Chapter 5: Queen's Gambit Accepted
"Oh, what a lovely forest," the lady dressed in a light purple dress observed, leading the giant wolf she was riding out in front of the two men with her, twisting around in the saddle a little to look around. "And it's so warm here. Not like the mountains."
"Are you feeling uncomfortable, Lady Rosabella?" one of the men addressed her in a soft tone, one hand resting on the knife at his side, alert for possible threats. The young man was slender, almost in an acrobatic way, his uniform a pale blue that matched his lavendar hair, green eyes darting about.
"Not at all, Jun," she reassured. "It would make a lovely vacation spot, don't you think? To come calling to another kingdom every now and then. Ever since Blue was destroyed, we never get to visit our neighbors anymore. Don't you agree, Domani?"
The other man behind her sighed. He was taller than both the woman and the other man beside him, his hair a silvery color despite his young age, dressed in a slightly darker violet than the woman. "I don't think this is a good idea, Rosabella, darling. We're outside the barrier of Winter now. Something could happen."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained, am I right?" she asked with a smile, then pouted a bit when she saw his expression, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers. "You always want to stay locked up in Winter."
"With good reason," Domani pointed out. "It's not safe out here."
"You worry too much," Rosabella said with a wave of her hand. "Let's go see this White Rook and greet the new Queen."
Domani frowned, glancing over at Jun as he rode behind Rosabella, face set in a frown. "It'll be all right, sire," Jun reassured. "That's why I came with you. If something happens, I promise that no harm will befall you or Lady Rosabella."
The older man didn't say anything further, squinting at the white-stoned walls of the castle ahead. "Look," Rosabella said gleefully, pointing. "There's someone on the walls to greet us. Hello up there!"
There was a pause, and then a faint call came back. "State your names and intention."
Domani frowned, but Rosabella threw her head back, looking up at the person on the wall. "I am Rosabella, the Winter Queen. I come to welcome the White Queen."
"Darling!" Domani groaned at the woman. The person watched and didn't respond, and as they got closer they could see he was a cat, ears perked up in their direction. He seemed to look down and speak to someone inside the castle, then finally called back to them. "You may proceed to the front gates," he told them, pointing the direction.
"A cat?" Domani muttered to himself. "Why is there a cat inside the White Rook?"
"I suppose you would need to ask to find out," Jun said with a slight shrug.
"I don't like this," he stated. "I think we should go back."
"We've already come this far, darling. It would be rude to not say hello," she pointed out. "You do want to be on good terms with our neighbors, do you not?"
He scowled, but didn't say anything else as the trio led their mounts in through the front gates which opened before them. Standing in the small courtyard before the entrance to the great hall was a woman dressed in a white shirt and dirtied slacks, hair pinned up messily, walking out to them. The cat followed behind, ears flickering around in all directions.
"Hello!" Rosabella greeted cheerfully, sliding down from her mount and letting the two men tether it. "Are you the White Queen?"
"I am," she said with a slight incline of her head, extending a hand which Rosabella took in both of hers warmly. "You're the Winter Queen?"
"Yes, I am," she said with a smile. "My name is Rosabella, and I would be pleased if you addressed me as such. This is my husband, Domani," she waved toward the silver-haired man, "and our Winter Knight, Jun."
"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Ameko greeted sincerely, offering Domani a hand which he took slowly, and then to Jun, who knelt before her respectfully. "Please, call me Ameko. I'm not exactly nailed to the throne yet."
Rosabella laughed at that, the sound filling the open air with a cheery note. "It's good to see you have a sense of humor about it, Ameko, dear! Might we come in and talk?"
"Of course." Ameko motioned for the trio to follow.
"Ah, your cat," Rosabella said after a moment as she spotted Nikado. "You didn't introduce us."
"He isn't really my cat," Ameko protested. "He's just giving me some assistance."
"Oh, I beg your pardon." She offered the cat a hand cheerily, Domani shifting his weight from foot to foot nervously.
He shook it, bowing over her hand slightly. "Greetings, Rosabella. I'm a Cheshire."
"Oh, I've heard of those. You're said to be very wise," Rosabella recalled.
"I have a lot to live up to, still."
Jun gave the cat a polite bow, and Nikado bowed his head in return, one ear pricking at Domani who preferred not to notice the cat's presence. "There's a little dining area just beyond the great hall that we can use to sit down. I'll start some tea."
"My, how lovely," Rosabella observed, staring up at the mirrors as they entered the great hall. "Has it remained in such great shape all this time?"
"No, I've been working on restoring it. Time has not been kind," Ameko observed.
"What a lot of hard work you must have put into all this," Rosabella observed with wonder. "I couldn't tell at all."
"Thank you for your kind words, Miss Rosabella."
"How long have you been here, Lady Ameko?" Jun addressed the woman.
"Only a few weeks. I only discovered the castle less than a month ago, and I've been here since," Ameko answered. "So not terribly long, I'm afraid."
"Do you live here all by yourself?" Rosabella observed as they entered the dining hall, looking around at the empty room.
"Yes. Like I said, I haven't been here very long, so I haven't even finished restoring the castle, let alone begun looking for any help."
"Oh, that must be terribly lonely," Rosabella commented. "Darling, we should see if we have any hired hands that might be interested in a change of scenery."
"We could do that," he said noncommittally.
"I'll go make you some tea," Nikado stated, offering Ameko a chair. "You should talk with your guests."
"Thank you."
"He seems like a nice cat," Rosabella observed. "I've heard good things about them."
"He is. He's given me a great deal of help already."
"You should be careful," Domani warned. "Cats are treacherous creatures."
"I'm aware of their reputation, thank you," Ameko said with a polite nod to Domani. "I will be on my toes."
"Have you had much trouble since you came here?" Rosabella asked.
"A few minor incidents, but nothing serious yet. Neverland hasn't come after me directly so far."
"Have you thought about your Court?" Jun asked her directly. "The White Rook's barrier probably wouldn't stand up against a powerful attacker. "Even a Bishop and Knight would benefit you greatly."
"To be honest, I don't know many people at all, let alone anyone that would be qualified," she admitted. "I was going to start after I finished restoring the castle. As it is, I can't afford to stray too far from it."
Rosabella nodded agreement. "You'll find the work will go faster with more people, though. Many hands make the load light! You really don't know anyone?"
"The person I knew the best has gone into hiding, I'm afraid," she said with a shake of her head. "To be quite honest, I'm glad you came here. I've been hoping I could get advice from an established kingdom."
"You should look first to establishing a full Court," Rosabella advised. "It's the basis of your power. A King or Queen can't stand alone, you know."
"If you know anyone that's interested, I'd certainly be willing to give them a chance," Ameko said.
"Not off the top of my head, but I will certainly ask around for you when we return, dear," Rosabella told her, putting a hand on top of the younger woman's. "It's in all of our best interests to stand together. Losing one kingdom, even if it's not completely demolished, would be disastrous. Look at what they've done to Blue, after all. Neverland's armies can practically park themselves in the kingdom with no resistance."
"I absolutely don't want that to happen to White," Ameko said firmly. "This is my home. It's where I've lived all my life. My parents were born here. I will die before I let this kingdom be ruined."
Rosabella frowned at that. "Don't be so hasty to say that, dear," Rosabella said, giving her hand a squeeze. "If you died, the kingdom may not last very long without you. I hate to suggest it, but perhaps your first prospect should be looking for a suitable husband."
"A husband?"
Rosabella nodded. "I was lucky in that I had ample time and support to choose my darling Domani," she said, leaning over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Ameko smiled at the gesture. "If you were to die, it would ensure the survival of the royal line, even if the bloodline is not direct."
The other woman rested her chin on the back of her hand as Nikado returned with a tray of tea. "I'll keep it in mind. I don't really have any prospects, though."
"It's a shame you don't have a sibling," Rosabella sighed. "I've heard some kingdoms do it that way."
"Autumn does," Nikado said, setting a teacup down in front of her, then turning to Domani and giving him one as well. "And I think Spring as well. Summer doesn't even have a king, hasn't for years, but their power base is well-established."
"Ah, you're quite knowledgeable," Rosabella complimented as he served Jun before circling around the table, serving Ameko. That settled, he leapt up onto an empty shelf, watching the entire room as he settled down comfortably. Domani eyed the cat.
"Cats are well-traveled," he replied, closing his eyes, although his ears remained upright.
"What other advice can you give me?" Ameko asked of Rosabella. "You must have much more experience in me in, well, everything related to this. I'm willing to listen to anything you want to tell me."
She laughed, patting Ameko on the shoulder. "I'm sure we'll be happy to talk your ears off, dear. What would you like to know?"
"How do you defend against Wonderland?" the younger woman directed at Rosabella.
It was Domani that spoke up. "We have a barrier around the kingdom of continual snow and ice. No one can cross in without our permission," he added proudly, then paused, making a face, "except the dratted snow witches."
"Not all of them are bad," Jun reassured. "Some of them are very nice."
"Snow witch?" Ameko echoed.
"They're quite common in Winter, due to all the snow and ice," Rosabella explained. "They're humans with a magical bloodline that allows them to manipulate snow."
"They're not human," Domani insisted, his knight frowning at him. "They're a type of demon, White Queen."
"A demon? You mean from Neverland?"
"I've never met a snow witch that was on Neverland's side," Rosabella pointed out.
"That's where they come from, though."
"Really?" Ameko asked with interest."
"Yes," Jun said after a moment, "but the ones you see around nowadays have mingled with the blood of humans so much that they're far removed from their demon ancestry."
"Ah, I see," Ameko said with a frown. "I'm not well-acquainted with the nonhuman species of Wonderland, I'm afraid. I never grew up around many. I mostly only knew of cats from my father."
"Well, cats are the most populous creatures in the forest," Rosabella pointed out. "Isn't that right, Mr. Cheshire?"
"You don't have to address me as 'Mr.'," Nikado said, his eyes still closed. "And yes, they are. Cats are the original inhabitants of the forest, after all."
"And the eight kingdoms came from the forest," Rosabella added proudly. "I guess that makes you the fathers and mothers of the world, hm?"
"Where did humans come from?" Ameko asked Rosabella. "The kingdoms?"
She shook her head. "No, they came out of the forest, after the cats, I guess."
"Humans just appear in the forest sometimes," Nikado answered, stretching out on the shelf. "Some say they come from the Mirror World. That's how most of the old bloodlines got established, so I've heard."
"You're quite lucky to have a cat with you, Ameko," Rosabella said. "They are very knowledgeable."
"Only in certain things," Nikado told Rosabella, causing Domani to frown at him. "But thank you."
"I am very lucky to have him," Ameko agreed, looking up at the shelf. His expression didn't change, but she could see his tail swish slowly in a sign of pleasure at the compliment. "You don't have cats in Winter?"
"They tend not to leave the forest in general, but I've been told they don't like the cold," Rosabella sighed. "Is that accurate, Mr. Cheshire?"
"No 'Mr.', please." He shrugged. "Depends on the cat. I'm not very fond of the cold or the heat, myself."
"Oh, too much heat can be absolutely dreadful," she agreed. "So, Ameko. Shall we return to your problem of filling your court? Are there any local residences or establishments that you could visit, perhaps? It would be a good idea to get to know your people."
"I'm...not sure, actually," Ameko admitted after a moment. "I'm not familiar with this area of the kingdom, in all truth. I grew up some distance from here and used a stream in the forest to get here."
"Well, I think getting or making a map might be your first order of business, then," she said with a smile. "You should certainly learn about your own kingdom."
"It's not a good idea for her to go traveling all about," Domani pointed out. "Out there on a horse or something is a lot less defensible than this castle."
"Don't listen to him, he doesn't like to travel," Rosabella laughed. "Although he does have a point. Do you know anything about this area, Mr. Cheshire?"
"I said no 'Mr.'," he grumbled. "No, I don't. My territory is the forest. I suppose I could go out and look, though."
"Would you? I'd appreciate it," Ameko told him.
He shrugged. "I guess. Isn't it getting around dinner time for you humans?"
There was something odd in the choice of his words and her tone, and Ameko made a note to follow up with the cat later. It was funny how she'd already become so used to his presence that she could recognize small things like that. "You will stay for dinner and the night at least, won't you? I would hate to think of you traveling after dark."
"I'm so glad you invited us to stay," Rosabella replied cheerfully. "Of course we will. Shall I come in and help you, Ameko dear?"
"I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble," she protested.
"Oh, no, it's no trouble at all, I love to cook," she laughed, leading the other woman by the arm. "I've been doing it since I was a child."
"I'll come with you," Nikado said, hopping down from the shelf.
"I must respectfully decline, Mr. Cheshire," Rosabella said with a smile. "Girls need their time together."
"Will you please stop calling me 'Mr.'?"
She smiled winningly at him, then led Ameko away, Ameko only resisting to guide her in the proper direction. "Ah, this is so much fun. I haven't been on a trip in years," she declared. "Not since I was a little girl, before the Blue Kingdom was wiped out. It's such a shame that happened, you know."
"What was it like before?" Ameko asked curiously, opening up the cupboards. "Take whatever you like. I'm afraid it's not a terrible variety."
Rosabella closed the door, then opened it again, smiling as the contents changed. "An enchanted pantry, hm?"
"Seems to be, but it's in a bit of disrepair. Don't ask it for anything too complicated," Ameko warned. "I haven't figured out how to fix it."
"No worries, I'll make us something simply delightful," Rosabella laughed, pulling down some bread. "Blue was a very advanced kingdom. You should have seen the machines they had. Big, metal beasts that belched smoke and flame!"
"Machines?"
"Yes, Blue is, well, was, the kingdom of clockwork. Their power comes from the contraptions they run. It's said those contraptions allowed the Blue Rook to move around the kingdom to avoid being destroyed."
"Could Blue recover?"
"Same as White could, I suppose," Rosabella said after a moment. "It's not completely gone, otherwise it would have turned to rock and sand and become part of Neverland again. As long as that rook is still standing, it should be able to be revived. But they'll need a new royal line for that, and I don't know where they'll find that."
Ameko nodded. "I guess I'm lucky in that regard. The land itself wasn't razed in the attack on the rook. The White Rook took the brunt of the destruction, and it was still not beyond repair."
"I hope that such a thing never occurs to Winter," Rosabella stated. "It worries me."
"You're worried about Neverland attacking? Domani said you have a barrier."
"Yes, we do, and it works wonderfully. But it's all we have. I think we need to expand, to find a way to fight against Neverland ourselves," Rosabella said seriously. "Defending ourselves is all well and good, but Neverland will not go away if we simply lock ourselves away. I want to vanquish them."
Ameko looked at the other woman in surprise, and she smiled, rubbing a bit of butter on her nose in embarrassment. "Well, I have a little daughter to think of. It's the parents' duties to protect the world for the next generation."
"You have a daughter?"
Rosabella nodded. "My little Fia. She's barely three years old, but already so bright and loving. You should see Domani around her. Even he can't help but smile when he sees her."
Ameko smiled at that. "He seems very serious."
"Since we were married and he became King, he thinks of almost nothing but how to protect us," Rosabella stated. "He's the one that came up with the barrier. He isn't of the bloodline--that's through my mother's line--but his powers are very strong."
"It must be nice to have someone you can rely on like that," Ameko said with a slight smile.
"Yours will come in time," Rosabella reassured, "and sooner, if you go out and meet him. There's no resting on our daisies, White Queen."
The sun had set when it approaced the castle, looking up. The heavy feet crunched the grass underneath, leaving crumpled, dying blades as a mark of its footprints, and around it was silence as no animal was willing to get anywhere near the thing. The large mouth split into a grin as it looked up at the castle, fangs hanging out of either side of its mouth as it admired the smooth restored walls. Idly, he wondered if there was still blood on the inside or if that had been removed as well.
Well, the Bandersnatch thought to itself, there was always time to create a new painting. It had been far too long since he had dined on a White magic user, and the taste was surely quite addicting.
"Hello, little queen," he whispered, putting a hand on the stone walls. "I've come for you. I hope you've been expecting me."
The wall resisted his touch at first, but he sank his claws in, and the stone crumbled, discoloring as he passed through. Looking around and taking a sniff of the air, he smiled again to himself, making his way to the great hall. The Bandersnatch had entered the White Rook again, and this time there were going to be no loose ends.
With a cry, Ameko jerked awake, sitting up in bed. At the foot of the bed, Nikado's ears perked, turning toward her. "Another bad dream?"
"No. Something different. Something...worse," she said after a moment. "I have a very bad feeling about something."
"A bad feeling about what?" he murmured, scratching at an ear sleepily. "Do you want me to go look around?"
"Yes. No," she said after a moment, "I'll come with you. I won't feel okay until I've seen the castle for myself and made sure everything's in place."
He yawned, but didn't seem to be particularly bothered by the company, stretching before he hopped off the bed. "Suit yourself."
Opening her door, Ameko turned, only to see Rosabella about to enter hers. "Miss Rosabella? Is something the matter?" the younger woman asked seriously.
"It's nothing," she reassured. "I just thought I sensed something odd. I keep thinking I'm back at home, I guess," she said with a laugh. "Thinking there's something wrong with the barrier there. But that's just silly of me."
"If both of you sensed something," Nikado said, tail swishing, "chances are it's White's barrier. We need to check the walls."
Rosabella paused with a frown. "Is something the matter, Ameko, dear?"
"I don't know yet." Ameko bit her lip.
"Then let me come with you," Rosabella said. "Cheshire, would you be a dear and wake my husband and knight, please? I'll be with Ameko, so it'll be perfectly safe."
He made a face at the thought of Domani, but nodded. "Let's start downstairs," Rosabella said, leading Ameko by the hand. "Any thoughts on what it might be?"
"No, none. Just...I just have a very bad feeling about it."
"That's the impression I got too, dear," Rosabella said gently. "Have no fear. We'll find it and send it scurrying out in a hurry. It could be as simple as a Neverland rat."
"If it's as simple as a Neverland rat, there are serious problems with the White Rook's barrier," Ameko pointed out.
"I suppose you're right." Rosabella led the way down the stairs, into the great hall. The place was dark, the sky clouded over so there wasn't even moonlight to light up the darkness. "Goodness. Is there a light switch around?"
Ameko walked into the hall, reaching for it. "Hello, White Queen," a soft voice purred in the darkness. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last."
The younger woman stopped cold at the voice, then reached for the switch with a flurry, turning it on. Standing in the center of the great hall was the Bandersnatch, face split open in a wide grin as it watched her. Ameko froze in place, pressing her back against the wall in terror.
Rosabella drew herself up to her full height, watching the Bandersnatch with no trace of fear. "State your name and purpose, sir," she said firmly.
"Ah, the Winter Queen has come to make an appearance, too?" the Bandersnatch said, running a thin tongue over one of its fangs. "How lovely. My name is the Bandersnatch and I've come to defile the White Queen, though I suppose I could make an exception for you as well."
Bandersnatch! Ameko pressed herself harder against the wall, limbs starting to tremble. It couldn't be, and yet she was sure the monstrous thing standing in the hall was the same that had killed her grandparents. Oh god...it's going to kill me like it killed them. I can't escape.
Rosabella frowned. "You will do no such thing, sir. I kindly suggest you remove yourself from this hall before I am forced to send you outside myself."
He laughed at her. "And then what? You can't stop me," the Bandersnatch laughed. "Even if you throw me out, I'll come right back through the hole in the barrier."
"Nonetheless, I will not allow you to do what you like." Rosabella watched him evenly, casting an arm out. "Leave here at once."
"I don't think you really understand," the Bandersnatch said in its low, smug tone. "You can't really stop me."
Ameko let out a little cry as its neck stretched out, darting for the other woman. "Don't let it bite you!" she shouted. "You can't let it, no matter what!"
Rosabella waved a hand, the air chilling and shimmering in front of her. The head crashed against a sudden wall of ice between them, the eyes crossing as the neck retreated, the creature shaking its head. "You will not touch the White Queen," Rosabella instructed calmly, glancing toward the door.
He let out a low, chuckling hiss. "You're a slow learner, aren't you?" He walked toward the pair, extending a hand outward, the palm dripping with poison. As it fell on the barrier, it began to dissolve. "One barrier is the same as the next. I'll make your power a part of myself. It's a lovely place to be, don't worry. You'll never feel pain again."
"I will not allow you to do any such thing," Rosabella stated, pushing power through the hole. It slammed into the Bandersnatch, forcing him back and across the great hall, his clawed feet gouging long scars in the stone floor, tearing apart a carpet. He shook his head again to clear it, then grinned. "Is that all you have?"
"Rosabella," Ameko managed.
"Ameko, dear," Rosabella said softly, keeping her eyes on the Bandersnatch. "You need to flee. I will hold him here."
"I can't," she moaned.
"You must. You are his target."
"I can't...I can't move." Ameko put her hands against the wall, shaking. "Grandmother...grandfather...."
Rosabella looked back at the other woman, expression worried, then turned back to the Bandersnatch, knocking it back with another icy blast of power. "Leave here."
"I'm done playing," he told her, spitting a bit of blood onto the carpet. "Get out of my way."
"I will not."
"Then it doesn't really matter." The Bandersnatch moved forward with speed that was impossible to follow, breaking through the barrier. Bypassing Rosabella completely, he pinned Ameko against the wall, stroking her face with a claw. Her eyes widened in terror, and she was unable to speak a word. "Come be a part of my body, little one."
"No!" Rosabella shouted, throwing up her hands as she jumped between the pair, letting out a blast that froze the air around them, blinding in its intense light. The Bandersnatch's expression changed to a mixture of fury and pain as it let out an unearthly howl, and then its claws came down on Rosabella, piercing into her chest.
"I said," he snarled, tossing her aside, "I would deal with you later."
"Miss Rosabella!" Ameko pushed herself away from the wall, stumbling to the other woman's side. "No, Miss Rosabella!"
Footsteps finally came on the stairwell, Nikado's eyes widening as he saw the Bandersnatch. "Get away, fiend!" Domani snarled, throwing out his arm and sending a powerful blow toward the creature. It staggered back, already wounded by Rosabella's attack.
"I won't forget this, Winter King," the creature hissed, stumbling back. "For this insult, I will have your power for myself. I'll defile you."
"Just you try, monster," Domani growled, gathering more power to his hands. "I'll rip you apart."
The creature hissed wordlessly at him, but recognized that then was the time to leave, exiting through the hole it had made in the wall. Domani turned, and then his eyes went wide as he saw Ameko and his bleeding wife. "Rosabella! Rosabella, hold on," he said, running over to her.
Ameko continued to shake as she clutched the other woman's hand, tears falling down her face as she realized there wasn't anything she could do, anything she knew how to do. "Mr. Domani," she managed. "I--I don't--"
Nikado knelt by the woman, ears pricked carefully, and then he shook his head, saying nothing. "No, Rosabella," Domani moaned, taking the woman in his arms. "You can't leave me. Open your eyes, Rosabella."
The woman didn't respond, still in Domani's arms. "Rosabella!!" he cried out, clutching her tightly to his chest and heedless of the blood that got on his clothes as he cried out in agony, finally collasping over his body with uncontrolled sobs.
"Sire," Jun said softly, watching with a sorrowful expression.
Ameko closed her eyes at the sound, trying to stop her body's shaking and the tears dripping on the floor and succeeding in neither. "You need to go back to bed," Nikado told her gently, scooping her up in his arms. "Can you take care of him?" he addressed to Jun.
The knight nodded with a jerk, turning back to his king. "I couldn't stop him," she mumbled, leaning against the cat. "I couldn't do anything."
"You were scared." Nikado patted her hair as he carried her back up to her bedroom. "Sleep now. You can think about it in the morning."
She clung to him. "It was him, Nikado. The one that destroyed my grandparents. Now he's killed Miss Rosabella. I can't fight him, Nikado. I can't win against him."
"Don't think about it," he instructed. "We'll sleep on it. You can deal with it in the morning." He set her down, pushing up against her with a reassuring purr. "Go to sleep, Ameko. Don't dream. Just sleep."
"I can't...." Her voice trailed off, only vaguely realizing she was being charmed before she slipped into unconsciousness.
