Chapter Eleven
Alice and Hatter spent the rest of the day indoors. Since coming to Wonderland, and enduring Charlie's cure for Homesickness, they'd had very little time to spend together and reconnect after all they'd been through. Happily, the apartment had been fully stocked with food, so they hadn't had to leave at all.
As night settled, Alice could very faintly hear noise down below from the social club. She and Hatter were cuddled up in bed, watching the light fade outside the window. Alice felt completely at ease for the first time in weeks, and marveled that she should feel that way here in Wonderland.
"Is this where you lived before?" Alice asked. She ran her hand idly over Hatter's collarbone.
"No. My old flat was behind my office," Hatter replied, closing his eyes. He lay on the bed with one arm around Alice and the other behind his head. He wore only a pair of green silk boxer shorts. Alice had on one of his shirts, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.
"It's strange, being back."
"Yeah." Hatter grinned. "It's odd being a celebrity."
They shared a comfortable silence while Alice thought about the things she wanted to see while she was here. Tomorrow they'd get a proper tour of the Kingdom of the Knights, and Alice found she was eager to meet Maryann the girl knight. She'd also like to see more of the City, particularly now that the residents didn't have to keep so much to themselves. Part of her also felt the need to revisit the site of the Casino, whether for a need to remind herself what she'd done before or to return to the last place she'd been with her father, she didn't know. Maybe a combination of both.
"What're you thinking, love?" Hatter asked sleepily.
"Just all the places I want to see while we're here."
"Planning to play tourist are you?"
"I should've brought my camera." Alice couldn't believe she hadn't thought of that when she packed everything else up. "We'd have pictures to show Mom when we get back."
Hatter opened his eyes and looked down at her. "You're going to have to go back, Alice, if only to let her know what's happened."
Alice sighed. "I know. I did tell her it would be a while, though. I don't want to leave you…not yet. Not now. Besides, they can send me back right after I left. Right?"
"That's what they did for me," Hatter confirmed. "What'll you tell her?"
"The truth. That we'll be here until a new inoculation is made. I'm going to have to take a leave of absence from the dojo. Will Edward hold your job?"
"Not sure," Hatter said. "I hope so, but I can't expect him to save it indefinitely."
There was another long silence, and Alice got the impression that Hatter wanted to say something. She ran her hand up his chest to his stubbly cheek. She kissed him, and quickly lost herself to the taste of him. When Hatter broke the kiss, Alice kept her hand on his face.
"What's wrong?"
Hatter turned his head away from her and kept his tone suspiciously light. "Jack said it took your father…three years to develop the inoculation."
Alice would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about that as well. Would it take Jack's scientists as long? She knew that Hatter worried about her being in Wonderland, even now when no-one was trying to kill her. Even with her wearing the engagement ring he'd given her, he still doubted the strength of her love for him. Or his own worthiness.
"Hatter. Look at me."
He turned back to face her, clearly afraid of what she was going to say.
"Hatter. You turned your back on Wonderland, on the life you knew, to come and be with me in my world. How could I do any less for you?"
"You aren't thinking this through," Hatter protested. Alice put her fingers to his lips.
"I don't need to think about it at all. We're a team, Hatter. You and me." She cuddled up closer to him and rested her head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. "Stop doubting us."
Alice was drowsy, and she wasn't sure she caught Hatter's response before she drifted off. But it sounded like he said, "It's not us I'm doubting."
*o*o*o*
Dormie was at the door first thing in the morning, knocking repeatedly until Alice shoved Hatter out of bed to go answer it. She snuggled back under the covers, blocking out the sun with a pillow. Another morning in Wonderland, and she was a woman of leisure for the first time in recent memory. No-where she particularly had to be. No bills to pay, no cell phone to ring with reminders of obligations. It was a strange and wonderful feeling to be cut off from the world, at least for a little while.
Alice dozed off again for a little while, waking again when she smelled food. Was Hatter cooking bacon? That was enough to get her out of bed and into the bathroom to get showered up. She looked through the wardrobe in the bedroom to see what offerings Charlie had dug up for her, but everything in there was very feminine and not much good for a trip out to the Kingdom of the Knights. She settled for her backup pair of jeans and one of Hatter's blue paisley shirts.
"Look what the cat dragged in," Hatter remarked when Alice wandered into the kitchen.
"Smells good in here." Alice gave Hatter a quick kiss and turned her attention to the food on the table. Bacon and eggs, and some kind of small purple fruit that she'd never seen before.
"Have a seat and tuck in, love." Hatter set two steaming cups of tea on the table.
"What did Dormie want?" Alice asked, helping herself to a generous portion of eggs. She didn't normally eat much breakfast, but today she was starving.
"He's throwing us a bit of a party tonight. Downstairs. Something about celebrating our triumphant return." Hatter rolled his eyes. "We don't have to go."
Alice thought about having to mingle with a room full of Wonderlanders that she didn't know. She could imagine better ways to pass a night with Hatter, but it was important and she knew it.
"No, we should go. That's your place down there, and people should see you. If we're going to be here for a while, we'll need some way to earn a living."
"I suppose you're right," Hatter said with a shrug. But Alice wasn't fooled; she knew the idea of a party in his honor excited him. And he'd earned it. All that double dealing he'd had to do in the past could now be wiped away.
"What's this?" Alice asked, picking up one of the fruits.
"Conkleberry. Try it. Dormie brought them up."
Alice took a tentative bite. The berry was so juicy she had to quickly lean over her plate to keep from dribbling down the front of her shirt. It was an odd mix of sweet and sour, and after eating the whole thing she still wasn't certain if she liked it or not.
"They grow on you," Hatter said with a grin.
"They'd have to," Alice agreed. She wiped off her chin. "How are we getting to Charlie's?"
"Dormie has a boat waiting. It'll be just like old times." Hatter waggled his eyebrows at her. Alice laughed and threw a conkleberry at his head.
"If I see a Jabberwock today, I'm going to kill you."
*o*o*o*
Without being chased by a Scarab full of suits and a homicidal maniac, boating on the lake was actually quite nice. Alice was free to look around and take in the scenery this time. Just outside the City, everything was wild and green. Tree-covered mountains rose up on every side, and the air was so clean here that Alice couldn't help taking deep, greedy breaths.
"It's so beautiful here." She tilted her head back to look at the expanse of clear blue sky.
"Wonderland has its charms."
"You're definitely one of them," Alice laughed. She snuggled up next to Hatter and he draped an arm over her shoulder.
"What's it called?" she asked after a while. "The lake, I mean."
"It's the Lake of Forgotten Sorrows," Hatter replied.
Alice frowned. "That's depressing."
"Oh, I don't know." Hatter shrugged a shoulder. "I like to think it means you can forget your sorrows while you're out on the lake."
It was a pretty explanation, but Alice couldn't help remembering that her last few encounters with the lake had increased her sorrows. She didn't say anything to Hatter though; today she was feeling optimistic about life, so she just went with it.
They put the boat in at a different spot this time, one closer to the Kingdom of the Knights with less actual travel through the Forest of Wabe. In the uncanny nature that marked the Knights, Toby was waiting for them on the shore with two horses.
"Guinevere!" Alice went right to the gentle brown mare and stroked her velvety nose. It was the little moments like this that made Alice feel as if Wonderland could really be a second home for her.
"Salutations," Toby said with a bow. "I've come to take you to the Kingdom of the Knights."
"Thanks, Toby." Alice gave him a big smile, and his face turned as red as his armor.
"Up you go, then." Hatter helped Alice mount, then swung up in front of her.
"Back in the saddle again," Alice quipped.
"There's a good girl," Hatter said, patting Guinevere on the neck.
Without waiting to be asked this time, Alice wrapped her arms around Hatter, snuggling up as close as she could.
"Comfy?" he asked with a chuckle.
"As I'll ever be," Alice replied.
Like it was on the boat, the ride to Charlie's place was relaxed and enjoyable. Alice made Toby and Hatter stop when they got to the giant mushroom, so she could see it close up. For a moment she imagined herself as the first Alice, shrunk small and waiting for a giant caterpillar to give her some advice.
"Magic," she murmured to herself. She felt like a little girl again.
It was late morning when they rode into the Kingdom of the Knights. Fourteen Knights in Training, some in white armor and some in red, were lined up in two facing rows. They stood at perfect attention as Toby, Hatter and Alice rode between them. Alice couldn't help but grin. She knew that if Charlie'd had the means, there would have been horns present to add some musical fanfare.
"Alice! Harbinger!" Charlie came striding out purposefully to meet them. "Well done, Toby."
Toby sat up straighter in the saddle, clearly pleased to be praised in front of his fellow knights. Alice caught one of the knights in training rolling his eyes, and she had to stifle a laugh.
"Lacy Alice," Charlie said formally. He reached up and helped her dismount Guinevere. The White Knight held her at arm's length, frowning as he looked her over.
"What?" Alice asked.
Charlie leaned over to whisper next to her ear. "This is not attire befitting a Hero of Wonderland. Why did you not wear a dress?"
"Been there, done that," Alice whispered back. "Dresses aren't good for horseback riding."
Charlie shook his head, clearly displeased, but when he presented Alice to his troop of Knights in Training he did so without a lapse in formality or respect.
"Knights in Training, I wish to present to you the Heroes of Wonderland. Lady Alice…and Sir Hatter."
As one, the young knights bowed. Alice felt like she was playacting being a queen, and it was all she could do not to give a little wave as she made her way down the line. Hatter eyed her warily.
"You alright, love?" he murmured.
"I feel ridiculous."
"Yeah."
As they reached the end of the line, one of the knights broke ranks and knelt in front of Alice. When the knight looked up, Alice saw that it was Maryann – the only girl Knight in Training. She had long blonde hair tied back from her face, and her green eyes bore right into Alice's blue ones.
"Maryann!" Charlie said, clearly angry at this breach in protocol.
"I'm sorry, Sir Charles, but I just had to thank the Lady Alice for inspiring me to become a Knight and fight for Wonderland." Maryann bowed her head again, but looked up at Alice through her eyelashes.
"You're welcome," Alice said. She didn't know what else to say, and there was no help from Hatter; when she glanced over at him she could tell he was trying not to laugh.
"Maryann, back in ranks this instant!" Charlie's face was red with outrage.
The girl knight hurried to comply, her armor clanking. Alice had to forcibly bite her lip to keep from laughing while Charlie muttered about females being unsuitable for serious knighthood. Hatter took her hand, squeezing it hard, but it just made her want to laugh all the more.
They passed the remainder of the morning touring the grounds. There was a fully-stocked infirmary, the dormitories – Maryann had her own sleeping quarters – a rudimentary kitchen where the young knights took turns cooking, and of course the training fields. Charlie had set up various hay-stuffed dummies for the trainees to parry with, and there were wooden swords for when they practiced with each other.
"You training them in the Black Arts?" Hatter wanted to know.
"Of course!" Charlie grinned. "They're not near as seasoned as me, but Freddie and Thomas are showing some potential. And if Feckless could stop chattering, he'd be more in tune with the ethereal forces."
"There's none better to teach them," Hatter said.
Charlie beamed. "Quite right, Harbinger. Still, there are some areas lacking in their training. Hand to hand combat, particularly. I'll admit it's never been a particular strength of mine."
"If we were staying longer I'd teach them some martial arts," Alice said.
"Is that the Oyster form of fighting?"
"It's how she flips grown men round on their bums," Hatter explained.
Alice grinned at him. "You should let Hatter give your knights some training. Then they can learn to take a hit."
"We'll see about that, you cheeky Oyster," Hatter said. He narrowed his eyes, then took a swing at Alice. When she moved to block him, he pulled back and instead tickled her under her arms. She immediately began to squeal and laugh, not noticing when Charlie sighed and averted his gaze.
When Hatter finally relented and turned a red-faced Alice loose, they noticed that Toby was standing there looking painfully embarrassed.
"Um…Sir Hatter, sir?"
"Hey, Toby."
"Could you come take a look at some of our defenses? We…um…we'd like to get your…um…opinion?"
Alice listened to Toby stammer and cut her gaze to Charlie, who was looking a little too blank in the face. Clearly something was up. If Hatter noticed it, he didn't say anything. He just shrugged, gave Alice a quick peck on the lips, and followed Toby off across the grounds.
"That was subtle, Charlie," Alice said. "What's up?"
Charlie drew Alice over to a marble bench that was set up under a tree, and they both sat down.
"I wanted to ask about Harbinger. He's completely cured?"
"Thanks to you, Charlie. You saved his life." Alice leaned over and gave Charlie a kiss on the cheek; the White Knight blushed.
"Yes, well, I made some inquiries into this Homesickness business. I don't know what your father used for his inoculation, but at least now we know how to treat the effects."
"There's something I'm unclear about," Alice said. "I was told that the Homesickness comes about when Wonderlanders are separated from the magic of Wonderland."
"That's my understanding as well," Charlie replied. "Though to be honest, there's not much magic left here."
"Is the magic…when Alice was here, were there really talking animals?"
Charlie looked pensive, and took out his pipe for a few dry puffs. "Of course, I was but a lad when the First Alice came. When I was a squire I'd hear stories, of course. Of talking Animals and flowers that would hold conversations with passerby."
"Just like in the book," Alice mused. "So what happened?"
"The First Alice, with her great desire to return home, denounced the magic. She called a Spade a spade, as it were. She destroyed much of Wonderland magic that day, just with the power of her words." Charlie tapped the pipe stem against his armor-clad chest. "Some say she held the greatest magic of all, to be able to topple the House of Cards with merely a word."
"She called them a pack of cards. That's all that did it?"
"From the stories I can recall, yes. And so many of the Suits turned into playing cards, and the Red Queen turned into a chess piece. The Red King never got over the loss." Charlie had a faraway, sad look in his eye. "Wonderland paid a heavy price, being freed from the tyranny of the first Queen of Hearts."
"That's terrible!" Alice said. She couldn't help but compare herself to the first Alice. Hadn't she brought down a Queen of Hearts as well? And what had happened to all the people who had depended on her, or on Tea, for a livelihood? Had she left Wonderland as damaged as the first Alice had?
"I imagine Harbinger is more connected to what magic is left because of who he his," Charlie continued.
"What do you mean? Who is he?"
"He's a Hatter, naturally." Charlie stowed his pipe. "Wonderland has always had one."
Alice thought about that for a minute. "So if I take him back to my world, what happens? Will that take more of the magic away?"
"Only the unseen forces know," Charlie said. "If they deign to tell me, I will of course inform you immediately."
"Of course," Alice repeated with a grin. Before she could ask any more questions, Hatter was back. It was getting late and they still had to make the trip back to the City for Dormie's party.
"Promise me you'll wear something more appropriate," Charlie begged.
"I promise," Alice said. "A dress and impractical shoes, just for you."
*o*o*o*
"Did you and Charlie have a nice talk?" Hatter asked once they were outside of the Kingdom of the Knights. Toby was once again leading them, this time back to the beach. Alice snuggled up against Hatter's back, resting her head on his shoulder.
"He wanted to be sure you're okay."
"He's got a pretty good operation going there," Hatter said. "This time next year I imagine he'll have more knights than he knows what to do with."
"Charlie's done so much for us. We need to think of a way to repay him." Although Alice couldn't immediately think of an appropriate gift or gesture.
"Let me think on it a while, love. I'm sure I'll come up with something."
"I'm sure you will," Alice agreed. She closed her eyes. She was tired, and Guinevere's steady gait was rocking her to sleep. She tightened her arms around Hatter. "Wake me when we get to the boat."
Hatter only chuckled, and patted her hands with his.
AN: It took me a while to finish this chapter – for some reason I just got stuck when Alice and Hatter reached the Kingdom of the Knights. Hopefully it's not all bad. Enjoy this last bit of fluff, because we get back to the not so pleasant stuff in the next chapter. (What, did you think I was done making life difficult for Alice and Hatter? Ha!)