Here we are again! Thank you very much to my steady readers/Reviewers; you make me very happy. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of AiW. Lewis Carrol, Disney, and Tim Burton do.
Inspirational Song: "Secrets" - One Republic
Alice woke up, dazed.
She looked around her in a haze of confusion. The last thing she remembered was being held in Hatter's arms as he ran back to the castle. After that? Nothing.
He must've carried her all the way to her rooms. She was in her bed, still in the clothes she had been dressed in the night before. There was a warm glass of water on her nightstand and a container of medication, opened. She was just wondering why she would need medication when a groan escaped her lips. She felt the back of her head, feeling around for the massive swelling that would surely be there. Astonishingly, there was only a small bump. Must be the medication.
She sat up slowly, testing her agility. She should be fine.
Alice walked over to her lavatory and began to take a nice, cold, refreshing bath. Settling in the water, Alice sighed. It was nice to relax after all the tension and confusion that had only just started. Only just started, because she knew that it wouldn't be over with any time soon. So a moment of unwinding here and there would be of great help.
Alice finished her bath and got dressed quickly. Being the Champion, Alice knew that she couldn't escape the current situation any longer. It had to be dealt with sooner or later. Alice was guessing it would be the former.
A loud knock at the door made Alice jump. She hastily finished putting on the rest of her dress as she called, "Yes?"
The door cracked open a bit. "It's me. Well, Hatter. May I come in?"
Alice finished with her buttons in hurried time. "Yes, you definitely may." Alice walked over to the door and opened it up the rest of the way. Hatter stood there, fiddling with his hands. He took a deep breath and looked up at Alice with blue eyes from beneath the rim of his hat.
"How are you feeling? Last time I saw you. . . you weren't in the best of conditions, let's just say that. Or, I will just say that. Not that you can't, you very well can. It's just that I was the one currently speaking at the time about your welfare. You worried me, I saw you faint and I grew very anxious. Obviously, I was already anxious since I heard you call for help, that scared me very bad, indeed, to have to hear you scream for help and I just can't help, but to say that-"
"Hatter!" Alice grabbed hold of him and quieted him through touch. "I'm fine, really. And thank you for your help last night. I really appreciated it," she smiled at him and he blushed, raising his head.
"It was nothing, Alice," he said. "But, the White Queen does wish to speak with us. If you're feeling well, we can go to her now." He searched her face for any sign of pain or tiredness. Apparently, he didn't find any. "She said we could speak over breakfast."
"Alright with me," she said. Alice shut her door behind her and she walked with Hatter through the lightened hallways. Many were about at the time, walking around busily. Alice remembered what Hatter had said the morning before about everyone waking up so early. She was used to waking early, though. Her mother always roused her with a different reason for her having to be up. Yet she'd leave and spend time with her tea friends right when Alice finally left her room.
She realized that part of her was missing her mother. And her sister. They were her family, after all. But missing them didn't mean that she wanted to go back. She was finally where she was meant to be.
"Alice?" Hatter asked. Alice looked over at him to see that he was gazing at her curiously. "Are you alright?"
She nodded. "Just thinking, is all."
Hatter didn't say anything for a moment. He just looked at her. Then, "Sometimes, it's best not to think. Push the thoughts away until they must be brought out again." He looked down. "No use worrying about something that you can't do naught about."
Alice's gaze softened as she took his hand. Hatter looked back up at her with green eyes. "You're right," she told him. "But then again, most of the time you are."
Hatter grinned. "Of course, I am," he said proudly. "Now, we must get to the Queen, milady, or she might miss my, oh, I mean our company," he joked.
Alice laughed. "Oh, come on. . . " she said, pulling him along to the kitchen. They entered through the doors and were welcomed by the sweet scents of teas and pastries. The White Queen sat at one end of the counter where no cooking was to be done, gracefully sitting up straight and smiling. The whole staff was at the other end, working hastily but merrily. The sounds of cooking filled the area as Mirana beckoned for them to follow her out of the room.
They followed Her Majesty out a side door, leading to a balcony overlooking the courtyards. The day was bright and the trees were glowing. Birds whisked past as the three of them sat at a food-filled table, already occupied by one. Sir Lawrence.
He stood up and smiled at the ladies, nodded at Hatter. "Good morning, everyone. I expect that you all had a wonderful sleep. How's your head, Miss Alice?"
Alice laughed and felt she had to explain her amusement because of the odd look Sir Lawrence gave her. "It was just your wording. . . My head and all. . . Never mind." She blushed. "But yes, my head is much better, thank you."
Sir Lawrence smiled a crooked grin and sat down. "Well, that'd be the pain pills, for you," he said. Then his expression turned serious. "Now, I take it we're here to discuss the occurrings of last night. Is that correct, Your Highness?"
Mirana nodded after taking a sip of her tea. "Yes, Lawrence. We have to know what we're essentially going to do about the. . . situation, if you will," she said. The Queen turned her dark eyes to Alice. "Alice, has Hamish ever shown you any signs of violence before he arrived in Underland?"
Alice furrowed her brow. "No, not at all. He still hasn't. I never thought of him as a violent person. Just sort of standoff-ish."
Three confused looks locked on her. Hatter spoke up. "Alice? Last night I had to carry your unconscious body to your room." His eyes clearly expressed his worry.
"Perhaps it'd be best if Alice told us exactly what happened last night," the White Queen offered. Sir Lawrence nodded intently.
Alice told them everything Hamish had said to her, not leaving one word out. They all relaxed when Alice said that she had only hit her head on a pillar and that Hamish hadn't tried to harm her. "He never tried to hurt me; he even said that he didn't want to. He just had to keep me silent in fear of me yelling for help."
"Which you wise fully managed to do," Sir Lawrence noted.
Alice nodded. "Yes. That was when he was too distracted by trying to get me to. . . wherever he wanted to take me."
"That's the other thing," Mirana said. "We need to somehow figure out where Hamish is hiding. Like he had said to you, Alice, our sides are enemies. Unfortunately, we cannot settle this the humane way like I was originally planning to do." A servant, and a beautiful one at that, walked up to the table and refilled all their cups with fresh, steaming tea. The White Queen waited until she was out of earshot to continue. She leaned in slightly to her trustees and said, "I'm afraid I'll have to send out a great many of guards to find him. I suspect that he's staying with my sister and her knave, since they are now working together."
The Queen turned to Alice and rested her dainty hand on hers. Her eyes expressed a deep, perplexing sorrow. "Alice, I cannot tell you how sorry I am for all this. For you to come back to Underland, only to have us be of your need again! I cannot explain how ashamed I am, truly. . . " She looked down.
"Your Majesty," Alice said. "I would be honored to help Wonderland again. If I love this place so much, which I certainly do, then how could I not want to do all that can to save it? Don't feel at all bad, please."
The Queen looked up at her Champion. "Thank you, Alice. I cannot tell you how grateful I am."
Not at all good with women and their feelings, Sir Lawrence spoke up, blushing a tad. "Well, we still need to plan accordingly as to what to do. You said we were to send out the troops, Your Magnificence?"
"Yes," Mirana nodded. "But not too many, simply in case of Iracabeth coming to give us a surprise visit on unfriendly terms."
"I believe that is the best way to go about this," Hatter said. "We daennae know what the Bloody Big Head has in store for us this time 'round." He looked at Alice. "What will happen if you are needed in battle again?"
The White Queen frowned and answered Hatter's question for Alice. "I don't know if Alice could fight at all, Hatter. The Vorpal Blade has completed its original task of slaying the Jabberwocky. All its magic had been freed when the foul beast's heart stopped beating. If Alice were to combat anyone or anything, she'd have to manage it with her own skill, and with only her own skill."
"Then I should start training, shouldn't I?" Alice asked. They all looked at her curiously. "Well, I'm not just going to sit around while all my friends fight. I'm going to be in this, too. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no experience with sword fighting. Or even fencing. How will I learn?"
Hatter opened his mouth to speak and possibly offer his assistance, but instead narrowed his eyes when Sir Lawrence interrupted. "If you are so sure that you are willing to take the risk, Brave One, then I myself will teach you to combat. Who knows better how to fight than Her Majesty's own Guard and General?" He smiled at her. "You will do well, I just know it."
His words seemed kind and friendly, but his eyes said something else. Like he'd specially enjoy their private time together. Alice feigned as if she didn't notice his tone. She was perfect at it; she had to do it enough back in London. "Oh, well thank you. I do plan to learn quickly."
Hatter looked back and forth at the two with hard eyes before clearing his throat. "Yes, we don't know when the Bloody Big Head will actually stage her battle, so its best we be prepared and get everything over and done with as quickly as possible. So, in this case, it'd be best to actually rush things a bit. Don't you think so, Lawrence?" He sneered saying his name.
The pink-haired man didn't look away from Alice. "As long as the training is thorough, milliner."
The White Queen cleared her throat a bit louder than necessary and the three all looked at her. "Alright, so everything is settled, then? Or at least for now, with the information we have?" They all nodded in agreement with her. "Splendid. Alice, Sir Lawrence, I don't see why you can't start your training right away. Hatter, could you please send out a third of my troops to search for our little illeagals?" They all nodded.
The Queen rose from her seat. "Let's get started with our preparation, then. Good luck to all of you." She gracefully turned and went back into the kitchen, soon out of sight. A slightly awkward silence surrounded the table as Alice sat in between Hatter and Sir Lawrence.
She cleared her throat. "We ought to do what the Queen said, don't you think?"
Sir Lawrence stood up straight. "Right. Come along, Alice. I know the perfect place we can practice while undisturbed." He smiled at her and left, expecting her to follow right along. Alice stood up and Hatter did so, as well.
Before she could leave, Hatter grabbed her wrist. Not aggressively, but enough to get her attention. His eyes were a bit darker than usual. She had no idea what could've caused them to turn. Perhaps he had the same feeling as her. As if something bad was brewing, ready to terrorize them all.
Instead, Hatter softly spoke to Alice. "Please do be careful, Alice. Don't stress yourself too much. You can always come to me for lessons. I was once on the Queen's Guard, too. Don't think for a moment that little Sir Scoundrel is your only choice."
Again, another choice. There always seemed to be choices, choices, choices. . . And Alice was terribly sick of making them.
Hatter stroked her wrist one soothing time before letting his hand fall. "I'll see you later, Alice." He turned around and left through the kitchen without waiting for a response.
Alice sighed. What had gotten into that man. . .
"Alice?" She heard Sir Lawrence call. "You coming?"
"Yes, I'll be right there!" Always following somebody, Alice. Whether it be a rabbit, world, or man, you are always hanging on someone else's chain.
Not anymore.
With a heavy weight upon her shoulders, Alice stood straight and strode through the kitchen with her chin held high. She was just starting to make decisions on her own.
And that was the right choice.
Author/OP in me: She thinks she has too many choices to make? Don't you think that's a bit selfish?
Rachel: Well, some people have a ton of little choices to make that are insignificant. And then there are some people like Alice. They only have a few choices to make, but they're huge. Which is more stressful?
Author/OP in me: Not sure, not sure. . .