The Arrival
I snapped my eyes open. Above me was the strangest thing. I saw two brilliant emerald green eyes staring down at me.
"Hello there Miss Alice. How nice of you to drop in on us."
Suddenly I remembered what had happened to me. I had been walking through the woods next to the Ascot's house when I fell down a rabbit hole. I tried sitting up but I started swaying dangerously and then the person who belonged to the emerald green eyes grabbed my shoulders tightly to stop me from keeling over.
"Steady there girly. We don't want you unconscious again. You've only just woken up."
Once my head stopped feeling like the world was spinning I took a good look at the man who found me, so I knew what was behind those green eyes. He had a mass of curly ginger hair and sat on top of that was a raggedy top hat with a price tag attached to it. He had prominent check bones and pale skin. He was wearing a brown shirt and a flowing coat on top made out of dark purple velvet. His trousers were black.
Something about him seemed familiar but I couldn't place it. And his smile. Such a big warm smile.
"We weren't expecting you for tea Miss Alice but the more the merrier I suppose," said the man gripping my shoulders. He wasn't holding too tight. It was friendly like we'd met before and were good friends.
"Excuse me, but, how do you know my name?" I asked as politely as I could. I saw the smile waver on the man's face like I'd said something terrible.
"I didn't mean to be rude sir but I'm not sure we've met."
"Oh Miss Alice. You've forgotten us. I was afraid you would. Never mind. Maybe some tea will jog your memory."
And with that the unusual man took my arm, helped me to my feet and steered me towards where I assumed the tea he talked about was. The only problem was that we were in the middle of the woods and I had no idea where you would find some tea in the middle of a wood.
After we had been walking for about 15 minutes what I saw was not what I had expected. There was a large windmill in the middle of a clearing in the woods. In front of the windmill was a large table covered in broken teapots and cups.
"Now you just sit there Miss Alice and I'll go put the kettle on. Mallymkun and Thackery will be along any moment." The man sat me down on a squishy chair and headed towards the windmill.
"Wait," I shouted, "You haven't told me your name."
The man turned around and with a dip of his hat said, "Tarrant Hightopp at your service but to my friends I am the Mad Hatter." Then he disappeared into the windmill but not before I saw a tear glisten in his eye.
The Mad Hatter. That sounds familiar but I can't put my thumb on it.
Then behind me I heard a little voice sing "twinkle twinkle little bat, how I wonder where you're….." Then it stopped. I turned round to see what the matter was and saw a rather odd couple. There was a brown, rather scruffy looking march hare with a small mouse perched between its ears. They were both staring at me like they'd seen a ghost.
I decided to speak first. "Hello. My name's Alice Kingsley. What are yours?"
The hare replied, "Hullo Miss Alice. Nice to see you again. I'm Thackery and this little squeaker is Mallymkun but we like to call her Mally."
"Ah Thackery, Mally, I see you've reacquainted yourselves with Miss Alice. Please, sit down," and with that the Mad Hatter swept into the seat at the head of the table and placed a large blue teapot on the table.
The hare turned to the hatter and looked like he was about to ask something when Tarrant cut him off saying, "now Thackery, Miss Alice had a bit of an accident and is dazed so she has, at least for the moment, lost her memory. I'm sure it'll come back to her in due time."
I didn't know what he was talking about. I can remember everything. My name is Alice Kingsley. I live in England with my mother and older sister Margret, who is married to Lowell; I'm in business with Lord Ascot, his son proposed to me a year ago before I set sail to China. Wait, there's something missing, something I can't remember about the day Hamish proposed to me. What is it? I frowned.
"Are you ok Miss Alice? Something seems to be troubling you." The Hatter was looking at me with concern. His eyes had gone a light shade of gray.
"Oh it's ok Mr Hightopp. I'm just trying to remember something that happened a year ago. I remember the proposal party but something's missing."
"Oh are you married Miss Alice?" I could hear that the Hatter was sad at the thought of this and I found it strange. "And please, no one calls me Mr Hightopp, its Tarrant or Hatter."
"Well, Tarrant, I am not married, I rejected Hamish because he was an arrogant man and I could not abide him." As I said that I saw Hatter's eye's glow a lovely shade of pink.
"Tarrant, behave!" I heard the little mouse squeak. Hatter blushed but had a huge grin spread across his face. I didn't understand what she meant by that but I'm sure it would become clear.
"I see you're trying to steal my smile Tarrant. Maybe we could do a swap. My smile for that wonderful hat of yours."
I jumped. I turned around to see who the voice belonged to but I couldn't see anything. Then a smile and a pair of eyes appeared. I gasped. Following these was the head and body of a cat. How bizarre.
"I think I'll pass on the swap Chess, you know how I feel about this hat. Anyway, Miss Alice this is Chessur who always appears when you don't need him and when you do he's nowhere to be found."
"Charming. It's nice to see you back where you belong, Miss Alice."
I smiled although I wasn't sure what he meant. Suddenly I felt a yawn come on. I tried to stifle it with my hand but was unsuccessful.
"Well Miss Alice, it looks like someone needs her bed. It was nice seeing you Chess, Thackery, Mally but I really think this little lady needs her sleep," and with that everybody left and I found myself alone with Tarrant.
"Well Miss Alice, I can't boast about living in a palace, but its home all the same. Shall I show you to your room, m'lady?"
I nodded. I knew I was going to like it here. We got to the highest room in the windmill and Tarrant held the door for me. Before I went in I turned around.
"Please Hatter, Tarrant, call me Alice, just Alice, you can drop the Miss. I feel like we will be good friends. I know you know me from somewhere I have forgotten, but I trust you."
After I finished I looked directly into Tarrant's eyes. They were glowing a soft pink, but it wasn't threatening and before I knew what was happening he was kissing me. It was such a soft kiss, full of caring. But as soon as it had started it had finished.
"Oh Miss Alice, I'm sorry, how improper of me, please forgive me," and with that Tarrant disappeared down the stairs again.
I could feel a tear roll down my face because in that moment that Tarrant kissed me I remembered. I remembered everything. The white rabbit with a pocket watch, the red queen, Frabjous day, me slaying the Jabberwocky, everything. I wanted to go after Tarrant, but I couldn't bring myself to. I turned into the bedroom and closed the door.
On the pillow I saw some clean pyjamas. I got changed and climbed into bed. I would tell Tarrant in the morning. As soon as I lay my head on the pillow I was fast asleep.