my own mind

Conversations

"There you are, Stayne. Any luck with the prisoner?" said the Red Queen very in love. "He's stubborn." said Stayne the knave of hearts. "You're too soft. Bring him!" said the Red Queen. The Knights go off. Stayne notices Alice. "And who is this lovely creature?" said Stayne confused. He takes Alice's hand, looking at her intensely. "Um, my new favorite." said the Red Queen verry proud on herself. "Does she have a name?" said Stayne a little confused. "Um." said the Red Queen. "Yes? Her name?" said Stayne still a little confused. "It's Um!" said the Red Queen irratiting. "I believe your name has slipped the Queen's mind." Asked stayne a little to Alice but more to the Red Queen. She smacks him. "Her name is UM, you dolt!" said the Red Queen verry angry to Stayne. The Knave reacts with smoldering anger. "From Umbradge." said Alice quietly. "Ilosovic Stayne, at your service." said the Knave of Hearts like a gentleman. He kisses her hand. She pulls it away quickly. The guards drag the Hatter in, chained by hands and feet. The Queen lifts his head by his hair. Alice stifles a gasp. He's been roughed up. His eyes have an empty far-away stare. "We know Alice has returned to Underland. Do you know where she is?" Said the Red Queen to the Hatter. He doesn't respond. She claps her hands in front of his face. Hatter jerks back to the moment, but doesn't see Alice. "I've been considering things that begin with the letter "m": moron, mutiny, murder, malice..." said the Hatter verry calme. "Were looking for an 'A' word now. Where is Alice?" said the Red Queen a little annoyed. He thinks hard, has an inspiration, changes his mind, reconsiders, mulls, then shrugs. "Who? That wee little boy? I wouldn't know." said the Hatter with a smile that Alice liked. "What if I take off your head, will you know then?" said the Red Queen excited. She laughs. The Hatter laughs louder and keeps laughing. "Stop that." said the Red Queen looking weird at the Hatter. He laughs louder in her face. She slaps him. He keeps laughing, madly. The Queen makes a "loco" motion to the others. But when the Hatter sees Alice, the mad laughter stops. Surprised at her new size, he gives her a wry smile. He turns to the Queen, smarmy and unctuous. "My, what a regrettably large head you have. I should very much like to hat it." Said the Hatter. "Hat it?" Asked the Red Queen. "Yes, I used to hat the White Queen, you know, but there wasn't very much for me to work with, poor dear. Her head is so small." Said the Hatter. "It's tiny, a pimple of a head." Answered the Red Queen. "But this... What I could do with this, monument, this orb. Nay, this magnificently heroic globe!" Said the Hatter full of courage. "What could you do?" Asked the Red Queen. He lifts his bound hands helplessly. "Unbind him, Stayne! How can he work if his hands are bound?" Ordered the Red Queen. The Knave unbinds his hands. Hatter circles the Queen. "Shall it be a bonnet or a boater, or something for the boudoir? A cloche, dunce hat, death cap, coif, snood, barboosh or pugree, , yarmulke, cockle-hat, pork-pie, tam o'shanter, billy-cock, bicorn, tricorn, bandeau, bongrace, fan-tail, night cap, garibaldi, fez..." said the Hatter. Alice pretends to sneeze. Because she was watching the hole conversation. "Hatter!" Said Alice while she was sneezing. He jerks back to the moment. "I'm fine. I'm fine." Said the Hatter quietly. "Leave us." Said the Red Queen to Alice and Stayne. The Knave is suspicious of the Hatter. But his interest in Alice draws him away. He's right behind Alice, breathing down her neck. She tries to move past him, but he grabs her arm with the wound. She cries out as he pushes her against the wall. "I like you, Um. I like them large." Said Stayne very sweet. Alice didn't like the way he talked and looked at her. Suddenly , he leans in for a kiss just as Lady Long Ears passes. She smiles and goes off. "Get away from me!"screamed Alice at Stayne. She kicks him and runs. He glares after her. She ran into a room and closed the door immediately. After Stayne was gone Alice went to the garden to look for the Hat from the Hatter. Alice searches in the bushes, passing the hedgehog who's cleaning the caked dirt off his fur. "Ah." Sighed Alice released. The hedgeHog watches Alice pick up the Hat. She wipes the mud off and straightens it out with loving care. Alice looks up and see the Red Queen in front of the window with Stayne behind her and Alice heard them talk. She didn't know how but she heard the Red Queen talk to Stayne. "You must find Alice, Stayne. Without the Jabberwocky, my sister's followers will surely rise against me. (bitter) My ugly little sister...why do they adore her and not me?" "I cannot fathom it. You are far superior in all ways." Stayne answered her. "I know. But Mirana can make anyone fall in love with her: men, women, even the furniture." Said the Red Queen a little bit sad. She glances at the captive furniture. Alice sat on the ground behind the bushes and listened very carefully. "Even the King. Her dark, bitter gaze travels down to the grim moat below." Said Stayne to the Red Queen. "I had to do it. He would have left me." Said the Red Queen really sad. "Majesty, isn't it better to be feared than loved?" Asked Stayne to the Red Queen. "I'm not certain anymore. Oh, let her have the rabble! I don't need them. I have you." Said the Red Queen still sad. "I do have you, don't I, Stayne?" He manages a smile, but gives her no reply.