The Mirror To Wonderland
By Eleanor Cappetta
To my most bored friend, in hope that you find entertainment in this story.

Most little girls wanted to enter a fairy tale and fall in love with Prince Charming. I always wanted to fall down a rabbit hole and go mad with the Hatter.

Chapter One: Maia and Annabell's Mirror

"These are the last will and testaments of Annabelle Hardsy, written on…" Maia wasn't focusing on the voice of the executer of the estate, her Uncle Thomas. She still couldn't believe that her aunt was dead. Her great-aunt really. And she was really old, reaching 102 in age, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise when she died in her sleep. But she had been close to her aunt so the death was really hard on her (again though, she shouldn't be surprised). Her aunt had taught her everything when she was growing up. It was her father's aunt, and when her parents were having problems he would bring her there. At Aunt Annabelle's house she would search the rooms, filled with antiques dating all the way back to before the Civil War. The house had been there longer.

She would start her days, waking up with the sun to meet her aunt down stairs. Her aunt would have already been up for an hour, brushing her long silver hair before dressing and starting breakfast. She always said that "I've made breakfast every morning to be in time for the sun since I was 16; I'm not going to stop now." Even when Maia was finally old enough to make breakfast, Annabelle wouldn't hear of it. She could help, but breakfast was all Annabelle's.

After breakfast, Maia would go to the chicken coop out back with Annabelle. While her aunt feed the chickens, Maia would crawl into the coop through the back door, and gather only a few eggs. Annabelle said that 'only take what you need, leave them the rest'. It was never right to Annabelle, who had lived during the Great Depression, to take more than needed. Then they would go and weed the garden, pick any vegetables or fruit that were ripe, or plant new seeds if the season called for it.

By the time they were done, they would go in for lunch. When Maia turned 16, she demanded that she be allowed to cook lunch for her aunt so Annabelle would take a shower while Maia cooked lunch. Most of the time a neighbor or friend would stop by and be welcome to sit with then and eat. This was when Maia heard most of the stories about the old plantation house and the lives of family members that she had never meet.

After lunch Maia was left to her own devices while Annabelle took her afternoon nap. She could explore the house and all of its wonders, or read a book out of the old library. And an hour later, when Annabelle woke up, she would teach Maia how to quilt, or sew, or cook. They would do anything that would pass the time until dinner, which they would make together before retiring to bed.

Maia always felt that she learned more in Aunt Annabelle's house than she ever had in school. But when it came to school, Annabelle was strict. Homework had to be done the minute she got home if she was staying there (which happened quite often seeing as her parent's fought most of the time). And lessons had to be memorized before she went to bed. None of this was a problem for her.

The only thing that hurt Maia was that there were days that Annabelle never left her room. She never gave reasons why, but after breakfast was laid out she would kiss Maia on the head and say she had to take care of some business. Maia wouldn't see her again until the morning. This would happen about once a month (when she was little she asked her aunt if she was a werewolf and of course was laughed at).

When it was time for Maia to go to college, Aunt Annabelle shocked her by giving her money to get through the first year. Maia cried when she was handed the check. And she called her aunt every week to update her on her college life. It was thanks to her aunt that she could finally decide on a major, Pre-Law. It took her 6 years (thanks to many summer and winter classes) to get a Master's in Law but she finally succeeded. Unfortunately, she was without a job. No Law firm was hiring in the area. And then, Annabelle died.

What was she going to do without that woman? Maia felt as if all those lessons on life weren't complete yet. She felt that there was still so much Annabelle had to teach her. She wasn't ready to give her up yet. But she had too, Annabelle was dead, they had just had her funeral. And her family was already jumping to find out what her will said. What did her will say? Maia was too trapped in her thoughts to notice that everyone was looking at her (glaring at her more like it, or staring in shock) until she looked up.

"What?" she asked softly.

"I'll repeat…" Her Uncle Thomas cleared his throat (Uncle Thomas was her grandfather's son, not her aunts. Annabell had no children and she never married). "Everything left, including the house and all its possessions, the small farm and the land, are left to my grand-niece Maia Bella Hardsy." Maia's heart dropped to her stomach.

"Maia, you got everything." Her cousin snapped. "Every little thing!"

"Annabell left all of us some money." Maia's father, Christian spoke up.

"Yes, but Chris, can Maia really handle all of that?" Maia swore what she really heard come out of her mother's mouth was "Does Maia deserve all of that."

"I have three kids to feed and Annabell give Maia everything? I came over every day and all I get is a few measly hundreds!" Her cousin yelled. Her hazel eyes landed on Maia in a glare. "My children just came down with the chicken pox you know. All of them."

"That seems like a personal problem…" Maia mumbled. Clearly she was heard though.

"You inconsiderate little pig!"

"Maia, that was rude!" Her mother yelled but Maia rolled her own hazel eyes this time.

"Everyone!" Uncle Thomas yelled over the loud voices. "The point is we've each gotten what Aunt Annabelle wants us to have. It was her things and we must honor her wishes. If Maia wants to give us anything, it will be up to her." Everyone was silent again as they looked at her (it was clear that's what they all wanted).

"What do I have to sign…? I'd like to go home…" She sighed. "IF I give anything away it won't be decided today. We just buried her. It's disrespectful to have even had this meeting." With that she stood up and walked out, leaving her family to gossip and yell amongst themselves. She knew that she wouldn't lose anything, everything belonged to her. There was nothing they could take from her that she wanted. Annabell was already gone.

"What is it?" Maia looked at a space on the wall of the hallway. She had moved into Annabell's house (she had no problem calling it that because it was and had always been Annabell's house) and had been exploring it for a week. She moved into the master bedroom. It was on the east side of the house, facing the sun and the deserted farm. It was done in blue and white lace, with the original wallpaper and four post bed (with a new mattress though, she knew the old one was dirty because it was where Annabelle had died). It had a large highboy, a beautiful oak wardrobe, a small sitting area with a crystal tea set on it and a door leading to an updated bathroom.

Well the bathroom was as updated as it could be, meaning a new shower head. The claw footed bathtub was still there along with a large vanity with a sink on its side. The vanity had a chair in front of it. Maia knew it was put there so Annabell could do her hair while sitting down. But this wasn't what Maia was focusing on right now. Instead it was missing space. And how could space be missing (well you should ask her)?

She was taking an inventory of everything and had decided to redo the guest bedroom next to the Master Bedroom. It was more of a storage room for over flowing furniture (like every other room in the house) and Maia remembered Annabell wanting to redo it for year's (but no strong men were ever around to help). It was while taking measurement's that Maia noticed something weird. The distance from the door to the wall didn't seem right. So she compared it to the Master Bedroom. Then she measured the distance from door to door. And after a quick call to her fiancé (a dull boy but amazing when they were alone) about the size of walls she noticed there was about 4 feet missing. The area between the guest bedroom and the master bedroom was too big. There was something in there.

So now she was glaring at it, hoping for it to speak its answers to her. But she knew it wouldn't. And she knew it had to do with all of those hours that Annabell spent in her room ("Of course she wasn't a werewolf..." she shook her head at her childish thoughts). Maia wanted- no needed to know what was in that space and she was going to find out. She pulled up her laptop and looked up information about secret passageways in old plantation houses. After finding some unusual sights (one about a book where a guy is chained in a passageway by his grandson was interesting) she found information to help. Usually it was a book case that slid out or a part of the wall that was really a door, or even a fireplace that turned. But the fireplace was on the wrong side (did I forget to mention there was a fireplace? I apologize but please keep up!) and there was no book shelf. All that was left was a door in the wall.

The site said that all secure doors have handles. And that for a secret door the handle had to pop out of something like a piece of molding for a chair rail, the ceiling or the floor. She spent hours pressing on the floor molding, the only molding she could reach. She knew that even if the key was in the ceiling molding, Annabell wouldn't risk getting up on a chair to reach it. She might have hurt herself (not that dying in that room meant anything).

Just when she was about to give up (and this part of the story was getting too long) she found it. She pressed one of the waves and it popped out to become a door knob. She twisted it and pulled, and the door came open easily. There was a candle on a tray hooked on the back of the door with a lighter so Maia took both and lit the candle. She took a weary step into the space between the walls to find that to her immediate left (she was close to the wall of the hallway on her right) there was a set of narrow stairs. Without thinking she walked up the stairs (really, what was there to think about? If Annabell, at age 100 could climb those stairs, so could she).

The stairs lead into what was clearly a blocked off area of the attic. Maia was shocked she never noticed why the attic was this short (she guessed that the people who built it just didn't care). There was a large window facing the east (honestly, how could she have never noticed that she had never been on the inside of the window?). And in the small room was what looked like a tea set. There was an old round table, with two chairs and a tea set laid out. The tea set was beautiful and unlike Maia had ever seen (and she had seen many, seeing as her great-great grandmother's tea set was set up in the dining room). It had small waves etched into the glass, which was thick and heavy unlike most dainty and light cups of tea sets.

But we'll come back to the tea set later (must later I'm afraid to tell you). Both of the chairs were positioned to face, not the window (which would have been appropriate seeing as it had a great view of the yard) but a large red curtain draped along one wall. Maia placed the candle and it's holder onto the table and sighed. She had finally found where Annabell spent all her time but never knew WHY. Then, there on the table, was a note with her name on it.

Without hesitation (it was written to her after all) she opened it and read the contents, clearly from the now gone woman. "My Dearest Maia, if you are reading this, I am dead. I know, that's one of the cheesiest lines you could ever hear" (I personally agree) "but it's the truth of the matter. And if you've found this room, you have made me happy, and fearful. In this room you will find a world that will be the joy of your life, and the bane of it. Be wary of what you find but have fun with what you seek. And when you get a chance, once you gain his trust, tell Time that I am sorry. With love, Annabell."

Maia couldn't cry as she read it, she had cried so much already. But the sorrow within her as she read her Aunt's beautiful cursive was painful. She gently folded the letter and put it back in its place. She kept looking around the room as she tried to calm down but whenever she did she kept looking at the curtain. "How weird to place the chairs around a curtain center piece…" She stood and pulled the drawstring. The velvet curtains then pulled back and Maia's heart stopped.

It was a mirror (or at least she thought it was) but what was being reflected was a forest. And being the person that Maia was (and the whole thought that if Annabell at 100 could do it so could I) she pressed into the mirror and fell through (quite ungracefully I might add).

"Where…" Maia mumbled as she walked through the forest. "Where the hell am I?"

"You're in a forest my dear." She froze and looked to the side. There was a small group of flowers, and she swore one of them just spoke.

"What?" her eyes widened as the flower turned, as if looking at her.

"I just answered your question. And your language was not appreciated." The petals of the purple tulip moved in a puckering motion as it spoke (although she could swear that flowers could not speak, for they have no lips).

"I'm… sorry…" Her mind swirled. "Where is this forest? In what country?"

"Country? I've never heard that word. What is it?"
"It's… a type of place."

"Sounds lovely deary." Another flower joined in. This one was also a purple tulip, but its petals moved together than out, like it was a puppet (again, flowers cannot have lips).

"Country…" A tree groaned and the flowers looked at it. "I haven't… heard that word… in so long."

"Oak, you know what a country is?" The second flower asked.

"Yes. My dear girl…" the closest branch to her swept down and gently placed itself on her shoulder. "You came through a looking glass, did you not?" The forest seemed to gasp.

"You mean a mirror?" She asked. "Yes. Looking glass? And a talking forest… is this…"

"Wonderland. Wonderland is the name of our country." Oak patted her head. "It has been so long since I have met someone from the other side. I was only a sapling when all the looking glasses were broken." The flowers around them were whispering. "QUITE!" The Oak bellowed the sound echoing in the forest. "Tell no one where you are from… Except maybe... Yes, go to the Hatter, only the Hatter will look at you as you are. We shall keep your secret."

"The Hatter? You mean, the Mad Hatter?"

"I'm glad you know of whom I speak. But you must hurry, before the cards find you." The Oak pushed her away. "Take that path into town. Right before you enter there will be a large building on your left. It is the Hatter's place. Knock three times then enter. He will welcome you." The tree pointed to a slightly worn path with his other branch. "Go, and do not stop until you get there."

"Ok, thank you." She waved at the Oak and started down the path. It took her only a few minutes of walking for the trees to start thinning out. A few trees reached out and touched her as she passed. At first she was frightened by it but soon she noticed it was more of a greeting. They were patting her on the back, or brushing her cheek with a small wispy branch. When she got to what she figured to be the edge of the forest, she saw a most unusual sight. About a hundred feet away was the start of a cobblestoned city. The buildings were all oddly shaped, some bigger at the top than the bottom and others twisted or a bubble shape. No two buildings looked alike. As she got closer to the town, the path she was on started to turn into the cobblestones of the street. She remembered what the Oak said and went up to the first door on the left.

It was shaped a bit like a top hat, a bit bigger on the top and with a wraparound porch. It was bright red with a dark wood finishing to the door frame, the window frames and the porch. On the door was a sign that read 'The Hatter'. She was hesitant for a second but proceeded to knock three times and enter the house. She looked around slowly and was slightly shocked to see the room was filled with hats (but of course if you enter a place titled 'the Hatter', hats are what you should expect to find). It took her a few minutes but after looking at the long counter on the back wall (with a cash register of course) she figured she had just walked into a store.

"Hello?" A head poked out from behind the counter when she said this. The man looked at her with utter confusion before he spoke.

"Close the door behind you… Lock it…" She did as he asked and he finally stood up. He was tall, much taller than she was; she probably came up to his shoulders. He had hair came to his chin, all chopped up and messy. It was mainly brown, with random streaks of red in them (like candy apple red). He was pale, whether it was from the fear that was radiating from him or the lack of sun she didn't know. He was wearing a fitted green vest over a white shirt that had lace cuffs. Around his neck was a thick necktie, it was askew and popped out of the vest. She finished looking at him (or what she COULD see, because most of him was still behind the counter) she noticed he had been looking at her with the same expression, but with the deepest darkest purple eyes she had ever seen in her life. Not that she had seen many purple eyes mind you, this was a first. With the red hair, and the green of the vest, he looked very mismatched but it seemed to fit him perfectly.

"Are you the Mad Hatter?"

"THE Mad Hatter? I didn't know my name could have such a title." His lips quirked a bit. "Unless you are where I think you are from. My dear, you wouldn't happen to be from Earth would you?"

"Yes. America to be more exact."

"That explains your accent." His head titled and he narrowed his eyes. "I think it's time for tea. Yes yes…" he murmured as he walked around the counter. He grabbed a cloth from one of the many shelves and flicked it out, as to spread it over a table. Maia was shocked to not only see a table appear under it as it settled, but a tea spread show up on top of it. "Chairs… mustn't forget the chairs…" He reached behind the counter and pulled out two large plush chairs, one in each hand, and set them on either side of the table. "yes… Tea time." He smiled at her and pulled out one of the chairs. "Sit. Please."

"T-thank you." She slowly sat down in the chair as he pushed it in for her.

"I so rarely get guest!" He gushed as he started to serve her tea in a dainty blue rimmed cup. "You see, most people ask for their hats to be delivered now. That's why I employ Kat's son. He's always late for tea but never a delivery."

"I see…" She watched him sit down. "So.. I'm in Wonderland?"

"Of course." He smiled widely as he poured himself a cup of tea. "You can help yourself." He motioned to the treats and such on the table. She grabbed an unusual pink cookie and bit into it. "Ah yes, Cotton Candy Cookie. One of my favorites."

"It is quite good!" She agreed. "I didn't think Wonderland existed."

"Oh it does though. It's just the doors to wonderland don't anymore." He started to eat one of the strawberries. The process was slow, as he took his time eating the strawberry (and to Maia, who could always appreciate an attractive man, it was also mouthwatering) "But of course you obviously took one. Did you take a looking glass or a rabbit hole?"

"Looking glass."

"Of course. The last of the rabbit holes were filled up when Alice left. She was quite angry with us you know." (and not to mention made the Queen of Hearts very angry). "But she ended coming back for a spell when she found a looking glass."

"You knew Alice Liddell?"

"Odd young girl. Kind of snobbish. We had tea once…" He looked off to the side, like he was seeing it replay before his eyes. "She got caught by the queen though. Poor thing got scared off when the Queen put her on trial. Said she was going to cut off Alice's head."

"No one's heads really get cut off though, do they?" Maia smirked as the hatter's face filled with amusement.

"Yes. However do you know that?" He smirked at her over his cup before taking a sip.

"I read it in a book."

"There's a book?" His eyebrow raised and he set the cup down. He leaned forward to look at her more intently, clearly interested in the book.

"Yes. It's called Alice's Adventure's In Wonderland." Maia picked up her tea cup (but oddly didn't drink from it). "It was originally going to be called "Underland" instead of "Wonderland" though."

"Oh Underland is not a nice place. I don't ever suggest going there. The Red Queen is not nice. Though much better than the Queen of Hearts."

"I thought that the Red queen and the Queen of Hearts was the same person."

"Now what ever gave you that idea? That's positively mad. No two people can be the same person." He rolled his eyes. "Looks like I got a lot to teach you."

"Teach me? Why?"

"You're going to stay a while aren't you?"

"I… I haven't figured that out yet. I mean, I only just arrived. And I have to figure out how to get back to my mirror…"

"Oh hell. I forgot about your mirror!" He suddenly jumped up. The table and its things disappeared, along with the chairs, making Maia fall flat on her butt. She stood up slowly and watched as the hatter disappeared behind his counter again (it wasn't that tall of a counter, so where exactly he went she didn't know). When he came up he was wearing a long fitted black coat and fingerless gloves. He had a hat in one hand and a cane in the other. "Well, let's get going, we've no time to waist. We must get to that mirror before anyone else finds it."

He pushed her out of the store and closed the door tightly behind them both. He put his hat on and she finally got a good look at it. It was black in color, and close to falling apart. Although if it was falling apart from old age or from it being sewn badly she couldn't really tell. Not that she couldn't tell much from the hat itself. It had pins randomly stuck in it. And there was a long white fabric wrapped around the base of it repeatedly, as if to help keep it together. She saw the 10/6 piece of paper that was always in the description right next to a few random feathers, stuck in the fabric.

The cane was much simpler. It was also black and came up to the hatter's waist. On the top of it was a large purple diamond that made her gasp. She was pulled out of all of her thoughts (the first of being how much that diamond had cost and why he didn't just make himself a new hat) when the hatter hooked her arm around his own and looked down at her.

"Well, lead me back."

"I don't really remember how. I came through there though." She pointed to the woods in the distance.

"Ah, the Chorus Forest. A good forest if I do say so myself." He led her back into the forest. They kept walking until they got into a split in the road. "Is this familiar to you?"

"Vaguely. I didn't see that path before." She pointed to the one to the right. "I don't see how I could have missed it."

"It's hard to see a path that leads to the Cheshire Camp. They move frequently. This path might not have even been here when you passed through." The Hatter started on the path she didn't point to.

"The Cheshire Camp?"

"Yes. Their a colony that doesn't agree with the political war going on right now so they take no side, just like my city. They've always been roamers, camping from place to place. But recently the Red Queen kicked them out of Underland because they wouldn't take part in her draft." (If it was a political war, why they needed a draft for an army was beyond me).

"That's horrible."

"Yes. It was. But the White Queen told them they were welcome anywhere in Wonderland so long as they caused no problem. And they wouldn't have to become citizens."

"What is the name of your city?"

"We are Wonderapolios. We are the trading capital of Wonderland AND Underland. We are neutral territory although it's clear we have more White Queen supporters than Red. The Red Queen just happens to ignore this because we're in the middle of all the trade routes. We have the Wonder Trunder Fabric from the plains of Blancania," (which Maia found out later was a very soft fabric. And that Blancania was the territory of the White Queen.) "Wood from both the Chorus Forest and the Whispering Willows. And of course, diamonds from the Diamond Mines. There are many other small items. Like the clubs tea sets. They are quite lovely. And there is the clocks…." He trailed off and it seemed like his mind was elsewhere.

"Didn't you get in trouble with Time?" He shot away with her like she was vile.

"How do you know that? Who told you?" for once he didn't look amused. He looked more fearful then he did when she first walked in (which made her wonder who he thought she was) and also very angry. His grip on her arm tightened as he asked this and made her wince.

"Alice did!" She yelled. "Well, Alice's book did."

"Oh… OH!" He calmed down again and let his grip on her loosen. "I see, I see…" He looked at the trees for a moment before shrugging. "I guess that's alright."

"I won't tell anyone.."

"You won't." He looked at her with wide eyes. "I don't like people knowing that Time and I don't get along."

"Of course I won't tell." She smiled and they started to walk again.

"Is any of this looking familiar?" He asked her.

"Not really. Why don't we just ask the tree's for some help?"

"The trees haven't spoken to anyone in years. They haven't spoken since the mirrors were all broken."

"They spoke to me." Maia stopped (and Alice, she thought, but clearly the Hatter didn't know that). Something was tugging on the back of her shirt and she turned around to see one of the trees's trying to get her attention. "See!"

"Oh…" His eyes widened as he looked at the tree. "They haven't done this in so long."

"Maybe they didn't speak because no one came to talk." Maia smiled up at him. "And then after a while, perhaps they forgot how."

"Then I will make it a point to have a conversation with a tree every day." Hatter shook the tree's branch. "Hello Sir. Fine day. Will you point us in the way she came?"

The tree branch brushed Maia's cheek when the hatter let go and point in a different direction then where they were going. "Thank you very much." Maia smiled at the tree.

"Wel…come…" It strained before they left. Suddenly they tree's were alive like before, pushing them here and there if they strayed from their path to Maia's Mirror (as they started to call it) and just brushing them as they walked. At a certain point one of the trees's held out a small crown shaped hat to Maia. It was made of small branches and had leaves and flowers threaded through it.

"Wow… this is beautiful." Maia gasped. "Is it for me?"

"It is a finely made hat." The hatter nodded as he placed it on Maia's head. "I think they don't want you to forget them. These flowers are forget-me-nots."

"I shall never forget them." She placed her hand tenderly on the branch of the tree that handed her the crown. "Never. I promise that every day I come to Wonderland, I too shall talk to a tree."

"Let us keep going." The Hatter's face was stony as he looked where they had come. "I think I hear clanging. That means that the cards are making their journey…"

"What?"

"I'll explain later." He grabbed her by the upper arm. "We must hurry." Although she heard nothing she let him drag her away. She didn't believe him seeing as she heard nothing, but the hatter had much better hearing than she did. (Especially when the one thing he fears the most is the clang of the metal boots of the cards.)

"Oh I think we're getting close… I remember those purple tulips there. It should be in the bushes here…" She started to push through the same soft leaved bushed that she remembered the first time. She vaguely heard Hatter slow down behind her. Next thing she knew she saw the attic of Annabell's house and jumped into it (or out of the mirror if you wish it the other way). She turned to smile at the hatter who was looking at it sadly. "What's wrong?"

"Well I was hoping we wouldn't find it. I'm terrified that you'll smash it."

"Why would I want to smash it?" He just shrugged in response. "Well now that we've re-found my mirror, what do we do with it?"

"If you wish to still use it-"

"I do." The hatter's face lit up.

"Well then, we'll need to put it in a safe place. I can take care of that." The Hatter's smile widened. "Do you promise to visit?"

"Yes. As often as possible." Maia laughed. "To think that I found a mirror to Wonderland! This is amazing!"

"I wouldn't tell people though…" The hatter seemed a bit fearful. "I mean, they might not believe you. And if they do, they might smash your mirror."

"I won't let them. It's my mirror. I'll protect it forever." She smiled. "By the way, what's your real name?"

"Mad Hatter." He looked at her confused. "I thought you already knew it."

"I thought that was just a title they gave to you, not an actual name!"

"Well, my full name is Maddion Conster Rivviel the Hatter. But everyone calls me Mad Hatter for short."

"I see…" Maia smiled and stuck her hand through the glass, up to her forearm. "It's nice to meet you Mad Hatter. I'm Maia Hardesy."

"It's a pleasure Maia." He swept off his hat and took her hand. He bent a bit and brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. "I hope you come for tea again very soon." He smirked and looked at her with jeweled eyes.

"I.. I will…" She nodded. She found her throat oddly dry (she was wishing for a drink, a shower even). She took a step back and reached up to the curtain and pulled it shut over Mad's smiling face. She stood there for a moment, hoping that she could hear him but found that with the curtain closed, like before, she could hear nothing except the noises of the house.