"Curious." Alice muttered as she slowly made her way through the forest of colourful mushrooms. "I seem to be alone in Wonderland today!" She sighed, gazing around, searching for company. "Curiouser! No Tweedles, no March Hare, no Cheshire…" She mused to herself, her blonde curls wafting in the slight breeze. "It has not been too long since I was last here…" She continued talking to herself. "Well, not long in my time, I should say, for time can be funny in dreams…"
As she slowly meandered past the bushes, trees and flowers, still mumbling to herself, she suddenly beamed as she came to a familiar path. "Aha!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "The Mad Path!" She grinned at the wooden sign, and began skipping over leaves and jumping over roots until she came to the wonderfully familiar clearing.
She drank in the sight in front of her, everything about Wonderland floating back to her mind in mere moments. The mismatched teapots, saucers and cups, the old, chipped sugar pots and the rusting teaspoons were all sat on top of the creaking wooden tables that swayed in the wind. Her eyes drifted up the table, until they rested on the sleeping figure who was slumped in the head chair. The brim of his large, embroidered top hat was pulled down, obscuring his eyes.
Alice smiled as she took in the familiar orange of his curly, wild hair, and the beautiful pale skin that covered his body. She slowly made her way across the grass and gently touched the table with her fingers. The patchwork tablecloth felt soft beneath the pads of her fingertips, and she revelled in just being back in her own little Wonderland. She brushed past the various teacups, her smile growing as her memories came back and filled her mind. The beautiful summer days she'd spend at this table, sitting on the stools and chairs, laughing and sharing anecdotes with the Hare, the Dormouse and the Hatter. Her thoughts stopped as she thought of him.
How she had always basked in his sheer magnificence, his mad, mad intelligence simply amazing her, even from her early years, from the first time she'd been to her Wonderland. She quickly let her eyes dart from the table in front of her to the man on her mind, who was still breathing gently in his chair, his hat rising and falling with his chest.
"Mad." Alice muttered, although she couldn't help but grin. Mad as he was, he was the only man she ever really considered herself loving. Obviously, when she was younger, he was merely more a father figure, but as she had grown up dreaming about her times in Wonderland, she realised how much he meant to her. He had been there, whether at the tea table, in her dreams or in the Looking Glass, he had always been there, listening to her problems, ushering them aside with one of his quick embraces, telling her that everything would be alright. She suddenly jumped as several of the china cups chinked together loudly, due to her leaning her weight on the table. "Goodness!" She exclaimed, pushing them all back to the centre of the table.
"Alice?" A small, uncertain voice whispered, causing Alice to quickly turn towards the top of the table.
"Hatter?" She grinned, but then her smile dropped. "I'm terribly sorry, I promise I did not mean to wake you." She rushed, rooted to the floor.
He brushed her apology aside with a wave of his hand. "You… You remember me?" He questioned, curiosity and worry lining his voice.
"But of course!" Alice replied, fairly shocked at his question. "Why on Earth wouldn't I?"
He stayed still, focussing his fluorescent eyes on his companion. "Well… I…" He stopped.
"The Hatter? Lost for words?" Alice smiled, her eyes sparkling just to be back in his company.
"You… Haven't forgotten me?" He asked, his eyes turning a pale shade of blue.
"How can I prove it to you?" Alice questioned. "Tell me! I haven't forgotten you!" She cried, exasperated. She began pacing in front of him. How can he think I've forgotten him? He's been the only thing on my mind! She internally argued with herself, before suddenly shouting. "Edgar Allen Poe!" She beamed. "Edgar Allen Poe!"
The Hatter looked completely perplexed. "I thought I was the one that's supposed to be mad, dear Alice-" He was cut off.
"Think about it, Hatter, think!" Alice pressured. "What's the one question you asked me?" She pushed, moving closer to him. "Edgar Allen Poe!"
"Question…" Hatter murmured to himself. "Question…"
"The one question you'd ask me, Hatter, every tea party, every time you got confused!"
"Question…" He mused, sitting up in his seat, resting his chin on his fist.
"WHY IS A RAVEN LIKE A….?" Alice cried, giving up.
"Writing desk." Hatter whispered, before Alice beamed.
"Edgar Allen Poe." She smiled, before throwing her arms around him and kissing him.