The inside of the cave was even more eerie and unnerving. Alice thought she could almost hear the winds whispering to her in hushed tones. She shivered a little.
Knave, who was walking close beside her, turned to look at her. "Are you scared?" He asked, his voice echoing.
The cave was lit in a really dim light, making it hard for Alice to see if he was smiling or not. "Why, are you?" She demanded, trying to keep her fear out of her voice.
The echo of their own voices almost made Alice jump. She often saw such caves in movies, and was almost expecting to find human skeletons laying around, at any given moment.
Knave chuckled. "Don't worry, she just likes being dramatic!" He assured.
"You mean the witch?" Asked Alice. Knave did not reply. Instead, he continued walking.
The cave seemed to never end. As they went deep inside, Alice wondered how fast she would have to run in case the 'good witch' decided to have a change of heart.
Alice looked around, trying to find traces of past victims. Much to her relief, there was nothing, save dirt. Or maybe the witch had removed all evidence. After all, it would barely take a witch a minute, considering their powers. Alice swallowed hard.
Beside her, Knave laughed. The sound of laughter in the empty cave made her skin prickle. She wondered if anyone had ever laughed in here before, and if they had, how long had it lasted?
"Care to share the joke?" Alice demanded.
"Relax!" Said Knave. "You are not going to find any skeletons or bodies. She is not that type of a witch!" He assured.
Surprised, Alice asked, "How did you know that I was looking for bodies?"
"Because Miss Alice, you are not the only one who has access to movies." He replied.
Alice squinted, trying to see his expression. Unfortunately, the light seemed even more dimmer, making it nearly impossible for Alice to even see her hands. She badly wished for a torch. She made a mental note to always carry one, whenever she had to enter a witch's cave.
Finally, they came across a fire burning on a small pyre, making Alice feel grateful for the light. Sitting beside the fire was a little girl. She looked barely above six. Her hair, tied in a braid, looked red in the fire's light. Or maybe it was red. It was hard to tell. The little girl wore a plain, long white dress.
The girl looked up as they approached, and Alice saw she was the most beautiful little girl she had ever seen. Her features were fine, her bones elegantly crafted. Her skin was really fair, her lips red, her eyes pure black. It was as if she resembled a smaller version of snow white.
"Knave?" The girl called out. Her voice was magical, unable to resist.
Knave bowed. "Indeed, Ma'am!" He replied.
Alice choked as realization hit her. "No way is she the witch!" She blurted out, looking at the little girl incredulously. "I doubt she even knows the spelling of witch."
Knave and the girl, both turned to look at her. Knave with alarm, and the girl with amusement. The witch smiled, showing white teeth. "You have a big problem, my girl!" She said in a pleasant voice.
Hearing the words, 'my girl' from a six-year-old kid, was a little unsettling for Alice. "What problem?" She managed, trying to keep her voice even. She felt shocked and stunned from the inside.
"You let appearances deceive you! You never try to look beneath the hidden smile and words." The girl paused, eyeing her. The stare was so creepy, that it almost made Alice want to run away. "Or perhaps, you do not want to!" She observed.
Alice shook her head. "I literally have no clue about what you're talking about!" She said.
The girl's smile disappeared at that. "Then you are dumb!" Was all she said, before turning to look at Knave. The smile returned. "It has been a long time, my love!"
'My love? ' Alice thought with horror.
Knave smiled, though it looked forced. "A lot of things have happened!" He began. "I believe..,"
The girl held up a hand, stopping him. "I already know most of it, and I am sorry to say, I cannot help you with your curse."
Alice gave a dry chuckle. "So much for her help!" She said, not knowing where she got the confidence from.
Knave gave a frustrated sigh. "Excuse her Mendaline, she does not seem to have a brain!" He said.
The girl Mendaline, shook her head. "Oh, she does have a brain. It is just foggy!" She announced.
Alice crossed her arms. "Um guys, slight reminder," She began, waving a hand. "I happen to be standing right here!" She said in a taut voice.
Mendaline smiled at her. "Would you have preferred it, if we would've spoken behind your back then?" she asked.
"You're twisting my words!" Observed Alice.
Mendaline shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not!" She replied, with a sly smile.
The witch stood up abruptly, and suddenly the cave was filled with a bright light, blinding Alice for a few seconds. When the light disappeared and her vision cleared, Alice saw the little girl was gone. Standing in front of her now, was a twenty-year-old version of Snow White.
'Is this her real age? ' Thought Alice. Though she knew better than to voice her thoughts.
Mendaline walked over to Knave, and laid a palm on his cheek. "You have grown up to be a handsome young man, Knave!"
Knave held her hand on his cheek, and smiled. "I know!" He replied.
Alice rolled her eyes. Unable to help herself, she said, "His head is already big enough! I don't think he needs more encouragement."
Both of them ignored her. They seemed to be lost in each other's eyes. Knave drew Mendaline's hand a little away from his cheek, and kissed it.
Alice gawked at him. 'What the hell does he think he is doing?' She thought angrily.
At some point, he had removed his cap, which was now laying on the ground, next to his feet. Now that Alice could see his face better, she noticed that his eyes looked dreamy. He seemed to be madly in love. On the other hand, the witch was smiling playfully.
With a jolt, Alice realized he was under a spell. She walked towards them, and ripped the two apart. Anger surged through her. She grabbed Knave by the shoulders, shaking him. "Snap out of it, you idiot!" Alice shouted.
Knave looked annoyed. "What?" He demanded.
Mendaline was looking at her with amusement. "I see!" She said in a quiet voice.
"Knave, I think we should get going! This woman or whatever she is, she is not safe!" Said Alice, tugging Knave's arm. Mendaline took a step towards them, and Alice stood in front of Knave, shielding him from the witch. "Not again!" She warned.
"You my dear, are a lot more braver than you think!" Mendaline said.
"Oh really? I was glad to show my bravery in front of you!" Said Alice savagely.
Mendaline was looking at her with concern. "You have the power to do things no one could manage to do, no matter how hard they tried." Said the witch. She grabbed Alice's hand. "Use it before it is too late!" She continued, sounding urgent. She glanced down at Alice's wrist, where both her bracelets clung. "Or maybe it already is!" Mendaline whispered. Her eyes looked sad.
"Would you please just quit it with the riddles?" Said Alice, feeling tired from trying to figure out the riddles her life was already so tangled in.
Mendaline looked at her evenly. "I cannot reveal much, for that would put me in danger. All I can say is, that the people with you, your own, are plotting against you. The time is ticking as always, but you..., you my dear, are not like the others before you! You can stop this. You can win!"
Alice put a hand up. "Wait, what do you mean before me? What are you..," She broke off.
Suddenly the world shifted, making Alice feel as if she were falling. She tried reaching out, to grab hold of something solid, but there was nothing except darkness.
"Knave!" Alice called out, but it was of no use.
The world was spinning now. Alice thought she saw Maria standing with someone, somewhere in the distance, but it couldn't be.
Alice's head felt heavy, forcing her to close her eyes. As soon as she did, she was swallowed up by the darkness.