Wonderoz Chapter Twenty: Gyan

Snap came walking up the drawbridge smelling of smoke and his right eye thoroughly bruised. Gyan watched him suspiciously and Bill shifted uneasily in the shadows, waiting to emerge as if by coincidence. A small, green velvet bag dampened in his uneasy fist.

Gyan stepped out of the drawbridge doorway the sunlight hitting his golden gladiator armor in the just the right way to blind Snap.

Snap braced his arm over his forehead to block the light. “Polish that hunk of metal enough?” He sneered as he pushed passed Gyan.

“Well?” Gyan insisted, grabbing Snap’s wrist roughly.

“Does it look like I have her?” Snap snapped huffishly. He then pointed at his eye. “Look at the shiner she gave me! You can’t tell where my pupil begins and my cheek ends!”

Gyan smiled, rubbing his scruffy chin. “I don’t believe it.” He chuckled. “You actually went through it.”

Snap glared at him as he wiped his hand under his eye. “Now where is my money?” He growled.

Bill finally came out of the shadows and tossed the bag of oysters at Snap lashed out to catch it. “What made you do it, Snap?” Bill asked.

Snap fumed under his breath as he sifted through the final half of his prize. “My reasons aren’t important.”

Gyan laughed. “But you do have a reason. That’s good enough for me.” He slapped Snap on the back as he went to join Bill’s side. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us.”

Snap’s lip curled up in disgust as he shoved the green bag into the inner pocket of his coat. “Better damn be.” He growled and stormed off down the opposite end of the hallway.

Gyan and Bill smirked to one another as they walked away. They had won out over the Queen and had given Alice a second chance.

“If all goes according to plan she should be at the Carpenter’s.” Gyan murmured quietly.

Bill nodded and eyed the Suit Monkeys lingering in the rafters above them. “And that means she’s finally under Dormie’s care. So even if the Queen does get Alice, she’ll be protected from all the Queen’s spells and snares.”

“I’ve never cared for Snap, but now I’m beginning to see through that shell he puts himself in.” Gyan nodded to some fellow soldiers as they passed by. “He may not have a soul, but he most certainly has a heart.”

Bill chuckled under his breath. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call that stone a heart.”

“Be kind to the man, now.” Gyan scolded. “We can at least agree he has more heart than the Queen of Hearts does.”

“Which reminds me,” Bill cleared his throat. “I promised my wife that I’d help her pick out her new head today. If you’ll excuse me.”

Gyan bowed. “Of course.” And he watched as Bill continued on down the hall towards the Queen’s chambers.

Momentarily Gyan went off to his own chambers in the high tower and changed out of his golden armor and into his casual street clothes. He wore a colorless collared shirt with a dark blue waistcoat and matching slacks but no fancy overcoat or fixings for this bird. Simplicity was Gyan’s fashion. He then tucked a long, narrow package underneath his arm.

He left the tower, flying out and upwards then coming out from the clouds and diving down just beyond the small village before the palace. Behind him the poppies beckoned and danced but he knew better than to go towards that mess.

He went out into town, walking on the yellow brick road and made his way to a little house the color of a fresh violet. The porch was stark white with twisted columns and vine-like fence posts. A man sitting on a rocking chair stood up and into the sunlight, allowing the gray in his hair to sparkle.

“Carpenter?” Gyan held his hand out to the man as he approached.

Boq smiled and took Gyan by the wrist and pulled him into a hug. “Gyan! I was wondering when you’d show up.”

“On time.” Gyan said with a handsome grin.

Boq winked. “Not always.” He slapped Gyan on the shoulder and forced him on the porch. “You arrived just in time. The little lady is making tea.”

“What a treat.” Gyan said as Boq opened the door for him. “Is Sir not here today?”

Boq shook his head. “Some commotion down at This Way That Way. He went to go make sure there wasn’t any harm done.”

Gyan looked up just as a pretty girl with dark hair and alabaster skin walked out from the kitchen and into the hallway. She wore a dress with a high ruffled collar, no sleeves, and came down to her knees in a spray of black lace and rose shaped ribbons. Gyan stopped breathless for a moment. Was that the same girl he plucked from the sky and dropped into the garden? No. That girl was terrified. This girl is calm and aware of her surroundings. She studied Gyan with icy eyes.

“Alice, this is Gyan. He’s a dear old friend of mine.” Boq said stepping ahead of Gyan. “He’ll be joining us for tea today.”

A cautious smile split Alice’s cool face. “How nice.” She looked up at Gyan with the same smile. “Its good to meet you.” She was wiping her hands on her apron.

Gyan’s mouth went dry and his voice cracked as he spoke. “Ha-hello.”

Alice quickly turned away. “I better make sure the tea is ready.”

Boq looked up at Gyan and smirked. “Pretty little thing isn’t she?” He laughed and slapped Gyan on the arm. “Looks exactly like her mother, minus the freckles that is. I believe the older sister inherited those.”

“Huh?” Gyan gasped, the moisture returning to his tongue.

“Dorothy, the eldest of Ozma’s girls.” Boq opened a drawer on the wall and plucked from inside a small framed photo. Inside the photo sat two little girls. One had wild, uncontrollable curls and a face speckled like a robin’s egg. The second girl had short, pitch black hair and wide wondering eyes.

“You have pictures of the young princesses?” Gyan asked.

“Ozma is my niece!” Boq said, replacing the picture in the drawer. “So that makes me Great-Uncle Henry to Dorothy and Alice.” He was smiling proudly.

Alice reemerged from the kitchen carrying a heavy looking tray filled with tea and teatime treats. Gyan rushed to her side and took the tray from her.

“Allow me.” He blushed.

“Be careful.” Alice warned, quickly swiping a plate piled high with colorful cookies as Gyan took the tray away. She studied his back as he walked over to the coffee table and stooped to set the tray down. His wings flexed and relaxed, the feathers glinting with gold and copper and sand even without light shining directly on them. A long lion-like tail swept out from underneath the closed wings and swept the floor behind him as if covering his tracks.

“You’re the Gryphon aren’t you?” Alice asked suddenly.

Gyan stiffened and looked cautiously over at Boq.

“No. Its okay. I was explained to about you.” She walked up beside him and sat the cookies down. “I was just curious was all.” She said, biting a smile into a bright pink cookie with blue dots.

Gyan blushed and turned his head to try and hide it with his copper hair. “I suppose I should apologize for how I treated you the first time we um…met.”

Alice shrugged. “The way I look at it, had you not caught me when you did my fall would have been so much worse than it was. Besides,” she said taking her seat. “I was the one who acted atrociously.”

Gyan went to sit down but completely misjudged the distance between his rear at the chair and fell into the floor instead.

Alice tried to hide her smile. “Are you alright?”

Gyan’s already blushed face turned into a strange mix of red a  purple. “I uh…I suppose I’m fine. It’s juts my pride that’s hurt.” Alice offered him her hand as he sat back up and positioned himself in the chair.

“I was hoping Sir would be back now with news.” Alice murmured as she began pouring tea. First a cup for Boq, then a cup for Gyan and a final cup for her. “I sure hope he didn’t get into any trouble.”

Boq finished his first sip. “I would of heard by now if he had.”

The cup and saucer in Gyan’s hand rattled as he tried to pour cream. “If anyone is late it is Sir.”

Boq chuckled. “I suppose you’re right. So let us expect Sir an hour after we expect him.”

Alice tilted her head to the side and looked up as she calculated that equation in her head. “Then I suppose you can say we never expect Sir to show up.”

Gyan spilt cream on his pants leg and Boq laughed out loud. “How astute you are, little one!” Boq cheered.

Gyan wiped at his pants leg chuckling. “You’re very clever, Ms Alice.”

“I’m just Alice.” She corrected. “Although, I suppose I should be someone else by now. I was never who I thought I was supposed to be anyways.” She took a quick sip of tea. “And to think, I was someone else all this time! I always thought I was being myself. I guess it is true what they say, teenagers are all the same.” She smiled gently and shrugged. “Oh well to me.”

“You are quite skillful with your wordplay.” Gyan said.

Alice bobbed her head. “Thank you.”

Gyan licked his lips. “Is your sister also well versed with verses?”

Alice shrugged. “She says very smart things. Wise things. But I don’t think she knows what she’s saying. Its natural for her. My sister builds with her hands, not with words.”

Gyan recovered from a deep drink of tea. “So your sister is a sculptor?”

“Builder.” Alice corrected. “She can build almost anything. In fact, she built me a room that was completely underground!”

“Why would you want to be underground?” Gyan asked.

Alice shrugged. “Some people have their heads in the clouds. Some people want to be a little grounded. I like to be planted.”

Gyan smiled and chuckled warmly. “You’re absolutely brilliant!”

“Thank you for noticing.” Alice replied with a blushing smile. “You’re the first one to notice that since…” She hesitated and looked into her teacup. “Well, I don’t know if Snap noticed it or he was just playing. But I did enjoy his company and those big ears of his.” She sighed.

Gyan furrowed his brow. “Oh…was that how it was…between you…two?”

Alice laughed it off. “Oh no! We just talked. Nothing came from the talking.” She lied. “Oh believe me, I am very disappointed in him!”

“I’m sure.” Gyan hummed. “You must hate him.”

“Oh, I could never hate him.” Alice finished off her cookie and quickly changed subject. “I was just wondering. It seems to me the Queen has an awful lot of double agents in her court. You, Sir, even her own husband! Is she truly that dense?”

“Beauty is a blinding agent.” Gyan replied, regaining his cool. “Its like shiny things, or, sparkling sweets. When its in the room you rarely see the elephant that is also there.”

“I may notice an elephant.” Alice chuckled.

“But you get what I’m saying.” Gyan said setting his tea aside. “I trust you’ve heard about the Queen and her ‘beauty collection’.”

“You mean her interchangeable heads, or the fact everyone she keeps within reach are beautiful playthings?” She cleared her throat. “No offense.”

“None taken.” Gyan chuckled. “I mean the former. A lot of those women whose heads she uses belong to the wives and daughters of many a man and parent. Many of them are even willing enough to put their necks on the line. We have a lot of our agents working for her, gathering information, working up to crush her. And she doesn’t notice a thing because they are beautiful.”

“She’s an idiot.” Alice scoffed. “How many are there in her court that are actually her worst enemies?”

“I’d put it more as how many are there that don’t hate her.” Boq interrupted.

Gyan ah-ha’d. “Then that would be, oh, I’d say one. Herself.” He laughed. “Even her most loyal agent, the Unicorn, finds her painstakingly dull.”

Alice giggled. “Was my mother so well liked then than people would go to stuch lengths?”

“Your mother was a savior. A goddess.” Boq replied dreamily. “We were truly blessed to have her. Unfortunately, we were not strong enough to save her.”

Alice felt tears well up in her eyes and she struggled to hide them. “I can’t remember her. But I can feel her love inside me so I know she was real.” She clutched her chest. “I know she sacrificed herself to save Dorothy and me and I owe her by helping out to bring down the Queen with everything I’ve got.”

Gyan reached for the package he had brought along with him. “Glenda has already given Dorothy a more than adequate weapon. And I know your mother and father would want you to have this.” He placed the package in Alice’s lap and opened it for her. “She bestowed this sword upon your father on their wedding day.”

Alice took the sword from the packaging and held it in both hands. It was silver-white with diamond edges and a pearl handle. At the handle the blade was corkscrewed and then straightened into a rapier/needle point.

“I didn’t know you had the Vorpal sword.” Boq admired.

Gyan shook his head. “I didn’t, but the King of Hearts did. He gave it to me to deliver to Alice.”

“Why would the King give this to me?” Alice asked.

“It’s complicated but…the Queen took your father’s body and made it her own. She removed your father’s soul and replaced with the soul of one of her most loyal followers. Unfortunately, the body still belongs to your father and has turned that loyal follower against the Queen.” Gyan smiled. “Your father has a very strong heart. He loved you girls so much.”

Alice turned and looked at Gyan. “Then what happened to my father’s soul?”

Gyan shook his head. “I couldn’t say, Alice.”

Alice looked into the glimmering mirror-like sword and sighed. “Thank you for the sword. I’ll never let this go.”

Gyan kneeled down before and took her hand in his. “And I promise to never let you down. I am your knight now, Alice.”

Alice laughed. “No. You are my friend.”