Ok so here it is folks the next chapter and hopefully its long enough for you. I know I'm a little later than usual with this update but ya know I didn't get very many reviews. Such sadness. But I do thank all of those that did review….i love you guys *tear* and this chapter is for you. Now for the next chapter your all going to suffer the same until I get at least 6 reviews cuz come on that should be cake so many of you read it! AND the feedback really does help me with the writing so again you guys so me the love and I will give back in return. Oh the usual shpeal these characters do not belong to me yada yada yada is a little spoiler blah blah blah and yes by now you should notice that this is femslash. Oh and thank you so much for no nasty reviews I'd hate to sick my evil fairy on you aaahahahahahaha.
Alice absorbed all the wonderful work that the Hatter had done already. The older man seemed like he was born to the craft. Running around doing this and that that Alice could only guess at what he was doing. In a way he sort of reminded her of her White Queen with how absorbed they could both become with their work. It only furthered her feelings of that sibling bond that had started to form between the two.
"Alice came to pay me a visit finally. Although I am very surprised to see you up and out of bed so soon. Did you know there is talk of you and a training match against our lead Knight? How preposterous it all seems." The Hatter frowned and how much people liked to gossip even if it weren't true. Alice however could only blush lightly before mumbling out a response the Hatter didn't quiet catch. "I'm sorry Alice I didn't catch that?"
"Does everyone know about that?" the Hater just stared. "Tarrant, Are you alright?" Alice waved a hand in front of his face.
"You did what, Alice you shouldn't have been out there and especially after what happened and oh how I'm sure the Queen has already heard of this. She'll be worried sick!" Alice placed her hands on Tarrant's shoulder's stopping him mid rant.
"Dear Tarrant, I was never in harm's way and our Queen has already seen me before I arrived here, so there is no need to worry yourself. "
"Oh Alice, of course we worry love, you're our champion and without you all is lost." Tarrant tried to tell Alice just how much she meant to everyone without giving too much away that he isn't suppose to.
"My dear Hatter, there is no way that you could possibly know something like that. Unless there is something you're not telling me." She teased, good thing Tarrant was facing the other way or she would have seen the shocked look that quickly passed over his face. Glancing over his shoulder however he realized what she had meant. "I can only mean as much as one can afford to give of themselves and so far I have not given that much."
"Oh but ye have lad, so much more than ye have yet to realize, but soon enough ye'll know and then ye won't be able to deny it. Ya have captured our Queens attention after all, ever since your first visit and no one has been able to break her attentions from her duty. How can we expect so less of ya when ya surprise and have given us more than we could ever hope to repay lad." Alice didn't like the look on the Hatters face, he just seemed so sad.
"Please Tarrant can we discuss something that doesn't always bring down the spirits of the soul." Alice tried getting the topic on something else. This one always made her uneasy.
"The Soul?" Tarrant looked at her puzzled.
"Back in Aboveland they thought it was as piece of a person that no one can see of course and a good part of what made them human. It's not really something I paid much mind actually." Alice herself frowned slightly at that thought. "Now that I think about it there wasn't much that I had paid attention to except my father of course and the rest of my family as well."
"Hmmm well perhaps you should think about what you would like to do here Alice, seeing as it wasn't your wish to return to that land." Tarrant himself was ever so curious about that as well.
"I have my dear Hatter and as soon as the Queen clears I as normal and I can go about my business I will be taking up my own duties as champion." Alice couldn't help but to smile at the thought.
"Ah this makes you happy love?" the Hatter couldn't help but to ask.
"Extremely, anything I can do to serve my….our Queen." Alice quickly corrected herself but it didn't go unnoticed by Tarrant who raised an eyebrow. "It is nothing Tarrant."
"Doesn't seem like nothing to me lad." The Hatter said softly, it was the truth after all because what he saw had seemed like a whole lot. The only thing was that neither was aware and he didn't understand how they couldn't see it.
"It's a fleeting fancy that will pass dear Tarrant. Besides I wouldn't want to wreck anything my dear Hatter. Everyone has been so kind to me, I wouldn't want to take any kind of advantage. Anyway I'm quite content with how things are progressing at the moment."
"Oh you poor foolish lad, how unaware you are of the things going on around you." Tarrant just shook his head and went back to his work.
"Hatter, when are you going to take a break for tea? I did come to visit with you ya know." Alice couldn't help but to tease him. Anything to get the topic changed as well.
"Ah yes of course, I almost forgot." The Hatter stopped his work and looked to Alice. "Perhaps we can take it in the sitting room? McTwisp should actually be on his way with the afternoon tea along with the others. They will all be so happy to see you up and feeling better."
They both left the work shop and sat down in Tarrant's sitting room discussing what he planned to do in his work. McTwisp arrived not too long into their conversation with tea, biscuits and the rest of their party trailing after him. Everyone of course told Alice how happy they were to see her well again and from there the topic went back to her training match with Sir Gideon. Everyone was so excited about what had happened and even found it funny that Alice had fought in a dress. Not many people they knew could pull off such a feat and for the most part that was all anyone could seem to talk about. Alice of course kept her head down lightly blushing the whole time until finally Tarrant decided to have mercy.
"So I hear that the celebration we had after the fall of the red Queen and the rise of our own dear White Queen, the rest of Underland is on their way here for a proper celebration." Tarrant informed everyone.
"Oh yes her majesty has been in and out of meetings all day meeting with one emissary after another. Should be quite the celebration from all the running around I've I had to do as well." McTwisp spoke up. That being the biggest topic of discussion, what with people coming from all over and everyone trying to describe just what it will be like to Alice, there apparently hadn't been a gathering of this kind for at least four decades.
Everyone ended up staying in Tarrant's sitting room till diner was to be served discussing the grand celebration that Alice wasn't looking forward to at all seeing as how she was one of the key factors in the red Queens downfall. The whole way down to the dining hall Alice couldn't stop her thoughts from wondering to her Queen however. It didn't seem to matter how far of topic it was, her thoughts always found themselves back in full circle.
When they were all gathered around the long table that was to hold everyone Alice noticed that she was on the right of the only empty chair at the table and it just so happened to be the one at the end and the largest chair out of any of them. Immediately Alice knew her Queen would sit there and that made the butterflies flapping around in her stomach turn into birds. Then the horns sounded letting everyone know the Queen was here. Everyone rose to their feet as McTwisp announced their Queen; Alice immediately moved to pull her chair out for her. Once she was situated everyone else took their seats as well.
"Please everyone eat up." The Queen motioned to the food that covered the table. Looking over to Alice she smiled "and you my dear Champion how have the rest of your day gone?"
"Quite wonderful actually, I spent the afternoon catching up with Tarrant, McTwisp, the Tweedle's, Mally and of course Chessur." Alice answered her Queen.
"Yes our dear Champion here was quite the topic of discussion your highness. What with her unscheduled activity this morning that has all of Maramoreal light up with gossip." Alice's blush deepened slightly.
"I can't help that Tarrant. Besides I didn't think it would be that big of a deal." Alice shrugged.
"Oh sweet Champion of course it was, you had McTwisp hyperventilating when he came to me this morning. We were all very worried at first." A frown crossed her Queens's lips and Alice's heart dropped. That was not an expression she found that she didn't like all too well.
"My apologies my Queen; it wasn't my intent to upset anyone."
"There's no need for any of that Sweet Alice. No harm was caused except maybe a few more worry lines." Her Queen teased her.
The conversation at the dining table never seemed to stop flowing around her. Alice however stared down at her plate for the rest of the meal. Her feelings where running all over the place and every time she even just looked at her Queen the restlessness got worse in her stomach. The daydreams of lips on lips and hands roaming did nothing to help. Eventually Alice had to excuse herself from the table. With her stomach acting the way it was she couldn't bring herself to eat anymore. She wasn't really too enthralled with the diner conversation than everyone else seemed to be.
Letting her feet guide her Alice found herself near to her and her Queens's chambers the next time she looked up, but that hadn't been what caused her to look up. On the other side of the hall where the doors where located to their chambers, there was another door that Alice hadn't noticed before. Ever curious she opened it to find that it was filled with books. Making up her mind Alice made her way thru the room looking over all of the books that the massive selves contained. So absorbed in the collection that she didn't notice when she was no longer alone.
"Alice, how ever did you get in here?" startled Alice spun around to find her Queen standing in the doorway.
"I'm sorry my Queen, I didn't know I wasn't allowed in here. It's just that I didn't notice the door before and I thought it odd." Alice answered with a puzzled look settling over her features.
"Alice no one is supposed to be able to even see this door but me. It's my private library," Alice started to apologize again but her Queen held up a hand to stop it, "It's quite alright my dear Alice. It's just as startling to me it would seem but this would be the perfect location."
"I don't understand my Queen." Alice placed her hands behind her back waiting for her Queen to tell her why she had called for this meeting.
"Dear Alice, you are in no trouble I assure you. But this morning when the training match happened all accounts said that you were holding your own. Is there more you would like to tell me Alice?" Starting to get nervous this is part of what Alice had been worried about telling her Queen. Honestly she didn't know how she would react and that scared her more than anything.
"Uhm well my Queen I did notice that everything just seem to come quite easily to me. I thought I was a little stronger than I use to be and possibly faster as well." Alice spoke softly still afraid of her Queens's reaction.
"Ah my dear Alice, that is to be expected, especially after what I found today myself." Her Queen looked very pleased with herself. Alice just raised a brow in silent question. "Oh ruin all my fun then, apparently the Jaberwocky blood is…well it's making you better."
"Better how?" Alice couldn't help but to ask.
"Well I'd say that it's making you stronger, faster and smarter. Alice the blood is making you into a better soldier." She couldn't help but to smile after all that was what she had wanted so she would never fail her Queen.
"That doesn't sound so bad my Queen."
"Alice I have no idea how far it's going to go." Her Queen frowned.
"And that worries you your majesty?" the question was out before she could stop it.
"I always worry for you my Champion. You're always in danger and even more so now that you have decided to keep your title." Her Queen started pacing seemingly talking to herself over her worry for her Champions safety. Alice just watched her, eyes riveted to her Queen ever so graceful even in her concern. Alice didn't realize she was moving until she was already standing in front of her Queen and the words where coming out before she could stop those.
"My Queen I would give my life for you and considering the role I've taken I might just end up doing that some day. But your safety and well being mean so much more to me and if I have to die to keep you that way then so be it." Alice immediately stopped talking. She had already said more than she should have. Taking a deep breath Alice tried to steady her nerves. She didn't need to be doing anything, even involuntary actions that would mess up everything. Alice was very respectful and believed that if something was wanted then it would be asked for or forgotten.
However when it came to her Queen sometimes Alice just couldn't help it sometimes and she would catch herself moving or saying something that she hadn't intended to say or do. She was terrified that her Queen would discover the feelings and that would be the end of everything. If that were to happen Alice had no idea what she would do. She had pretty much changed her whole life to serve this woman to the best of her abilities, which seemed they where only increasing. To lose what she had gained by coming to this world would hurt her greatly. She herself would lose any sanity that she had and she would end up disappearing and become just another insane inhabitant of Underland.
"Alice?" her Queen looked as if she might cry.
"Oh no no no no I didn't want to make you cry my Queen. Please I apologize for whatever I did to make you do such a thing." Moving so quickly that Alice didn't even see it happen until she had two pale arms wrapped around her neck pulling her into a warm body.
"Oh my dearest sweet Champion, they are tears of joy. I had hoped that you would stay but it was a decision that you needed to make. But now that you have chosen to stay." Her Queens smile light up brightly and Alice for a moment lost herself and that moment was all it would take for suddenly Alice was really close to her Queens face ready to kiss her when she suddenly became aware of what exactly she was doing.
"I'm so sorry my Queen," Alice apologized quickly "I think I'll retire to my chambers now if that is ok?" Alice didn't even wait for her Queens response just turned around and fled to her chambers for the night.
And there it is. Please don't murder me I had no idea it was gonna end that way either. *hunkers down* I swear!