Can You See Me?
By Rurple101

Chapter Three – Distress Upon Welcome

Alice awoke from her stupor from a deep grunting noise. She opened her eyes and yawned very deeply, stretching her arms and legs and her eyes looking for the new noise. It was similar to purring but also had howling as well.

"Hello?" Alice asked, picking up her suitcase, brushing herself off and looking around for the answer to the noise that had woken her.

To answer her, a large furry and horrific beast appeared through the trees. But as soon as it spotted Alice, it seemed to perk up at once. So did Alice.

"Bandy!" she called out, delighted to have spotted a familiar face. The Bandersnatch jumped in the air and hurried towards her like a dog finding its owner.

He galloped towards her a full speed and stopped in time in front of the Champion and allowed her to pet it. "I missed you. Where are the others, Bandy?" Alice asked fondly to the beast. Since she had befriended the Bandersnatch and escaped upon it to Marmoreal with the Vorpal Sword, she hadn't seen much of him except when she rode on him to the chessboard on Frabjous Day.

It nodded its head and seemed to motion to her to get on his back. Slinging her case over first, Alice climbed upon the Bandersnatch and then with a lurch, he took off down the narrow path through the wooded area.

Around her she could hear the voices of all the plants, flowers and animals happily calling to her, greeting their champion on her return. She waved at them cheerily and sighed in happiness. This was much better than facing the death of her mother.

The Bandersnatch was charging full speed towards an area which a part of Alice recognized. It was a side gate with a hedge running alongside the black iron but short fence around what looked like a meadow. Then when they were close enough she spotted the March Hare's house (as it looked exactly like him).

Tarrant might be there, Alice thought and her heart speed up faster than the Bandersnatch could run. Her heart felt so much hope and excitement that she actually held her breath from the last hundred yards to the gate. Then the Bandersnatch cleared the gate altogether and landed right in front of the long tea table.

Alice slid off him easily and looked round. Thackeray the March Hare had frozen on the spot, tea cup just frozen as if taking aim at something across the table which turned out to be Mallymkun the dormouse. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as Alice walked forward towards the table. But she only had eyes for someone else – someone who was smiling gleefully down the table at her as well.

Tarrant Hightopp, current Mad Hatter and Hatter to the White Queen, Mirana of Marmoreal himself was at the end of the table, sitting in his normal tall green chair with a tea cup and saucer in his hands, his hat upon his head a smile that could rival Chessur's on his face.

He was just staring at her, as if she were a ghost that would disappear any second – which she thought, he probably feared she would. A surge of guilt filled her and before she ruined the moment, she spoke. "Hi."

Mallymkun spoke "What are you doing here, you great LUMP!" she said indignantly, pulling out her hatpin and brandishing it at Alice.

"I have come back to where I should have never left, Mallymkun" She replied, matching the dormouse's tone.

There was a crashing sound and before Alice could blink or look up, she was pulled into a very tight but warm hug. She inhaled and guessed it was Tarrant who was hugging her. She wound her hands round his waist and hugged him back. It was so good to have him back, to see him again.

"Your late" he said in his normal tender tone once he pulled away and looked down at her into her hazel eyes. She stared back into his green ones, wanting more than anything for it to happen – the thing that had happened when he was last this happy – he'd kissed her.

But he didn't this time round. Instead, much to her disappointment, she was lead by Tarrant to sit on his right hand side at the end of the table. Then she realized he was speaking to her and she hadn't answered.

"Alice?"

"Sorry, I was miles away."

"No, you weren't" the Hatter said, slightly confused. "You were and are sitting here, next to me."

"No Hatter – it's an expression." Alice explained and Tarrant looked deeply interested. Behind his mask of delight to see his best friend and love return to him, he knew that he had made a huge mistake. He'd spotted the look of hurt on Alice's face when he hadn't preceded more than just a hug. He felt guilty but he just didn't…do that.

"I have some riddles" Alice said, trying to cover up her discomfort at what she knew was unease echoing from his bright indigo colour of his eyes. "I see without seeing, Noise is an ally – what am I?"

Tarrant thought for several moments before saying "A bat?"

"Very good!" Alice exclaimed happily. She had inherited the Hatter's gleefully insane look and Tarrant tried very hard not to laugh at her expression. "What is full all day and empty all night?"

"Shoes!" Tarrant said at once. "Another!"

"A farmer has 17 sheep but all but 9 die in the night. How many are there alive in the morning?"

"9, all BUT 9 die!" The Hatter said. How he adored spending time with Alice! Then why – in his absence had he done something incredibly stupid? He should have listened to Queen Mirana. He regretted it now, sitting here, wanting more than ever to kiss his beloved so much that she was dizzy at the end of it. Bad Hatter!

"I would love to go and see Mirana now. Could you tell me the way to Marmoreal, Tarrant?" Alice asked, tapping his shoulder as he hadn't been listening as he thought. He jumped at the thought of letting Alice on her own go.

"Nonsense! I shall escort you there!" He said.

Alice sighed; this man was so unpredictable. "Tarrant, you are tired and so am I. I wish to see Mirana to see how she is and I need to speak with her soon. Just tell me the way and I be on my way."

"You made a rhyme, Alice."

"I used 'way' twice – that's cheating. Anyway, just tell me. Or I can get Bandy to show me." She got up from the table and started walking towards the Bandersnatch. If Tarrant wasn't going to love her like he had shown before then she really needed to speak with the Queen.

Tarrant found it heart-breaking to see her walk up and prepare to leave like that – he'd only just gotton her back! He jumped up and hurried towards her, ignoring the fact that his friends were still present sat at the table. "Let me come as well, Bandy tends to go through the swamps of Trotter's Bottom to get to Marmoreal, anyway."

Alice sighed and nodded, so he got up behind her on the Bandersnatch as well. It was hard for him to not place his hands round Alice's waist but he couldn't make her feel like that – seeing as they were going to Marmoreal.

But seeing as when the Bandersnatch nearly took him off the back when he started off, Alice grabbed his hand to stop him falling off. She didn't realise that she held on all the way to Marmoreal. Tarrant did, and it made him even more…unhappy.

Upon their welcome to the White Queen's palace, Mirana herself spotted her champion and welcomed her with a hug as well.

"Welcome, my champion" she said happily. Alice smiled as well – it was good to see Mirana again. "I need to introduce you to a few people you didn't meet on your last visit. That is, if you are planning on staying in Marmoreal?"

"Yes, of course!" Alice spluttered quickly, to not let Tarrant hear her. There were a line of people who Alice guessed were servants in the palace.

"This is Emma, she will be your chambermaid. She will help you with anything you need. Run your bath, sort your dresses and clothes out, make your room, bring breakfast – that sort of thing." She motioned to a girl in front of then at the age of around eighteen. She was brown haired and had hair shorter than Alice's. It was very fine and halfway down her cheek; right next to her ear was a tiny star.

"Sorry if I sound rude, but may I ask what the star is for?" Alice asked, kindly to the girl. The girl was younger than she was. "It's just a tattoo, Lady Alice."

Of course, she thought. Alice nodded her head in realization. "Thank you, I forgot." Then she lowered her voice to a whisper so only the Queen and the young maid could hear her "I have one as well. I clean forgot about it though!"

"May I ask what it is, Alice?" Mirana asked.

Alice sighed and blushed slightly. "I had several. I know that sounds bad but there are not big and very innocent, not others things people draw on to themselves. I'd also like to keep that between ourselves. I have a star as well but on the back of my neck. I have a blue heart and a red heart meeting on my arm above my elbow and a butterfly on my left ankle."

They both gasped and Alice blushed more. "Enough of that!" she leaned back and returned to her normal tone. "Nice to meet you, Emma."

"And you as well, Lady Alice." Emma curtsied and excused herself.

"Is that why you refuse to wear stockings?" Mirana whispered to the Champion. "So they can catch a glimpse of your butterfly?"

Alice chuckled merrily. "Later." She said and the Queen introduced the others.

"This is Dylan; he will be your dressmaker and stylist. I know it's a new thing here but we feel that you of all people as well as me deserve better styled clothes. Dylan here is one of the best."

Dylan was very good looking, Alice thought naughtily. He was taller than her, the same height as Tarrant and had light brown hair, visible muscles and a handsome face. When he spoke he made Alice's legs turn to jelly. "At your service, Lady Alice."

He held out his hand and Alice felt like a schoolgirl as she shook it gently – his hands felt so strong and well-tanned. Stop it Alice!

"Irina – she will be your guide for Marmoreal, and if you will a tutor to the history of Underland if you wish to know it." Mirana added. Alice nodded eagerly and shook Irina's hand.

"I believe that is everyone." Mirana said and then a dark look crossed her face for the breiesfts of seconds. "Let's go find Tarrant. No doubt he'll want to introduce you to someone."

Alice's stomach dropped – what now?

They walked back towards the throne room to which they found Tarrant, looking around without luck. "Looking for someone?" Mirana asked in a much darker tone, but she still sounded like herself.

Tarrant fidgeted. "Have you seen Penelope? "

Alice felt faint; please no, no, no, no!

"I'm hereeee!" came a loud, girlish tone from the doors. Alice whirled round to see a girl, maybe younger than her walking towards them, only her hair was bright blue, her outfit was bright pink and her eyes were rainbow coloured.

Mirana looked unhappy as Tarrant stepped forwards toward 'Penelope'.

"Alice –"Tarrant said, un easily as he took Penelope's hands in his and turned towards them with an attempted happy grin. "- this is Penelope – my…bride to be."

Alice's heart ripped in two – only she didn't show it. She raised her eyebrow perfectly and walked towards the couple. She had a pleasant smile on her face and held out her hand. "Alice Kingsleigh – Nice to meet you."

Penelope looked at her hand and hesitantly looked side wards at Tarrant. It seemed she recognized the name 'Alice Kingsleigh' well. Tarrant was staring back at her. It had passed over ten seconds and

Alice dropped her hand. "Well perhaps it isn't."

She strode towards the doors without a backwards glance.

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