~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Alice - Hightopp village~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Again!" Shouted Greer.

I had just fallen flat on my but for the tenth time after attempting to strike Greer. It was a vigorous practice that we had just started yesterday; it took me nearly three days to convince Tarrant to let me learn. He wanted to teach me himself but I believed that Greer would be better because she wouldn't go too soft on me.

Anger bubbled in me as I stood and ran at her again. She easily dodged and grabbed my out stretched wrist, she pulled me against her and kept my arm twisted behind my back then grabbed my other arm with her opposite hand and twisted it around my neck. I winced in pain.

"Focus Alice. Don't let your anger get the better of you. If it helps, imagine I'm the Knave of Hearts and that I've just kidnapped Tarrant and the only way for you to get him back is to fight me," she whispered. Knowing I hated it when she used Tarrant to fuel my fire. She spoke just a little louder, "Or you could pretend that I'm Hamish," Her little game was working, I felt as if I had to control my anger and instead focus it into my fists and legs. "Go ahead and slap me, or maybe a good kick in the groin would suffice?"

I screamed out, her body tensed preparing for me to fight to get away; instead I slipped my foot between her open legs and pulled her foot out from under her. She let go of me and gasped falling onto her back and grabbed out at me for support, I turned around and out of her grasp. When she had fallen onto the ground with a loud thump I stepped on her stomach standing far enough away that she couldn't grab me.

"Better?" I panted.

She nodded her head, "Much!" I offered my hand to help her up, she took it but instead of getting up. She pulled me down and twisted my body so that I landed on my back.

She pressed her knee into the small of my back and proclaimed, "Don't trust me! Remember who I am!" I looked up and saw her role her eyes. "It's not that simple Tarrant. She's not yet skilled enough and she's never even seen a real hand to hand battle!" She got off of me and allowed me to get up after I refused her helping hand, she smiled, "Your finally learning something!" I rolled my eyes.

"Then maybe we should help her out with that!" The Hatter shouted at her.

"You're mad!" she told him sarcastically.

"As a Hatter!" he said with a gallant bow. She rolled her eyes one more time.

"Fine! Just don't expect me to fix your clothes when they've been torn to bloody shreds"

"Gladly!" Tarrant began to take off his coat, vest, ascot, and shirt. Greer took off her riding coat and vest.

I just couldn't help but stare at Hatter. He was very muscular, he didn't have bulging muscles but he had a nice handsome and attractive shape. Greer began to chuckle, whether it was at me or something someone thought or said I don't know but I turned even redder.

"Go!" The White Queen exclaimed.

Tarrant ran at Greer full speed, she miraculously jumped over his head, stepped on his back and pushed off, rolling on the ground and jumping up as Tarrant stopped and turned around. Greer panted for breath and jumped at him and Hatter dodged, she went flying and nearly crashed into a tree. She stopped her flight just in time. Looking behind her annoyed she ran at Tarrant, said man looked a little cocky, - I loved it! It sent delightful shivers down my spine – and prepared to make a stand.

Greer raised her fist for a punch, when she was close enough he grabbed her hand and did the same thing that she did with me. Greer allowed her legs to collapse; she rolled under his legs and out of his grasp then kicked his back making him fall forward.

"Who the heck taught you how to fight?" Tarrant shouted at her as he fell.

"Alick, Father, and you, Tarrant Hightopp!" She shouted back cheekily.

When he hit the ground he rolled away from Greer before she could pin him down with her foot. Greer stood in place waiting for a new opening. Tarrant got up not far away and flew at her, in a matter of seconds he had her hands pinned above her head and both her legs were pinned by his knees. She struggled to get free, but his weight was too heavy.

"Got ye!" he said in his deep brogue, sending shivers down my spine.

"Fine! Ye win, NOW GE' OFFA MEH!" he chuckled and got off her.

"Le' meh 'elp yoo up!" She took his hand and he helped her stand.

"I'll never be able to do that!" I thought sadly.

~~~~Later~~~~

After dinner I managed to sneak away with Hatter, the moonlight bounced off his orange-red hair and reflected in his eyes, it also made his skin more silver than snow like. But what excited me more was the fact that not only did he have no shirt on, but also he was still sweating from chopping wood both before and after dinner, his unruly hair – minus hat – only excited me even more!

Tarrant stopped walking for a moment, "Hatter? Is something wrong?"

He looked at me and smiled sadly, "I just can't understand." He said softly shaking his head.

"Understand what?" I touched his cheek gently.

"How you could love a mad man like me. How you could love such a monster," I opened my mouth to protest but he placed his index and middle finger over my lips. "Don't interrupt," his eyes were so pleading, I kept quiet and nodded. "Most of my life I only had my family and a few friends. And then we were scattered, I believed I was all alone with no one to love. I believed that because of the madness I descended into that I would never find someone to love me. But when you returned I had the strangest of feelings I had only toward you. After speaking with my sister some time later she told me, 'you silly man! That emotion is called love!' I was going to tell you – even if I was nervous – that I loved you! After I did, my sister kept a constant vigil over you. She even agreed to ask you to marry me, as I couldn't be there to do it myself. I love you Alice! But how could you return that love?"

I was speechless, my words had run away and it took me a moment to recover them. When I had enough I asked him, "Tarrant, you're the only one who understands me. I got angry when another woman would so much as look at you last I was here I love you that much! I love you so much it hurts to be away from you to the point of begging for it to end!" I lifted his chin just enough to make him look at me, "If you were hurt in any way I could never forgive myself! I love you too much!" His sad blue eyes changed to a mix of dark pink, dark red, salmon, and lavender. I don't know how, but I knew what those colors meant: romantic love, passionate love, embarrassment, and spiritual love.

"My, Alice." He murmured placing his hand on my cheek, he leaned in and I began to close the space, "Hold still," he growled. This simple verbal action sent more shivers down my spine.

We were just about to touch when Greer called our names and we stopped. "Tarrant! Alice! Come on back to camp it's late!" reluctantly I pulled away from Tarrant and grabbed his hand.

"Let's go!" I said before kissing him on the cheek and skipping away nearly falling back as he stood too stunned to move. His legs began to work and we walked back with a small skip to our step.