Thanks to Niphuria and Gene's Gal for their lovely reviews- this Chapter is for you
And now, without further ado...
His Name Is Hightopp
"So how did you come to be here?" Alice asked as she led Miya through the trees towards the rabbit hole .
"It's been about fourteen years" Miya replied. "We were at some sort of celebration- with dancin' round the maypole and music and the like; all of a sudden there was a lot of screaming and fire- I remember Mam picking me up, running and screaming"
Alice who had been fairly sure of this girl's lineage at first glance was now almost certain. "Let me guess- there was a lot of flashing purple lights?"
"Yes" Miya's huge green eyes flashed a yellow hue. "How did yeh ken?"
"I've heard about that day off a very dear friend" Alice replied. "His name is Tarrant"
"Tarrant?" Miya echoed. "Why does that name sound familiar?"
There was the sound of barking; followed by an echo-y yelp as the Dog fell down the rabbit hole.
"Dash!" Miya cried. "Alice tha's my dog"
Alice led me up to a tree.
"Are you ready Miya?" she asked.
"Aye" I nodded, wondering what I was letting myself in for.
I have to say I was beginning to like my new accent- I could vaguely remember being spoken to in a similar accent before… well I still wasn't sure what happened fourteen years ago- but before that. When I was scared or upset I could hear Mam's singing. She'd had the finest voice I'd ever heard- all I remembered about the way she looked was that her eyes were like mine- almost too large and bright green; her hair was dark as I recall. I'd once asked Lord McAllen where Mam was but he'd just patted my head and said 'Never you mind'
Alice held out her hand and I caught it. My fingers were longer than hers; and paler, but then I'd never met anyone paler than me.
"Tis a long way down?" I asked- concerned about Dash; I didn't want him to be hurt.
"Yes" she nodded. "Don't worry though; the fall won't hurt you"
"Fall en't whut I'm worried abaht" I confessed. "Tis the sudden stop a' the bottom tha' worries meh"
"You'll be fine- I've done this twice now and I'm none the worse for wears"
This was true. If as Alice said, she did know about my home I should trust her- of course I didn't know if she was being honest with me; but then I had only met her just a few minutes ago and she could get my name right so I didn't think that was any cause for concern after all…
"Miya!"
"Sorry!" I clamped my hands over my mouth and looked at her sheepishly; I'd been speaking out loud.
"Don't worry Miya" she touched my shoulder. "I've come to believe that all the best people are mad. I said the same thing to Tarrant last year."
There was that feeling of deja vous again. Whenever I heard her say the name Tarrant I got a picture of a young man who always wore a fancy top hat; a top hat which was far too large for my small old head.
"Alice…" I bit my lip, uncertain as for how to continue, the brogue was back. "Whut'ss 'is surname- Yer friend Tarrant I mean?"
"Hightopp" she replied casually. "Now, let's go"
We jumped.
The fall was probably the most fun I'd ever had as we fell; the wind whipped my hair and skirts out behind me. I giggled insanely, the noise mingled with Alice's involuntary screams in an odd harmony as we fell. At one point I let go of her hand and managed to end up in a reclined position, legs crossed and hands folded behind my head. It was fun- until the piano came at me…
Landing in a crouched position Alice looked over at the younger girl lying slumped and still on the checked floor of the round room; she didn't like the look of the gash on Miya's brow. She tore a strip off the bottom of her own skirt and wrapped it around the redhead's forhead- the blue suited her better than the pink of the dress.
The teenager groaned in pain when Alice pulled the strip a little too tight.
"Sorry" she murmured
Another groan and Miya opened her eyes- they were glazed and a sort of beige hue. "Damn piano. Who throws one of them down a rabbit hole?"
"Are you alright?" Alice asked.
"Part from the headache" Miya made the mistake of nodding. "Owwie"
"I'm going to go for help" Alice informed her; that gash needs looking at.
"Uh huh" Miya grunted- staring in an unfocused way at the hole they'd broken through the ceiling.
Holy Shukm my head was killing me- obviously not literally because of Pain. The thing about Pain is that he shows up when you're already feeling bad to let you know that you are still alive in the meanest possible way.
Absently I watched Alice put something that looked like a bottle to her lips and shrink inside her dress. A drink to make you shrink- I giggled quietly, always appreciative of a good rhyme. A minute later I heard a key turn and a door open and shut.
This one was quite short- I'm sorry but as a consolation the Hatter makes his first appearance in the next chapter :)
Let me know what you think of this chapter
Until next time
Fairfarren all
MyraValhallah
