Six Charms and a Locked Locket
By Rurple101 & BiGbLuEeYeS1136

Chapter Nine

"Yes, I am here to fill in as your own personal servant maid Mr Hightopp." the young dark haired girl said, fluttering her eyelashes and talking selectivily. Tarrant sighed, why was he now a ruddy love symbol target now?

Queen Mirana had to hide her laughter from the young maid.

"Charlotte, do I need to remind you that Mr Hightopp is forbidden to show affection to new maids at the castle?" she said ina teacher tone.

Charlotte winched, she'd forgotton.

"So your jobs will be checking if Mr Hightopp's room is clean every mid afternoon while he is having tea and to make sure his hat demands are in charge. Remember Malcom is his personal servant as you my dear are a very young woman." she recited.

The Hatter turned so the two women would not see him flush with embarrassment. He never had this feeling with Alice...well she had been very different.

"Please excuse me ladies, I need to be going now." he said and he briskly walked away towards the doors to the gardens.

He walked until it was a safe distance away from the actual castle and sat down at the edge of the big fountain. He gazed at the streaming water and sighed again.

"Why are you taking so long?" he asked aloud, to himself. He imagined Alice there, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it comforting.

"I'm being as quick as I can, keep faith in me Hatter." she'd whisper in his ear. He turned and sadly she wasn't there. Not a surpise he thought.

"Madness, marriage, mutiniy, mill, milliner, marry, mad, madder, maddest..." he hummered in a little tune.

"Are you investigating things that begin with the letter M?" a sly voice answered behind him. He turned and saw the March Hare.

"Yes indeed I was. I'm trying my bestest to keep my promises." he answered, turning back to the fountain.

"The ones Alice told you?" he asked, walking over and sitting by his side.

"Just one, though it was big enough to be several promises. I need to keep these promises to myself in making myself keep her promise and my madness is making that vey hard for me." he said in one breath.

Thackery nodded and patted his friend's back. "Let's play another letter."

"You start." The Hatter said, glad that he was here to cheer him up.

"Lollipops" he started.

"Urm..Laughter." The Hatter grinned.

"Laugh"

"Like."

"Likewise"

"Urmm.." the Hatter's imagination was running away from him and he poundered any word beginning with L. Though only one came to mind.

"Love." he answered relectantly and Thackery looked up.

"Can I ask you something, Tarrant?" he asked.

The Hatter froze, it had been ages since Thackery had called him Tarrant. And it had been ages as well since he'd called him Thackery.

"Go ahead, Thackery." he said.

"Are you in love?"

"I'm not too sure. The only love I've felt before was from my...my...my...." he faultered and stopped thinking. But Thackery was grinning.

"Before?!" he said, deside himself with glee.

The Hatter turned and raised his eyebrows. "What was wrong with my sentance?"

"Before, Tarrant. You impiled that it before, oyu had only felt that love. But this is now..."

The Hatter understood. "Now what are you saying?"

Is he winding me up or hiding the bleeding obvious? Thacery thought and sighed.

"Never mind Tarrant. I feel like today has been the best day since...what happened. I don't feel....insane anymore....I think."

"I agree my dear friend. Only I out of the pair of us have I controlled it but lost it at certain times."

"Come Tarrant. Before those lovely ladies over there spot you." he motioned to the bushes where some teenage female servants were having a picnic.

"Too true my friend, Muush!" he hissed as Thackery laughed.

He watched his friend disapear towards the castle. Sucker for love. he thought and followed Tarrant.

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Rurple101 & BiGbLuEeYeS1136

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