Tales from Blunderland
by Kyle Patubo

The first time I got sick, my mother and father took care of me. They had always made sure I was well fed even if I didn't want to and made me warm by giving me loads of blankets. They made sure I was well, while ruling Wonderland, no less. My mother and father were the King and Queen of Wonderland, and they always made sure their subjects were properly taken care of. And now, as they lay on their bed, sick and ailing, I realize now's my chance to take care of them too.

They're both resting right now. They both just had mock turtle soup and both had fallen asleep right away. It could be from the ground earworms I had snuck into their soup to make them drowsy. I couldn't help it though, they refuse to sleep because they're worried about the kingdom falling to ruin without them. However, they need to rest so that the infection they got from the Nade Moth doesn't get worse. Its venom has the strength that of the nightshade berry, it's a nasty thing. However, the Nade Moth's venom is slow and can be counteracted with some mustard vinegar, one of the few things that can counteract the poison from the Nade Moth. I give them three glasses of mustard vinegar a day and make sure they drink it. It's foul tasting but it works. It's like when I was a child and they would give me Rocking-Chair Horsefly pee for my fever. It was disgusting I remembering trying to punch or kick them every time they came near me with that disgusting liquid. I smiled down upon my mother and father and started to yawn as I sit back on my chair while they slept soundly, I rested my head on their gigantic bed. No matter how old I was, I would always go to my parents' bed because I had this notion in my head that their bed is always much, more comfy than mine. As I lay my head on their soft, silky blanket, that fact still held true.

~

I felt a slight motion on my head. It was rocking me back and forth like I was swaying in a hammock on a warm summer's day.

"Imogen? Immy, wake up." I opened my eyes slightly to see my parent's big lavish head before me. I jolted up to see my father was the one who was trying to wake me, with my mother nowhere to be found.

"Immy, get up please. I have to get dressed and catch up on my duties that I have missed, while I was resting." He smiled warmly at me and I rose up from the bed.

"But father, I think-"

"I know what you're going to say Imogen," he said as he cut me off, "but I cannot rest, I have neglected many duties of mine because of some silly illness and I will not miss anymore."

"Father, this is not some silly sickness. Both of you were bitten by the Nade Moth and this is serious."

"Imogen, I realize that this is serious. However, both you and I know that the symptoms are hallucinations, confusion and madness when near death. But your mother and I have only had a fever and we both talked before you got up and we noticed that both of us are considerably better." I grumbled a little under mouth. "Imogen, cheer up! That miserable concoction of yours is working!"

I groaned outwardly and got up and moved to side, in order to respect his wishes. "Fine, do your duties. By the way, speaking of mother, where is she?"

He had stood up and stretched a bit before answering. "She had gone to the washroom right before you woke up. She had wanted to take a bath and get ready but she didn't have patience for you to wake up. You should do the same and take a bath. You've been worrying about us for three weeks now, get some rest and sleep. You look dreadful." I glared at him. My father was never known for being tactful. He was rather brash and rough to the people he talked to. That's why he married my mother, she was the example for elegance.

"Thanks," I deadpanned. "I'll sleep a bit, but please get some rest." I got up from the chair I was sitting in a got out of their enormous room. I slowly trudged to my room. I didn't realize how tired I am until I actually got up and walked.

"Imogen!" I groaned out loud and turned around to see my sister, Minerva, running to me.

"What do you want Minerva?" I narrowed my eyes at her. She didn't deserve any of my patience at the moment. She didn't help me at all with mother father's sickness. All she cared was her stupid coronation. She was the oldest and our parents decided it was time to pass on the crown. They were thinking about it anyway, but what really sent them over the edge was when they got bit the Nade Moth. They had realized that weren't young anymore and death will come sooner or later, so they decided that their eldest, Minerva, would inherit the crown. And now all she's obsessed with is her coronation, it's in one month. However, she's in a panic because she needs a man to rule by her side and she has never liked any boy in her life, much less dated anyone, but she could get any guy she wanted. She had platinum blond hair, fair skin, high cheekbones and her eyes brown and could kill you with one look. She always wore white and black, which made her more look more stunning. But now, she's facing arranged marriage and well, she's not taking it well.

"Immy, please be nice. I'm not having the best morning. Guinevere had just screwed up
on my coronation dress! She had made my butt entirely too big and my breast way too small. It was a pain getting out of it."

"Just tell me what you want Minerva. I want to go sleep."

"Sleepy already? Didn't you just wake up? Come on! Do some work." Okay, she went a bit too far.

"Minerva," I said sweetly, not trying to yell, "I don't think you realize how restless I've been because I've been taking care of mother and father for the past three weeks while you're off arranging your stupid coronation and don't even have the time to stop by and see how they're doing!" I'm practically yelling at this point. "They've been bound to their room trying to get better and still running this kingdom, while you can't even arrange this coronation by yourself! What will happen when they're gone? Who are you going to run to for advice? Them? Well, you can't because they'll be dead! And you certainly aren't going to drag me down with you because you simply couldn't handle this huge responsibility? Do you even know the severity of your coronation? You're going to become a queen! And inherit the kingdom of Wonderland. Can you understand that? You're going to have so many lives in your hands and they're all going to depend on you. So why don't you do some serious work, like learn how to rule this kingdom or how to be a just queen? Or maybe, why don't you focus on the matter of finding someone to rule with because you can't be queen without a king. You have a lot of work to do, because I obviously don't do any!" I took a big breath and looked down. I feel even more tired and drowsy. I looked up at Minerva and her mouth was gaping. Suddenly, she closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes.

"I know why you're mad at me." Her face now has a smug expression written all over it. "It's because you want to be queen, not me." Now it was my turn to gape at her.

"You're really an idiot aren't you? This isn't about the crown. It's about you being stupid and irresponsible when you're about to receive something that requires, I don't know, actual responsibility?"

"Fine whatever Imogen. I just want to know which color is better on me, white or red." She held up two pieces of cloth, one red and one white, to her face.

"White, you know this. Red always been my color and white is yours."

"You sure?" She looked at me all innocently. Even though she was the older one, she could be a kid sometimes. I guess it's because she was spoiled a lot before I was born and still was even after I was born. I breathed a deep sigh.

"Yes, I'm sure," I smiled a little and looked at her. "You'll look beautiful in white."

I walked around my garden and inspected each red rose. I specifically commanded my servants to plant red roses only. I walked around inspecting each every one to make sure they were beautiful or off with their heads! The flowers I mean. I walked among the garden with my soldiers following nearby. I had kept trimming my flowers until I had stumbled upon my gardeners who were tending on single rose bush.

"Hello servants, I trust that you made sure that there are only red roses like I asked for right?" They had knelt down and I noticed that one was not like the other. All of my soldiers and servants wore red and black only. However, this one wore blue and white. That needs to be changed.

"You!" All of them raised their heads at me confused. "You! The one in the blue and white! Stand up!" The servant had stood up and it was a little blond girl. She reminds me of someone, but I can't put my finger on it

"Me?" She pointed to herself.

"Yes you, come over here." She scurried her tiny little self towards me. "Why are you not wearing red and black like all my servants? And I don't see any hearts on your clothes at all! And why haven't you referred to me as your majesty? It's like you've never worked here in your life! You better have a good answer or it's off with your head!" She looked appalled at the notion of me decapitating her and I laughed at that.

"I'm Alice Liddell and I'm not your servant. I came from the woods and I'm trying to get out of here."

"Oh stupid child, the gate is right there!" I pointed to the gate and her eyes followed my finger. "And you mean to tell me that you're not my servant? Then why are you here?"

"I was helping your gardeners paint the roses red so they'll tell me how-"

"What? I think I misheard you. Did you say paint the roses red?" I looked around and saw a few cans of red paint lying around. A few of the gardeners started to shush the girl. "Quiet!" I yelled at my gardeners. "I would like to what she said." The gardeners shut up.

"Yes, I was helping them paint the roses red because they were white before." I could hear one of my servants crying and some of them groan. I looked at the rose bush they were tending to and I saw in my midst a single, white rose and some partially colored red ones.

"What?! Would someone like to tell me why there are white roses in my midst? You know I hate white. Are you trying to infuriate me? Perhaps you would like your heads cut off?" I sneered at them.

"No please! Please your majesty! Don't!" One screamed.

"It was Ace's Fault! Off with his head!"

"It wasn't me!" The one I presumed to be Ace exclaimed. "It was Jack's! I didn't plant the bulbs, he did!"

"Ace is lying! It wa-"

"Stop! I don't care who did it. You know I hate white Minerva!" My head was starting to hurt again.

"Who's Minerva?" One asked.

"That's it! Off with all their heads! Except for the strange girl." They were giving me a headache and I'm sure after the execution their heads won't hurt any more. My soldiers started to drag off the five servants who had messed up my flowers. I can't wait for a good execution. I hope they'll plan it in the morning. Morning ones are always the best. I looked down and saw the small girl still trembling. She was not even all the way up to my chest. She looked like she barely reached three feet.

"Don't cut off my head," she had said to me.

"Nonsense, you did not do anything." Foolish girl, I thought. "Now do tell me, why are you so short? Or perhaps you're a midget."

"Oh, I drank a strange potion that made me this way."

"Oh you drank some Pishsalver. Come now, follow me. I have just the thing to cure you."

~

I open the oven to see the cake had shrunk in size. It's perfect because no one wants too much Upelkuchen. I take it out of the oven and set it on the counter. I grab a fork to take out the cake itself from its pan. I set the little bite-sized cake unto the cutting board and cut it in half.

"Child, where are you?" I start to look around to find the midget I found in the garden.

"Here I am, turn around." I turned around to her standing near the oven.

"What did I say to call me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." I waited for her it say it.

"Ahem, don't you mean I'm sorry, your majesty?"

"Oh opps! I'm sorry, your majesty!" She said it, but she didn't curtsy like I told her.

"Child, what's your name again?"

"Alice, Alice Lidell." She replied.

"Alice, I told you to curtsy when you say that. It's alright though, we'll work on it." I shook my head in annoyance. "Okay, come here and eat this. It's Upelkuchen, it will make you grow bigger." I gave her one half of the cake and hid the other half away. She ate it started to grow right away. Soon her clothes start to rip as she grew to around my height. I grabbed some scissors and trotted to towards her.

"No stop! Don't cut off my head!" She screamed at me. She put her hands up to protect herself.

"No, you stupid child. I'm going to cut off some off your clothes so you'll be comfortable." I came at her with the scissors again, but this time she didn't scream. She just breathed a little sigh of relief. While I was doing this, I had ordered one of the staff to grab a towel for Alice. Once I had manage to cut off her hideous outfit of blue and white, I stretched out my hand for the towel I had sent one of the kitchen staff to get. The girl handed me the towel and I gave it to Alice to wear.

"Thank you," she had mumbled.

"Come now Alice, now that we're rid of that hideous white outfit, we will find you something much better to wear." I took her hand and led her upstairs to a dressing room.

Once we arrived into a room full of my clothes. I looked for something suitable for her to wear while she stood awkwardly near the entrance of the room. I looked through the rows of clothes and saw a croquet playing dress. Then came a bright idea.

"Alice, have you ever played croquet?" I had shouted to her.

"Of course, your majesty."

"Well, then let us play!" I shuffled around for another croquet playing dress and once I found it, I tossed it to her. "Get dressed so we can play!" I grabbed the one I saw earlier and started to get dressed.

~

Alice and I had just arrived at the croquet field and I grabbed my favorite pink flamingo. I was ready to start, I haven't played croquet in a while. Alice was just standing there however.

"Alice, come on, let's start!" However, she stared at me quizzically. "Grab a flamingo and let's start!"

"A flamingo?"

"Yes, a flamingo! Haven't you ever played croquet before?' I swear this girl is confusing. She hesitantly grabbed a yellow one and proceeded to stand next to me. I took the first turn and straightened my flamingo's neck. I grabbed a hedgehog and placed it on the grass. I took my flamingo and swung. My hedgehog rolled through nearly half of the hoops. The company that had joined us started to clap me. I bowed as they clapped for me.

"Alice dear, your turn." She walked to my place and placed the hedgehog onto the grass. She had trouble controlling the flamingo. She tried straightening the flamingo's neck to make it work, however the flamingo refused. I giggled a little bit at the sight.

"This is not funny, this flamingo hates me." She said as she still tried to straighten the flamingo's neck, but the bird won't let her. I started to cackle at her struggle.

"Alice dear, are you sure that you have played croquet before." I said in-between laughs.

"Yes, I have." She had said in a stern tone. "You know what?" She took the flamingo, sat on it, took its neck and swung at the hedgehog. However, somehow the flamingo had gotten up and managed to pin Alice to the ground. The flamingo started to run, but Alice got up to catch it but failed. She happened to land on her face and I rushed over to her.

"Alice, are you alright?" I turned her over and examined her face.

"Yes, I am and-" She turned her gaze at me and started to laugh.

"What's the matter? Have you gone mad?" I started to feel her forehead.

"No, no, that's not it. Don't you feel it?"

"Feel what?" I looked at her quizzically.

"The cat on your head!" She started to laugh even more right now.

"Nonsense, there hasn't been a cat in Wonderland in a long time."

I woke up to find a tickling sensation on my face. I open my eyes to see Cherish tickling my face. If Cherish is here, that means that he's here. I sit up on my bed to look for where he is. I turned my left my head left and right to get a good look at my room but I could not seem to find him. Suddenly, a head popped up from the edge of my bed to see the love of my life.

"Looking for me, my darling?" He got up from where he was and sat down on the edge of my bed.

"Matthias, you know how I hate being surprised." I scolded him. He got up and moved to where I was seated and sat next to me. He smiled and drew me close to him.

"But dearie," he breathed into my right ear, "that's no fun." I could feel the smile on his face and I smiled as well. He drew back and gave me a light kiss on my lips.

"Good morning, Matt." I said, still smiling.

"Good morning to you love. But you do realize that it's actually night? Dinner had just finished downstairs, but I know the cook saved you some." Matt was my one true love, but he was also the son of the royal hat maker. I've told my parents and they're fine with it. However our relationship must not ever be made known to the public, it would be a huge scandal. I think that's one of the main reasons they made Minerva queen. She may be the oldest, however she isn't that well equipped for royal duties. But if I were to be queen, I would need to marry somebody with royal blood, somebody I don't know, somebody who's probably from a faraway land, and most importantly, somebody who isn't Matthias.

We had known each other since we were young. All of the children in the castle had grown up together. We were never sent to regular school because the commute was too long and rather dangerous. Matthias was a year older than me and Minerva, but we became great friends because Matthias didn't like Constance, a girl who was the same age as him and had this weird notion that they had to be the best of friends. But Minerva and I had a bright idea to help him out by introducing her to Lukas, a boy who was the same age as her and whose parents were cooks like hers. Obviously, she thought it was fate that they met and ditched Matthias for him. Matthias had been thankful ever since and started to hang out with us three more. However, when our elementary schooling was over and we had to move on to learning our parent's jobs, we three had still stuck together. Then one day, Matt and I decided to take things a bit farther and date. One of worst fears was that Minerva would feel excluded from our little group because that's how we were, we were always together, the three of us, and Matt and I would want some alone time together, without Minerva. I hated her sometimes, but she was my sister and I didn't want her to get lonely. But Minerva was always okay with it, she said that we were actually a really cute couple.

"Are you sure, because I am really hungry." I said as I got out of my bed. I stretched and yawned really loudly. I felt hands wrap around my neck.

"Yes, my dear, I made sure of it." Something felt wrong. I turned around to Matthias about foot and a half taller than me. He was about four inches taller than me and I've always liked tall guys, but this was insane.

"Matt, care to tell me why you're seven feet tall?" I said slowly. He look at my puzzled, then looked at himself.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "I had to eat some Upelkuchen so I can sneak in through the balcony with Cherish. The maids were all over the outside of your room earlier and I couldn't simply just walk in. They're terrible gossips you know." He smiled cheekily. He had bent down to pick up Cherish from my bed and carry him on his shoulder. Cherish was a small cat that Matthias found about two months ago. Cats aren't usually common in Wonderland or maybe it's because we don't know where to look. The rare instances one sees a cat, it quickly disappears leaving a grin and then nothing at all.

"Why do you keep that cat? It might disappear from you one day."

"Then I'll be proud to say that I was part of his life, even if it was for a little while." He smiles down at the cat, cradling.

"Whatever, just let me get dressed and we'll make some Pishsalver for you down in the kitchen. Plus, I want to eat." I quickly grabbed a nightgown and went to the washroom to put it on. I left the washroom to see Matt on my bed with Cherish sleeping soundly on his belly.

"You ready?" Matthias asked me.

"Yes. Okay, come on let's go," He got up from my bed gently so he won't wake Cherish up. He walked to the door and as did I. I opened it and poked my head out to see if the maids were still around. I looked left and right, and once I had deemed the coast clear, Matt and I left my room. We had headed straight for the stairs, but once we had gone down one flight I had remembered, I didn't know the recipe for Pishsalver that well. I remember that there should be urine of a horsefly, buttered fingers and three teaspoons of wishful thinking, but I'm missing something

"Matthias," I whisper-yelled to him. He had stopped and turned around.

"What?" He spoke in the same manner.

"I forgot that I don't know the recipe for Pishsalver that well." He groaned.

"Well, what are we going to do? We can't ask anybody because it'll be weird that we're snaking around with each this late at night." He was right, but I couldn't let him stay like this.

"Wait, I have an idea. My father knows the potion by heart, he used to be the top of his potions class when he was a child."

"That's great! Let's go!" He exclaimed, we had went up to where my bedroom was and were almost to my parents' room when we turned the corner and collided with somebody. I was knocked back on my feet and my head hit the floor.

"Imogen! Are you okay?" Matthias was hovering over me to see if I was okay.

"I am, but I might have a headache later." Matthias rose to his feet and helped me up. I got up and saw on the floor, Minerva. She was surrounded by almost a dozen clothing articles. Right now, she was glaring at me.

"Imogen," she started. "I know you think that what I'm doing is stupid and pointless and that I should do more important stuff, but this coronation needs to happen and be over with. I don't need you to be running into me while you're with-" Her head turned to see Matthias towering over me. "Hi Matthias." She smiled at him.

"Hey Minnie." He gave a slight wave. "Need some help?"

"That would be delightful," she said, still smiling. He rushed over to her and helped her get to her feet and picked up the clothes for her. He also picked up Cherish, who he probably laid down to help me and Minerva up.

"Thanks Matthias," she said when he gave her the clothes. She looked at him and finally noticed that he's practically a giant.

"What happened?!" She exclaimed.

"He ate too much Upelkuchen and now we have to make some Pishsalver without getting caught, but I forgot to make it so we're asking father." I said.

"Oh, why don't I come along?" She smiled. "It'll be like old times. We haven't hung out much anymore." She was right we haven't been together in a while.

"Sure, come along." I gave her a slight smile.

"Okay, I'll put these in my room and I'll catch you in their room." She rushed off to go to her room, while Matthias and I hurried to go to my parents' room, hopefully without running into anybody this time. I opened the door, pushed him in and closed it quickly. My father and mother were in bed. My mother was still reading something and had a lamp lit nearby, while my father was sound asleep.

"Mother, can you wake up father? We have something to ask him." She looked up and there was a glint of yellow in her eye.

"Iracebeth? What are you doing here? Is that Tarrant?"

"Mother, what are you talking about? It's Imogen and Matthias." She blinks and shakes her head. She opens her eyes and the yellow glint is gone.

"I'm sorry, I'm rather tired and obviously am not thinking clearly." She shakes father and he stirs in his sleep. While she is trying to awaken him, Minerva comes in and closes the door behind her. My mother tries to shake my father again but he just groans. Minerva walks over to the side of my father and shakes him. He jolts up and looks over at Minerva.

"Mirana, I am trying to sleep. I would rather not be mimsy in the morning, so let rest." He was dazed and confused as well.

"Father, I'm Minerva. Are you okay?" she asks worriedly. She's finally caring about our parents. Father opens his eyes wide open and looks at Minerva.

"I'm sorry, of course you're Minerva. And yes, I'm okay I think I just need some rest. Why did you wake me, by the way?"

"Oh, well I need the ingredients for Pishsalver. I forgot them." I told him.

"Why do you need Pishsalver?" he asked. I jerked a thumb to my side and he looked to see Matthias cradling Cherish in his arms.

"I know that I need buttered fingers, three spoons of wishful thinking and urine of a-"

"Is that Cheshire?" My father exclaimed. "Let me carry him!" My father has always liked Cherish since Matthias found him, but he knows his name is Cherish.

"Don't you mean Cherish?" Matthias asked as he handed my father Cherish. My father stared up at Matthias and I swear his eyes were fully yellow, but then he blinked and his eyes went back to a pale blue. I don't know if I'm seeing things or something weird is going on.

"Anyway," I said loudly to gain the attention of my father. "We need some ingredients for Pishsalver. I had forgotten them and we need it to get Matthias to his normal size."

"Easy, you're missing a pinch of worm fat, three coins from a dead man's pocket and spit from someone of royal blood." He stated quickly as he continued to play with Cherish.

"Okay let's go now." Matthias grabbed Cherish from my father and he frowned deeply. As I was to head out of the door, I noticed Minerva hadn't gotten up to join us.

"Minerva," I yelled to get her attention. "Are you coming or not?"

"Yes, I will but I want to check up on these two first." Her eyes fell upon my mother and father who weren't looking their best. But it's good to that she's taking interest into taking care of them. They looked rather tired and a little sick. I wonder if they took their mustard vinegar treatment today.

"Minerva, do me a favor." She look at me and gave a quizzical hum. "Give both of them one glass of mustard vinegar so they'll feel better and the effects of the Nade Moth can finally wear off. Matthias and I will head down to the kitchen and try to make the Pishsalver." She nodded and then, Matthias and I ran down to the kitchen.

He gathered the supplies and I quickly started to make the potion. Not long after I spit in the concoction to complete it, Minerva came in.

"What's that smell? Is that the Pishsalver? It's not supposed to smell like that!" She giggled at me.

"I am trying my best! I know I wasn't the best potion maker, but still!" She still giggled at me. "Minerva, don't laugh at me."

"Minerva, don't laugh at me." I said as I stared down at her while she was have a laughing fit about a cat that is supposedly on my head.

"I'm not laughing at you! There's a cat on your head!" She still laughed. She was still so very stupid. "Wait, who's Minerva?" she asked puzzled. And then she started laughing some more about some cat who is now apparent giving me a tail and taking my crown. This is not funny. Doesn't Minerva understand this? She's still so stupid after all these years. Then, I heard some of my subjects giggling as well. They were laughing at me too. Minerva made my own subjects turn on me. She always was so spoiled. My cheeks grew hot and I started to see red.

"Minerva!" I yelled. "I have tried and tried to be patient with you, but you are still just a stupid, little, insolent girl. But no, you have taken the last straw! Off with your head!" My soldiers started to walk toward Minerva.

"Are you talking to me?" she asked. I do not understand how she can be so stupid, of course I'm talking to her. "I'm not Minerva! I'm Alice!" I picked her up and looked her in the eyes.

"Alice rhymes with malice and you know what else starts with M? Minerva!" I cackled and gave her to my soldiers.

"Are you okay? You're eyes are yellow!" she screams at me.

"That just means that I am much muchier. How about you? Have you lost you muchness?" I laughed and order everyone to back inside. I can't wait for her execution.

"Wait! Wait!" I heard Minerva yell a bit far off. "I demand a trial!" I turned and asked one of my soldiers if she can do that.

"Yes, your majesty. I believe she can in accordance with Wonderland law." I gave him a bitter scoff. And stalked towards Minerva.

"Fine, very well. You may get a trial but once it's over, then it's off with your pretty little head Minerva." I sneered at her.

~

It was later that day that the trial was held. We were in the royal courtroom and we had just begun our trial. McTwist, my loyal messenger and herald, was Minerva's defender while I had my knave of hearts be the prosecutor and the King of Hearts, my husband, be the judge.

"I would like to call on the first witness, the Cheshire Cat, whom the defendant claims was the real culprit behind the heinous act of ridiculing the Queen of Hearts earlier today." My knave had stated before the jury. Soon enough, a grin was floating down to the witness stand until it suddenly had become a full-fledged smiling cat. I haven't seen one of those in forever.

"Do you admit to committing this horrible act?" The knave had stated.

"Do you know why a raven is like a writing desk?" he asked back.

"Mr. Cheshire, answer the question," said the King of Hearts.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." He grinned directly at me. I groaned outwardly and rested my head in my hands. I have a headache.

"Ugh, off with his head! He is not answering properly!" I pointed at the cat.

"Are you sure about that?" the cat has asked. Suddenly, with a flick of his tail, his whole body disappeared.

"Off with his head!" I yelled. This cat was infuriating me.

"But your majesty," the king said. "We can't decapitate a head because it is only a head."

"You're starting to annoy me! Fine then! Off with your head!" I pointed to the king. A chorus of gasps followed the declaration.

"You want to kill the king?" I turn my head to find that Minerva or Alice, I can't tell who she is, asking me the very question.

"Minerva, or um Alice, whichever one you are, shut up!" I yelled at her.

"No! Do you really want the king dead?" she screamed at me.

"The king is dead. I'm sorry Imogen." I felt Matthias' hand on the small of my back as he scooted closer to me. He's dead. My father is really, in fact, dead. He's gone, forever. I leaned into Matthias as he comforted me and let me cry on him.

"It's okay, there was nothing you could do." He said as I stroked my hair. He was right, there was nothing I could do. But those bugs, oh those terrible bugs, they were to blame. Then I realized that I was right, the bugs were to blame! I tore myself from Matt and I ran to my drawer. I grabbed a box and a scarf. As I was headed out the door, Matt interrupted me and my thoughts.

"Where are you going?"

"Out. I have something to do." I said icily. And before I closed the door, I remembered one thing.

"Don't follow me, or else you'll regret it." I said to him sternly. I closed the door and wrapped my scarf around myself. I took the box out from my pocket and pulled out the necklace in it. The necklace was special. It contained a siren's screech. It's powerful enough to kill anything that hears it within a 20 yard radius.

I snuck out of the castle, it was fairly easy enough considering that everyone was mourning the loss of a great king, and the queen is not that far off. I bite back some tears as I enter the Mog Bog, home of the deadly Nade Moth, the true cause of my pain and suffering. I pulled out the box again, only to pull out two dried blub slugs. The only thing that can block the shriek of the siren. I place them firmly on my ears and I see a swarm of Nade Moths coming my way. I open the necklace to deliver death to these nasty creatures. I walked around the Bog, killing each and every Nade Moth. I need all of them dead, because one alive is one too many.

As I am about to kill my about twenty-seventh swarm, I feel something hard, like a rock, hit my back. I turn around to see Matthias holding about three rocks in one hand and covering his ear with the other.

"You idiot! Don't you understand that you could've been killed?" I scream at him.

"Yes, but I want to make sure you're okay. You've been killing so many moths. Are you sure this is good?"

"Of course!" I exclaim. "But what good can ever come to be? My father, my only one, is gone forever now. So if we can't have good in this life, I'll take out the evil." The worry on Matthias' softened and relaxed as he hugged me. I hug him back and breathe a sigh of relief. He's one of the few people who could calm me down. Another one being my father, but he can't do that anymore. I felt a tapping on my back. And I look up to see a look of worry on Matthias' face.

"Are you okay?" I say to him.

"T-turn around." I obey what he says to see many Nade Moths in the bog, which eventually leads to the river. The bog was never the best or cleanest water in the first place, but now it looked simply undrinkable. The water is now black and murky.

"That's not good." I say.

"Come on, let's go back and tell someone, this can't be ignored." He says.

"Yeah, I agree. Let's go." Matthias and I run back to the palace and look for somebody, anybody we can tell about the situation. We run into my sister on the ground floor.

"Imogen, there you are." She says to me.

"Minerva, we need to talk to someone. It's about-"

"Immy, listen." She tries to butt in.

"No, you listen! There is a-"

"Mother's dead." She cut in.

"What?" I said in disbelief.

"She's dead. She passed away not too long ago. I'm the queen now." Me and her locked eyes for a long moment. The time has come. My entire world is crashing down and my sister is now queen.

"I need a moment," I said. I walked to my room and sat in my bed. They're gone. Both of them. What will I do now?

~

There was a knock on my door a few hours later. I didn't say or move or do anything. It could be a murderer and I wouldn't care. My door creaked open and came in Matthias and Minerva. She had knelt down in front of me and took my hands into hers.

"Immy, I know how feel. But we'll get through this together." I looked up at her and smiled.

"Twas naught a frabjous day today. And mimsy and sary were ye." I jerked my head to look at Matthias.

"What'd you say?" I asked him. Minerva awkwardly chuckled and blocked my sight from looking at him.

"Nothing, he said nothing. He's just being weird." She gave another awkward chuckle. I moved her aside so that I can look at Matthias for myself. His eyes were a mixed pink-yellow combination. He also looked paler. I shot Minerva a threatening look.

"What did you do?" I asked her.

"Nothing! I-" I slapped her face hard and fast.

"I'm going to say it one more time. What. Did. You. Do?"

"I gave him a love potion." She looked down at her feet while rubbing her cheek from where I had slapped her.

"You what?!" I screamed. "Do you not know how dangerous that is? Why did you do that" How could I have such a stupid sister. Even making some Pishsalver was tricky work.

"I gave him a love potion, so that he could love me." She had said in a soft voice.

"What?" I said in shock.

"I love him, but he loved you. I never wanted to be queen. I've always wanted Matthias, but you had his heart." I stared blankly at her. "You never did think once that maybe I liked him. Did you?" She sneered at me.

"Excuse me?" I was appalled. How dare she accuse me of something like that!

"Come on, you never thought how it would change between us three. You were selfish and always thought about yourself." She drew the last straw. I grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the balcony.

"Oh goodie! We're going outside!" I hear Matt say. Once we reach the edge of the balcony, I make her look at Wonderland.

"Look at that. You're going to have to rule that entire kingdom soon, so if you don't get over yourself and be responsible for once-" Something had dawned on me. "Please tell me that you gave mother and father the mustard vinegar I told you to give them last night."

"The what?" She looked so clueless.

"The mustard vinegar! The only thing still keeping them alive, you idiot!" I was practically screaming at this point. "What did you? You're so irresponsible! Why did you forget?" She looked down and shuffled her feet again. My patience with her has run thin. I grabbed her hair and gave her another slap across the face.

"Tell me!" I demanded.

"Fine! I had asked father on how to make a love potion." She was on her knees crying, bawling her eyes out. I stared at her. I don't know if she's crying from remorse or from my slap. How could she be so stupid and selfish? She had cost us our parents' lives all because of some stupid love potion that didn't work.

"So you mean to tell me that you killed our parents for a love potion that didn't work?" I looked at Matthias out of the corner of my eye. He had been staring out into Wonderland.

"No! I didn't mean to kill them!" She was now bawling her eyes out.

"What did you even put into the potion anyway?" Why was Matthias acting like this anyway?

"The usual, some worm fat, bullfrog warts and weirdly enough Nade moth blood." I gawked at her when she had said this.

"What did you say?" I said.

"Nade Moth blood. Why is that bad?" she asked dumbly.

"Of course it is! That's what made mother and father sick in the first place!" I yelled.

"That's what made them sick? They ate some Nade Moth blood?" She asked. I don't know what to say about her.

"Really? You don't know why they're sick? How stupid and selfish are you? They got bit by one while helping somebody from the Bog rebuild their house. Don't you understand how bad you messed up? You indirectly killed mother and father for a stupid love potion, which doesn't work and made the love of my life mad! And now, because I was so sad, there are dozens of Nade Moths dead in Mog Bog." I took a deep breathe in and clutched my head. This is too much for me to handle.

"Wait you wait?" My sister asked puzzled.

"What? What are you talking about?" I said in a harsh tone.

"You said something about dead Nade Moths?" she replied in a tone similar to mine.

"I took mom's necklace, the one with the siren, and went to Mog Bog to kill as many Nade Moths as I can. Now they're dead and in the bog"

"You what? Don't you understand that you've poisoned the water supply? You're going to turn everyone in Wonderland mad! How can you be so stupid?" She glared at me. No, she was not going to call me stupid after all she had done.

"You know what?" I stood up and grabbed her hair again. "You are the stupidest and most selfish person I have ever met." And with every word, I punched her face. "You've endangered so many people. Why can't you ever learn?" I wasn't thinking clearly, I was seeing red. I wanted to stop but I couldn't. She had killed my parents and made my boyfriend into a walking psychopath. I just keep punching and hitting her. Minerva was screaming all the while.

"Get off! Get off!" She screamed. After a few tries, she managed to push me off but that was not a wise decision. As soon as she pushed me off, I pushed her as well. However, she had her back to the railing of the balcony and she fell over the edge. My registered that she was falling and I reached out to grab her. I tried to grab her foot or something but all I could get was her dress. I struggled trying to get her back onto the balcony. She was struggling and screaming, which was not helping me help her get up. One had was on the stone railing, trying not to let me and her fall as well, and the other was holding onto her dress. I heard Matthias laughing beside me while singing something about a bat.

"Imogen! Help! Please!" she screamed.

"I'm trying," I say, but as soon as I say that, my grip loosened and I let go of her. I watched over the railing as she fell down. She body hit the ground, but her head didn't. Her head got caught onto a gargoyle and stayed there while her body descended. I could hear Matthias laughing beside me.

"Don't lose your head!" he said to me. And I just stared.