Unwonderland

“That sounds great!” Alexias was getting antsy. Disband the Red Kingdom? What’s better than that?

“Now now,” the Queen scolded softly, “I said could. We have to think logically and move strategically. We must make a fool-proof plan, one with no cracks or flaws. That will take time, in the mean time you and Abel must train extensively. I want you two to be extraordinary and ready for anything,” the Queen declared, “in fact, I want you two to go train right after Alexias declares which one is the culprit, Jeston and Sebastian, you too. Fronia can teach Sebastian how to fight in his current state and Jeston; I may need you to protect Abel and Alexias at all costs. You need to interrogate your entire force and decide who is safe and who isn’t. I want no one uninspected. Furthermore, I want Charudatta inaccessible and the boy that attacked apprehended. I want him as far from Charudatta as possible. I don’t want them at lunch together or outside together, is that clear?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jeston reported his spine unintentionally straight. Alexias watched with interest at the Queen’s demands. She had never heard the White Queen this insisting before. This war, Alexias supposed, was going to be big and possibly devastating. Jeston turned to leave.

“And Jeston, take Alexias with you, so you may lock up the man that hurt Sebastian,” Alexias’ head turned to Sebastian. His eyes were sparkling and wide, his emotions playing across his face like an open book. First it was surprise, then it was happiness, lastly it was relief. Alexias smiled and followed when Jeston waved her along. They were out the doors in less than a minute trekking softly to the stairs that led to the jail cells.

“So who was it that hurt you?” Jeston’s gaze bore into hers. She could see that he didn’t like the fact that she was in trouble, much less that he had to apprehend one of his own because of said fact.

“The younger one that was in your group when we conveyed Abel and Sebastian that day, he’s the one that hurt Sebastian. He was actually trying to hurt me, when Sebastian warned me. I saw his face,” Alexias blinked at the end of her explanation. Jeston nodded scanning the bunks.

“Is everyone here?” Alexias asked softly. Looked like most of the force was sleeping. Jeston smiled softly and nodded.

“Everyone in the force lives here,” Jeston didn’t bother to lower his voice. Someone rolled over and moaned.

“Jestooooon!” he yelled from the end of the room. Jeston smirked.

“Time for you to get up anyways. Let’s go! Get up guys!” most of them rolled out of bed without complaint but some of them argued.

“We haven’t gotten a good sleep since Saturday,” growled one that was on a top bunk from behind them.

Another one mumbled from in front of them somewhere, “if we need to fight, I may be the first one to die.”

“Shut up, Zax,” Jeston snapped at him, his hands were on his hips. He was really playing into the captain role. Everyone filed out and about faced to Jeston. Murmurs erupted in the room. Obviously they hadn’t known Alexias was there, let alone she was there and the collective didn’t have shirts on.

“Miss Alexias, we had no idea,” spoke up one of the older ones, “we would have been more presentable if we had known.”

“It’s alright,” Alexias smiled softly, “But we need you—all of you—to line up for us, please,” Alexias informed gently, respectfully.

“Right away, Miss,” the same one said, stepping up in example. The rest stood to his right or to his left in a line. Once done, Alexias started at the end that was closest to her. She scanned each of their faces, but she stopped at the one that hurt Sebastian. He was staring right back at her, he even smiled.

“Good to see you, Miss,” he greeted after a couple seconds of her stare. Alexias nodded briskly and turned to Jeston.

“Him,” she said softly, pointing. Jeston’s face contorted in pain as if to say ‘not him.’

“Veer, I have one question for you,” Jeston’s voice was strained, his expression tight. Veer blinked at him, his expression said, ‘what would you like to know?’ “Did you try to hurt Sebastian and Alexias this morning?”

At Jeston’s words, his expression saddened and he turned his face to the ground. Silently he nodded, why did he look so sad? Jeston sighed, “he made you, didn’t he?”

“He did,” Veer said softly, Jeston clenched and unclenched his teeth. Alexias touched Veer on the shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” she said sincerely, but stopped when he held his hands out to Jeston.

“Please take me to the Cells. I don’t want to be a threat to anyone. And please tell Sebastian that I am deeply sorry about what I have done and I hope he recovers fully,” Veer’s voice was so sad, Alexias almost gathered him into a hug, but she didn’t, she knew if she did, Jeston would never have taken him. She watched sadly as Jeston—gently she might add—take Veer out to the Cells. She turned back to the rest of the boys with a small smile playing on her lips.

“Thank you for you cooperation, I’m afraid you won’t be getting back to sleep for a while now,” she said, “Jeston must carry out an interrogation on the lot of you.”

“On what, might I ask, Miss?” spoke up an unnamed soldier from down the line, toward the end of the room. He sounded the same as the one who had made that comment about dying. The one known as Zax maybe? Alexias blinked at him, she decided to keep the contents of the interrogation to herself.

“I’m not at liberty to say,” she shook her head slowly, “I guess you’ll have to wait a bit,” she smiled at the collective. They returned her smile just as Jeston walked back in. He seemed upset that he had to do what he had just done. Alexias’ eyes softened at the sight of him.

“Jeston, would you like to get the interrogation done? I’ll head up and gather Abel and Sebastian. We’ll be with Fronia until it’s time for bed. You can meet us there,” Alexias squeezed Jeston’s arm. He nodded briskly and Alexias left, the heavy door shutting loudly in her wake.

***

“Alexias, did you apprehend him?” Abel seemed worried, sweat beaded on his forehead. She was nodding her head slowly, almost sadly.

“He says he’s deeply sorry,” she turned her attention to Sebastian, “he hopes you make a full recovery,” Sebastian’s mouth was open a little.

“He seriously said that?” he asked softly, leaning forward slightly.

“Yes, I promise you, he’s apprehended and as far away from Charudatta as possible. Jeston is interrogating the rest of the force as we speak. We must go to Fronia and train,” Alexias took over the situation, and waved the two boys along to the Weapons and Training room. She hadn’t been outside at all today, so she didn’t know how nice it was. She supposed it was, though, because it was summer and warm. They didn’t get many drab days when it was summer.

“Alright,” Abel spoke up and followed her closely. Sebastian stumbled after the both of them. Alexias remembered a question she had thought to ask Sebastian earlier.

“Say, Sebastian, how’s your pain?” Alexias asked over her shoulder. Sebastian did a ‘hm?’ then answered her.

“It’s manageable,” he nodded, “some things I can do and some things I can’t . Like, I can’t move my entire arm, at least not up, know what I mean? I can’t really bend either. But, I think I may be able to fight, depends on what Fronia deduces.”

“Alright, honey, just be careful, okay? I’d like you to take it easy until I can talk to the Queen about the medicine she gave me for my belly,” Alexias blinked, Sebastian and Abel were looking at her like she had two heads.

“What are you talking about?” Abel talked, scrunching his nose in confusion. Alexias giggled in spite of her cluelessness.

“I didn’t tell you? The Queen gave me this medicine that took away my pain and let me move, maybe she could give you the same thing,” Alexias smiled at Sebastian. He seemed happy to head

“That would sound great, thank you, Alexias,” Sebastian smiled cheekily. Alexias’ smile widened at the sight of his.

“Let’s go,” she waved them along once again.

***

“Alexi—Sebastian, what happened to you?!”