like 3 am in the morning so I'm so for any mistakes.