Nearly A Year's Wait

"Goodbye everyone. I must go."

"Alice."

"Yes, Hatter?"

"You know, you could always stay here… in Wonderland."

"I'm sorry Hatter, but I have questions I have to answer…" She hesitated. "…And things I am late for."

"…You won't remember me."

"I will…"

"Alice." The voice sounded… Familiar.

"Alice." She'd heard it before.

"Alice!" Wait, who did the voice belong to?

"ALICE!"

The girl woke with a jolt. In an instant, the world spun out of control before everything remained still as she sat up quickly, as if the world would end if she hadn't. What was once a bright white blur cleared to white walls, and the mixture of colours became a simple desk with a simple chair before it.

"Alice, we're late," the voice said gently.

A smile came upon a pale, glowing face at the mention of tardiness. It seemed so familiar to her; so real. Alice allowed a quick flashback of a friend, the White Rabbit, come and go in her mind. It had been awhile since she had seen him, after all.

"I'm sorry, Margaret," came a weak reply from Alice. She looked up at her elder sister with apologetic eyes, and her sister accepted them.

"Did you get some rest from your sleep?" Margaret asked lovingly before adding, "We must hurry downstairs. Mother will not wait long in the carriage. You know how she does not accept any tardiness."

"Right," Alice agreed, slipping off of her sister's bed, dressed and ready. "Yet Mother herself is late," the girl muttered to herself. She quickly slipped into her shoes, which had been laid beside the bed in the case that her mother arrived.

* * *

"Hello, Alice," came a simple, casual greeting from Helen Kingsley. "It has been awhile." She turned her head to Margaret with as much grace and elegance as she could in her small movement. It made Alice sick. "Hello Margaret."

"Hello Mother," Margaret replied with much enthusiasm as she sat herself down within the carriage, "How have you been?" Margaret was the complete opposite of Alice, who merely nodded and replied with a 'hello' as well.

"Quite fine, thank you Margaret," Ms. Kingsley replied sweetly, "I've heard that you are pregnant. I am quite happy for you." She turned her head to Alice with a smile. "Can you imagine that, Alice? Your sister is already having her first-born child. A son for her, a nephew for you, and a grandson for me."

Alice turned her head from the window, which showed the world passing by as the carriage travelled to the outskirts of town. "Quite lovely, I agree," she replied simply. She turned her attention out to the pure land, wishing she were free to walk as she pleased upon the grassy meadows.

"Thank you Mother," Margaret smiled into her words, "Lowell and I are both quite overjoyed as well." In the corner of her eye, she could clearly see that Alice was unhappy. That did not surprise the elder sister. Ever since their father's death, Alice refused to do as she was told and kept herself a little more isolated. Turning her head to Ms. Kingsley, Margaret quickly brought up, "Mother, it has been several months since we have actually gone out with Alice, hasn't it?"

Helen nodded. "Indeed," she agreed, turning her head to Alice as elegantly as she could, "Alice, how was China? I see you have taken a passion into your father's work."

Alice gently turned to her mother, hiding a small smile. She was a little happy her sister had brought the attention upon her. After all, Helen took favour to speaking with Margaret about her life… So it seemed to Alice, anyway. "Yes, I have," she replied softly, "I have met some very lovely people there, and the business is great there. Much agreement has been made between Father's company and those in China."

Smiling slightly, Helen took a good look at her daughter. "Alice, your father would be so proud if he were here," she said with much sympathy. The woman understood that no mention of Charles Kingsley would be taken lightly by Alice.

Margaret nodded in agreement, putting an arm around her younger sister. "It's been several months since you left for China," she spoke, "When we get to the cemetery, tell Father of your success. It would make him quite happy." She, too, knew of Alice's sensitivity to the mention of their father.

"Well, we are almost there," Helen announced to both daughters as she looked out the window. She was becoming quite familiar with the scenery. "We will be able to speak to your Father soon enough."

With that, silence remained throughout the carriage as they waited patiently to arrive at the cemetery.

* * *

"'Tis a good morning for a walk, is it not, my Queen?" His voice mused as he walked beside her.

"Indeed it is, Hatter," the woman replied. She felt at peace as a gently breeze flew gently through her blonde curls. There was a very regal aura about her presence, yet she was also very graceful. She turned her head slowly to her companion, smiling sweetly at him. "I thank you for accompanying me on my morning stroll. It is quite pleasant, actually. Especially compared to my sister, who must be having a horrendous time with her knight… Oh… what's-his-face…"

The Mad Hatter grinned widely as walked alongside his friend, who had also happened to be the White Queen. "Do not trouble yourself with remembering his name, my Queen," he spoke with much formality, "He had assisted the Red Queen with her destruction of your Wonderland. It is best if we do not speak of them so."

Nodding, the White Queen smiled once again. "Much agreed," she spoke as she turned to look before her, looking to where her feet would be walking next. She enjoyed walking in the presence of her silvery white trees, which brought a sweet scent that smelled a little of blueberries. The Queen took gentle steps as she progressed through her gardens, waving to her dear friends that passed by and walked before her as they attended to their own affairs. She waited until they all had gone before bringing a more personal aura between her and the Hatter as they walked slowly. "Tarrant," she said softly.

"Yes, my Queen?" the Hatter replied quickly at her request. He had a feeling that this would be a very personal talk between himself and the Queen. She seldom used his birth name. He was often referred to as the 'Mad Hatter', which he had grown attached to. Yet, at the mention of Tarrant Hightopp, he suddenly knew that everything would be brought to a personal level.

"Lately, you have been unsettled," the woman pointed out, "I have not said anything, but you seem to be in thought lately."

"My Queen, I assure you that nothing is of disturbance to me."

"I have been watching you, Tarrant." The White Queen turned the corner to walk to the balcony, which watched over an immense waterfall. White columns have been embraced by vines, one which housed the long-outgrown chrysalis left behind by Absolem. In the morning light, the balcony looked illuminating. Walking around the bench before them, the White Queen laid her hands gently upon the stone rail, her head turned to the side, looking to the Mad Hatter behind her with her eyes, inviting him to her side.

Obediently, the man joined her. He leaned on the rail with his elbows, casually as he did when he had been on the balcony with Alice nearly a year ago. The Hatter knew, though, that he able to act casual on occasions around the Queen. After all, if he were to dance to entertain her, and acted as her confidant, then he was also permitted to act casual around her sometimes too, was he not? "White Queen, I apologize but I do not-"

"Tarrant, you have much on your mind," the Queen interrupted, "And you know that when we talk together, I wish to be called Mirana."

"My apologies, Mirana," the Hatter said with much longing for forgiveness. Yet, he knew that he would always be forgiven. Though Queen Mirana always confided in him, he could not tell her what had him troubled as much as he wanted to.

"Something has been troubling you."

"No, there has not."

"The trees say that you have been bothered and have been more restless than usual. Also, your tea seems to not have that happy, mad aura about it lately."

"I apologize, Mirana. My tea seems to be-"

"Is it because Alice is gone, Tarrant?"

Silence. A breeze passed between them both as the Mad Hatter did not answer. He did not want to admit. He did not want to tell her. He… he did not want to let anybody know he missed Alice. It seemed like just yesterday that she was with him in Wonderland. He missed the excitement of seeing Alice after 13 years. He missed seeing her all grown-up and seeing her new nature be brought out as it was when she was 6. Goodness, Tarrant Hightopp missed her.

"I am correct, then," Mirana spoke out after a few moments of silence. She smiled as she turned to her friend, who now had a look of thought as well as sadness upon his face. She lost her smile, yet her face turned to a look of compassion. "Hatter, do you wish to see her again?"

The man sighed a long sigh. "Oh more than anything, dear Mirana." He stood up straight and turned slightly to look at the Queen. "I've sent Rabbit so many times to find the real Alice, but as soon as we've found her… She had to go." He frowned, which was quite unusual to see upon the Mad Hatter's face.

"Hatter, I will do anything I can to help you."

He shook his head. "No, please don't. Alice is happy up there, and she has to solve riddles of her own before she plans to return here."

"Understood." Mirana nodded, hiding her disappointment well. She, too, missed Alice and wanted to help her friend, the Hatter. But she knew all too well that taking Alice away from her current life would cause problems for her, as well as the Hatter, who had just requested for no interference with her life. "Well, I will be returning to the castle for a little. Would you like to be alone for a little, Hatter?" The personal feeling between them had begun to dissolve.

The Hatter nodded hesitantly. "My apologies, but yes, my Queen," he replied. He, too, felt that everything would soon become formal between them. "I shall join you at a later time." With that, he watched her take steps away from the edge of the balcony until her white dress and then her figure become swallowed by the brightness of her white kingdom. Turning to the open vastness of the valley before him, he sighed, leaning low against the stone rail again. The Mad Hatter was rarely serious. He was often 'mad as a hatter', which gave him his name. It was very rare that the mad man would be calm, even in the worst situation, such as his supposed execution, which he had avoided. Not even in the dungeon cell did he really take anything seriously. He was often a very bright, cheeky fellow who was quick to show his emotions, this situation a little exception. The Mad Hatter was alone, and he knew all too well that he would only be able to show his true emotions now. He wanted to be the only one who knew what was wrong with him.

"Alice…" the Mad Hatter sighed into the air as he looked up at the sky.

God, he missed her.