YAY! I finally fixed the spacing as well as added a better introduction! If you want a ball scene just comment, I'll get to it by the weekend ifone person asks for it.
Disclaimer: I do not own AIW (duh)
Alice daintily took a sip of her earl grey, trying her best to behave properly for the white court of mamoreal, before the queen playfully hit her arm.
"Alice, there is no point to being proper in Underland; you will merely be seen as boring and colorless." The champion let out a sigh of relief, slouched, and set the teacup down.
"Oh thank GOD. I was starting to think I was stuck in London again... All those dreadful balls made me miserable, especially my engagement party." Mirana looked at her with wide, shocked eyes quickly before hiding her surprise by taking a sip of tea and clearing her throat.
"I didn't know you were engaged. I suppose this means you want be staying then?" Alice suddenly realized the confusion she had caused and instantly fixed the confusion in the eyes of the queen as well as her court.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! No, I'm not engaged. I was proposed to by a dull and colorless man named Hamish Ascott who absolutely detested my having an imagination. He only wanted me to be proper... I rejected him immediately." The queen's face lit up.
"Thank goodness, the hatter would have been crushed if you left immediately after your welcome-home ball!"
"My WHAT?"Her majesty giggled delicately.
"Oh it's nothing Alice, just a little underlandian tradition when someone ofimportance returns home.
"Can you at least tell me when the quadrille is, so I may avoid it entirely?" Alice asked Mirana. The queen grinned elegantly.
"Why on earth would we even have a dreadful quadrille on a happy occasion such as this?" This caused Alice's face to light up approvingly. She had always detested the formality of it all. Her majesty thought it wise to ask this ahead of time;"
Have you yet found your escort? You are aware that, in Underland, It is the woman that asks the man to anything having to do with dancing, correct?" She asked with a little tension in her voice. This caught Alice by surprise, she spit out an entire mouthful of tea.
"No, I-I can't say I have." Mirana looked at her thoughtfully.
"Have you considered asking the Hatter to be your escort?" Another spray of tea came flying across the table.
"Don't be absurd! It would be lovely, no doubt, but why would someone as gentle and skillful as he even consider-" Alice was cut off in mid sentence.
"You could always ask; the answer just might be to your liking." She nodded intently. When the queen noticed nothing was happening, she decided to speak.
"Well don't just sit there, go ask the man!" And, as you'd expect, she did just that. Alice ran full blast through the halls of the palace and finally came up to the door of the Hatter's workshop.
She opened the door slightly and knocked, the knob squealing when she turned it. The hatter was busy working, but looked up to see Alice. His eyes lit up as he set down his things.
"Please do come in, Alice." He said excitedly. She obliged. But when she came in, she noticed a fairly good size pile of notes sitting on the corner of his desk.
"Hatter, what are those?" He blushed wildly.
"Just letters." Alice picked one up and read it.
"Hatter, these are all from women who want you to escort them to the ball."
"I am fully aware my dear, but I do not care for any of them in the slightest." Alice was relieved to find that he had not yet accepted any invitations.
"I had the same issue in aboveland! My mother put me in meetings with suitor after suitor. I actually had to decline a marriage proposal at one point." The hatter chuckled and looked in her eyes.
"I can see you haven't lost your muchness." She avoided the comment and grew serious.
"But I'm afraid I must put you in a similar position. Mirana was telling me that I needed to find an escort, so she suggested I- um- she suggested I ask you." Much to Alice's surprise, a smile came creeping onto the hatter's lips. He cupped his hands around her face.
"Yes, well the queen is a very wise lady. I wouldn't dream of going any other way." She was beaming from the inside out, the hatter had chosen her over all those other women. He hadn't even thought twice about it!
"Thank you, Hatter! This is such a relief!"
"Tarrant."
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
"Oh, my name is Tarrant." Alice didn't know this at the time, but he only let those closest to him call him Tarrant.
"Tarrant; What a delightful name." She said smiling. His expression soon grew serious, a face Alice never thought she would see him hold; it made her giggle.
"To be honest with ye, I never thought you would ask. This is just what I've been hoping for." He still had his hands around her face, but he started rubbing his thumb up and down her cheek.
"I fear I may be dreaming again. I will miss you when I wake up, more than you could imagine." He had a small grin on his lips.
"I think we've already decided this is real. BUT, just to be sure-" He gently brushed his lips against her cheek.
"Did that feel like a dream?" She stared at him in awe, unconsciously moving closer.
"I can't really be sure." The man smiled and pulled her sideways onto his lap, she giggled. He silenced her chuckling with a kiss, bringing his lips to hers. She completely melted in his arms as his rough hands curled through her hair. Right as she started to kiss back, he pulled them apart.
"I-I'm sorry Alice. I should have never-" He blushed.
"You truly are mad." She kissed him this time. It was passionate from the start.