A year has flown by so quickly. Alice and I celebrated our two year anniversary and our little ones turned one year old ten months later. On Alice and I's one year anniversary, we got the dreaded letter stating Mrs. Gillihan did pass away at the same time Alice gave birth to Gavin. It took me a year to convince Alice to have a family portrait made for Mrs. Gillihan even though she's no longer with us. Alice finally agreed to do the portrait. I'm dressing the boys in their nice brown suits with their high top shoes and top hats. They're so adorable and they look just like me. Alice was dressing the girls in their beautiful green dresses and hats to match with their black glittery shoes. We put them into their stroller and Alice pushed them to the front door.
"You remember what pose I said I like for us to do?" Alice questioned to see if I remembered correctly.
I replied, "The portrait of my family with me as a newborn right?"
Alice smiled and replied, "That's it. Oh Tarrant, it will be so adorable."
"Only the roles are switched; I'm father, you're mother, and the children are me. You're sure you don't want to be in a formal sitting?" I wanted to make sure the pose she picked was the one she really wanted.
She exhaled frustratingly, "How many times are we going to go through this? You know I hate anything formal. I want that pose and _gonadh_ we're going to do that one."
We walked out the house. I closed the door, locked it, and walked to the carriage. Alice got in and I took out Carlie and Timothy then handed them to Alice. I took out Emily and Gavin then handed them to Alice. I made the stroller collapse and brought it into the carriage. I sat down, grabbed my boys, and the carriage took off to the castle. Alice and I started talking to Carlie, Timothy, Emily, and Gavin. They were laughing and making their noises as if trying to talk.
I decided to get playful, "Who do you love in the whole wide world?"
Emily babbled out, "dada."
Alice and I looked at each other and smiled. I wanted to Futterwacken so bad but we weren't near the castle yet.
"Did you hear that? Emily said her first word!" Alice was so excited.
I replied back with just as much excitement, "Yes I did! She said dada. Come on, Emily. Say it again for _athair_."
Timothy was the next one to say, "Dada."
I was smiling a huge smile and Alice was extremely excited trying to get the other two to talk.
Carlie giggled, waved her arms up and down, and bellowed, "Dada."
Hurry up and get to the castle! I have a huge Futterwacken that I need to let out!
I looked at Gavin and encouraged him, "Come on, Gavin. Say it for _athair_. Say dada."
Gavin just smiled and giggled. I was just about to give up then…
"Dada!" Gavin said it half giggling and half yelling.
The carriage pulled up to the castle gates and they were still saying it. The carriage stopped and I dashed out the carriage with the stroller in my hands after handing the boys back to Alice. I fixed the stroller and grabbed Gavin and Timothy then placed them in the stroller. I took Carlie and Emily then placed them in the stroller. I helped Alice out and she pushed the stroller into the castle. Carlisle, Mirana, Sophia, Thackery, and Tanna were waiting on us with the artist. There was too much energy bottled up in me that I had to let it out.
"**They said their first word! Callou Callay!**" I exclaimed and Futterwackened…vigorously.
Carlisle laughed and asked, "And what word was that, _bràthair_?"
"**They said dada**!" I said very excitedly and continued my Futterwacken.
Chessur appeared out of nowhere as usual and questioned me, "Don't tell me you're going to be a father again?"
I froze…and turned to face him. Alice's mouth dropped to the floor in shock. I knew my eyes were changing from their normal lime green to orange.
"Oh boy…I think I let a cat out the bag…I'll be going now!" Chessur smirked and started to disappear.
I hollered out almost scaring the children, "**Not so fas yu slurvish fur ball!**"
Chessur looked at me with an irritated look, "Slurvish? You know I was just poking fun at you, Tarrant. You of all people know how I joke with everyone…"
I was about to jump down his throat when I heard Emily say, "Dada."
Carlisle, Mirana, Sophia, Thackery, and Tanna gasped then awed. Chessur was starting to kick himself for what he said to me earlier. He smiled then turned to face me.
"I'm sorry, Tarrant. It's amazing that your little ones said their first word and it was dada. Do you forgive me?" Chessur made me some sad eyes and _gonadh_ I can't stay mad at him with those sad begging eyes.
I exhaled, "Fine…all is forgiven."
Suddenly I noticed a blur out the corner of my eye. Tanna ran off because she started to look green. Thackery ran after her and I noticed something. That was how Alice was when we found out we were with child. Mirana excused herself and left us. Suddenly after waiting for ten minutes for the artist to set up, I looked down at my hands and they were glowing pink and blue. I looked at Alice and hers too were glowing pink and blue. Thackery ran back to us.
"**I'm going to be a father to quadruplets!**" Thackery announced.
I started laughing madly and Thackery turned to look at me, "No old man. You're having eight! Look."
I showed him my hands and Alice showed him her hands. Thackery's eyes rolled back and he passed out. Sophia and Carlisle tended to him while the artist led Alice and I and the children to the throne room for our portrait.
The artist started positioning us, "Alright, Mr. Hightopp, you will be sitting on the floor leaning on your left arm with both your legs pointing to the right. Mrs. Hightopp you will sit just like Mr. Hightopp but you will be leaning on your right arm with your legs pointing to the left. Now the children will be with Mrs. Hightopp and Mr. Hightopp will be reaching over to touch them while gazing into Mrs. Hightopp's eyes."
I smiled and answered, "Piece of cake."
We got into position and the artist started drawing. Alice and I exchanged looks of admiration, love, and desire. After what seemed like thirty minutes, I decided to talk to her.
I broke the silence between us, "Already a year old…they're growing up so fast."
Alice's eyes got sad and she sadly stated, "I know. It seems only yesterday that we found out we were expecting them and now they're a year old."
"Well, do you miss being with child?" I questioned and Alice was catching on.
She replied, "I miss the feeling of a baby growing inside of me. I don't miss the labor and delivery at all. I miss everything else after that such as the feedings, rocking them to sleep, and dressing them into their adorable clothes."
"So…are you ready to start again or do you want to wait until these four are out of diapers which I think is the best idea," I asked even though I want to wait until these four are out of diapers and can eat on their own.
She answered like I knew she would, "Yes, I'm ready to do it over again. However, I want Carlie, Emily, Timothy, and Gavin out of diapers first."
I smiled at her and she returned the smile. She was so beautiful in her purple dress with her hair worn up in a curled ponytail with her bangs curled shaping the side of her face. We just gazed into each other's eyes and every once in a while check on our little ones to make sure they were alright. I heard the doors to the throne room open and close. Carlisle and Mirana walked in with two people who looked awfully familiar to me. Finally, the artist put his brush down.
"Alright Mr. and Mrs. Hightopp, your part is finished. Since I have to make two, I can use this one as my guide. You are such an adorable family. I won't want to finish this project. You're all picture perfect," the artist commented on how we looked.
I smiled and Alice thanked him, "Thank you, Bailen for taking time out of your busy schedule to do our portrait."
"No problem. I love to keep myself busy," Bailen stated excitingly as he returned to the portrait.
Alice and I put Carlie, Timothy, Emily, and Gavin back into the stroller. Alice pushed them as we walked toward Carlisle and Mirana. The two people with them started coming into view. _Clannadh,_ I believed my eyes were having a hallucination because those people looked like my mother and father. I took another look at them and then tried focusing my eyes again. They still looked like mother and father. The woman smiled at me and so did the man. I stopped dead in my tracks. Alice looked at me worryingly.
"Tarrant, are you alright?" she was starting to worry about me my darling wife.
I inhaled then exhaled, "If my eyes are not deceiving me, I believe that those two people with Carlisle and Mirana are _màthair_ and _athair_."
Alice looked and she concluded, "Go to them, Tarrant. It is your mother and father! I recognize them from the family portraits. Tarrant don't just stand there…go to them."
I ran up to them and bear hugged my mother. Father started laughing at me and patted me on my back. I broke the embrace from my mother and bear hugged my father.
"It's good to see you again _mo mac,_ but do you have to squeeze so tightly?"My father questioned me and I released him.
I turned to Alice and the children then started the introductions, "_Athair, màthair_, this is my wife Alice Kingsleigh and these four little ones are our children. Starting from the left is Carlie, Timothy, Emily, and Gavin; your grandchildren."
_Màthair _was in tears and _Athair_ was holding back the tears when they looked at the children.
_Màthair _broke the silence, "Tarrant, _mo mac_, is she the Alice Kingsleigh who would return to Underland to slay the Jabberwocky and bring peace to Underland?"
Alice replied, "Yes I was the Alice who slayed the Jabberwocky and brought peace to Underland. To give you some more details as to why I'm still here, it's because of your son. As I was about to leave Underland to return to where I live in the Otherland, he convinced me to stay by declaring his love for me and then I declared my love for him. After telling my family farewell, he and I came back to Underland, got engaged, got married, and now have four healthy beautiful children."
_Athair_ smiled at her and _màthair_ replied, "I want to welcome you into our family even though it's too late. We have an explanation as to why we just showed up now."
Carlisle interrupted, "Let's go to my chambers and we can discuss this further."
Mother, father, Sophia (carrying Sarah), Carlisle, Mirana, me, and Alice (pushing the stroller) followed Carlisle to he and Mirana's chambers. He opened the door for all of us to walk in. We all walked in and he closed it.
_Athair_ started explaining in Outlandish, "_Fa a' Horunvendush latha, sinn bha glacadh tro a' dorcha flath _Victor _de_ Napa Bree _an a' deas…_"
Alice turned to me and asked, "Could you please explain what he just said? I understood some of it but the rest is hard."
I whispered, "He said on the Horunvendush day, we were captured by the Black King Victor of Napa Bree in the south."
Alice understood and father continued, "_San air a tharraing sinne do a caistel an _Napa Bree. _San cruthaich sinne stadh airson fhèin…_"
I translated, "He brought us to the castle in Napa Bree. He made us work for him."
Father concluded, "_San bagair do marbh sinne ma sinn ruith. Sinne fan agus o chionn ghoirid faral_."
I concluded the translation, "He threatened us with our lives if we'd run. We stayed and recently escaped."
Father realized I translated the whole thing for Alice and immediately began to apologize, "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you didn't understand Outlandish. _Dia gonadh gille cù boireann_!"
"Randolph!" _Màthair_ fussed at my _athair_.
He replied, "Marlane, I'm sorry. I just assumed Tarrant taught Alice some Outlandish which I'm very disappointed in you by the way, _mo mac_! You should have taught her how to speak in Outlandish since you know _gonadh_ well we use fluently!"
Carlisle and I brought him out of his babbling, "_Athair_!"
"I'm fine. I'm so sorry, Alice, for confusing you," he finally finished apologizing.
Alice surprised me when she said, "_Ei co snasail,_ Mr. Randolph. _Feuch, mi mothaich beagan biod._"
I looked at _athair_ and gave him an expression that said, 'see I taught her a little bit.' The look on his face told me that I should have taught her more. I don't like disappointing my father so I excused myself from the chambers and walked to my hat shop. Alice followed me without the children; evidently, _màthair_ wanted to spend some time with her grandchildren.
I asked anyway, "Love, where are the children?"
Alice answered after she wrapped her arms around me, "With your mother, she wanted to get to know them better while I come to cheer you up."
"I will never satisfy _athair_. He wanted me to have you fluent in Outlandish! I'm sure I could have had you fluent by now but we were both so busy with…"
"Tarrant," she got me focused again.
I exhaled, "Thank you. It's just that I love _athair_ and yet he expects so much from me that it seems as if I'm about to explode into pieces. Especially when he thinks I'm so smart and talented then he really pushes me past my limits…"
Alice took my face into her hands, "Tarrant, just shut up, and make love to me."
My eyes immediately turned to gold and my accent came out in its glory, "Oh yur in fo it luv. Ah dinnae ef yu kin wulk afta dis."
I pushed her up against the door and passionately kissed her while I locked the door behind her. I moved her to my desk and pushed everything off to lay her down. Oh, you know what happened next, and it was simply amazing!
We collapsed into each other's arms and attempted to catch our breath.
It was one month later and Tanna looked as if she was about to explode. Thackery was waiting on her like a maid; getting her food and water, giving her back rubs, rubbing her feet, massaging her shoulders, and I could name more but it would be a long list. Alice and I were asked to be the godparents and we were so thrilled about it. I walked into Carlisle's study and found Alice and Tanna hard at work looking at a sketch of the village next to my family village. It was the village where Thackery lived and Tanna when she was growing up.
"I brought tea for the lovely ladies working hard on restoring the Miran Village. You did a wonderful job for the Hightopp Village. It looks just as it did when I was growing up," I bragged as I set the tea tray down for them.
Thackery was making me sick. He was massaging Tanna's shoulders then Alice gave me the evil eye.
I glanced her way, "What?"
She replied, "Why didn't you massage my shoulders when I was with child? Why didn't you bring me my food and drinks or give me back rubs?"
I put my foot down real fast, "Oh wait a minute…who massaged your back when you had pain in it? Who massaged your feet after a long day at work? Who made you cookies when you had a craving? All of those answers are me. Don't start by saying Thackery is doing more than I did and he looks like the ideal husband."
Alice countered my attack, "Did I say that he is doing more than what you did? No I didn't. You could have brought me my food and drinks."
I rolled my eyes and retaliated, "You got it yourself because you complained every time I got you your food and drink. You always said, 'I said water not tea. I wanted potato soup not tomato.' That's when I stopped getting your food and drink because you changed your mind after I asked you four times if that's what you wanted."
"Thackery…it's show time!" Tanna grabbed her stomach and winced in pain.
He picked her up and hurried up to the mid wife. Alice and I followed behind them then Carlisle and Mirana followed behind. When we reached the room, Thackery was pacing in the waiting room. Lana walked out and told Mirana and Alice to go in to help. Sophia arrived and was pulled in as well. Carlisle and I were sitting down drumming our fingers on the arm rests of the winged back chairs. Thackery paced the floor and then Tanna screamed. Thackery started chewing on his fingernails and walked toward me. He stopped at the winged back chair I was sitting in and grabbed my hand. I squeezed his hand, got up, and patted his back. The screaming stopped for a while then it started up again. Thackery sat down and I walked over to fix him some tea. I fixed it the way he liked it; four sugars, one spoonful of milk, and a twist of lemon. I stirred it, walked over to Thackery, handed it to him, and he took a sip.
"Thank you," Thackery's voice was shaky from being so nervous about how Tanna was doing.
Carlisle got up and patted Thackery on the back, "She'll be fine old man. It's just part of life. Every female will go through child birth in some part of her life. Tanna will be fine just wait and see."
After hearing screaming for two hours, Alice and Mirana walked out. Thackery looked their way and they both smiled.
Alice announced, "They're here. All eight and counted for."
Mirana added, "They're pink…they have no fur…and they're tiny. Tanna was wonderful. She's been asking about you, Thackery. Go see her."
I placed my hand on his shoulder and he looked up at me, "Congratulations, _athair_! Go to her. We're all very happy for the both of you."
Thackery turned to look at Carlisle and Mirana, "It's your turn now."
They both blushed and Alice and I started laughing to ourselves.
I decided to counter, "Well Thackery, you didn't have to have all your children at one time."
Thackery sarcastically laughed and answered, "Very funny Tarrant…by the way. I challenge you to see who will have the most children; you or me."
I walked up to him, leaned forward, and whispered to where only he could hear me, "I accept your challenge old man and be prepared to lose."
A month passed and it was the night Alice, myself, and our children go to London to celebrate Christmas Eve and then Christmas Day tomorrow. I arrived home from work late because of so many hat orders for the sudden change in weather. This morning was hot but then as the day progressed, the temperature dropped drastically. I hurried into the house and shed off my long black coat then hung it on the coat rack. I took off my scarf and hung it on the rack as well.
"In the dining room Tarrant," Alice called out to me.
I walked into the dining room and then…
"**Surprise! Happy Unbirthday!**"
My family, how they remembered…it made my heart leap that they remembered. There was a cake as well. Alice approached me, kissed me, and led me to the table. _Màthair_ and _Athair_ were holding Carlie, Timothy, Emily, and Gavin sitting at the table. Sophia and Sarah were sitting to the right of my seat at the head of the table. Carlisle was sitting across from me with Mirana at his right. Thackery and Tanna were there with the bunnies. Carlisle got up and lit the candles on the cake. Alice counted everyone off and they sang Happy UnBirthday to me. After they finished, I made a wish…I'm not going to tell my wish then it won't come true…then I blew out the candles. Everyone clapped then Carlisle ran to the window.
"Tarrant…I don't know what your wish was but it's…it's…" Carlisle started to say something but got caught up at whatever was happening outside.
Thackery went to the window and did just like Carlisle, "Tarrant, whatever you wished for, it's making it…it…"
"Oh say it already!" I was getting extremely impatient at this point and I walked up to the window and _clannadh_, "It's…snowing."
Alice walked up to the window and couldn't believe her eyes, "Snowing in Underland? Has it snowed here before?"
_Màthair_ answered her, "Oh yes my dear. It always snowed at this time of year. The last time it snowed here was the Criplin day which was the day before the Red Queen became ruler of Underland."
Alice got curious, "It hasn't snowed here until now?"
All of us nodded our heads and I explained, "Since you defeated the Jabberwocky and I took care of Stayne and bluddy behg hid, I guess even the weather is grateful to return to normal."
Carlisle took Mirana by the hand, "Come let's go outside."
Carlisle and Mirana went outside then Sophia brought Sarah out. Thackery and Tanna pushed the stroller carrying the bunnies outside. _Màthair_ helped Alice put the children into the stroller. We pushed them out and _Màthair and Athair _followed behind Alice and I and the children. The snowflakes were huge and when the flurries would hit the children, they started crying.
"I'll bring them in. Alice, you and Tarrant stay out. _Athair_ and I will be inside with the children," _Màthair _walked up to us and took the handles of the stroller.
I mouthed thank you and Alice and I kissed our little ones before they went back inside. _Màthair_ pushed the stroller into the house and _Athair_ followed in behind her. I offered Alice my arm and we walked out into the street. Sarah's nanny took Sarah inside because she too didn't like the snow hitting her. The bunnies liked the snow so Tanna and Thackery stayed out with them. Suddenly, I heard my name.
"Tarrant! We're over here!" Sophia called out to me and I noticed she, Carlisle, and Mirana were at the pole with the multicolored ribbons.
Alice laughed and asked, "What are they doing?"
I couldn't answer but I knew that they wanted to do like old times and wrap the pole with the ribbons then let it go. We walked up to them and stopped. Carlisle gave me the purple ribbon and Sophia gave Alice the green ribbon. Carlisle, Sophia, and I had smiles on our faces because of the wonderful memories this brought back to us.
"Alright are you all ready? 1…" Carlisle started.
"2…" Sophia added.
"3 GO!" I concluded and we all took off going clockwise around the pole.
We were all laughing as we made our way around the pole watching each ribbon wrap around. When we wrapped the whole pole, Carlisle stopped us.
"When we let go, if we are destined to be a family, the ribbons will wrap themselves again by flowing in the opposite direction. If not, then one of us should not be in this family. I already know they will wrap again because I love you all and we are all very happy. Ready…" Carlisle started to count us off.
"One," Mirana started it instead.
"Two," Alice counted.
"Three…release!" I said and we all let go.
We watched as the ribbons unwound itself and flowed out like a little girl twirling in a new dress. It was no surprise to us that the ribbons wrapped itself again around the pole. Alice snuggled up to me and I wrapped my arm around her. It was so beautiful how all the colors wrapped around and fanned out one by one to unwind. Carlisle smiled as if it was his Unbirthday today. I decided to get crazy. I bent down and balled up some snow. I pulled my arm back and threw it. It hit Carlisle on his right shoulder. He turned to see who it was that threw the snowball. I gave myself away because I was the only one laughing hysterics.
"Tarrant, you're in for it!" Carlisle balled up some snow.
I immediately bent down to make another one and suddenly one hit me right on the buttocks. I looked toward Alice's direction and she was laughing so hard I thought she would have fallen in the snow. After making the snowball, I threw it at her and it hit her on her right shoulder. It was my turn to laugh hysterics but another snowball was sent my way. I turned and it was Carlisle who sent it my way.
"Now how does it feel, _bràthair_?" he yelled at me.
"I don't know Carlisle," I made a bigger snowball, "Does it feel like this?"
I turned around and threw it so fast he didn't have time to duck. It hit him square in the chest and he fell over. Let's just say a huge snowball fight broke out and after about an hour, we called it a draw. I pulled out my pocket watch to look at the time.
"Hot cocoa and marshmallows! We're running a wee bit behind schedule, love. Let's go get the kids and head off to your mother's," I grabbed Alice's hand and rushed back into the house while dusting off the snow.
We ran back into the house leaving Carlisle, Mirana, and Sophia behind making snow angels. We ran into the bedroom and changed into some nicer clothes since it was a holiday I'm not too familiar with. Alice picked out my gray suit with my green button up shirt, red vest, red and green stripped tie, gray socks, and my black shoes. I changed into my clothes she picked for me. She changed into her red and green plaid dress. She walked into the bathroom to fix her hair. I walked out to go get the kids ready.
To my surprise, my mother had the children already dressed in their Christmas clothes I made for them. Carlie and Emily had red and green plaid dresses that matched their mother's dress. Timothy and Gavin had their black suits red shirt with a green vest and green tie to match my suit. I had to admit…they're adorable. I walked up to my mother and kissed her cheek.
"Thank you, _màthair_ for getting the children ready. You're such a big help," I thanked her while I started placing the children into their stroller.
"You're very welcome, _mo mac_. You need to get moving or you will be late," _Màthair_ was rushing me along.
Alice walked in with the bag of gifts, "Ready?"
I nodded and she joined my side in front of the looking glass. I tapped the middle left, middle right, and the top. The image changed to the…living room? We picked up the stroller and stepped in. Mrs. Kingsleigh greeted us with open arms and took the bag from Alice to place under the beautifully decorated tree. I've never seen such beautiful decorations in my life. Well, the Queen has beautiful decorations but I have to say…this is much better. Good gracious…if the Queen would hear me right now, she would have me make hats for millennia.
"Tarrant, I want to show you how we usually decorate the house for Christmas," Alice grabbed me by the arm and lead me to a set of decorations that had people statues in it.
I stared at them and immediately questioned, "Alice, love, what are these decorations? How are they a part of Christmas?"
She looked to where I was and moved to where she gazed into my eyes, "These decorations are the true meaning of Christmas. Let me explain it to you. Over one thousand years ago in a city called Bethlehem, Joseph along with his betrothed, Mary, were trying to find a place to stay until a census was completed. Mary was with child…not Joseph's baby…but God's baby. She was in her last month and she went into labor while they were trying to find a place to stay. There was no room for them anywhere. Joseph found a stable and there is where Mary had her child, a son named Jesus. At the time of Jesus' birth, a star appeared in the sky. Three kings travelled far to pay homage to the baby and gave the family gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense. Shepards with their flocks also followed the star and also paid homage to the baby. You see, this baby was born to take away all our sins by dying on a cross. This baby was born to be our savior. That is why we celebrate Christmas, love, to remember the day that our savior was born."
I still had questions, "Then why open up gifts?"
"Ah, another story for me to tell," she escorted me throughout the beautifully red, green, and gold decorated house and finished explaining, "There was a man named Nicholas of Myra. He would give gifts to everyone; poor, wealthy, middle class. He would never receive anything in return. He would always give. He goes at night when everyone was sleeping and leaves a gift. That is why we also say Santa Claus or St. Nicholas would come tonight to leave presents under the tree. That is why we open up presents; in memory of St. Nicholas of Myra."
All of this was so fascinating to me. It was so much information to process at one time, but now, I truly understand why Christmas is so important to Alice and her family. We made our way back to the living room and Margaret along with her beau a Lord Victor de Chagney…I hope I said it right. It's a very complicated name, but he seemed as if he was a nice man.
"Well, let's start with the gifts shall we?" Mrs. Kingsleigh was excited to start unwrapping.
I passed out our gifts to Margaret, Mrs. Kingsleigh, and Victor then we passed ours between ourselves. Margaret opened up her gift first and by her expression loved her new hat that I made her. It was Alice's Engagement Ball hat but in Margaret's favorite color…brown.
"Alice…Tarrant…it is beautiful! Thank you!" Margaret cried out gleefully as she placed it on her head then darted to the mirror to see what it looked like.
Victor opened his gift next and by his expression, he loved his solid gold plated pocket watch.
"Alice…Tarrant…thank you. It is absolutely beautiful. This watch must have cost a fortune," Victor admired the watch and tracing the penmanship on the cover.
I chuckled to myself because the watch didn't cost me anything because Alice and I are on such good terms with the Queen so…she paid for it. Mrs. Kingsleigh opened up her gift and I thought she was about to faint. Her gift was a handmade quilt, by my mother, in blue and purple with the children's names on it with the saying: Grandma's little angels.
"Tarrant…Alice…I…thank you. It is so beautiful that I don't think it should be used," Mrs. Kingsleigh ran her hand over the quilt with tears streaming from her eyes.
Alice and I opened up our gifts. I gave her a beautiful necklace with the word mom on it in solid gold. She looked at me and gave me a kiss that I almost thought we would have to excuse ourselves so she could finish what she started. She broke the kiss and I couldn't speak for a minute.
"You…you…you're welcome," I finally managed to squeak out and I picked up my present.
After ripping off the wrapping, I opened the box and took out a beautiful emerald green satin top hat with a gold silk sash wrapped around the brim that matches my signature hat. I have to say that father out performed himself on this creation. I could never make top hats as good as him. I wonder if he could show me how to do it?
"Alice…I love it, sweetness. I…I'm speechless. Thank you. I wonder why the sash is gold silk?" I asked and she blushed a crimson red.
She leaned over and whispered in my ear, "You know why the gold silk. Don't tell me you forgot our first time in the madness?"
My mouth dropped open and I protested, "I did not forget about that. I figured that was why the material was gold silk."
After opening up our gifts from Margaret and Victor and Mrs. Kingsleigh, they wanted to sing Christmas carols. Alice lead me to the piano and she knew I love to play. I sat down and Alice placed the sheet music in front of me. I looked at the title and it was Silent Night.
"Tickle the ivories, Tarrant," she nudged me.
I decided to be playful, "Tickle…tickle…tickle."
She told me to tickle them so I did and she gave me a glare that read, if you don't start playing now I won't let you make love to me anymore for as long as we live. Let's just say I started the introduction to the song with a chromatic run starting from the lowest key on the piano to the first chords of the song. Alice never heard me sing before so when we all started singing the song, everyone stopped after it said all is calm all is bright. I didn't know I was singing by myself until I finished the first verse.
I stopped playing and I questioned, "I sound that bad?"
"Tarrant, you never told me you could sing," Alice was the first one to say something.
"You need to be in operas or put on concerts," Margaret chimed in and Victor nodded in agreement.
"All right now, let's try this song with only the men singing," Mrs. Kingsleigh changed the song from Silent Night to We Three Kings.
I started the introduction and Victor and I started, "_We three kings of orient are, bearing gifts we traverse so far. Field and fountain, more and mountain, following yonder star. O…O…star of wonder, star of night. Star with royal beauty bright. Westward leading still proceeding guide us to thy perfect light._"
Victor was more of a bass and I was a tenor but our harmony mixed really well as we continued on to the second verse. After we finished the song, the ladies applauded and handed us some hot cocoa. Victor took Margaret's hand and lead her outside into the snow covered backyard to the gazebo. I looked at the clock and it was one minute to midnight. Alice pulled me back to the piano and placed the song O Holy Night in front of me.
I looked at Mrs. Kingsleigh and she was playing with the children. I smiled and I returned my gaze to Alice.
"I want to sing this song with you. It's one of my favorites," she said as she sat down next to me.
I began playing the introduction and we both sang, "_O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear savior's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining till he appeared and the soul felt it's worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees…oh hear the angel voices. O night divine. O…O…night when Christ was born. O night divine O night. O night divine._"
I finished the song and I turned to face her, "Absolutely beautiful. We make beautiful music together."
Alice laughed and the clock struck midnight. I looked back toward the children and they were well sleeping. Margaret and Victor walked back in with smiles on their faces.
"We're engaged!" Margaret exclaimed and the women went into hysterics.
When I congratulated Victor, my brother came down the stairs.
"Carlisle, what are you doing here?"
"Tarrant, I have no time to explain. The King of Napa Bree showed up at the castle and demanded mother and father back. We'll let's just say I told him over my dead body and he wants war. He has two Champions. We only have one. Alice, we have a Champion that we haven't used in over two hundred years. He only listens to the current Champion of Underland. I need your help, Alice. I want you to go talk to Bartholomew. He lives in the Forest of Dreams."
"Carlisle, Bartholomew is a creature isn't he? What kind of creature am I going to talk to?" Alice was grabbing onto my arm so tightly I thought it would fall off.
Carlisle lead us to the study and continued, "Bartholomew is a Wolfagon. He is half wolf and half dragon. His family has been around ever since Underland was very young. Please Alice, he will only listen to you. I tried just a few minutes ago to talk to him but he actually tossed me out the Forest of Dreams. We need him in four years from today. That is when the war will take place."
I reached over and took Alice's hand in mine. She gazed into my eyes for guidance and I gave her what she needed, the green light to go talk to Bartholomew.
"All right, I'll do it. When do you want me to go talk to him?"
"Whenever you're ready."
Alice looked at me and I at her. There's another war that's about to take place and our family's lives are in danger. Only Alice can save it with the help of Bartholomew. My poor Alice.
_Mo mac_- my son
Ei co snasail_ Mr. Randolph-It's alright Mr. Randolph.
_Feuch, mi mothaich beagan biod_-See, I understand a little bit.
