The Language of Love
Chapter Four: Bonds
As I am the only Cheshire Cat in existence, I found it difficult to fully understand the bonds that could be forged amongst beings. Oh, I knew of friendship and admiration-and even of their other sides-hatred and envy, but I'd never seen the deep bonds formed by a family. My mistress the Duchess felt no attachment to her son-after all, she turned him into a pig, and both the Red and the White Queens failed to form any attachments. For Mirana's part, it was due to her utter lack of trying. No matter how much her parents pleaded and insisted, she steadfastly refused to consider any of the young princes that came to court her, declaring they were all 'the most boring bores that I've ever been bored by.'
When she turned seventeen, she formed a deep friendship with Tarrant Hightopp, and her parents worried. While it was true that Tarrant came from an old Underland family and was considered by all to be a good man-if not more than a little Mad-the fact remained that he was of a lower class than the White Princess, and her parents stood on the Ceremony of their Rule. But fortunately for them, it was not to be. Tarrant and Mirana's feelings towards each other went no farther than a deep and lasting friendship, and Mirana was Tarrant's sole friend and staunchest supporter when Alice left for the second time, constantly assuring him she would return and staying by his side when his black moods had chased all of us away.
For Mirana's part, Tarrant took on the role of the big brother she had always wanted and never had, as well as the friend and confidant that she had so desperately wanted and been denied in her sister, and Tarrant saw in Mirana a chance to be the big brother he had been before the Horrendevush Day.
When Alice returned for the second time, Tarrant had a very short meeting with her, as he was weak and hungry from being in jail for murdering Time at Iracebeth's birthday celebration. Alice, that silly girl, was too focused on trying to become a Queen to realize that the White King's Hatta was the same Hatter that had so flustered and confounded her six months ago at a Mad Tea Party.
Then again, the kerfuffle caused by the fight between the Lion and the Unicorn overshadowed everything. I'd always felt a bit sorry for Mirana's Uncle-the poor man didn't have half the courage his wife and niece had. But I'm digressing from the story. You'll have to expect this from one as Mad as I. I'll tell you the whole story, but it might meander quite a bit.
Where was I? Ah, yes. Bonds between people.
The bond between Alice and Tarrant was a changing one. When Alice was little, it was that of a brother's fondness for his little sister. When she returned the third time, I noticed that Tarrant viewed her much more differently. The big brother was gone, to be replaced by a man's love for a woman. But, naturally being the Mad Hatter, he held off on admitting anything until she had left. Oh, she promised to return, but I was skeptical, certain that she'd forget Underland as soon as she arrived back in the Upper World.
Happily, I was mistaken, and Alice returned, much to the delight of Tarrant, and the relief of many.
And so one bond was formed, never to be broken.
I had no idea then that I would be witness to not one True Bond, but two. True Bonds were extremely rare in our world-we are all mad, so forming deep and lasting attachments very rarely occurs. Oh, there've been couples who felt they were truly Bonded, but in every instance, the Bonds proved easily broken, whether by mistrust, death, or deceit. Rumor has it that Iracebeth and Gabriel were thought to be Bonded-and everyone knows how well that turned out for the King.
But before I continue, perhaps a brief definition of True Bonds is in order. Pay attention, there may be questions later. They won't have anything to do with Bonds, but there still may be questions.
Remember, we're all mad here.
A True Bond is forged when a couple loves each other with every aspect of their persona-heart, body, mind, and soul. They are not blind to each others' flaws; rather they recognize and love each other in spite of-and more than often because of- those flaws. A good degree of madness and muchness helps as well.
If a couple is Truly Bound, then nothing short of death will break them apart-and even death sometimes is not enough. That's the downside of a True Bond-if one half of the Bound Couple is killed, it is common for the one left alive to simply allow themselves to die.
You can see why it's so rare.
As you've probably guessed by now, one of the Bound Couples was Alice and Tarrant. Well, why not? They'd been friends first, and when Tarrant finally had the courage to admit his feelings (with a bit of a push from Lady Alannah, apparently), Alice happily reciprocated. It was only Natural they be Bound. But I have to admit, the second couple managed to surprise me. Although, looking back now, I should have cottoned to it Long Ago. After all, he was drawing pictures of her long before he finally, truly met her, and she seemed quite taken with him at the Masquerade, if her slightly glazed expression was any indication.
Ilosovic Stayne and Alannah Sullivan seemed to be the last couple in Underland that would become Bonded. One was a fierce and bloodthirsty assassin with a known reputation for torture, the favorite of a tyrannical Queen, with the added bonus of being horribly scarred. The other was a rather pretty young woman with a knack for healing potions and a reputation for being somewhat odd-her choosing to live near the Outlands only served to cement her reputation.
But they both had one thing in common-the Devil's own temper. I've been witness to a few of their arguments over the years, and they can make the very walls of Marmoreal tremble with their shouting. They always make up though-very thoroughly.
They balance out each other perfectly-Alannah is the voice of reason when Ilosovic seems to be considering something rash, and Ilosovic is able to calm his lady down when she becomes irked. Ilosovic needs Alannah just as much as she needs him.
I seem to have rambled a bit, so let me conclude by saying once again, we're all mad here.
Oh, and I'll be offering my reminiscing on the wedding next.
Author's Note=Huh, Chessur seems to be taking a while to tell his side of the story. But, what can you expect from that Cat? There will probably be just one more chapter after this. Please review, I'd like to know how I did writing First Person. (Don't worry; I'll still finish the story regardless of reviews.)
