Summary: After two years, Alice returns to Underland, to face a destiny far greater than she could ever have imagined.

Genre: Romance/Adventure

Pairing: Alice Kingsley & The Mad Hatter/Tarrant Hightopp

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or locations from Lewis Carroll's novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, nor do I own any characters or locations from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. All rights go to Lewis Carroll, Tim Burton, Linda Woolverton, Disney, etc.

** A/N: As you read this chapter, remember that I warned you there would be many twists and turns and surprises ahead.

There's also a second author's note at the end of the chapter which hopefully explains the reasoning behind certain things that take place here.

Alice in Underland

Chapter Thirty Seven

Day Six

Tarrant and Mirana followed her outside into the hall and Alice took Tarrant's hand. They walked down the stairs and Alice brought them to the parlour.

Alice entered with Mirana on one side and Tarrant on the other. "Mother," Alice said. "This is Queen Mirana of Marmoreal."

Mirana stepped forward and smiled graciously. "How do you do, Mrs. Kingsley? I've heard so much about you from Lady Alice."

Alice giggled at that last bit and squeezed Tarrant's hand.

Her mother looked as if she were about to swoon.

"And Mother, this is Lord Tarrant Hightopp," Alice said, smiling happily.

Tarrant stepped forward and took off his hat and bowed gallantly. "I'm very happy to meet you," he said softly.

"Oh my!" Mrs. Kingsley exclaimed, looking quite faint.

Mirana looked at Mrs. Kingsley's shocked face and asked gently, "Are you alright, Mrs. Kingsley? What did Alice tell you exactly?"

"Please, forgive me. It's all so...surprising," Mrs. Kingsley said, trying to collect herself. She gazed at Mirana. "You're really a Queen...from a place called Underland?"

Mirana smiled. "I am, indeed, thanks in great part to your daughter's bravery and courage."

Mrs. Kingsley curtsied in response and said cordially, "Welcome to my home then, Your Majesty."

Alice smiled at her mother approvingly.

Mirana, charming and gracious as always, said, "Please, call me Mirana. There's no need to stand on ceremony on my account. I'm in your world, after all."

Mrs. Kingsley smiled at her then turned to Tarrant. "And you, Lord Hightopp? You're the Hatter Alice told me so much about?"

Tarrant nodded shyly and said, "Yes...although I don't quite know what Lady Alice told you." He looked at Alice a bit anxiously and Alice took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

Mrs. Kingsley gazed at him, her eyes soft. "She told me a great deal. And from what she said, I owe you a debt of gratitude for saving my daughter's life so many times."

Tarrant smiled at her, blushing, unsure of what to say.

"Why don't we all sit down and I can explain things further?" Alice said. "They don't know what I told you, Mother, so perhaps I should get them caught up on everything."

"Yes, yes...of course," Mrs. Kingsley said. She looked at Tarrant and then at Mirana. "Please...do sit down," she said courteously.

Alice kept hold of Tarrant's hand and pulled him over to the sofa and they sat down together, and Mrs. Kingsley and Mirana sat down on the two chairs across from them.

Once seated, Mrs. Kingsley gazed at her daughter and Tarrant, her eyes taking in everything, including how close and intimate they seemed to be with each other, and smiled warmly at them. "Go on, dear," she said to Alice encouragingly.

"Where shall I start?" Alice said. She paused for a moment, thinking, then began. "Well...basically...I gave Mother the full account of all that happened two years ago, from the moment I fell down the rabbit hole and came to Underland, to the end, when I drank the vial of Jabberwocky blood and returned back to this world." She looked at Tarrant and then Mirana. "And then I told her what happened afterwards, about Absolem coming here after he turned into a butterfly, and how he looked after me." She smiled. "And I told her how I kept in touch with you both these past two years."

She turned and gazed at Tarrant. "I told her everything you did when I was in Underland those two years ago...how you were the only one who believed in me, and how you saved me from Stayne and the Red Knights when they came looking for me that first time, by hiding me in the teapot."

Tarrant smiled affectionately at her, remembering.

Alice gazed back at him, feeling emotional suddenly, and said, her voice soft, "I told her how you sacrificed yourself and let yourself get captured so I could escape when Bayard led the Red Knights to us after we left the tea party. And then I told her everything that happened at the Red Queen's castle." She smiled at him tenderly and squeezed his hand. "I told her how you never gave me up and how you protected me there, despite being tortured and knowing you were in danger of being beheaded...and I told her how you fought Stayne so I could get away when I was found out."

Their eyes locked and they stared at one another, remembering the past and forgetting for a moment that anyone else was present. "You saved me from him, knowing you'd be executed for it," she whispered. She gazed at him, silent for a moment. "If you hadn't escaped..." she said, then trailed off suddenly, overcome, as tears came to her eyes. When they began to roll down her cheeks, Tarrant reached up and gently wiped her tears away.

"But I did escape," he said softly. "Thanks to Chessur."

"You really need to forgive him for the past, Tarrant," she whispered. "I can't imagine what would have happened if he hadn't switched places with you." She gazed into his eyes and brought her hand up to his face and stroked his cheek lovingly. "I can't bear to think what my life would be like if I didn't have you," she said emotionally.

Mirana coughed discreetly to remind them they weren't alone, and they both started at the sound, shocked out of their reverie.

Tarrant's eyes widened and he blushed fiercely, and Alice looked at Mirana and her mother, flushing, feeling quite disconcerted and a bit mortified that she could lose herself so completely like that in front of them.

Trying to regain her composure, she turned back to look at Tarrant and quickly said, "Er...and then I told Mother about how you stood beside me during the battle on Frabjous Day and how you saved me from the Jabberwocky when it almost got me."

Mrs. Kingsley said, "The lengths you went to in order to protect my daughter are astonishing. You are truly the bravest and most heroic of men. I can't thank you enough for what you did," she said softly.

Tarrant looked at her and said quietly, "There's no need to thank me, Mrs. Kingsley. I would do anything for Alice."

"Lord Hightopp is a most remarkable man, Mrs. Kingsley," Mirana said. "And he's far too modest."

"Yes," Alice said. "He is. On both counts."

Tarrant blushed and squeezed her hand, and Alice could tell he was quite embarrassed over their emotional display, and by the praise everyone was bestowing upon him. She smiled at him and gracefully changed the subject.

"Mother, perhaps we could have some tea?" she said.

Mrs. Kingsley smiled. "Of course, darling." She gazed at Tarrant then said to Alice, "Why don't you go get that sorted, dear? We can have tea in the garden." She looked at Mirana and smiled at her warmly. "Perhaps you'd like to accompany Alice and she can show you the gardens? I'd like to speak to Lord Hightopp privately for a moment, if I may."

Mirana beamed. "Oh, yes...that would be lovely. I've never been to the Otherworld before so I'm most curious to see everything!" She looked at Alice, her eyes sparkling. "Shall we, Lady Alice?"

Alice looked at Tarrant searchingly, trying to guage whether he was alright with the prospect of being alone with her mother so soon.

He nodded and smiled at her reassuringly then said softly, "Yes, why don't you go show Mirana around? I would like to speak to your mother in private as well."

Alice nodded, her heart racing suddenly. This was it! Tarrant was going to ask her mother for her hand! "Alright," she said to him, her eyes shining. "We'll meet you out in the gardens then, after you and Mother have your...er...chat." She got to her feet and looked at Mirana. "Shall we go then?" she said.

Mirana stood, looking as if she were about to burst with excitement, and Alice held back a giggle. She was feeling quite the same way herself.

Alice went over to Mirana and the Queen took her arm, and they quickly left the room.

The moment they were out of earshot of the parlour, Alice whispered, "He's really going to do it, Mirana! He's going to ask her for my hand."

Mirana nodded excitedly. "I know! You should have seen your mother's face when you two slipped into your own little world and were talking about his near-execution. She looked quite moved."

"I can't believe we forgot ourselves like that!" Alice whispered, leading Mirana to the kitchens. "Especially Tarrant!"

Mirana giggled. "The power of love is stronger than anything, obviously."

Alice laughed.

"Oh!" a voice said, startling them. It was Freda, the Kingsley's maid. "You're here, Miss Alice!"

"Hello, Freda," Alice said exuberantly, unable to contain her giddiness.

Mirana gaped at her, and Alice realised Freda was only the second person she'd ever seen from the Otherworld, not counting herself.

"And you must be the Duchess," Freda exclaimed, her eyes as wide as Mirana's.

Alice giggled. "Er...yes. Freda, this is the Duchess Mirana Marmoreal."

Freda curtsied. "How do you do, Your Grace," she said.

Mirana bit her lip to keep from laughing. This would be her first chance playing the role of Duchess. "I'm very well, thank you," she said regally. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She looked at Alice to see whether she'd gotten it right and Alice nodded slightly, smiling.

"Freda," Alice said, "in addition to the Duchess here, another party has come to join us today. A Lord Tarrant Hightopp. Mother is speaking to him right now in the parlour but she would like us to have tea in the garden in a short while."

"Oh! I'll get started on that right away then," Freda said.

Alice nodded. "Thank you, Freda." She smiled at the maid. "I shall be taking the Duchess outside now to show her the gardens while we wait for Mother and Lord Hightopp."

"Yes, Miss Alice," she said.

Alice took Mirana's arm and led her out of the kitchens and made way for the sitting room that opened to the gardens. "Come along, Your Grace," Alice whispered and Mirana burst out laughing.

"This is so exciting!" Mirana whispered. "Did I do that right?"

Alice nodded. "You were perfect. I just hope Mother doesn't forget herself and slip up. I should have said something about that."

"No. I wouldn't worry. I can tell, your mother will be very discreet," Mirana said.

They got to the sitting room and Mirana looked around the room eagerly. "You must show me around the house after tea. I can't tell you how fascinating it all is!"

Alice grinned. "I will," she promised. "In the meantime, let's go outside and you can see what a typical English garden looks like."

Once they were outside, Mirana gasped. "Oh! How lovely. It looks different actually being out here than it did from the window in your bedroom." She gasped again. "Good heavens! Tarrant was right. The grass really is quite green here!"

Alice giggled. "Look!" she said, pointing. "There's another naked rabbit."

Mirana laughed. "It's so very odd!"

"I must take you to the London Zoo in Regent's Park. There are all sorts of animals there you've never seen the likes of. Now that Mother knows the truth we can come and go whenever we want, I imagine."

"Oh, Alice! Honestly! I didn't even think of that. How wonderful!" she said, her eyes sparkling.

"Your Knave will probably be annoyed. I fancy he thinks I'm a bad influence on you."

Mirana giggled. "Isn't he awful?" she whispered. "He's so...severe and disapproving."

"I can't believe I actually considered him as one of your potential suitors," Alice said, laughing.

Mirana looked horrified. "Good God! Can you imagine? I want a man who has a more passionate nature. Honestly! Can you imagine the Knave with a woman...in that way?"

Alice tried to imagine it, picturing the Knave trying to kiss someone, and laughed so hard at the thought she doubled over, holding her stomach, and soon Mirana was laughing just as helplessly.

They noticed Freda coming outside then, to set the table, and they tried to collect themselves. They were a fair distance away so Freda didn't see them, thankfully.

"Oh my!" Mirana gasped, trying to catch her breath. "It wouldn't do for your maid to see a Duchess conducting herself in such an indecorous manner!"

Alice giggled. "Don't worry. She's too far away to see anything." She paused for a moment then gazed at Mirana thoughtfully. "What kind of man do you think your true love is?"

"I hope he's like Tarrant, to tell you the truth. Not that I have designs on him, of course! But I want someone who possesses the same qualities."

Alice smiled. "He's so...everything. There are so many sides to him, and I love every one of them. He can be so sweet and adorably shy...but then he can also be quite...er..."

"Passionate?" Mirana whispered coyly.

Alice blushed. "Definitely," she whispered.

"Naughty?"

"Mirana!" Alice gasped, then giggled. "If I told you yes would you think us terribly wicked?" she whispered.

"No. I'd just be envious. I miss it. Feeling that way, being in love, sneaking off for forbidden trysts...it was so exciting!"

Alice smiled dreamily. "Yes...it is." She looked at Mirana then said, "Can I tell you a secret?"

Mirana nodded. "Of course you can."

"Tarrant said he wants us to get married very soon, sooner than we might have originally planned. Despite our...er...passionate moments he's still a proper gentleman at heart, and it's getting more and more difficult to...er...stop." She gazed at Mirana uncertainly. "Is it bad that I'm telling you this?"

"Of course not! I understand. Besides, we're like sisters now, you and I. And sisters confide in one another." She smiled. "It was like that for me too, you know. We couldn't keep our hands off each other," she whispered.

"Does it make you terribly sad to think about it?"

"Not as much. A lot of time has passed. And I'm looking forward now, not backwards."

"I'm glad to hear that," Alice said, smiling. "You know, after seeing the men in Underland I have to agree that your true love must come from here, in the Otherworld," Alice said. "We just have to trust in Fate. I have a feeling we're going to meet him very soon."

Mirana's eyes lit up brilliantly. "I do too." She looked past Alice's shoulder and gasped. "Oh, Alice! Look!" She smiled happily. "I don't think there was any problem with Tarrant getting your mother's blessing! Look at them."

Alice turned and saw that Tarrant was escorting her mother outside and both seemed quite cosy with each other. "Oh!" Alice breathed. "Let's go! I can't wait to hear what happened!"

The two women began making their way back towards the house, and the closer they got, the more excited Alice felt. Tarrant had clearly won her mother over completely, as she was gazing at him with such fondness and affection, it surprised Alice, for she'd never seen her mother look at Lowell that way ever. "I'm not sure who to speak to first," Alice whispered.

"Why don't I talk to your mother while you speak to Tarrant first," Mirana said. "That way I can tell her the whole Duchess thing and I can tell her about Underland. I'm hoping when we go back later, she'll come with us."

"Really?" Alice said. "Oh! I should love that. And so should my mother, I imagine!"

When they finally got to where Tarrant and her mother were waiting, Alice took one look at their happy faces and smiled joyfully.

Mirana stepped forward and asked, "Mrs. Kingsley? May I speak to you for a moment? We spoke to your maid a bit ago and told her I'm a Duchess, as no one but you can know the truth, so I wanted to discuss it with you and ask your opinion on it."

Mrs. Kingsley nodded then gave her daughter a big smile, looking quite ecstatic, and said gaily, "Why don't you and Tarrant go take a walk in the gardens, dear, while I speak to the Queen?"

So she was calling him Tarrant, Alice thought. Things were even better than she could have hoped for! She nodded happily and looked at Tarrant.

He grinned hugely and went to her and took her arm and led her away. "Alice!" he whispered elatedly. "She said yes!"

"Of course she did, love!" Alice said, smiling. "I can see she quite adores you already. Honestly. She only just met you and already she's doting on you more than she ever did on Lowell, my sister's husband, and they've been together for years."

Tarrant pulled her behind a tree and out of sight then wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "I love you so much, Alice. I'm so happy right now I feel like my heart might explode."

"I love you too," she said emotionally, burying her face into his neck. "Things just keep getting more and more perfect!"

They began kissing rapturously and when they drew back to catch their breath, Alice said, "So...are you going to tell me about your talk?"

Tarrant smiled. "I'll let you talk to your mother about it."

Alice grinned at him. "Come then, we should probably get back, love. I'm sure the tea is ready now."

Tarrant nodded and took her hand and they began to head back.

As they got closer, Alice could see that Mirana and her mother were sitting at the table, whispering to each other, thick as thieves, and she laughed softly. "Well!" Alice whispered to Tarrant. "You two have certainly won my mother over! I've never seen her like this!"

"Ah! Alice, Tarrant!" Mrs. Kingsley said as they approached. "Come...sit. Tea is ready." She beamed at them, then exchanged a conspiratorial look with Mirana.

Alice was flabbergasted. She knew her mother would like both Tarrant and Mirana but she never dreamed it would go this well. She and Tarrant sat down and watched as her mother poured the tea.

"So!" her mother said, once everyone was served. "Mirana has updated me on everything, so we'll be keeping to the story that she's a Duchess who you met on your travels, and Tarrant is a dear friend of hers from Scotland, who she introduced you to."

Alice and Tarrant glanced at each other, smiling, then nodded in unison.

"There's been a slight change of plans," Mirana said excitedly, "After tea, I thought we might pop back to Underland for a little bit, to show your mother the castle, then we'll come back here and explore London, as originally planned. Your mother would like to accompany us and has invited us out to dinner in a restaurant!"

"Oh!" Alice said, surprised. She looked at Tarrant. "Would you like that?"

He smiled and nodded. "Very much," he said. He looked at Mrs. Kingsley. "But will I stand out, do you think? Do I look like someone from the Otherworld?" he asked her.

Mrs. Kingsley smiled. "You'll be just fine, dear," she said warmly, her eyes soft.

"I can't wait for you to see the castle!" Mirana exclaimed.

"Me neither!" Mrs. Kingsley said. "It's so very exciting."

Alice smiled delightedly. "Wait until you see my chambers, Mother. You won't believe how gorgeous they are!"

Mrs. Kingsley beamed, and Alice felt her heart swell with joy. She hadn't seen her mother looking so happy in years.

Everyone was so excited they rushed through tea.

Afterwards, they went into the house and Mrs. Kingsley informed Freda that they were all going out for a bit, then they left through the front door and snuck back to the gardens and quickly made their way to a secluded spot where no one could see them.

"Right then. Everyone hold hands," Mirana said. "Alice, you stand between me and Tarrant, like we did before, and I'll take your mother's hand."

They all got into place.

"Is everyone ready?" Mirana said. "Alright, Alice you know what to do. Wish us to my chambers. Giselle is discreet and we don't want to shock anyone with our sudden arrival."

Alice giggled. "Everyone close your eyes. Mother, hold on to Mirana's hand tightly."

"Go on, Alice. We're ready," Mirana said.

"Alright, here we go," Alice said. "On the count of three. One...two...three..." Holding Tarrant's and Mirana's hands tightly, she closed her eyes and wished them to Mirana's chambers and with a woosh, off they went.

A/N: For anyone who might question my characterisation of Mrs. Kingsley, I thought I might explain my thinking. We didn't see much of her in the movie to get a true idea about who she really was as a person. She acted stern and reproving with Alice in the carriage ride to the Ascot's but I think it was because she knew it was to be the engagement party for Alice and Hamish, which was a very big deal, and they were already quite late for it so she was very tense and anxious at the time. But then, later, we also saw her speaking with Lord Ascot and when they spoke of Mr. Kingsley there was a wistfulness about her and a different side of herself peeked through. What I saw was a woman who married a dreamer and a visionary, one she clearly loved and believed in, and greatly missed. She didn't strike me as someone who would marry such a man if she didn't share at least some of his qualities.

So, when Alice began to tell her everything in the previous chapter she tried to be open-minded. She didn't quite believe it, obviously, but she thought Alice believed it. At that point, she didn't know quite what to make of it all. But once she met Absolem, Mrs. Kingsley had no choice but to believe Alice's tale, for it appeared to be true, as fantastical as it was.

As for her acceptance of Tarrant and Mirana, both of them are very sweet and charming people so I think Mrs. Kingsley would have liked them immediately. And when she saw the way Alice was with Tarrant, particularly the emotional exchange between them, just like Mirana told Alice, she was very moved. Remember, before Tarrant (and Mirana and Underland) opened her up and set her free to become her true self, Alice was a much more reserved and cautious person, before so Mrs. Kingsley had never seen Alice act in such a way. And who wouldn't be charmed by Tarrant?

You'll find out more about Mrs. Kingsley's talk with him in the next chapter, but suffice it to say, the two of them really bonded and she's very happy about him and Alice. She told Alice in the last chapter that she had been wrong to push her to marry, but that she had done it because she wanted to make sure she was taken care of. But she also told her she realised how wrong she had been and that Alice should only marry for love, just as she did. And obviously, Alice and Tarrant are deeply in love and Mrs. Kingsley saw it at once.

Her excitement to see Underland and the castle is understandable if you think about how unhappy she must have been all these years since her husband died. In that way, she's a lot like Mirana. All she has now are her two daughters: Margaret, who is prim and conventional, and married to a cad...and Alice, who is so much like her father, but who Mrs. Kingsley has worried about, fearing she would have a hard time in life because she was so different from everyone.

And now, suddenly, she has just learned that Alice is deeply in love with a man Mrs. Kingsley quite likes and approves of, and she's also a titled Lady living in the Queen's Court, in a world where she is completely accepted for who she is. Having had a husband like Charles Kingsley, I imagine she shared many adventures with him and it's been years since she's had something new to shake up her life. So, she's excited to see this new world and to have a new adventure. Again, she and Mirana are quite alike in this way.

I hope you all like this twist. I really wanted to bring Mrs. Kingsley into the story because, watching the movie (which I've seen several times now!), I felt she was very sad and lonely, yet she's also quite elegant and graceful and seems like she could be a very kind and warm person.

Just to warn you, things might be going swimmingly right now for everyone but there will be a shocking twist coming up ahead...though hopefully you won't see it coming.