Author's note:
I'm finally back! I've been in a state of sheer happiness today, for I'd lost my Alice-DVD (horror of horrors) but now I've found it, and I watched it with my friend, who is now a fan of Tarrant. He's so adorable! And no, Isabel does not go poof, I just didn't feel like writing about her.
23. Beamish Boy
"And then; I fell down, down, down. It was very curious indeed."
Isabel looked wide-eyed at her mother as she told the story of how she'd first come to Underland. Beside her, her cousin; Charles, was copying her expression, only that he was biting his thumb in excitement.
"What happened than, mummy?" Isabel asked breath-taken. At first she'd been annoyed when she was whisked away from her funny twin friends, but this story made up for that. "Did you die?"
The mother laughed heartily. "No, I didn't. I landed in a room with loads of doors and a little table with a bottle on it. So I drank from the bottle and shrank. I even grew smaller than you." Alice tickled her daughter. "Then I found an adorable little door. It was locked." There was an almost invisible shake of the blonde head. "And the key was still on the table, can you imagine my chock? Then I ate some Uppelcuchen, causing me to grow much too large."
"Then what did you do?" Margaret enquired, just as exited as the children.
"I cried." Alice laughed at herself. "I cried up an entire ocean, then I managed to shrink myself again, and almost drowned in my own tears. After a lot of strange things happening; a baby even turned into a pig, mind you, I met the love of my life."
"How romantic!" Margaret squealed. "What was the first thing he said to you?"
"He told me my hair needed cutting." Alice smiled at her sister's befuddled expression. "It probably needed cutting…"
"Alice, sweetling. Did it never occur to you that I was trying to make small talk?" an amused voice came.
"Tarrant! Haven't I told you never to sneak up on a lady like that?" Alice's scolding would have had a greater impact had she not lovingly taken his hand in hers.
"You've told me." Tarrant grinned. "But seeing as you're the lady of my heart, I was hoping you'd might forgive me?" he tilted his head like a puppy dog, beaming at Alice.
"You cur! How can I be mad at you when you do that?" Alice playfully slapped his arm.
"Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gamble in the wabe…" Tarrant declared.
"I've heard that one before."
"Yes, yes, of course. But you haven't heard the best part." he cleared his throat before continuing. "Oh, hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms my beamish boy." Tarrant spread his arm, casually gesturing to Alice to come into them. "Oh Frabjous Day! Callou! Callay! He chortled in his joy."
"I'm liking this poem more and more." Alice whispered, nuzzling her face into his neck.
"So am I, fair Alice. So am I."
A giggle, soon followed by others of its kin, caused them to break apart. The group consisting of Isabel, Charles and, surprisingly, Margaret was breaking with muffled laughter, not fully managing to keep their amusement unheard.
"Having fun, are we?" Alice asked, fighting not to let her own amusement shine through.
"No, ma'am." Charles giggled.
"No? Well, that won't just do. Will it, Tarrant?"
"Not at all." Tarrant grinned.
"You know what we'll have to do, right?"
"Of course I do."
Without any warning, they charged, catching one of the happily squealing children each.
"Frightened?" Tarrant asked, poking Isabel's bellybutton.
"No, not a bit, no." the girl giggled.
"You really shouldn't have said that…" Tarrant threw his daughter high up in the air, easily catching her as gravity refused to let her fly. "How about now?"
Much to his surprise, Isabel hugged his face, the best place she could reach from his arms. "I could never be scared of you, daddy." At once sleepy, Isabel yawned widely before falling asleep, clutching a lock of the father's hair in her tiny hand. Carefully planting a kiss on her forehead, Tarrant whispered; "Good night, sweetheart."
Margaret sighed. "I think it's time we leave Underland. Alice…" she hesitated. "Will you be alright?"
"Always. How could I be anything else?"
Margaret and the rest of her family stood gathered around the curious mirror they'd arrived through, bidding their final Fairfarren.
"Will you come visit us?" Helen asked.
"Of course I will. Really, mother, what do you think of me?" Alice wasn't happy to hear the doubt.
"I'll just miss you Alice, that's all. You remind me of your father…"
"Mrs Kingsleigh, Margaret. Are you ready to leave?" Tarrant asked, gesturing towards the waiting mirror.
"Call me Helen, please. I guess we are." With that they stepped through the mirror, into a whirlpool of colours.
They trashed in a heap in the drawing room. Margaret tuned, just in time to see Alice's waving figure fade out of the mirror.
"Fairfarren, Alice." she smiled, gathering her skirts, then proceeding to help Charles to his feet. "And the best of luck."
She could have sworn she heard Alice laugh at that comment…
Author's note:
Was it worth a bit of a wait? There will be one, maybe two, more chapters, but that's the end of it. I'm actually working on a new Alice-fic already, even though it's not related to this one. I'll let you know when it's up if you'd like. Otherwise, you should keep you eyes open for Alice's Little Tales of Terror. No stealing the name!
Just thought of this; wouldn't it be neat if there were an Alice in Wonderland-musical, based on this movie? I surely think it would be.