Lord Ascot stood up and looked over the baby. As her eyes opened they gasped.
There in front of them where the brightest green eyes that had ever been seen on Earth.
"But that's impossible!"
"Only if you believe it is Lord Ascot!" Alice smirked.
"Right I had better leave you to get some rest. Goodbye Alice." he said whilst standing up.
"Fairfarren Lord Ascot!" she said cheerily as he left the room.
She looked down at her little darling girl. "Curiouser and curiouser..." she mumbled. "How is it that you have eyes like Hatter's?"
"Hello you stupid girl!" a voice drawled beside her.
She turned to see Absolem. He had come though the mirror next to the bed like he always did. He flew and rested on her shoulder.
"Hello Absolem. Do you have any idea of what in Underland's name is going on here?"
"All will be revealed in due course my dear." just at that moment they heard a scream and people start shouting.
"What on Earth is going on out there?" she panicked.
"My dear. You need to pack whatever you need into a bag and come with me now." he said whilst trying to remain calm. She looked at him curiously.
"Just do it!" Absolem shouted. He then transformed into his human form and took her baby from her.
He was a rather handsome man. He had bluey grey hair that was short and well kept. He wore a suit which had a golden pocket watch in it. His clothing was made of different shades of dark blues. All in all, he would have fitted into London's high society rather well.
Alice was panicking. She already had most of her things packed away because they were getting back onto the sea once the midwife left. She finished packing her essential things when a man burst into the room...
Back in Marmoreal...
"Oh my word! I sent a pregnant woman to slay the Jabberwocky!" Mirana said nearly crying. Mally leapt onto her shoulder.
"There there Mirana. You weren't to know. It would seem that he decided to give her experience in more than just sword fighting."
"No I did not!" Tarrant growled.
"It's true. He didn't." everyone turned backed to Absolem who was sitting on top of the looking glass.
"But then how?" Mirana asked.
"You shall find out in due course. Now if you will all excuse me, I have a young half-Underlandian baby to meet. Congratulations Tarrant!" and with that he flew through the glass.
"This currently makes no sense whatsoever. How could Alice have Tarrant's baby without them doing anything?" Mirana said thoughtfully.
"I am a Father." Tarrant said, still in shock.
Suddenly they looked up at the sound of a scream and people shouting from the other side of the looking glass.
"What on Earth is going on out there?" she panicked.
"My dear. You need to pack whatever you need into a bag and come with me now." he said whilst trying to remain calm. She looked at him curiously.
"Just do it!" Absolem shouted. He then transformed into his human form and took her baby from her.
"What in Underland is happening?" Mally was startled.
"I'm not sure, but I know that Absolem wouldn't change forms or act like that for no good reason." Mirana was worried.
Just then the image of a man bursting into Alice's room caught their attention.
On the ship...
Alice jumped at the sound of the door banging against the wall.
"MISS KINGSLEIGH TERRIBLE NEWS! Wait...who is this man in your sleeping quarters?"
"He is a friend. What is the news?"
"T-The ship is...sinking!" He said trembling. Alice gasped.
"YOU WHAT?"
"I'm so sorry Miss Kingsleigh but the ship is sinking and most of the men have jumped ship." he said regretfully.
"Who's left on board?"
"Myself, the captain, Lord Ascot, your friend, You and your daughter." he chocked at the last part. "Congratulations by the way."
"Thank you." she replied and he started crying. She went over to comfort him.
"Such a short life." he weeped.
"There there. What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to jump. It will be easier than the feeling of sinking with the boat. Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Alice said as he ran to the deck of the ship.
She turned her attention back to Absolem.
"What are we going to do?"
Marmoreal...
"T-The ship is...sinking!" He said trembling. Alice gasped.
Everyone in the room gasped. McTwisp fainted.
"What are we going to do?" Mirana said and she jumped up. She walked over to the looking glass and looked as though contemplating something.
Tarrant's eyes had tuned black through fear, worry, sadness and anger.
Absolem turned towards the looking glass, still holding Eloise.
"Mirana you have to listen to me very carefully. You need to help open the looking glass so we can come through." he then taped on the glass and it went wavy. They could see the people who were watching from the other side.
"Alright Alice. Now gather your things and take them through. I will be right behind you with Eloise."
"What about Lord Ascot. I can't just leave him on here to die."
"We need to leave before the boat sinks you stupidly stubborn girl!" he raised his voice.
"Well I am going to leave before the boat sinks, but with Lord Ascot with me! You cantankerous butterfly! " she shouted and ran out of the room.
Absolem went through the looking glass with baby Eloise held tightly in his arms. He got through and immediately turned to Tarrant.
"Take your child; I'll get Alice's things." Absolem handed over the child into Tarrant's arms. He then walked back through the looking glass.
Meanwhile, Alice was running for dear life towards Lord Ascot's sleeping quarters; she knew he would be there. He had always been like a Father to her and she sure as hell was not going to leave him there to drown with the boat!
She arrived at the hallway in which his room was to find that the water was coming in thick and fast. She swam to his door and forced it open. Lord Ascot was standing in the middle of the room waiting for it to sink.
"LORD ASCOT!" she shouted, successfully gaining a mouthful of water.
"Alice!" he swam towards her.
"Quick come with me! There's not much time!"
"But there is no way to survive this...it's impossible!"
"Only if you believe it is."
She led him out of the room and they slowly made their way towards Alice's. They found that the hallway in which her room was on was now filling with water that was gushing though a hole. They went into her room and they saw that water was coming through the ceiling. The water came up to their necks now and Alice was struggling to breath.
"The...mirror...go...through...it!" she managed to say between gasps for air.
"But how?"
"Touch the glass!" she managed to force out between gritted teeth before she became unconscious and went under the water.
"ALICE!" Lord Ascot shouted as he took a breath to dive under the water. He could hardly see when he went down. He managed to locate her and gathered her in his arms - her head resting on his shoulder. He resurfaced and went towards the mirror. He hardly believed that it would work, but he was willing to try anything to save them both. He reached out and touched the glass. After a moment he was about to give up, but a hand that grabbed his arm stopped him. The hand pulled him through the mirror with the force of a frantic person.
When Lord Ascot awoke, he was lying on a marble floor, in a white room.
"Oh my! I'm in heaven." he exclaimed. He sat up and saw a bunch of people and animals staring at him.
"Well if heaven is my throne room?" Mirana said softly, taking off his wet blanket and placing a new warm and dry one in it's place.
"Where am I?" he was confused.
"You are in Underland. More precisely, you are in my throne room. I am the White Queen, Mirana of Marmoreal. And you are?"
"Lord Ascot your majesty." he stood up and bowed to her. "Where is Alice?"
"Follow me."
He followed her to the other side of the room where the occupants of the room were now crowding. He walked past them all to see the scene that they were watching.
Alice sat there against the wall, weak but alive. She had a blanket wrapped around her and was holding Eloise in her arms. Tarrant was sat next to her with his arm around her shoulders and was looking down at the baby. Something clicked in Lord Ascot's mind when he saw the bright green eyes that Tarrant had.
"I am so glad you are both alright Alice." he said as she looked up at him.
"Likewise." she smiled.
"And just who might you be?" he said whilst extending his hand out to Tarrant.
Tarrant stood up and shook Lord Ascot's hand. "Hello Sir, I am Tarrant Hightopp, royal milliner for her majesty the White Queen, Mirana of Marmoreal."
"And also the one who took the innocence of Miss Alice Kingsleigh and bestowed upon her a child. Whilst unmarried may I add!" he said and just as Tarrant tried to deny it...everyone in the room gasped.
For Lord Ascot had just...punched Tarrant in the face!
Hope people are enjoying the story so far. When I was writing about Alice saving Lord Ascot, I was thinking of Titanic. Don't forget to review, alert or favourite the story. Next chapter up soon!