Chapter 16: Out of Body

When Tarrant, accompanied by Blake, Bayard and Ianthe, returned to the castle, they found it in complete and total chaos. All its inhabitants were, simply put, in a panic. Apparently news about Alice's disappearance had traveled fast. With a frown Blake, still holding a sleeping Ianthe, whistled loudly to grab attention. "If someone would kindly inform the Queen that we have returned that would be wonderful."

Ianthe stirred slightly, but only to turn and snuggle further into Blake's warmth.

Alice was still passed out in Tarrant's arms. She showed no sign of waking any time soon.

Nivens came out from the crowd; the most panicked of them all and looked over the group. "She does not look well, I'll get the Queen." He scurried off.

Tarrant held her in his embrace. "My wonderful Alice, all will be well. I promise." It has to be.

Blake let his jaw lock a little before looking to Ianthe, who he still held against him. "We should take Alice to a room, if the people see her like this it will cause more panic."

Tarrant gave a nod and began to walk towards his quarters where Alice often spent her time.

Blake watched him go with her before going off in his own direction. He would put Ianthe to sleep in his room and watch over her while waiting for news about Alice. It caused him to shiver to think that anyone would be that cruel to a child, let alone to another person.

In Tarrant's room, he would not part from Alice's side for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest as he held tight to her hand. He brought her weak, delicate hand to his cheek and sang softly to her in words of old, hoping to comfort her and bring her out of her current state.

Mirana came into the room and gasped when she saw the sight of Alice lying in that bed unconscious, her life all but gone from her. She rushed quickly over and assessed the damage done. "Heavens, Tarrant, tell me all that happened."

And so he did, he told her everything, from reaching the underground caverns, to his fight with her sister and to her demise, and finally to rushing Alice back to the palace, however, he forgot to mention the child they found there that day. Right now that was not important.

Mirana nodded, taking in every word and processing it slowly before quickly running to the door. She pulled it open and called upon the servants in the hallway. "I need you to get me several supplies, and quickly!" She went through a list in her head as she spoke them aloud to the maids in the castle. She waved them off before turning back into the room and getting quickly to work.

Tarrant hesitantly moved from Alice's side, allowing Mirana plenty of room and space to do her magic, as he pleaded to every existing divinity to allow Alice to live, to bring her back to him and into his arms where he could hold her close to him until she told him to stop.

It was hours, but it felt like days to Tarrant, when Mirana finally managed to get Alice in a stable enough condition. "Dear me..." She stood and went to Tarrant. She clasped her hands together as she looked up at him. "Alice is stable, but she needs much rest, a few weeks at best. She'll wake within the next hour I hope. In that event I would advise you to call a servant and have them bring her some food. We'll start her on a liquid diet until she has fully recovered. I'll get right on canceling the celebrations until further notice."

He nodded down to the woman as he glanced over to the other lying in bed, out of the woods but not entirely safe yet.

"Should anything change drastically please call me immediately. And Tarrant, please clean up. We wouldn't want Alice to spend her first moments awake arguing over the blood all over you now would we?"

"Of course not." In other situations he might have cracked a smile, but at this moment, it just did not feel appropriate to him. He sighed and grabbed Mirana's hands. "Thank you Mirana." He paused, "for everything. You should clean up as well."

She nodded. "It has been noted." She gave a soft smile before pulling her hands away and beginning to glide out of the room.

Tarrant turned his attention back to Alice before walking off to clean himself up.

As the time went on, Alice was having her own little adventure. An out of body experience rather. She knew this room, but didn't at the same time. She was confused by the ethereal glow the room had, like it was out of a dream. She floated on and explored the room. Inside the room was a rack covered in various rolls of fabrics, a desk that had several different head shapes and an old fashioned sewing machine. There were a few hats being worked on thrown around the room. She knew by the hats at once that she was in Tarrant's room. She looked around for her mad hatter and floated to the sound of soft sobbing. Her heart sank as she saw her lover hunched into himself, his clothes covered in blood. He was sobbing and mumbling incoherently to himself. The whole image itself broke her.

She had felt no other choice but to somehow get back into her body and return to her love. She wanted desperately to cling onto him and tell him she was there, to let him know that she loved him so much. She floated on back to her body. She leaned over it and wondered how she would re-enter. She put her hand on it and found it went through. After several attempts to jump in, she just couldn't. Why… why can't I go back in? There was definitely something blocking her, it took her several moments to notice the dark red aura over her body. She looked around to see where it was coming from to find it there a darkness in the corner in the room.

The darkness came at her once it had been noticed and grabbed her.

She struggled. Ugh what? Who are you? Let me go! She continued to struggle on, fighting for her freedom.

A face formed in the darkness to reveal Iracabeth. You have been the vewy bane of my existence Awice. Her eyes were blood red, full of nothing but malice. You and that wonderful… She paused and shuddered before continuing, sister of mine Mirawna. Always getting in the way of my plans, never wetting me get my way! I'm the eldest I should have been Queen of Underland! Not that stupid wittle sister of mine and her tiny wittle head! Oh how I would have loved to see that tiny head roll across the ground! As she spoke, she shook Alice's soul violently back and forth, her anger quite visible as she ranted on and on about how things should have happened.

As Alice struggled to get free, Tarrant walked into the room, unable to see the fight going on between the spirits or the darkness that was in the room. His eyes had been too clouded by his tears as he found a seat by her side. He took her hand in his and kissed it softly. "You come back to me Alice you hear? I need you so much more than my words can say… and I have so many words in my vocabulary… words that in particular begin with S…. soulless, sorry, sinner… selfishness… suicide…." He stared at her hand before looking at her face. "If you die I won't survive this… I cannot lose anyone else. So much Alice, so many gone, being the last one. Alice… I waited so… so long for you. Then this happens, just after you come back. How is this fair? Hmm? HMM!" He screamed out in anguish as he stood and grabbed Alice by her shoulders, lifting her body up and ultimately out of the dark barrier. He stared at her, glared at her face in sad anger. "You get back here Alice! You come back right now!" He shouted loudly, practically screaming at her as he shook her lifeless body in a desperate reach for her to respond.

Once Tarrant had lifted her body out of the dark shield she felt her soul get pulled back to her body almost instantly, pulling her out of the miserable clutches of the Red Queen. She could feel Tarrant still shaking her, up until finally her eyes opened briefly. "T…." she struggled to say his name as he kept shaking her and yelling in anguish, unable to form more words, only grunts as the tears flowed from his eyes freely again. She grunted loudly in an attempt to get him to stop. Which after a few tries, managed to catch his attention.

Panicking, he quickly and gently laid her down. He stared down at her with wide eyes. "A … Alice? Is that truly you? Are you living?" He leaned down and checked to see if she was breathing properly. Once he was positive he stared back at her face. "Alice?"

"Tarrant…" She said softly as she reached up and rubbed his cheek softly. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"Stupid girl… stupid… stupid…ugh but alive, stupid hard headed Alice." He sat down on the edge and pulled her up into a tight, warm hug, as if he had never held her in his arms before, or rather, like a man who had thought he would never hold her in his arms again for as long as he lived.

"T…Tarrant… as much as… as I enjoy you holding me… you're… squeezing me awfully tight." She managed to get out, as he squished her to him.

He shook his head and pulled away, setting her back on the bed. "Yes right, well, I'm sorry." He stared down at her and couldn't help but smile brightly. "Oh Mirana, I have to tell her. I won't be gone long." He quickly rushed along, leaving Alice on the bed.

She smiled a little as he left and heard him shouting out to the maids about the news. The whole thing caused such a ruckus and she could hear it all outside the bedroom door. She turned her head and saw the dark spot there, she shuddered knowing that Iracabeth was still there, probably staring right at her, cursing her and the day she came to Underland.

When Mirana entered the room to see Alice the dark spot fled and disappeared from sight. Mirana smiled brightly at her. "We're glad to have you back Alice."

"It's good to be back." She tried to sit up but found it hard to.

"No need to get up Alice, you have to recover." She smiled and sat on the edge, an ecstatic and fidgety Tarrant nearby as Mirana began her examination. "The minor cuts will heal easily. The deeper ones will take much time. Possibly two maybe three weeks give or take depending on you of course Alice." She continued her examination. "Other than that I think she'll be fine." She looked up at Tarrant. "Make sure she doesn't move too much, she's still sore. In a week she should be able to get up and around on her own, no heavy lifting. In the mean time, you'll have to guide Alice to her destinations."

Tarrant nodded, listening intently to Mirana. He would follow everything she said to a t, Alice would be under his strict and watchful care.

"A maid will be by later with her meal. Liquid diet for now until I can be absolutely sure she can handle solid foods." She stood and looked down to Alice with a smile. "You'll be back to your old self in no time. Rest well Alice." She nodded to her and glided away, leaving the two alone.

Once Mirana was gone, Tarrant sat by the bed and took her hand. "I was so worried about you Alice. I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner."

"It's not your fault Tarrant. She caught me by surprise. The most important part is that you got there when you did."

He nodded. "I might have never gotten to you if it weren't for Bayard and Blake. The two of them were a great help." He would have to do something special for the both of them in thanks, but right now, Alice was priority.

She gave him a weak smile. "Oh… and the little girl?"

"Little girl…?" He looked confused a bit before he started to stare off into space. "Oh right, Ianthe. She came back with us. She's with Blake right now. Poor girl won't let him go for a second."

Alice looked relieved. "Thank goodness. I'm so happy that she's safe. I'm sure Iracabeth abused her as well."

"I have no doubts on that Alice. But for now, you need your rest."

She nodded. "Alright, I'll rest but… lay with me?"

He nodded. "Of course." He pulled off his shoes and went into the bed with her, under the covers. He was careful not to hurt her in the state that she was in. He leaned in and kissed her cheek softly as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her in his warm and strong embrace.

She allowed her eyes to close as she moved into the warm safe feeling he provided. It didn't take her long to fall asleep there.

Tarrant held her and cradled her as she slept.

AN: omg, I'm so sorry guys that it took so long to get this out. So much has been going on and I've recently graduated. Hopefully another chapter will come up soon now that I have a lot of time on my hands XD
3 much love.