InsaneJournal

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Mary. Mary wasn't popular, though she had friends. She was considered plain and unmarriageable by those same friends. Those friends often made fun of her behind her back, but more importantly to her face. Mary was quite contrary to what girls were supposed to be in a time of ruffled petticoats and bonnets. She had short hair, and the bigger the dress, the less feminine she felt.

One Halloween, while at a party with those friends, they decided to perform a divination spell. All it required was a candle, a mirror, and a girl whose marriageability was in question. After focusing long and hard, the four girls were astonished to see a most handsome man in the mirror, his hands at Mary's shoulders.

Over the months, Mary and her suitor spent all their time together. She baked him tarts. He made her blush. Mary had grown quite fond of this man who showed her so much affection. He wanted a child with her, but Mary thought they must be married first. She spent a great deal of time learning to sew and made a wedding dress she felt she couldn't wear. When all was said and done, Mary spent her honeymoon with a floor length mirror between her legs.

Another nine months.

Mary weakened, while her mirror image grew fat with child. Her husband doted on her, and Mary had never felt more alone. Oh, he said just the right words, but like the first time she'd seen him, he frightened her. When she went into labor, her worst fears were revealed: her husband had been using her all along. She didn't understand the plan, but he wanted that baby, and he was willing to shatter the mirror and cut it from her. He took the glass child and abandoned both Mary and her mirror counterpart to die, another one of Jack the Ripper's victims.

Mary refused to go quietly. Whatever strength she had left, she transferred to her mirrored counterpart, imbuing her with life and a sense of revenge. No longer bound by the rules of society, this Mary craved violence and blood. She demanded her child, for she was not going to let the Knave take him. She begged and pleaded, with Mary's voice, to let her look upon him once. As soon as her hands found the child, she threw him to the ground, shattering what soul it had. The Knave would not have his way out of the Silvering.

From then on, the only thing she understood was violence, bloodshed, and how to make people miserable. It filled her with glee and excitement in a way that nothing else could. First, she had to make a stop, though. Those "friends" of hers needed to be taught a lesson.

The Silvering was home to a great many Fables: Tweedledee, Tweedledum, Queen of Hearts, Knave of Hearts, the Crooked Man. The world was limited though. It ended at the giant chess board and vanished on the other side. No one, save Alice, had ever left it and not even Alice had returned. Mary was an anomaly, made of flesh and blood who craved revenge for her murder outside of that, and after some years, she discovered its secrets.

She could travel through anything silver. Most people thought about silver-backed mirrors, but they forgot about things like jewelry. All it took was one person to forget. One moment, everything was normal. All it took was a single blink for the Mess Hall to be overwhelmed with her. Hundreds of them swarming like locusts running toward whoever they found first. There was a horrible clicking noise every time the sigils on her arms and chest glowed. People were flung across the room, and mass hysteria took over.

Bloody Mary was everywhere.