The Third Trial

The magical door swung open, and Lilith stepped into a pretty landscape of rolling checkered hills that went on for miles. Beyond the hills was her current goal—the castle floating in the sky. It was the place she hoped Alise slept in. Before venturing too far, she looked around her immediate surroundings, half expecting Cheshire to pop out of nowhere and catch her off-guard. But there was no sign of him. Just before she could panic about not knowing what to do in the next trial, she heard a crackling noise. In the distance, a portal opened up in mid-air, and someone fell through it, landing harshly onto the short grass.

“Ooomph” he uttered with a thud.

Lilith ran over and instantly recognized the fellow. “Are you alright?” She asked as she helped him up.

The white rabbit took her hand, stood, and brushed his body clean. “I’m fine, thank you.” He looked towards the castle and scanned the hills as if looking for something. “There is no time; we must make haste.”

His eagerness surprised Lilith, yet she offered no complaint. “Alright, but what must I do now?”

He pointed across the hills to a flag far off into the distance, “You must catch me before I reach the endpoint. We will take turns, but our movements will be restricted by what chess piece you are.” He handed her a 12-sided die. “Roll this by your feet and whichever icon it lands on, that is how you may move. In order to catch me, you must physically touch me. If either of us tries to cheat and move in the wrong way, the grass will open up and swallow the transgressor. Each hill represents its own board, and our movements are contained to one board at a time.”

The white rabbit continued the barrage of information, which Lilith absorbed as best she could. “For example, if you roll a queen, then you may choose to go the full length of the board, but only on the board you are currently on. Once you reach the end of one board, your turn ends. When your next turn comes, you take a single step onto the next board and roll your die to begin the first move on the new board.” He turned to her with a stern expression, “Understood?”

Lilith didn’t respond to him; while she grasped the basic concept of the game, there was one glaring issue. She studied the die and noticed different icons; some repeated while others did not, but she didn’t know what they meant. Finally, she looked at the white rabbit and admitted, “I don’t know what any of these symbols represent...”

The white rabbit’s whole body spun around. “Have you never played chess before?”

Lilith’s head hung a little as she shook her head. While it wasn’t something to be ashamed about, she wished she had some knowledge. Maybe I should have accepted Dapper’s invitation to teach me this game after all…

The white rabbit sighed harshly and used his own die to explain, though he seemed loathed to waste the time. “Look here, I will not repeat myself. This symbol of a castle is a rook; a rook can move any number of spaces horizontally or vertically. This pointy hat-looking symbol is a bishop; a bishop can move any number of spaces diagonally. This plain, round-headed symbol is a pawn. A pawn can move two spaces forward on its first turn, then only one space forward after. This horse symbol is a knight. A knight moves in an “L” shape, one space for the panhandle part of the “L”, and two spaces for the adjacent line of the “L”. This pointy crown symbol is the king; a king can move one square in any direction, and the crown symbol with a cross on it is the queen; a queen can move however many spaces horizontally, vertically, and diagonally.”

He continued to hop forward to the starting point. There was more to the game, but was so shocked about having to break down how chess pieces moved, that he forgot entirely. Lilith just barely grasped his explanation and trotted quickly behind him. For such a small plush, he was quick on his feet.

“Wait, what is your name?” Lilith asked before he could start the game.

“There is no time for pleasantries; let us begin the trial.” He readied himself at the start of the board.

“But, what should I call you? I don’t want to continue referring to you as the “white rabbit cookie plush”.”

His plush fur seemed to bristle as he stopped altogether, clearly insulted by her comment, “I beg your pardon.” He raised himself on his hind legs, indignant. “I will have you know, madam, that I am, clearly, a white rabbit biscuit plush. And, if you must know, my name is Sir Albus Haas Shortbread the First.” His nose rose to the sky as he said his name, as if bragging about noble lineage.

Lilith’s right brow rose. “Nice to meet you, Sir Albus Haas Shortbread.” She couldn’t help but think that “shortbread” was a type of cookie, but decided not to comment on it since he seemed to be opposed to being referred to as a cookie. “May I call you Albus for short?”

“You may certainly not. You may call me Sir Albus.” His nose still high in the air as his eyes glistened, lost in a distant memory. “I was once the White Queen’s favorite…” His eyes darkened as his nose lowered and his tail rested on the ground, “and now I am merely a plaything to the Red Queen; made a joke in my home.”

Lilith twiddled her thumbs; she didn’t know how to respond. While she didn’t know who either the White or Red Queen was, she assumed she would find out as her trials progressed. It seemed like he too had a sad story to tell, but she thought it best not to ask. Sir Albus seemed like a proud individual and would not open up to her so quickly. I’m curious, but he’s right; I need to get to the castle as soon as possible. Lilith cleared her throat as she walked ahead of him, hoping that he might not feel awkward with her witnessing his despair.

Sir Albus shook his head free of trivial thoughts and repeated a mantra out loud as if to remind himself, “Make haste, make haste, no time to waste.” He hopped to the starting position. “White always goes first,” he stated as he rolled the die in front of him. “Rook.” He said aloud as his eyes lit up and he hopped in a straight line all the way to the other side of the board. In a single move, he had already cleared the first hill.

Lilith stepped up and rolled her die, “Bishop. Hmmm…bishop was….diagonal right?” She looked at how far Sir Albus had gotten already and counted the two directions she’d be able to move. “I’ll go to the right.” Instead of trying to catch him immediately, she thought it might be best to head towards the endpoint and cut him off. He’d have to get there eventually.

Sir Allbus rolled again and clicked his tongue. “Tch, pawn.” He hopped to the next board and moved two steps forward.”

Lilith watched as he hopped to the next hill, and when she saw he was finished, she rolled again. “Rook is a castle and that moves…as far as it wants…forward…” She was sure enough to take the chance and cautiously walked to the end of the board. “Whew!”

Sir Albus watched as she reached closer to him and crossed his paws as he rolled again. “Bishop.” After studying both diagonal directions, he went left even though it was one square farther from the end of the board. At least it was the complete opposite of where Lilith was currently, and he would be safe no matter what she rolled. He turned to watch her walk to the next board, starting from the column she left off at.

Lilith rolled her die and sighed, “Pawn.” She took two steps forward and wondered how long this would take. She was relieved that the trial was less stressful than the previous two, but couldn’t help but feel very bored. Quickly she slapped her cheeks with both hands, What are you even thinking about?! This could be way worse; I need to focus on catching Sir Albus!

Sir Albus’s brow rose as he wondered about Lilith’s sanity, but he continued to roll, holding his breath as the die narrowly escaped a skull icon. He then remembered he hadn’t even mentioned the skull icon because it had nothing to do with how they needed to move. “Well…as long as neither of us rolls it we should be fine.” He said under his breath as he clicked his tongue again, “Pawn.”

Lilith studied the die more closely during Sir Albus’s turn and counted the repeating symbols— there were four pawn icons, which was double the two other doubles. She concluded that while things seemed to move slowly; she was lucky to have rolled a bishop at all. Once she was sure it was her turn, she rolled. “Oh, a king!” she exclaimed with excitement, but then she realized a king couldn’t move very far at all. “I guess that’s why he has two icons…cheap game.” She moved one spot forward and looked towards Sir Albus on the opposite side of the board.

He rolled his die quickly and sighed, “Another pawn…”

Lilith rolled, and her brow furrowed. She then called out to Sir Albus, “What does the skull mean?”

Sir Albus’s eyes widened as he looked towards the beginning of the first board. Lilith’s eyeline followed, and they both watched as four red pawns the size of Lilith emerged from the dark green grassy squares. Confused, she looked to Sir Albus for an explanation.

“You’ve done it now! If those pawns enter a square we occupy, we will be removed from the board for good! After every one of our turns, they march forward together; make sure you aren’t in their way and pray either of us doesn’t roll another skull!”

She yelled back, “What happens if we do?”

Sir Albus sighed, “Then, another four pawns emerge from the light green squares and follow the same pattern. If we roll another, then knights appear on the board, then rooks, then bishops. Do you get my drift? They will all march forward according to their move sets, board to board, until we are both captured.”

Lilith took a deep breath in, and she quickly took back her thoughts on boredom. I have to get better rolls and distance myself from the first board…they can only move one space but...but if I roll more skulls, these hills will be chaos!

“We are safe now; they can only move one space…” she consoled herself as the first line of pawns moved forward two spaces. She gnawed at her thumbnail, forgetting their first move was different.

Sir Albus rolled his die, determined to get as far as possible as quickly as possible. “Knight.” He was already almost at the end of the second hill, and with a knight’s move, he could at least remove himself from the red pawn’s path. After he moved a space right and forward, he was at the end and hopped to the next board.

Lilith watched as the red pawns moved forward a space. She was still at the beginning of the second board and began feeling anxious. Closing her eyes, she rolled, then peeked. “Queen!!” she exclaimed excitedly. Counting the possibilities, she realized just how lucky she had gotten. If I go diagonally, I’ll be right next to him…if I can only get good rolls…

Sir Albus fretted as Lilith stood beside him at the start of his next turn. She might catch him, which was only one of his concerns. “Do you know what happens when a pawn reaches the other side of a chessboard?”

Of course she didn’t. “No, what?”

“They get promoted.”

“Promoted?”

She didn’t even have to ask further, “Yes, they can become knights, rooks, bishops, or queens.”

Lilith’s eyes grew very wide as she looked back to the slowly approaching pawns, “You mean…”

Sir Albus nodded, “When they reach the end of that board they will catch us quicker than we can move forward, especially if we roll poorly. It’s no longer a game of cat and mouse; it’s become a game of survival.”

“If they capture us, what happens?”

“I will surely be swallowed into the void,” he shuddered at the thought. “I reckon you will lose the trial. I am not sure what comes after that for you.”

Lilith’s brow furrowed. He was clearly afraid of the void—the place to which all inhabitants of Dreamland seemed to be spirited away at Cheshire’s whim. She was safe from the void, at least, as long as she didn’t become a permanent inhabitant of Dreamland. “Is there any way to spare you from the void?”

Her inquiry surprised him; he had expected no concern from her regarding his plight. She was an out-worlder. “Unless I win, the void will swallow me, regardless.” He scoffed, “The void may swallow me even if I win; it all depends on the fickleness of our Red Queen.” Sighing, he stepped onto the third board and rolled his die, “Rook.” And in a single roll, Sir Albus was on the other side of the board.

She bit her lip in silent frustration. She needed to win in order to proceed, but she could lose two of her trials and still progress. Contemplating what to do, she rolled, “Knight.” Lilith entered the third board and walked two steps forward and one step to the left; she was now in the same column as Sir Albus.

Watching Lilith behind him and the progression of the pawns, Sir Albus rolled anxiously, “King.” He didn’t like the prospect of being in Lilith’s direct line of sight and moved diagonally to the right.

Lilith held her breath as she rolled; there were two more turns before the pawns were promoted. Her heart fell. “...Pawn.” At least I can move two spaces since this is a new board.

Sir Albus knew that his rolling luck would end eventually, and he could only sigh at his roll, “Pawn.” He too took two steps forward. Only one turn remained until the pawns became problematic.

“Bishop!” she exclaimed excitedly again. Lilith was more excited about distancing herself from the inevitable army behind her than catching Sir Albus. Analyzing the board, she tried to determine the best spot for her to end up at—eventually determining that moving forward to the end was her safest option. She hoped.

The pressure was on. They both witnessed the pawns becoming red queens—in two turns they would catch up to where they currently were. Sir Albus nervously rolled and nearly jumped into the air, “Queen!” It was the first time he showed his excitement, and he moved as far diagonally forward as possible. He breathed a small sigh of relief now that he was one square away from the end of the board.

Lilith watched the queens clear the first board as if it were nothing at all. She felt the moment her gnawing trepidation grew into panic. “Pawn…” Her fists balled as she took two steps forward.

Sighing,Sir Albus rolled and couldn’t believe it, “Another queen!” What were the odds? But what a waste—he was already near the end of the board. Sighing, he moved his single step forward and positioned himself at the start of the fifth board.

Taking a deep breath in, Lilith rolled, “Rook.” She nervously sighed and moved to the opposite end of the board. One board left, but now the queens were upon them. Lilith had given up her attempt to catch Sir Albus; she would rather them both make it across the board. Instead, she would focus all her energy on simply surviving the queens’ assaults.

Sir Albus nervously stared at his fallen die and finally stated, “Pawn.” He took two steps forward. The queens cleared the fourth board and were ready to start their attack; everything would be settled on this hill.

Lilith stepped nervously onto the board. After her turn, the enemies would have their own turn on the fifth hill. She rolled and then laughed out loud, “Queen!” Quickly she ran forward until she was off the board completely, thinking the game would end, but it didn’t. The queens moved onto the last board and began moving towards Sir Albus.

“Wait!” Lilith ran as close as she could to him without stepping back on the checkered grass. “Why didn’t it end? I reached the finish line.”

“Ninny, your goal was to catch me! My goal was to reach the finish before you. It doesn’t matter if you finish before me or not!” Despairing he rolled his die, “King…” No matter which route he took he would be in a queen’s path, but at the very least he could take a queen with him. “Very well, I choose to occupy this queen’s space.” He took a step diagonally to the left, and the red queen in that space disappeared, but another queen was one space behind him.

Lilith watched as Sir Albus shut his eyes tightly as the queen piece moved into his space. The green grass beneath him opened up to swallow him whole. Her brow knotted, Not if I can help it! She spun her wooden control like a lasso at her hip; it was something she had done many times before, and she had complete faith in her skills.

“Sir, grab hold!” Lilith threw her wooden control towards him, and it swooped into the hole just as he fell through. His eyes opened in time to see a glimpse of her tossing something at him, and, like a reflex, he opened his arms to grab it. Sir Albus wasn’t sure he had caught anything until he felt his falling body jerk to a sudden halt. Lilith’s strings were taut as she pulled and tugged him out of the darkness and safely onto the next square. “Don’t let go no matter what!” She didn’t know what would happen and expected the queens to continue moving toward him, but they remained stationary. Though the game had halted, she wildly grasped at her strings, dragging her cross along with the white rabbit, all the way to the end of the last board.

Once he was safely off the checkered grass, she collapsed forward and huffed to catch her breath. They both sat, calming themselves, and watched the red queens fade away.

“I don’t get it. They didn’t come after you?” She turned to Sir Albus.

“You captured me.”

She thought of the rules; she had to physically touch him and, technically, her strings and control were a part of her. She smiled and laughed nervously. “I wasn’t even thinking about any of that; I just…I didn’t want you to fall into the void.”

Sir Albus stood in front of her and then bent down on one knee, “You have saved my life, Lady Lilith. As I once served the White Queen, I now serve you. I will devote myself to your escape from this…place.”

Lilith was so shocked by his respectful mannerisms toward her that she smiled. “Sir Albus,” she began, but he corrected her.

“Albus, just Albus.”

Lilith smiled, almost misty-eyed, at the trust she had just received. “Albus, then, simply call me Lilith. I don’t wish to be exalted by anyone.” She looked at her hands and held them out for him to see as well. “I too am...a toy. Your equal, am I not?” She smiled, and he could tell that admission hurt her to say. But it was true—she was like him. He sighed and nodded.

“Very well, Lilith, you have my respect as an equal.”

A door appeared behind them, and Lilith stood, patted her apron, and extended her hand to him, smiling. “I hope you will come with me. I don’t know if it’s allowed, but I don’t care about Cheshire’s rules.”

Albus looked downwards, then met her gaze. “It warms my heart to hear your words, but you should not speak so flippantly of the Red Queen.”

It was then Lilith knew, “So the Red Queen is Cheshire?”

Albus nodded, “Yes.”

Lilith sighed and thought aloud to herself, “Why does Cheshire look like Alise?”

Albus scoffed, “To mock us, I suppose. He takes on the appearance of our beloved White Queen to remind us that there is no hope.”

Her eyes widened, “Alise is the White Queen? Is she safe? What has he done to her? Where is she?” Her concern was evident.

“You know our White Queen?”

Lilith nodded fervently, “Yes, she’s a very dear friend. In fact, just yesterday we played all day together. Look, she even painted my nails.” She held out her hands for Albus to see.

“Then, even more reason to help you. I vow on my very existence to see you free. Then perhaps…you can warn the White Queen, tell her what is happening in Dreamland.”

She nodded again, “Yes, of course, of course. But I must find her.”

Albus’s head shook. “There are few left who know the White Queen as I, and none of us know where she has gone. She disappeared long ago when the Red Queen usurped her throne. Dreamland was a wonderland when White Queen Alise ruled. I was her attendant, and proudly so.”

“Cheshire said that Alise sleeps in Dreamland, and I must find her in order to escape.”

He looked toward the floating castle. “Then she must be slumbering in the castle.”

She followed his eyeline. “Then let’s go find her.”

Albus nodded and took her hand as they walked through the door together.