Onew adjusted his white gloves and smoothed his long ears down the back of his head. He glanced about the meadow, on the lookout for strange activities. The treetops of the forest edge rustled in the non-existent wind. The forest was moving again. He made note of the direction of their migration; the General could use it to his advantage. Onew squinted again at the tree line and noticed the rapidly approaching figure of a soldier. He was a foot soldier, judging by his white armour (or lack of) and the long pike in his hand. The man's helmet visor kept jumping up and down across his face as he ran through the tall grass.

Onew watched the soldier come to a sudden halt when a gigantic sunflower rose up from the ground, as if it had been sleeping and was now disturbed awake. He heard the soldier's shriek and admired how the soldier collected his wits and spread out his legs in a strong stance, the pike lifted up and ready to attack. The sunflower lunged forwards and the soldier rolled aside and speared at its stem. The plant writhed with pain and thrashed at the soldier again, but he had already dashed away.

The soldier was looking behind him when he ran, and so he did not see Onew until it was too late. They collided with a mighty smack and he dropped to the ground at Onew's feet. The soldier craned his neck, squinting up at his obstacle, and the blood drained from his face.

Onew held out his hand to help the man up to his feet, but the soldier only whimpered and started to shake like a leaf. He watched the man's eyes move from his white gloves, up his arm, covered by a white coat, and make a quiet sob when he saw the golden pocket watch chain. The soldier was severely quaking by the time he confirmed his round face and hexagonal glasses. Onew started to feel concern that the man would faint when the other’s eyes travelled up past his eyes and stared long and hard at his ears peeking through his long brown hair.

"White soldier," Onew spoke to him and the man scrambled backwards, away from him.

"The White Rabbit!" the soldier quivered. "May the Good Queen save me, I am not ready to die!"

"It's alright, I won't hurt you," Onew started to say but the soldier continued to wail.

"What do I do?! I didn’t mean to dirty your white coat sir, please do not make me swim with the sharks! Would you really stand by and drink tea with a side of crackers; demanding that I answer riddles... or I will be fed to the hounds?"

"Wait, where did you hear that? I would never...!" Onew protested but the soldier was too scared to listen. He scrambled back up when Onew made a step towards him, and ran, crying hysterically back through the meadow and giant sunflowers and moving trees.

"Wait! Not that way!"

Onew did not stay to see what happened to the White soldier. He turned around and made light steps in the opposite direction, through the meadow. The Red Court was gaining the upper hand in the war and there was an electric current of anticipation for the Queen of Heart’s victory. She wanted her close friends near her, and so he carried a message from his Queen, to the Duchess.

The house he came across was not as bizarre as one might think in Wonderland. It was all round - there was not a single corner to be seen, other than the door itself. Orange flower emblems adorned the walls; and what one could suppose as a chimney, was the top bit of a large dandelion. Occasionally, stalks would dislodge itself from its head and drift down in the adjacent meadow. A wind formed and one large stalk drifted towards Onew. He took it as his cue to get to work.

As he made his way near the door, two large moles popped out of the ground. "Halt!" one commanded and Onew stopped at a safe distance. "State your name and purpose or be prepared to meet your grave!"

"Onew, the White Rabbit of Queen Scarlett, with an invitation to the Duchess from the Queen. And I would like to avoid my grave, if you would be so kind; we are not on speaking terms. He doesn't like my glasses and I don't like his hard bed."

"The White Rabbit, from the Queen, with an invitation to the Duchess," the mole repeated, ignoring the Rabbit’s attempt at humour. Both mole guards nodded acceptance of Onew's identification and task and popped back into the ground. At the same time, the door unlocked itself and very slowly opened. An immense racket of noise could be heard come from the inside of the house. Onew cautiously entered and made his way to the sitting room. There, the Duchess was sitting at a table with a large ball of twine in her hands. Cold tea was set to the side, forgotten. The room was cluttered with knick knacks and other forgotten items. A small piglet was rummaging through a bundle of discarded cloths and clothes.

The Duchess examined the ball of twine and nodded with satisfaction. "This will do as payment, Cheshire." she said. Onew then noticed the large purple cat, with his impossible grin, sitting on the other chair. He was half transparent, his bushy tail swinging lazily above him.

"That is excellent news," Cheshire thanked the Duchess. "White Rabbit," he greeted Onew and then completely disappeared.

"White Rabbit?" The Duchess asked and looked about the room. "Ah! My Queen's Rabbit, hello," she cooed and waved him closer.

Onew moved into the room and gave her a bow, "Good day, Duchess."

"Is it? How can it be a good day when the day is not over?"

"My watch is still working and I am not late, so it is a good day at the present time."

"Indeed? Well, I suppose so. Here, catch!" The Duchess threw the ball of twine at him and he fumbled with it before it fell to his feet.

"I cannot believe that Scarlett chose a clumsy rabbit as her Head Messenger," she muttered. "Remind me in the future to never give you my baby to hold. No doubt you will drop it when I throw it to you."

"I do not believe one is meant to throw babies, Duchess," Onew replied. He picked up the ball of twine and tested its integrity. It still held together. There was a rattling noise, as if there was a bell within its centre.

"Do not? Then how do we 'pass things' to each other if not by throwing? How will you pass on Scarlett's invitation to me, then?"

"Like this," Onew said and bowed again. He stepped up to her seat and took out a sealed envelope from the inside of his coat. He placed it on the table and stepped back again.

"There was no throwing involved," The Duchess grumbled.

"No, Duchess; there was only the tiniest of throws and the table is always an excellent catcher."

The Duchess nodded and picked up the envelope. She gave the table a little 'thank you', cut open the envelope, and read the little card within. "I am invited to the Red Palace. Will you be escorting me?"

"No, Duchess. I have business to attend to further south," Onew answered.

The Duchess harrumphed. “Sending the bloody best fighter in the entire court around as a message bunny, when he could be protecting royalty. Absolutely absurd!”

"Well then, I shall make a detour and see to Cheshire's request. Apparently there is a little terror in the Forest of Nightmares that needs to be tamed. Couldn't you see to it?" she asked him.

Onew bowed again, "If my Queen commands me, I will gladly serve."

"Well then, maybe I should mention something to her then."

"By all means, Duchess."

"White Rabbit," she responded in kind. She then stood up from her seat and swept past him and walked out of the house.