Chapter 9: Dangers

I finally managed to get out of my bed and towards the castle-teria to grab some food for my roaring stomach.

I grabbed my tray and only took a salad with a cup of blueberries and water and made my way to find a seat somewhere. As I walked, I looked in every direction to find an available seat. I saw Bunny sitting with a group of people, and Alistair being pulled in with a bunch of guys. As I looked, I wasn't paying any attention in front of me.

I felt a strong force hitting me and causing me to fall to the floor. My tray slipped out of my hands and I felt my salad and my blueberries crash on top of me. I felt a splash of water soak me.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I should've looked where I was going! I'm so stupid!" The person blurted. His voice sounded familiar. I looked up and realized it was only Dexter Charming.

He offered a hand and I took it. He helped me to my feet and I watched him pull off a crouton from my face.

"It's okay. Accidents happen." I shrugged. The salad didn't really bother me like the ice cold water did which drenched me.

"Let me help you," I heard him say as he pulled a tomato out of my hair. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, I said it was okay. Bad things happen. And they happen a lot to me." I muttered the last part so he wouldn't hear.

Dexter handed me a napkin and I gradually took it as I wiped off my face where the honey mustard dressing splattered on me. I looked at my dress. Oh no, I'm going to have so many stains.

"I still am so terribly sorry," he apologized once more. He escorted me to a place to sit down and I gradually took the seat in front of me. He sat down beside me and took out a blueberry from my hair.

"Well, I sure am glad I chose the salad over the mystery meat and mashed potatoes. Now that would've been a mess." I said with a small laugh. Dexter laughed along with me as he pulled some lettuce off of my dress.

"That's unusual," I heard him mutter.

"What's unusual?" I asked as I took a carrot off of my shoulder.

"If any other princess had gotten themselves covered in food, they'd freak out and start panicking. You don't. You're different." Dexter commented with a special gleam in his eye. Or was that his glasses?

"So I've been told," I gently smiled. He helped get all the blueberries and salad out of my hair. "Did I miss any?"

"I don't think so," he said.

"I wish I could get more food." I groaned. I had forgotten you could only get what you wanted once and not anymore. I thought it was stupid.

"Yeah. . . Hey! You can share with me." Dexter said as he pulled out his lunch out of nowhere. I looked to see a cheeseburger, a large side of French fries and a cup of blueberries.

"You don't have to," I said.

"I should though. I did ruin your lunch and I do owe you anyways. So why not?" He simply said. I sighed hesitantly before giving in to his settlement.

"Alright," I said as I took a fry and tossed it in my mouth. He grinned at me and I returned the gesture.

"So, what was that about your mother earlier today? It went all over the Mirror." Dexter asked as he took a sip from his Prince Pepper. I groaned as  the thought appeared in my mind. Now everyone knows. . .

"Not good things. I got mad, she got mad. She yelled, I yelled. She's oblivious to my pain, I cried. All of that kind of stuff." I said like it was no big deal. Well, it was and it wasn't.

"What kind of pain?" He asked me.

"My mom left me in Wonderland without taking me with her. She didn't even tell me. All she said was that I was slowing her down. And now, she thinks it's no big deal to leave me in the most dangerous place." I said. I rested my chin on my hand which was propped up onto the table. I glanced away just for a moment to see Alistair being pulled around with a few girls. Bunny was still with her friends.

"I'm sorry," he softly mustered as he rested his hand on mine as his lips curled into a sympathetic smile. I smiled back as I took in the kind gesture of his. Just then, I heard a voice calling in the distance. It was the narrators. They were talking about something drastic about to come from Wonderland to Ever After.

I shot out of my chair and began to look for Maddie, startling Dexter along the way. Apparently, she had the same thought and did the same thing. We ran over to each other and went to a quiet area where no one would hear us.

"You heard them speak about Wonderland? What's coming to visit?" She asked.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that it is not something good. This is very very bad. Who knows what it could be!" I panicked.

"Let's get Alistair, Bunny, Lizzie, and Kitty!" Maddie protested. I nodded my head in agreement and ran over to the table where Alistair was sitting at and pulled him back slightly to get his attention.

"There's trouble in Wonderland!" He gasped at my words and stood to his feet. I ran over towards Lizzie and grabbed her as well. Maddie had Bunny and Kitty as well as we all ran towards Headmaster Grimm's office.

Maddie swung the door open and bolted towards his desk. "Headmaster Grimm!" She shouted. He had some toys on his desk but had quickly thrown them into his drawer.

"What is the meaning of this? Can't you see that I'm in the middle of something important!" He exclaimed.

"Headmaster Grimm! There is something going on in Wonderland and we need to take immediate action! The voices! They told Izzy and I that was something terrible was bound to happen!" Maddie explained

"Like what?" He asked. I thought for a moment, but nothing really would come to mind. In Wonderland, there was only the maddest of things. Well, there were only a few that were madder than a hatter. And that just so happened to be. . .

"The jabberwocky!" I shouted. Everyone around me gasped.

"But I thought the jabberwocky was killed." Alistair pointed out. I laughed nervously as I began pressing my index fingers together repeatedly.

"Actually, it wasn't actually slain. I actually. . . Kind of. . . Sort of. . . Well. . . Let it loose." I mumbled the last part so it wouldn't be heard. But unfortunately....

"YOU WHAT?!" Everyone shouted at me.

"Why would you let it loose, Izzy?" Lizzie asked me as she leaned in closer to me.

"I was only seven. She had two younger children my age and I just couldn't leave her there. She had her children to care for. I just couldn't leave them there in that cage all alone. They all would be dead." I sighed.

"Your empathy for the jabberwocky was not needed. You endangered Wonderland and Ever After!" Headmaster Grimm protested. I was fuming up with rage.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't just leave them there to die! It's my job to help my people in Wonderland!" I defended.

"Yes you could! They are a danger to the world!" He yelled as he got directly in my face. I stared him down until he finally backed away. He cleared his throat as he then fixed his tie.

"They sure weren't a danger to me," I grumbled angrily. "They even said I would be forever in their debt. You know nothing! They're only misunderstood!"

"You do realize their storyline is to kill everyone in Wonderland, right?" Headmaster Grimm argued.

"Maybe they all had perfectly good explanations! You wouldn't know." I said as I thrashed my arms in the air angrily.

"Yes, I would!" He raised his voice.

"Who lived in Wonderland all their life? Not you." I pointed my finger directly at his face. Lizzie and Bunny had pulled me back harshly to get away from him. A war was about to begin if they hadn't done so.

"Back on page, if the jabberwocky is coming to Ever After, what are we going to do?" Kitty asked nervously. You could see the concern in her cat-like eyes. I remembered that the jabberwocky did not do well with the Cheshire Cat.

"We'll have to wait," headmaster Grimm finally said.

"Wait?! We need to take immediate action! Wonderland is in danger, and so could Ever After!" Alistair protested.

"We must wait." He argued.

"Wait for what?! Wait to die?!" I yelled. I was getting impatient with the man in front of me. He definitely wasn't being very reasonable at the moment. I crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot anxiously as I kept my glare settled on him.

"We will wait till further notice and take action when the time has come." He announced. Frustrated with his response, I groaned inwardly and began repeating crabs and feathers over and over I could feel my face heating up with rage and sweat. I stomped out of the office and made a run to the Enchanted Forest.

Not so far behind me, I could see all my Wonderland friends in tow. I completely ignored them as I ran further into the forest.

As I ran, I pulled out a black Queen chess piece and it turned into a map of where the well of wonder would be. I followed the arrow of where it was pointing as it directed me along the path to the well. I avoided all trees and plants that were in my way so I could speed up the process.

Only then, I realized I ran directly into a trap.

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