THE NEXT DAY AFTER breakfast the band of heroes all boarded the dirigible. Jolly the JubJub had been overjoyed by their returns and flapped around excitedly as they prepared once again to take Lilly back to her parents. Lilly asked to see below deck and Jolly happily complied.

It was for the best because everyone else was a bit fatigued. For various reasons sleep had seemed to evade the group. Harry scratched his head and watched his sister as she absentmindedly stroked Carlos’ thigh. It was beyond highly indecent.

And then there was Jay who was undressing his good friend Alice with his eyes in such a blatant manner that Harry had to turn away. But the second he averted his gaze, Harry caught Mouse grabbing Lory’s ass and giving her a squeeze.

Something havey-cavey was going on and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. Harry stood and straightened to his full height of five foot five. Being an inch or two shorter than his sister, Harry felt that it was best he puff out his chest in order to show that he was indeed a threat to be reckoned with.

Mary Ann’s lips twitched, “Yes, Harry?”

“Carlos,” Harry ignored his sister, “I must ask what your intentions are toward my sister.”

Mary Ann had to cover her mouth to hide the wide smile that was forming. Harry, dear deluded Harry was coming to her rescue and it was adorable.

Carlos didn’t hesitate before responding, “I plan on marrying her as soon as possible and hope that she already has my child within her.”

Mary Ann choked for real this time.

“But if I am not that lucky. I will endeavor to fix the situation,” Carlos continued. “I love your sister.”

Harry opened his mouth and quickly closed it again only to open it, but nothing came out.

Alice took pity on the poor man, “Harry, would you like some tea? You look as though you have sustained a great shock.”

“No!” Harry expostulated, “I will not have tea. What is going on here?”

Jay smirked at Harry, “Just a run of the mill rescue mission.”

“Where everyone gets naked and paired up for iniquity?” Harry demanded.

“That’s not precisely true,” Mouse drawled, “We didn’t get naked until it was just the two of us. I definitely would have remembered otherwise.”

Jay snorted, and Lory hit the back of Mouse’s head.

“We are all adults, Harry,” Mary Ann said calmly.

That was a statement he really couldn’t argue with—no matter how much he wished it otherwise.

“It’s indecent,” his nose twitched as it sometimes did when he was in high spirits.

Alice handed Harry a hot cup of tea, “Come and have a rest for a moment. You are working yourself up over nothing.”

It was at that very moment when arrows began to rain upon them from every direction. The large airship began to weave and pull much like a drunken sailor. The tables and chairs that hadn’t been bolted down slid across the decking and Harry’s tea sloshed upon his shirtfront.

Jay struggled over to grasp one of the arrows. It was slender and straight with a deadly looking point. The most telling sign was the red fathers that were at the end of the shaft near the nock.

“We are going to crash,” Alice cried out.

Jay and Mouse immediately jumped into the oncoming arrows shifting into their beasts before one could touch them. And then with their hulking strength, they each took an end of the airship onto their shoulders and continued to fly toward the White Court. The arrows that hit the Jabberwocky brothers could not pierce through their metal armor.

There were shouts from the soldiers below, but the brothers ignored them. In time they would get their due. It was tempting to scorch them all, but if they did that the ship would fall. It was a true testament to how far Jay had come in controlling his form. There had been a time when instincts would have prevailed.

The brothers gently lowered the airship just outside of the palace gates. They transformed and helped everyone off of the vessel. Jolly was already instructing the animatronics on what repairs needed to be made, but it would be a task that couldn’t be completed in a day.

Unlike when Mouse and Lory had brought Lilly home the first time, they heard a high-pitched wail and from the gates saw the White Queen in her full regalia running at top speed toward them.

Lilly broke away from Lory and ran toward her mother. They were both sobbing and fell into a heap together as mother and daughter were reunited once again. The portly king arrived moments later, also running—at least to the best of his abilities.

Sweat dripped down his floppy jowls as he joined his wife celebrating his daughter’s reunion.

“Your Majesties,” Alice began, “I do not wish to alarm you. However, we need to take cover, the Red Queen’s army should be upon us at any moment.”

The White Queen narrowed her eyes, “I have taken quite enough from my sister. When she arrives, we will be ready for the attack. My soldiers are sitting at the ready even as we speak.”

The lot of them followed the royal family back inside of the gates. And it was indeed just in the nick of time because just beyond the hill there was a sea of red soldiers bearing down upon them.

In truth, it wasn’t much of a fair fight. With two Jabberwocky’s on the side of the White Queen, they made short work of Red Queen’s army. Blasts of fire scoured the land and the smell of stench and burning flesh was overpowering. 

The cries of dying soldiers filled the air. Some crying out for mercy and others for loved ones. In all, it was a fiery bloody mess that could have been avoided had the Red Queen not sent these individuals to their deaths. 

In a way, by the time the brothers were done the land looked much like it had in the fake Wonderland that the Red Queen had conjured up. Had that been her plan all along? Was she trying to destroy their world? These questions plagued Alice as she met Jay out in the fields.

He shifted back into his human form and clutched her against his chest.

“You shouldn’t be out here,” he said gruffly. "I don't want you to see this."

Alice noticed that he wasn’t loosening his grasp to let her go.

“Are you alright?” she asked hesitantly.

Alice knew that the deaths of the soldiers would weigh on Jay’s mind.

“I am more concerned that you are safe,” he kissed the top of her head. And she tightened her arms around his waist.

“We need to finish this, Jay. That woman is deranged and not in a good way. She needs to be stopped.”

“I suppose that it would be useless to ask you to stay behind?” Jay’s tone was resigned as if he already knew the answer.

Alice nipped at his firm chest in response.

Jay growled, “Did you just bite me?”

Alice nodded, “Don’t ask stupid questions.”

Mouse had come upon the scene just as Alice uttered these words and he couldn’t help the smart-ass remark from escaping, “It’s useless, Alice, he is full of stupid questions.”

Jay flipped Mouse the bird without letting Alice go.

“We need to be off,” Mouse said more seriously this time. “We need to strike while they are weakest.”

Alice pulled back, “Is Lory coming?”

Lory stepped out from behind Mouse. Alice didn’t see her sister with her face still against Jay’s broad chest.

“Don’t ask stupid questions,” Lory quipped with a wink.

**

IT WAS DECIDED THAT the Jabberwocky brothers would go ahead with Alice and Lory. Carlos and Mary Ann would lead the White Army to the Red Court.

Harry, well, it was undetermined what Harry’s job would be in all of this. The smaller man tended to race around without having a true intent and purpose. However, whatever it was he was determined that it would be important. Alice smiled at Jay as they watched the red-headed rabbit shifter glance at his broken pocket watch.

"We are late!" Harry blurted out. "It is taking forever!"

"And just how long is forever?" Alice inquired.

Harry snorted, "Sometimes just one second. Oh, my ears and whiskers, we are late!"