Chapter 3: The Hall of Mirrors
When she woke up the next morning, the cat was still gone. Remembering her promise to go hunting, she left early in the morning, making her way back to her old house to check on the traps. It was odd to think of it as her "old" house, but already the White Rook had the sense of home. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little depressed at the sight of the cold, dark house, with no sign that she had lived there before with her father. She wondered where her father might be, if he had made it to where he was going, if he knew the Cheshire that had helped them so long ago was dead. What would he think of the Cheshire's son, Nikado?
Nikado. That was an unusual name as well, she thought to herself, also with its roots in Autumn. Or was it? Where did cats get their names? The kingdoms had originated from the forest, not the other way around. Sighing, she set to work with the traps, resetting some, repairing others, and being rewarded with a few that had catches. Hauling them back to the castle, as well as a few other things from the abandoned home, took her more than one trip, and even with the shortcuts through the forest, it was past noon by the time she was done.
Getting herself a light lunch, she looked out the window, into the forest beyond. Nikado still hadn't returned, and she was a bit disappointed. As strange and irritating as the cat had been, it had been nice to have some company for a little while. The castle was just too large and empty for one person alone; it was used to having other people around to fill it. She could almost sense the longing in all the stones.... There it was, that sense of emotion from the castle itself. What exactly was the White Rook?
Munching on a dried piece of fruit, she made her way to the great hall, looking up at the mirrors as she took a seat in the throne, letting its power flow into her. Above her, the mirrors shimmered in the afternoon sunlight, and she watched the motes of dust drift through the sunbeams reflected down onto the floor. Glancing back up, she paused as an image in the mirror caught her eye.
It wasn't a reflection of the floor or walls around her, but it was a reflection of the great hall. But not the one she was standing in--the hangings on the wall were different, and in the center of the hall, a figure dressed in a formal uniform of white walked down the carpet spread down the length of the hall, ringed in by people on each side. Withdrawing a sword from his sheath, he kneeled in front of the man at the throne, offering it up....
She looked to another one, and could see a different scene reflected in it: a little girl with short, thick blonde hair running around on the carpet, smiling brightly as she waved to someone. She turned, tripped, and began to sniffle, only to be swept up in the arms of a woman, dressed in white robes, who murmured something reassuring as she cuddled the little girl....
Another mirror had yet another image, that of the great hall at night, with moonlight filtering in the windows. Something dark streaked down the hallway, and when it paused Ameko could finally see it was a cat, ears flickering and eyes alert. In its hands, it was carrying a bundle of white....
They were images from the past, she realized. The mirrors of the great hall must be enchanted to record what happened before them. Was there a way to play back those images while being able to pick and choose which ones were shown, she wondered? The tingling feeling was growing, as if something was going to happen soon.
Another mirror over the door caught her eye, and as she watched in it, she could make out the figure of a cat, but this time it was a familiar one: Nikado, the white Cheshire. She found herself wondering if the image was from the previous day when the image of the cat on the mirror jumped back, a whip's tip cracking the air where he had been. What the...?!
Nikado dodged back again, ears flat as he faced his attacker, making no move to attack himself. Looking at the background, she recognized it as the valley in front of the castle. This wasn't an image from the past, and she didn't think it was from the future, which meant it was happening now. Stopping to pick up the crossbow she had left by the throne, she ran to the front doors, the massive gates opening as she approached. "Cat!"
His ears pricked in her direction as he backed away, and then he ran for the castle, the pursuer following. The figure was a man, a human, she guessed. "Hold there," she ordered him firmly as he came close. "Explain yourself."
"Hello, White Queen," he addressed her, flicking the whip out. "Do me a favor and piss off, will ya? I'm here for the Cheshire."
Ameko realized, a bit too late, that the whip was an enchanted one. The shockwave from the whipcrack sent her flying back, skidding down the great hall. Nikado hissed at the man, tail fluffed out as the attacker stepped through the open doors. "Who sent you?"
"You'll find out soon enough. I'm being paid well to take you there," the man said with a smile, cracking the whip at the cat again. This time the tip caught him in the ear, and he let out an inhuman yowl, digging his claws into the carpet from pain. The man grinned, pulling out a rod and shoving it against the cat's ribs. "Not to say I can't have a little fun while I'm at it."
"Cat!" Ameko shouted, pushing herself to her feet by leaning against the throne. The tingling in the back of her head and up her arm as she laid her hand against the throne for balance wouldn't stop, wouldn't go away, and was only becoming stronger. She cursed to herself as she watched the man jab Nikado with the rod again, the cat letting out a yowl and jerking away, panting for breath from the pain that was being pushed into him.
"Stop!" she ordered the man, finally removing her hand from the throne. "I said stop! Or I'll make you stop!"
The man merely sneered at her. "You may be the heir to the White kingdom, and I'll leave you to whatever business you'd like, but this one's mine."
"Who's after him?" she asked, hoping it would distract him enough that he wouldn't attack Nikado again. "Are you from Neverland?"
It didn't work. "Nope," he declared cheerfully, pushing the rod down again and smiling at the resultant cry, blood speckling the carpet from the cat's injured ear. "I'm just your average, run of the mill bounty hunter. I was actually born in Blue, if you want to know."
"Damn it, stop hurting him! If you're not from Neverland, why do you have any reason to hurt him like this?" Ameko demanded.
He thought about it, letting Nikado rest for a moment, then poked him again. "Because it's fun and I don't really like cats."
She opened her mouth to speak again, but the thrumming became too intense, causing her to stumble back onto the throne. Had she misused her power somehow, caused things to go out of control? Faced with the thought of losing her life and the kingdom, Ameko mostly felt irritated that she couldn't stop the demented man in front of her.
Above, the mirrors were shining, no longer reflecting the past as they had, but each now turned a pure, brilliant white. She looked up at them, and so did the man, curious as to what was going on over his head.
And then the power came to her, searing her eyes, and despite it she couldn't even blink, the images of the past, the feelings and sensations being burned in to each part of her body. She knew, she now knew things about the images she had seen, that the little girl had been her own mother, that the sword was the rightful property of the White King, that the cat had stolen something to give to the White Kingdom at a great cost....
Finally the glow faded, and she collapsed back onto her throne, panting for breath as the thrumming slowly calmed back down, the mirrors returning to showing only her reflection. As the buzzing in her ears stopped, she could hear something else, a voice screaming, not just in pain, but in horrible agony.
Sitting up in alarm, she cast her eyes over the hall, wincing at the bright images that flashed across her vision, like an overlay. Nikado was still laying on the ground, one hand on his injured ear, but he wasn't the source of the screaming. That was coming from his attacker, who had staggered back a few steps, his blood spilling onto the carpet as he clutched at his ruined eyes. Feeling a bit sick at the sight, she got up, walking over to him and taking him by the arm.
"Oh god," he moaned, "oh god. No. Make them go away."
Had he seen the same things she had, in that moment of the power's release? "Leave here, and never come back," she ordered, tossing him outside the castle gates firmly. She felt a bit sorry about his eyes, but even with her newfound knowledge, she doubted there was anything she could do about it. The doors shut as she turned back inside, reentering the great hall and going over to Nikado. "Are you okay, Nikado?"
He hissed at the touch, his movements filled with pain. "This is why I hate humans," he growled, the tone low in his throat.
She paused, hand hovering over his shoulder, a bit taken aback by the anger that emanated from his voice. "I'll find some bandage tape for your ear. Where else are you hurt?"
"Leave it. I'll lick my own wounds."
She scowed at him, then gave him a gentle tap on the nose with two fingers, causing him to jerk back. "I need to make sure that there's no poison or infection in that cut of yours. Let me help you, Nikado."
He stiffened at the suggestion, but acquiesed, letting her lead him into a room which at one point had been a doctor's office. Scowling as she waited impatiently for the room to repair itself, she went to a cupboard, pulling out some swabs and a bottle of something to clean the wound. "This will sting a little," she told him as she put some on the swab, "but it'll make sure it doesn't get infected and will help with the healing. My father used to use this all the time on me."
He hissed at the touch, trying to keep his ear as still as he could. "Why was that man after you? Was it because you're here with me?" she asked quietly.
"I can think of a few possibilities, but I don't know. Cats are good at making enemies, particularly out of Neverland. It's not out of the question."
"I'm sorry," she apologized softly, absently rubbing her fingers over the wound to make sure the dirt was out. "Even if it was something else. Nikado...Why do you hate humans? If you don't mind me asking?"
He stiffened at the question, then growled in a low tone. "A human killed my mother. Why?"
"Oh...." She bit at her lip, fingers still absently rubbing the wound. "I'm sorry. Was it because...she helped my father?"
"Are you determined to blame everything on yourself?" he asked in a flat tone, ear pulling out of her fingers as he flattened them against his skull. "Go right ahead if it really floats your boat, but it's stupid if you ask me."
"No, I just...I don't want to be one of the reasons you hate humans," she said quietly.
"My dislike of humans dates to far before I met you," he told her simply, curling up on the counter. "You have no bearing on my opinion."
"That's hardly much better. Let me finish with your ear," she said, reaching for some bandage tape.
"It feels fine. Leave it."
"We don't want it getting dirty, and--Ah?" She paused as she reached for his ear again. She could still make out the cut, but only as a small scar, mostly sticking out because of the gap in his fur. "I didn't know cats healed that fast."
"Huh? We don't. I thought you were doing something to it."
She looked down at her fingers, rubbing her thumb and forefinger together. "I don't know. Maybe I was. Nikado, why are you helping me if you hate humans?"
"Because I hate Neverland more," he replied stiffly, tail lashing about. "Are you going to compel me to answer every one of your questions, damn it?"
"What? But I'm not...." Realization hit her. "You gave me your true name? Why?"
"Trust should be met with trust. It's rude to do otherwise," he stated simply, curling his tail around his leg.
"Thank you," she replied, "but I really wish you'd have warned me. What if I'd used it in front of that attacker?"
"That's why I told you to use it when we're alone. Weren't you listening?"
"Well, yes, but I meant as an accident!" She sighed. "Never mind. Let me get you something to eat. I have fresh food this time around."
"I don't think I can eat right now," he told her. "I'd rather just take a nap."
Her expression fell as she watched him. "All right. I'll come back later."
Going out to the great hall again, she found herself without much of an appetite herself, placing a hand on the floor where the blood had fallen, removing it with barely a thought. I spend too much time worrying about a cat. I need to focus on restoring the White Kingdom. Why is he so important, anyway?
Because he's the only help I have, another part of her mind argued. It only makes sense to worry about him. This is hardly a job one can do alone.
Or maybe I'm just lonely, she added with a sigh. I've always been with my father. I miss him, terribly. I just want the kingdom restored and Neverland defeated so I can see him again, but I don't think it'll be that simple.
A sound made her turn, and she saw Nikado out of the corner of her eye, placing his claws into the throne before vaulting onto it, curling up on the throne's top ledge with his back to her, flopping down tiredly. What kind of enemy could he have that would do that to him? Is it something I can protect him from?
There were too many questions, and she seemed to find more every day, and answers were becoming increasingly rare. Ameko walked back over to the throne, sighing as she sat down in it. The thrumming began anew, but not as intense as it had been previously, having returned to the quiet thrum it did when it was at work repairing the White Rook. From above her, she could hear another thrum, and it took her a moment to realize it was the sound of the cat purring. "Are you all right?" she asked him worriedly.
"The power of this castle is soothing," he mumbled sleepily, shifting positions. "Don't stop."
"All right, I won't." And shortly thereafter, she fell asleep, queen and cat sharing the throne in the empty hall.
