Here's the new update! The chapter is a bit long; longer than I intended it to be, but ah well. Overall I think it turned out pretty deep and emotional. One of my personal favorites as of yet. I took some of everyone's suggestions and put a bit of everything inside this scene. Thanks for the tips; they are greatly appreciated! The next chapter, well… Things get a bit more heated . Wink, wink ;). Read the chapter to find out why. Enjoy!
Alice in Wonderland II: Underland's Champion
Chapter 14: The Storm of Tears
Iracebeth hums as she walks past the cage holding her bait. She smiles with her head high as some of the prisoners huddle close together and stare at her in fear or disgust. Capturing the Kingsleighs and Ascots was far too easy; all she had to do was let Helen call Lord Ascot and his family over to let them meet her and be assured that Alice was safe. As soon as everyone was in the living room, the exiled queen used her magic to knock everyone down unconscious. Then she had Stayne pull inside the Looking Glass that was hidden amongst the bushes. Once it was set up, both she and Stayne pulled their prisoners inside to their hidden dungeon.
"Let us out!" Lowell shouts as she clutches the bars desperately. He shakes them in an attempt to escape but is unsuccessful. "You damned freaks! Let us out right now!"
He earns a slap on the face from Stayne. The Knave wrings his wrist as he stares coolly at the retreating businessman. "I'd hold my tongue if I were you, Monsieur. Especially since we have your family in our clutches as well…" He smiles at Margaret, who shivers as she holds her crying infant in her arms.
"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Iracebeth shouts as she throws her hands in the air. She glares at Margaret. "Make that thing stop that racket this once!"
"He's scared!" Margaret hisses as she rocks her child in an attempt to calm him down. Lowell sits beside her and wraps an arm around her protectively. Little Stefan's cries don't lower at any rate. "And possibly hungry…"
Iracebeth groans and rubs her temples before she snaps her fingers. On cue, a black mist forms around Margaret before they take the shape of various bottles with many gallons of milk. The prisoners blink.
"There. That should occupy him." Iracebeth mutters before she turns to her cauldron. "At least until Alice gets here…"
"Why are you doing this?" Helen asks pleadingly. "Why would you hurt my daughter? What has she ever done to you?"
"Haven't you listened to a word I said?" Iracebeth says angrily as she turns on her heel to stare at the older woman. "That girl has ruined my life! She made my sister banish me after she slain my Jabberwocky; my most loyal pet! She has made everything I worked for turn into dust! I lost all of my most noble soldiers because of her!"
Everyone is silent as they stare at the woman cautiously. "So… What you said was true?" Lady Ascot asks quietly. "That when Alice was a child, she has made society question you? And barely four years ago, she has led the White Queen's army and slain this… Jabberwocky? She has ultimately beaten you? None of this is a joke?" She looked as if she was seeing something she never believed in and was seeing a new light before her. She was stricken between awe, confusion, and fear.
"Everything we say is true, Madame." Stayne nods. "We have no reason to lie to you at this point."
"So then why take us?" Hamish demands loudly. "We are not Alice's family! We mean nothing to her!"
"Contrariwise…" Iracebeth smiles knowingly. "In the past four years, you all have grown quite close to Alice. The bond you share goes beyond formal friendship and is considered a bond most people would die for; a familial bond." Iracebeth sneers at Lady Ascot. "However, due to recent events, maybe Alice won't mind if I get rid of you…"
"It was an honest mistake!" Lady Ascot shouts desperately. Her face is flushed from embarrassment. "I poorly judged Alice out of pitiful anger! How would you have felt if your dress was covered in tea and cake and that girl was just-"
Suddenly Lady Ascot's lips are sealed shut and the only sounds coming out of her are muffled shouts. She immediately stops talking and tries to open her mouth but was unsuccessful. Then she begins to scream through her sealed lips and cries out in panic to her husband, who looked frightened and confused.
"I really am getting tired of hearing meaningless words coming out of your pretty lips." Iracebeth mutters before she lowers her hand. She smirks at the Ascots' horrified stares. "Consider that as a warning. Next time it'll be off with your head."
Lady Ascot only lets out a muffled sob and leans against her husband for comfort.
"Does Alice even know that we're here?" Hamish asks as he hugs his mother tightly.
"No; she only suspects that we are planning to kill you on the spot and that we're searching for you on Earth." Stayne shrugs. "She doesn't know that you are hidden in our dungeon. In fact, she doesn't even know where here is." He smirks.
"So how do you know that she's coming?" William asks quietly.
"You all know Alice; you should know the answer to that." Iracebeth says coolly as she holds her hands together and stares at her prisoners. No one says anything as they glance at each other or at the floor. Suddenly a green flash illuminates the room and startles the prisoners. Unaffected, Stayne and Iracebeth turn to see the large black cauldron glowing a green hue. The glow pulses as if seeking for their attention. Curious, the duo walk closer before Iracebeth looks at her dark magic book for something before she snaps her fingers. Instantly smoke rises from the cauldron and fills the room until three moving figures catch their attention. The blurry forms take the shape of a young woman, a strange man with a tall hat, and a large furry beast. The beast seems to be resting and watching in bored interest as the man hovers over the girl and shows her how to handle a bow and arrow.
Helen gasps when she recognizes the girl. "Alice!" She is somewhat surprised to see that Alice is wearing black training clothing meant for young soldiers. She raises her eyebrows when she notices how close the man is to Alice; he is standing closer to her than he should be permitted to. However, Alice doesn't seem to mind as she focuses on his silent words and stares directly ahead as she aims her arrow on an unknown target.
"So it seems that Alice is on the right track…" Iracebeth mutters quietly as she stares at the forms. "But not at all close to where we are now… It might take days for her to get here…"
"So she knows where we are…?" Margaret asks hopefully as she feeds her son with bottled milk. He was silent as he stares around the room with wide curious blue eyes.
"Yes. We wanted her to find us in order to come 'save' you, but apparently it was too obvious for her to know where we are…" Iracebeth mutters as she shakes her head.
"I'm honestly surprised it took her this long to figure it out…" Stayne murmurs softly. "I mean, Crims may be in ruins but it's still functional here-"
"Be quiet." Iracebeth snaps darkly.
William raises a brow. "So we're at Crims? The castle that you used to rule?"
Iracebeth doesn't move. "My sister took everything from here. But the only thing she doesn't know of is the little dungeon hidden deep underneath the castle."
The prisoners stare at each other uneasily. They were underground? Just great…
"My word… Who is that man with her?" Hamish points at the man as he points at something Alice was aiming at. He smiles widely before he steps back and lets her shoot her target.
"He is nobody of any use." Stayne spat as he glares at the man clapping cheerily for Alice. "Mirana must have assigned him to guard her."
"But who is he?" Margaret asks as she squints. She is caught off guard by his wild orange hair, green eyes, and pale skin.
"A milliner by the name of Tarrant Hightopp." Iracebeth says smoothly. She glances at the Kingsleigh family knowingly. "And possibly her new favorite."
"Favorite?" Lady Ascot blinks. Then realization hits her and she looks both shocked and horrified. "You don't mean-"
"I cannot say for certain, but it seems that they are more than just friends." Iracebeth watches as Tarrant walks away for a moment before pulling something out of the Bandersnatch's bag and walking back to Alice. He hands her what looks like an apple. The blonde smiles before she leans over and kisses his cheek, much to the chagrin of her family. Iracebeth smirks at their expressions. "They make a cute couple, don't you think?"
No one says anything as they stare at Alice and Tarrant as they sit next to the Bandersnatch and enjoy their snack. Tarrant casually wraps an arm around Alice's shoulders as they lean against the beast and make themselves comfortable. Then Alice leans her head against his shoulder as she stares ahead. Tarrant gives her an affectionate squeeze before they turn silent and stare ahead. Suddenly the Bandersnatch shifts and the duo turn to stare at it. Then they smile and toss their remaining fruit to it. The beast catches both and swallows in one gulp before it growls happily and lies back down to rest.
Only Helen isn't staring at the duo with disbelief; instead, she looks thoughtful as she studies their expressions. She has never seen her daughter look so happy and relaxed as she speaks to the milliner. Despite his unnatural complexion, Helen could see the genuine affection behind his now purple eyes as he stares at the blonde. Helen realizes that the milliner must be doing something right in order to make this new side of Alice show up. Although she doesn't know him, Helen has a sense of respect for him for making Alice happy. The only other time she has ever seen her daughter this happy was when her father was still alive and when she left to fulfill his dream.
Soon a soft smile forms on her lips. She instantly knows that the milliner will take good care of her daughter. Why else would he go with her to save her family? He was willing to be there for her when she needs him and he would always listen to her. That enough earned Helen's trust. Alice was not so easily swayed so Tarrant must have a very noble heart in order to win her trust. When the time came, Helen would like to meet with the milliner and give the duo her blessing for their courtship. They both deserve that happiness after everything they went through together.
"Well, well, well…" Stayne clicks his tongue and shakes his head. Everyone glance at him and are alarmed when they see his eye darken at the sight. He frowns and stares at the scene before he shakes his head again and turns to Iracebeth with a dark smirk. "Seems that we found Tarrant's weakness…"
"As well as Alice's…" Iracebeth points out coolly. Then she smirks before she walks over to her book and flips through the pages quickly. "Maybe we should add a little more spice to their chemistry. Make things more… Curiouser. What do you think?"
"Brilliant idea, My Lady." Stayne nods in agreement.
"Don't you dare harm Alice!" Margaret warns threateningly. "You leave my baby sister's relationship out of this! This is between you and her alone!"
"True enough, but where's the fun in that?" Iracebeth says as she carries the book and continues to flip through the pages. Her expression grows bored as she looks over each spell quickly. "If anything, that milliner has been more trouble than he is worth, especially when he vowed to protect my sister and help Alice escape from me last time. I think he earns the punishment as well."
"But-"
"I won't kill them," Iracebeth interrupts Margaret with a finger held up. "No; that would be too easy. Instead, I'm going to test them as they come to us. Let us see whom their true loyalties lie with… Ooh!" Iracebeth giggles in delight as one particular spell catches her eye. When she shows Stayne, he reads it aloud and raises a brow. "'The Storm of Tears' Curse? What good will that do?"
"Keep reading it, idiot…" She sighs. Stayne glares at her before he takes the book and reads it more closely. "'The spell was created from one of the five original magicians in an attempt to force one of his supposed love interests to display her true self and innermost emotions. Performing this spell summons a small hailstorm that pours down small clear crystal orbs that contain chemicals that essentially cause the brain's function of resistance to be switched into reverse after the crystals break. The spell ensures that all the hidden emotions inside each victim will be unleashed tenfold. However, this spell affects everyone within a one-mile radius of the intended victim and lasts one full hour before it completely fades away and leaves the victims completely unaware of what happened during that time period. Therefore, it was labeled as one of the most dangerous curses ever created and was given the name 'The Storm of Tears' due to how overemotional victims grew from it. The side effects vary from person to person; some may suffer from random mood changes or may have less self-control than before. Other times it leaves no effect on the victim'."
Stayne is silent as he stares at the words over again before he glances at Iracebeth once more. "I'm sorry, but I still do not see how this will help us."
"Have you realized that one of the most dangerous weapons in the universe is emotions?" Iracebeth says calmly. "How even the strongest people fall for such things? Figuring out how many emotions Alice has hidden in her will be interesting to see, but imagine how much anger, hatred, and lust that the milliner has inside of him. After losing his entire clan, after seeing all of his friends and home destroyed, after watching Alice leave twice, and knowing how much he loves her… Imagine how all those will reflect on her tenfold and he will be unable to stop himself!"
While the prisoners slowly realize the plan and look utterly helpless and horrified, Stayne grows intrigued. "So you plan to use the Hatter against her? To make her see who he truly is on the inside? That he is much more than just a Mad Hatter?"
Iracebeth smirks. "Exactly as I said; let us see where his true loyalties lie. To himself, to my sister, to his clan's memory… Or to the Champion." She snaps her head to the cauldron and summons a dark blue cloud over them. On instinct, crystalloid droplets fall bits by bits over their heads. "Let the fun begin."
The prisoners' eyes widen in fear and alarm in response.
:)(:
Alice squeals when she feels something pour heavily over her and her allies. Tarrant lets out an amused laugh while the Bandersnatch growls irritably and glares up at the dark blue sky. Small round balls of glass begin to pound unusually hard on the ground and shatter into tiny pieces. Although somewhat startled by the unexpected change in weather, Alice grows curious when she sees a bit of white mist emerging from the orbs that nearly make the area completely foggy. She and Tarrant quickly gather their weapons and walk towards each other before it became too foggy to even see three feet before them.
"Curiouser and curiouser…" Alice murmurs to herself. She feels a hand on her wrist before it pulls her to an unseen destination. "We better find some shelter…" Tarrant murmurs softly. The milliner reaches around to find the Bandersnatch before he feels the beast's fur and chuckles. "Up ye go, big fella. Wouldn't want to get sick from this storm, aye?"
Alice hears a huff and snort before she reaches forward and leans against the Bandersnatch as well as holding Tarrant's hand. They continue to walk through the fog, unaware of what was going on around them. Alice yelps as she feels some of the orbs pounding on her skin and releases Tarrant's hand to shield herself. Then Tarrant decides to change the subject. "Lovely weather we're having, eh Alice?" He chuckles to himself. Alice isn't entirely sure if he was trying to hide his annoyance or was genuinely amused by their ordeal. Either way, she only shrugs as they continue walking.
They continue to walk for several minutes until the Bandersnatch stops and sniffs around before it leads the duo towards another direction. To their surprise and relief, he finds a cave large enough to shield them from the outside weather. Alice lets out a breath as she runs a hair through her slightly disheveled hair and removes any pebbles that might have gotten stuck in her locks. Tarrant merely swipes the glass off his hat before he puts it back on and walks over to Alice. He gives her a fond smile before he takes her hand and leads her to the middle of the cave. As the Bandersnatch makes itself comfortable at the very end of the cave, Tarrant gently places Alice down on the ground and hands her a blanket. Although not cold at the very least, Alice smiles and accepts his offer. Tarrant smiles widely again before he begins to walk outside.
"Where are you going?" Alice calls worriedly. Tarrant gives her a smile. "I won't be too far, love. Just need to get some wood for our little fire. No telling how long this storm will last, eh?" Then he walks out of the cave and laughs merrily up at the sky as glass pours down even harder than before. Tarrant throws his hat to Alice and gives her a wink before he skips through the fog and disappears.
Alice smiles and shakes her head as she holds the milliner's hat close to her chest. What was she to do with that man?
:)(:
The milliner hums cheerily to himself as he struts through the fog and looks closely around for any wood. His smile is wide in pride and happiness as he looks around. He still could not believe his luck! His Alice has accepted his feelings for her and she loves him just as much! Underland's Champion thinks that he, of all people, is trustworthy enough to be with her. He feels as if he has finally found his true purpose; to be there for Alice for everything that she needs. That itself gave him the peace he has not felt for a very long time and he wasn't about to let his new girlfriend down anytime soon.
He lets out a soft 'aha!' as soon as he sees a decent amount of wood scattered around a large tree. As he helps himself to as much wood as he could carry, he ponders on the possibility of Alice surviving the prophecy. After all, Absolem could be entirely wrong about his assumption! Although it is a great possibility that Alice may be destined to die due to all the clues, Hatter will do whatever it takes to make sure that she will be with him for all times. He will do his best to keep her happy.
As Tarrant picks up the firewood, a strange feeling began to creep inside of him and he pauses. He frowns when a strange deep emotion from before hits him deep in his chest out of nowhere. He found it difficult to breathe as this unknown sweep of emotions overwhelms him. Something wasn't right.
Instantly memories flash before his eyes and he cries out from the suddenly painful migraine. He drops all the firewood and falls to his knees as he clutches his head and tries to understand what was happening. He sees various flashbacks, particularly of fire and hauntingly red eyes with bloody stained fangs. He hears screams of pain and panic while the images change into the vision of a young woman being beaten down by a tall man while everything burns around them. He could feel emotions of fear, anguish, and rage when he sees a certain warrior standing beside the man before she turns and leaves after picking up a sword embedded to the ground. He knows he has never seen that event occur so why was it affecting him so much?
Suddenly Tarrant loses all control as he throws his head back and lets out a blood-curdling scream when the emotions overwhelm him. He screams as if something was tearing him from the inside out. The screaming continues to echo through the area until he falls silent and lowers his head. The area is deathly silent (it even stopped raining the moment he started his violent outburst) and it was unsettling to anyone who happened to wander around. Finally the milliner slowly lifts his head with a frown and stares ahead with pitch-black eyes.
'Find that traitorous Champion. She is the reason you lost everything, including your clan! Her long-awaited return has brought so much misery to everyone, so show no mercy!'
A voice hisses these words deep within his mind. He absentmindedly nods as he stands up and slowly walks through the fog in a possessed manner. He pauses to stare around his surroundings before he takes another direction and walks to an unknown destination.
:)(:
Alice hums to herself as she quietly pets the Bandersnatch behind its ears. The creature growls approvingly as it nuzzles its snout on her leg before it rests its head on her lap. She smiles softly as she thinks about the very man that was out looking for firewood. A slight blush finds its way onto her cheeks as she remembers their first kiss. It certainly wasn't the type of kiss one would expect as their first. It was quite passionate, deep, and Alice remembered feeling her insides go on fire from that moment. Margaret has always said that first kisses were uncertain and timid, but the kiss she shared with Tarrant was levels beyond that.
She knows that by everything the milliner has done for her, he truly does care for her well-being. Why else would he want to go help her save her family? It was like her happiness was his top priority; he was willing to prove himself to her. Alice smiles softly as she caresses the helm of the milliner's hat. She knows that although her time is short, she will share it with Tarrant as much as possible. She trusts him with her entire soul.
Suddenly a sound shatters the silence. What sounds like a banshee screech echoes in the cave. The shrill sound startled the Bandersnatch to lift its head up to look around in bewilderment while Alice flinches from fright and confusion. The screeching is followed by an agonized scream and Alice could faintly make out as a roguish cry from the only person she knew has that accent. Her eyes widen.
"Tarrant?" She hesitates as soon as the sound comes to a complete stop. The atmosphere suddenly changes and Alice notices that it stopped raining outside. Alice could feel a sense of dread and anxiety when she hears nothing but her breathing. The Bandersnatch lets out a confused growl as it turns to Alice.
Alice hesitates before she stands up and slowly grabs the Vopal Sword. She looks at the Flower of Elixir on her necklace before she turns to the Bandersnatch. "Stay here and watch over the cave. I'm going out to find Tarrant."
The Bandersnatch responds by standing up and rubbing its head against her body. Alice frowns; the best is obviously not going to let her go alone.
"I'll be fine; honestly. Tarrant may have just gotten lost out there; considering how much fog there is, that's no surprise."
The beast only huffs and snorts before it stands tall over the entrance. Alice frowns again before she sighs. "Fine, you can come along. But we need to split up in order to find him. If I find him or get into any sort of trouble, I'll whistle for you."
The Bandersnatch seems to be satisfied before it stands aside and lets the blonde out of the cave. Alice nods before she walks out and looks around carefully. It feels quite unsettling to be walking out into the fog, especially if you don't know what was going on at the moment. She lets out a deep breath before she walks ahead while the Bandersnatch hesitates before it walks down another way.
Alice is silent as she looks around and walks over several tree roots and twigs. She could feel her heart beating hard in her chest from anxiety. Suddenly she feels a huge wave of emotions hit her and causes something in her chest to tighten. She begins to hyperventilate as she kneels down and drops her sword to catch her breath.
"Alice… Alice…" A voice purrs into her ear. Alice breathes heavily as she looks around but sees nothing. She begins to envision random flashbacks in her brain; she remembers all the scolding from other people to how hard life was when she began her journey on a ship. All the feelings of rejection, disappointment, and fear hit her at full force as tears brim her eyes. The voice seems to be the only thing that kept her focused.
"Who… Who's there?" She whimpers as she wraps her arms around herself. What in Wonderland was she getting so worked up for? "Tarrant? Is that you?"
"Alice… Listen very carefully…" Alice could see a huge green eyes floating her way before it takes the form of a grey cat's head. The cat disappeared before her before he reappeared beside her ear.
"… Chessur?" Alice rasps out as the emotions make her tremble. She suddenly starts seeing a vision of a man beating a poor woman down out of pitiful anger while he screams horrendous curses down at her. The woman was looking up at the man with a heartbreaking smile that showed her love for him. Alice heart drops when she sees a small bump on the woman's stomach. She was pregnant.
"… I do not have much time, so listen closely…" Chessur's face was unusually grave as he stares at Alice. "… Iracebeth has placed a curse upon you and Tarrant… A curse that only effects humans… This curse lasts an hour but it makes you feel random emotions that will force you into killing each other…"
Alice watches as the vision shifts towards a man watching the beating with no remorse on his face. His eyes were red as he stares blankly at the scene before he takes a sword and walks away as if nothing was happening. Alice suddenly felt rage and sorrow by what she was witnessing and felt a sharp pang in her heart. She lets out a cry from the forceful blow but tries to focus on Chessur's words.
"So… What I am witnessing right now is the… Curse…? None of it is real?" Alice whispers.
"Iracebeth is using your past experiences as a trigger to make the curse release all your hidden emotions. The crystal droplets are releasing a gas that causes you to unleash all your rage and anguish. But any vision you do not remember is Iracebeth's work; she is trying to enforce the curse onto you. You must not let your emotions get to you as it has done to the Mad Hatter."
Alice's concern for the Hatter immediately made all the sudden emotions in her come to a complete stop. She gasps aloud and feels instant relief. She lets out a cough as her heart begins to slow at a normal rate before she turns to a smiling Chessur. "Chessur, how-"
"Your love and concern for Tarrant has overcome the other emotions you have experienced in the past. There is only one cure for the curse; the emotion that you are feeling now overcomes everything else. The one emotion that you focus on now is more powerful than any emotion you felt in the past. The only emotion that you cannot forget nor hide. The one emotion that no human being can deny no matter how hard they try. The one emotion that has no limit or extremity; love."
Alice is silent as she considers Chessur's words and feels a slight flush on her cheeks. It was true; her love for Tarrant became her top priority above her other emotions and thus it won the inner conflict. Rage, sadness, confusion, and hatred are all emotions that are temporary spur of the moments; love was undoubtedly the one true human emotion that can neither be hidden nor be ridden in any human's life permanently. It was in human nature in general.
Alice smiles softly at the realization before she turns to Chessur. "Chess… How do you know of this?"
Chessur's smile fades a bit as he looks around cautiously. "Because… I have witnessed this storm twice in my life… Both times when the Hatter has been around."
Alice's eyes widen in realization. "Tarrant!" She jumps up and picks up her sword. "Do you know how he's doing? Is he all right?"
"Alice… I have only this to say to you…" Chessur's form began to evaporate. His words echo in the fog. "The first time the Mad Hatter has been affected with this storm was shortly after you left four years ago… And is the reason why he has those scars on his hands…"
Alice recalls seeing the bandages around Tarrant's hands and frowns in confusion. "But how did he counter the curse last time?"
"He didn't. As I said, the curse lasted only one hour; it was a miracle he survived afterwards…"
"What do you mean? What was he like then?" Alice shouts in the fog. When she receives no response, she tries again. "Chessur, what do I need to do in order to help him through this time? Surely he wouldn't be so consumed by his past emotions that it would make him kill, right?"
Again, no response. Alice suddenly feels uneasy as she looks around.
Suddenly a loud screech makes Alice turn around and she is tackled down by a large body. Alice shrieks as she blindly struggles under the person. When she opens her eyes, she gasps and immediately stops. "Tarrant…"
Tarrant was straddling her waist as he pins her wrists firmly over her head with one hand. He was staring down at her with a look of deep hatred and anger that made the blonde shiver. What completely caught her off guard was his eyes. They were pitch black. His eyes should be red- not black- whenever he was angry. Something was definitely not right. Was this the curse that Chess was warning her about?
"How dare ye?" The milliner's voice was so hoarse that Alice thought he might have heavily worn out his vocal cords. He growls as he reaches down with his free hand to grasp her jaw too tightly to make her look up at him. "How dare ye show yer face roun' these parts?"
"Tarrant?" Alice groans at the pressure around her jaw. She was sure that Tarrant may be bruising her, but that was the least of her worries. If she didn't find a way to get out of this situation, then she will find herself in an even worse scenario. "What are you doing?"
"HOW DARE YE SHOW YER FACE HERE!?" The milliner shrieks in her face, making her recoil. He keeps a firm grasp on her face. "LOOK A' ME WHEN I SPEAK, YE TRAITOR!"
Alice slowly looks up at his pitch-black eyes, fearing that her milliner may be far too lost in his turmoil in order to be cured in less than an hour. She greatly hopes that she wouldn't be damaged beyond repair in the end, but she needed to be quick. She couldn't take any chances. "Tarrant, you have to listen to me. Iracebeth, she-"
"Yes. That bloody big-head, the Red Queen. It's always about her, isn't it?" The Hatter almost spat down at her. His glare does not soften. "It's always been about her. Then it was all about you; do ye have any idea what she has done because of ye?"
"Tarrant, she's brainwashing you into letting all these emotions out! Don't-"
"DO YE HAVE ANY IDEA?" Tarrant screams as he releases Alice and holds her face tightly in his large hands. "DO YE HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT HAPPENED THE DAY SHE SAW THE ORACULUM? OF HOW MANY LIVES SHE HAS TAKEN? SHE HAS SLAIN EVERYONE WHO SO MUCH AS LOOK AT HER WRONG! ALL THOSE MEN, WOMEN, AND EVEN CHILDREN! CHILDREN, ALICE! CHILDREN, WHO WERE AS INNOCENT AS YOU WERE WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVED, WERE BURNED ALIVE BEFORE MY EYES! MY POOR PREGNANT SISTER WAS BEATEN TO DEATH BY STAYNE'S HAND!"
Feelings of pure guilt and horror run through Alice as she stares at the milliner's suddenly very sad face. Then she begins to panic as Tarrant wraps his fingers around her throat and tightens his hold. She gasps for breath as she struggles to get away from the milliner. This was far worse than she had feared; this was out of control. Fortunately, Tarrant releases her and stands up to step back a few feet as he stares at her in disgust. Alice took this time to cough for air. She groans as she feels bruises on her neck.
"And then ye left us… Right when we needed ye most…" Tarrant shakes his head and growls darkly as he circles around the blonde. Alice sits up on her knees but wisely says nothing out of fear of setting the milliner off. She didn't know what she would say would trigger his emotions. "Then ten years later, ye come back as a beautiful young lass…" Tarrant's eyes grow sad but do not change color, something Alice did not fail to notice. "But ye lost yer munchness after all those years…"
He kneels down directly before Alice and stares directly at her face. "I feared all was lost when ye chose not to fulfill your destiny… To slay the Jabberwocky and free us all… But when ye did, I felt such relief at knowing ye would help us finally. When the battle was won, I so greatly hoped that ye would stay with us. But ye didn't, and I felt my heart shatter knowing that the greatest friend I ever had was leaving us all behind again. I feared the thought of ye forgetting us again in the past four years…"
"But I didn't…" Alice interrupts. Tarrant snaps his head up to glare at Alice. He says nothing so she took this as the opportunity to continue. "And I kept my promise. I did come back."
Alice suddenly notices a glint in Tarrant's eyes. That glint was there for a split second before it was gone. His glare intensifies. "Aye, ye did. But at what cost? During the ball, ye were more concerned for yer family than ye were of our world."
"Because that's what families do!" Alice shouts. When she sees the milliner's angry glare, she quickly adds. "Tarrant, you had a family once as well. Surely you understand the concern I have for my own."
Alice sees the glint again and this time it lasted five seconds before the milliner growls. Immediately she knows what she needs to do; remind the Hatter of love for as long as possible until it counters the curse affecting his mind.
"Aye, but my family is long gone… No thanks to ye!" He shouts. "The Red Queen has slain my entire townhome! My whole clan! My family!"
"Tarrant, what would your family think if you behaved like this? Don't you think they would want you to live life happy?"
Tarrant is silent again and Alice sees the glint in his eyes at the remembrance of his family. She takes the chance and continues. "Remember the times you had fighting or playing with your siblings? Or when your mother sang you to sleep or read you stories? Or how your father has raised you to be such a wonderful man with so much potential? Do you think they would want you to keep blaming yourself for what couldn't have been prevented?"
"But… Mae sister… And that little one inside her… Never got the chance to live life…" Tarrant murmurs softly, much to Alice's surprise. It seems her plan was working.
"It was cruel how their passing has come, but I do not think that your sister would want you to suffer because of what happened. As strange as this sounds, but their passing must have been intended." At Tarrant's startled stare, she elaborates. "What I mean is that if their passing was so sudden, then it was supposed to happen. It was their time. Their purpose in life has already been fulfilled."
"HOW?" Tarrant shouts, his eyes going from dark green into black in an instant. "How have their purposes been fulfilled if they haven't even lived out their lives?!"
"Tarrant, please calm down and let me finish." When the milliner narrows his eyes at her and says nothing, she continues. "You said yourself that my destiny was to protect Underland from the Red Queen. But in reality, it isn't; that was merely the climax of my life. My purpose has yet to be known. But based on how I understand this, you were very close to your family. You cherished them as if they were your whole world and they were taken from you just after you have become a man. I think that your family's purpose was to be there for you until it was time for you to move on. It was time for you to move on with your own life and start anew."
Tarrant stares at Alice incredulously for a few moments, too speechless to say anything. "But… That's… NOT fair!" He cries out. "What purpose do I have then? What does fate want with me?!"
"… To protect me and help me serve my duty to protect Underland…?" Alice offered. Tarrant falls silent and gapes at Alice, once again speechless. As he mulls her words through his head, the more the milliner began to realize that the blonde may have a valid point. Somehow this new outlook made something in the milliner's heart shift, and the weight of guilt and sorrow he has been having for years was finally off him.
"… And is that my only purpose…?" Tarrant murmurs to himself in confusion. He looks away from Alice as his eyes slowly change from black to blue. "To protect Underland's Champion…?"
"No…" Alice smiles softly as she reaches out to cradle the milliner's face. Seeing the milliner's sad and confused look makes Alice smile softly. She leans their foreheads together. "That's not the only purpose…"
When the milliner gives her another confused look, she finishes. "The other purpose is exactly the same as my second purpose besides being Underland's Champion. That purpose will help us through everything that comes at our way in the future. That purpose… Is to love each other."
With that said, she kisses Tarrant softly on the lips. She hears him inhale sharply but kisses him harder with the hopes that her plan has succeeded. The kiss lingers for a few seconds before Alice pulls away and releases the milliner's face. Tarrant has a faraway look in his eyes, looking a bit lost. Alice waits anxiously as he heart pounds frantically in her chest. Please have him say something… Anything…!
Finally Tarrant blinks and snaps out of whatever trance he was in. He looks around before staring down at Alice with bewildered green eyes. "Alice, why is a raven like a writing desk?"
Alice lets out a happy squeal before she wraps her arms around Tarrant's neck tightly. She tackles him down on the ground. The unexpected collision makes the milliner yelp as he lands on his back with the blonde right on top of him. "TARRANT, YOU'RE BACK! THANK HEAVENS!"
Tarrant only blinks in confusion as Alice begins kissing his cheeks and lips repeatedly. Although the sudden affection genuinely flattered him, he couldn't help but wonder what has Alice worked up. Suddenly he lets out a gasp when he notices handprints on her jaw and neck. He hastily sits up and lets Alice sit on his lap as he gently examines the bruises. Some of them were barely purple. Alice finally took notice of his horrified expression and stops to stare at him in slight anxiety.
"Alice… Who has done this to you?!" He cries out as he cradles her face and gently fingers her neck with his thumbs. Alice shivers at his gentle touch but grabs his wrists to stare at his slightly orange orbs. He was genuinely worried and angry by the damage he unknowingly bestowed upon her. She is convinced that he was OK.
But… Did he remember anything at all…?
Alice stares at him curiously. "You don't remember anything… At all?"
"No… But while you mention it… I was going out to get some firewood before I felt the worst migraine in the history of worst migraines in all of Underland that made me feel sad and scared and angry and-!"
"Tarrant!" Alice stops the milliner from proceeding with his rant. Tarrant blinks before shaking his head and croaks. "Thank you…"
Alice sighs before she looks around and lets out a loud whistle. Tarrant flinches until Alice stands up and helps him up to his feet before they hear thundering steps coming towards them. Soon the Bandersnatch jogs up to them and pauses to stare at the duo. It notices the dark marks on Alice's neck and snarls before it turns to Tarrant accusingly. Tarrant yelps in bewilderment.
"It's OK…" She pets the beast fondly. "It's all a huge misunderstanding…"
"Misunderstanding?" Tarrant asks in genuine bewilderment. "Alice, please tell me what is going on. First I faint from trauma and then the next thing I see is you holding my face and having bruises around your face!"
Alice sighs. "I promise I'll explain everything when we get into the cave. It's getting too dark out here…" With that said, she gently takes Tarrant's hand and follows the Bandersnatch towards their shelter. The beast glares over his shoulder suspiciously as Tarrant holds Alice protectively in his arms while she nuzzles into his chest. The creature knows that the milliner must have something to do with those bruises; he must have!
:)(:
"NO!" Iracebeth shouts as she glares at the vision of the trio walking down a direction before the smoke fades completely. Stayne stares at the cauldron with a mixture of anger and disbelief while Iracebeth stomps towards her spell book. She tears the page holding her most recent curse and burst it into flames in the palm of her hand. "THAT CRAZY LOON WAS SUPPOSED TO KILL HER! WHY DIDN'T IT WORK?!"
"Because he loves her." Helen's soft voice murmurs in awe and joy. Her eyes are filled with happiness and relief while the others prisoners look a bit shocked yet equally relieved. The whole encounter between Tarrant and Alice had left them speechless; anger at the milliner for harming Alice, pride at Alice for handling the situation so maturely, and relief that she has saved the situation. Margaret lets out a shiver as she cradles her sleeping infant before resting in Lowell's arms.
However, Stefan lets out a whimper when Iracebeth shouts and begins throwing glass at the wall. "IT SHOULD HAVE WORKED!"
"Obviously, emotions from the past cannot stall those two…" Stayne mutters as he begins to light the room with fire again. He was just as angry about the situation as Iracebeth was but he decided not to let it out. No point getting riled up about something that couldn't be helped. "I think we need another course of action…"
"HOW?" Iracebeth demands as she clenches her fists and glares at the tall Knave. "HOW can we possibly stall them now? That bloody cat made Alice aware that they are being watched! They'll be expecting us to cast another curse upon them!"
"Those two are determined, I will give them that. But now it seems that we need to test them on how… WILLING they are to help each other."
Iracebeth pauses before she glances at him curiously. "What are you saying?"
Stayne smirks before he kneels down and whispers something into her ear. As he murmurs his plan to her, Iracebeth lets out a gasp and gapes at the Knave with wide eyes. "Stayne, you vile thing! That surely would cross a line between them!" She then smiles. "I like the way you think."
"What? What are you planning this time?" William asks uneasily. Witnessing the emotional turmoil between his apprentice and her lover was bad enough; what could be worse than that?
"Surely I have something here that'll work…" Iracebeth mutters as she walks over to her book and flips through the pages. "Bleh, bleh, bleh…" She looks through the pages boredly until one title catches her eye. She smiles widely. "Ooh! How about summoning a couple of 'Lust Bugs?'
"Lust Bugs?" Margaret questions. Suddenly her eyes widen in horror. "Please tell me it's not what it sounds like."
"Oh, but it is." Stayne smirks. "And it's the perfect choice." He reads the description. "'Love bugs' bites cause victims to fall helplessly in love with the person they hold deep feelings for. The effects were so severe that it caused the victims to go as far as to kill out of pitiful jealousy or even sleep together without consent. Thus, the small creatures are named 'Lust Bugs'. Because of their bites' dangerous effects, the original King and Queen has degreed a warrant for Underland to banish every single insect into the Outlands. As of today, the bugs are considered extinct. This spell summons a specified number of lust bugs. After their creator specifies their targets, the bugs bite the victims. The curse lasts two full hours until the bite's effects fade away. Side effects include a possible infected bite wound or random emotion outbursts."
Lady Ascot begins screaming through her stitched lips as she catches onto what the exiled queen was saying.
"You are going to make Alice and that milliner…?" William murmurs before horror is written on his face. "YOU WOULDN'T DARE DO SOMETHING THAT HORRENDOUS TO THAT POOR GIRL AND HER FRIEND! YOU WOULD SCAR ALICE FOR LIFE IF HE TAKES AWAY THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES HER THE INNOCENT YOUNG LADY THAT SHE IS!"
"That's the point." Iracebeth says coolly before she waves her hand. Black mist forms on her hands and two small black insects that look like ladybugs with red hearts around their wings gaze up at her with glowing red eyes.
"Hello, my little pretties." She murmurs softly as if she was speaking to children. "I have a job for you. Find the Champion of Underland and her milliner guardian. Bite them and bless them with your love spell. After you do that, you are free to do what you choose. Don't fail your Mummy." She blows a kiss to each bug before she throws them up and watches them buzz away through a window.
"You can't do this!" Margaret cries angrily, tears running down her face.
"Oh, but I can…" Iracebeth sneers at the horrified prisoners. "And I will." She lets out a delighted chuckle as she stares at the moonlight, right at the direction where the insects disappear in.
Dun, dun, duuuun! Now you know what to expect for the next chapter. Much more fluff between Tarrant and Alice! But I must warn you; it won't be anything too graphic; it's still a family movie. It will be more emotional and physical; just not at that level. So don't be too disappointed if you don't read any lemons.
The fight scene between Tarrant and Alice was probably the hardest thing I had to think about. Due to Tarrant losing so much in his life, it was no wonder how he gave into the curse so easily. It was difficult to think about what he would do when someone manipulated his mind into thinking that everything was Alice's fault. How would someone handle another person that they believe is responsible for so much misery? So I studied his behavior in the movie whenever something from the past is mentioned and decided to go along with that angry rough behavior.
Overall, I'd like some more tips on what to do for the next chapter. Things get heated between Alice and Tarrant. But here's the question; after the bugs bite them, what happens first? Suggestions, please! I'm open to anything really.
Review and comment please!