"Do you remember the people you hurt?"

This question requires some thought.

"Some. Not all," is the conclusion.

"Blurry, small, sometimes dark..."

"Did your previous body have poor eyesight?"

"Not...bad, just - bad at seeing people," Jabberwock tries to explain.

"I don't have words..." 

Audrey nods. "You had problems telling people apart?"

"Yes. Problems telling people apart," Jabberwock repeats.

"Don't know people." 

The little bird is making absolutely no move to get off Audrey's shoulder. 

"But you came to warn me about Four anyway, even though you had no idea who I was?"

"Audrey is different," is the reply after a few moments of thought.

"Did different things, tried to talk not hurt."

Jabberwock seems to be struggling to articulate a better response. 

"How did you know that before I talked to you, though?"

"I...didn't?" Jabberwock admits.

"I was trying to scare you away so you wouldn't hurt me, not so Four wouldn't hurt you."

That's the longest sentence so far. 

Audrey smiles. 

"Thank you for being honest, Jabberwock." 

She looks at the Hatter. "Do you have any questions?"

Hatter has been listening quietly while Audrey and Everless talked to Jabberwock. 

"No, I - I think I understand what you meant now. About monsters."

He looks at Jabberwock.

"I apologise," he says slowly, "for seeing you as a monster. You are welcome in my home for as long as you choose to stay, and may leave whenever you wish."

"Everless, do you have anything more to ask?"

"Always," she deadpans.

"But in this instance, I am satisfied that Jabberwock is not presently a threat, and may be a considerable asset to the cause."

Audrey nods. "Let's hope that Hatter's other guests share your opinion."

As if in answer, there is a loud knocking at the front door.

Hatter goes to answer it, and returns accompanied by a rather large man in a shiny, new-looking top hat. 

"Good afternoon!" he booms, grinning and tipping his hat to Audrey.

She curtsies. "Good afternoon." 

He chatters jovially to Hatter and Everless about fashion, the weather, a few tidbits of court gossip...

And then Hatter leads them through into the sitting room, and he suddenly turns serious.

"I hear our queen is returned," he says, bowing to Audrey.

"I am Faramund, King of Diamonds and second-in-command of the Resistance. How may I serve you, my lady?"

"He says, cheerfully abdicating his authority to a twelve-year-old who has never ruled anything in her life. Forgive me if this doesn't inspire confidence."

"I was hardly proposing to crown you this instant, and place you in charge of the Resistance," he says, laughing. 

"For one thing, I have a feeling my partner would object," he continues as he lowers himself into the largest armchair.

"But I have a vested interest in seeing you replace Marcella on the throne of Wonderland, and develop the skills to be a better queen than she. I will do what I can to help you achieve that." 

Audrey nods, and flashes a smile. 

"That I think we can agree on. But before we get to any deeper discussion of strategy, I have another new recruit I'd like you to meet."

She raises one hand to her shoulder, indicating the small bird there. 

"Faramund, Jabberwock. Jabberwock, Faramund."

Faramund blinks.

"You mean that little bird is the Jabberwock? The Jabberwock, the monster that roams Wonderland's borders and kills people?" he checks.

"Whatever did you feed it?"

"Compassion and a blackberry. It was clumsy, couldn't tell people apart, and everyone was trying to kill it. Now that it has the chance to, it wants to make amends."

He looks at the little bird. The bird looks back. 

"Well?" he asks Jabberwock.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I couldn't talk to say, go away," is the explanation.

"Had to scare people off so they wouldn't hurt me."

A sigh.

"Sometimes they got hurt."