I told you guys I wouldn't ditch out on you again. :)
I realized that I was incredibly hyper in my last Author's Note, so I'll try to be more formal in this one, which NO ONE is used to, by the way.
Thank you for my oh-so fabulous Reviews! I didn't get as many with that last chapter, so I guess that's my payback for running off on you wonderful people. The Author/Other Person in me is also still waiting for a name. Or is she not worthy of one? Let me know. :)
Inspirational Song: "Alice's Theme" -Danny Elfman :D !
Disclaimer: What do I own of Alice In Wonderland? Nothing. Lewis Carrol, Disney, and Tim Burton do, though.
Underlanian meals are amazing. At least in the White Castle, at any rate.
The whole course of the meal only took about an hour, which may seem like a lot, but there was a lot of conversing and catching up going on. Turns out, Mirana was incredibly interested in the Otherworld.
"The flowers cannot talk?" She gasped.
Alice held her fork full of uijhra in midair. "Neither can the animals." She stuffed in a mouthful of the delectable roast.
The queen's jaw nearly hit the floor. "No!"
Alice swallowed and laughed. "Yes!"
Hatter would catch her eyes every so often and they'd share a smile. Even being only across from each other was too far for conversation. The table had to be wide in order for all the colorful foods to fit on it. But for now, smiles were enough.
When the new hour struck, everyone's cleared plates were taken away. the Queen sat up and everyone mimicked her action. She came up to Alice. "I sent the guards away to set up your celebratory festivity in Quest's main courtyard while we were all eating. Is that alright with you?"
"That's fine! But please, don't cause too much trouble over this."
"Alice, you will never be too much trouble." She smiled.
"Of course not!" Hatter had walked up to them with a grin on his face, but the grin was quickly replaced with a confused expression. "Why would she be?"
"Oh, nothing." She waved his confusion away. "We're just about ready to head to Quest for Alice's celebration. There are carriages at the front of the castle waiting for all of us." She turned to the rest of the group and raised her voice for them. "If you would all please head for the main doors, there is transportation waiting for all of you. The dinner might be over, but the celebratory honor in Quest hasn't yet started!"
No one really knew what to expect, since celebratory honors were so rarely given. With raging curiosity, everyone marched forward and through Marmoreal's main doors. It was already dark outside and the moonlight glowed marvelously. Pink trees swayed in the slight wind. Ten shining carriages sat in a line ahead of them with two white stallions leading each one. The sight was breathtaking.
Alice simply ogled. "Amazing," she sighed.
Hatter smiled at her with lavender eyes. "Come on." He took her soft hand into his marred one and led her to the first carriage in line. He opened the door for her and Alice stepped into the stagecoach. The interior was, predictably, white with cushioned seats on both sides of the carriage. Hatter climbed in after Alice sat down. She was shocked to see the Queen and a peculiar Knight enter after him. The Knight had short, pink hair and sharp features; she had never seen him before. She would've remembered him with that hair, certainly!
Hatter's brow furrowed as the Knight and Queen sat opposite them. "Your Majesty. . . ?"
The Knight shut the door hard and looked at Hatter. "Is it not right that Her Magnificence rides with her Champion?" His face clearly expressed no nonsense.
Hatter paled. "Oh, no! Well, what I mean to say, is that it is perfectly fine that Her Mag-, Her Majesty sits and or rides with her Champion, for I am sure that Champion Alice would also like to ride and or sit with the Queen. As with me! You know, nothing is wrong with that; no, no, not one bit. In fact, never would I-"
Alice placed her hand on his arm. "Hatter!"
He regained his color. "Hmm? Thank you."
Mirana again looked back and forth knowingly between the two before speaking. "Well, my friends, the ride to Quest shan't take too long. Should we get going?" She smiled and reached back to knock on the carriage door. Knock, knock, and thestagecoach started moving.
Apparently, a celebratory honor is equivalent to a festival.
The carriages rolled out of a forest inhabited by boisterous toads the size of pigs into a vast field. Alice looked out her side window. She could see many white tents already crowded with creatures of Wonderland. Joyful music was coming from somewhere, although she couldn't figure out where. Several fires were lit for sight and they glowed fiercely. She saw a lizard in a red tux dancing with a guinea pig and felt a mysterious wave of recognition.
The stagecoach came to a halt. Without a word, the strange Knight opened their door and hopped out. He held the door open for his Queen bowed amiably when she stepped through. He grunted at Alice, walked away, and left the door open.
She shared a look with Hatter before they both exited the carriage.
Everyone that arrived by carriage came out at once and immediately headed for something. A booth, a place to eat, someone to dance with, or a simple sitting area. Alice, however, didn't know what to do.
She must've looked confused because Hatter starting leading her towards one of the sitting areas. "I'm sure you can't be hungry yet, hmm?" She nodded. "Then we may-"
"Alice Kingsleigh!"
The music stopped. Hatter stopped walking and Alice nearly ran into him. They slowly turned around to see all of the crowd staring at them, smiling. On a raised platform stood the White Queen, arms high in the air with an excited grin on her face. She's a quick one. . . "Alice Kingsleigh. The reason we are all here today. Not just here, in this field, but here, in the safety of our lands. She has rid of us of the harsh Red Queen and defeated the cursed Jabberwocky. She has our thanks forever. If she had never accepted the truth of this world, never accepted her duty as Champion, our world would be in disarray. Thanks-a-many, Alice Kingsleigh!"
The crowd echoed their Queen and placed their fists over their hearts. "Thanks-a-many, Alice Kingsleigh!"
How does one respond to such an exclamation? All these people. . . thankful. . . to me. . . She settled on bowing her head and smiling, rather than bursting into tears of joy.
The Queen claimed everyone's attention again. "Let us finish the night with a celebration."
Mostly everyone started dancing after that short speech. If the crowd was loud before, they were deafening now. Alice noticed a certain someone stepping out of the crowd, though. . .
The lizard in the red tux! His friend, the guinea pig, was trailing along behind him. She thought the lizard smiled nervously when face-to-face with her, but who was she to know?
"Ah, Alice." His little lizard feet shifted uncertainly. "I'd say that you were awfully small when I last saw you, but that would not be the case, would it?"
Alice gasped and finally remembered who this creature was. "Bill! Well, how are you?" She remembered knocking him over several times when she was in Wonderland as a child.
"Oh, you know. . . " Although truth be told, she didn't. An awkward silence fell upon them before the guinea pig cleared his throat. "Oh, yes. This is Pat, a dear friend of mine. He's a mute."
The guinea pig kindly smiled at Alice. I suppose if a cat can smile, a guinea pig should be able to, as well.
Bill sneezed. And a lizard can sneeze. . . Another uncomfortable silence. "Well, we ought to get going. That moon won't be up forever, I'd believe."
As they were walking away, she heard Hatter murmur something about pointless conversations. Then he grinned and led her to where everyone was dancing. "May I?" he asked. She nodded and smiled, which only made his smile broaden.
People made way for the Champion and her friend. The song was quick, happy, and upbeat. Alice had no clue how he learned, but the Hatter was an excellent dancer. She could tell right away. He must've spun her around a thousand times, yet not once did she get tired of it. They were laughing and enjoying their time in their own little world. He led her round and round and the colorful lights blurred in Alice's vision. She could hear the crowd clapping together and they started dancing to the beat of it. Swish, swish, swish and sway. . . Swish, swish, swish and sway . . .
Their song ended with a dip and wide grins from everyone. Only when Hatter looked around did he finally notice that everyone had been watching. Hatter took his arms out from around Alice. He blushed and ducked his head with a straight back. Her giggle was the thing that made him look up and smile.
"Alice! 'Atter!"
They looked over to see Mallymkun and the March Hare part away from the crowd. Thackery had a buttered biscuit in one paw and a mug full of steaming tea in the other.
"Friends!" Hatter kneeled in front of them and Alice stood beside him.
"You made it!" Alice exclaimed.
"Of course we did; we said we would!" Her words sounded harsh, but she smiled at Alice. "So are ya 'aving a good time, then?"
"Yes! How long do these normally last, though?"
Thackery jumped and nearly spilled his tea. "'Til the last being leaves!" He hiccupped.
The Hare wasn't bluffing. That celebration went on for several more long hours! Not that Alice wasn't enjoying herself, she truly was! She couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun, had smiled so often, or felt so at home! Many exotic pastries were eaten (such as a strictly peculiar one called a Pliable Glaze that gives one pink ears) and countless numbers were danced. By the end of her night, Alice was worn out and exhausted. The White Queen noticed this and walked over.
"Alice, dear, you can ride back to Marmoreal any time you wish. Just hop back into your carriage. We don't want to strain our Champion into unconsciousness on her first night back," she said with a little laugh at the end.
She smiled back weakly. "Are you sure? I mean, I wouldn't want to be rude. . . "
"Go on, Alice. Take the Hatter with you, if you'd like the company."
"Alright. . . " She was dead on her feet, anyhow.
Luckily, Hatter was nearby and had overheard the conversation. He bowed in front of Mirana. "Your Majesty." Then he turned to Alice. "This way, Alice." He put a hand on her back and led her over to their carriage. When she looked back, the Queen was smiling at her, waving a delicate hand in the air.
Hatter opened the carriage door and Alice graciously stepped inside. She sat down and Hatter placed himself beside her after knocking on the stagecoach's door. The moment the stallions started their journey for them, Alice leaned against Hatter and fell asleep, smiling.
Author/OP in me: I don't like this chapter.
Rachel: To be honest, neither do I. It's more of a filler-in, you know. . . The next chapter will either be another short filler-in or a lengthy, but important, chapter.
Author/OP in me: Although, I do enjoy finally having my own voice. Do you realize how long I must sit there, bored in that disorganized mess you call your mind?
Rachel: No, nor do I care. :)
Author/OP in me: Rude and unorthodox little...
Rachel: A cool thing about being the one who controls the body 70% of the time? I can make sure no one else hears you. ;)