Tarrant Hightopp was pondering things that began with the letter 'M'. Money, muchness, magnificent, and Miriana, the White Queen.
Miriana was one of the guests at the Tea Party that day.
Of course, the March Hare was there, and so was Mallymkun the Dormouse, but Miriana had been able to arrive that day.
But Tarrant Hightopp wanted to see another familiar face at the table sitting to his immediate right.
Alice.
Of course, this Alice had to be The Alice with all of her muchness, the Champion of Underland. But Tarrant didn't just want to see her again.
He loved her.
And so Tarrant was left to think about that Alice again and again, during every tea party and every time he made a hat.
One day Alice—the real Alice—came to the tea party by way of looking glass.
"Looking glass travel is my favorite these days." Alice had told Tarrant once. "It is much preferable than the rabbit hole Nevins uses."
Tarrant had a respect when it came to people with muchness, and it just seemed that Alice had enough muchness for the two of them combined.
On Tarrant's worser days, Alice always came down Below and made the madness go away. Tarrant was mighty thankful, especially because he loved her.
But oh how he wished Alice could love him back.
"I can't stay, Hatter!" Alice would fondly say his nickname, and Tarrant reveled in the attention he got from her.
"Not just one more night?" Tarrant asked, and Alice would always sigh.
"Just one more, Tarrant." Alice said, and Tarrant's heart pounded. He loved when she said his real name.
Then Alice came with a wedding ring on her finger and a child in her belly and Tarrant spent the weeks after the visit crying and mourning his loss.
Alice never knew what he wanted to say to her. Now she would never know.
Over the years Alice's visits slowed down, and each time she came she looked different.
"I am growing old, Tarrant." Alice had said to him one time. "I will not be able to come back someday."
And how Tarrant dreaded that day.
But alas, that day had to arrive.
Instead of Alice coming down Below to join the Tea Party, he was requested to come Above through the Looking Glass.
"I fear that Alice has little Time left." McTwisp had said. "Best use it wisely." And so Tarrant went through the looking glass to find Alice laying on a bed with white hair and wrinkles all over her face looking on the brink of death.
"You came, Tarrant" Alice said.
"Of course I did." He simply said, and all she gave him was a smile until death had taken its toll and Alice's eyes closed.
Tarrant spent the next month mourning her death and Underland's loss of their Champion. But he couldn't go on like this. So he became even more mad.
Tarrant Hightopp was pondering things that began with the letter 'M'. Mourning, muchness, mothers.
And Alice.
