Naqam didn't sleep that night. After they had returned to the inn, they had gone to their shared room. He'd listened as Hatter's breath turned deep, then sat up and silently dressed. Moonlight bouncing off the freshly fallen snow made the night bright as a brand new silver coin.

Quiet as an owl on the wing, Naqam went back down to the common room, stamping into his boots there before donning his cloak. The snow crunched as he made the short sprint to the stables, careful to keep to the deepest shadows lest there were hostile eyes still watching.

The stables were windtight and cozy. Naqam recognized the handiwork and attention to detail, and wondered if Shan had let Hatter build this as a favor. The layout was open, the stalls only coming up to Naqam's ribcage. 

Dell nickered sleepily, ears pricking toward Naqam with interest. Hatter's black beast didn't even look toward the door, dozing with ears at a relaxed angle and eyes closed. Naqam huffed a warm breath into his chilled fingers, then took off his cloak, tossing it over the saddle resting on the wall of Dell's stall.

He went to the small closet in the back left-hand corner and collected an armful of grooming supplies. Then he let himself into Dell's stall, dropping the brushes into the clean straw. Even though Dell's pale golden coat was already clean, Naqam picked up the currycomb and began at her shoulder. He brushed in slow circular strokes like Hatter had taught him, letting his mind wander.

Dell shifted on her feet, leaning toward him as he brushed her. The clean smell of the horses mixed with the sweet hay and crackling straw soothed his overwrought nerves.

Naqam groomed the horse in silence, thinking. Truly thinking, for the first time in his life. Thinking for himself, for his future and how he would be remembered in the annals of history.

The sun was rising slowly in the north, the sunlight crisp by the time Naqam stopped brushing. His hands splayed flat against Dell's now-silky hide and he murmured, "I don't want to go back to the Hearts."

The horse flicked an ear back toward him. A snort from Hatter's mount warned him a moment before the door opened, and he looked up to find a familiar silhouette in the doorway. The bright morning light made him squint until his eyes adjusted and he found Hatter watching him with a raised eyebrow.

Silence settled around them for a moment, like the tranquility of the snowy morning had seeped in through the door behind Hatter. Naqam's heart pounded hard in his chest and he had to clear his throat twice before he managed to say what he'd been thinking for longer than he wanted to admit.

"I want to stay." His voice remained raspy, but he didn't look away. "I want to... return to Spade Castle with you."

And Hatter didn't blink, didn't balk. He just nodded slowly. "Well all right then."

No questions, no rebuttals. Just an acceptance of Naqam's decision.

"We'll eat something," Hatter said as Naqam moved to put the brushes back in their proper place, "then we'll head home."

It would have been less shocking if Hatter had taken a knife and shoved it through Naqam's heart. All he could do was gape at the man. Hatter gave him a wry smile and said, "It'll grow on you. Eventually you'll stop thinking you don't deserve one."

Naqam looked down, his vision blurring slightly. He grabbed his cloak and followed Hatter outside, trudging through the snow that had drifted nearly to their knees in some places.

A table was already set with hearty breakfast of thick porridge, applewood smoked bacon and...

"Shan," Hatter muttered under his breath, followed by a few choice words as they sat down.

Naqam cupped the mug of hot tea, letting the warmth seep into his fingers before he took a tentative sip. The sweet, somehow floral flavor delighted him. Tea had become scarce in the Heart lands as many of the fields had been on lands that had been reclaimed by the Spades after the war.

It had been a rare treat when he was a child. He finished the mug much more quickly than he'd hoped and stared into it, like more might magically appear.

"Here," Hatter growled, pushing his own mug toward the Ace.

Naqam reached across the table eagerly, then hesitated, scarred fingers lightly brushing the smooth clay of the mug. "Don't you want it?" he asked curiously, watching Hatter stir a spoonful of honey into his porridge.

The Real Worlder grimaced and shook his head, the silvered hairs at his temple winking in the sunlight coming through the windows. Naqam placed the mug beside his own bowl of porridge and took a piece of bacon.

They ate in silence, which wasn't unusual. What was unusual was how at ease Naqam felt, sharing a meal with the Real Worlder. He took a bite of porridge and found himself studying the older man, watching every movement.

He wasn't sure that he liked Hatter... but, he realized, he respected him.

"What?" 

The rough sound startled Naqam, who realized Hatter had been returning his stare. "I..." Naqam started, then bit his lip, looking down into the dark depths of his tea.

He couldn't do it. Not yet. Not until he'd truly proven himself. If he told any of them the truth now, even Tarian, he knew he would be cast out.

"I just... wanted to... thank... you," he muttered. Even when he meant the words, they still tasted sour.

Hatter chuckled under his breath. Much to Naqam's relief, he didn't stretch that conversation any longer. Instead, he motioned toward the door with a piece of bacon. "We'll leave as soon as we're done. It'll—"

The tolling of alarm bells interrupted him, and both he and Naqam stood at the sound of shouting in the streets. The door was flung open and Shan came storming through, heading right for Naqam.

His hands fell to his knives at the flash of light on a gun barrel, but then his vision was obscured by a broad back. He stared at the dark, finely woven shirt. How could the Real Worlder move so fast? He was nearly as quick as an Ace.

"Move, Madison," Shan snarled.

Naqam peered over Hatter's shoulder to find the innkeeper moving a revolver, trying to find a shot at the Heart. But Hatter kept shifting slightly, making it impossible to hit Naqam without hitting him too.

"Now let's just wait a minute," Hatter said, voice cool and steady. There was a shift of movement and Naqam caught a glimmer of dark metal. Shan froze when he realized Hatter had drawn his own gun. But Hatter didn't even raise it. His voice remained relaxed when he said, "What's this all about, Shan?"

"Just give me the Heart, Mad," Shan said, voice strained. "And leave town."

Hatter cocked his head, and though Naqam couldn't see his eyes, he could imagine how the green was burning just by the way Shan paled slightly. Naqam took a small step forward, but a hand shot out, slapping into his chest. Hatter still wasn't looking at him.

"Why don't you put the gun down, Shan, and tell me what's going on."

Shan's red eyes were furious when he looked at Naqam. "Do you know what today is, Mad?"

"You know I do," Hatter growled, still keeping Naqam from stepping forward.

Naqam's eyes were glued on the gun, which was still pointed at him. Still pointed at Hatter. He assumed it was by default, but he couldn't afford for a jumpy Diamond to kill Hatter by accident.

Not when he'd just decided he didn't want to return to the Hearts.

Naqam tried to edge sideways, but Hatter seemed to realize exactly what he was doing and moved with him. A soft growl slipped from between Naqam's teeth, which had bared themselves in response to the threat. Hatter's hand moved down to Naqam's wrist, keeping him from moving away, or from drawing his right-hand blade.

"Then you know we can't let him get away with what he did!" Shan hissed. "You promised he wouldn't do anything. Now you're a liar, Mad."

Hatter seemed to freeze, every muscle locking up. A growl came from deep in the Real Worlder's chest and his knuckles whitened around the grip of his gun. Shan stumbled back a step, seeming to sense that he'd crossed some sort of line.

"Naqam's been here all night. Asleep since he got back from a walk." Hatter's voice turned to a snarl. "Now if I'm a liar, you'd best tell me about what."

"The... th-the memorial." Shan's eyes flitted to Naqam, then back to Hatter. "He desecrated it."

The breath whooshed out of Naqam, his eyes widening at the accusation. He was already shaking his head fervently when Hatter half-turned to him, one eye still on the irate innkeeper.   

Hatter studied him for a long while, and Naqam realized he hadn't snuck past Hatter at all. The man had probably woken as soon as Naqam sat up in bed. But then... he also must know that Naqam only went to the stables.

Didn't he?

The longer Hatter watched him, the more afraid Naqam became that he would believe the Diamond.

After all, what had Naqam done to show Hatter his true intentions? Even now he was unwilling to tell Hatter his suspicions. Where he had really been on that walk.

The only sounds were from the growing crowd outside, the rush of footsteps as more people went to the obelisks in the square. Naqam didn't say anything, couldn't say anything. If he told Hatter about the other Hearts being here, then Hatter would know he'd met with them.

Naqam wouldn't be able to hide the truth if he knew that.

Finally, Hatter shook his head slightly, and Naqam's heart lurched up into his throat. He tensed to run or fight, whichever would be necessary.

"Like I said, he's been with me all night. And he couldn't have done it earlier." Hatter turned back to look fully at Shan. "We went to the obelisks last night. They were fine."

Shan's hand, the one holding the gun wavered, but Hatter's gaze never did. He stood there, the picture definition of steadfastness, and Naqam couldn't believe that the Diamond would think the Real Worlder a liar.

No, a nasty voice in his head hissed, that would be you.

Naqam snapped at the voice to shut up. He would tell Hatter the truth. Just... not yet.

"He didn't do it, Shan," Hatter said firmly. "He wouldn't."

"He's the Heart's Ace, Mad," Shan cried. "For gryphon's sake, of course he would! And you brought him here. Now you're protecting him?" The Diamond sneered. "Is that Killian's plan now? To send the Ace of Hearts to do his dirty work and make everyone think his hands aren't drenched in blood? Does he have his gaze set on what belongs to us? We all knew it was just a matter of time before the so-called High King started his own conquest."

"I'd be careful," Hatter said quietly, "what you say next, Shan."

"Wasn't it enough what the bastard before you did," he shouted, now speaking directly to Naqam. "Why can't you let them rest in peace?"

"I didn't touch the obelisks," Naqam said, his voice raw. "I didn't..." He trailed off, every argument or excuse sounding weak. 

"Naqam," Hatter hissed as the Ace pushed past him.

He flung his arms out to the side, offering Shan a clear shot. He'd have to be completely inept to miss such a shot. His heart thudded steady and slow in his chest, and everything fell still inside the common room. 

"Killing me won't change anything that happened," Naqam said bleakly, the words for himself as much as they were for Shan. "It won't change the past. It probably won't even make you feel better."

He wouldn't know, seeing as how he'd never killed anyone. But then Hatter said, "It won't."

The Diamond's red eyes flicked to Hatter, then locked on Naqam once again. He saw Shan's finger tighten slightly on the trigger and waited for the pain.

Distantly, he wondered if it would be quick. He hadn't ever planned on dying like this. 

Naqam said, "King Killian isn't interested in conquest. He just wants Wonderland to be safe. For everyone."

Shan blinked several times, like he couldn't believe the words that had come out of Naqam's mouth any more than he himself could believe them. Then slowly, painfully slowly, the innkeeper lowered the gun. An almost inaudible sigh came from Hatter behind him.

"Leave," Shan said. Then he looked at Hatter over Naqam's head. "And don't ever come back."

Naqam opened his mouth to protest the unfairness of that, but a steady hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked up to find Hatter with a grim mouth and regretful eyes, but all he did was nod.

The pressure on his shoulder guided him back to their room, where they collected their things in silence. When they came back downstairs, Shan was nowhere to be seen.

They went outside and Naqam turned toward the town square, wanting to see what had happened, but Mad stopped him. 

"But—"

"It wouldn't be a good idea, kid," Hatter said gruffly, leading him toward the stables. "Killain's already had enough trouble with the Diamonds lately. Us being there will only make it worse." 

Your time is coming.

Naqam shivered as Naktis' words came back to him. They saddled their horses, and he tried several time to tell Hatter, to warn him that the Hearts were trying to stir up trouble for the Spades.

But something stopped him every time, and every time he was ashamed of his cowardice.

He kept his eyes straight forward as they left the city, making sure the mark on his neck was well hidden. Still, the murmurings and hisses that followed them left shivers of concern tracing up his spine.

They were far into the hills by the time he found his voice. "The Diamonds think King Killian wants to conquer them?"

Hatter snorted, ducking under a branch heavy with snow. He was like a stain of ink against the pristine snowy landscape. Which, Naqam supposed as he ducked the same branch, made him a stain of blood.

All Hatter said was, "Killian's got enough problems without wanting to take over another Deck. He doesn't have a taste for conquest, which they'd know if they bothered to listen during those damn council meetings."

Naqam fell silent at that, wondering what kinds of problems Hatter was talking about. After a moment, he discarded the question. Just because Hatter had protected him this morning didn't mean he trusted the Ace enough yet to tell him all the secrets of Killian's kingdom.

They rode until nightfall, pitching a small camp in a cave that did little to protect them from the wind blowing in from the north. 

Naqam sat with his back against the cave wall, near the mouth. His breath steamed in the air as he watched the moons rise. The wind bit at his face and he tugged his cloak tighter around him.

He stroked the soft material of the princess' gift, and realized he hadn't really thanked her. Not properly at any rate.

He would like to. And... he hesitated over the thought, he would like to know her. Truly know her, without the weight of impending betrayal looming over him like a dark cloud.

The world dimmed and he looked up to find snow clouds looming up, covering the moons.

He turned over the events of today in his mind: Shan's mistrust and hatred, Hatter's unflinching gaze, the unrest that had chased them away from the city surrounding Diamond Castle.

Standing up, he decided that Hatter was right. There was enough trouble and darkness in this world without him adding to it.

Naqam lay down by the fire and closed his eyes. His last thought was to wonder how to tell Hatter, to tell the princess of his changed heart without forever losing the trust they seemed to have tentatively put in him.