Yes, I am horridly mean, to poor Tarrant and the (sligthly mean herself, I would say) Alice. I guess I have this devilish side that needs an outlet ;)

Now it's time for more Tarrant and a lot of Alice. It's a shorter chapter today I think and if you fancy Hatter/Mirana you might have a tiny hint of that here (if you don't just look past it, I am really a Tarrant/Alice shipper so there's no worries.)

Also, thank you to jamiegirl123 for commenting on the story and thank you to those who signed up to be alerted!

Now I won't distract you anymore, have a nice time reading!

During the time Alice spent with Eriah, a few days already passed in Underland and queen Mirana awaited for a visit from Tarrant any day soon. She was anxious, as she really whished he would forgive her. She just needed to tell him the truth, even though she hated it. She hated to see him go mad, he was one of her dearest friends and she never wanted to loose him. As she thought a tiny, tiny creature came walking on the marble floor that led up to the throne. He held a hat in his hands and went up to the queen with bent-down head.

"Mirana?" The little creature said with a squeaky voice, pulling the hem of her skirt with his small hand.

"Oh, Tarrant!" The queen exclaimed upon seeing the little person. She pulled out two large balls of cotton from her ears and took the small version of Hatter into her palm so she could bring him closer to her face. She was so happy he was fine, although rather samll. Screaming that long weren't really good for your health. "I'm so sorry for what I said. I didn't want you to waste your life waiting when there's so much else you could do." A streak of sorrow fell over her face. "I- I just remembered the Horevendush day and how you reacted. You weren't ever the same after and I don't blame you for that but you waited in vain, even that time. Could you ever forgive me?"

"I'm a stupid, stupid Hatter- To be mad with you, when you are the one to bring Underland back to normal, Idon'tknowwhastgotintomyheadand-"

"Hatter!" Mirana said, to stop one of his outbursts.

"I'm fine" He croaked. "I feel so stupid. How could I scream at you? How could I be so selfish?"

"I don't mind at all." She answered as if it was all forgotten. After all, she was the sister to the Red Queen and she did not fancy admitting she'd done wrong too much. "Shall we make you regular Tarrant-size then?" She gave him a genuine smile and elegantly moved out into the kitchen. After the most disgusting portion that held things that would indeed make you throw up he looked like himself. A lite more tired, a little madder but like Hatter.

"I would love to have you staying here, if you wish." She told him, in a tone that showed she didn't want to leave him alone again, that she'd rather keep him under sight.

He nodded. "It would be my pleasure." And then he really smiled, for the first time since Alice.

...Little did he know he would meet her soon enough.

"Alice." Her sister, Margaret, knocked on the door. "I haven't met you for the whole day and you've just been ignoring me. I'm both angry and worried and if you don't let me in right now I will kick down your door."

Alice stepped up and just turned the lock, then she went back into bed, where she sat in the dark corner and hugged her pale knees. Her blond hair laid in front of her face, making her look really miserable and her eyes were completely red from crying. Margaret looked all pale when she came in and saw Alice in her present state, her mouth opened wide like on a fish. If Alice had felt normal she would probably have laughed at it but as she was feeling now, she couldn't quite laugh at anything.

"Oh, gosh, how are you?" She rushed forward to feel Alice's forehead, her whole beeing screaming of worry. "Are you sick? In trouble? What are you doing in here?"

"I-" Alice mumbled, not knowing what to tell her dear sister. It had all been upon her so hastily and she knew that this would be the last time they saw each other. How could one mouth the words for such a moment. They just stood there, listening to the wooden floor squeaking and the branches that hit the windows until Alice decided to tell her sister at least half the truth. "I'm getting married." She said, whispering.

"Alice! That is wonderful news!" Margaret shrieked. "How? Why haven't you told me earlier? Why are you so down?"

"I met him on my business trip and he is leaving for his country tonight, by carriage. He wants me to come with him and I don't even know if I can return to London from there. I mean... I might not meet you or mom again."

It was not quite right but then again, Alice didn't want Margaret to believe that she had lost her mind completely. Margaret started to cry and took her little sister into her arms and just sat there, holding her, the warmth of the others body comforting them both. "Did you tell mom?"

Alice nodded. "She thinks it's a great idea, she will miss me but… Marriage is everything to her."

"I'll really miss you, I will."

"I'll miss you too, Margaret." She said.

The two of them just sat there in the darkness, the small lines of light surrounding the curtain of her window was the only source of light. Slowly they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Alice woke up at eight, worried she missed the hole opening but with one look at the pocket watch she calmed down again. She put a blanket over her sibling and then she put on a fairly simply dress in black satin and a tiny black bow as a headband. She hoped that the mass of fabric on the dress would cover her shaking body but she realised that fear wasn't possible to hide.

She tried to make up her pale skin, tried to hide the black marks under her eyes but apparently sorrow wasn't very good to hide either.

She wore her steadiest black boots and hoped that they would make her look secure and certain but she just looked even more unsure.

Last but not least she left two letters on the desk with the names Helen Kingsley and Margaret Kingsley written in calligraphy on them. They explained what would happen with the money she had made in the company and they showed how much she would miss them and that she wished them all luck and that they shouldn't worry because she was going to be lucky. She knew that Eriah wasn't the man for her and she knew she lied but she would rather lie than upset her family.

So, at last, she went. Scared, sad, unsecure and a wreck on her way to betray everything she believed in. But she did it for a good cause. With heavy steps she went on the carriage that would bring her to the Ascot gardens for the very last time. When she got there, she just stood nervously at the place where the hole had been, waiting for it to open up. She had taken of her shoes and held them in her right hand so she could feel the wet grass. Suddenly she felt the ground crack into tiny, tiny pieces under her and she fell with a gasp.

Yes, so that is all for today :)

If you LOVED or just HATED it or maybe wants to comment on a fact fault I did, like Alice carrying shoes in the wrong hand, give me a little comment in the reviews section and I will squeak of joy. There is no bad attention you know ;)