Alice opened her eyes hours later, and the pain hit her head- on. She rolled to her side, and in the chair next to the bed was Tarrant, slumped over with her hand clasped in his. Then the memory of what happened slipped back to her. She was molested by Lowell. She was bruised by him. Tarrant must have saved her after she was knocked out. Relief washed over her. She was saved! Once they performed the Soul Bond, she was set on returning to Underland until Christmas, and she would only visit mother and Hamish; Margaret and Lowell were no longer her family. She rubbed her thumb across Tarrant's hand, and he stirred.
"Tarrant?" she asked, surprised by how gravelly her voice was. He woke from his light doze and looked at her with blue eyes, almost grey.
"Yes, Alice? Are you alright? Can you wiggle your toes?" he leaned towards her, and his large eyes grew even wider.
She wiggled them, and gave a brave smile. "Of course I can. I'm a champion after all. I... I don't feel much like one, though. Did... did he...?"
"No. I stopped him before he could get to your skirts. Your mother checked and made sure." Tarrant patted her hand, and relief once again overcame her face. Then she moved on to the next problem.
"Does Mirana know?" her next concern was voiced, and Tarrant hesitated.
"How about we get you some tea?" he tried to change the subject, and Alice sat up and grabbed his arm.
"Does. She. KNOW?" she gave him a desperate look, and Tarrant sighed.
"Yes. She knows. She's come and played in here a few hours ago, and I sent her to bed a while ago. Your mother is waiting for us. We'll have to do the Soul Bond now, before we go back home. I want you as safe as possible." he stood, and moved to pick her up, but Alice stopped him.
"No, I'm fine. I'm a champion, after all. THE Alice." she slipped from the bed, and found herself in her nightdress.
"Your mother dressed you." her betrothed yawned, and helped her to the parlor.
"How long have you been up?" she looked at his now green tired eyes.
"Only as long as you have been in bed, about twelve hours. But I must be awake so we could do the Soul Bond as soon as possible." he smiled at her. "After all, we'll both be
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asleep for the next few days, and you'll be in pain for a few days after that." he opened the doors to the parlor, and Alice was helped past the step just beyond the threshold.
Beautiful multi- colored ribbons hung from the shelves and knick- knacks, and blue plaid was hung on the walls and over the curtains, blocking the view of London's disgusting streets. The furniture was pushed to the side, save for a small end table and two plaid mats, presumably to lay on. On the table was a knife and two blue plaid wraps, along with a gold rope cord.
Her mother was standing in front of the fireplace, which warmed the room, but it left Alice shivering in excitement. She was going to have a connection to her Hatter that no one else could!
"Hello, Alice dear, are you alright?" Helen helped her onto one mat, and Tarrant was placed on the other.
"Yes, I'm fine. As long as that creep never sets foot in this house, I'll be alright. I'm more in want of starting this ceremony, though."
Tarrant blushed, and Alice had a suddenly naughty thought. Suppose this meant something a bit... impropriotous?
"Well, from what Tarrant here told me, you two are going to slice the palm of your left hands and press them together. Then as a witness, I bind you together. The plaid wrappings won't be used for a few days, as you'll be in a deep sleep. The Tarrant will wake up, since he's the original Outlander, and bandage the both of you, then look after you while the change occurs. No one will be allowed in or out until then." her mother idly picked up the knife, a dirk with Tarrant's initials carved in the silver handle, and gave it to Tarrant.
He quickly sliced the skin after removing his jacket and rolling up his sleeve. Blue blood ran down the line made, and Helen gasped.
"My word! BLUE blood!" she put a hand to her cheek, and Tarrant nodded, his eyes the brightest grass green, excluding the orange ring in his right one.
"All Outlanders have it, especially those from Witzend." Tarrant gave the dirk to Alice, who slid a finger lovingly across the blue liquid upon it.
It was beautiful to her. This was what was keeping Tarrant alive, what would one day keep her children alive. She took a firmer grip on the dirk, and sliced her left hand quickly, and her red blood mixed with his on the blade, and hers dripped down her arm. Tarrant stared at it in wonder. He hadn't thought the color red could be so beautiful and mesmerizing before.
They reached their left hands together, and the cuts met with a sting. The two of them hissed at the pain, but remained firmly in place. Helen picked up the golden cord and intoned her speech in a grave tone.
"I, Helen Kingsleigh, state as witness of this ceremony, bring forth the beginning of this Soul Bond. May you both prosper." she wrapped the cord from the crooks of their elbows to the tips of their fingers, and made an intricate knot at the top.
They were laid down on the mats, and Alice could see Tarrant's eyes flashing
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lavender as they fluttered closed. Her own eyelids grew heavy, even though she had been asleep just a while ago, and soon she fell asleep as well.
The dream was sudden and alarming. She was in Ipalm, which was rebuilt, and a few Outlanders were about, with children running around. It was a bustling city once again. There, in the market, was Tarrant. The moment she found him he looked up, and they locked eyes. A smile broke across his face.
She ran to him, and she noticed a little orange haired girl next to him, holding out ribbons of satin and lace in bold colors. The little girl also broke into a smile, which looked quite like hers, save for the gap in the teeth, and her large green eyes shown with a flash of bubbly pink.
"Mommy!" she ran to Alice, and she automatically picked up the three year old, resting her on her own hip.
"Tarrant, where are we?" she put her free hand in Tarrant's thimble and bandage covered one.
"In a shared dream, Alice. This is the future we both want for us." he led her through the crowd of Outlanders, stopping in front of a house, which was shaped vaguely like a hat. They entered to find it modest, yet it was truly great in their eyes. The sitting room was as colorful as the sitting room in Tarrant's chambers at Mamoreal, with hat fabrics all around. The kitchen table had eight places, and was well worn and wooden. The tea set upon it was light blue, with Ravens and Writing Desks painted on the cups and tea pot.
They approached the bedroom door, and Tarrant held Alice back.
"If you go through that door, the rest of the ritual will begin. You will see all of the most important events of my life, the good and the bad, and you will be in pain. This will be the last time you will suffer without me there to help you." he warned her gently, taking the little girl from her hip and twirling a finger absently in her hair. He then plucked a thimble from his hand and placed it on Alice's finger. "When you finish, I want you to hold on to this and call out to me. I will be there in an instant."
She nodded, and turned to doorknob, and walked through the threshold without hesitation.
He was right. It did hurt.