AN3/
Nothing in this fic belongs to me, except for the plot. The characters belong to the following authors and/or directors
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*Professor Tolkien
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Tarrant Hightop grinned widely as he stood over the people who had suddenly appeared beside his tea tables. He stopped Thackory from throwing teacups at them, fearing that it would hurt their guests. He crossed his legs and sang softly to himself while he waited for them to wake. "Twinkle, twinkle, little bat. How I wonder where you're at..."
Whilst he sang, his eccentric mind whirred with questions. Who were these strangers? Were they friends of Alice? How did they get here? And more importantly, did they like tea?
"Ooowwww." Moaned one of them. She tried to stand, but fell to the ground. "Where are we now?" She asked of her companions, but all of them were still unconcious. Then her eyes wandered over to his chair.
"Hello." He said, smiling his widest smile. He held up a teacup full of steaming brew. "Do you like tea? I really do so hope you do. It is such an enjoyable drink. So calming, even though it's full of caffiene, which you would think would make you very jittery, but it doesn't. And that's really strange and-"
"Hatter!" Mallyumpkin said impatiently.
Tarrant stopped his ramble. "I'm fine, thank you." But then he coughed into his sleeve. "Fez."
"Who are you?" Asked Marie dazedly.
"Who are you?" Echoed Tarrant.
"No fair! I asked you first. You have to answer. It's in the rule book." Countered Marie.
Tarrant tapped a finger against his chin. "Well, if it's in the rules..." He barged straight up to her and pulled her to her feet. "My name is Tarrant Hightopp." He pointed at her. "And you are late for tea!" He bustled around the cups, preparing a cup for her. "That's very naughty, you know. Appearing just a few minutes after we start. If you wanted to join us, the least you could have done was come on time." He scolded lightly.
"But I didn't know I was coming to a tea party!" She protested. "I didn't even realize I was coming here in the first place!"
Tarrant smirked. "Well, if you don't know where you're going, that makes it all the more fun, does it not? Half the time I don't know *I'm* going. I just go." He handed her the tea and asked her if she took one lump or two.
"Two, please." She replied with a smile. She glanced around at the two other people sitting at the table. A hare with lop-sided ears sat beside her. In front of her, waving a hatpin sword, was a mouse. "And who are you?" She asked them.
"Mallyumpkin." Said the mouse with a suspicious glance in her direction. "That's Thackory." A teacup flew at her head and she just managed to duck it.
"So where am I?" She asked, taking a sip of her tea. It was very good, mint with a hint of raspberry.
"You're in Underland." She bit her lip as Hatter watched her with interest. "Though the question is; why?"
"It's such a long story." She shook her head and sighed in a tired way. "I don't where to begin."
"It's always good to begin at the begining." He told her.
She laughed. "Kay. That's what I'll do." So Marie told her lengthy tale while she sipped her tea and enjoyed the company of Underland's resident madman. And he might have enjoyed her company just as much.