A/N: And here I am again, ready to present the new chapter, which is the longest one! And congratulations for those who got the futterwacking Tarrants! ;)
I promise this time, hm, shirtless Tarrants for those who write the first three reviews (I want one too)! XD
And I want to say how much I hate the format, the chapters seem so short, thought there's like, 2,000 words usually... =3=
But now, I'm not going to blabber (which I usually do); I'm letting you to get right away with the reading! Enjoy, my dearies! : D
Tarrant walked carefully across the room without any noise. He opened the door, and looked over his shoulder, before leaving. Alice slept on the bed, a peaceful look on her face. Her blond curls spreaded on the pillow, making her look the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. This made him smile a little, not his mad one, but a gentle and a caring smile. Then, opened the door, and closed it slowly.
He started to walk to his own room; he was very tired himself too. Finally, he got to his door, and stepped in. Tarrant sat on his bed, and sighed deeply. There was this abnormal feeling he had again. The pressure in the air wasn't the same when it was about to rain. He put his top-hat next to him, and started to take off his different pair shoes. He laid on the bed, closing his green eyes. He just knew that something, something bad was going to happen, and he definately didn't like that feeling. He simply hated it, because he couldn't do anything about it. The more he thought the same thing in his a bit mad mind, the more and more thoughts were getting mixed. It was beyond frustrating! He waited and waited and finally, the hatter drifted to sleep.
Alice woke up with a yawn. She blinked few times because of the bright light, and scretched her arms. She looked around her, and blushed, hugging her knees. She smiled; Tarrant really cared about her, she was sure of it. Alice cared for him too, perhaps even too much. But you still couldn't care too much for a person, right? This was something her father had told her when he was still alive and she was little. She felt tears coming to her eyes, but she forced them away. No wasn't the time to cry.
She stood up from her bed, and noticed her shoes and her hat on the table, which was in the middle of the room. Tarrant had probably removed and put them there, after he had carried her to her room. Alice placed her green hat to her head, and sat on a chair to put her shoes on. After this, she made her way to downstairs, and asked, where the hatter's room was, thought the inn wasn't very big. She didn't want to walk to wrong rooms, thought. After time, she got the number, walked to the door, and knocked.
''Tarrant? Are you awake?'' Alice asked.
There was a loud sound, which you get when someone falls off from a bed, and some steps coming closer.
She stiffled a giggle, and the door opened, showing a very tired looking hatter.
''Good morn- Oh, didn't you sleep well? You seem... tired'', she said a bit worried.
''Well, I could have slept better, if I can say so. But it is nothing to worry about'', Tarrant said, smiling.
''Did you sleep well?'' he added politely.
Alice nodded.
''I didn't have any nightmares after you comforted me'', she said quietly.
''I'm glad for that.''
''And Tarrant?''
''What is it, Alice?''
She took his hands to her own, and squeezed them slightly. She looked straight to his eyes.
''Thank you.''
Tarrant and Alice finally came to downstairs, where Nivens, Mallymkun and Bayard were waiting for them. The dormouse seemed to be the first one to notice them.
''At last! Ye two sure took yer time'', she snapped, her small paws crossed.
''Sorry, I didn't realise wha ttime it was already, and Alice came to wake me up'', Tarrant explained.
''Well, ye could have went t' sleep earlier?'' Mallymkun offered, not sounding so angry anymore.
''I actually tried, Mally, but I just couldn't drift to sleep.''
There was a silence, but Mallymkun broke it nodding, and said:
''Are we goin' or not?''
''Let me get the Bandersnatch; wait me outside'', Alice said, and left.
The hatter was about to say something, but he let it be.
''It isn't the time yet, Tarrant, you know you aren't ready yet.''
After Alice had left to get the Bandersnacth from the nearby forest, the company looked at their map.
''We're now here'', Tarrant said and pointed a certain spot.
''So, this is the start of Outlands?'' Alice asked.
Nivens stepped closer.
''Alice, as you can probably remember, the Queen said we could look for her sister from here'', he said, pointing with his paw.
''Outlands, right?''
''Yes, that is correct. But, we must be careful as we continue our journey, there are many things in Outlands I'd rather not to talk about'', the rabbit said with a serious tone.
''But now, I say we continue; we won't do any good just waiting here, and let the White Queen wait for the meeting with her sister'', Tarrant said, taking the map and placing it inside his jacket.
Alice got on the Bandesnacth's back first, and pulled Tarrant and Nivens up after her.
She felt something to lit inside her heart, when her and the hatter's hands touched second time today.
After they were sitting in comfortable positions, Alice let the animal run, almost as fast as it could.
Night was falling upon them, once again. It was quite windy, so Alice placed her new hat better on her head; she definately didn't want to lose anything Tarrant had made for her. She felt excited and scared in the same time, as they rode farther and farther to Outlands, away from the safeness of the other side of Underland. She was excited because she was sure they would find Mirana's lost sister, and she could finally have a reunion with her. But, in the same time, as said, she felt fear inside her too. Because in Outlands, there were many things, what people would not rather to tal about. Maybe even him, Stayne... She quickly shaked the thought of him off her head. Now really wasn't the time for that.
A/N: Okay, that's it for the chapter nine! : D
I'm really glad I got this finished, since I've been having writer-blocks lately...
Now, some facts: I'm actually surprsided that I've made it this far already. And I know it totally wouldn't have happened without you, my dearies! ;)
And~, as a side note, I'm thinking about starting a new story, a long one, if some of you are interested to read something new from me. :3
It is going to be a Soul/Maka-story, from Soul Eater-series, which I finished watching today! (Wow, 51 episodes in three days, that's a new record!)
Anyway, as usual:
This button down here begs to be pushed.
