So, I got Alice in Wonderland in my Easter Basket this year, and after watching it was flooded with the need to update the story. Sorry it's been so long!
Chapter 5: Hatter's Past
The fire glowed brightly and reflected off of the faces of Alice and Hatter. Freedom and Ernest rested silently, but the fire didn't reach them. Tarrant poked at the fire with a stick, humming something to himself as the cinders rose into the air. He knew they were now only two days from Iplam Heights. He only had to wait two more days to tell Alice the truth. She munched on a piece of bread and jam, staring at her dim reflection in the fire.
"What are you humming, Tarrant?" she asked, looking up at him. Tarrant raised his head at the sound of his real name being spoken. She rarely called him Tarrant, and it surprised him slightly. His head fell to his lap, where he brushed some dirt off of his trousers.
"A song my clan used to sing to get their children to sleep at night. They called it tuneless lullaby, because it had no specific tune about it, just a collection of notes and rhythms that somehow put the tykes to sleep every night. My great-great grandmother was the one who came up with it while trying to put my reckless grandfather to sleep one night. In turn, he taught it to my mother, who taught it to me. It isn't hard to forget once learned. I hoped one day to teach it to my own little ones. But then came that day…" he said. Alice could feel tears brimming in her eyes. She knew what day he spoke of. She didn't want to pain him any more than she already had, even though he had said he would tell her about that day.
"You wanted your own little ones?" Alice asked, attempting to get on a lighter subject. Tarrant gave her a toothless smile.
"I still do if you can believe it," he said. "Raven, Arden, and Peter would be their names." Alice smiled at him. She always did love the name Peter. "I almost had all of that too. I had a lovely girl, but she was expecting with another," Alice gasped silently.
"Did she pass on that day?" Alice asked. Tarrant locked eyes with her.
"No, before that, she passed while giving birth to her second," he said. "Then her husband and children died on that day."
"I'm so sorry Tarrant," Alice said sadly. She couldn't imagine loving someone and losing them twice. "Did you get along with her husband?" she asked.
"When I saw him, I did. He was the White Knave, Cedrick Hightopp. He was a second cousin of mine I believe; it is hard to recall. Gwendolyn Hightopp of the Garth Clan was my lover then. Their children, Brynn and Caron were my godchildren. Made me want my own even more than before."
"Gwendolyn is a beautiful name," Alice praised, smiling at Tarrant. "I'm sure she was very beautiful."
"Aye, she was. Would you care to hear about that day?" Hatter asked. Alice's eyes brimmed with tears once more.
"You don't have to tell me Tarrant, I can tell even from here that it pains you…" Alice said. Tarrant sighed.
"Aye lass, but I want to tell you. I feel that it will make me feel better in some way," he said. Alice nodded.
"What happened that day?" Alice asked.
"It started out normal; the Hatter's celebration had just begun…"
WOOOOOOOO FLASHBACK!
"Uncle Tarrant! Uncle Tarrant! Come futterwhaken with us!" the youngest Garth child, Brynn, screeched happily, her brown and orange cheetah spotted top hat falling onto the ground. She picked it up and placed it back on her mass of black hair which contrasted greatly to her white face. Tarrant looked longingly at the White Queen next to him, who nodded and he trotted off to join his godchildren. They danced around the hat topped pole, singing songs and enjoying themselves, everything was just about perfect.
"Brynn wore a dress that I had made for her that day. Puffy clear shoulders with orange and purple ribbons that ran down her arms. Her skirt was purple stripes over lavender fabric, as was the top of it. She had orange and black stripped stockings on that day as well. Her dress was my finest work to this day," Tarrant told Alice.
"How'd she die, did she try to escape?" Alice asked.
"I didn't see unfortunately. She fell I presume and the Jabberwocky's flames engulfed her. Again I cannot be sure."
"Tell me more about the Hatter's Festival," Alice said, trying to lighten the mood.
A futterwhaken contest was happening in the background; closer to the edge of the village. This is where Caron, who had been only ten at the time, held second place to Tarrant five years running for his futterwhaken. He too had jet black hair and wore a hat similar to Tarrant's. Six year old Brynn held onto Tarrant's hand as he watched in merriment at Caron's performance. People were clapping to the music as Caron spun around, throwing his hat into the air. It didn't take Tarrant or Brynn very long to begin clapping with the crowd. As he finished his routine, Tarrant stepped into the center of the circle that had formed around Caron. He gently pushed the boy aside and began to futterwhaken himself. Brynn was watching in amazement at her godfather's movements. Tarrant took a bow and smirked jokingly at Caron who smiled back.
"Our reigning champion, Tarrant Hightopp!" one of the judges called out. Caron smirked at his godfather who gave an equal smirk back.
"Come on Uncle Tarrant! Come get food with us!" Brynn said, tugging on Tarrant's sleeve. He looked down at the little girl.
"I'm very sorry Brynn dear, but I am very tired and wish to rest. I will see you later though, yes?" Tarrant said. Brynn pouted.
"Okay Uncle Tarrant, bye!" she said waving.
"That was the last time I saw her alive…" Tarrant admitted sadly. Alice could feel tears running down her cheeks. She just wanted to hug her friend, tell him that everything was going to be okay. She had no idea that he had lost so many people.
"You don't need to continue Tarrant, really…" Alice said. "It can tell that it hurts you to talk about…"
"It seems to be hurting you more than I, Alice dear, you're crying," Tarrant said.
"Can you blame me? It's a sad story…" she said. Tarrant was by her side in an instant, his arm around her shoulder as she let it all out. "Tarrant?"
"Yes Alice?" he asked.
"Will you sing that tuneless lullaby?" she asked.
"I would, but I'm afraid the lyrics have left my mind. I will sing you another though if you wish," he said. Alice nodded as Tarrant held her close.
"Oh, the summer is a coming, and the trees are softly blooming. And the wild mountain thyme blooms around the purple heather, will ye go, laddie, go? And we'll all go together,to pull wild mountain thyme all along the purple heather. Will ye go, laddie, go?" Alice cried softly as he sang, smiling to herself. It was a beautiful song. She could feel herself nodding off. "I will build my love a bower by yon clear and crystal fountain, and on it I will placeall theflowersof the mountain. Will ye go, laddie, go? And we will all go togetherto pull wild mountain thyme all along the purple heather. Will ye go, laddie, go?"
"It's a beautiful song Tarrant," Alice said, yawning loudly. He let go of her and stood for a moment, walking over to Freedom and opening her saddle bag and pulled out a blanket, nodding his thanks to Freedom before returning to the sleepy Alice. "Mm, is that the whole song Hatter?" she asked sleepily. He put the blanket over her and sat next to her.
"There is one more stanza…" he said.
"Sing it please?" Alice asked. Tarrant was happy to oblige as he poked at the fire and Alice laid her head on the ground. He quickly removed his coat and folded it.
"Lift your head please Alice?" he said. Alice did as she was told and Tarrant set his coat under her head. "Well if my true love will not go, I shall surely find another. Who'll pull wild mountain thyme all along the purple heather. Will ye go, laddie, go? And we'll all go together to pull wild mountain thyme all along the purple heather. Will ye go, laddie, go?" Tarrant looked over at Alice, who was staring sleepily at him, her doe brown eyes gleaming in the fire light. "Alice, I want to tell ye something…" he said. He looked over at her again, but she had closed her eyes and was breathing softly. "Never mind…" he sighed, brushing her golden hair away from her face and pressed his lips to her forehead before standing and getting a blanket of his own from Ernest's saddle bag. He lay down and stared at the sleeping Alice. He began humming the tune to himself again. "Will you go laddie, go?" he muttered to himself before drifting off himself.
A/N: So what did you think? Here's some background…
The name Tarrant is Welsh, and it means thunder. Brynn, Caron, Gwendolyn, and Cedrick are also Welsh.
The song that Tarrant sings for Alice is called Wild Mountain Thyme. The lyrics themselves can vary depending on who sings it. This version is sung by a woman named Lucy Wainwright Roche, and I found it on iTunes.
A link to an image of Brynn is on my profile page.
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