Work Text:
Tick...
Tock...
Tick...
Tock...
Tick...
Alice glanced up at the clock, tired eyes watching as the hands moved slowly. Ever so slowly. She sat up from the armchair, strolling across the room and out the door.
The halls were quiet. The sound of her heels echoed, high ceilings and dim lighting greeting her coldly. The surrounding air was cold, chilling to the bone; Alice likes the cold, she thinks. A shiver went up her spine as she gazed through the windows, the ugly site of Queensland greeting her.
Perhaps the Queen would go easy on her for once. A foolish thought, of course, but one that made her smirk. The Queen would clear her in four moves. Then eight, then ten. Alice beat her once. She'd best her again in only twelve, someday. They could play for eternity— but Alice knew better than that.
Click...
Clack...
Click...
Clack...
Click...
The ticking resonated in her mind — or perhaps it had always been there? It drives her mad, nonetheless.
Mad? Mad. This castle was a cause for madness.
"And yet you still choose to gamble with such a place."
The Cat. Had he been there this whole time? Blasted thing. He sat in front of her, grinning. When does he not? Alice can't imagine him without it.
"Would you rather I gamble with Marchy? Or, perhaps worse, the Hatter?" she spat.
The Cat narrowed his eyes. "Don't lose your temper. You know it gets you nowhere."
A huff and Alice began wandering through the halls yet again, unaware if Cheshire was still following her.
"He'd only go off reminiscing about the old days, anyhow. He rattles on, you know, utter nonsense."
His voice came from behind after a moment of silence: "You're on your way to play chess with The Red Queen, are you not? I can't help but think you like her mind games."
"His games and her games are two very different things, Cat. I can make sense of her manipulation."
A hum of displeasure, and the halls go silent. Alice is alone again. Or, as alone she can be, with the Queen monitoring her. She could feel her presence, although far away.
Tick...
Check...
Tick...
Tick...
Checkmate...