“You will give me your name, or you will face the consequences,” the king demanded from high atop his throne. Before him, a bedraggled man groveled on the ground, two heavily armored guards standing on either side of him. A crowd of people lined the walls, looking on in with impassive faces as the king passed his judgment.

  “My King, I swear I have been nothing but loyal to you. I have broken no laws…”

  “Silence! You are a vagrant and a thief. You will give me your name, or you will face the executioner before the day is done.”

  “Oh please,” the man wailed, fear making his words unintelligible. He was a frail old man, face weathered and dirty, covered in tears. The guards did not even deign to look at him as the sobs wracked his frame, his breath coming and catching in spurts. The old man’s eyes darted around the room, trying to find any sign of sympathy or pity. Anything that would suggest someone would step forward to save him.

  Out of all the people in the room, only two would meet his eye longer than a few seconds before looking away. One, a young man whose eyes held a fury at this situation that could be dangerous should he lose control of his emotions. The old man tried to shake his head, warning the boy not to get involved in this. Not with so much anger flowing through his veins.

  The other was the queen. She was concerned for the poor old man and indignant about the situation. The pointed looks she shot her husband spoke volumes, though the old man knew she would never voice whatever ideas she had. Her position was perhaps the most precarious of all. She was the one person who could possibly stand against the king and the one person who would be left most vulnerable if he fell. Disagree as she may, the queen could not stand against her king. The old man knew this.

  The queen placed her hand on the king’s arm, drawing his attention. She often did this when needing to communicate with him, not daring to openly draw attention to herself. To do so would be to draw attention away from him. It would appear, in his mind at least, she was attempting to assert some kind of control. He glared at the old man a moment longer before leaning towards his wife, allowing her to whisper something into his ear.

  This brought some peace to the old man’s heart. Perhaps she could convince the king to give him a lighter sentence. He had no family the king could threaten, but there were those in town he did care about somewhat. Maybe, with the queen’s help, he could ensure that only he would suffer.

  “I will give you one last chance, old man,” the king growled. “You will give me your name right now, or I will leave you to the mercy of the interrogators to see what names they can pull from you. Give up your name, or those you care about will face conscription at your hand.”

  “My King, the only difference in those two options is how long it will take you to get those other names. I know once you have mine you can compel me to give you whatever you want.”

  “Then why not spare yourself the suffering?” The captain of the Guard sighed. Murmurs rippled through the crowd as the people’s attention homed in on what was transpiring. It was by far one of the more interesting things to happen that week.

  “I knew the moment I was dragged into this accursed place I was not long for this world. I have seen what becomes of those who give up their names. That is not living. One way or another, I will die today.” The old man glared defiantly at the captain. “I refuse to willingly damn others in a futile attempt to appease one who does not deserve the throne upon which he sits.”

  The crowd pressed back against the wall as the king’s face contorted in rage. He was used to people cowering in fear, bowing to his whim to avoid his wrath. All knew the cost for daring to speak against the king, for the remains of the last one who tried were still clearly visible alongside those of everyone person had cared about. The king took great pride in displaying their carefully preserved and twisted remains on the walls facing the prison yard.

  The people in the crowd whispered amongst themselves, exchanging glances between the old man and the king, waiting with bated breath to see what would happen next. The king ignored this, though. He ignored all in the room but the old man, on whom he fixed all of his disdain, thinking about how much he would enjoy delivering the punishment.

  “It has been some time since a soul dared speak to me in such a way,” the king said with a twisted smile. “What remains of you once your punishment is complete will join the others as a warning to all what happens when you defy a god.” The king stood from his throne and stepped down towards the man groveling on the floor, sending the crowd further back against the wall.

  Perhaps if the king had not been so focused on the defiance of the old man, he may have noticed the way the energy in the room shifted ever so slightly. Something that had been building in the shadows since the start of his reign. He tried to snuff out the flames many times, but those who followed grew cleverer, more patient, working in the shadows, waiting for just the right moment.

  “You are no god.”

  A gasp rippled around the room as the king’s attention snapped to the angry young man. Blood froze in the old man’s veins as he tried to comprehend why someone so young, someone with their whole life ahead of them, would damn themselves trying to save a dead man. Even if the young man escaped, he would be hunted down in a matter of days.

  “You dare speak to me this way?” the king roared, voice echoing off the vaulted ceiling as his clenched fists shook with rage. Several people in the crowd flinched, slipping to hide behind the strangers next to them. Others carefully pushed their loved ones behind them.

  “I only speak the truth. You are a despot king ruling with stolen magic, and it is time for your reign to end.” The young man’s clenched fists trembled in what some may think to be fear, but there was no hint of such a thing in his voice. The young man was angry, confident, focused, and somehow, not afraid. This had the crowd whispering more.

  The king moved forward as if to strike the young man, but froze in his tracks as more stepped out of the crowd. Another young man, followed by an older woman. Young and old, rich and poor, from different corners of the kingdom. Various people stepped from the shadows to face down the king.

  “Oh, I see what is going on here. You all decided to organize yourself a little rebellion.” The king laughed. “It has been some time since someone tried something so foolish, so the lesson must have faded from your mind. No matter. I now have enough examples to last for many years. You all truly fail to understand the gravity of your mistake.”

  “The mistake is yours, my King,” one of the rebels sneered, “for thinking yourself so infallible, your power so undeniable, you never considered the source of your downfall could be right under your nose.”

  “That is enough! Guards, arrest them!”

  The guards jumped to attention and started towards the rebels, but froze, a look of shock spreading across their faces. Growling at the blatant insubordination, the king turned to see what they were looking at.

  The queen laughed silently on her throne, eyes glinting with mirth and mischief.

  “And what, pray tell, does the queen find so funny?” the king hissed.

  “You, my dear.” She smiled. “You still believe that not only are you right in all things, but that you are untouchable. Your power has made you arrogant and your arrogance has made you blind to the rebellion forming right under your nose.”

  “I fear no rebellion.”

  “Well, you should, seeing as this one was guided by me. I have been plucking the strings you think you control for years, working us towards this point. It took no small amount of sacrifice, but I would do it all again just to watch the way you fall.” She spoke with steel in her words, no longer the complacent individual who stood in the king’s shadows for decades.

  “You will choose your words more carefully, my darling, less I chose to remove your tongue. Even your position as queen, tentative as it is, will not protect you from the consequences of your treason.” His voice dropped into a growl.

  This time, she laughed out loud. And as she laughed, her appearance changed. Gone was the prim and proper chess piece he had requested to help solidify his reign, discarded like a costume tossed behind the stage. Replaced with someone who did not quite belong here but was undoubtedly the very same queen who had been advising him since before they were wed, under the guise of a glamor he never knew was there.

  “You still don’t get it, do you? How long have you played by rules you do not understand, using a relic stolen from a world that was not yours? Did you really think your own treachery would go unnoticed?”

  “As surely as I made you what you are, I can unmake you back into the nothing you were. I don’t need a queen by my side to rule.”

  The room held its breath waiting to see what would happen next.

  “You may not need me, but you do need this.”

  The Queen reached behind her back and pulled out a leather bound tome as the balance of power started to shift for the first time in centuries. It appeared completely ordinary, save the radiance of the magical energy it somehow contained. Giving the crowd a sense of awe and intense curiosity.

  A sense of dread and bone-chilling fear, the likes of which he had never before experienced, fell over the king. His face paled and his hands began to tremble as he took a step towards his queen. People scattered backward, unsure if his next action would be fueled by fear or rage, but certain that whichever it was, they did not want to be caught in the crossfire.

  “Give it to me.”

  “No,” she said simply. “You have abused its power long enough, perverting its purpose into something it was never meant to be. It is time you face the judgment you have so long deserved. I am going to take this back to where it belongs. Goodbye.”

  With that, she stepped back through a ripple in the wall and disappeared, vanishing back to the world she had long called home.

  Returning, at long last, to Wonderland.

  ***

  I remembered this story being told to me often by a strange old man in a funny hat when I was a little girl.

  The only other thing I could remember in detail was the night I met Dina.

  I was creeping through the forest, shivering in the bitter cold. It had been days since I left the orphanage they tried to stick me in, and it was beginning to show. My hair was knotted, my face was dirty, and my clothes were almost in tatters. I was stumbling through the trees, my vision blurred by exhaustion and hunger. I was hopelessly lost in a seemingly endless maze of towering trees filled with shadows.

  Through it all, I was determined to follow those strange tracks, determined to find out exactly what was causing them. Eventually, just before I was about to lose all hope, I came upon an odd-looking little house in the middle of a clearing.

  At first, I was not sure if it was due to my extreme hunger, but the house looked like it was made of candy. I moved towards the house as if compelled by some unseen force. My whole body relaxed and all I could think of was what might lay beyond those doors. In front of the doors, I reached my hand out to knock, but the doors opened by themselves. Slowly and cautiously, I crept in.

  I had heard many rumors about a witch terrorizing children in these woods. There were tales of great riches and a great reward for whoever destroyed the witch’s source of power, her wand. And there it was, lying just within my reach, almost like it was begging me to take it. I was no thief, though, so I turned my back to it.

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  All around the room were objects, winking and glittering in the light. The table next to me was covered in platters of such rich food I almost fainted in hunger just looking at it. I took hesitant steps towards the food, longing to have something to fill my stomach while at the same time knowing none of the food was mine.

  But it held me captive. I had to fight to come to my senses as I tried to stop myself from reaching out and taking one of the sweets.

  Especially as the owner of the house was likely to return soon.

  After a moment or two of inner debate, I sat down by the fire with my back to the food and watch for the owner’s return. I settled myself down, careful not to touch anything other than the wall which I leaned against. Minutes passed and the warmth and the crackling of the fire began to lull me to sleep.

  I do not know how long I remained asleep, but when I finally woke up, I found myself lying on a bed and I was not alone.

  Sitting in a comfortable-looking rocking chair was a woman who looked about as interesting as her house did. From the look of her face, she appeared to be in her 40s, but her eyes told a completely different story. They seemed to hold wisdom beyond what I could comprehend, yet it seemed to be more from experience than from years. She was looking at me rather fondly, as if she were proud of me. Cautiously I sat up, not sure what to say.

  “You did well, you know. Not many people are able to pass my test,” she started.

  I looked around, trying to figure out where I was. It appeared to me I had somehow been moved to a log cabin, and I honestly had no idea what she was saying, who she was, or how I got there.

  “I’m sorry, what?” I asked, hoping she would clarify.

  “My test,” she stated simply.

  I had never felt more bewildered or frustrated at someone’s lack of explanation in my entire life. Then I realized my body was clean, and I was wearing different clothes.

  Oddly enough, despite the strangeness of the situation, whenever I looked into the woman’s eyes, I could feel myself relaxing. Somehow, I knew I could trust her. Once she noticed I had calmed down, she poured me a cup of tea. When she held it out to me, I sat up all the way and turned towards her, dangling my feet over the edge of the bed.

  “Where am I?” I asked, taking a sip of the tea. I was immediately struck by how delicious it was. I had never tasted anything like it. They did not exactly have the highest quality anything at the orphanage. I had rarely had tea before, much less good tea.

  “You are in my home. What you saw below was mostly a mirage. I was quite surprised to find you fast asleep. Most who enter my abode fail the test and are sent elsewhere, yet you are the first in a very long time to have made it this far. I am quite impressed.”

  “You keep mentioning a test, but I am afraid I do not know what you mean. What test?”

  “Why dear, the temptations." She gestured to the door, through which the rest of the house could be accessed. " The wand resting on the fireplace. The bounty of food and precious jewels. They all serve as a test of sorts, in order to gauge a person’s character. I cannot tell you how many have failed the test, some even before they entered my home. Each time they woke up in their homes as if from a dream.”

  I nodded like her words made sense, and when she saw I was not going to speak she continued.

  “Of course, every time I settle in a forest, I keep an eye on all who come and go. I have to say, you caught my eye. With all of your natural curiosity, I had quite hoped you would find this place.” She looked at me with blatant curiosity. " Tell me, why did you not touch anything? Surely you must have been hungry. And the wand, you could have had anything your heart desires. Why did you not take it?” she asked, eyes piercing me as if searching my soul.

  “It was not mine to take. None of it was. I only came here to find out what was making those strange tracks." I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. " I was tired and cold. I was tempted by the food, but it did not feel right. I sat down by the fireplace so I could watch the door. I was hoping when the owner of the house arrived, they would let me stay and provide me with some food. I guess I must have fallen asleep. I do apologize for intruding upon your property,” I said, staring at my cup. To my utter astonishment, the woman started laughing.

  “My darling child, you need not apologize at all. You truly have no idea how much your answer pleases me. It is rare to find someone so young with such an honest heart. Tell me child, where are your parents?” she asked, her smile lighting up the room. I was almost cheered up as well until she mentioned my parents.

  “I live in the orphanage, ma’am. I grew up there,” I said to my cup. Her eyes filled with compassion, and she reached forward, tilting my chin up.

  “What would you say if I told you I could give you a new family? A new life to call your own, where you can accomplish greater things than you could ever dream?”

  “I’m not sure if such a thing could be found to be true,” I responded honestly.

  The look in her eyes was so earnest, I wanted to believe her, but I was not sure if I could. I was probably still dreaming, curled up somewhere at the base of a tree. Her eyes once again seemed to be searching my soul and unexpectedly she pinched me, hard.

  “Ouch. What was that for?” I rubbed my arm sullenly while her eyes sparkled with mischief.

  “See, you are not dreaming. This is real.”

  “Wait, how did you know what I was thinking?”

  “I could see it in your eyes, Alice. Trust me when I say you are not dreaming. My name is Dina, and I am a member of the Table. I was sent here to find a new recruit, one who displays extreme valor and virtue. The test was created to find such a person." She paused, considering her words carefully. " I was told to place my home here by a particularly powerful and trusted Seer, who said here is where I would find the one I was looking for. You were the first to pass the test." Her voice softened. " Trust me when I say this is a once-in-a-lifetime offer and one that comes to very few. It is not given lightly, and most who get it accept it. I will not make you though. The choice is yours and yours alone. I will leave you here to ponder it. Ring the bell once you have decided,” she said, gesturing towards the bell.

  I stared at her, my brain trying desperately to digest what she said as she turned and walked out of the door. There was no way to tell how much time had passed as I lay back on the bed, running through my options, the benefits, and the drawbacks of the offer.

  Eventually, I made up my mind and sat up, staring at the bell. That was all I could do as the weight of the moment fell onto my shoulders. Slowly I reached my hand out, picking up the bell and ringing it. The second it made a sound, the door opened, and Dina walked in.

  “Have you made your choice?” she asked, her hands folded in front of her. I nodded, the words freezing in my throat as I slowly placed the bell back on the table. “You realize once you have chosen, you cannot go back. If you choose to deny my offer, you will wake up in your bed with no memory of this meeting. I understand if you need more time to decide….”

  “No, I have made my decision,” I blurted out, cutting her off. I didn't mean to be rude, but I knew if I did not speak soon, I would change my mind and possibly regret it for the rest of my life.

  Her eyes held an understanding that made me realize there must have been a time where she too was in my position. This helped to strengthen my resolve.

  “I want to go with you. I want to train, to learn, to become whatever you want me to be,” I said firmly, my voice coming out stronger than I expected. At once the pressure disappeared and I felt more at ease than I could ever remember feeling.

  A smile spread across her face, reaching her eyes and lighting up the room. I could feel the hope and joy rising in my chest as she stuck out her hand. I jumped up and shook it enthusiastically, and an irrepressible smile broke out on my face.

  “Congratulations Alice. You have passed the final test and have now become an initiate. We will begin your training at once.”

  Putting on the robes for the first time felt strange. It felt wonderful. Years of hard work led to this moment and finally, I was in a place where I could do what I came here to do. I stepped out of my quarters, closing the door firmly behind me, relishing the fact I would be moving to the Rangers' compound within the week. It felt strange to be in a place with so little magic.

  “Do my eyes deceive me or is our dear Alice now wearing Ranger robes?” a familiar voice echoed down the hallway.

  “Always with the air of intense disbelief.” I replied. “Don’t you have anything better to do, Morpheus? Or has teasing me become your favorite pastime?”

  “Oh, come on now. I only tease you because I knew you could take it and I knew it would give you a chance to prove to the others what you are made of. If I had coddled you, someone would have claimed favoritism or some other nonsense.”

  “Am I supposed to thank you then?” I scoffed. We were almost to the door when I found myself wondering if he would be entering with me. That would cause quite the stir.

  “Nothing like that. I am many things, but pretentious is not one of them.”

  “Debatable.”

  “Alright, I deserved that. Allow me to amend my statement. I am not that kind of pretentious. I am merely familiar with the pressure that comes with proving your achievements are not, in fact, due to your connections. You earned this. You should get to enjoy it.”

  “You have never explained your vested interest in my success,” I responded.

  “You mean you haven’t figured it out yet?”

  I paused for a second, momentarily unsure how to respond, but when I turned to face him, he was gone.

  “I hate when he does that,” I grumbled, turning back to the doorway. The doors were open, of course, so I stepped through. All the branches were clearly represented, gathered around different tables, separated for this night so we could get to know our colleagues. After today, the seating restrictions would disappear.

  As I drew closer to the Rangers, a voice called out to me.

  “There you are, Snow. Who were you talking to?” Rapunzel asked.

  “Someone who is both a long story and an annoyance.”

  Two older Rangers moved to make some space for me as I approached. It was not quite enough room for me to swing my leg over, so I decided to get creative.

  In one smooth motion, I jumped and landed with both feet on the bench, pausing just long enough to check my balance before I dropped down to sit like nothing happened.

  “Nicely done,” the Ranger to my right held out her hand. “My name is Aurora.”

  “Snow White,” I replied, shaking her hand firmly.

  “Nice name. We were just talking about the options we were given at our ceremony.”

  “We went through our last test together, so I wouldn’t be too surprised if we were offered the same spread,” Rapunzel commented. “Though you were probably offered the pick of the lot.”

  “I was. I chose the chalice.”

  A few murmurs of surprise and appreciation echoed across the table. Some looked at me with a degree of respect I was only just starting to get used to. We went around the table introducing ourselves, the older members sharing some of the assignments they were on and revealing the ins and outs of what it really meant to be a Ranger.

  “My family still can’t believe I made it into the Table,” a woman admitted.

  “That’s because you come from a family of Statesmen. They believe more in martial prowess than they do in the use of magic and trickery,” one of the older Rangers chimed in.

  “You should see the way my parents roll their eyes when the little ones ask me to do a magic trick. The rest of my family has come to accept it, but they still grumble about it from time to time,” another woman said.

  “You are serving the kingdom and protecting the people from dangerous magic. What more could they ask for?” the young man next to her asked, reaching to clasp her hand.

  “When it comes to families with proud traditions, they can ask for a lot,” Rapunzel commented. She almost sounded bitter, but if she was, she did a good job of hiding the source.

  “Sounds like you are speaking from experience,” I asked.

  “Let’s just say we no longer associate with each other and leave it at that.” Her tone allowed for no further questioning, and I felt the attention shift to me.

  “No family here, really.” I shrugged.

  Rapunzel looked like she wanted to ask me something, but she didn’t get the chance as Maleficent stood. A hush spread over the hall as the leader of the Table began her speech.

  “Our world was once ruled by a king who held the fate of his people in his palm, and he used this power as a weapon to destroy any who would stand against him." Her words sent a shiver down my spine. "His reign was ended by a rebellion, and from the ashes of the old king’s perfect world and the widespread rebellion that brought it crumbling down, the Table was born. A government that was fair to all the people." All around me, people sat up straighter. "They called themselves the Table, as all were deemed equal in this meeting of the minds. They sought to bring a more balanced approach to leading their people. There were difficulties, of course, when it came to establishing order in a world where people were finally free to make their own decisions and control their lives." A surge of pride swept across the room and I couldn’t help but smile.

  “They started small, assisting with the rebuilding and redistribution of goods to those who needed it. Where there may have been turmoil, they were able to create order so the people of the kingdom could begin to create new lives for themselves. Over time the role of the Table evolved into more of a governing role, with their ranks being filled with the people they would be governing. Different branches were created to act in harmony, further ensuring peace and balance. The Rangers. The Statesmen. The Guardians. And many more. Each serving a different but complementary purpose with their own set of rules." Each of the leaders nodded in turn as their names were mentioned.

  “Today, you have joined their ranks and, in doing so, you have ensured this kingdom will continue to have a peaceful future. You will help create the path the next generation will follow. By working together, we will all ensure no such power will come to rule this world again. We will stand strong and stand for those who cannot. Welcome to the Table.”

  A cheer went up around the hall, with many of the bodies standing to their feet. I stood with them, reveling in the joy and pride rippling throughout the room. After a few minutes, the energy died down and everyone returned to their meals and their private conversations.

  I found myself getting lost in the sense of belonging that slowly settled over me like a blanket.

  It was more socializing than I had done in a long time, and it was both exhausting and wonderful.

  I went to sleep feeling, for once, at home.