I do not own any of Lewis Carroll's characters or any of the SYFY Alice's characters...if I did, I'd love to have Hatter from the SYFY one!

The room was dark, covered in shadows and lit by a small mock candle on the barred windowsill of the cell. The cell held the former Queen of Hearts, now disgraced and banished, who held her body swathed in a sea foam dress on the bench with as much dignity as she could muster. Her face carried new lines, her red hair pulled back from her face with a single white streak running through and her red lips thinned in anger at the betrayal of her son fifteen years ago. She had sat and faced the orderlies, the guards, and the doctors with as much grace as one could without raging at them to release her. How she wanted all of their heads. If she was ever released, heads would roll in Wonderland and that would start with her son Jack of Hearts then the wench Alice, if she ever returned.

The Queen sighed in anger and closed her smudged eyes, listening to the silence of her new prison. Before she could relax her body, sirens and the sound of metal crunching together then ripping away echoed in the halls. Fluorescent lights flickered on in rows and lit up the hallways then the rooms in a timed manner. The Queen listened to the sound of running feet, shouting, and then the sick sounds of gurgling and splashing. The sound of metal clinking, lasers and even the old bullets from an older Wonderland screamed through her cell. She held her breath and clutched her hands together until her fingers numbed.

Heels clicked slowly in the hallway outside her cell, not far away and moving ever so quickly. A prim and commanding voice spoke in a firm voice, as if giving orders to others with her. It must be a woman, for the heels weren't for heavy boots like a man but they weren't stilettoes either. Soon enough the heels clicked outside her door.

"Knight, open this door with that strange card would you? Be quick," the voice called sharply. The door beeped, unlocked and then swung open.

The Queen of Hearts tilted her head over to the visitors with what was her blankest expression before her face paled and the blood draining. She dropped her eyes before the woman clicked her tongue.

"Ah, ah. The Queen of Hearts, formerly of Wonderland. You have been quite the challenge to find and I dare say I did not expect you to be in such a prison," the woman spoke crisply and in that prim voice suggesting nobility.

The Queen kept her eyes on the floor until she heard the woman clear her throat and come closer, her heels clicking soundly.

"You will look at me when spoken to. It is only proper etiquette and, considering your new station, what is due your newest role in this society." This was said with an underlying warning and the Queen of Hearts let her eyes travel up.

Before her very eyes, the woman stood before her. She was dressed very primly and regally. Her deep red hair was pulled tightly into a bun, lone rolled curls falling past her shoulder and alongside her square jaw. A small velvet hat, cocked to the side, with a net hung above her forehead, allowing her stormy blue eyes to take in the room around her in a calculating fashion. Her pale skin was unblemished aside from a painted mole on her cheek and light rouge. Her lips were thin and painted into a crimson bow shape. Her entire face was regal and sharp like a bird's. Her body was swathed in a tight velvet short coat, leather corset with stripes, and a long flat dress with black lace on the ends. The fabric was completely red aside from the black lace tied at her throat, the lace on the dress, the stripes, and at her sleeves. Even the polished boots with buttons and thin-wedged heels were red.

The Queen of Hearts knew exactly who this woman was and she blanched in terror. This was the Red Queen…

"I can read your face clearly. I am disappointed in you and quite angry with you. I understand, while I was investigating more of MY kingdom and recruiting more Pawns, that you got out of line. You decided, poorly, to interrupt the little war between the Red and White Courts. My Red King is quite dead and the Castle of Knights demolished. That was a very poor decision indeed," the Red Queen spoke out loud as if reading the Queen of Hearts' offenses. The Red Queen's thin gloves slapped against one hand while she moved stiffly, heels clicking again.

The Red Queen stopped suddenly then whirled to face the Queen of Hearts, her lips now curled in anger. "This was 150 years ago. Wonderland must be a cesspool now and running rampant like mad rabbits. You dared to interfere. I have lost my King and my Knight tells me the White Knights have perished, the White Court gone. Your son sits on the throne of Wonderland, I hear?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The Queen of Hearts whispered.

"Speak up. No one likes a mumbling fool. This puts me in a weak position and the White Court ready to move. Your interference has cost me the throne, so the White Court can now move silently. Foolish Queen of Hearts, you are no queen and you have never been. The Red family should have taken your head long ago, I should say."

The Queen of Hearts moved her head and stood up suddenly but with quaking legs. "Take their heads, all of them. My son must be punished."

The Red Queen faced the Queen of Hearts head on, clicked her tongue, and slapped her gloves on one hand. She looked the former Queen up and down. "You desire such vengeance while I demand justice. You will not gain a throne, you understand? It was never yours to take."

The Queen of Hearts held back anger and nodded briskly. The Red Queen stepped toward the Queen, paused, and squeezed her gloves tightly. Her lips thinned.

"I will now ask this, former Queen of Hearts. Where is the White Court and where is she? You must know, for I have been…immobile these past 150 years."

The Queen of Hearts frowned and raised her eyebrows.

"What are you talking about? The White Court has all vanished, dead, eaten by the Jabberwocky, who knows. And who is this she? You are mad now."

The Red Queen bit her lip hard then laughed hollowly.

"Of course, of course. While you have been running this casino the dear Rook tells me of, information has been travelling and running through the edges of Wonderland. Bander was quite efficient in catching a few messengers but he missed one important traveller I needed. The White Court has been alive these 150 years had you not been drunk on your potions and been aware. Mad March is dead I hear, again too? You really should not have executed your best tracker…you might have learned all I have."

The Red Queen snapped her gloves hard then turned towards the door, beginning her short walk towards it. She let her torso turn so her blue eyes met the Queen's. "You may exact your vengeance for I demand justice. Temporary allegiance if you will call this. You may actually be useful as a Pawn. Knight, do bag her and lets leave this prison."

The Queen of Hearts let herself huff in bafflement until she let darkness covered her head, the smell of leather smothering her and her hands becoming bound by silver handcuffs. She felt herself dragged along by strong hands, led to follow the newly returned Red Queen.

The Red Queen lifted her head and walked steadily on. Her thin hands held her gloves tightly. She had learned much the past year after her long sleep and travels. She was quite enraged by the acts of the mad Queen of Hearts. There seemed to be a loss of order and justice in the realm. She would restore such once more, but only after decimating the imprudent House of Hearts and seeking the White Court. The Red Queen's lips curled as she remembered the startling news from her clever Bander of her…now to find her and the Red Queen knew exactly where she was. Oh, Jack of Hearts, pretender to the throne of Wonderland, you have kept such secrets…

Whew! First chapter up! So the Red Queen and her 'Pawns' have returned to Wonderland to take it back and find the White Court...but who will find this mysterious 'she'? Reviews are always wonderful and inspire me to keep going! Let me know what you think!

I found listening to All Time Low's Painting Flowers song helpful for this story so far.

Next chapter or two will be up next week!