Mind Your ID

Fit the First: A Banquet


Alice woke, terrified to find herself in Wonderland and bound to a chair set before a great banquet. She struggled to loosen the rope laced around her wrists but it was to no avail. She looked at her surroundings: a long table, an odd assortment of chains hanging ominously from the ceiling, hooks jutting from the walls, and on the table several silver cups and dishes scattered around the table. Much to her astonishment, the dishes were actually scurrying about on tiny legs to place food in front of her. Alice had never seen such inventions. Amazing, she mused, a feast that serves itself. She looked towards the ground and felt a lump grow in her throat. Her feet rested on a checkerboard floor. Alice knew at once where she was.
Before her mouth could form his name a voice rang out from the other end of the
table.

"I'm glad to find you awake, my dear."

Alice had to stretch and look around a rather large teapot to see the Hatter, as he had appeared before, seated far across from her.

She had forgotten how handsome he was.

At the sound of his voice all the pots and dishes quieted and settled down. A pause. Then he waved his hand and they began to take up their positions again, setting food on Alice's plate, dropping a sugar cube into this cup or that bowl. A snap from the Hatter caused the gigantic teapot in the middle of the table to hoist itself onto several thin legs and move over to him to pour a cup of steaming tea. The Hatter grinned at Alice before sipping from his cup. Alice struggled against her bonds, her head still swooning from sleep, trying to collect its thoughts. Bloody hell, how was she to escape this? "Don't move," commanded the voice, and Alice spied his gloved hand reaching under the table. Something creaking sounded from beneath the floor and suddenly an enormous saw blade fell from the ceiling, dangling just above Alice's bonds. She screamed and shrank back into her seat. The Hatter smiled at her again. He sipped his tea and watched her in silence, intrigued. More creaking from below. A machine had started. Alice cried out as the blade began to spin, fast, and descend, moving ever so slowly towards her. The blade hovered near her wrists and cut into the rope. Alice froze, taking care not to move and suddenly get caught in the blade's path. Her bonds were almost completely torn before the blade slowed its pace, then died, and rose back up into the shadows of the ceiling. Alice struggled free from the broken bonds and collected her breath. The Hatter chuckled. "Just a bit of fun, dear Alice."

Alice met his eyes, furious. "You think that was clever, do you?" Her hand raced to the pockets of her stained blue dress, searching for her trusty blade. But it wasn't there. "Wretch," she snarled at the Hatter, "what have you done?" He ignored her. He bent down and whispered something to the large teapot at his side and at once the oddity scurried over to Alice. With much difficulty and struggle the enormous pot poured tea into the cup nearest Alice and then settled down to rest itself. "If you're not going to eat," the Hatter called out, "please enjoy a cup of tea."
"I half expect it to be poison," Alice smirked, "so I'll do nothing of the sort." The Hatter laughed. Alice was furious. What was he so happy about? From his lap the Hatter brought forth Alice's white rabbit doll. It gleaming bead eye dangled from its socket. Alice felt an overwhelming sense of loss: to see her dear friend in the hands of the Hatter! "Let him go!" She screamed from across the table, and picked up a poor spoon crossing her path. With as much strength as she could muster she hurled the utensil at the Hatter, hoping pathetically that it might do some kind of damage. The spoon never even reached the middle of the table before it pathetically plopped out of the air and onto the table. The Hatter was very amused, and laughed loudly, holding the rabbit higher in the air. He set the doll on top of his hat, a long height indeed, and, leaning on his elbows, grinned wide at Alice. "One drink is all I ask," he replied gleefully. Alice looked around for any weapon she could find. Unfortunately, after the spoon all the dishes on the table had wobbled desperately away. Alice slumped in her chair, defeated.

"Take one drink."
"Will I get Mr. Rabbit back?"
"You have my word, dear Alice."
"That means nothing to me. I'm no fool, Hatter. I'm not seven years old anymore."
"Indeed you are not." He grinned devilishly.

Alice's teacup timidly approached her from the group of huddling dishes and set itself before her. Alice lifted it gently from the table and looked it over. She sniffed the drink, but this, of course, was no use. Alice had no training in the art of poison. She put her lips to the cup and tilted her head back. She allowed the liquid to touch her lips, but she did not drink. Perhaps she would beat the Hatter at this game yet. "No cheating, my dear," he reprimanded, "I know your mind." He lifted the rabbit from his hat and set it in front of him. A whistle from the Hatter brought a tiny butter knife to him, and he gently sliced the dangling bead eye. Alice's eyes widened. She screamed curses at him and gulped down the cup of tea. She tossed the cup over her shoulder stubbornly, and it was a small victory when she heard it clatter on the floor. The Hatter, pleased, stuffed the rabbit and its bead eye into his coat. Alice was beaten.
"Well, now that we have dined," he replied calmly, and at this Alice looked at her
plate piled high with food, "we may leave dinner for other...sport."
He rose and began to walk the long distance towards her. Alice rose but was commanded at once to sit. She obeyed and wished to herself that she had her blade. She feared the Hatter and his malicious eyes. The Hatter stopped at the middle of the table and stared at the dishes scurrying about. They were still preparing dishes for the banquet. His eyes became glazed, as if he were lost in thought. Alice followed his eyes, amused by the hurried bustle of the dishes.

And then she saw the knife.

Her vorpal blade, wedged into a large pink cake just in reach of the Hatter. How strange she had not seen it earlier. Was it even there before? She could not remember the blade or even the pink cake. There was still some drying blood caked on the edges of the weapon. So this was to be another game, Alice concluded, and the she was fighting, as always, for her life. How would she reach the knife before him?

And then flashes from the asylum. Her body against the bed. The Hatter thrusting into her, kissing her shoulders. He had promised to meet her again. His quiet chuckles in the dark...he had promised to return.

The Hatter had broken from his trance and was staring at her. He resumed his slow pace towards her and at one point swung his arm absentmindedly across the table, sending a desperate tea saucer flying across the room. When it crashed into shards the Hatter grinned. Did he now mock her earlier tantrum?
Alice began to feel her head swoon. She felt light, and shook her head to free herself of the airy feeling. Perhaps, Alice thought, this was not going to be the battle she expected.
Her body remembered his touch: she had been kept awake many nights thinking of him.
He stood in front of her. He removed the glove from one hand and knelt by her, reaching out and touching her cheek with his naked hand. At his touch she began to feel her body stir; some strange new sensation, some new confusion. His hand caressed her face, lightly tracing her image. He brushed a finger against her lips and she sighed pleasurably. He chuckled softly, his eyes dark and shining. His eyes were so vicious. What was he thinking of? Her head began to feel light again, this time the feeling was much stronger. Alice swooned. "I'm feeling rather greedy Alice," his voice broke her trance. His eyes were burning into her. "I do hope that you take no offense to my rather selfish demands tonight. I assure you that you will be...rewarded for everything. In time." Alice raised an eyebrow, confused. "You have no idea what kind of pleasures are in the world, dear Alice." He brushed a piece of hair away from her face. "Rutledge...you know of what I'm speaking?" Alice nodded. Her body was burning. "You've only a taste of what's to come, my dear." He smiled. He lifted her hand from her lap and kissed it gently. "Come."
Her head felt light again. She could not shake the feeling this time.

He led her down a hallway of mirrors. Alice felt dizzy, all around her strange images flashed before her eyes. In one mirror she saw herself at 7 years old, reading with her older sister. In the next mirror she saw herself battling card guards, covered in blood. Alice felt dazed, her body seemed too weak to carry her head. She felt an overwhelming power controlling her, urging her to comply with everything. She reprimanded herself for not at least making an attempt to grab her blade. And then the thought was gone, replaced by that strange intoxication. More images flashed in the mirrors. Her family, a burning house, Rutledge, and more images of Wonderland. Alice felt herself begin to lose balance, she lost track of her steps and felt herself stumble. She wondered if the Hatter noticed or cared. She wanted to vomit. There was something not right about this. It seemed there was poison in the air. She needed to break those mirrors. The Hatter's hand grasped hers and led her on. She must have stumbled around the hallways like an idiot, wandering aimlessly like a mule behind him.

So there was something in the drink. Of course there was, she sighed to herself, this was the Hatter.

And then there were doors.
Large doors, black, and guarded by a hollow creature that Alice couldn't help but feel she knew. The doors opened and The Hatter led her into the next room. Alice caught a closer look at the guard as she passed him: his soft belly and large fins were so familiar to her, but she could not place him. She marked that he seemed somehow naked, even with all those gears jutting into him and decorating his green body. Whoever he was, Alice concluded, he didn't belong in this place. He seemed more of a water creature.

The room was grand and richly furnished, and a larger-than-life fireplace burned against a red wall. The entire room was hot. The spinning in Alice's head seemed to subside without the mirrors around to torment her, but she still felt quite numb. She noticed a purple armchair, high and pointed, in front of the fire. The Hatter removed his coat and hat and collapsed in the chair.

Alice studied the coat the Hatter had just removed. Something was in there that she wanted, she knew it, if she could only remember what. He had something, something special. Alice, dazed, could not hold her curiosity anymore and turned back to the Hatter.

Alice studied him. He was so luxurious and dominant. So dangerous. More deadly than the Red Queen. Perhaps the one foe in Wonderland who could match her. She couldn't help but feel overpowered in his presence.

And she was once again aware of that sensation in her body, that severe want of...something; she was not sure what.

The Hatter sat back in the chair and slowly spread his legs.
He motioned for her to kneel between them and was a little flustered when she remained motionless.

"Alice," he hissed, "come here."
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Well, I'm almost finshed! I should have the next chapter up in a bit! I'm terribly sorry if this chapter is not grammatically correct, etc, etc. Thank you all for the reviews! Cheers.