Alice ran up to the edge of the forest, looked back one last time for guards, then darted inside. She had no idea where she was going, but once she got far enough away she could stop and think of one.
She did stop for a moment as she was replaying the events in her mind, and reached into her pocket to pull out the card. It looked like just an ordinary playing card on one side, and on the other the four symbols as they appeared on the united scepters. If it was the symbol that would be used to send the tickle-beast back, then it was clearly important, but if so then why give it to her? The butterfly and the Cheshire Cat both could have easily escaped with it instead. As she walked on, still staring at the card, she started to wonder if this was some kind of plan. The Cat had gotten her to the castle, caused her to be sent to the dungeon, and brought up the whole subject of the tickle-beast, so perhaps she was being used by them in some kind of plot against the Queen of Hearts. Of course, the problem was that it was just as likely madness, that what seemed like a plan was just mad people doing things that just happened to fit a pattern. She didn't know, but if she crossed paths with either again she'd have a few questions and comments for them.
Alice put the card away just as she came to a path. "Ticklish Path" it said, and below that, "Please Remove Your Shoes." Alice looked at it a moment, then shook her head. "I'm not so foolish as to remove my shoes on 'Ticklish Path,'" and proceeded up the path with them firmly on. Not five feet up the path she screamed as something reached out of the tree and grabbed her, hauling her up to the branches by her wrists.
"You dare?!" an extremely deep voice bellowed from all around her. "You would defy the signs of the Great Forest, impudent child?!"
"I'm very sorry!" Alice said, looking around for the source of the voice. It seemed to come from everywhere. "I- I-"
"You didn't think anyone was watching! And if no one was watching, you wouldn't have to obey!"
"No... well, you see, um..."
"You disobeyed! Do not try to excuse or lie about it!"
"No, I see... but... I didn't think it would matter to anyone."
"Matter? MATTER! You think a sign would be put up if it did not matter?!"
"Well..." Alice wasn't sure how exactly to reply. "Look, it's just, it was called 'Ticklish Path' and I was afraid I might be tickled if I removed my shoes."
"And how is that an excuse?!"
"But I don't want to be tickled! The Knave of Spades already tickled me terribly!"
"That is still no excuse! If you wish to walk the path you must obey the rules. If the sign said to pay tuppence to walk the path, would you not because you don't wish to part with tuppence?!"
"But I don't want to be tickled-"
"The sign did not say you must be tickled to walk the path! Only that you must remove your shoes! If you so fear tickling you will never remove your shoes, then you are as mad as anyone in Wonderland!"
"I just-"
"Here! Here is something to be afraid of!" And red tendrils emerged from the branches above and began poking Alice all over. From her waist up to her armpits, the tendrils poked and prodded while she laughed helplessly, dangling there in the air while she was tickled all over her upper body. Even through her thick dress it was almost as effective as the Knave's practiced hands. "Here you have disobeyed," she was chastised, "and the punishment was the very thing you feared would happen! See the folly of your actions, child?!"
Alice was kicking her legs in desperation as they continued tickling her. What made it so awful was that it felt so random, just a ticklish prod from nowhere then the next. Her stretched out armpits were an ideal spot, since it was impossible to raise herself even a little, and she was so very ticklish there. Her sides were scarcely better, as the twisting of her body would leave one side even more vulnerable than the other, and the tendrils always seemed able to find it. Then there were the ones that hit her ribs, which added a nasty bit by twisting a bit as they poked her for a little extra ticklish emphasis. "STOP! HAHAHAHA! I'M SORRY! HEHEHEHEHAHAHAHA!!!" Alice could hardly breathe, especially hanging like this, and her laughs soon turned into silent pleas. Still the tickling went on.
* * *
In the dungeon, the guards stood near the King of Hearts, a tiny man who both literally and figuratively had always lived in the Queen's shadow. The Knave of Spades stood with him, and the remaining Queens stood nearby, enraged as usual. "Don't stand there you fools!" the Queen of Clubs said. "Get her out of there!" The sound of desperate laughter was coming from the pit.
The King of Hearts considered this. "Yes, yes, of course, ahem. Knave, retrieve the Queen, at once!"
The Knave, of course, was no fool, and only a fool would go near that hole, as proved by the Queen's current predicament within. But he could not disobey orders. Nevertheless, one didn't manage to rise to Knave in proximity to the Queen of Hearts without being a bit sharper than most cards. "Absolutely, your majesty. And may I assume that, while alacrity is important, likelihood of success must be the greater concern. A failed attempt could surely doom the Queen of Hearts, a chance we dare not take."
"No, no, we dare not," the King agreed.
"Then we are agreed, that however long it takes, we must not proceed with any rescue attempt until we know it's chance for success is high."
"Balderdash!" said the Queen of Diamonds. "She is clearly put out by this state of affairs and wants it rectified at once!"
"She has not stated so," the Knave said.
"It is obvious!"
"Then perhaps one of you three would care to go over there and ask her?"
The three remaining queens looked at one another. "You ask her!" the Queen of Spades ordered.
"I am already engaged in a matter for the King, finding the means to rescue her. Once that order has been satisfied, I will then carry out the next. Only one thing may be done at any one time, your majesty." One of the benefits for an intelligent person in Wonderland was the lack of people capable of seeing glaring flaws using common sense. "I shall begin by putting the word out to watch for the Wise One and the girl called Alice. Your highness," he said with a nod to the King and departed.
* * *
Alice still hung in the air and laughed in spite of how sore her lungs had become. The full upper body tickle torture wouldn't abate for an instance, and she wasn't sure she could survive much more of it. She quietly begged for it to end over and over, until finally it did.
"You will obey?" the voice demanded.
"Yes!" Alice said desperately. "Yes, I'll always obey the signs!"
"Good. Remember that just because you see no one does not mean that you do not have to obey. Rules are always made for a reason, and even if that reason were madness, it is reason nonetheless!" Alice was lowered back down to the path. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she reached down and reluctantly took off her shoes. She knew she'd likely regret it, but wandering the woods off the path would be far too dangerous. Alice also slipped off her stockings, not wishing to get the white things dirty on the path. She walked a short ways, and the path forked.
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