Misadventures in Overland Chapter Eight

When the Morning Comes

Alannah sighed happily, wrapping her arms around Stayne. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and softly kissed her. "I've only got about ten minutes left, my love. The spell ends at the rising of the sun. But I'll come back tonight-and every night if you need me."

Alannah gulped, and then shook her head. "I think now I can manage until I return home. It will give me something to look forward to when I get back home. Besides, the children need you more than I do."

Stayne nodded, and then looked out the window. "The sun's rising, and I'll soon be back in Underland. Good bye, my Lady Love." He pulled her into a deep kiss. "Shut your eyes."

Alannah shut her eyes, and then slowly opened them onto an empty room. She sighed, and walked over to the window, watching the sun rise slowly over the horizon. 'I hope you are watching this too, my love.'

Back in Underland, Stayne was also watching the sun rise over the land. He sighed, then turned and went back into the cottage.

Alannah was too restless to sleep any longer, so she decided to walk around the house. She pulled on her dress, and quietly opened her bedroom door, then headed down the corridor. She turned the corner and collided with one of the maids, a young girl of about sixteen. The girl immediately began to stammer an apology. "I'm so sorry Miss! I did not see you there! I'm so sorry! Please don't scold me Miss! It were an accident, I didn't mean to run into you, Miss! Please don't tell Mistress!"

Alannah smiled gently at her. "You have no reason to be so upset. It was my fault for not looking where I was going, and there's no harm done. Why, my children have plowed into me with greater force than you just did. You do not need to apologize for anything. But since we did collide with each other, perhaps you might do me a favor?" At the girl's nod, she smiled. "Might I know your name?"

The girl's eyes widened in disbelief. "You want to know my name?" Alannah nodded, and she blushed crimson. "It's Matilda, Miss. Matilda Hucksley."

Alannah grinned. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Matilda. My name is Alannah Stayne. I'm a guest of the Lady Alice."

Matilda nodded. "I know, Miss. The servants were talking about what you did at the party to Mr. Manchester. Cook said it were the funniest thing she'd ever seen in a long while. She said that if you were to ever want anything, all you would need to do was go into the kitchen and ask her. She's not too fond of Mr. Manchester. In truth Miss, none of us like him overmuch." Matilda clapped her hand to her mouth and looked mortified. "I should not have said that Miss! It was not my place to say such horrible things about my superiors!"

Alannah grinned. "Matilda, I come from a place where cats disappear, cards talk, and magic and madness is the norm. I hardly think I'm going to be shocked or surprised by anything you have to say."

Matilda laughed. "You must live somewhere wonderful, Miss." She looked shyly at Alannah. "I should very much love to hear about your home. If you don't object, you could come with me while I do me chores and tell me about it."

Alannah chuckled. "I would be delighted." Matilda smiled, and they walked off down the hall. Alannah sighed, and then began speaking. "I live in Underland, a realm that most on this world would consider to be nothing more than a dream world. But it is real, and it is a magical land. Magic and madness are a part of the very air we breathe. There are strange creatures, and we all pride ourselves on being completely mad. But it was not always a wonderful place to live. Many years ago, we were suffering under the Tyranny of the Red Queen, Iracebeth of Crims. Then one day, a Champion from Overland arrived…"

Matilda laughed, clapping her hands. "What a fantastic story, Miss! Thank you so much for telling it to me, and also thank you for being so kind to me. You are truly a lady, Miss."

Alannah hugged her gently, much to her delight and surprise. "You are very welcome. Now, I do believe I'll take up the offer the Cook made. I'm feeling a mite hungry."

Matilda grinned. "Yes, Ma'am. The kitchen is just down this hall, second door on the right. I think Cook is making tarts for breakfast."

Alannah laughed. "That's wonderful!" She set off down the hall, and entered the kitchen, grinning as she watched the hustle and bustle of activity. The Head Cook, a plump matronly woman of about fifty, spotted her, and came over, grinning. "Morning to you, Miss. Would you like anything?"

Alannah smiled. "I understand that you are going to be making tarts for breakfast. I was wondering if perhaps I could help you. I'm quite a good cook."

The Cook smiled gently. "That's very generous of you, Miss. But we've got everything managed quite nicely. Tell you what, why don't you go sit down over there, and the first tart out of the oven is yours for the tasting." She pointed to a chair by the fire, and Alannah sat, watching as the kitchen help bustled about. 'Must be nice to be able to work in a kitchen without ducking every few moments.' She smiled softly as she thought of Thackery. He had recovered nicely from the trauma of the Horrendevush Day. While he would never quite be the same as he once was, he was no longer the paranoid animal that he had been.

The Cook pulled a tray of tarts out of the oven and set them on the counter to cool, then bought one over to Alannah. "Here you are, Miss. Hot out of the oven."

Alannah took a bite, and grinned widely. "Absolutely delicious. Raspberry, aren't they?" At the Cook's nod, she laughed. "I thought so. I do believe the tarts will make a wonderful breakfast."

"Tarts? We're having tarts? Oh, I love tarts! They're quite yummy, and good, and quite tasty, and especially if they're piping hot, fresh from the ovens,"

"Tarrant!" Alannah laughed. Tarrant, who had entered the kitchen, grinned sheepishly at her.

"I'm fine."

The Cook, who was looking at him in disbelief, finally found her voice. "Just who do you think you are, sir? Barging into my kitchen without so much as a by your leave! Why, it's an outrage! I will thank you to leave immediately!"

Alannah, seeing Tarrant's eyes start to flash orange, quickly intervened. "It's alright. He's Alice's…friend. This is Tarrant Hightopp."

The Cook immediately softened. "Well, in that case I suppose he can stay for a bit. But just you keep an eye on him. He looks a bit shifty to me."

Alannah laughed. "Well, he is the Mad Hatter, you know. Come on, Tarrant, and join me by the fire."

They sat down, and Tarrant grinned at Alannah. "Alice's friend?"

Alannah giggled. "Well, I have the feeling if I said you and Alice were lovers, the house would shake to pieces. I know her mum is sure that the two of you sleep on opposite sides of Underland. So tell me, how quickly after you were sent to separate rooms did you end up in one?"

He laughed. "I think it was about three minutes after. I had barely taken off my hat when there was a knock at the door." He smiled. "We spent more time talking about the child than we did making love. Alice is hoping for a girl."

Alannah smiled. "Is that what you want?"

He nodded. "I'd be happy with a healthy child. But if it's a girl, then I do know what I want to call her. Arianna, after my older sister. If it's a boy, then I want him to be named Josiah, after my baby brother."

Alannah smiled. "Those are good names. Did they both die on..." she paused, and Tarrant shook his head.

"Arianna did. She was killed by the Jabberwock. But Josiah got sick one day, and he just never got better. He was seven when he died. I was fourteen, and that was my first real experience with death. I cried for three days after."

Alannah sighed in sympathy. "How many brothers and sisters did you have?'

Tarrant sighed. "Eight. After the Horrendevush Day, I sometimes used to wish that I was with them. But then if I had gone, Mirana might have been killed. That would have been an even greater blow to Underland." He smiled. "But now that Alice is having my child, the Hightopp name won't disappear forever."

Alannah squeezed his hand in understanding and friendship, and he smiled back.