The Hatter's Tea Party (Part Seven)

If you want to go back and see what's already happen to get us to this point, the following links are provided...

Part One: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-one.html
Part Two: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-two.html
Part Three: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-three.html
Part Four: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-four.html
Part Five: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-five.html
Part Six: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-six.html

DAY FOURTEEN (December 12th), 8:05:06 am

 

Shadow hears the shouting and the sounds of battle.  “How in the hell did they get into a fight at a tea party?”  The dark elf blows out an exasperated sigh and conjures a spell of flight to carry him skyward and back to the rest of the group.

 

Drax hears the call to battle as well and melts into the trees, slinking from one hiding place to the next with the efficiency of a jungle cat as he heads back toward the road.

 

Korbin continues to flap his wings with all of his might but is still unable to lift the frog from the ground. 

 

Desmond pulls an over-sized arrow from his quiver and sets it to his bowstring.  He crouches, raising the weapon while signaling for the wolf, Tank, to take up position beside him.

 

Cedron shouts and runs toward Ra’ziir, “STOP FOR JUST ONE FORSAKEN MOMENT!”  He takes a breath, calms himself, still shaking off the aftereffects of the party’s food and drink and begins to speak, “Can some please tell me what is going on here?  I’m certain there’s a way to resolve this with words rather than more blades and bloodshed.”

 

Hansuke shifts into his feline form and darts along the ground, racing toward Ra’ziir and the two queens while Arthur kneels before both women.  A diffuse glow seems to surround his head, light radiating from the around his head as he speaks, “Your Highnesses, I please ask you to forgive my friend here.  All we wish is to leave so that we may return to our own worlds.  I deeply apologize for all of the trouble that has been caused.  Is there any way that you can transform my friend back to his normal state?”

 

Grotto rises from his seat at the table and staggers over to where Ra’ziir is confronting the queens.  Full of tea and sweets and perhaps a little inebriated from his alchemical mixtures, the scarred dwarf flashes his winningest smile at both women and slurs “Helloooo Ladies” in greeting.

 

Niklas slips through the crowd and takes Grotto by the wrist, “My friend, I desperately need your assistance,” as he tries to steer the dwarf away from the queens.

 

Ra’ziir stands down and stares daggers through the White Queen, “Change him back…NOW…” The bladesinger retains his grip on his sword, ready to smite either woman if they appear to be planning treachery.  Kysek, twists his ring, activating its power of invisibility and stealthily creeps around behind the Red Queen.  Once he is in position, he wills his shortsword Blackflame’s aura of silence into effect, stopping just far enough away to keep from enveloping the crimson monarch in its field.

 

The Queens both scowl back at Ra’ziir.  The White Queen speaks first, “But of course, I shall attend to that presently.”  As the pale monarch turns and begins to lift her hand, the Red Queen reaches out and touches her wrist, “Not so quickly, sister mine.  This ruffian cannot go unpunished for his effrontery in his assault on my person.  This gown is ruined.  I demand satisfaction.”  The Crimson Monarch smiles, her lips curling cruelly as she displays her teeth, “HUSBAND!” she cries, “I demand your presence.”

 

And just like that, King Robert Mirare, Master of the Lands Beyond the Looking Glass, Lord of Rosewood by way of Her Ladyship Iracebeth, and Lord of Whitfield by way of Her Ladyship Mirana appears.  He is still wearing the two-sided tabard over his golden armor and his crown sits at a rakish angle atop his head.  He smiles when he sees Ra’ziir, “Oh good!  You’re alive!  Does that mean you defeated the Jabberwock?”

 

While all of this is going on, Raven closes his eyes, shutting out any information that vision grants and begins feeling his way along the ground.  His fingers brush against the handle of Nightwatcher and close around it.  He rises to his feet and continues to march toward the table.  Everyone looking on sees a bullfrog standing and walking on its hind legs, dragging the sword behind it as the elf closes on the buffet.  He raises the blade and brings it crashing down upon the center of the spread, splitting the wood with a resounding CRACK!