“Fine. Now leave me. Send in
Ripkins and Blister.”
The bodyguards stationed outside the tent entered to find Arch dressing in the formal robe and mantle he wore to summits with tribal leaders.
“The mission I have for you requires that you journey to Boarderton,” the king said. “The last I was informed, it was in the plains somewhere between the Bookie River and Duneraria. Don’t concern yourselves too much with secrecy. The ministers will inform you whom you are to meet and what you’re to do once you arrive. Go.”
The bodyguards took their leave. Arch surveyed his reflection in a looking glass one last time, then readied himself for the dispatch he was about to make, pacing the length of the tent as he rehearsed what he would say in his role of the concerned king calling on a besieged neighbor. CHAPTER 22
T HE WALRUS-BUTLER toddled in and out of the palace’s briefing room with winglefruit juice, flugelberry wine, wondercrumpets, and every refreshment he could think of to show his joy at Alyss’ safe return from the battle at Wondronia Grounds. “Have you seen Homburg Molly yet?” she whispered as he set a plate of mostly toasted oaties on the table.
“Oh no, my queen. No, still no sign of her.” She stared, frowning, at the food. She should have gotten over her sulking by now. If she’s trying to worry me by her absence…
“Don’t you like mostly toasted oaties?” the walrus asked with concern. “I do.” She crunched one between her teeth. “Please send for the ranking families, walrus. We need to speak with them.”
The creature bowed and waddled out of the room. Hatter, Bibwit, Dodge, and General Doppelgänger were watching a skirmish play out on one of the holo-screens: Glass Eyes forcing Wonderland pawns to retreat under a barrage of razor-cards and crystal shot. Alyss raised a hand and caressed the air, as if gently feeling the contours of an invisible face. On the holo-screen, a construct of herself, a decoy, stepped out from behind a tarty tart vendor’s cart. The Glass Eyes sensed it at once, abandoned their pursuit of the pawns, and trained their weapons on the decoy. Taking advantage of the opening, the pawns let rip with a slew of orb generators and— Karooosh! Blooooomm!
Fireballs rolled over the Glass Eyes.
“I hope, Hatter,” Alyss said, wiping her decoy from existence with a wave of her hand, “that the personal issues for which you left us have been resolved?” Hatter nodded—once.
“You’ll be pleased to know that the Millinery has been reestablished,” Bibwit said. But Hatter did not seem pleased or even curious as to how this had been accomplished.
The bodyguards stationed outside the tent entered to find Arch dressing in the formal robe and mantle he wore to summits with tribal leaders.
“The mission I have for you requires that you journey to Boarderton,” the king said. “The last I was informed, it was in the plains somewhere between the Bookie River and Duneraria. Don’t concern yourselves too much with secrecy. The ministers will inform you whom you are to meet and what you’re to do once you arrive. Go.”
The bodyguards took their leave. Arch surveyed his reflection in a looking glass one last time, then readied himself for the dispatch he was about to make, pacing the length of the tent as he rehearsed what he would say in his role of the concerned king calling on a besieged neighbor. CHAPTER 22
T HE WALRUS-BUTLER toddled in and out of the palace’s briefing room with winglefruit juice, flugelberry wine, wondercrumpets, and every refreshment he could think of to show his joy at Alyss’ safe return from the battle at Wondronia Grounds. “Have you seen Homburg Molly yet?” she whispered as he set a plate of mostly toasted oaties on the table.
“Oh no, my queen. No, still no sign of her.” She stared, frowning, at the food. She should have gotten over her sulking by now. If she’s trying to worry me by her absence…
“Don’t you like mostly toasted oaties?” the walrus asked with concern. “I do.” She crunched one between her teeth. “Please send for the ranking families, walrus. We need to speak with them.”
The creature bowed and waddled out of the room. Hatter, Bibwit, Dodge, and General Doppelgänger were watching a skirmish play out on one of the holo-screens: Glass Eyes forcing Wonderland pawns to retreat under a barrage of razor-cards and crystal shot. Alyss raised a hand and caressed the air, as if gently feeling the contours of an invisible face. On the holo-screen, a construct of herself, a decoy, stepped out from behind a tarty tart vendor’s cart. The Glass Eyes sensed it at once, abandoned their pursuit of the pawns, and trained their weapons on the decoy. Taking advantage of the opening, the pawns let rip with a slew of orb generators and— Karooosh! Blooooomm!
Fireballs rolled over the Glass Eyes.
“I hope, Hatter,” Alyss said, wiping her decoy from existence with a wave of her hand, “that the personal issues for which you left us have been resolved?” Hatter nodded—once.
“You’ll be pleased to know that the Millinery has been reestablished,” Bibwit said. But Hatter did not seem pleased or even curious as to how this had been accomplished.