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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐍𝐀𝐕𝐄'𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍

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A beam of sunlight shined through the small window of the burrow and landed directly on the face of the sleeping girl. Her eyes opened after bringing her hand up to block the incoming light as a yawn passed over her lips. After sitting up on her small cot, she stretched out her limbs before getting to her feet. She soon made her way to the small storage area at the other end of the place she called home to see what food was left from what she gathered two weeks ago. To her dismay, it was almost completely empty. An irritated sigh passed over Indigo's lips before she grabbed her canteen and a small pouch of berries. As soon as she had everything she needed, the brunette girl turned her back to her storage and made her way toward her small closet.

Once she reached the wardrobe, she pulled its doors open to reveal the small collection of supplies she gathered over the years. Indigo snatched her bag off its hanger and placed her water and snacks inside. She then put on her cloak and pulled her hood over her head to hide her curly hair. Just as she was about to close the doors and head out of her bunker, her eyes landed on the top hat sitting on the highest shelf that was handmade for her a long time ago.

"I can hear your conflicting thoughts from here, Iggie," Jefferson's voice rang through her ears, causing the brown-haired girl to roll her eyes as she grabbed the hat and placed it in her bag.

"I know you miss me, Jay, but maybe you should stop being nosy and enjoy the time you have with your daughter before she goes to school," Indigo responded, earning a laugh from the Mad Hatter before his voice vanished as quickly as it came.

Indigo waited for a moment to see if the tea-loving man was going to respond. When all she heard was silence, she readjusted the hood on her head and made her way toward the ladder that led to the only exit of her den. She slowly climbed the wooden object before opening the door and letting light into the usually dark space. The Lark girl peeked out to make sure the coast was clear before fully climbing out of her home and shutting the door to make sure no one found where she was hiding.

Indigo quickly made her way through the Wonderland forest while avoiding anyone who would report her sighting back to the Red Queen, who completely took over the land after the Queen of Hearts departed. Back when the news spread of the former queen's departure, the Ace of Spades was nothing but thrilled and hoped to finally see her wanted posters taken down. However, the bounty on her head only increased due to reasons the brunette girl would only know if she asked the Red Queen herself, and that was never going to happen.

Just as Indigo found a bush filled with some of the only edible berries in all of Wonderland, her ears picked up the sound of footsteps speeding her way. Instincts took over as the girl used surrounding twigs and brush to cover her surrounding footprints before hiding behind the largest tree she could find. The Lark girl mouthed a silent prayer for whoever was coming to simply walk by her as she heard them getting closer and closer to her hiding place. When the oncoming threat passed by her, Indigo peeked around the tree to see the back of the White Rabbit running through the forest.

Once Percy was out of sight, the curly-haired girl cautiously came out from her hiding place while listening to see if anyone else was coming. But instead of picking up more approaching footsteps, her ears picked up the faint sound of what seemed to be voices. Her feet stayed glued to the ground as her mind raced with a million different thoughts. Her actions earned her an irritated groan in her head from Jefferson, who heard every single one of those thoughts in his head. Another moment passed before her curiosity got the better of her then she began her journey toward the Mallow Marsh.

As she got closer to her destination, the voices became clearer until Indigo was able to make out two voices, one male and the other female. When the curly-haired girl got close enough to make out their conversation, she came to a stop and hid in the shadows to listen in. She wanted to make sure that whoever was speaking wasn't another threat to her well-being. But to her surprise, she was greeted by the familiar complaining of the man she first met seven years ago to meet her ears. A small smile appeared on Indigo's face as she slowly made her way out of her hiding place and toward the pair trapped in the Mallow Marsh. Her presence caused them to become statues as they stared back at the hooded figure.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Will Scarlet asked the person standing on the small dock watching them struggle in the marshmallow lake. It wasn't long before they took their hood off to reveal a familiar face he hadn't seen since he left Wonderland.

"I know it's been a few years, but you'd think you'd remember the person who helped you escape this place," Indigo responded while sitting down on the wooden structure and smirking at the trapped duo, "welcome back to Wonderland, Mr. Scarlet. Didn't think I'd see you here again."

"Well, Miss Lark, I didn't want to come back here," the Knave scoffed as he adjusted his leather jacket while keeping his eyes glued to the girl in front of him, "now do you think you can help up out before we die like bloody s'mores?"

"A what?" the blonde woman at Will's side that Indigo had yet to meet questioned.

"It's biscuits and chocolate, and you get toasted marsh...never mind. The point is, Indigo needs to help us get out of here!"

"Oh! You must be the famous Alice Kingsleigh. A pleasure to finally meet you," Indigo said to the blonde woman next to her former ally, causing her to send the curly-haired girl a small smile before the latter continued speaking, "and I'll be glad to give you the solution to all your problems! But first, answer me this. 'Give me food, and I will live. Give me water, and I will die. What am I'? Once you give me what I seek, I will be happy to return the favor."

"I'm not in the mood for your crazy riddles, Indigo! Didn't the Hatter ever teach you to be helpful?!"

The only response Will received from the younger girl was a laugh before she leaned back on her elbows and watched them continue to struggle in the Mallow Marsh. While the Knave of Hearts sank a bit further, the focused look on the Kingsleigh woman's face turned into realization. Not even a second after that passed when she snatched one of the dragonflies out of the air above her. Indigo's smile never faded as she watched the oddly dressed blonde use the animal to toast the marshmallow that surrounded her and a very confused-looking Will.

"What the bloody h*ll are you doing?" the brunette man asked his traveling companion while she continued to fry the marshmallow.

"I'm making a sore."

"S'mores!"

"Whatever."

"I'm starting to think you were in the nutter for a reason," Will scoffed, making Indigo let out another laugh at their childish bickering.

It wasn't long after that when the blonde finished cooking the part of the Mallow Marsh they were tapped in. The Lark girl's smile never faded as she watched the two grab onto the toasted part of the marsh before pulling themselves out of the marshmallow. Indigo got to her feet and took a few steps back to give the pair access to dry land, allowing them to climb onto the dock. The brunette girl watched in amusement as she leaned back against a nearby tree and watched them shake out their clothing to get the marshmallow fluff off.

"Where's that rabbit?" Will muttered while swinging his coat through the air and looking around at the forest that surrounded them, "it's getting late, and I plan on sleeping in my own bed tonight."

"You can't leave," Alice responded after her head snapped in his direction faster than humanly possible while Indigo continued to watch their interaction with curiosity in her eyes, "we haven't found Cy-"

"Cyrus. Exactly," the Knave of Hearts interrupted his companion as he slid his jacket back on and turned his full attention to the blonde at his side, "you heard what the rabbit said. He never even saw him. If I'd known that, I wouldn't have done any of this. I mean, for all we know, he isn't even alive."

"Well, aren't you the positive one," Indigo mocked the brunette man, receiving a glare in response before she sent him a condescending smile.

"What if he is?" Alice said, drawing Will's eyes back to her while the Lark girl began to grow bored of the pair's conversation.

"Alice...I left Wonderland because I did a lot of bad things here. A lot of people wanna see me dead. They have their reasons, and to be honest, they're good reasons," the brunette man hesitated for a moment as he unconsciously glanced over to the girl. Will just studied Indigo for a moment before looking back at the blonde woman. "I left this place for a future I'm quite keen to see, and you want me to risk all that for a hunch?"

Indigo watched with a blank expression on her face and her hands crossed over her chest as the two in front of her had another staredown. What felt like an eternity passed before Will walked past Alice while using his hands to brush off the last of the marshmallow fluff. Just as he was about to reach where the curly-haired girl was standing, the Knave stopped in his tracks and spun around to face his companion once again after she mentioned payment for his assistance.

"How? You don't have anything to pay me, Alice."

"That's not entirely true. I have something better than money," the blonde woman smirked while walking around the brunette man and stopping at the end of the dock as if to block his only means of escape. Indigo watched with curious eyes as Alice slightly lifted her foot and reached for the heel of her boot before catching a few objects that fell from the secret compartment. The Ace of Spades' eyes widened to the size of large planets at the sight of the three small gems sitting in the palm of Alice's hand.

"Are those what I think they are?" Indigo questioned as she pushed herself off the tree she was leaning against to stand next to Will and Alice.

"Wishes," the blonde woman confirmed the younger girl's suspicions with a smile on her face before her eyes landed on the Knave once again.

"I don't get it. Why don't you just use them to bring Cyrus back?" Will questioned while his eyes continued to stare at the bright red wishes in Alice's hands.

"Wishes can be...unpredictable. If I used one to bring Cyrus back, he might arrive hanging from a tree with a noose around his neck. See, with wishes, sometimes there's literally a string attached."

While Indigo felt an eerie chill run up her spine at Alice's words, a smile grew on the Knave of Hearts' face before his eyes left the crystals and landed back on the woman in front of him. "Then one just has to be careful what they wish for."

"You're kidding, right?" the Lark girl questioned, drawing Will's attention to her, "did you not just hear what she said?"

"I just need to make it consequence-proof, Indie. Simple."

"So does that mean you'll stay?" Alice asked with a hint of hope in her voice.

"We find Cyrus, I get a wish. Anything I want," Will clarified, earning a nod in response from the blonde woman.

"Just get me to Tulgey Woods," the Kingsleigh woman said while sticking the gems back in the compartment of her boot before standing back up to meet the Knave's gaze.

"Well, that should be easy with Indigo helping us."

"Who said I was helping you?" Indigo retaliated, causing the two standing in front of her to turn their full attention toward her. Her eyes just studied them for a long moment before a sigh passed over her lips as she crossed her arms over her chest once again. "I have my own problems to deal with, Willie. I don't have time to be part of yours."

Without giving the duo a chance to respond, Indigo pulled her hood back over her head before turning her back to the pair and making her way toward the forest. Just as she was about to reach the cover of the trees, the sound of Will calling out to her caused her to stop in her tracks. Her jaw clenched as memories of their past adventures raced through her head before she tried to shake them off, only to fail.

"If you're not gonna help us, at least tell us where to find Kaden. We aren't gonna be able to make it through the Tulgey Woods without one of you," Will pleaded, making the girl's breath get caught in her throat.

Indigo hadn't heard his name spoken aloud in years and she never thought she would again. She would be the first to admit she was surprised by how much she was caught off guard by it. What felt like an eternity passed when she finally found the courage to turn around to face the Knave of Hearts. When she locked eyes with him once again, the Lark girl felt a wave of anger wash over her as her fist clenched so tight they began to turn white.

"You'll find your overly confident brother with your beloved Red Queen. They've been working together for a while now. Come to think of it, Kaden joined her around the same time I helped you escape Wonderland. That was right before I became one of the most wanted criminals in this realm," Indigo said, causing all emotion to fade from the brown-eyed man's face. The sight of the guilt forming in his eyes caused the Ace of Spades to let out an annoyed scoff before she crossed her arms over her chest once again. "So tell me, Knave, why should I risk my life to help the two of you on your little quest to find a man who may not even be alive?"

"Because you don't have it within you to let him go into the Tulgey Woods without you. You and I both know the dangers of walking through that forest without a proper guide," Jefferson's voice ran through her ears once again, making the irritation within her slightly grow knowing that the man in her head was right.

"I didn't ask you, Jefferson. Just go away," she mumbled, completely oblivious to the confused looks Will and Alice were sending her way. It wasn't long after that when she let out a long sigh and turned her attention back toward the pair. "Fine. I'll help you. But only if I get one of those wishes too."

After receiving a nod in response from Alice, Indigo pulled her cloak tighter around her body before beginning her journey into the surrounding trees. As they walked through the brush and stepped over fallen branches, she heard the pair talking about the White Rabbit. Despite the Lark girl's raging curiosity, she chose to ignore it and focused her attention on the task at hand. But it wasn't long into their journey when she heard the Mad Hatter's voice once again.

"Why didn't you tell him the truth about Kaden?"

"Because I'm not gonna be the one to tell him about what the love of his life did to his brother."

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Meanwhile, on the other side of Wonderland in the Red Queen's castle, Kaden stood behind the Queen's chair. Anastasia stared at Percy with an annoyed look in her eyes as he sat at the other side of the table. His attention was glued to the White Rabbit while watching the blonde woman with fearful eyes and fiddling with his gloved fingers. The silence was becoming almost unbearable, even for the Red Knight who had become accustomed to keeping his mouth shut. It wasn't long after that when the Queen sat up in her chair and placed her hands in the center of her lap.

"So you told Alice what you heard?" the blonde woman questioned the animal in front of her, only for him to squirm a bit more in his seat before his eyes landed on the Queen once again.

"Yes, that Cyrus was alive," Percy responded before he placed his hands on the table in front of him and leaned a bit closer toward Anastasia, "is he?"

"I'll be the one asking questions."

"Right. So this makes us all square then? You said if I got her here, I'd get-"

"I said we'd settle up when the game was complete. We are still setting up the board," the Red Queen interrupted the White Rabbit, causing the latter to jump a bit before his full attention landed on her once again, "now as for your friend Alice, I need you to report everything she does to my Knight. Where she goes, who she talks to, what she is thinking. I need more than my eyes. I need your ears. And you will either help me, darling...or decorate this room. Understood?"

Percy slowly nodded in response to her question before he looked back down at his intertwined fingers. Kaden's eyes studied the conflicted look on the rabbit's face for a moment, causing confusion to flood through his veins. Just as the Red Queen was about to dismiss the animal, his pink eyes landed on the Red Knight standing behind her before he opened his mouth to speak once more.

"There is one last thing," the White Rabbit told them while keeping his full attention on the brunette boy standing behind Anastasia, "she has someone other than the Knave helping her."

"Indigo," Kaden muttered under his breath as soon as he put the pieces of Percy's puzzle together.

"Well, this is all just perfect! Now you can finish what you started!" the Red Queen laughed while clasping her hands together and turning to look at her knight, "now both of you leave."

The rabbit let out another whimper while hopping off his chair and making his way toward the exit. Kaden just stood there for a moment longer, his mind raced with a million thoughts of the girl he met years ago. It wasn't long before his brown eyes suddenly met the Red Queen's blue ones. It only took one look from her for him to understand she wasn't going to change her mind. Because of that, the Scarlet boy simply sent her a nod and followed after Percy.

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