Prologue
The Wonder bobbed on the gentle ocean waves. '3 months,' Alice thought. '3 months of no dreams.'
3 months ago, Alice Kingsley had left Underland never to return. Time had made sure of that himself. The Looking glass had been blocked off to any Otherlanders, as Alice and everyone else from her world had been called. Never again would Alice see the vibrance of the gardens, or hear the buzzing of dragonflies and neighs of Rocking-horse flies. She couldn't join her friends in a wonderfully Mad tea party. But, worst of all, Alice would never again hear the giddy and adorable laugh of Tarrant, her dearest and closest friend.
Alice straightened her blue flannel night gown and settled in to her hammock. "Hopefully this time," she whispered, "we will meet in our Palace of Dreams."
It was meanwhile in our beloved Underland, that Tarrant had an issue of his own. "Are you sure you don't want me to tuck you in, dear?"
Tarrant had spent the last 15 minutes trying to convince his mother that he needed no help in getting to bed. After all, he was a grown man and, thanks to Alice's encouragement in the past, he believed he was capable of most anything. Especially tucking himself in.
Tarrant took his mother's hands in his. "Mum, I know you've not had that responsibility for a very long time, but I think I'll be alright. I'm not a little boy anymore."
His mother sighed. "Very well. I suppose you have a point." She smiled half heartedly.
Tarrant kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly. "I love you mum. Don't take this too much to heart." Once they had bid eachother goodnight and his mother had left the room, Tarrant quickly latched his door and got into bed.
Maybe I can get some sleep tonight." he thought to himself.
Lately, Tarrant had been losing sleep thanks to his ever racing mind. And the only thing he would ever really think about was Alice, and how much he missed her. A memory came to him just then, of when she had slipped through the looking glass and back to her world; back to dull people and her responsibilities.
He also remembered mentioning the Palace of Dreams.
"But how can we meet there when I can't even sleep a bludy wink?" Tarrant sighed into his pillow in frustration. Tossing his pillow to the side of the bed, he stared blankly at the bedroom ceiling.
"Perhaps if I just pretend to sleep," he ventured, "then I'll actually fall asleep?"
Tarrant closed his eyes and did his best to clear his mind. It wasn't long, until finally the hatter slipped into deep sleep, proving his theory affective.