Painting Flowers

"Before The Looking Glass"

"I can't breathe."

The forest was pitch black. Rustle. Rustle. This noise. Senses obscured, the world spinning and, a monster on my heels. I ran. The illegitimate Tiger beast behind. My breathing hard and a world of beautiful color, passing me by. My dress, was once a posh purple now faded and dinged with the dirt that my heels kicked in the air with my sprints. All I remember is seeing a branch. Then nothing else.

"Easy now dearest. Don't strain. Sometimes its better to stay on the ground."

This was the voice of a man that I had no clue that I would spend the rest of my life with. As he took me off of the ground and asked my name.

"Now dearest Am I positive that you have a name?"

I knew I had a name. Everyone has a name. But mine. I could not remember no matter how hard I tried. He smiled at me. A gap shown between his teeth. A top hat resting on his head and string of thread spools across his chest. His hair a bright orange with the type of style only the mad would bare.

"How about I take you for a cup of tea? I would offer so much more... But I am afraid that

I haven't much."

His smile allured me. He took two of my fingers pulling me frivolously. The day had set to a foggy memoir that kept no tomorrow.

"Mind you, do watch out. For the Red Queen does not care much for visitors. It would be for

The best if you do stay with me."

It had been so long since then. I found out that his name was Hatter, well that was what most called him, we had stayed with one another for a bit of time. Before I knew the time had past I had become Mrs. Hatter, I became mad like my significant other. He cared for me and kept me safe for the Red Queen was never to know about me.

"Dearest. We're out of tea."

Balancing a tray upon my one hand and opening the door with the other I made my way from the Hatters windmill home. My Dress was patterned and adorned with many different patches of fabric. My stockings ripped and patched in various places to my shoes adorned with dirt at the toes. Hatter welcomed me by making me a hat. Not a full on hat but one that sat to the side. A females miniature top hat. Red velvet with small black feathers out the band, My wedding ring adorned my finger as I made my way toward my Hatter. I sat the tray upon the table. My attention to the March Hare his jittery body and twitching ways.

"Thank you Lass. Such a nice w-wife. Hatter."

Hatter smiled. His gap showing through making myself smile. Hatter pushed himself back from the table as I sat on his knee. Rustles echoed from the bushes leading from the main dirt path away from our home of Witzend. Hatter motioned me up as I did, a small child maybe at the age of ten entered the small field.

"Excuse me. But I've seen to have lost my way."

Her blonde hair and blue dress reminded me of a robins egg. Hatter's grin grew wide his tie slowly lifting to the situation.

"Please come sit with us. Perhaps you'd like some tea?"

"I Couldn't."

"Of course you can it would be rude of you to decline our invitation- Would it not?"

"Well Yes- uh- No...I suppose maybe one cup."

Hatter patted the seat next to him. Asking her to come sit. She did. I leaned over her shoulder as Hatter poured her tea. Unfortunately after a bit of her I started to be overcome with jealousy a major emotion of my own demise. I do admit I got quite a bit huffy.

"Pay more attention to her than your wife!"

"Dearest,"

The argument started when our visitor left us to continue her journey. I was honestly relieved. I know it's stingy of me to hold my Hatter to myself but I could not resist or control it.

"GallyMogger!"

"GallyMogger?"

He laughed at me.

"Of course, But if I am a GallyMogger than you most defiantly are one as well. I suppose. I should leave. . ."

"Nunz!"

He turned and smiled at me.

"I knew you loved me."

". . ."

His arms felt warm to me, one of the reasons to why I did not wish to share or let Hatter leave my sight. Otherwise I had many reasons. To never let my Hatter go. He was my first object and trinket of Underland. I looked at the silver ring. I knew the words inside by heart. Memorized. My arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"Hatter."

"Yes?"

"Never go away."

"I never will."

He then repeated the words on the inside of my ring.

"Forever mad shall we always be."

But even Hatter did not know what events could possibly unfold in nine years.

Through the Looking Glass.