Chapter XIX: Invitations
The brim of the top hat shadowed the menacing smile of the Mad Hatter as he saw the gray dormouse approach.
Every fiber of him wanted to tear his "guest" apart…but he knew better. A rage would do no good.
No…it was better to find out what the slurvish cat was up to. Once he figured it out, he could do something about it.
"Mally," he whispered, smiling. "Will you please excuse me? I just remembered an order for a hat that needs to be completed, and I believe I left my supplies inside the windmill."
The dormouse shrugged.
"That's fine," she said.
"Thackery?"
"Scones!"
"Excellent! I'll be back as soon as possible…"
And Tarrant left the table.
Mally heard someone jump onto the table. She smiled behind the rim of her miniature teacup when she saw Russehc standing at the edge. He smiled at the March Hare.
"Good day, Mr. Earwicket," he said.
"Fairnee!" Thackery said, spreading some butter on a slice of toast. "Booter…"
Russ chuckled softly, and then smiled at Mally. She smiled back quietly.
"Good morning, Mally."
"Good morning, Russ."
"Where is Hatter?"
"In the windmill; said he had a hat to work on."
Russ shrugged.
"I saw him leave the table…just didn't know why."
"Won'tcha set doon?" the Hare grinned, tapping a spoon on the chair usually reserved for Russehc.
Russ sighed in mock sadness.
"Sadly, Mr. Earwicket, I cannot stay."
"Whyever not?" Mally asked, trying to sound more curious than disappointed; she was both.
"I have something for you," he said in reply. "I hope it answers your question…"
Russ held out a small card to the white dormouse, who took with her eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement.
Written on the card were the words Danksderim Day Masquerade.
Mally stared.
"I know about this!" she squeaked. "Tarrant's been working on costumes for the three of us for weeks! The Queen told him to make sure the party suits were the best he ever made. Alice is supposed to come, too…"
She looked at him questioningly.
"How did you get an invitation?"
"Well, it seems one certain guest could not make it, so there was room for one more person, and…"
"Well, who won't be there? And who suggested you could come instead?"
"I'm not sure who the absentee was, but it appears someone named…Creole said I could come."
Mally stared, eyes wider than her teacup. The Hare gasped.
"Creole?"
"Och! Gae! Hide meh!"
The Hare ducked under the table. Russ blinked at his now-empty chair, and then turned back to Mallymkun.
"I take it you know him?"
Mally nodded slowly.
"He was my swordmaster…he's always invited to the Queen's parties. And he always comes. But he's not the sort to suggest people he doesn't know about…"
"Hm. Well, anyway, I'm going, and I was wondering if…"
He paused, suddenly looking nervous.
"Was wondering what?"
"I was wondering if…you were going with the Hare or the Hatter."
Mally stared at him as if he had just asked if the word "successes" had the letter "s" anywhere in it.
"We always go to the White Queen's parties. We're always together."
Russ nodded.
"Well...I was thinking, since you'd be going, and I'd be going…"
Mally rolled her eyes at the male's embarrassment.
"Russ, do you want me to act as your 'date' again?"
Russ bit his lip.
"No…I just wanted to know if you wanted to have the first dance with me at the party."
Mally blinked.
"That's all?"
The gray dormouse nodded.
Mally shrugged.
"Sure."
Russ smiled.
"They'll count us as a couple," he said.
"I know. We'll pretend for them. Just dress to match."
"My costume is ready; it's mostly brown and red."
"Then there is nothing to worry about. Tarrant's dress for me is, as well. Goodbye."
Russ smiled and ran off.
The March Hare peeked up from under the table.
"M-M-Mally?"
"Yes, Thackery?"
"Y-ye've got tha' s-s-scary smyle on yer face…whatcha plannin'?"
Mally laughed.
"I'm not planning anything, Thackery…but I think I'm going to enjoy myself at the masquerade immensely."
"I'm sure you will," came the flute like voice of the Hatter, who was just now approaching the table. "Especially seeing as that slurking cat won't be there…"
Mally's smile vanished.
"What?"
"Oh, you didn't know?" Tarrant said with a slight frown. "The Queen told me that Chessur had declined the invitation. I thought the other day, when you said you were going to go talk to him in the morning, he would have told you…"
Mally turned away, looking startled.
Then her eyes returned to usual.
"Well, that's probably for the best…he'll most likely try to devour my new dancing partner…"
The Hatter just smiled in response.
But, unseen by his friends, his eyes were smoldering orange and red.