In This Style 10/6 Chapter 23 Two more days of restless traveling pass by. The horses slowly bring us upon a large, white, stone castle that glimmers in the clouded light of the less radiant sun. More chess pieces guard the large glass doors in the front. There are slim, tall cherry blossom trees that line the tan, stone path that leads to the magnificent, glass doors. We all hop off our horses as chess and the white princess are helped down. "Careful!" I say annoyed a chess in picked up. "Like I said before, he's in good hands. Stay calm." Mirana tells me, resting a hand on my shoulder. She leads us all down a long corridor with light blue walls lined with tapestries, sculptures, and paintings. Deep red curtains with gold fringe hang aside from the tall windows to let the light in. "Nana, Beyard, this is where you will be staying." Mirana announces in front of a tall, glass door with blue curtains the cover it from the inside. Nana and Beyard are escorted inside by a pawn that then rests outside the door to guard it. The next room is for the hare and Jacob, whom I didn't even know was with us. Suddenly there is a squeaky voice that comes from their room (with an identical door). "Maliumpkin?" Jacob yells. "Is that you?" Out from a smaller door carved in the later door runs a mouse identical to Jacobs mouse form. "Maliumpkin, have you really been here all along?" Jacob yells in excitement. "Indeed I have." The hare whispers into my ear. "Maliumpkin is Jacobs best friend." I nod at the unusual sight as they all enter their room an another pawn piece guards the door. "And this will be your room." She informs me as we walk a few more feet down the hall. The door is just the same as the rest and I walk in. Cool air brushes my face as I pass through. There is a tall, stain glass window on the wall opposite of me. To my left if a raised platform with a white painted bed that is covered by a canopy. The sheets are a light, baby blue and the pillows are white. The floor is marble and shines in multiple colors from the window. I step into the light from the window and immediately I am bathed in pinks and greens and blues and reds. To my right there is a large chest of drawers. It too is painted white. The room almost feels empty. Mariana starts to leave the room when I stop her. "What about chess?" I ask. "He'll be staying in the infirmary with my nurses." She tells me. "Can I still see him?" "Not for a little while." She says as her smile droops a little bit. "But, this might lift your spirits; Nana told me that you're skilled at a sewing machine?" "Yea, my mom did stuff like that at home for a living." I explain. "Down the hall and the red door on your right is a room full of fabrics and hems and buttons. I can have a machine brought to your room and you can Fabian yourself a new dress if you'd like." She tells me. I look down at my old, worn, and tattered dress and my face lights up at the idea. I decide to take her up on her offer and I search for the red door. I open it to find a room, much larger than I expected. The walls and shelves are filled with colour! I grab the nearest blue I see. It's a turquoise colour and its beautiful. I rub it on my cheek. It's rough. I then find a soft violet fabric with tacky green leaves all over it. I walk deeper into the huge room. I come across more exotic fabrics, including metal shingles that look as if they're used for amour. I continue on through the maze of colours and fabrics until I get tired and decide to head back to my room. I curl up on the bed in the silk sheets. It's stool not enough bits soft, but not comfortable or warm. This castle doesn't feel like home. I toss and turn in the giant bed for a long time before sitting up and roaming the halls of the castle until I'm lost. I come across a hallway where the stone isn't white, but grey and thee ceilings are much lower. There are only a few windows that leave shadows in their wake. I see a small, deep blue door with a silver knob. I open it. Inside there is a line of beds on opposite walls. There is only one being currently occupied. Chess! This must be the infirmary. There is a mumbling across the room and that's when I notice Mirana sitting next to chess. I can't quite hear her. Her voice is soft and fragile. Chess is also finally awake and they are speaking about something, if only I could hear. Mirana stands, kisses chess on the forehead and leave the room through another door. They didn't notice me. I turn around and try to shut the door when it hits something. I look down to see chess's boot. "Don't worry," he whispers, "she's not the one I love." I spin around and find him gone, back in his bed, looking sound asleep. * * * * * "But why are we wasting time?" I nag at the hare three days later. "Why not attack now?! We have an army and were ready!" "Lass, we have an army, but not a city. We have no subjects to rule." "So what? Once the red queen is beaten her subjects will become ours!" "That's not how war works." He tells me. "War is fought because there is something worth protecting, not just because she's a bad queen." The hare hops away, annoyed with the questions that I've been asking him for three days now. "Is my #life not worth protecting?" I call after him, half joking. "UGGHHH!" I moan. Just as I turn around I see Mirana behind me. "You can all go home now." She says. "And Maliumpkin will be going with you." "What?" I ask. "I am home now and I have protection. All there is now is to wait." "Wait for what?" I shout. "We've been waiting for three days now!" "You've been waiting for the Cheshire Cat to heal. Now I wait for subjects to rule so that a war can wage." I jump at her sudden claim. Leave while its this dangerous to be alone? Wait to start a war? What the hell could she be thinking?! "You can stay a few nights longer if you'd really like to." She offers. "Sure, thanks." I say as I walk the other way back to my room. "Hatter!" I hear the squeaky voice of Jacob behind me, maliumpkin hot on his trail. "Hatter, did you see the room of fabric?" He asks in amazement. "I did." I answer. "Are you going to make a new dress? Maliumpkin doesn't believe me that you made your dress and hat." "Alright." I say with a sky grin. "Challenge accepted!" We dash down the halls to the room of buttons and fabrics. I pick out a red. "How's this?" I ask. They nod their heads in approval. "Make something of this." Maliumpkin challenges. "Will do!" He hands me a white, almost see though piece of fabric with little, black hearts on it that's just torn up. I make my way to a sewing machine and start fabricating a plain red dress with no sleeves. It's tight at the top and the skirt is loose and fluffy with black knitting underneath to help it poof out. "And not this!" Maliumpkin says as he hands me the torn fabric. I pull it around my right shoulder and pin it at my waist like a sash. I pull on my waistcoat. "Wah-la!" I shout. "Oh, and for the finishing touch!" I say placing my hat on my head. The two mouse boys jump and laugh at the excitement and I realize that for the first time Im having fun. I'm smiling a genuine smile. I haven't done that in a long time, even when I was alive. For me, fun and happiness were never lugxeries I had. I walk out into the hall with the two boys bouncing at my feet, laughing and cheering. They were more excited about this than I was. "Hey!" Chess calls from across the hall. His face is hard. "What's going on?" I ask. "New dress?" He asks with a smile. "Mmmmmaybe." I joke. "I need to tell you something. Come with me." He grabs my wrist and vaporizes. We're outside on a white, marble balcony. "Remember the other day when we got out of the queens castle and I said that Mirana knows something about the jabberwocky's blood?" "Yea." "Well, I'm allowed to tell you what it is now." "I wasn't exactly curious to begin with,but-" I begin, but he cuts me off. "If you drink it's blood you'll be sent home! Without a doubt. It's blood can send anyone home! No matter how dead they are."