now that there was no threat of
her having to marry Jack of Diamonds…
She glanced away, afraid she would reveal too much of herself in her eyes. “Molly, there are enough guards and chessmen here to protect a flock of queens. I want you to go off and enjoy yourself.”
“But I am enjoying myself.”
It was Molly’s job to shadow her everywhere, Alyss knew. But it could be so bothersome. How was she supposed to have any time alone with Dodge, who was that moment making his way toward her though she pretended not to notice?
“Molly, I order you to enjoy yourself somewhere else.” “Fine,” the girl pouted, and stomped off. Alyss kept her eyes to the ground. She tried to think of something clever to say to Dodge, but her mind filled with the sort of things she might murmur to any old stranger—how are you, lovely weather we’re enjoying, at least we have our health. She felt him standing next to her. Her quickened pulse loud in her ears, she looked up and—
It was only Bibwit, with official pardons to sign. “Must I, Bibwit, even during the party?” She watched Dodge veer off to confer with one of his guardsmen; he would never interrupt her when engaged in the nation’s business.
“I’m sorry you find it inconvenient, Alyss. But these are Wonderlanders who have been punished by Redd’s regime for committing no crimes.” He was chastising her, in his gentle way. Why should those who have innocently suffered be made to suffer another moment? Wonderlanders imprisoned during Redd’s reign were being interviewed, their cases reviewed to determine if they were legitimate criminals or merely people who had fallen afoul of Redd’s temper. For the latter, proper legal channels had to be employed, pardons issued and signed. “It seems that being a queen involves nothing but paperwork,” Alyss sighed, scratching her name first on one pardon, then another.
“Mastering the combat aspects of a warrior queen is the easy part,” said Bibwit. “The administrative responsibilities of ruling from day to day, of contending with the bureaucratic procedures that keep Wonderland society functioning—these are more subtle to master and therefore more difficult.” The walrus-butler waddled up as Alyss was signing the last of the pardons. “Queen Alyss, King Arch of Boarderland is here.”
Bibwit’s ears stood erect in surprise.
“He must have come to wish me well,” Alyss said, not quite believing it herself. “Please show him into the garden, walrus.”
“Yes, but…yes, I tried, Queen Alyss. But he says he prefers to visit with you in a more masculine environment.”
She glanced away, afraid she would reveal too much of herself in her eyes. “Molly, there are enough guards and chessmen here to protect a flock of queens. I want you to go off and enjoy yourself.”
“But I am enjoying myself.”
It was Molly’s job to shadow her everywhere, Alyss knew. But it could be so bothersome. How was she supposed to have any time alone with Dodge, who was that moment making his way toward her though she pretended not to notice?
“Molly, I order you to enjoy yourself somewhere else.” “Fine,” the girl pouted, and stomped off. Alyss kept her eyes to the ground. She tried to think of something clever to say to Dodge, but her mind filled with the sort of things she might murmur to any old stranger—how are you, lovely weather we’re enjoying, at least we have our health. She felt him standing next to her. Her quickened pulse loud in her ears, she looked up and—
It was only Bibwit, with official pardons to sign. “Must I, Bibwit, even during the party?” She watched Dodge veer off to confer with one of his guardsmen; he would never interrupt her when engaged in the nation’s business.
“I’m sorry you find it inconvenient, Alyss. But these are Wonderlanders who have been punished by Redd’s regime for committing no crimes.” He was chastising her, in his gentle way. Why should those who have innocently suffered be made to suffer another moment? Wonderlanders imprisoned during Redd’s reign were being interviewed, their cases reviewed to determine if they were legitimate criminals or merely people who had fallen afoul of Redd’s temper. For the latter, proper legal channels had to be employed, pardons issued and signed. “It seems that being a queen involves nothing but paperwork,” Alyss sighed, scratching her name first on one pardon, then another.
“Mastering the combat aspects of a warrior queen is the easy part,” said Bibwit. “The administrative responsibilities of ruling from day to day, of contending with the bureaucratic procedures that keep Wonderland society functioning—these are more subtle to master and therefore more difficult.” The walrus-butler waddled up as Alyss was signing the last of the pardons. “Queen Alyss, King Arch of Boarderland is here.”
Bibwit’s ears stood erect in surprise.
“He must have come to wish me well,” Alyss said, not quite believing it herself. “Please show him into the garden, walrus.”
“Yes, but…yes, I tried, Queen Alyss. But he says he prefers to visit with you in a more masculine environment.”