"I am Ceilidh Calder, I am fourteen now and living with my family. But of course I did not always have such a large family as I do now. I used to live in the Outlands with just my Mother, Aunt Terressa, and my mother's uncle, and our two friends Harpier and Marcus. Terressa was nearly ten when I was born. In my second (almost third) year it was decided the time had come to leave for Marmoreal and reunite with what family we could. Uncle Amadeus would take me to Hightopp Isle in search of other and safety and mother and Aunt Terressa would go to Marmoreal.
But things didn't quiet go as planned for all of us."
Chessur caterwauled loudly as he was chased down the long stretch of tables by Thackery in another craze, scattering china and pastries and other tea things to the ground and leaping over teapots in their haste.
"I'm going to eat you kitty!" Thackery shouted.
"Thackery cats aren't for eating you mad March Hare!" Mally screamed at him, Chess jumped over her head to avoid the insane rodent after him.
"Chessur is ripe for the nibbling!" Thackery replied and threw a scone at the terrified feline.
"Hateful cat, that; what has he done this time? That over grown fuzz ball is nothing but trouble!" The Hatter growled and stamped his foot angrily.
"Tarrant, mind yourself, and Thackery stop chasing poor Chess, he's done nothing to you!" Alice chided as she walked out of their home with a tray of hot tea.
"Why should I?" Tarrant asked as Thackery finally cornered Chess, the cat panicked and suddenly disappeared. The Hatter cursed under his breath at the feline and Thackery sulked all the way back to the tables.
"Because," said a sweet and new voice. "Mother would be terribly disappointed in your lack of manners." The small group looked up to see the new comer.
The red haired girl in rags looked oddly familiar to Tarrant, Mally and Thackery…
But where had they seen her before?
The Hatter stood from the seat he had recently taken and approached her. He stared at her for a moment before it clicked in his brain.
"It can't be!" He breathed softly. He needed to know he wasn't dreaming! His jaw fell open and his eyes widened; he blinked back tears and raised a hand to her cheek. He traced the shape of her face and finally touched her hair.
The girl touched his magenta lips softly and traced his cheek. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes and her knees weakened.
"Annie," The Hatter chocked out. Mally and Thackery glanced at each other in surprise.
"Hey Tare," She greeted. The Hatter grabbed her arms and hugged her tightly.
"Annie, Annie, little Johanna." He chanted.
"Hey Big Brother, how are you doing?" She sniffed. The Hatter released her and dragged her over to the tables.
"Sit and we'll talk and have tea! This is Alice, my wife! And of course you remember Mally and Thackery! Sit, sit, I said to sit!" He said ecstatically.
Alice sat at his left, Mally and Thackery sat in their usual seats and Johanna sat at his right.
"How in the name of the deuces did you survive the Horvendush day?" She said in clear surprise.
The Hatter frowned slightly. "Well, I saved the White Queen and ran with her." The Hatter stared off into space, thinking back to that horrible day. Smoke, it was everywhere; there was screaming, pleas for help, so many people being killed.
"Hatter," Mally shouted, bringing him out of it and into reality again.
"I'm fine!" He said quickly, and then he looked back at Johanna. "How did you survive?"
Johanna blinked for a moment. "Believe it or not, Chess saved me! I was trying to get people to the river when I heard baby Terressa crying from inside our house, the building was about to collapse around us and Chess evaporated us out of there and into the Outlands where we hid from t'e Bloody Reds." Her eyes suddenly took on a slight red hue, she closed them and shakes her head, and when her eyes opened again they were green. "Terressa is in Marmoreal at the White Queen's Palace at the moment. I came here on my own to find you."
"Can…can that really be true? After all these years, why didn't he ever say anything?" The Hatter asked stunned.
"Mom, Dad!" An excited young voice called out to them. A small boy with bright gold hair and green eyes came running at them; he stopped in front of his parents and stared at the woman before him. "Who are you?"
Johanna smiled at the youth, "My name is Johanna G. Hightopp, and if my assumption is correct, by the look of you, and the fact that you just said 'Mom, Dad!' and there are no other old enough people here to be your parents, you are Alice and Tarrant's daughter. Correct?"
The boy gave a laugh that sounded surprisingly much like a younger version of his father.
"Actually I'm a boy!" He giggled.
Johanna flushed a bright red. "It was the mercury!" She cried loudly.
"It's alright!" Willow smiled.
"Willow, don't be rude!" His father scolded, attempting to drop the subject and spare his sister the embarrassment. Unfortunately he did not know what was coming.
"It's alright with me. Willow I am very sorry for calling you by the wrong gender." She bent down close to him and whispered in his ear. "I spent too much time with your father when I was younger as you can see. Did you know that the White Queen told me that when she first arrived your father called her a boy?" she giggled softly.
"What?" Willow cried in shock and looked at his mother. Johanna let loose a small giggle. "Did daddy call mommy a boy?" He pointed at his parents. The Hatter smiled nervously and sunk in his seat a little.
"I take it you never told him Tarrant?" She managed through her giggles.
"Aye," He replied sheepishly. Johanna laughed loudly and was joined by the others as Tarrant blushed hotly; even Alice thought it was funny.
Johanna couldn't breathe from laughing so much she lost her breath completely and fell out of her chair. The others stood and looked over the table at her. Thackery jumped up and down on the table and spilled his cold tea all over her.
"Tea!" He shouted.
"Thackery, now I'm covered in sugar!" She yelled.
The Hatter froze and stared off into space, his hands twitched and her frowned, a blank look came to his face.
"Hatter are you alright?" Alice said, waving a hand in front of his face.
"Tarry," Johanna said and stood.
The Hatter blinked several times and looked at her, "Yes?"
"Tarrant, are you okay?" She asked concerned. She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked at him.
The Hatter winced, "I'm fine… how are you?" He smiled.
"Are you sure you're fine?" She said frowning. Alice came quickly to his side.
Tarrant felt a stab of pain and faced her, he clutched her hand tightly. "Tarrant, be honest with me, are you really okay?"
"Well," He leaned up to whisper in his ear, "I had a flash back of…that day… the day when my Clan died."
Alice mulled this over for a moment, "Do you need to talk?" The Hatter nodded. "We have guests here, do you mind if we speak of this either privately after the guests are gone and the children are in bed or do you wish to leave now to speak?" The Hatter looked at all the concerned faces and then back to Alice.
"I need to speak with you now, badly." He said and gripped her hand tightly. He was hesitant to leave the others alone though.
Johanna sensed his hesitance and nodded her head, "Go on Tarrant, we'll be here when you get back." To prove her point she sat down in her chair and crossed her legs in a relaxing position.
The Hatter led Alice into the Tulgey Wood until they were far enough that no one could hear them speak. She kissed his cheek and took his other hand. "We're far enough that they can't hear or see us now," she smiled.
"Well... I'm really happy but what is wrong with me? I laugh and I'm so happy like that day never happened. And I feel… like it is my fault..." He sighed sadly.
"Tarrant Hightopp, that day was NOT your fault!" She snapped, "It was the Red Queen's! SHE'S the one who sent the Jabberwocky to attack you and your clan, SHE'S the reason why so many innocent died, and you got your revenge. YOU fought against her while I was gone, YOU helped me slay the Jabberwocky, YOU saw to it that SHE and Stayne wouldn't get off easy with death! YOU'RE the reason that I stayed. Nothing negative was your fault Tarrant Hightopp. And don't you ever think such thoughts again!" Fire blazed in her narrowed eyes.
Tarrant kissed her passionately on her lips and smoothed back her golden curls, Alice returned the kiss whole heartedly.
"Well isn't this sweet?" A dark and menacing voice said.