"You owe her not me." Night said. "She's the one who has had to grit her teeth and bare having you. I think she's actually starting to like you. You may want to be careful. Nykidia's mood often will change at the literal drop of a hat."
"You're the one who saved me from falling to my death. But point noted, thanks." Scarlet stood up, tentatively touching a lock of mousy hair.
Nykidia walked back in. "Come on! I'm sure the others would like to see your new look!" Nykidia said dragging Scarlet out of the room to show the others.
Scarlet complied grudgingly, biting her lip.
The Mad Hatter looked at everybody. "Well come on in!" He said leading everybody to the living room. Nykidia, dragging Scarlet, came in a moment later. "Soooo how does she look?!?" Nykidia said gesturing to Scarlet's hair.
Scarlet's face went– well, scarlet. "I don't think–" she cut herself off.
Cade nodded as the princess walked in, her hair now dyed brown. "You look a lot less menacing and a lot more normal." He commented.
(I've decided to keep the whole thing where Cade doesn't actually say Scarlet's name ever)
“Scarily normal,” Phoebe drawled from her spot in the corner of the room. She had a small ouch of something with her and was scooping it into her pale hair.
(lol yass)
"Thanks, I think?" Scarlet rubbed her arm awkwardly. "It's a step up from bloodstained hair, so…"
"Whoa whoa whoa! Hold on right there. Bloodstained?" Nykidia said.
"Is that why your hair is, or was, red?!" Cade shivered at the idea of dying his blonde hair with real blood.
Scarlet shifted awkwardly, nodding. “My mother….. never mind.” Her stomach twisted.
Was Cade starting to doubt trying to turn in the princess? Absolutely. Still, he needed that money. If she survived this long, surely she could survive a bit longer under her mother's rule.
"Dang. How the frick did that work? How many times did she do it to you? To get your hair that red it must of be at least 4 times!" Nykidia said looking at her own red hair. "That kinda makes sense now." She thought. "Her hair wasn't a natural red but it didn't looked dyed either."
(Hah Cade, she’d rather kill herself than go back there)
“She’s been doing it to me since I was ten…” Scarlet told them quietly, looking away.
"Ten? As in…still a child ten?" Cade asked, sounding more surprised than he meant to. "She really put you through that?"
Nykidia latched her self on to Scarlet causing them to fall over. "I'm sorry! I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry. I'm so sorry." She repeated over and over,
(I'm going to bed goodnight!)
(Night)
Scarlet shrugged numbly. “Thanks. She did worse.”
"Why didn't you run away before now? If the queen really is this terrible, I would have left way sooner." Cade couldn't help his curiosity.
“You’re underestimating her Highness Cade” Phoebe said. She put the ouch away and her hair looked far dirtier now - her hands too.
“Every time I tried to escape Alice would hold my wrist and physically force me to stab someone I loved.” Scarlet kept her eyes on the ground.
Cade stared at her, his eyes wide with shock. "…Wow. Your mother is some b*tch huh?"
“Mm.” Scarlet turned away. “Anyways, I’m sorry for endangering you. Maybe I should go..”
Cade shook his head. "Go where? We're probably your best bet if you want to stay alive out here." He said, keeping up the act.
Scarlet shrugged. “I guess.” She quickly moved to one of the walls so that she was not the centre of attention.