Chapter VIII: Choose a Path
"Again!" Tarrant yelled over at his two friends whom were pulling the table cloth tightly over the few random tables they were able to rummage together in an outer courtyard. He held out his hands toward them, "Stop! That seems good. Not great, by any stretch, but it will do for a party of our own."
"Do we have any sets not yet thrown by Thackery?" Mally asked and ducked as a cup flew across the table just over her head.
"I think I may have some," Tarrant nodded and pulled out a roll that looked like a table runner made of some questionable purple coloring. He flipped the material away from him and down the row of tables as if it was a long roll of his hat material. From between the folds of the material popped tea pots, cups, sugar bowls, spoons and saucers. Tarrant smiled, clapped his hands together and rubbed them together as he looked over the spread of the table. He sat at the head of the table and saw Mally take her spot next to her tea pot and Thackery settled on one of the seats toward the end.
Tarrant chuckled at the picture and picked up a teapot to make sure that it was one that had tea in it, "Wonderful. Now, all we need is one more guest."
"I do hope that they get here soon. It's rather rude to be late, you know?"
Tarrant frowned in confusion and then turned to his right where Alice sat in one of the chairs with a smile on her face and a tea cup in her grasp. Tarrant's eyes lit up in a bright green with dark blue swirling quickly toward the iris.
"Which form of proverb do you prefer: Better Late than Never, or Better never than late?" Tarrant asked and settled back against his seat and served Alice her tea in the cup she had brought to the table.
"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" she countered, "I do believe that it depends on the late comer on wither to be late or to never be."
"Well said," Mally said and leaned against her tea pot and stuck the table cloth with her hat pin sword.
"Good afternoon, Mallymkun," Alice smiled in greeting and set her tea down on an empty saucer.
"After noon," she nodded back and put her sword back on her belt. She walked across the table cloth to stand in front of Alice, "Are you the right Alice by chance?"
"Of course she is," Tarrant said in full confidence as Alice beamed next to him.
"And how do we know for sure?" Mallymkun scratched under her chin in thought and tried very hard to ignore the black and gray colors swirling in Tarrant's eyes.
"I still have a scar from the Bandersnatch," she pulled the sleeve of her dress up to better show the three scars and then put one of her slipper covered feet on the table and wiggled the end of it, "And another scar where you so selflessly tried to prick me to wake me up from my supposed nightmare."
"All right," Mally nodded in acceptance. She then paused and looked at Tarrant who had a better color in his eyes. She glanced back at Alice, "It took you long enough to get back. We've missed you."
"I've missed you all, too," Alice admitted and watched Mally climb into her tea pot. Mally turned slightly and laid across the rim of the teapot as if she was settling into a hammock. Alice then turned her attention down the table to Thackery who was pretending to pay deep attention to a spoon while listening in on the conversation, "Good afternoon to you, too, Thackery."
"Mornin' lass," he said cheerfully and placed one of the larger teapots on his head as if a hat.
"Come now, Thackery," Tarrant frowned at his friend's head and the poor suffering teapot, "If you need a new hat I will more than happy to make one for you."
"Spoon," Thackery muttered and looked at the shiny utensil.
Tarrant sighed and looked at Alice, "Did you sleep well, Alice?"
"For a bit, yes. The bed is very soft and molds perfectly to the person's form. I did have a nightmare," she admitted and smiled before Tarrant could worry too much, "But it's all better now. I woke up, you see."
"Indeed," he nodded and sipped on his tea cup. His eyes suddenly grew a little larger and turned a shade of red that didn't look as dangerous as other shades Alice has seen. He patted Alice's hand that was setting on the table top, "I have something that will completely take away the nightmare from your mind."
"Do you?" Alice asked with a bright smile and watched as he leaned over the opposite side of his chair from her and seemed to be rummaging in something to the side of it. Alice tilted her head a little to try and see, but he was bent in such a way she couldn't see- as if she didn't have an idea of what it could be already, "And what magic do you have hidden by your chair?"
"Close your eyes," he asked and looked back at her over his own shoulder.
She sighed and closed her eyes immediately. He pulled out the new hat he had been working all night on and settled it on her head. He tilted it a few times before she opened her eyes which made her giggle in his efforts. He leaned away to look at the full picture and nodded as he pulled a large mirror as if from nowhere.
"All right, Alice," he nodded, "You can see."
Alice opened her eyes and her mouth dropped a little from the picture of herself in the mirror. It was the hat that she had seen earlier while she draped a blanket over his shoulders, but he had put a little more work into it. She touched the brim and understood how much planning he must have had done for it and how masterfully he had put it together.
Her eyes misted a little bit and she pulled the mirror away and to the side so she could hug her friend tightly, "It's beautiful, Tarrant. Thank you."
"You are very welcome, Alice," he said and carefully hugged her back, "If you are thinking like a Hightopp, I think that you should be crowned like one."
Suddenly Alice's smile dropped.
"Alice? Did I say something wrong?" Tarrant asked and tipped the brim of the new hat back so he could see her face, "I did not mean to offend, quite the opposite. I wanted to make you laugh and smile and see your hair shimmer like it should. I must have picked the wrong blue- though you look good an any-"
"Tarrant," Alice smiled a little bit more and touched the side of his face.
"-blue. Thank you," he nodded.
"I love it…"
"But?"
"Crowned isn't the best word to use around me right now."
"Oh, of course," he finally understood and looked at her cautiously, "Have you come to a decision on that point?"
"I think I may have. If you would be so kind as to take a walk with me before dinner, I might be able to discuss it in more detail," she looked at the table where Mally looked confused and sad at the two still in one another's arms while Thackery began singing to the spoon. Alice patted his arms to tell him to let her go. He did so hesitantly and she stood up, "I will announce my decision for everyone else at dinner."
"And what decision is this?" Mally asked as she hopped out of her tea pot, "Is this that secret that you know of, Hatter?"
"It is that and something quite important, Mally," Tarrant answered for Alice and nodded to her, "I would be honored to escort you around the falls this afternoon."
"Thank you, Tarrant," Alice tugged a little on her smaller hat and sat back in her place at the table.
Tarrant clapped again and picked up a tea pot with three spouts on it to pour tea into three different cups, "But until then, let us continue with our tea party. Pass the jelly, Thackery."
"Alice?" Tarrant whispered into the bushes that lined the pathway to the falls that lined one side of Marmoreal. He titled his head and pushed aside a few of them, "I knew to be very particular about where to meet. So where could that lad be?"
A soft giggle sounded behind him and his head snapped up and out of the bushes. He turned around to find Alice still crowned with his own creation, but now in a silver-blue dinner dress. She had one hand politely over her mouth to cover the louder of her giggles as she watched him.
"There you are," Tarrant laughed with her and consciously swiped at the sticks and leaves that had found their way into his hair.
"Yes, here I am," Alice shrugged, "Why in Heaven's name would I be in the bushes?"
Tarrant smiled broadly and held out his arm for her to loop hers through. She took it without thought as if it was a natural reaction and they began their walk down the pathway.
"You never know where you could slip and fall into the shrubbery, Alice," he said in a note of seriousness, "The mists of the falls travel far up the pathway and over the polished stone."
"Ah," she uttered.
As if on some unknown cue Alice's slipper clad foot shot from beneath her and launched her toward the aforementioned shrubbery. With her grip on his arm, Alice managed to stay out of the leaves, but quickly whipped around and collided into his chest. He held a hand at the small of her back to better support her and caught the light blush in her cheeks. His own felt hot and he could have sworn that it was contagious.
Alice looked into his eyes and then, despite herself, began to laugh. She buried her forehead into his chest with a bit of embarrassment as her hat slipped back on her head. Soon after he began to laugh with her and hugged her to himself for a few seconds.
"Now I understand," she said with mirth still in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck for what he suspected was a hug, until she pressed her soft lips upon his cheek, "Thank you for looking for me where no one else would."
"Yer very welcome," he said with a bit of a brogue to his voice and rubbed on the cheek that she kissed.
She adjusted her hat back to center and grabbed a firm hold of his arm once again, "So we should make a deal. You keep me from falling- of which you have demonstrated that you could do quite well- and I will keep you from falling."
"I think ye 'ave caused me to fall already," he whispered to himself.
"What was that?" Alice asked as she looked for puddles on the polished pathway.
"Nothing of consequence," he said quickly as he tried to cover his brogue and began to walk with a more pronounced pace. They entered the main ring of the falls and looked up to see the top only to think that the falls went on into the heavens themselves. Alice smiled and closed her eyes to feel the slight mist kiss her face.
Tarrant drank in the sight and then shook his head to clear it, "What part of your decision did you want to discuss with me?"
Alice sighed and opened her eyes to look at him, "Do you think that I would be a good queen?"
"Of course I do," he nodded in a serious moment and took both of her hands in his, "You are just and take much into consideration. You have grown into a very thoughtful and caring woman. You will think much on your subjects and what is best for them. On top of that you are as mad as most of us here, which is always a positive position to be in."
"Will I know what is best?" she looked at their hands and her brows furrowed a little, "It feels as if all I am thinking of is myself and how it will affect me. I cannot have that attitude toward a kingdom."
"You did not think of yourself when you dawned the armor of the champion and faced the Jabberwock on your own."
"That was for you," she said softly and looked up to see dark blue and purple swirl in his eyes, covering the green, "I couldn't let you all sacrifice everything and then to stay in the palace like a scared child thinking that it will be okay. And everyone will be back without a scratch."
"And tha' is why ye will be a wonderful queen…" he swiped some of her hair from her forehead and back under her new hat as his brogue took over, "… if tha' is what ye truly wish."
"I do not know many of my own wishes," Alice let go of his hand and walked toward the edge of the pond where there was white sand instead of polished rock where she could stop herself from falling. She looked back up at the falls in thought, "I have lived for so many others, it seems. I helped to develop my father's company for his memory. I tried to be a model lady for my mother and sister. I even went back to England for them as if it was my own idea when I felt like all I wanted was here. I don't even know how to distinguish what are my dreams from theirs."
Tarrrant frowned and walked behind her. He put both his hands on her shoulders and then put his chin over one of his hands, "Follow yer heart then. It will tell the difference between the two."
Alice turned around to him and put her hands on either side of his face to stare at the swirling dark colors. It always soothed her and she needed it, "How does my heart tell me?"
"When yer heart yearns for yer dreams, it tightens," he took her hands from his face and held them gently in his own, "It beats frightfully fast as if the Jabberwock was at your back. When ye see yer dream, even in yer mind," he quickly closed his eyes, "yer heart fills full and content. That is when ye know it is yer own dream and not another's."
Alice watched him and suddenly felt her heart become tightened and beat frantically fast. She felt his breath over her hands which he still held and wanted very much for him to kiss her knuckles. She took a breath and Tarrant opened his eyes to look into her wide, almost scared brown ones.
"What's wrong?" he suddenly broke from his outlandish brogue.
"I just discovered a dream that wasn't completely realized," she calmed herself down and put her hands behind her back as she turned from him.
Tarrant opened and closed his hands with the absence of hers. He smiled, "Then you have reached your decision?"
Alice closed her eyes and thought about her kingdom. Her subjects, the people of Underland, and Mirana the queen she would share rule with. She pictured herself on a modest throne and her friends around her. Suddenly her heart tightened once again, and little less intense than before and suddenly felt content.
"Alice?"
She opened her eyes slowly and looked at the Hatter. A mad man by nearly anyone's standard waited patiently for her answer.
"A dream of one can be shared by many," was all she said and looped her arm through his and leaned on his shoulder, careful to watch her new hat.
"I believe that you are talking in riddles," he offered, but put a hand on the one holding his other arm.
"Not more than usual," she smiled with a new determination, "I think it is almost time for dinner."
"I suppose so, but don't listen to him about tea time, because that is where he will stick you," Tarrant warned.
"Indeed," she agreed and then looked up at him with a sudden question, "Why were you calling me a lad earlier?"
"To keep my thoughts focused," he answered with a shrug, "Do not worry, Alice. I am not mad enough to not notice that you are in fact a woman."
Alice nodded in satisfaction and closed her eyes once more and she leaned against his shoulder.
He looked up for some kind of help from the heavens, 'Sometimes I think it would be easier if I did think you were just a lad.'
Around the royal table, there were two more places set for the addition of Thackery and Mally. Alice sat to the right of Mirana as she had the night before- now with her glorious, new hat on her head and Tarrant like a comfortable shadow at her other side. Chessur was across from them with a wide smile at being invited to another royal dinner and sipped at his tea instead of the full plate at the last dinner. Mirana daintily sipped on her tea as well and left her salad untouched. She had been thinking on Alice's upcoming decision probably as much as Alice had.
Alice bit her salad every so often, but found it hard to concentrate on her dinner. She still had to think of a way to break her decision to the others at the table.
Chess purred and looked over at Tarrant, "It seems as if Alice now has her own hat."
"It seems that way, yes," Tarrant nodded.
"Would it plausible that you will be doing them in a series that may indeed include one of my own?"
"I wouldn't count on it, Chess," Tarrant bit into his fruit.
"And why not?"
"I don't like you as much as I like Alice," Tarrant said almost childishly and tugged at the edge of his top hat as if Chessur had somehow grabbed it once again.
"I would definitely hope not," Chess pulled a face that made Mirana giggle and then notice that Alice hadn't even reacted to the exchange.
"Alice," Mirana said in a soft tone to bring Alice's attention to her, "It seems as if you are a bit distracted tonight. Anything that you may want to share with us?"
"I was trying to find a way to voice my decision," Alice said with a heavy sigh with the thought that honesty may be the best policy in this situation.
"You have made one already?" Mirana asked with shock in her voice, "Please do not hurry your choice, Champion. Underland can wait."
"But it has already made its choice, I believe that I should make one as well."
"What choice is this I keep hearing about?" Mally asked and wanted to stomp her foot in frustration, but refrained from doing so at the royal table, "Hatter first tells us that we are going to hear it at tea, and here it is now much past tea time and no news as of the surprise yet."
"Alice is now more or less royalty," Chessur said nonchalantly and put his cup down on a saucer then snickered as he saw Mally's reaction.
"When did this happen?" she nearly squeaked in her awe.
"Apparently when I was a child," Alice shrugged, "Which makes sense why I didn't remember it. I didn't remember much from my travels here until I came back and realized it wasn't some fantastical dream. I'm thinking these memories are the same way and becoming clear only with time."
"So what's the choice in this?" Mally asked and decided that all her other questions about this discovery was to be answered later.
"On whether or not Alice would take the crown that she was given, or live as a regular citizen," Mirana explained and looked to Alice for an answer, "And what is your answer?"
"I, much like you, believe in Underland, in more ways than just one," Alice took a deep breath, "And I will not doubt it. I will take up the red queen's crown."
"You do understand that there will be danger, and there will be opposition?" Mirana pleaded with her young friend, "Not only from natural enemies, but some of your own people will want to doubt your rule."
"When isn't there opposition?" Alice asked as she felt Tarrant place a hand of assurance on one of her own, "I had more than my share of that during my time in China."
"There are obstacles and a call that you must answer to find the crown on your brow. No matter how difficult, you must know how to overcome them."
"Then I will face and surmount them if that is what means to wear the crown Underland had already placed upon my head as a child."
"Are you willing to do so even if it changes who you are?" Mirana stared her in the eyes, "Are you willing to change, Alice?"
Alice felt Tarrant's hand squeeze her own and she could tell without even seeing them that his eyes had probably turned a shade of a vivid pink. She squeezed back in what hopefully was a comforting gesture.
"I cannot go back to yesterday, for I was a different person then," Alice concluded and stared Mirana back in her eyes, "And I will continue to be a different person with or without a crown. As I learn and grow, I will most certainly change. And to do so… I will accept my place as your aunt's heir."
"So be it," Mirana smiled and straightened in her chair, "After dinner I will take you to the library and we will begin our search for your task at hand."
Alice nodded and found her appetite renewed.
