Loli-D: Please enjoy this next chapter. And guess what? You get to meet the mysterious kidnapper... OOOOOOOOO. Also, it's time for Alice to have some spotlight on her past.

Also, I'd like to point out that in the past, Tarrant was human. He just wandered the forest for his beloved hat!

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Alice Red Riding Hood

Pairing: Halice (Tarrant [Mad Hatter] X Alice)

Rating: T (for horrible blood/death/killing/gore writing and minor language and maybe some future romance. MAYBE.)

Genre: Romance (when HAVEN'T I not done romance?)

Summary: The Tulgey Wood is a dangerous place. Full of lions, and tigers, and bears, and... Mad Hatters...

I DO NOT own Alice in Wonderland, or any characters, just this story and what happens in it.

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There was nothing.

Alice had opened her eyes, only to not be blinded by the sunlight or even to aroma of Tarrant's deliciously-made breakfast. There wasn't even the distant sound of her Aunt Imogene sleeping the early morning away. In fact, it was dark, odorless and there was no sounds.

There was nothing.

Nothing there that comfort her. In fact, everything seemed so odd, so unfamiliar. Like a long forgotten memory. She felt so hopeless, so...unsafe.

That's the thought that scared her the most because, after looking around the area for a few moments, she realized that this was her bedroom. The bedroom in her home, the place she use to live so peacefully and happily in for many years. The bedroom where she use to wait for her father whenever he went out to search for the beast. Her beast. The thought of Tarrant brought tears to her eyes. She was back to the place that was trying to kill him. The place that sent her to kill him. Thinking that they were sending an archer to strike down a wild animal, but instead they were trying to push the thought of them actually sending a baby lamb to a starving wolf. Oh, but neither were correct in the case. No, they sent a lone girl to find someone that completed her. Made her laugh, made her cry, made her smile, made her realize that someone could, with the exception of her family and dear friends, look at her face and not be in a trance because of it. Alice felt her tears escape her finally.

"Alice?" came a voice. It was like the room, so unfamiliar. But the blonde knew exactly who it was.

"Hello, Father." Was that her voice? It sounded monotone, and a little hoarse.

She felt the bed shift a little bit as her father sat down beside her. When his arms moved towards her in a hug, she twitched back. Her father seemed stunned, but Alice didn't know for sure. She was refusing to look at him. "I don't want you to touch me." she harshly whispered, causing a new silence to overcome the room.

There was a tugging sensation in the pit of her stomach during this silence. She instantly knew what it was. Her curiosity. "Who brought me here?" she asked. Though she knew fully well how it was, but her father did not know that.

Charles hesitated. "A knave. From a nearby kingdom by the name of Crims." he paused briefly. Alice had heard of Crims. It was ruled by a horrible queen, who beheaded people left and right when she did not get her way. It was cruel. "He came when he heard the burden our town carried, saying he would help rid it if..."

The blonde almost felt a growl erupt from her throat. "If? If what?" she hissed through her teeth. She had a horrible feeling of what it was.

"If...you became his bride." Charles sighed out. He looked at his daughter with a strange look. "I know you may not like the idea of a forced marriage, Alice, but Ilsolvic is a very noble man who will be very loving-"

"My ass I'll marry such a man like him!" Alice screeched, having enough of her father of the moment. Charles was quite in shock. Never had he heard his daughter cuss. "I know you may have not notice, Father, but do you see any harm on me? Any terror in my eyes?" Charles looked at her, seeing the truth but was majorly confused at the change of topic. "Of course not, but do you know why?"

"Why?"

Alice stood up from the bed, glaring at her father. "Because the man you believed to be a murderer was just lonely, having only his sanity lost because of a stolen hat." She started walking towards the door. "And do you know what else, Father?"

He was silent, much to Alice's disbelief. Back before she left her father would be telling her that she was being delirious, that the madman was tricking her to believe such things before he murdered her. That she was lucky to be have brought home before that happened. Yes, back before I had any backbone towards him! she angrily to herself.

She pushed the door opened and left the room, leaving her father to absorb the shocking words she just spoke.

"I believe that your angel has fallen in love with the devil."

...

Alice let her feet carry her away down the hall. She would reach the parlor and there would be the door. She could leave this damn place and return to her Tarrant.

Her heart beat quickened at the mention of his name. She was used to her heart's quick pace whenever he was mention or when he was seen. But, as the others would say if it was some other man, barely two weeks after meeting a man would never have been a reasonable time to decide that she was in love. Although, it was reasonable for her. And it was more than enough time for Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', who fell in love at first sight. Oh, but why couldn't she decide feelings before she asked about his past? Such a risky subject to talk about with a person who could snap your neck faster than a single breath.

Perhaps Alice did not ask about his past? If he hadn't ran out of the room? Would she be able to sort out her feelings still? Would Ilsovic have come to the house? Oh, dear, if he came, Tarrant would be dead. And most certainly Alice couldn't cope with his death. Then again. Could Ilsovic have even harm Tarrant? Tarrant was brutal murderer after all.

Alice placed her hand on the door handle when she felt a presence behind her. She straightened up and turned her head to face the presence.

There was Ilsovic sitting on the loveseat infront of the fire, looking at her with a hungry stare. Alice looked at his features, it has been many years since she seen the man.

His face was rugged and cold. (Not literary. Alice would never touch the man's face!) A scar zigged and zagged up his right cheek, hiding under a black patch, and reappearing again, but only to disappear into his shaggy, black hair. His uncovered eye was stone gray, undressing her with it. (What a cad! Alice thought.) His nose cranked downwards and his thin lips were in a smirking position. His tall, very tall, lanky body was sprawled over the seat. He wore knight's armor, black boots and gloves. All in all, he was not the type of man Alice looked for. (Not that she was ever searching!)

"Ilsovic," she greeted through clenched teeth, turning fully towards him.

He bowed his head. "Lady Kingsleigh." he purred back.

Alice narrowed her eyes. "I am truly sorry to be leaving so suddenly, but I must go."

"Go where?"

"Away from here, mainly away from Father and you."

The seat groaned as Ilsovic got up to walk towards her. "Now, precious," he began as he neared. "You needn't be like that. I saved your life from the town's burden."

"Tarrant is not a burden!" she growled. "He is a kind, lovable man that is only misunderstood and needs-"

She was interrupter by Ilsovic's laughter. "Oh, yes, what is there to misunderstand about a murderer who loves the taste of blood?"

Alice narrowed her eyes once more. "He does not love the taste of blood, Ilsovic. And to answer your question, there is a lot of answers to reply with. How do you know he wants to kill? Hasn't he kept his promise to not murder the villagers? I believe so, for I have not seen any fresh blood on his clothes since we met. Now, if you excuse me, I must be leaving."

When Alice finally opened the door, he spoke again. "You really expect a happy ending with that man? That everyone will let you live your life?"

"Of course." she answered, walking out into the lifeless village. "After all, I am dead."

...

"Good morning, Tarrant!" a little blonde girl giggled, holding out a woven basket to the mad man.

Tarrant smiled madly before grabbing the basket and start rummaging through it. He saw food, fabric, pins, thread and...

"Alice, what is this?" he asked, holding up a blue stone on a withered string. He looked at his young friend with a curious stare, having a grin send back to him.

She threw her arms up into the air. "Happy Birthday!" she exclaimed. She stood up, taking the necklace with a smile, and untied the end to re-tie around his neck. "This was my mother's necklace. I know that I should have bought you a hat but I did not have the money for it... But I heard the best gifts come from the heart and there is nothing more dearest to me than my late mother's necklace."

The man was stunned, looking at the stone around his neck. Alice was willingly giving him something that was so much value to her? Him? The damned man wandering through the woods to look for a silly hat?

He looked at her, a smiled still planted on her face. He lightly smiled at her.

"Thank you, Alice."

...

Once she slammed the door shut, Alice had started running faster than her feet could handle. She often tripped and fell to the ground, tears stinging in her eyes. But it was not from the pain she was receiving. No, the sudden memories that were returning to her were the cause of her tears. The memories of a long forgotten childhood with her beloved friend, Tarrant. And not just the Tarrant she fell in love with, a human Tarrant that cared and protected her. Telling her to be safe, to stop crying and give him her beautiful smile, and to not talk that tubby cat. The one who held her hand when she wanted to speak to someone about her problems, the one who she gave goodies and fabric to everyday, the one who kept all her secrets about one day traveling the world with someone by her side, most preferably him. He was her first friend, the first one who wasn't her family to bow down to her beauty and obey her, the first one to fight against her and tell her she was ugly when she hated being called beautiful or pretty. (That may sound horrible, but she felt so damn happy after he told her. Everyone else would say, "But you are beautiful, Alice!".)

He was the first man she had ever fallen in love with, and she...she forgot him! Forgotten him like some gift that wasn't to her liking. Like some spider she had stepped on and hadn't giving a second thought about it.

Was this why he wanted her? To make her remember? To see what he had become without her? Did her leaving make him like this? Mutant and with blood-stained hands?

...

Tarrant looked at Alice with an overly worried look. Her face was covered in tears and was red from her rubbing, her blonde ringlets were messy and filled with twigs and leaves, and a big gash was on her left leg, started from right under her knee to her mid-thigh.

If Alice had looked at him, she would have found that his eyes changed to a stoney gray.

"Oh, Cricket, what have you done?" he asked her as he kneeled in front of her crying figure. He placed a soothing hand on her shoulder, afraid that if he hugged her, she would hurt more.

"T-T-Tarrant, I-I just wan-wanted to see...to see what it would li-like to be a b-bird!"

He couldn't help but chuckle. "Alice, Sweetling, you are a human girl. Not some winged animal who flies away every three seasons. I would be sane if you left me." he told her. He then started to pick her up carefully. "Now, let's head on to your auntie's to fix up that leg of yours."

"But-but Auntie will be so angry will m-me..." she sobbed into his jacket, clutching tightly.

"I think she'll be too worried about her only niece."

Alice kept quiet, feeling her friend's heartbeat under her. It was quickly paced, most likely from the horrible scare she gave him when she suddenly fell from a tree after hours of him looking for her. She heard his footsteps crunch the deceased leaves under his feet, as he headed towards her ill aunt's home.

She shut her eyes, snuggling into his chest. "Thank you very much, Tarrant."

...

This was painful. Both for mind and body.

The memories were starting to hurt her mind. The town's seemingly, never-ending path was straining her feet.

Should she go back to her Tarrant? This was her home after-all, the place where she grew up with a loving father and, though not many, dear friends. They taught her to be well behaved, kind and everything that people considered a good quality in her. She was their perfect little angel. But...what of Tarrant? He had obviously changed when she left him so suddenly. Who knows what would to the poor madman now that she has been taken from him once more. Who knows what would happen to the village? Oh, she couldn't let happen to the village. Not what they unknowingly did for her. It would be horrible.

"Alice?"

The blonde beauty turned around at the mention on her name, seeing a woman her age standing by a window sill in her nightgown. She had brown hair that waved onto one shoulder and brown eyes that widened at the sight of her.

It was Fiona.

A bright smile came onto the girl's face as she ushered her younger sister over. "Faith, Faith! Wake up, you lazy git! Alice is outside!"

Oh no, Alice had to get away. Quick.

Without a second to think it over, she started running away again. The morning air blowing against her cheeks and brushing her hair back. Her aching feet having more pain come to them. Oh the gossip and the news that would come for her. She needed to get back into the forbidden woods, to her Tarrant.