Wonderland // Ned Stark // Petyr Baelish (1)

38. Red Queen

"Arya? Not recently. No." Alice answered confused.

"She's missing." Ned informed her. 'I have guards out looking for her but..." Ned let out a deep breath as Alice hugged him.

"We will find her." Alice assured.

"She had her lessons this morning and then... no one knows where she is." Ned whispered.

"We will find her."

Alice ran into Sansa as she was looking for Arya.

"have you seen your sister?" Alice asked.

"No... what's going on?"

"She is probably fine." Alice assured. "This place is so big..."

"Is she lost?"

"No, I'm sure she knows exactly where she is." Alice informed her as she moved down the hall. "It is the rest of us that are in the dark. If you find her, send her to your father." Alice requested.

+

'Seven hells! What happened to you?" Ned bent down next to arya as he looked her over. Dirt covered her body, while her eyes held concern and worry. "You know I had half my guard out searching for you?" Ned questioned. "You had me in a panic.' Ned told her. 'Arya, you promised this would stop." Ned sighed.

"They said they were going to kill you." Arya proclaimed, "Aunt Alice!"

"Oh thank the Gods you found her." Alice said as Arya clung to Alice. "Honey where were you?" No one could find her, perhaps Arya was in wonderland...

"They said they were going to kill you!" Arya repeated as Alice ran her fingers through Arya's hair.

"Who did?' ned questioned confused as he stood up.

"I don't know. I didn't see them. But I think one was fat."

"Oh, Arya." Ned said shaking his head.

"I'm not lying. They said you found the bastard. And the wolves are fighting the lions and the savage. Something about a savage." Arya didn't know what any of it meant. Ned knew. Alice looked to him confused.

"Where did you hear this?" Ned questioned.

"In the dungeons. Near the dragon skulls." she said it as if it was the most obvious thing location for her to be wandering.

"What were you doing in the dungeons?" Ned gave her a scolding look.

"Chasing cats." Arya said it so calmly like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She had told him she would be chasing cats, now that ned thought about it.

'Arya, we were so worried about you.' Alice told her hugging her tight.

"I almost caught a cat.' Arya added softly.

'You scared us to death, to death.' Alice told her. She now knew what Petyr felt like when she vanished for hours at a time with no word.

'I'm sorry Auntie Alice.' Arya whispered hugging her tighter as the door swung open again

'Pardon me my Lord,' Jory said coming into Neds office. 'there's a night watchman here saying it's urgent,' Ned nodded as Alice pulled Arya back allowing the man into the room. Arya leaned against Alice, her arms wrapped around Arya's chest keeping her put.

'What's your name friend?' Ned questioned

'Yoren, if you please. This must be your son he's got your looks.'

'I'm a girl!' Arya exclaimed.

'Did Wende send you?' Ned questioned pulling his gaze away from Alice's little smile.

'No one sent me my Lord, I am here to find men for the wall see if there's any scum in the dungeons that could be used for the service,' He informed ned

'We will find recruits for you.' Ned assured.

'Thank you my Lord that is not why I disturbed you. You're brother Benjen's blood runs black that makes him my brother as much as yours it is for his sake I rode here so fast and damn near killed my horse there are others riding to, the whole city will know by tomorrow.'

'Know what?' ned questioned cautiously.

'Best said in private my Lord.' he looked at arya, kissing the top of his daughters head Ned sent her off.

'Go on we'll talk later. Alice could you take her safely to her room?'

'Of course... Come on sweetie lets get you cleaned up.' Alice said leading her out.

'Well?' Ned questioned. 'Spit it out.' Ned urged.

'It's about your wife my Lord, she has taken the imp.'

+

Meanwhile in Wonderland...

A long hall was lined with FROG FOOTMEN with A FISH BUTLER. The RED QUEEN'S angry scream came from behind closed doors. The doors banged open to reveal Iracebeth and the Red Queen. She had a huge oversized head, extremely large features, and bright red hair.

'Someone stole three of my tarts!" The red queen shouted marching down the hall. She leaned into the face of a frog. A threatening glare on her oversized head. ''Did you steal them?''

''No, your Majesty.'' the frog footman told her nervously. She walked the row, studying the face of each frog. At the end, she whirls to leer into the face of one terrified frog.

''Did you steal my tarts?'' she demanded

'No, Your Majesty.' he croaked out. She wiped a telltale bit of jam from the side of its mouth. She held her finger up and sniffed the juice.

''Squimberry juice.' she declared.

''I was so hungry!'' he told her nervously.

''OFF WITH HIS HEAD!' She screamed out and the Red Knights converged on the guilty Frog.

''No! Please! I have little ones to look after!' the frog footman declared. The Knights dragged him out. The Queen turned to the Fish Butler.

''Go to his house and collect the little ones. I love tadpoles on toast points almost as much as I love caviar." The red Queen instructed wickedly. The Fish butler suppressed his revulsion and anger as he nodded.

''Majesty?'' Knave of hearts spoke up and the Queen's face lit up to see him. Her wicked glares gone and replaced with her best flirty smile.

"Ilosovic Stayne...you knave, where have you been lurking?" The red queen asked as she held out her hand. He kissed it, barely. She sighed happily though, batting her eyelashes.

''Majesty, I found the Oraculum." Knave remarked. He lay it on a table and rolls it out before them.

"That? It looks so ordinary for an oracle." The red queen countered incredulously.

''Look here. On the Frabjous Day.'' Knave told her. He pointed to the illustration of Alice in the scroll.

''I'd know that tangled mess of hair anywhere. Is it Alice?" The red queen asked.

''I believe it is.' Knave agreed

''What is she doing with my darling Jabberwocky?' The red queen declared a hand over her heart.

''She appears to be slaying it.''

''She killed my Jabber-babywocky!'' The red queen shrieked.

''Not yet. But it will happen if we don't stop her.''

''Find Alice, Stayne. Find her!'' The red queen screamed out.

''I will bring her head and lay it at your feet.' Knave assured

''No. Bring the whole girl. I want to do it myself.''