Hello everyone. Thanks again for all the great reviews and for subscribing and favoriting this story! I really hope everyone enjoys this chapter :) I took me a while but I think it was worth it
I don't own Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton and Disney hold those rights.
The warmth of the sun shown down on Alice pulling her gently from her dreams and in to coherence. She stirred in her bed, opening her eyes slowly as she looked to the balcony where the shining sun was now flowing in. She moved her arms from beneath the covers and pulled herself up, looking about the lavished room almost forgetting where she was for a moment. She turned to the velvet pillow in her room where her sweet little Abby lay sleeping still, unaffected by the rays of the morning sun, her bed still in shadows of the curtains.
Alice pulled herself away from the warmth of her bed and headed over to the closet. She looked at the clock as she passed; it was nearly 8:30 so most of the castle was probably up by now. She desperately felt she needed to change as she had been in her evening dress since she had come back to wonderland. She opened the door to the closet and looked through the various dresses and other outfits that had been placed there for her. One outfit in particular stood out, it reminded her of the outfit she had worn when she had returned to wonderland. This dress however was a bit simpler, having short sleeves with lace frilling out at the ends but none of the layers of fabric underneath that her previous dress had had, with the exception of ruffles to act as a petticoat. It was a sky blue with black embroidery at the bottom depicting flowers and trees, all in full bloom, there were even small vines growing up the dress. The neck line of the dress fell rather low but beneath it was a piece of silk which covered her up to just beneath the collar bone. Placed in an X shape were two black ribbons that started on the corner of the neck line closest to either side of her bosom, moving across to reach the collar bone across from it.
Alice removed her night gown, folding it up and placing it in the dresser before slipping on the dress she had picked out. It was somewhat short, ending just above her knees, but her pantaloons covered her up so she was not indecent. It was fine all the same; it was very warm outside, like a summer day. She looked back to the closet and to her great surprise and joy she found a pair of boots that were a nice tan brown color, with a pair of white knee high socks with thin black stripes in them. My goodness, they've thought of everything Alice pondered as she put on the socks and boots.
After getting dressed Alice picked up Abby and walked out of her room in search of the kitchen hoping to get something for breakfast.
The hatter was curled up in a ball under his covers, and looking at the huddled mess of blankets you might not know there was an actual person underneath were it not for the faint grumbling noises coming from them. Tarrant could feel something small hitting the blankets repeatedly. He hoped it was a mere hallucination and curled up into a tighter ball until a small familiar voice forced him back to reality.
"Get up ya great lazy thing!"
With a final irritated grunt the hatter stuck one hand out of his blanket cocoon, grabbed his hat then threw off his lovely patchwork blankets. Mallymkun was able to jump off before being thrown along with the other blankets. Tarrant stretched his arms out as his yawned rather loudly and Mally scampered back onto the bed.
"'ave you any idea 'ow long you've been asleep?"
"If I was asleep how was I to keep track of time? He doesn't care for me anyway."
Mally looked at the hatter rather annoyed as she hoped off the bed, heading over to the dressed.
"It's nearly 9 and you're off dreamin' of lord knows what when you're s'pposed to be watchin' over Alice. Not that you're right for the job, I'm far better suited even in ya are a bit bigger. "She said still annoyed as she picked up her things from the dresser top.
The hatter sighed as he stood, grabbing his shoes from the floor and beginning to put them on, after his socks, " I will do a fine job of protecting Alice and I would greatly appreciate you having some confidence in me. Besides mally, it's not as if something horrible would happen to Alice while she's here, in the castle, before 9 o'clock!"
"And if somethin' did 'appen? Then what? You would 'ave failed the queen, you got to be up and about before Alice so you can be there if anything 'appens!"
The hatter pondered her words as he finished tying his shoes and got his jacket, hanging from the chair next to his bedside table.
"Mally, you need not worry I shall serve my queen to the best of my abilities, after all Alice is our friend and savior of Underland. I won't let any harm befall her."
He had put on his coat and walked to the dresser where he ran a comb through his mane of vibrant orange hair and adjusted his hat slightly until his was content with his appearance.
"Hatter!" Mally shouted rather seriously, causing the hatter to turned abruptly to face her, a curious and slightly alarmed look on his face.
"This is serious 'atter, you know things of been 'appenin' a lot round here as of late. Chances are with everyone so in a buzz about Alice they'll go after 'er to bring down people spirits. Please, keep your wits about you; don't let anything 'appen to Alice or yourself. "Hatter was about to inquire as what who she was talking about when she said They'll go after her, but she had already turned away from him.
She hopped down from the dresser and towards the door turning back to the hatter for a moment. "I'll be going back to the hares house today, don't want him to get too lonely, but I'll be back to check in on ya."
She paused for a moment and looked up at the hatter solemnly, almost sad, "Fairfarren 'atter."
"Fairfarren Mally."
With that Mally walked out of the room and headed down the hall. Tarrant stood there thinking for a moment, of all that could go wrong, of how he might try to help Alice should something go wrong. He bit his lip thinking, looking down at the floor and slowly made his way over to the door putting his hand on the handle You are doing this for your queen, he thought closing his eyes, biting his lip and shaking his head slightly, no, not just the queen. You're doing this for Alice,
Your friend.
With that he opened his eyes with their usual brightness and threw the door open walking out to find Alice.
Alice wandered through the hallways, attempting to find the kitchen in hopes of having something for breakfast. Abby was still fast asleep in her arms though twitching slightly in her sleep. She walked about until she found herself looking into the occasional open door only to find another room that was not the kitchen, much to her dismay. Alice continued to walk until she had reached a rather large room with a lovely oak table with several chairs. There were large windows that reached from the floor to the ceiling allowing the beautiful morning sun to shine in, with large blue curtains with white frills pulled aside to let the light in. Near the table, just behind it in fact, was another white door. Behind it she heard the murmurs of servants as they ran about. Hope rising in her stomach she moved towards the door, opening it to see servants with baskets full of vegetables, eggs, bread and other food items. One of the servants whipped past Alice placing a basket full of bread loaves on the table, brushing her frazzled hair behind her ear before looking to see Alice. She seemed to examine her for a moment then her eyes grew wide and she curtsied, bowing her head as she did so.
"Beggin' your pardon, me lady, didn't see ya there. What can I do ya for miss?"
"I was just looking for the kitchen I was hoping to have some breakfast."
"Queen already been in miss, she said she can't be joinin' you for breakfast but she's arranged for the royal 'atter to be company. Might be best for you to wait while we finish gettin' the food ready, Mr. Hightopp should be down soon."
"Where, might I ask, should I go? Forgive me but I would prefer to be close when the food is ready I'm rather hungry."
The servant girl looked terribly nervous and began to bow franticly, "I beggin' ya pardon miss! We don't mean to take so long! "
Alice walked closer to the girl, now feeling a bit guilty for her pervious statement, "no no no, it's quite alright. Please take your time there is no need to rush on my behalf. Would it be alright if I just waited at the table right out there?" She said pointing towards the door with her free hand, behind which was the oak table in the well light room.
"You're an honored guest here miss, you can do as ya please." The girl said still in a bow with her head down.
"Alright, well thank you." Said Alice as she curtsied, causing the girl to blush slightly, before turning and heading back to the oak table and sitting down. She place Abby gently on the table, sitting down and looking out the window where she could see yet another section of the lovely palace grounds. Abby stirred slightly on the table, her eyes opening slowly as she yawned and began to wake up a bit more. Alice leaned over to her, petting her head lightly leaning in towards her, "good morning star shine." Abby moved slightly, licking Alice's fingers; Alice smiled softly, "Did you sleep well?"
"Are you quite sure she can't talk? Because you talk to her as if she can."
Alice turned abruptly from Abby to see that the hatter had entered the room, quietly closing the door behind him and walking up next to her seat, looking down at Alice and Abby alike, looking rather curious.
"I though you said rabbits didn't wear clothes where you came from?"
"Well they don't, but I have a feeling when they took care of her while we were in the maze, they saw fit to clothe her."
The hatter seemed to nod his head a bit, excepting this as a plausible explanation then looking rather happy as he took the seat at the head of the table next to Alice.
"Well I should think it looks rather nice on her." He then looked about the table and in horror noticed that there was neither tea nor a tea pot containing tea. He turned from the table to Alice, having a rather melancholy expression as he looked to her. "Alice, are you quite aware of the great misfortune that has occurred?"
Alice looked at the hatter, then to the table, "Perhaps you wish to inform me? "
"There is no tea!! How is one to start the day without this most sacred of revitalizing liquids to help us?!"
Alice merely nodded, not exactly sure what to say as the servant girl she had talked to before rushed out with a tea tray, placing it on the table. She quickly went to pour the tea but the hatter quickly placed his hands on the teapot, glaring at the servant girl.
"Thank you miss, we are very much obliged." Alice said warmly hoping to give the girl some relief. The girl smiled slightly, gave a small bow and rushed back to the kitchen. The hatters gaze followed her until the door closed behind her and she could no longer been seen. He then turned happily back to the tea pot, pouring a cup first for Alice and then himself. He gently handed Alice her cup on top of a saucer then placed his own in front of him.
"Does your little one take tea at her age?" He asked still holding the pot in his hands.
Alice couldn't help but laugh a little inwardly before shaking her head gently, "I should say not, she a bit young. "
"Very well." He said with a shrug as he placed the tea pot down and added two lumps of sugar to his tea and then a spot of cream. He handed Alice the sugar bowl and she put in two as well and then put in a touch of cream. Just as they were both about to take a sip the door behind them flew open once more and several servants came rushing out, each with a tray. They quickly placed a plate with scrambled eggs, toast and sliced apples in front of them. The hatter had grabbed his tea defensively holding it close to him as the servants put the food in front of them and Alice had picked up Abby hoping to save her from any incoming plates. As soon as the food was placed neatly on the table the servants bowed then rushed back into the other room leaving Tarrant and Alice to their meals.
Alice ate hers rather quickly enjoying every bit and the hatter dipped the toast into the tea before eating it, then begrudgingly ate the rest, washing it all down with yet another cup of tea. Abby was now fully awake and struggling to get out of her dress, attempting to walk backwards out of it and biting at it as best she could. Alice smiled and gently took it off much to Abby's relief as the hatter looked on with a skeptical look as he took yet another sip. Alice then turned her attention to her tea and tasted it, placing it down and looking to the hatter.
"So why are you here today? I don't mean to insinuate that I don't enjoy your company, I do, it's just, I thought you lived some ways away."
"Why yes I do, I live out near my dear friend Thackery but , well, I have been asked to stay so that I might be more readily available should the queen need me! Never know when you're going to need a good hat and if I am at home and she needs a hat immediately she would have to wait the extra time for me to arrive, very inconvenient!" He then took a great gulp of his tea emptying the cup. Tarrant didn't like having to make things up, not at all, but he agreed with the queen. Should Alice find out something was going on she may leave them and she had only just returned, to Underland, to her friends, to him. Right now he needed a distraction, something to turn her mind away from things she need not know.
"Alice, have you any plans for the day? I should like to accompany you if you wouldn't mind. I do, after all, know Underland very well I doubt any one else could show you your way better then I."
Alice sat listening, somewhat alarmed by the touch of panic in the hatters' voice. However it returned to its usual happy candor with his request.
"Well I hadn't really planned on anything, I've only just gotten here. " Alice said as she picked Abby up and pet her gently.
"But surly there is something that has captured your curiosity?"
"Well yes many things, but none that are pressing or of any urgency. Though if I am to be honest, I would greatly like to get a closer look at the body of water. The one beneath the balcony were we talked yesterday?"
"Oh that is am excellent idea Alice! Most interesting I would suspect nothing less from you."
With this the hatter jumped from his seat, pulling Alice's chair from the table while she was still sitting in it. She rose from her seat, taking Abby up in her arms, to have it shoved back into the table, Tarrant grabbing her free arm pulling her out of the dinning room, the servants rushing in and taking the dirty plates away as they left. One of the servants, the girl that Alice had spoken to before scurried up to her and in a small voice called out.
"excuse me miss, by 'er majesty has requested that your ward be taken so she might be cared for in ya absence as ya go about ya business with Mr. Hightopp." She bowed her head and extended her arms so she might take Abby from Alice.
"There's no need for that, I can take care of her." Alice protested but the girl shook her head vigorously, "'er majesty insisted! I can't leave ya 'til I've got ya little one in my care."
Alice looked to Tarrant as she had with the situation with the pawn, the hatter smiled brightly, "Alice nothing bad happened to her before, they give her the utmost care. Besides you will be free to do as you please without having to worry about what to do with your little one."
Alice sighed and handed Abby to the girl. Abby struggled at first but the girl pet her softly on the back speaking in soft tones as she walked away from Alice and Tarrant slowly, causing Abby to calm dramaticly. "There there little one, ya mums just gonna go an explore a bit, 'til then I'll be takin' care of ya. Your names Abby is it? Lovely name, and well deserved for such a sweet little thing." The girls' voice faded as she walked down the hall and away from the dinning room. Alice looked on until the servant turned a corner and went out of sigh. She then turned her attention back to the hatter who, sensing her worry, intertwined his arm with hers yet again, preparing to set off with his silly toothy smile he was so well known for.
"Shall we then?"
Within minutes Alice and the hatter had found themselves wondering through the grounds heading down towards the water way that Alice was so interested in. Alice had been a bit alarmed when the hatter had taken her by the arm but she brushed it off as his usual madness and perhaps a difference in culture. Admittedly it was nice, being close like this, but wasn't it always nice to be close to friends? It was strange, Alice began to think, for being close friends she couldn't recall a great deal of information about him.
"Hatter?"
"Yes Alice?"
"We don't actually know each other that well do we?" She said turning to him. He looked back at her, his smile fading into a small frown.
"Well I thought we knew each other well enough to be good friends…" He said looking down still walking, his arm relaxing, starting to fall away from Alice's. She could see how upset she was and tightened her grip on his arm, not wanting him to feel as if she didn't want him as a friend.
"Yes of course! I just think maybe we should get to know each other a bit more. Perhaps we could play a game to start off?"
Tarrant's head spun around to face her, a massive grin on his face "What kind of game?" He said in a delighted tone, Alice smiled back, for once relieved at his sudden change of mood.
"A question game, I ask a question and you answer, then you ask me a question and I answer."
"How do you win?"
"You find out more about the person your talking to."
The hatter put his free hand to his chin, seeming to contemplate this game, if it was a good game indeed. He nodded to himself before turning back to Alice.
"That sounds like a splendid game, shall we start now?"
"Very well, what's your favorite color? I'm partial to blue, if you couldn't tell. "
"Well I've seen that you wear it a great deal, but there is only one way of knowing for sure and that is to ask you, or perhaps there are more ways, I haven't put a great deal of thought into it... I rather like magenta. It is quite fun to say as well, magenta, lovely. What is your favorite type of hat?"
"I don't know of many types of hats to be honest, but I do think one of those summer hats that keep the sun from your eyes are very nice indeed. Have you a favorite thing to do?"
"Make hats, have tea, be with friends, those are all favorite things. How were things back in your otherworld? Did you get everything done that you felt you needed to do? "
"Things went pretty well, my fathers business is stronger then ever, but Mr. Ascot seems to be the only one people tend to see. In my world a lot of people look at women differently then they do men."
The hatter looked at Alice with great alarm, "But I thought you had a queen who ruled your other land?"
"Well we do, but I'm not the queen, I'm not anywhere near as important as her."
"But you are Alice! You all to all of Underland, to the queen herself, to Chess and Mally and McTwisp, and to me as well. "He said with a slight blush which he greatly hoped Alice would not notice as he turned away from her to hide it.
Alice didn't notice the blush on Tarrant's cheeks but did get a tremendous warm feeling from his kind words. "You're terribly silly Tarrant, very kind but rather silly." Alice said softly as they continued to walk and the hatter blushed even more. Alice examined the hatter a bit as she turned away from her, his hair seemed a good bit longer thought still bushy and frizzed out as it had been when she had seen him last time she came to wonderland. It was strange, he hadn't seem to have aged at all, he still looked at he did when she had first meet him.
"Hatter?"
Tarrant looked back to Alice hesitantly, his blush now faded, "Yes Alice?"
"What have you been doing all the time I was gone?"
He looked up to the sky as he spoke "Oh, having tea, making hats, repairing my home, and wondering when you would return." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye before continuing, "I thought of you often when working, I've missed you a great deal."
Alice noticed he seemed so casual with his words, where as if someone where to say something similar back home it would imply a great deal. But things were far different in wonderland. Right?
"Why did you miss me so much?"
Tarrant looked rather wide eyed at this question, before turning his gaze ahead of him and away from Alice.
"Well because we're such good friends…" He said trailing off and turning his head farther away from Alice a bit. She tried to move her head so she could see his face better when she heard a cry in the distance. "Did you hear that hatter?"
"Hear what?"
"There was a cry; I think it's coming from beneath the balcony."
The wailing grew loader and Alice left the hatters side, running off towards the sound. She found herself coming to a massive river that the waterfalls fell into. At the edge of the river she found a strange turtle with a cows head and legs, but with a sea turtles flippers and shell. He was sobbing into his flippers when Alice called out to him making him stop crying for a moment to look at who ever had called his name.
"Mock Turtle!" She cried running to him as she ran up to him and kneeling down beside him as she reached him. The hatter was close behind her but stopped just a few feet behind her as he watched her talk to the Mock Turtle.
"Alice! It's you! I haven't seen you since you were a little girl, my my you've grown." He said in a melancholy tone as he whipped tears from his cheek. "I'm surprised you even know my name, everyone said you'd forgotten us, you just heard my name from someone else didn't you? You probably don't remember at all.."
"But I do turtle I do remember." But the Mock Turtle had already begun to cry once again, she sighed lightly and looked into his eyes.
""What matters it how far we go?" his scaly friend replied,"" Alice said, as the turtle looked to her in silence his mouth open slightly before she continued,
""There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.""
"The further off from England the nearer is to France -
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance." The turtle said as the tears stopped flowing from his eyes, and as both Alice and he said the next two lines a smile crept cautiously across his face.
"Will you won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?
Will you won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?"
The turtle burst into tears of joy as he threw his flippers around Alice and she gently placed her arms around his shell. Hatter found himself feeling the most odd feeling in the pit of his stomach, it wasn't quite anger but it felt close.
"Oh Alice you do remember me! I'm sorry to do all this but I didn't think you would remember but you did! You being the champion of Underland, I should be satisfied but it's just so wonderful to know you remember me. You don't still go to that dreadful school do you?" The turtle said pulling away from Alice with a small smile on his face. Alice laughed slightly before smiling back.
"It's quite alright Turtle, and no I don't thank goodness. Why were you crying before? Why are you here, don't you live by the sea?"
The Mock Turtles smile faded to a deep frown as he looked down at the ground fiddling with his flippers. "I was crying because I miss my friend ever so much."
"The Griffin?"
"Yes, he was called to help the queen you see. Patrolling the areas when they think there breaking in. I'm dreadfully lonely out here without him. None of the other creature here will give me the time of day. I want to go swimming but the fish can't stand me and shoo me away." He whimpered still looking at the ground.
"What area? Who do they think is getting in?" The hatter quickly walked a bit closer, hoping to interrupt before the Mock Turtle said too much.
"Surly there is something we can do to help? It's terrible to hear how those fish are treating you." Alice looked away for a moment thinking.
"What if we went swimming with you? A lot of people seem to know who I am and if you don't know me, then they surly know the heroism of the Hatter, "She looked behind her at the hatter and smiled softly, her pale face seeming to glow in the morning sun. "If we swam with you then I'm sure they will see you have very good friends and will want to spend much more time with you."
The turtles looked up from the ground, eyes bright with hope, "Would you really do that?"
"I would be honored to. Hatter, would you care to join us in a swim?" Alice asked innocently as she turned to face the hatter. Her smile was sincere, she wasn't trying to manipulate him or seem sweet, she genuinely was. He couldn't help but smile back at her as he spoke.
"I'd love to."
"Wonderful, Turtle, please just give us a few minutes so we could change into bathing suits."
The turtle nodded now smiling and Alice ran over to the hatter grabbing his hand and running back up towards the castle.
Alice and Tarrant had gotten back the castle and Alice rushed off to find her room and see if she had a bathing suit. The fates seem in her favor as there was one stripped bathing suit. It was a body suit that had sleeves that came down to her elbows and leggings that covered her knees. It was stripped with light blue and dark blue. She thought it might be a bit skimpy for walking back so she grabbed a coat from the closet to cover herself on the way back. She changed quickly, found some towels in a nearby bathroom and ran off to find the hatter.
Tarrant was much less ecstatic to go swimming in such attire. His bathing suit had two straps on each shoulder a little thicker then suspenders but the legging part of the bathing suit covered his knees. It was stripped with dark green and light green. After putting it on he felt dreadfully awkward, he didn't like being so bare. He was so used to having his lays of trinkets and things all about him, it felt so strange and unpleasant to be without them. He grabbed his hat none the less, I'll just take it off when we get there, He thought to himself. Just as he had his hat securely on his head he heard a knock on the door. He went over and opened it slightly to see it was Alice, wearing a long blue coat with towel under one of her arms.
"I hope I didn't bother you, one of the servants showed me the way to your room. Are you ready?"
"No not at all Alice, I'll be ready in a tic, just give me a moment."
Tarrant felt terribly embarrassed at his appearance and desperately wish he could swim in his normal clothes. He grabbed his coat and opened the door cautiously, feeling quite embarrassed about his appearance. Alice simply smiled at the hatter as he looked at her, innocent and happy as ever.
"Alright, let's go." She said as she began to walk and the hatter followed.
The Mock Turtle was already at the rivers edge ready to jump in when Alice and the hatter got back. He was clapping his flippers in excitement as they approached, Alice waved as she set the towels down as the Mock Turtle dived in. Alice gracefully removed her coat, sliding it from her slender frame and placed it on top of the towels. The hatter watched for a moment, then realized he was watching and removed his coat as well, folding it up before placing it on a pact of grass nearby. Alice really did look quite lovely in her swimming suit, the colors suited her, and it showed her figure off very well, the hatter pondered before shooing such thoughts away. Alice removed a ribbon from one of her pockets and tied her hair up in a pony tail, before rushing forward and diving into the water, much to the turtles delight. She resurfaced beside him, swimming circles around him, singing in a happy tone "Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?" The turtle laugh a bit, dived down into the water then came up behind Alice splashing her a bit. "Alice, you swim well enough o be a retile, it's a pity you're a human." Alice laughed splashing back, "A pity indeed, if I was I would get to spend so much more time down here!" she giggled.
Tarrant slowly removed his hat and placed it on top of his coat walking to the waters edge. He placed his toe in the water, feeling that it was luke warm, then shook his foot of the water.
"Come along hatter! The waters wonderful!" Alice shouted waving an arm in the air from far off, the Mock Turtle swimming about her.
"I must admit something to you Alice, I'm not the best swimmer" Tarrant shouted back as he fidgeted with his fingers, looking down at the water at his feet. He heard splashing and looked up to see a drenched Alice walking up to him through the water. "Come now, it's not that hard I'll help you. "
"I think it might be best if I just stayed on the sidelines."
"Nonsense! If you're that nervous I'll teach you." She said calmly as she tugged his hand pulling him into the water.
"I'm not nervous, simply not overjoyed, I can swim just fine not as well as a reptile or an Alice apparently." The hatter replied in a pouting tone. Alice laughed a bit as she and the hatter stopped walking once the water was above the hatter's stomach. Alice fell back into the water, allowing her body to float as she began to do a back stroke around the hatter.
"If you can swim just fine then come with me and the Mock Turtle, I'm sure he will be overjoyed."
Tarrant merely watched Alice swim about him until she flipped onto her stomach and swam towards the Mock Turtle. He sighed heavily, then lowered himself into the water and swam towards them both. For some time he was a bit unsure of himself but with time he found himself to be far more confident in his swimming skills. All three of them swam around; playing various water games from the other land Alice was from. Like "Marco Polo" some strange game where you must be blind and attempt to find a person my shouting Marco and they would shout polo, it made no sense what so ever but hatter did find himself enjoying it.
Alice also insisted on having something called an underwater tea party, where one would make themselves sink to the bottom on the river, cross their legs and pretend they were having tea, holding an imaginary saucer in one hand and an imaginary tea cup in the other. Apparently Alice played this game with her sister when she was much younger and while Hatter believed it would be much better if there was actual tea involved, he did find it amusing in a silly sort of way.
Alice looked up to the sky to see that it was getting rather late, as it looked as if the sun would begin to set in a while. She informed the turtle that she and the hatter should probably get going as they had not had lunch or dinner yet. The turtles face quickly turned to a deep frown before he wailed in desperation, "Wait! I have just one thing to show you before you go!" And with that he dived down into the water. Alice looked to the hatter who merely shrugged his shoulders. Alice then dived down to follow the turtle and the hatter dived to follow Alice. Deep in the depts. Of the water there was a cave opening, and with a gesture of his flipper Alice and the hatter followed him into it, resurfacing in a rather large open area with several oil lamps, a large rug and even a cupboard. The Mock Turtle went on to explain that this was a hiding place he had discovered when he was young and he had brought a few amenities to make it more comfortable. While it wasn't particularly extravagant or exciting, Alice thanked the turtle for sharing this secret with her and the hatter.
Once everyone came back to the surface of the river Alice and the hatter walked out of the water bidding their goodbyes to the Mock Turtle after drying off and packing up their things. Neither of them talked must, per haps some tide chit chat as they walked back up to the castle, but nothing more. Once they got there they grabbed something quickly from the kitchen since they had been informed by a servant that they had missed the dinner service. Alice was brought Abby as she and the hatter came out of the kitchen, and found that she had once again been forced into a dress. Abby did however seem to be less resistant to the dress and she didn't fidget nearly as much as she had this morning. The Servant also told Alice that the queen wished to speak to her and after that she wished to see the hatter. So Alice parted ways with the hatter to go to the queen on her main balcony.
Upon walking on top the balcony, the queen turned, raising her hands lightly as she nodded to Alice and Alice nodded her head back in respect.
"Alice, you have been gone for some time, did you enjoy your hours with the Mock Turtle? He seems to be in unusually high spirits." She gently titled her head down, gesturing towards the water, where the fading light of the sun showed the Mock Turtle swimming about with fish following.
"Oh my! I'm so glad it worked, he's usually so melancholy." Alice said looking up from the river to the queen, who gave a simple smile before looking off into the distance.
"Alice, I have decided to hold a ball in honor of your return to Underland…"
Alice winced a bit, looking away. She had heard the queen speak of a ball before but she still didn't really want to go, she didn't actually care for such formal occasions.
"…and, since it is to honor you as well as all you have done for Underland, I should like for you to be involved in it's planning."
"What?" Alice turned back to the queen somewhat started.
"Yes, I assure you I will not burden you with heavy tastes, but just a few things would be nice. For instance, surly you other land has some sort of dances; perhaps you could one of my organizers the dance so that they might have the court ready for the event. Other then that you might give an opinion to décor, music you favor, things of that nature."
The queen turned from looking into the distance to looking into the soft amber eyes of Alice. She could sense her unease at her request and placed her porcelain white hand on Alice's shoulder.
"This is merely a request, no a command. You are free to do as you wish."
Alice forced a small smile, looking down at the ground for a moment. How can I say no? After all they have done for me, and she really isn't asking too much. She looked back at the queen and nodded, still smiling. "I would be happy to help, of course."
The queens' face seemed to brighten at her acceptance of the task, moving her hand from Alice's shoulder to the air.
"I'm very glad to hear it. Now I'm sure that you would like to wash up after swimming about in the river, the servant will show you the way." The queen said as she gently put her hands on Alice's back giving the lightest push. Alice walked out of the balcony, waving to the hatter as she passed him heading towards the balcony.
Alice dropped Abby off in her room before being directed to the bathroom down the hall. It was a massive room with domed ceilings, a large round steaming back then lowered into the marble flooring. Alice looked about to see that no one else was there after the servant left. Seeing no one around she stripped and lowered herself into the hot water, scrubbing away the dirt and grim collected from the days events. After that Alice just sat back in the warmth of the water and thought of the days events. It was so strange that she had been down there for so long and had not noticed it. Time fly's when ones having fun. She thought of the hatter, who had been a good enough sport to come swimming with her. He really was rather pleasant to be around, when he wasn't in a fit or rage, but even then once he was pulled out of it he could be very pleasant.
She continued to ponder this as she got dressed and went back to her room. Abby had struggled out of her dress and was sleeping on top of it, Alice smiled and kissed her lightly on the head before getting into her own bed.
She stared up at the ceiling for a moment, closing her eyes.
"Magenta."
A small smile crept across her face. You're right hatter, it is fun to say.
Alice rolled over, curling up next to a pillow and nodded off to sleep, the small smile still on her soft face as she began to dream.
A/N: so what did you think? R&R for the next chapter !! :)