Rating: T
Pairing: Alice Kingsleigh/Tarrant Hightopp
Summary: One year has passed since Alice's return home. Somehow she's lost all her memories about Underland. And now her life is going to take a new turn. But a certain accident ruins all her plans and changes her life completely. Will she recall all her adventures in Wonderland? And how is she going to cope with a new challenge waiting for her?
Disclaimer: I don't own Alice in Wonderland. If I did, the Hatter would have kissed Alice on the balcony.
A/N: 1) About my story "As sober as the Cheshire Cat". I've received some reviews in which you asked me to write about Tarrant's reaction in the morning. You know, I'd thought the story was finished. But today I finally reread it. And guess what? I realized there is something more to write. So cheers! I think I will prolong it for you. Just give me Time, mkay?
2) Back to the "Magic". We are almost at the end. This chapter had to be the last and after her would have come the epilogue. But it appeared to be very long, so I split it into two parts. Enjoy!
Chapter 10: The battlefield.
The rain continued all night, and it stopped in the morning. Although the sky was still covered with thick layer of clouds. Tarrant couldn't sleep whole night. He had been looking out the window and thinking of Alice and the Iugoral day. But surprisingly he hadn't been tired.
As soon as the sun rose he jumped out of the bed and headed for the door. But then he abruptly stopped and looked down at himself. He was in pyjamas. He didn't even smirk in amusement, but just went to the closet to change. After he did, he started to the door, but something caught his eye again.
On the table near a certain hat stood a vase. In that vase was the tulip that he had taken two days ago.
Tarrant slowly approached the table, raised his hand and carefully caressed the petals. The moment he touched the flower he felt a rush of warmth inside of him. And then he felt it. The soul of the tulip. The flower tried to tell him something. But it couldn't talk, so it tried to do this through the feelings.
'Tulips have a very good memory. And they have an ability to see the future. Perhaps, it tries to tell me to take it to the battlefield. No, I'm sure. It demands.' He shrugged and took the flower in his hands. Immediately, the warm waves disappeared. ' It seems like I understood it correctly.' He carefully tucked the flower under his waistcoat and finally left the room.
He paced down the corridor and then saw a familiar figure. He approached the man and stopped behind him. "Here we go, the Iugoral day." He said startling Andrew.
The Uplander turned around. "Yes, indeed." He looked in Tarrant's blue eyes. "You're a good fellow, Hightopp. It's a pity though that I will never forgive you for tempting my fiancé," he smirked, "perhaps, we would have been good friends if you haven't done it."
Tarrant's eyes became green for several moments and he faintly smiled in amusement. "Sorry, Highmore, but I cannot just let her go with you."
Andrew nodded. "I know." Then he stretched out his hand.
"Fight for Alice then?"
Tarrant accepted his hand and shook it one time.
"Yes, for Alice."
The way to the battlefield was even tenser than it had been last time. 'Perhaps, that's because the last time I had Alice beside me. Or we're moving slower. Or the clouds are darker. Or…' TheHatter mentally slapped himself. 'Collect your thoughts, Hatter! Alice needs you. It's a wrong time to fall into madness.'
Finally two armies met on the field again. Just like last time, they were standing in front of each other. But now there was not Alice beside the Hatter but Andrew, who was staring at the warriors with curiosity. Well, perhaps, he was looking for Alice. 'Alice!' And Tarrant looked over the army. 'Where is she?' To the right though he saw a cage with Mally and Thackery and felt madness taking control over him.
"Why have you brought the flower with you?" Andrew asked, interrupting him from his thoughts.
The Hatter just stared at the Uplander without a clue what he was talking about. Andrew then nodded his head to his waistcoat and Tarrant looked down to see that the flower was slightly coming out from under it. He hurriedly tucked it back.
"I have no idea," he responded honestly.
Andrew shrugged and the two of them continued watching what was going on on the field. They saw the Red Queen move towards the center of the field. Mirana did as well, and the two sisters met face to face again.
"Are you ready to lose the crown again, sister?" The Red Queen sneered.
"That would be no earlier than you return me my Champion," Mirana frowned.
"Indeed. How are you going to fight without your Champion? No how, I suppose. Well then. Alice!"
Tarrant and Andrew flinched and looked over the army again. The soldiers moved apart, clearing the way to the center. And then they saw her. Alice was standing among them with her head downcast.
'What have they done to her?' the Hatter asked himself silently.
But then she suddenly raised her head and moved to the center.
"Hatter?" someone called behind him.
He reluctantly tore his gaze from Alice to look at Chessur, who was handing him the Vorpal Sword.
Tarrant nodded, took the Sword and headed for the center of the field to Alice. Every step was hard to make. It took all his strength not to rush to her, hug her and lead her away from there. No. He had to walk towards her calmly to pass the Blade to the girl, for it was the only thing that could kill the Jabberwocky.
They met at the center of the field. Their eyes met and the Hatter realized how he wanted to be there alone with her. Just them and no one else. Oh, the Hatter would give anything to kiss her right there and then kill the dragon himself. But he knew he couldn't do anything. The rules wouldn't allow him to. Otherwise the Red Queen will have her right to have the crown of Underland. 'Please, Fate, don't let her be hurt. I will do anything, just don't let her be hurt.'
Never leaving the purple gaze from her, he handed her the Vorpal Sword. She accepted it and noted the colour of his eyes. Now she completely understood what that meant. She took the handle of the blade, touching his wrist at the moment. He winced at the contact. Then she whispered something. He couldn't hear her, but was able to make it out from her lips. She said "Forgive me."
He widened his eyes, trying to figure out what she had just meant, but she lowered her gaze, turned around and faced the Red army, waiting for the opponent.
Andrew watched their meeting with frown. But then he saw Hatter turn around as well and walk to join the White army. The Uplander glared at him and then continued watching what was happening on the field.
Mirana nodded her head to Iracebeth and stepped back. The other Queen did as well and shouted "Jabberwocky!"
Tarrant winced at the sight of the enormous creature, which had already tried to kill his Alice three years ago. 'Yes, she is my Alice!' Then he mentally spoke to her, 'Please, Alice, come back to me. Just come back to me! I won't be able to live if you die.'
The Jabberwocky flew to the center and landed facing the White army.
Alice clearly knew what she had to do. But how painful it was to stand in front of Tarrant and take the Sword from him not being able to hug him for the last time. Yes, she knew that she saw him for the last time in her life. And it was breaking her heart. In her life she was with him in that romantic way just once. And even that moment was interrupted. Forever. And now she so badly wanted to repeal the deal, forget about Andrew and the Jabberwocky and run away with Tarrant. Somewhere far, where no one could find them. But she couldn't. She had to fight the Jabberwocky. And she will to just that.
She held the Sword tightly and moved forward. The Jabberwocky took a step forward as well and growled threateningly. The Blade was very hard to carry. Not because it was heavy. No, it was quite light for the sword. But because her right arm was burning from pain. The wound had been taken care of though when she'd been unconscious. But it didn't help. Then she'd awoken at night from this terrible pain to find herself in her cell once again. Mally and Thackery had been asleep, which was good. They couldn't have seen her suffering from pain. Though the pain in her heart had been much stronger.
She raised her Sword with slightly shaking arm and sticked the tip into the monster's neck. The Jabberwocky growled, but didn't hit her. It remembered the order of the Red Queen not to kill the girl. But it so wanted to! This girl had cut its head once! Along with its tongue, which the Red Queen hadn't returned to it. Fury overtook the beast and it rushed forward trying to catch her with its teeth.
But Alice ducked. She jumped to the side and stabbed its wing with all her force. The dragon hissed, then raised its tail and hit her hard in the stomach.
Tarrant took step forward, wanting to rush there and protect Alice. But Andrew stopped him.
"No, Hightopp! We must not interfere!"
"Jus' tha' very thing saved 'er life three years ago!" He said heatedly and once again began heading for the centre of the battlefield. But suddenly the Queen stopped him as well.
"Tarrant, give her a chance. We can't risk our people's lives.
He wanted to cry from desperation. He slowly turned his head to look at Alice.
Alice rose up. Her head was hit hard and the wound there was bleeding profusely. Trying to ignore the pain in her head and arm, she ran to the creature and with new strength began to strike it with the Vorpal Sword. She was swinging the blade to the left and right, making the Jabberwocky step back.
The Jabberwock was getting annoyed. But it still had to wait for the signal from the Red Queen. The signal which would tell it when it must "kill" this girl. There was no signal yet, and the girl seemingly wanted to provoke it into doing it now. Well, she could have it.
Avoiding the dangerous Blade, it furiously attacked, catching her by the waist with its fangs. If she wasn't in her armor, its sharp teeth would have pierced through her body.
To tell the truth it didn't understand why the Queen had invented that silly plan including its venom and fake death. Why, he would have killed her without it all for sure. It knew now all her soft spots. It wouldn't be so difficult.
The Jabberwocky tossed her away to the left. It didn't notice that while they were fighting, they came up closer to the White army. So Alice fell on the ground not far from Tarrant and Andrew. They couldn't take it much more. Both of them rushed forward to her. But the Jabberwocky roared fiercely, took off and immediately landed right in front of two men, blocking them from the girl. They stopped. The dragon glowered at them with its red eyes, ordering them to move back.
Mirana quickly made way to them. "The fight is not over. She's alive."
The red eyes of the Hatter were still on the monster, but he reluctantly took step back. Andrew did as well.
The Jabberwocky snorted and turned back to Alice. To its surprise she was on her feet again. Not without difficulty though.
Her arm burned, the head was throbbing with pain and now she barely stood, for she seemed has sprained her ankle. But Alice knew she had to fight till the end, no matter what.
The Red Queen was closely watching the scene. Finally, she decided it was time. She turned around to some of her guards and nodded her head. They nodded as well and turned to open the cage with the Jub-Jub bird inside. The bird cried in high voice and took off in the air. The Jabberwocky looked up and saw it flying across the field. Alice didn't do the same. She knew what it meant. It was the signal.
The Jub-Jub bird flew around the field, then returned and landed beside Iracebeth. The Red Queen grinned and patted its head. "It's time, don't you think, Jub-Jub?"
The bird nodded its head and squeaked.
The Jabberwocky approached Alice. The girl sighed trying to calm down and prepare for an attack. She took one step back, but the creature couldn't wait any longer. It quickly closed distance between them, raised its wing and hit her on the head, knocking her down. The girl came off her place and landed further from the beast. She wasn't moving.
A/N: A little cliff-hanger here, lol. Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Review!