A voice quieter than air spoke out, vanishing as fast as it came as a sudden gust of wind blew throughout the Card Palace, which was slowly reforming, erasing any sign of blemish or destruction in it's waking. It's what all places in Wonderland did at a new arrival. It repaired, then, after the new found resident's life converted to here...

It destroyed it's self again.

Jack stared in bewilderment as the air around him separated into 4ths, soon revealing a young woman in an elegant ball gown dress, and instantly was in awe. The young woman, who's name he had not known, looked at him with a small polite smile, the feathers of her gown flowing elegantly to the ground as she hold her hands in front of her, marking on her arm indicating she was of some tribe of sorts. But no tribe had those markings. None that he knew of.

"It's good to see this place again..." Her eyes held a gleam of sadness, a blue fleck in the orbs of magnificent amber, a trickle of colors flashed throughout her eyes as she regained her stature. Her face hardened, her beauty taking form of what seemed to be a war like stance instead of the soft, kind face she had shown moments before.

Don't get distracted. The menacing voice whispered into her ear. Keep focus on the task, no time for memories,. Walk along, or the deals off. The voice cut itself off before she could respond. She sighed in contemplation, looking at the young man with sternness and an icy gaze.

"Cardling," Her aura changed, and the air around her grew colder. "Where do I find the Queen of Aces?" Her smile was gone, her eyes no longer held a happy spark. They were cold, compassionless, merciless.

The eyes of someone who wanted answers.

"I-I-I-I-I-" He stuttered incessantly, bowing his head and crowing his shoulders up and forward. "I apologize, madame, she'd gone off for a business, n-never told me where she'd gone... I've only just awakened, I'm afraid..." Afraid he was, very. His golden eyes swept the room, gazing at each and every trinket and bushel there was to see, anywhere but to meet the woman's gaze. "I would ask why... But that wouldn't be wise of me, no, it wouldn't..." He bumbled to himself, shaking his head and turning away. His fingers flitted into his pockets with the effect of crumpling paper, a white stopwatch procured from it and folded open. "O-Oh... Oh, my... It seems like she's been gone for long, yes..." The stopwatch, in his shaking hands, fell to the ground and immediately shred to pieces, which then melted into the floor. "Ah... Rats..."

The woman released a heavy sigh, her elegant and poised nature returning to her immediately as she smiled at the lad widely. "I'm sorry, my apologies, I shouldn't have acted so rude." SHe cleared her throat, grabbing the hem of her gown and bowing regally. "My name is Arabella Vernetez, daughter to Tribal Chief Al'Khaii Vernetez, Sky Warrior to the El'Tour Clan." She rised, holding her hands infront of her once mroe as a blue, brown and black feathered coat wrapped around her suddenly. She smiled at him brightly, her dazzling smile almost too gentle to look at. She asked kindly, in her softest voice she could muster, "Who might you be, Cardling?"

The man refused to look in the first place. "J-Jack of All Trades, in service to Her Radiant Highness, the Queen of Aces..." His voice faltered for a moment, before his eyes popped wide open. "I-I apologize, madame..!" He squeaked, bowing deeply and staying in such a position until he felt it was safe enough to straighten. Though he saw nothing to be afraid of, every inch of his body tingled with fear, from edge to crease. "Why are you here, if you don't mind my asking? Isn't there a newcomer on the way..? I-I-I don't mean to be rude!" He shuddered, the leaves of a potted plant beside him bursting into the air before slowly falling and returning to the branches.

Isobel had arrived. Her hands folded tightly behind her, she looked about the place she'd found herself in - some sort of ballroom that seemed to belong in a castle, and it seemed to be in tatters. "Where am I now..?" She grumbled to herself, scowling at the high ceilings and cracked floors - only then did she realize the two 'people' conversing just ahead of her. Trembling with confusion and frustration, she stayed put, waiting instead to be noticed. That always seemed to be the perfect plan of action, no matter how perplexing the situation she would be caught up in.

It was the smell of the human world.

She visibly tensed at the smell of the human- It's scent so strong it almost knocked the wind out of her. That means that every Underling in a 5 mile radius can smell her scent as well. The voice added. Arabella groaned internally, giving a forced smile to Jack before speaking. "I am truly sorry, but I must powder my nose- But if the queen comes, tell her We need to talk. It's of desperate emergency" She quickly paced off, stopping as a thought came to her.

"And tell her 'The Autumn Trees are in bloom!" Don't tell anyone else! You hear me?" She didn't have time to see if the cardling nodded or not, she had to reach the arrival before anyone else found her.

Her face turned grim, ehr sweet smile replaced with a forlorn frown, and her eyes considerably darkened.There was not to be another arrival for 600 years... Had time passed that quickly? She thought. No matter, She added. What matters now is finding her...

"T-The Autumn Trees are in bloom, right..." His voice shook as he nodded to her, walking forward and past the woman before tripping over a loose tile, skidding like cardboard until he landed at the newcomer's feet. After recovering, he placed his hands down to support himself while he lifted his head. "O-O-O-Oh! Evening, madame!" He shrieked in embarrassment, stumbling to his feet with a swift bow. That was a lovely introduction, wasn't it?

Isobel frowned down at the now standing man, placing her hands on her hips. "And what are you, the court jester?" She scoffed, taking a step back. She didn't like the look of him, or anything else, for that matter. Everything was a big dose of trouble, right into the arm. This one's an idiot, ain't he? James whispered in her ear with a chuckle.

That's her, The voice returned. That's the one. Arabella rolled her eyes.  'You don't think I don't know that?' She scoffed mentally, gazing at the two again, her interest peaking at the arrivals power manifestation.

"This could work..." She whispered to herself, smiling lightly as birds flew around her. She closed her eyes, breathing in the newly fresh air of Wonderland, and disappearing with the wind.

------------------------------------------------

"Why hello there!" She shouted lightly, commanding the birds to fly around the human and the Cardling,  stepping out of the wind to greet them.

Jack turned to the woman in confusion, tilting his head and pointing aimlessly. "Weren't you just- Didn't you-" He gave up and shook his head, taking several steps back and bowing his head. He wasn't quite sure, but he had a feeling he needed to duck out for a moment, not to get involved with any of this. Of course, he was the only Cardling there, and that was a great upset in the first place.

"Hello to you too, Snow White..!" Isobel raised a brow, leaning on her hip as she looked over the odd strangers. It all felt like a fairytale, and perhaps that's what it was - a children's story meant to put her to bed at night while the pills wore off. Then again, her pills weren't the type to wear off.

White roses and yellow tulips became pink and red near the 3, the oak tree growing cherry blossoms as her influence became stronger. Well, this should help considerably... The voice reentered, saying it's comment with a snide yet confident tone. Arabella mentally smirked. Let the show start. She thought again.

"So sorry, I haven't properly introduced myself," She took the human's hand in hers, her hair changing from a light brusette to a golden blond in mere seconds as she kissed the humans hand. "I am Arabella Vernetez... I'm sorry, you didn't tell me your name, did you?" She cocked her head with a slight smile as she said this. "Tell me miss.. Who are you?"

The Cardling stood back, rather confused and bewildered at the same time as his hands tucked into his pockets. He wasn't sure what was going on, though he has scarce emotions in the first place, so it wasn't like he really ever could. "I-I'm just going to..." He muttered under his breath, hurrying into the shadows while he still could, tripping over his own feet.

Isobel's face became apple red as she turned to face away from the woman, clearing her throat to make it look like her knees hadn't gone weak. "I'm... Isobel Marshall..." She pursed her lips as she drew her gaze to the ceiling, trying with all her might to keep it there, even if it felt like hell.