It took forever. And it wasn't writer's block, it was simple laziness. Maybe 'Labyrinth' and David Bowie are to blame too. I'm sorry. So sorry. Please forgive me. I hope that you will enjoy the lenght and the content.
Chapter 2 – Gray Shaded Eyes
While Tarrant loved the action of the storm, Alice liked the rests of it: she sat on the bench under the porch of the top hat shaped house in the early morning that followed with a cup of Earl Gray Tea, a robe covering her nightgown.
It was chilly outside, even if the sun had won upon the rain. There was a thin fog blurring the sight and a pleasant wet note in the air; some trees were rhythmically dripping water adding the perfect soundtrack to the atmosphere, along with the steps descending the wooden stairs back inside the house.
"Where could mommy be, Tom? Not in the kitchen, I think we should call her, shouldn't we?"
"Momma?" her child's tiny voice followed the Hatter's.
She smiled to herself thinking just how cute their child was, she sipped the last drop of tea that was still in the cup then got up and knocked at the closed door, trying to see inside through the colored glass.
"Who are you?"
She heard Tarrant laugh so hard that she decided to come in by herself, her husband stood with his back leaned against the kitchen door lost in a nervous and insane fit of giggles which seemed to have infected Thomas too. Alice approached getting the child that Tarrant was holding in her arms afraid that in his actual state he could have dropped him. Anyway he managed to speak: "I absolutely have to tell this to Absolem!"
Alice stopped holding back and joined in the laughter, kissing Thomas cheek she said: "You'll make him proud my little Hightopp. How about some breakfast?"
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The carriage ride to Marmoreal was a joyful one, for Tommy had learned how to say 'bobbin' and the Hatter had spent the rest of the journey beaming at him and trying to get other hats related words out of him.
When they arrived the castle the group of their animal friends along with the White Queen approached: "Good morning Hatter, Alice-"
"Wee Tom!" yelled Thackery opening his arms wide waiting for the child to run to him, but instead of going to hug the Hare he passed by him trapping Nivens McTwisp in his chubby arms playing with his soft fur.
"Hold your fingers, young lad! P-please, you're spoiling my waistcoat!" Poor Nivens begged "Oh oh n-n-no! Let it be!"
"Bobbins" said Thomas reaching for his precious pocket watch.
"Help Alice! He's got it!"
As the Champion went to rescue the White Rabbit and his watch the Hatter, the White Queen and Bayard discussed: "We have a reason to believe that the violent storm and heavy rain last night might have ruined some trees in the Tugley Woods" explained the Hound.
Tarrant frowned at the Queen: "Majesty, I would gladly go on this trip but I've got orders planned for today…"
Mirana spoke with a graceful wave of her hand: "I would send some of my guards on patrol if it was a simple checking mission, but I need someone who can talk with to the trees today: they might be hurt if not… worse…" she brought a hand to her lips in worry.
The Hatter took her other gently and held it in both his palms, smiling: "As long as her Majesty won't miss my hats!"
The monarch's pale face lit up as she gratefully thanked the Hatter. Bayard barked to call Mally and Thackery who, shocked and disappointed, still hadn't closed his arms and they walked down the pearl white marble path to the Woods.
Nivens had sprinted to hide behind Mirana's gowns as soon as he was sent free from Thomas' grip: "Come McTwisp, he's just a child after all" she cooed at the infant Alice was holding and rubbed his still, surprisingly, hat free head.
"Where are they going?" asked Alice.
"Patrolling on my account, that won't take long" and with that Mirana twirled and waving goodbye she was off. The Champion would have followed if it wasn't for her son who had recognized a woman behind them and had reached for her.
"Auntie!"
Tean had changed through the years: her already long ginger hair had grown so much that if left free it reached her hips despite the waves it was full of and, even if the hair styles she wore still included braids, her typical pair of plaits falling on each shoulder had been left behind. Time to grow up, as she used to say.
Her skin wasn't as pale as it used to be during the rebellion, it seemed that working outdoors did just right to her health, no matter if hers wasn't exactly a proper lady occupation. One wouldn't have told she was the Cavalry Horses Trainer in times of peace and Sergeant of Cavalry in times of war if she was seen in ballroom clothes. With her perfect posture, slender body, shoulders kept low and long neck, gentle and soft gests, Tean never seemed to have left the stage she had danced on for over fifteen years in her youth.
Sometimes Alice would even feel jealous of her sister-in-law's appearance.
She was wearing her white uniform jacket over a tight white blouse, an embroidered ascot fell in light waves on its front and was fixed with a simple white ribbon around her neck. It closed right upon the hollow of her throat with a little metal badge which had her grade insignia on (three V shaped signs one underneath the other and a thin tiara representing Mirana's on top of them*) and which matched the bigger one sewed on the left side of her breast.
As she walked fast towards Alice and Thomas the laces of her boots crashed against their leather, a thing she hated. Ignoring the annoying noise, she shot a pleasant smile to them and greeted: "Good morning Hightopps!"
"Lady Sergeant!" Alice joked putting a hand on her forehead imitating the military greeting. They had agreed not to greet each other that way, still, Alice found it funny.
Tean faked to laugh and proceeded in taking the carriage and the horse back to place mimicking Alice: "Lady Champion!". The redhead smiled at Thomas and added: "If looking for Agata she's with Miss Betty in her nursery".
"Oh thanks, I really need someone that could look after him today. Too much paper to sign and read and supervise" Alice said, with a finale snort.
"Sounds dreadfully boring" her sister-in-law stated as she finished to fix an eating bag on the carriage's horse snout and started to guide him away to the stables. "Why are you missing one today?"
Alice smiled: "Tarrant has gone out patrolling on Mirana's account. And yes, it really is boring. You know, not all women are so lucky to be able not to work sat behind a writing desk"
"Come now, look at the bright side of it: just wait a little while longer, until Tommy is a bit older and you'll be able to go back to your trips and voyages here and there" Tean smiled warmly "Besides, you have no idea how much sometimes I wish I could comfortably sit in an office doing nothing but writing my name at the bottom of a document!" she laughed bitterly.
The gray trail horse rubbed his head on her arm and whined like a puppy as if he had believed his mistress.
"There, Thunder, don't be a ruffian!" the woman stroked his forehead and brushed his forelock from his eyes. "Have a good day, Alice. Don't enjoy signing sheets of paper too much!" she shot the Champion a smile and laughed at the glare Alice shot her.
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The group had come back from the Woods a little while after midday.
Alice was in her husband's workshop putting to place the new arrived rolls of fabric. She knew that the Hatter didn't usually allow her to stay in that room for too long because of the poison filled air; but she had open the window to let clean air in. She should have waited for him before tiding his materials so he could have found them easily while working… but, again, today he wouldn't have had any time to reorder the colorful rolls for he would have had too many orders to fulfill.
She studied the fabrics by letting them slide between her fingers and observed the drawings sewed or simply painted on each. She just couldn't wait to go and choose them herself. Her work in Underland was similar to the one she had in Aboveground: she was at the head of the fabric trading company in Marmoreal. She would leave for no more than a week to visit villages and cities, decide who to set a trade with and bring to the castle the best fabrics and materials in the whole Underland.
Alice jumped upright when a violent blow of air, caused form the door opening, slammed the window close and blew several sketches and feathers from the desk. She turned and saw Tarrant standing on at the door, he wore a strange expression: he seemed to be shocked and exhausted together, his eyes wide and lifeless, his lips parted and a slight tremor was making his hands shake.
Alice hoped that the lighter shade running along some strands of his hair was just a trick the light was playing, as well as the gray one that his irises showed.
"Hatter what's wrong?"
He clenched his jacket right above his hearth and inspired sharply, as if doing so hurt him.
Alice run to him and held his shoulders: "Tarrant, are you unwell?!" her voice shook.
The Hatter's eyes wandered around a bit, while his breath slowed. When he made eye contact with her he nodded: "I'm alright now"
However, his eyes were still greyish green: "How about how were you earlier?" she asked.
Tarrant shook his head and tried to reassure her by smiling: "Does it matter? I'm fine, dearest"
Alice looked deep into his eyes. She lifted to his forehead to check his temperature but he chuckled and took her wrist and kiss it. "You are going straight to bed"
He groaned: "Ali-"
"Tarrant, that's all of it! I'm asking miss Betty if she can keep Thomas for some more time". As she stood she squeezed his hand gently and went away.
Along her way running through the pale marble corridor she met Bayard and Mally sat behind his head: "Alice! Weh must speak wit' yeh!".
"Please not now, Mally, I'm sorry. I have to bring Tarrant home"
"But-"
Too late, the Champion had already disappeared behind a corner: "Humph! I've never liked tha' girl's manners!" said the Dormouse.
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Later, hours after their arrival at home, Alice had given up trying to get Tarrant to rest. He had locked himself in study, she had knocked, call him, yell that she would have crashed the door if her hadn't opened by himself, but still he had ignored her.
Alice could hear Tarrant walk and talk to the wind inside the room; sign that he couldn't have not heard her yell. She walked away defeated, letting him calm down before trying an attack again: pulling him out using tea.
She adjusted a pair of pastries on a plate and put it on the tray along with two cups and a steaming teapot, she brought everything to wait in front of the study door with her. Slowly she lowered the handle, but it was still locked.
Annoyed, Alice put the tray on the coffee table back in the living room and quickly made it upstairs: under a pile of winter scarfs° she kept a jewelry box with the copies of all the keys of all he doors in the house. She took the one that opened Tarrant's workshop and went down again.
Facing that bloody wooden barrier again she started to speak, hoping her voice would hide the sound of the kay unlocking it: "Tarrant?"
His humming stopped.
She drew a breath and spoke with a shooting tone: "I know you could hear me earlier", she turned the kay slowly in the keyhole, "I'm sorry for raising my voice earlier, I should have left you work undisturbed".
The lock clicked, finally, but startling Alice. She hoped that in his current overreacting state it wouldn't have startled her husband.
"Listen, I brought us some tea, care to join me?" she hurried.
"Alice?" he had spoken this close to the door, as if he had placed his ear on it.
A sparkle of hope lit in Alice as she placed her hand on the dark wood as well: "Yes, Tarrant, it's me"
He opened the door and peaked out just to check: his eyes still that awful gray color, plus puffy and shiny as if he had just cried, however his cheeks showed no salty trails.
Alice swallowed hard: "May I come in?"
When she did she realized that something was really wrong with him: fabrics had been left unrolled everywhere and out of place, a thing he usually hated for it ruined them; a color bottle had been upset on the worktable, now rich orange drops were staining the floor producing a strong mercury smell that made her dizzy. She hurried to the window and spread it open inhaling a great amount of fresh air.
In the meanwhile the Hatter had proceeded to clean the mess on the floor. Alice noticed he was lost in his mind somewhere she didn't know. As he was knelt on the ground she lowered at his level patting his shoulder, his eyes closed and he sighed in what seemed to be relief: "What's the hatter with you today?"
Tarrant shook his head in defeat: "If I only could tell you"
"What won't you tell me?" Alice's heart was racing fast. What was happening to her Mad Hatter?
He nervously took her hands in his, desperate for contact, for an anchor in his mental storm. Her slender fingers curled around his work damaged ones made him feel already better: "Oh Alice, I will tell you. I promise, I will. I just… not now, I can't now- not ready"
"Alright, alright, not now". Alice squeezed his hands and caressed them with her thumbs and pulled them both to their feet.
She found herself trapped in his arms, "Sorry for worrying you, dear"
Returning the embrace she said: "Sorry for yelling at you"
"It was worth something" she kissed her head and buried his nose in her curls.
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In the evening Alice had gone back to Marmoreal to take Thomas home: just as her carriage exited the front gates of the castle she spotted Tean riding her horse back in the white courtyard, she had waved at her calling her name, for a moment she had even seemed intentioned to run after the carriage.
Strange. Alice thought about Bayard and Mally when she had met them earlier that day: they too had wanted to talk with her. All three of them had been in the woods, the place where Tarrant had come back so distraught from.
Being careful not to wake her husband, who had finally managed to fall asleep, she got out from their bed to write a note and send it straight to the White Queen by slipping it through the mirror:
"Urgent meeting tomorrow in the morning.
Everyone who went patrolling today must participate,
along with Tean.
Something is terribly wrong with Tarrant.
Yours sincerely, Alice"
A/N: *Based on the English military symbols. °I know that 'scarves' is used as well but, according to the site writingexplaining . org , the term 'scarfs' was more used before the XX century; here we still are in the XIX century so I thought it was more proper to use.