Chapter 2 is now here! Enjoy as always!
"Alice Kingsley!" The man said again. He was pale, with dark brown hair falling over his left eye with a crooked grin. Alice was about to scream when her mind flickered recognition for who he really was.
"Dr. Peters," Alice said warmly and stood as the doctor walked over to their table a smile on his face. "It's good to see you."
Dr. Peters smiled at Alice and then at Tarrant who was still pale. "It's good to see you too, Alice. I've been wondering when you'd return."
"Excuse me?" Alice asked, but he was already talking over her.
"Your mother's doing well too, well…" His smile faded for a moment. "As well as a coma patient can be, but still. I'm sure she can't wait to see you." He nodded to Tarrant and then to Alice. "I'll see you soon, alright Alice?"
"Um, okay." Alice stammered and the Doctor diapered as quickly as he had come and finally Alice sat back down into the chair, still stunned.
"I take it that isn't Stayne then." Hatter whispered. "A friend of yours?"
"He's our family doctor, but I never thought that he would remember me leaving." Alice admitted, picking up her cup of tea and taking a soft sip. Hatter looked at her curiously for a second then picked up his own cup, except he winced at the taste. 'Too sweet?"
"No, too bitter." Hatter explained, putting his cup down and shaking his head. "Is this what you call sweet tea here?"
Alice grinned, and shrugged. "I always liked it, though it isn't as good as some of the tea in Underland."
"You can say that gain." Hatter told her with a grin.
Someone paid their bill at the table next to them but left their news paper and Alice's eyes trailed over to it and then her eyes caught sight of the date. "Oh god!"
"What?" Hatter asked but Alice was already reaching for the news paper and staring at the date.
'The date!" Alice cried.
"Well," Hatter said, clearly confused. "What about it?"
"Today's the day I'm supposed to be at a meeting Lord Ascot about our delayed trip. We'd ,moved it up the day before I left for Underland." Alice stood and fished out currency to pay for the tea and breakfast cakes she'd kept while in Underland. "I've got to go, right now!"
"Alright," Hatter replied, taking one last bite of his cake and following Alice as she ran out the door, hastily dodging London carriages and other passer biers. "Alice, stop!"
"I can't, I'm running late!" Alice called over her shoulder, jumping out of the way as someone pushed a stroller with a baby inside.
"You sound like McTwisp!" Hatter told her, running after her and finally he caught up with her, grabbing her by the arm and making her halt. "Now, where exactly do we need to go?"
"To lord Ascot's Manor." Alice explained taking a deep breath. "We passed it when we came here, but if I'd known what today was we would have stayed!"
"Alice," Hatter said calmly. "That's nearly a two mile walk. It took us an hour just to get here; you'll never be there in time."
"I don't care, I need to get there!" Alice told him. "If I don't then they'll cancel there next trip to China, and I'll never have the opportunity to get it back!"
"But, Alice," Hatter asked. "How are we going to get their then?"
Alice took a deep breath then shook her head. "I…I don't even know anymore."
Hatter looked away from Alice, and then his eyes trailed over a horse that wasn't hooked up properly to its carriage. "But, I might."
. . .
"Gone?" Mallymkun repeated. "Whatta you mean gone?"
"Gone, Mallymkun." Chessuer said from above her. Vanished, absent, diapered, missing, not here-"
"I know what it means, Chess."Mally snapped, glaring at the cat that had just appeared next to her before she turned back to Mirana. "How could they be gone?"
"They left this morning while we were all still sleep, Mally." Irisa said, putting her head on her chin, obviously dazed. "In fact, I think I might just go back."
"What?" Mally cried, jumping from the table to Irisa's lap. "Your best friend and your husband are gone and you just want to go back to sleep?"
Once everyone had woken up, Mirana had called them al lo the same room they'd had the meeting in last night and told them that their champion and their friend the Hater had left.
Irisa shrugged and nodded. "It seems I do, Mallmkun."
Mally threw her paws into the air. "You're impossible."
"So, if there gone…" Nicholas started. "What do we do now?"
Irisa sighed and sat up suddenly, making Mally lose her balance for a moment before she jumped back onto the table. "Didn't you read your letter, Nicholas? We get ready to fight is what we do."
Nicholas rolled his eyes and turned back to Mirana. "Where are Margret and Lowell right now? Shouldn't they be at this meeting too?"
"They're already gone, Nicholas." Margret told him.
"Does anything happen while were actually awake?" Mally asked to no one in particular and they all ignored her.
"Then there's no way we can get back to London then." Nicholas said, bitterly. "At least not until Stayne returns first."
"I'm sorry, Nicholas." Mirana said, putting a hand on his arm. "But, Alice wanted you to be here in Underland where you would be safer and you would be able to learn to fight for the battle ahead."
"It's true," Irisa agreed, turning towards Nicholas. "And I'm s really good teacher, so you might even be able to fight Alice when we're done."
Nicholas grinned. "That's true. So, when do we actually start our training?"
"I suggest," Mirana interrupted, and both Nicholas and Irisa turned to her. "That we start today. Maybe even right now, in fact."
"Brilliant!" Irisa said, standing and skipping around the table to Nicholas and grabbing him by the arm, dragging him towards the exit. "Wish us luck!"
"Good luck, you two!" Mirana called out as the door shut behind them.
"He has no idea what he's in for with Irisa, does he?" Mally whispered to Mirana.
Mirana smiled and shook her head. "No, I don't think he does."
"Well, then." Mally grinned and pulled out her needle. "I certainly want to watch."
Well, how are Alice and Hatter going to get to Lord Ascot's Manor in time? Who knows. Oh wait, I do. :P Ha, ha but you don't so you'll all have to be patient.