"Oh Alice, you're here at last!" Mirana sobbed as she ran to her. The White Queen was dressed in black for the first time Alice had ever seen. "I'm so sorry that your return had to be for such a sad occasion. He would have been so happy to see you again Alice, oh there I go again." The Queen said as she began to cry again. She lifted her kerchief to her eyes and delicately dabbed at the tears that began to run down her cheek.

Alice refused to cry, she couldn't right now, and she would save her tears for private when there was no one she needed to be strong for. But the words of the Queen stabbed at her heart like a piece of ice. This might not have happened if she had been around to convince him not to look for the Red Queen and her Knave.

The Queen took her hand and led her to one of the large balconies. Alice tugged at the color of her black dress as they made their way in, the monarch slowed as they entered. All eyes turned to gaze upon Alice and the group of both friends and strangers parted, the Queen released Alice's hand and let her walk forward alone. Alice stepped toward the open coffin in the middle of the gathering slowly and gazed down at her friend.

He looked so peaceful lying there. His hair was longer than she remembered but it was neatly combed with the hat upon his head. His eyes were shut but she tried to keep the mental image of them bright and full of joy rather than the dull color she knew they must have become. His skin was not nearly as pale as it once had been but it was still pale. He was dressed in his kilt with sporran and tartan, his sword was clutched in his hands just as she had imagined it would for a knight.

Alice reached in a gently caressed his cheek, a vain hope glowed in her heart that somehow her touch would wake him like the prince's kiss in fairy tales. She was only mildly surprised when his eyes didn't flutter open and his lips didn't break out into a wide grin. She breathed in deeply and sighed.

"Hatter, I'm so sorry it had to be this way, I should have returned earlier. Please my friend, rest peacefully and wait for me on the other side." She whispered, emotion overcame her and sobs racked her body. She stepped away numbly and let others walk forward to bid him goodbye.

All too soon two knights stepped forward with a large cotton tartan, they folded it without it touching the floor and suddenly the Queen was nudging her forward. Alice stepped up to them and one of them handed the folded tartan to her.

"Tarrant's last wish was that you would accept this to remember him. It is the tartan of the Hightopps and now that there are no more, he wished that you would keep this to remember him." The shortest one said.

Tears finally began to fall from her eyes as she hugged the tartan close to her heart and bowed her head to them.

"Please join in singing a favored song of our beloved Tarrant." McTwisp said somberly.

Alice hadn't known what to expect, she'd thought this would be a happy song, but it didn't turn out as such.

"Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling

From glen to glen, and down the mountain side

The summer's gone, and all the roses falling

'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

"But come ye back when summer's in the meadow

Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow

'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow

Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

"But when he come, and all the flowers are dying

If I am dead, as dead I well may be

You'll come and find the place where I am lying

And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

"And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me

And all my grave will warm and sweeter be

For you will bend and tell me that you love me

And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me. "

Tears streamed from Alice's eyes as the song ended and the lid of the casket was closed. The group gathered behind the casket as it was lifted and carried off. Mally, now back to a mouse sat on Alice's shoulder, clinging to her cheek as she sobbed her tiny eyes dry. Alice clung desperately to the tartan as she followed the casket to the Hightopp Catacombs. They waited outside as the four knights took the coffin in and gently lay his body on his stone bed with the other members of his family.

The Hatter had been laid down for his final rest.