Of Mad Hatter and Truth Serums
Really I'll try to keep this simple: saw the movie loved them, wept because they are not mine.
Here we are chapter 2 and still going. So is my cold… Anyway hope you enjoy. And yes hopefully Alice will be making an appearance soon. Don't worry.
Love review, drop by the other side of the link I heard they are handing out scones and tea.
Once out Tarrant decided to check on the Hare and Mally, knowing them to be safe (and still having tea) would make his time with the Queen much more calmer. So with his pocket full of apples (and a few pears) he marched thanking the trees for their fruits towards the general direction of the tea party's current location: which was still the Hare's patio. Upon arriving a cup was thrown his way and a soothing calm touched his mind. They were fine.
"Hatter! Where did you go? We've been wondering where you went to."
"The Queen so happen to be on her way to visit me." He said, gaining a look of awe from both his companions. He cleaned his chair, covered with snow, and sat down without taking his hat. The little mouse walked closer offering tea. And as tempting as it was (he actually nodded but then halted himself) he couldn't stay for long. "So I'm here to see if you guys were ok before going back home."
"Oh, we are fine." Said the Hare, throwing a scone to the daisies at the entrance who huffed with indignation. "We'll just get our jackets in a minute and continue. Tea?"
"Yes please. NO! I have to go. Oh, by the way. Hare do you have some candles you might give me? I ran out."
"Sure, take as many as you want." And the hare took a box from beneath the tables and threw it towards the Hatter, who catch it mid air.
"Thank you." He took a few, being five, and then got up. "Here: an apple for your help. I'll drop by as soon as possible." He lifted his cup, sipped its contents and happily decided to leave. The Hare let out a laugh as Mally sipped her own cup; with that the Hatter told them to get a warm coat and left.
The house was warm and toasty when he returned, mainly because he left the stove on with some very special tea brewing, and because the fireplace was still alive. Coat wet, as was much of his clothing the Hatter decided to drop the apples on the kitchen counter and take a warm bath. And once done he could go upstairs and work for a bit. And the plan went on perfectly except for the work for a bit part. He worked a lot, so much that by the time he realized what he was doing he was going through his fifth hat to match the seventh dress he'd made. And to his amazement they all seemed to fit Marmoreal's nay… Underland's Champion. Outside it was dark, up here he had another fireplace running as well and everything was still very warm. The windows were piled with snow and the wind outside whistled a song he knew from his childhood. But he couldn't remember the lyrics; his mother would have reminded him. So he just kept working while whistling the lovely tune.
His work with Alice's dresses was far from done. He still remembered that day she'd returned for a second visit and was wearing that dreadful… thing without style… and how she'd looked at the Red Queen's castle… urgh! So he took it upon himself to make her dresses for her third return, because she had promise to return again, and hats to go along with them. And he wondered how can a Champion be without a hat? And here he was waiting for her return impatiently, while making hats and waiting for the Queen… it seemed all he did was wait, didn't he? But he'd vowed to himself he would be patient; that the Mad Hatter would wait patiently for Alice's return. And to be happy with her was the best reward of them all.
"I wonder if the Queen would know why a raven is like a writing desk. I'll have to ask her tomorrow." And with that he finished sewing the hat and got up. It was time to call it a day.
What woke him up wasn't the snow blowing loudly outside, or the numbing cold, or even the smell of the brewing tea wafting from the kitchen… No what woke him up was the sound of loud knocks on the door. Tarrant hurried to pick up his coat and hat, making his head warm so he didn't loose his thoughts to cold, and hurried to the door. He opened it to find… The white rabbit. It was shaking inside its simple coat, ears down and a little ice setting on it's nose.
"My, you look positively charming on that coat Nivens!" Said the Hatter, a smile breaking his face in half. The rabbit's teeth shattered together and finally it snapped out of its cold trance.
"I am here to inform you that the Queen is almost here. She's very cold, not having brought a coat for her slender arms. Do you happen to have one you could lend her?"
"Well no, but give me a minute." And the Hatter closed the door in front of the rabbit, leaving him freezing there. Until it hit him in the head, having returned from the warmth of his hat, and he reopened the door. "Come in, get warm please. It's freezing out there." He was forced to lift the frozen rabbit and take him to the fireplace where a warm throw was placed around its small shoulders. Tarrant hurried into this workplace and found a piece of warm cloth and with a few snaps and stitches he created a white piece of warmth for the Queen. He hurried to change his clothes for his usual, yet clean, outfit and hat over his head he told the rabbit to stay. "Perhaps you can find out why a raven's like a writing desk while I'm gone. Yeah." And the Hatter opened the door. Snow had piled up high during the night and it was a bit difficult to walk, but following the steps of the rabbit he was quick to find the Queen's procession. The knights guarding the queen greeted him, and stopped the carriage, so he could take a look inside. And there was Mirana, shivering with cold, pale silver crown over hear small head and dark eyes fighting to stay in a smile.
"Dear Hatter." She was able to produce in a whisper, making Tarrant smile.
"My lady, I think you might find this of some use." He opened the little door of the carriage and handed her the large warm coat. Grateful she took the item and wrapped herself with it. "You are the best Hatter any queen could have."
"Yes, for I make dresses as well." And with a smile he closed the little door and moved before the cart. "Well gentlemen, home's this way!" And he started walking.
"You always have the best of teas for me. What is your secret, dear Hatter, for such good tea?" Mirana said softly, sipping the tea as the Hatter returned from the small gazebo outside, where he'd served hot cocoa to the guards so they kept warm and toasty inside their steel armors. The Hatter smiled at her and returned to his seat on the chair. Outside the snow had started to let up, and the wind had stopped almost completely.
"So far my secret's mine to tell no one, and even if you ordered my head off I would never share it." He said with a little smile, meaning the pun. "Besides you wouldn't visit again if I told you, would you my Lady?"
"It's Mirana, Hatter. Niven's here won't tell anyone."
"I doubt that very much, unless he want to end up ears first into the snow." The rabbit stared at him, annoyed, while sipping his warm cup of tea. "So, I doubt very much you came over to ask me for my secret tea recipe. Mirana of Marmoreal would never leave her castle unless something big was bothering her, and to be honest it also bothers me. Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"
"You are right, something does bother me Hatter. And I need a friend to help me."
"Surely some of your ladies at the court would provide more … oh I have an apple crisp in the oven would you care for some?" He said quickly getting up and hurrying to the kitchen where a loud ding was heard. "And I am quite mad, is it wise to ask advice from a Mad Hatter?"
"What better advice? After all Alice listened to you."
That got him to slow down, and stare out the window. "Indeed she did. That was until the little fellow left." His mood changed, and it wasn't until he realized he was holding the hot tray with the apple crisps with bare hands. He quickly set the tray down and smiled at the queen who started talking while looking out the glass window.
"I'm in quite the quandary my dear friend." She said suddenly as the wind started to pick up outside. "I want a baby." Two cups fell to the ground, shattering quite loudly. The Hatter excused himself from the kitchen, having trashed such precious brew, as the rabbit just coughed up the tea he was taking. The Queen hadn't notice, as she kept looking out the window, and the Hatter hurried to clean the mess, also throwing a rag towards the rabbit.
"My lady?" He asked, still too amazed by her unusual statement.
"I want to be a mother. I feel like my time is passing too quickly. Or am I being to rash about it? Is it a bad idea?"
"Sorry?"
"A baby. Do you think I should wait some more time?"
"Eh?" What in Underland was she asking of him?
"Maybe another year? It's hard to wait but I would do it." The Hatter felt color drain from his face, ti was a good thing he was serving the crisps… Oh right he was serving them. "Alice has being gone for far too long, and Underland is in need of a new generation." Was she asking him to…? "How can I find a husband?" She asked suddenly, turning to look at him.
Oh! She wanted advice in getting a man.
Too bad he was a man and never gave good advice. "Well you can start by having some apple crisp." He said with a smile, serving her the sweet treat.
"Oh! How did you knew this were my favorites?"
"Beginner's luck." And he served himself some more tea in a new cup. They ate in silence for a while and then the Hatter turned slightly to his right, where the empty cup and seat greeted him, but it soothed him too to know some day she will be there, and the Queen would be asking her for advice. The Queen, so far had made no comment about the third setting and smiled at him.
"I do have some suitors." The Hatter made a soft hmm turning a little uncomfortable towards the rabbit, who just shook his head with a frown. "And I very much need your help to select which is the best for me."
"Select, my lady?"
"Well yes you see, I have many suitors. Since I am the queen, and single at that, it is normal that I have many suitors. One of them must become the king so I can have the baby of my dreams but her must be a good man who wants me for who I am and not my crown. Just remembering what happened to Iracebeth makes my skin crawl."
"Yeah, Stayne. I hope they are having a horrendous time in the outlands." His eyes darkening visibly as his fingers squeezed the cloth he held.
"Now Hatter no need to curse them…" Outside the wind settled. "And besides we have quite the happy subject here. No need to damage the mood."
"Sorry, Highness." He took a sip of his tea and played a bit with his apple crisp, "So what's this grand plan of yours, me Lady?"
"Tea parties." She said after a moment of silence, a little smile tugging at her lips. The Hatter looked at her amazed. "Tea parties, with each of this suitor's tea laced with some sort of truth serum that would make them tell you exactly what they want with me."
"Uhm, interesting idea. Amazingly good idea. You honor me but we have only one problem."
"Oh?"
"Yes, only a little small infinitesimal problem."
"Which is?"
"We have no truth serum in this land."
"Oh but I do have a formula, all we have to do is mix and try to see…"
"We already tried that."
"Oh? Really?"
"Hare was blue for three days, remember?"
"So that was what made the Hare blue." And they shared a laugh.
"More tea?"
"Yes, please."
When Chess had said everybody was crazy here, he meant it.
Clock below, don't leave just yet. We're giving out cookies! Review please!
