Author's note: this is a big chapter, not in length, but importance! ...I feel a bit sad for corsets, though. No one seems to like them.

"I don't like corsets." Alice frowned.

"It'll be good for you Ahlice." Mally insisted. "No need for more gossip, righ'?"

After all was said and done, Alice was in a beautiful white and cream dress filled with

Ruffles and lace. Around her skirts were blue, magenta, and green, her favorite Tarrant- eye green.

She clicked her way on heels to the entryway to the gardens, only to find Tarrant waiting.

"May I have the pleasure of escorting you, my dearest Alice?" he gave his arm, which Alice took.

They smiled, and into the party they went.

As they stepped down the grand staircase to the party, Tarrant could taste the romance in the air. He knew that just last week Lord and Lady Ichabod had finished renewing their vows, and that three days ago Lord Barker had asked for Lady Sweeny's hand. Even the younger lords and ladies were flirting about, eager to join in on the chance of true love. Younger. That thought flew into his mind quickly.

He was not very young. Yes, Time had stopped him from aging past twenty eight, but compared to Alice's twenty four years, she was so young. Four years is a lot. In fact-

"Tarrant." Alice leaned into him. He looked to see her smile.

"Oh, I'm fine. I was just thinking. Shall we head to the gardens?"

"Of course, Tarrant."

They quietly slipped into the gardens, and stopped in front of a beautiful fountain. It was alabaster marble, adorned with a man and woman, and their three daughters, all wearing hats. The man had Tarrant's gap tooth smile, and the woman had his curly hair, as did one of the little girls. Alice inspected them in awe, and reached her hand to brush the cheek of the smallest girl.

"Tha's mah family," Tarrant slipped into the Scottish, or should she say Outlandish, brogue. "Me Mam, Fa, and me three sister- bairns. Judice, Irene, and Aldrea." His eyes took on the blueish gray, and Alice's heart gave a painful squeeze. "The White Queen built this to honor all who died on the Horvendush Day. She decided to use on o' mah family portraits from th' last May Day."

Alice saw his father looked very much like him, wearing a kilt and a beautiful top hat. His mother was wearing a cloche, and the girls were all sporting bowlers.

"Tell me about them, Tarrant. Tell me about your family."

Alice's demand was quiet, almost too quiet for Tarrant to hear, and it surprised him.

"Alrigh'." He cleared his throat and his lisp returned, though the gray returned as well, and his face was stoic, like the stone of the fountain.

"My father was named Davin Hightopp, and he was a hatter, like his father before him. He had been more... cheerful than I could ever be." his voice thickened a bit. "Especially around Mam. Her maiden name was Vivian Tielander. Her clan made neckwear. She was good at it, but ribbons were her specialty. She had violet eyes. Her favorite thing to do was to sing to the trees." he looked up.

"That's how my Fa found my Mam. Following her voice in the Tulgey Woods. They got married in a hurry." he smiled wistfully then. "Three months. That's all the time they took. And they loved each other fully, too. Like they were made for one another. I was the second oldest, but my older brother Chawldon... he was disowned after he joined the Bloody Big Head. She had a liking for him, and he was beheaded after she caught him bedding another. Never could keep his hands off the ladies. Well, I'm guessing she killed him. We're actually not sure. Never found the head, or the body for that matter." he formed a deep frown. It lifted immediately.

"Speaking of heads, I made you something for yours!" he pulled a hat from behind the statue of his mother.

Alice was surprised to see he had made a top hat very much like his, but with the fabrics she had been surveying earlier that day.

"Here, let me put it on you properly," Tarrant moved behind her and placed it upon her head, then flipped one of the ribbons over her face.

"Tarrant, what are you- oh!" Alice smiled, then gasped at what was tied to the end of the ribbon.

There, tied on the end was a ring, a silver band with a diamond hat in the middle, and engraved around it was the riddle 'Why is a Raven like a Writing Desk?'

"Alice," Tarrant turned her around to face him. "Will you give me permission to court you?"