Chapter One
She woke up to find the tree she had fallen asleep under was not the same tree two hours ago; this tree had purple flowers blooming off its branches. Mushrooms the size of chairs, were growing in clumps around some of the other trees. How odd. Erin stood up and saw that someone was sitting on one of the bigger mushrooms. He had a hat with blonde hair that stuck out behind his ears and from under his hat. He wore a white collard shirt and a purple tie. An orange vest and a dark green jacket, that fell just around his knees. Brown and cream patch work pants and black shoes. There was a piece of paper sticking out of his hat, it said: 10/6.
"Excuse me", Erin replied softly.
The man turned in her direction, his had brown eyes, his teeth had an over bite and his nose was slightly pointy. On his hands, he wore white gloves. Erin walked over to him, a little un-easy.
"Where am I?" She asked.
"Wonderland of course", the man replied in a British accent.
"And who are you?" Erin asked.
"I'm the Mad Hatter", he replied smiling, "And you are?"
"Erin Daniels", Erin replied.
Mad Hatter slipped off the mushroom. He was scrawny and looked older then she was, maybe by a few years. Hatter took off his hat and bowed and then put his hat back on.
"How on earth did I get here?" Erin asked.
"I saw you come and sit down under that very tree. I've been waiting for you to wake up for some time", H e replied.
"Why?" Erin asked.
"To meet you", Hatter said.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting. Why didn't you wake me up?" Erin asked.
"You were very beautiful sitting under that Blueberry Blossom Tree. Just laying against it, your fair red hair just glistening in the sun", Hatter replied.
Erin blushed afterwards, "Thank you".
Mad Hatter's thoughts
"I had heard humming from the back yard of my house. I left the tea table to find out where that beautiful humming was coming from. I saw her walking along the grassy path. I followed her to the mushroom patch near the Blueberry Blossom Trees. I had watched her for about two hours, sleeping in the sunlight. How she came to be here in Wonderland, I had to find out but for how long she would sleep, I did not know. She was very beautiful indeed. Red hair that sat on her shoulders, fair skin like the sun, blue eyes like pools of water, lips like cherry blossoms. She wore a plaid green and brown jumper, a white collared shirt, white knee socks and black shoes. In her hair was a black head band".
"Would you like to join me for a cup of tea?" Mad Hatter asked.
"I would like to, thank you", Erin replied.
She followed him out of the mushroom patch and down the grassy path. They didn't meet anyone else as they approached a small cottage surrounded by a white picket fence, a couple of over grown hedges and a stone wall that was covered in ivy. Hatter led her out into the back yard. A long wooden table sat in the giant yard, at the wooden table sat about twenty different chairs that didn't match in the least. There was a different variety of cups, tea sets, plates, condiments, and foods.
"It looks like a tea party", Erin said in awe.
"That's because it is", Hatter replied.
"Who else is coming?" Erin asked.
"Oh, anybody who shows up, generally nobody does", Hatter replied.
"Why?" Erin asked.
"The Marsh Hare went mad you see. Got into a bit of tiff, he's gone to a croquet game", Hatter replied.
"Don't you have any friends?" Erin asked.
"No. Not since Alice", Hatter replied.
"Who's Alice?" Erin asked.
"Just a girl who came here to Wonderland about five…no….ten years ago, she..uh got the Queen of Hearts angry. The Queen died of a stroke. Now the Duchess of Spades is in charge, much nicer, she married the White Rabbit", Hatter replied.
The Mad Hatter offered her a seat beside him. Erin sat down and smiled gently, she had never been to a tea party before. He looked sideways at her, the most beautiful creature he had ever laid his eyes on. He poured a cup of tea with sugar and cream and set the cup down in front of her.
"Thank you", Erin replied.
Hatter wanted to cup her face in his hands, hold her close to him. He wanted to tell her that she made his heart beat very fast, like a clock with every tick. His thoughts were interrupted by his best friend, the March Hare. A brown rabbit, with a dark red jacket, black pants, a white collard shirt, a dark brown bow tie and brown shoes, his eyes were also brown.
"How was your game?" Hatter asked.
"Fine, but I came in third", Hare replied, "Oh, we have a visitor".
"Hello, I'm Erin Daniels", Erin replied.
"The March Hare", Hare said sitting opposite them.
The Hare turned to The Mad Hatter who had accidently sat his elbow into the butter dish.
"Hatter", Hare replied clearing this throat.
Mad Hatter looked down to see that his elbow was in the butter, he took a napkin and cleaned off the butter, Erin didn't seem to notice.
"So, where did he find her?" The Hare asked.
"I found her taking a nap in the Mushroom Patch where the Blueberry Blossoms bloom", Hatter replied.
"Ooh, I love to go there and pick the blossoms, they make such good pies", The Hare replied.
Erin turned and smiled at the Mad Hatter, who smiled back.
"I see, you two want to be alone, I'll just go in and sip my tea in peace", The Hare replied picking up his tea cup and going into the cottage.
Erin lifted her cup to her mouth and drank the rest of her tea. Hatter slipped his right hand onto the table and placed it over hers. Erin's cheeks blushed again as she set her cup down. She turned to him, they just stared at each other, their reflections staring back at each other's. Hatter cupped her face in his hands, he leaned in and kissed her, their lips just barely touching at first but locking together after a few seconds.
Their kiss broke and they just gazed at each other. Erin put her hand against his cheek, Hatter took her hand in his and lifted it up to his lips and kissed it. He saw her whole body blush at once, not just her face.
"I think I'm falling in love with you", He whispered.
"I think I am too", Erin replied.
"Let us go for a walk my darling", Hatter replied.
He led her out of the back yard through the over grown garden and back onto the grassy path. They walked arm n arm, down back into the Mushroom Patch, there was a small stream just beyond it. They sat underneath the Blossom Trees and watched the Flamingos wallow in the water. Hatter saw a single white rose sticking out of the grass. He picked it from the bottom so the petals or the steam didn't break.
"For you", He replied handing it to Erin.
"Thank you", Erin replied taking it and smelling it.
Twirling the flower between her fingers, she laid her head on Hatter's shoulder. She wanted him to hold her forever. This felt like a dream. She closed her eyes and then opened them. She was still sitting by the stream with him. She looked up at him.
"Twinkle, twinkle little bat, how I wonder what you're at", Mad Hatter replied in a poetic manner.
He was staring up at the sky, it wasn't quite evening and yet, the afternoon was slipping by. Erin gazed up at the leaves in the trees. She could feel his arm around her waist, she let the flower go and the wind carried it down into the stream, it floated on the top of the water and gleamed there in the sunlight. They headed back to the little cottage afterwards, this time hand n hand. The March Hare was sitting at the long wooden table. The Dormouse was asleep inside one of the tea cups. The March Hare turned his head as they sat down opposite him. That night, she slept beside the Mad Hatter in bliss.
The very next day, the three of them went to visit the Duchess of Spades, her husband, The White Rabbit, married Erin and the Mad Hatter. Erin, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare went back to their small cottage to celebrate.
"To a very unhappy wedding reception", The March Hare replied raising his tea cup.
Erin and Hatter smiled at each other and kissed passionately.