"Please reconsider your majesty."
Evander, one of Miranas' subjects pleaded with her to stay as she strode through the corridors to the stables. He had to maintain a brisk pace to keep up with her and me, as we were quite tense this early in the morning.
"Certainly not. I have made an oath to bring Lady Alice back and I never break my oaths."
I knew this would be hard on the Queen, but not as hard as the kingdom's inhabitants thought. She was tougher than she let on and was not put off by much. An upbringing with her sister taught her that.
"She will be in good hands also. I have arranged for a knight to escort the Highness. He is very well trained and has won many tournaments where he comes from; beyond Queast." I told the stuttering man.
I had arranged for an escort for Mirana originally because I had known without aid, she would have slowed us down. Although, after thinking it through, it did seem like a sensible thing to do, after all, we would be facing some dangerous terrains that even the strongest of people would find hard to sustain in.
But I had not yet alerted her that she would have a protector, so she stopped walking and turned to look at me.
"I'm to have an escort?" She said a fraction of disbelief and anger in her voice. "I'm very much capable of travelling without help Tarrant. Surely you know that."
"I do your Majesty, and he really just another body, only he can fight a lot better than any of us can. I thought it wise to have at least one swordsman come along."
She didn't speak, only nodded and carried on walking to the stables. After another minute, the cool fresh air wafted at us as we exited the castle and strode along the courtyard.
The moon shone dimly in the sky that was beginning to lighten in the east, but the sun was yet to make an appearance. We were planning to leave before dawn and were therefore on a tight agenda.
I glanced at Mirana out of the corner of my eye. He face at first appeared blank, but through years of friendship and cohesion, I could see the small creases in-between her eyes and the slight dip of her lips in the corners.
I looked back forward.
"Are you afraid?" She whispered into the silence.
"Yes." I admitted after a slight pause.
I thought about everything that could possibly happen within the next few days. Many things could go right, but many could go wrong. One false move and any one of us could be killed, and that included Alice.
"We have no idea where she is, who has her. What if they have an army? There are just a half dozen of us going; we couldn't fight off anything like that."
She put a hand on my shoulder. I stopped walking.
"I'm afraid too Tarrant, but you mustn't let it show. If I cried in front of the people over Alice, they would loose hope.
You must be strong my friend. You left us for quite a while, whilst grief consumed you. Then you came back with a fierce determination and I felt my optimism grow from that. Be brave Tarrant, and you will inspire those around you. And there is hope, but if you stop believing in it, it will be gone forever."
She took her hand off my shoulder and walked ahead, slowly now. I gazed up at the moon. Maybe Alice is doing the same thing right now. The thought made my body tingle. Mirana was right; there was hope. Alice was alive, I just knew she was.
I walked quickly again and passed Mirana before she got to the stable door. I opened it for me and he bowed her head appreciatively.
I heard low voices coming from deep inside and I followed the sound. A small group of 4 gathered inside a stall where they were saddling three horses. Everyone that was coming was present. My heart began to beat faster because a complete group meant we would be leaving very shortly.
Chessur, McTwisp and Mallymkun stood with a man that I assumed to be the knight that had agreed to accompany our group in the search to find Alice.
He had a handsome face to say the least. His layered hair was a deep brown and went down to his chin with two strands that reached his cheekbones framing his face. It was messy and stuck out at the bottom, but it only made him look more rugged and courageous. He had a strong jaw and neck, which disappeared into his heavy looking armor of metal plates, leather and a lot of chain metal. He looked like a knight. And a superior one at that. He was a perfect man; handsome, rich, strong. Everything I wasn't. Alice was a fool to choose me. She could have done so much better. My heart dropped a little.
The group hadn't noticed us yet, so I cleared my throat and their heads all turned in our direction.
My eyes briefly met with the knights before they became focused on the woman stood next to me. His mouth fell open as he stared at my queen. I glanced sideways at her. She was returning the look, only, she was polite enough to keep her mouth shut and her cheeks were slightly red.
I coughed and they both looked down, embarrassed. Chessur, McTwisp and Mally had noticed the exchange, but had gone back to busying themselves preparing the load with barely a 'hello' or 'good morning'.
I took the final steps towards the man and held out my hand.
"Tarrant Hightopp." He shook my hand. "I arranged for you to come."
He dropped my hand and looked past me at what I could only presume was Marina.
"I am Lord Dorian Porter, at your service." He bowed and I heard Mirana giggle quietly.
I felt irritated. This was supposed to be a solemn time and he was coquetting with the Queen of Underland.
I stepped back to Miranas side and gestured my hand at her.
"this is Mirana Of Marmoreal, White Queen and Ruler of Underland. You would do well to remember your place when you are around her."
Mirana had on many occasions confined in me about her desire to fall in love. She might have been a queen, but she was still naïve when it came to desire. She was a good friend and I wouldn't let her be hurt by this 'Lord Dorian', so I would do my best to protect her from making a decision she would regret in the future.
"I am charmed, your highness." His velvet voice made me insecure about my own uniqueness again. "so, what be the facts. Why is the champion of Underland in need of rescuing?"
"She was poisoned." I said darkly. "We suspect it was Ilosovic Stayne, former Knave of Hearts. He had been infatuated with Alice since they first met. Alice is a champion. The best warrior in Underland. If she got into the wrong hands, they could take down whoever they wanted, destroy thousands of lives."
"but she is good is she not? She wouldn't do that willingly."
"She might." I said numbly.
He scoffed. "then she's not much of a champion then, is she?"
The beast inside of me was let loose and I grabbed Dorian by the collar and pressed him against the wall. Our faces were mere inches apart, both our breathing came in short, fast pants and we were both tense. His eyes were fixed on mine. I supposed they had changed colour again.
"don't ever talk about her like that! You hear me! She did this land a great service and she would never turn on it.
She lost her memory and whoever has taken her could have fed numerous lies to her. she wouldn't know any different! And we have to help her before she becomes useless to whoever took her and they dispose of her." I shouted in my outlandish accent.
I felt calmer now he seemed to understand. His eyes held the same grave ghost that the rest of ours did. I let go of his collar and he breathed out. Four pairs of eyes watched us, scared and anxious.
He rubbed his neck and I felt appalling for what I had just done. He didn't know, he could only see so much of the puzzle. It wasn't his fault.
"I'm sorry." I whispered. "That was out of order…they call me the Mad Hatter. Now, I guess you know why. But its better when Alice is around. She helped me get my humanity back before she was taken. She was something special."
"They were engaged." Mirana said to Dorian.
"I loved her. my fiancé. And she was taken from me." I looked into his eyes. "So you can understand why I am on edge. And if I snap…"
"its because you're in love." He finished.
I nodded and he sighed.
"you are lucky. I have never been in love and though I have had many offers from beautiful women, I haven't found the right one yet. I am already thirty years old and have not yet got a wife. I am fearful I will be destined to spend my life alone."
There was silence in the stable. The horses didn't move, no one made a sound. A blanket of sadness had settled over all of us as we reminisced in our own misery.
"well this is no way to begin a rescue party. We need some good, positive thinking in here."
Chessur floated around us, his malleable tail brushing against our faces.
"Chess!" I complained.
"Lady Alice is out there. She is alive and we are going to find her, bring her back and the two of you are to be married. Now, are you ready your majesty, the sun is nearly up."
We all looked out of the window and observed the lightening sky.
"I had someone leave my belongings here last night, have you packed them?" Marina asked.
"Yes, your majesty." McTwisp stuttered.
She straightened herself and raised her chin. One again, she looked like a queen fit to rule.
"then let us depart and find our champion."
She walked out the same way we came in and I watched her in admiration. She had changed out of her dress and for the first time in several years, put on a pair of trousers. The cream jodhpurs were paired with a pair of black leather boots which matched her black blazer. A jabot collar spilled out at the top of the jacket and balanced the dark and light. I was surprised she had even put on black, but when I asked her, she thought she could blend into the night more and I hadn't complained. It was better if no-one noticed our approach.
Dorian followed Mirana out with two horses and left the third for me. Nivens and Mallymkun left and Chessur hovered next to me.
"ready?" I asked him, skeptically.
He laughed.
"when am I not. Now saddle up. We have a champion to rescue."
I climbed onto the horse who told me his name was Elias. I greeted him before I rode out of the stable and into the dawn light.
"we should rest soon." Mirana said.
I looked out towards the vast baron land that we had not begun to search. I could tell my features had dropped. We had been searching for five days now and we had come across nothing. I was beginning to loose hope again.
"don't worry, we'll find her Tarrant." Mirana said softly.
I could feel her standing behind me, but didn't turn to reply to her. I just continued scanning the horizon for some small glimmer of golden hair basking in the light of the setting sun.
"Mirana, come, sit down, he's just yearning, that's all. He'll be fine." Dorian said quietly to Mirana.
They had been on first-name basis since the first day looking. I could see the growing love for each other and it reminded me of when Alice and I met for the second time, which made me want her back in my arms even more. It had been three months and after we had just taken the penultimate step, we were on a high, then she was taken and I've had to go three months cold turkey.
The fire crackled behind me and it began to warm my back. I could hear everyone talking quietly. Mirana laughed a little too loudly and I turned around.
"sorry Tarrant. Dorian was just trying to lift the mood."
I looked at her worn face. Never had I seen her this ruffled. She had left her hair down and the curls had dropped out, leaving a wavy mess behind. Her dark lips had not been applied and the pink on her face look odd. Still, clothes dirtied and tired face, she was still the second most beautiful person I knew.
Although, I knew someone who thought she was the most. Dorian had watched her with compassionate eyes as we traveled from terrain to terrain. They had ended up riding with each other after Miranas horse had bucked and ran from a group of rouge eaglet.
He had gallantly helped her up and offered her his horse, saying that he would walk, but she had insisted the rode together.
They had been growing closer since then and even now, they were huddled under the same blanket as the night grew colder.
"it's alright. I might just take a walk. I'll make sure there's no danger either."
I started to walk away, but Mirana shouted at me to stop.
"wait, I'll come with you. It is not wise for anyone to be on their own out here."
Dorian's face tightened.
"Maybe you should stay. I don't want anything to happen to you out there."
She smiled at him and touched his face.
"I'll be with Tarrant. And its not likely there is anything living out here anyway. We'll both be fine."
"I'll bring her back safely." I told Dorian, eager to get away from the romance.
It only reminded me of how much I missed Alice and I didn't think I could suffer much more pain.
"I'll come too." Said Mallymkun.
I didn't protect, only held my hand out for her to climb upon. When she was firmly on my shoulder, I set off, Mirana close behind me.
We walked for several minutes in silence before I stopped and looked at Mirana. Her face was distressed.
"what's wrong?"
"I…I feel different. It's a good different though, not a bad different."
Mally and I looked at each other.
"Care to elaborate?" Mally asked in her little voice.
"its like…a river of happiness is running through my body and my heart, it aches, but a good ache. A longing." She blushed. "and it gets stronger when I'm around Dorian. I think…I think I'm in love with him."
She let out a noise that was a cross between a squeal and a laugh.
"I'm in love!" she laughed. "and it's the best feeling in the world. And I cant believe I have never felt this way before! It's beautiful."
"well then congratulations your majesty." Mally said.
"but, do you…do you think he returns the feeling?" she glanced back the direction we came in, her face one again worried.
"if his behaviour is anything to go by, I'd say he feels the exact same way about you."
She grinned a very Chessur like grin then sighed dreamily.
"I'm going to go tell him. Are you coming back yet?"
I thought about the love and happiness that would be shared and decided I wasn't ready for anything too tender, so I told Mirana that I would check the perimeter for a few more minutes.
"Mally, why don't you accompany the Queen back."
I wanted to be alone and muse to myself without another person expecting something from me.
She grumpily agreed and climbed onto Miranas shoulder.
"don't be long Tarrant." She said before the pair took their leave.
I walked forward aimlessly. The sun had set now and there was no light but the moon high in the black sky.
I thought about everything I missed about Alice. Her smile. Her ability to make me feel better whenever I felt blue. Her never ending stream of compassion and love for everything living and her golden locks that shimmered in the bright sun whenever she moved her head.
I saw a light through the trees and walked towards the glow. My body was covered in goose bumps and I would be glad to sit next to the fire and fall asleep. I stumbled though the trees for a further few minutes, still daydreaming about Alice.
It wasn't until I tripped over a root and came back into the real world when I realized the light was far too large to be the camp fire. I ran forward until I reached the edge of the wood, where I lingered in the outskirts.
I felt my breath get stuck in my throat as I looked upon the building that had been the setting on many of my nightmares.
Salazen Grum was in use again.
I knew Alice was in there. I could make out guards at the entrance and growled to myself. This was Stayne's doing. He had her. I just knew it.
I had to alert the others. We could have attacked tonight, if only we were properly rested after two days of traveling with no sleep.
But in the morning, we would attack. And after three months of separation, Alice and I would be reunited once again.
Once again, sorry its so long. I try to make them as short as possible, but when I've got everything I need down, its already 10 pages long! :s
I based Dorian on Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian/Dorian Grey.
Miranas outfit is like a horse riding outfit minus the hat. This is a link of it (I know it's a doll, just try not to laugh. )
(note: jodhpurs are just horse riding trousers. The hatter knows about clothes though, that's why he uses the proper name.)