On the shore of the Crimson¹ Sea stood the castle of Iracebeth, the Red Queen. From the top of its tall, twisting spires² flew her flag, a heart in flames fluttering as if it were truly on fire. The craggy walls were too steep to scale, and vultures wheeled over the sharp rocks below, testifying to the victims of the Queen's wrath³ who had been tossed off the battlements.

Surrounding the castle on one side were the barren red sands of Crims, and the fierce waters of the Crimson Sea battered⁴ the other. It was a fortress⁵, and the dangerous aura around it matched the darkness at the heart of its ruler.

Inside, the Red Queen was screaming.

The frog footmen who lined the grand hall winced⁶ and gulped⁷. Their pale legs trembled as they heard her footsteps stomping⁸ closer. The tall doors at one end of the hall suddenly banged open, revealing the Queen herself.

The first thing one noticed about the Red Queen was her positively⁹ gigantic head. That was also the second and third thing one noticed, and possibly all one might ever notice about her, as it really was extraordinarily¹⁰ huge. One might wonder why she never toppled over, as it looked extremely unbalanced to have a head so out of proportion. Her extremely large features protruded¹¹ under a shock of bright red hair.

And right now—as it often was—her enormous face was contorted with anger.

"Someone has stolen three of my tarts¹²!" she roared. She seized the lapel of the nearest frog footman and leaned into his face. "Did you steal them?"

"No, Your Majesty¹³," the frog stammered¹⁴.

The Red Queen stalked down the long line of frogs, studying each of their faces through narrow eyes. At the end, she whirled on one particularly terrified frog.

"Did you?" she snarled¹⁵.

"No, Your Majesty!" he cried.

Her black eyes gleamed with anger and triumph. One long finger reached out and wiped a telltale bit of jam from the side of the frog's mouth. His whole body shook as she held up her finger and sniffed¹⁶ the jam with her gigantic nose.

"Squimberry juice," she hissed¹⁷.

"I was so hungry! I didn't mean to!" the frog wailed¹⁸, nearly collapsing¹⁹ to the ground.

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" screamed the Red Queen.

Red Knights²¹ hurried into the hall and converged²² on the guilty frog.

"My family!" the frog pleaded. "Oh please, don't. No! I have little ones to look after!" His cries of despair faded as the Knights dragged him out the door.

The Queen turned to her Fish Butler, licking her lips with her hideous²³ fat tongue. "Go to his house and collect the little ones. I love tadpoles²⁴ on toast almost as much as I love caviar."

As she turned away, the Fish Butler suppressed a shudder²⁵ of revulsion and anger. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Drink!" the Red Queen barked. Almost immediately, the Fish Butler produced a drink with a straw and the Red Queen took a sip²⁶.

"Majesty?" said a new voice.

The Red Queen whirled, her face lighting²⁷ up. Her whole manner became flirty²⁸ and simpering as the man with the birthmark strode down the hall toward her. "Ilosovic Stayne," she purred. "You knave²⁹, where have you been lurking³⁰?"

The Knave of Hearts bowed low and took her extended hand. He kissed it, but barely, only brushing it briefly³¹ with his lips. The Red Queen sighed.

"Majesty, I found the Oraculum," he said, taking a step back. The Red Queen led the way into the throne room and watched him unroll the scroll³² on a table.

"That?" she said skeptically. "It looks so ordinary for an oracle³³."

"Look here," he said, his face serious. "On the Frabjous Day." He pointed³⁴ to the illustration that had startled Alice earlier, of the blond knight²⁰ battling the Jabberwocky.

The Queen squinted³⁵ at it, and her face reddened with anger again. "I'd know that tangled³⁶ mess of hair anywhere," she sneered³⁷. "Is it Alice?"

"I believe it is," said the Knave.

The Queen peered closer. She gnashed her teeth. "What is she doing with my darling Jabberwocky?"

The Knave cleared his throat and took a sideways step out of the Queen's reach. "She appears to be slaying³⁸ it."

The Queen's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "She killed my Jabberbabywocky!" she shrieked³⁹.

"Not yet," the Knave said hurriedly. "But it will happen if we don't stop her."

"Find Alice, Stayne," said the Queen, her voice rising. "Find her!"

He gave another bow. "I will bring her head and lay it at your feet."

"No!" The Queen glared darkly at the scroll. "Bring the whole girl. I want to do it myself."

Stayne mounted his horse in the stableyard and looked coldly down at the bloodhound groveling on the paving stones. Bayard was a large, growling⁴¹, brown dog with drooping⁴² ears and sad eyes, but it was said he had the sharpest nose in all the land. Three knights held him at bay with heavy ropes attached to the spiked⁴³ collar around his neck. Bayard winced as the spikes⁴⁴ pressed into his loose skin.

The Knave of Hearts had no pity in his gaze. "Find the scent⁴⁵ of human girl and earn your freedom," he said to the dog.

"For my wife and pups as well?" asked Bayard, lifting his head. A spark of hope flared⁴⁶ in his eyes.

"Everyone goes home," agreed the Knave.

The bloodhound lowered his nose to the ground and inhaled⁴⁷ deeply. With a low growl⁴⁰, he bounded out through the castle gates with the Knights close behind him. Stayne leaned down to stroke his horse's neck.

"Hrrrrrrrmph," muttered the horse. "Dogs will believe anything."

Alice finally stopped running. She leaned against a tree, gasping⁴⁸ for air. She had no idea where she was, but that had been true ever since she fell down the rabbit hole, so she was trying not to worry about it. She was surrounded by odd-looking trees, so it was some kind of wood, but a more normal one than the mushroom forest.

She pushed back her long golden hair and looked at the gashes⁴⁹ on her arm. Blood welled up from the deep scratches and she flinched⁵⁰ as she touched them. How could a dream-injury hurt so much?

"Ahem," said a voice above her. "It looks like you ran afoul of something with wicked claws."

"Yes, and I'm still dreaming!" Alice said indignantly. She looked up and realized she was talking to … part of a cat. The cat's disembodied head floated in the air above a nearby branch. Alice blinked at it, trying not to show her surprise.

"What did that to you?" asked the cat head.

Alice tried to remember the word Tweedledee had used. "Banner or Bander …"

"The Bandersnatch?" said the cat. His head disappeared suddenly, making Alice jump. And then, just as suddenly, the entire cat reappeared beside her on the ground. He sauntered closer to her with a seductive grin, all calm, casual sensuality. Something tugged⁵¹ at Alice's memory. She didn't know how she knew, but a name slipped into her mind: the Cheshire Cat. "I'd better have a look."

He inspected the wound for a moment. His pink tongue slid out and he reached to lick the gashes. Alice jerked away.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He blinked slowly at her, looking amused. "It needs to be purified by someone with evaporating skills, or it will fester and putrefy."

That sounded quite horrible. But Alice didn't want to be licked by a strange, giant cat whose various parts kept disappearing. "I rather you didn't. I'll be fine as soon as I wake up," she insisted.

"At least let me bind⁵² it for you," offered the Cheshire Cat, pulling out a white silk handkerchief. Alice let him tie the handkerchief firmly around her wound.

"What do you call yourself?" the cat asked as he worked.

"Alice."

He looked up sharply. "The Alice?"

"There's been some debate about that," Alice said.

The Cheshire Cat sidled away from her. "I never get involved in politics." He glanced around, as if making sure they were not being watched. "You'd best be on your way."

"Which way?" Alice asked. "All I want to do is wake up from this dream!"

The Cheshire Cat sighed heavily. "Fine. I'll take you to the Hare and the Hatter. But that's the end of it!" And with that, he vanished into thin air. Alice whirled around, then checked the branches again. There was no sign of the cat.

Finally he reappeared a short way away through the trees and gave her a curious look. "Coming?" he asked.

There was nothing she could do but follow him.

 

红皇后伊拉贝斯的城堡坐落在红色海洋的岸边，高耸弯曲的塔尖上飘扬着红皇后火焰状的心形旗帜，远远望去似乎真的着火了一样，城墙陡峭得都没法爬上去。秃鹰在城墙下尖利的岩石上方盘旋，见证了那些由于红皇后的愤怒而被抛下城垛的受害者。

城堡的一边是贫瘠的红色沙漠，另一边则是汹涌的波涛拍打着海岸的红色海洋。这是一处要塞，周围危险的气息映衬出统治者内心深处的阴暗。

城堡里，红皇后发出阵阵尖叫。

蛙仆人在大厅里畏畏缩缩地站成一排，紧张地直咽口水。听见红皇后噔噔的脚步声渐渐逼近，它们无力的四肢都忍不住哆嗦起来。大厅那头高大的门突然间砰的一声被打开了，红皇后来了。

人们第一眼注意到的就是红皇后那颗绝对硕大无比的脑袋，第二眼、第三眼注意到的还是那颗脑袋，也许人们对她所有的关注就是那颗脑袋，因为这颗脑袋实在是超极大。有人可能很好奇为什么她从没栽倒在地上，因为长着这么一颗不成比例的脑袋让她整个人看上去极不平衡。在一头鲜艳的红发的映衬下，她这张大得夸张的面孔分外显眼。

此时此刻——和往常一样——她那张大脸都气歪了。

“有人偷吃了我三块草莓馅饼！”红皇后咆哮道。她一把揪住离她最近的蛙仆人的衣领，一点点向他逼近。“是你偷的？”

“不是，陛下。”青蛙结结巴巴地说。

红皇后昂首阔步地走向长长的队列，眯着眼观察每一个蛙仆人的脸。最后，她绕到一只格外恐慌的青蛙面前。

“是你？”红皇后厉声呵斥。

“不是，陛下！”他大叫着。

红皇后黑色的眼睛里满是怒气，却又透着胜利的喜悦。她伸出一根细长的手指抹掉了青蛙嘴边泄露了秘密的果酱。她抬起手指头，用硕大的鼻子嗅了嗅上面的果酱，这个蛙仆人全身战栗。

“是红莓汁。”红皇后嘶叫道。

“我饿坏了！我不是故意的！”蛙仆人哀号着，吓得差点瘫倒在地上。

“砍掉它的头！”红皇后厉声说道。

红骑士立即涌进大厅将这只有罪的青蛙团团围住。

“我上有老下有小！”蛙仆人乞求道，“噢，求求您，别杀我！不！我还要照顾孩子！”随着红骑士把他拖出门外，他绝望的哭喊声渐渐消失了。

红皇后转身面向鱼管家，用她肥得可怕的舌头舔了舔嘴唇，说：“去他家把他的孩子们给我带来。我可喜欢吐司抹蝌蚪酱了，就像喜欢鱼子酱一样。”

当红皇后转向离去，憎恶和愤怒让鱼管家浑身发抖，但他强忍着。他回答道：“是，陛下。”

“饮料！”红皇后大叫道。几乎是眨眼间的工夫，鱼管家便奉上一杯插着吸管的饮料，红皇后呷了一口。

“陛下？”一个声音传来。

红皇后转过身，看到来人后不禁面露喜色。一名脸上长有胎记的男子大步穿过大厅朝她走来，红皇后整个人都变得轻佻起来，对着他傻笑。“斯塔亚尼，”她柔声说道，“你个无赖，鬼鬼祟祟去哪儿了？”

黑骑士弯下腰牵起红皇后伸过来的手吻了一下，但只是用嘴唇轻轻地碰了一下。红皇后失望地叹了口气。

“陛下，我找到了神谕。”斯塔亚尼向后退了一步说道。红皇后听罢便领他来到觐见室，看着黑骑士在桌上打开卷轴。

“就是这个？”红皇后将信将疑地说。“这个神谕看起来很普通嘛。”

“看这儿，”黑骑士一脸严肃地说，“辉煌之日。”他边说边指着那幅让爱丽丝大为震惊的插图——金发骑士大战炸脖龙。

红皇后眯着眼看了看，气得脸通红。“这团乱糟糟的头发，化成灰我都认识，”红皇后冷笑道，“这是爱丽丝？”

“我相信就是她。”黑骑士回答。

红皇后凑上前仔细看了看，咬牙切齿地说：“她在对我的宝贝炸脖龙做什么？”

红心骑士清了清嗓子，侧了侧身子站在离红皇后稍远一些的地方说道：“她似乎是在斩杀炸脖龙。”

红皇后气得眼珠子都快弹出来了，她歇斯底里地吼道：“她杀了我的炸脖龙宝贝儿？”

“还没有，”黑骑士立即说道，“但如果我们不阻止她，事情就会发生。”

“找到爱丽丝，斯塔亚尼。”红皇后扯着嗓子吼道，“找到她。”

黑骑士又鞠了一躬，然后说：“我会提着她的人头来见您，把它放在您脚边。”

“不！”红皇后恶狠狠地瞪着卷轴，“把爱丽丝完好无损地带到我面前，我要亲手杀了她。”

斯塔亚尼在马厩院子里跳上马，冷眼看着趴在铺路石上的猎犬。贝亚德是一只会咆哮的大型棕色猎犬，它耷拉着耳朵，眼里满是悲伤，但据说它有着地下世界里最敏锐的鼻子。三个红骑士用绑在尖锥项圈上的粗绳子捆住了他，项圈就套在他的脖子上，当项圈上的尖锥刺进他松弛的皮肤里，贝亚德疼得龇牙咧嘴。

黑骑士毫无怜悯地看着他。“搜索到这个人类女孩儿的气味，我就还你自由。”她对猎犬说。

“那我的妻儿呢，也一样吗？”贝亚德抬起头问道，他的眼中燃起了一丝希望。

“会放你们一家老小回家。”红心骑士说道。

猎犬把鼻子贴近地面，深深地吸了口气。它低吼一声，然后一跃而起冲出城门，红骑士紧跟其后。斯塔亚尼俯身摸了摸马的脖子。

“咴——”马嘟囔道，“狗还真是好骗。”

爱丽丝终于停止了奔跑。她靠在一棵树上喘着粗气。她不知道自己在哪儿，但实际上自从她掉进兔子洞，她一直都不知道自己身处何方，所以她试着不去担心这件事。爱丽丝周围全是各种奇形怪状的树，这是某一类树林，但确实比蘑菇林看上去正常多了。

她把金色长发撩到身后，看了看胳膊上的伤口。血水从深深的抓痕中往外冒，爱丽丝一碰伤口就疼得瑟缩起身体。怎么在梦里受伤也会这么疼呢？

“嗯哼，”爱丽丝头顶传来一个声音，“看来你刚从什么东西的利爪下逃脱。”

“是的，我还在做梦呢！”爱丽丝愤愤不平地说。她抬起头才发现自己在和……一只猫的脑袋说话。猫虚无的脑袋飘浮在不远处的一根树枝上。爱丽丝惊愕地对他眨了眨眼，尽量掩饰自己的惊讶。

“那是谁干的？”猫头问道。

爱丽丝试图回忆起双胞胎兄弟对它的称呼人。“大魔或者大猫……”

“大毛兽？”猫头问道。它的脑袋突然就不见了，这让爱丽丝吓了一跳。然后整只猫又重新出现在她的身旁。他从容地走向爱丽丝，咧着嘴带着迷人的笑容，泰然自若，毫不经意地露出性感的姿态。什么东西触动了爱丽丝的记忆。她不知道自己怎么会记得，但一个名字闪现在她脑海中：柴郡猫。“最好让我看看。”他说。

他仔细地检查了一下伤口。他伸出粉色的舌头准备去舔那几道伤口，但爱丽丝猛地缩回了胳膊。

“你在干什么？”爱丽丝好奇地问。

柴郡猫朝她慢慢地眨了眨眼，好像被爱丽丝逗笑了。“需要有会幻术的人帮你清洁伤口，否则它会化脓溃烂。”

这听起来太吓人了。但爱丽丝可不想让一只奇怪的大猫来舔自己的伤口，它身体的各部分还会消失呢。“不用你管，我睡醒了它就会好了。”爱丽丝固执地说。

“那至少让我为你包扎伤口吧。”柴郡猫边说边抽出一块白色的丝帕。爱丽丝让他将手帕牢牢地绑在自己的伤口上。

“你叫什么名字？”柴郡猫一边包扎一边问道。

“爱丽丝。”

柴郡猫猛地抬起头。“你就是那个爱丽丝？”

“他们对此颇有争议。”爱丽丝回答。

柴郡猫立马侧身离开爱丽丝。“我从不卷入政治纷争。”柴郡猫四下里看了看，好像在确认没有人监视他们似的。“你最好赶紧上路。”

“去哪儿？”爱丽丝问，“我只想赶紧从这个梦中醒来！”

柴郡猫重重地叹了口气。“好吧，我带你去找三月兔和疯帽子，但我能做的就只有这些了！”说完这句话，它便消失得无影无踪。爱丽丝转身四处寻找，又检查了一下树枝，但哪里都没有柴郡猫的踪迹。

最后在不远处的树林里柴郡猫又出现了，它耐人寻味地看了爱丽丝一眼然后问道：“来吗？”

爱丽丝别无选择，只有跟它走。

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