military boots clicking on the
polished floor. He bowed repeatedly and began talking before he
reached
her.
“My queen, three decks of card soldiers have been dispatched to guard the perimeter of the grounds. The white knight and his chessmen will be stationed inside the palace and its gardens. They have promised to be as inconspicuous as they can, so as not to worry your guests, but—” Alyss laughed. “They are chessmen, General; they will always be a trifle conspicuous.” “That’s so, that’s so.” The general ran a fretful hand through his hair and split into the twin figures of Doppel and Gänger.
“We urge you to reconsider,” said General Doppel. “It’s a risk to have invited so many to the palace all at once,” agreed General Gänger. “We don’t wish to cause needless alarm—” “—but we’ll be vulnerable to disruptions from any enemies we still have among the populace.” “To say nothing of the risk to you personally.” “Queen Alyss can take care of herself,” said Homburg Molly. “And besides, she has me.” In one swift motion, Molly took the homburg from her head, snapped it into a flat, knife-edged disk, and sent it zinging down the hall and back. She caught it, with a flick of the wrist returned it to its innocent homburg shape, and plunked it on top of her head. Always wanting to prove her worth even though she’s proved it tenfold in battles. Homburg Molly was still too inexperienced to have mastered the Millinery ethic of keeping her emotions hidden, an ethic Hatter Madigan had epitomized to perfection. “Your diligence and concern are appreciated, as always,” Alyss told the generals, “but the memorial is for all of Wonderland. And to bring out the best in Wonderlanders, I must assume the best of them.” “You’re starting to sound like Bibwit!” Doppel and Gänger moaned at once, and turned to leave. “I’ll walk with you, Generals,” the tutor said. “I must powder my head and poof out my scholarly robes for the party and so will take my leave of the queen.” Once Bibwit and the generals had gone, Molly said, “I don’t get it. He’s an albino. Why does he put white powder on his head?”
Alyss smiled. “When we’re as clever and educated as Bibwit, I’m sure we’ll know the answer, Molly. But I think it’s time we joined the guests.”
her.
“My queen, three decks of card soldiers have been dispatched to guard the perimeter of the grounds. The white knight and his chessmen will be stationed inside the palace and its gardens. They have promised to be as inconspicuous as they can, so as not to worry your guests, but—” Alyss laughed. “They are chessmen, General; they will always be a trifle conspicuous.” “That’s so, that’s so.” The general ran a fretful hand through his hair and split into the twin figures of Doppel and Gänger.
“We urge you to reconsider,” said General Doppel. “It’s a risk to have invited so many to the palace all at once,” agreed General Gänger. “We don’t wish to cause needless alarm—” “—but we’ll be vulnerable to disruptions from any enemies we still have among the populace.” “To say nothing of the risk to you personally.” “Queen Alyss can take care of herself,” said Homburg Molly. “And besides, she has me.” In one swift motion, Molly took the homburg from her head, snapped it into a flat, knife-edged disk, and sent it zinging down the hall and back. She caught it, with a flick of the wrist returned it to its innocent homburg shape, and plunked it on top of her head. Always wanting to prove her worth even though she’s proved it tenfold in battles. Homburg Molly was still too inexperienced to have mastered the Millinery ethic of keeping her emotions hidden, an ethic Hatter Madigan had epitomized to perfection. “Your diligence and concern are appreciated, as always,” Alyss told the generals, “but the memorial is for all of Wonderland. And to bring out the best in Wonderlanders, I must assume the best of them.” “You’re starting to sound like Bibwit!” Doppel and Gänger moaned at once, and turned to leave. “I’ll walk with you, Generals,” the tutor said. “I must powder my head and poof out my scholarly robes for the party and so will take my leave of the queen.” Once Bibwit and the generals had gone, Molly said, “I don’t get it. He’s an albino. Why does he put white powder on his head?”
Alyss smiled. “When we’re as clever and educated as Bibwit, I’m sure we’ll know the answer, Molly. But I think it’s time we joined the guests.”
The royal garden, a courtyard at the
center of palace grounds, was crowded with happy Wonderlanders,
their ticklish eruptions of laughter competing with the singing of
the sunflowers planted alongside the war memorial.
Alyss had made only one request of the palace architects: that at
the grave site of Sir Justice Anders, former head of the palace
guard and Dodge Anders’ father, they create a memorial honoring all
who had