~ Third Person POV ~

Getting up at an ungodly hour the excited hatter ran swiftly past his love's chambers toward the happy willow trees, knowing her morning routine. His mind jumping from excitement to nervousness. 'What if she denied it?...No she swore she would never lie...Maybe it was just a slip of the tongue?' His footing slowed down as this thought struck him, but being the fool in love he is his heart forced him on.

Upon entering the clearing where his love sat gingerly speaking to the trees. The sight of her stilled the Hatter not wanting to ruin the picture before him. His love siting delicately on a tree stump surrounded by colors while her clothing made her seem like an angel...his angel sent to Earth. The morning sun shinning though her white hair as she sat with the mask of a smile completing her face. His heart broke when he realized his ignorance was the reason for her fake smiling. Wishing to console her he began his walk towards her.

"Mirana, I have a riddle for you, If you break me, I do not stop working, You hold mine, If you touch me, I may be snared, If you lose me, Nothing will matter." He spoke with a smile on his face and in his heart.

Turning toward her old friend the look on the queen's face was one of hope and joy. Her mask of a smile replaced with a brilliant grin. "Your heart?" She spoke with a hint of doubt in her lovely voice.

Walking toward her the Hatter spoke confidently, "Yes, yes and it seems I have yours." Once he voiced his last syllable he knelt down beside the queen so he could look her in the eye. Reaching his shaking hand up he cupped his queen's cheek. Seeing no hesitation he slowly leaned closer to her. Each closing their eyes as their lips brushed for a moment. It was a moment of pure bliss nothing ran through their minds but the pleasure of their first kiss. The hatter decided then and there that he would even burn the rest of his hats just for the memory of that moment. The same vow with different circumstances was made by the queen. The kiss intensified as they both pulled the other closer wanting nothing to separate them from their love ever again.

This went on for a moment longer but was once again interrupted by Alice. Once they heard the crunching of freshly fallen leaves the two pulled apart catching their breath.

"We cannot let anyone know my love. The suitors will be worse then the other times you defended me from them. This time they will know they would not have a chance and come after you." The queen spoke staring into the hatter's eyes.

He nodded and a second later Alice was seen clumsily walking into the scene.

"Hello my dear." The queen spoke first her voice with a hint of exasperation but only the hatter who hd seen all of her emotions could hear it through her cheerful mask.

"Good morning, White Queen. I hope you don't mind the maid told me to look for you here." Alice spoke doubtfully.

"Oh its alright dear come sit," she said patting the spot beside herself. "I was just speaking with the trees is all. Tarrant was trying to get his undefeated title back after his loss yesterday. You always were a sore loser." She spoke teasingly

The Hatter tried to respond but he still wasn't fully recovered from his resent discovery.

At his silence the queen began again. "It seems Cheshire has taken the Hatter's tongue." She laughed "So how was your night, Alice."

"It was fine, Queen. The bed is very comfortable though I fear I have over slept." Alice answered with a yawn.

"None sense it is still very early you should go see if you can get another few hours it is but six in the morning. Breakfast is served at eight-thirty. Why don't you go and we will wake you up in time to take a shower before the day begins."

"That's alright queen. But it is so early and I know I had fallen asleep before you how can you be so awake?" The ever curious Alice questioned as she took her seat at the queen's side.

After a moment of silence the queen answered, "I am just thinking my dear. Reminiscing in a way." With Alice's still curious glance the queen continued, "Nothing to dreadful or life changing. Just some musings of my mad mind." Th queen spoke quieting down with every word.

"What is Mirana?" The Hatter finally spoke up.

Turning to her love she looked into his eyes for a few short moments. Then turning back to the trees that she had watched both Alice and the Hatter come through she spoke again this time in a whisper. "His life is to be honored today." After another pause she got up and spoke louder with a treble in her voice, "You must excuse me darlings I will see you tomorrow." With that she was gone in a flash.

Turning to the Hatter Alice questioned, "What is wrong with the queen? Who is being honored today?"

Tarrant ignored her question and responded with one of his own, "What day is it?"

Shocked by his behavior Alice answered cautiously, "It is the twentieth of June." Once seeing the Hatter's face pale she questioned worriedly, "What's wrong?...Will the queen be okay?"

Pulling his emotions back together he turned toward Alice with smile full of pity, "She will be fine Alice. This day will be hard for the queen and she needs her time alone."

"Whats wrong with today?"

"Oh, my dear Alice I would tell you, really I would but this is something the queen keeps private. Something that most know about but no one really knows where she goes only why. No one has the nerve to bring it up on any day and everyone stays clear of her path today. It's best not to ask or speak of this day. Maybe she will tell you tomorrow but for now let her be."

"Will she be alright? There still are horrible things in this world."

"Of course she will be fine Alice. She has her fair share of muchness." Trying to change the subject before he got to nervous about his love he spoke again. " So how about we go bake to the palace and see if we can't find something to amuse us."

"Alright what do you have in mind." Alice side eager to pass the time with the least amount of worrying as possible.

With that the two began the long walk back to the palace each thinking about their queen and the morning they had just had.

The queen spent the rest of her night sitting behind the great palace sitting in the one place that holds the most memories of her father. She sat curling herself in a ball as she had done so many times before in her younger days where her father used to take her when Iracibeth would hurt her. Sitting on the old swing set her father had built for her so far away from the place he knew his first born would never find it.

"Dad I miss you so much. I really need you. They all expect me to marry one of those noble men, but you always told me only to marry for love. I never told you this but while you were still alive I heard one of the older maid's speak about how you were in love with one of your maids from when you were my age. But if that is true why did you marry mother? She was just as bad as Ircabeth. I asked some of your closest confidences and they said it was that horrible rule. But I just..I guess I just don't understand." Mirana cried quietly. "I really miss you daddy. I just wish you could have ended up with that maid. Isn't that how its supposed to happen to Kings and Queens. Aren't they supposed to end up together like in those stories you used to tell me before bed." She paused thinking. "If it did not end with happily ever after fore you what does it men for me and Tarrant. Dad I really love him, I know you could see it when you were still live and we were all together." She laughed bitterly, "Remember you used to tell us that one day you would have to walk me down the isle. And you had those talks with him about how I'm your little girl and he better never hurt me." She laughed again. Walking back to the palace quietly slipping into her bed knowing the tears would start to fall soon.