Many thanks to the amount of reviews, favorites, and subscriptions that keep coming in! I love it! And without further ado, the long fourth chapter!

Chapter 4: A Walk in Underland

Mirana awoke early in the castle of Crims one morning, smelling something delicious coming from the kitchen. Tip-toeing past her sister's room, the alert nine-year old quietly snuck to the kitchens. Opening the door, Mirana saw the head cook Annabel stirring something with a large metal spoon. She watched as the cook added all sorts of ingredients to the bowl, such as butterfly tears, three cups of sunshine, and hair from a horsefly.

"Oh! Your Highness! You're up early!" another cook named Grace said, noticing her watching in the doorway.

"I just wished to see you cook," Mirana said simply. "I find it amazing how so many interesting things can come together to make something even more interesting. It's fascinating. And the food you make tastes wonderful, especially your butter-finger pie."

The cooks smiled at each other in delight. Mirana was a joy to be around, they thought, unlike her fifteen-year-old sister Iracebeth, who constantly discouraged their cooking skills.

"Perhaps when you turn ten next year, you may consider studying the Culinary Forms of Underland," Annabel said. "You would learn how to make all types of wonderful food and drink."

"I shall indeed think about it, Annabel. Thank you." And with a smile, Mirana left the kitchen to tend to her garden outside.

Ever since she had learned how to walk and talk, Mirana said that she had wanted her own garden, with many different types of flowers and trees that she would tend to herself. Mirana privately believed that in addition to sun and water, another type of nourishment was actually talking to the plants.

Mirana stopped by a small apple tree. "Hello, my dear," she said to the tree. "You've grown a lot since last week. I do believe that when you are in bloom, you shall produce quite tasty apples. Keep growing, my dear, and encourage those around you to grow also." And so on. Mirana left the garden when she believed every tree and flower had received enough nourishment.

Mirana could hardly wait to turn ten years of age. When one turned ten in Underland, it meant picking the type of study course that would help you with your future job or occupation. For example, a hat maker would take Knowledge of Clothes, Design, and Materials of Underland. In Iracebeth's and Mirana's cases however, that would mean taking courses all the Princesses would take: Diplomacy and Trade of Underland, Etiquette and Proper Behavior, Psychology and Sociology, and anything else a Queen would do, Mirana supposed. However, you could also take other courses. Iracebeth had picked Dominion of Living Creatures and all the courses on Warfare. Mirana wanted to pick Botany and Culinary of Underland, as well as Community of Underland and Medicine.

"Mirana! Iracebeth! Time to go on a weekly walk of Underland!" the Queen called, interrupting Mirana's thoughts. A weekly walk meant visiting all of Underland, helping the poor and sick, and talking to the Underlanders.

"Mother, I don't wish to go," a sullen Iracebeth called back from her room. "I think it is waste to time."

"I will come, Mother, just let me retrieve something first," Mirana called. Walking to her closet, she pulled out a wagon of baskets full of medicine, water, and food she had made for the Underlanders. It had taken her and her maids a while to put them together. She pulled the wagon outside to where the Queen and her scowling sister were waiting inside the royal carriage. Mirana made sure the wagon of baskets was loaded safely on before sitting with her mother and Iracebeth.

"I don't like mingelwing with the commoners, especialwy those disgusting animals," Iracebeth complained. Her large head had all the appearance of distaste on it. The Queen sighed and said nothing. She had give up on trying to help her see past her ways years ago.

Mirana glanced sadly at her sister. If only I could make her see past her ways, she thought as the carriage bounced along the road.

"We're here!" the Queen said happily as they stopped at a village. The stopping of the carriage woke a dozing Mirana, who had been wondering to herself why her mother called it a "walk" when they had been riding in a carriage. Gazing around, the Princess saw humans and all types of animals, big and small, standing out in front of their houses to welcome the royalty.

"Your Majesty," they all murmured in unison as the Queen and her daughters stepped out of the carriage. Mirana went to the back of the carriage and grabbed her wagon. Her mother would talk with the heads of each household about news and events, while she and Iracebeth would deliver food, water, and medicine to each house. Everything would work out fine.

"This is horwible," Iracebeth groaned as they approached the first house, which had the appearance of the head of a rabbit. Mirana ignored her and read the name of the family, neatly painted on the picket fence: McTwisp.

"Come on now, Iracey," Mirana started to say, but before she could get any further, a white rabbit bounded out of the house and stopped at the girls' feet.

"Your Highnesses," the rabbit whispered tearfully, "You must simply help me! My Nivens has been sick for two days, and whatever we do, he seems to get worse! Can you help?"

"No," Iracebeth said, but Mirana firmly said, "Yes, of course we'll help. I'll bring my medicines with me. May I come in, Mrs. McTwisp?"

"Certainly," Mrs. McTwisp answered, and showed them into the house. It was very well kept and neat. Mirana already knew the McTwisps, but only by name; the mister was a messenger for the King. In the middle of a sitting room, several young rabbits all huddled in a circle, but seeing their mother and the Princesses, they all scampered to a corner of the room. In the middle of a former circle lay a rabbit under a blanket. His eyes were glassy and feverish, while his coat of fur was oily. Iracebeth sighed with impatience and confusion, but Mirana wasn't fazed. She had seen this sickness before, though she couldn't recall where. But she knew what would help. Reaching into her medicine basket, Mirana pulled out a light blue liquid.

"This should do the trick, Mrs. McTwisp. Give a teaspoonful to him at each meal; three times a day for a week. Be sure to also give him soup and water, along with lots of rest. I'll give him a dose now; it is just about noon." And Mirana gently urged a teaspoon down Niven's throat. The effect was almost immediate; he sat up and cried: "I'm hungry, Mama, when is dinner?"

Mrs. McTwisp gave a cry of delight. She turned to Mirana and bowed low. Then, grasping her hand in her paws, she whispered, "Bless you, your Highness. I see a bright future for you. Bless you, bless you."

Mirana smiled, but said nothing. After handing them their specified basket, and receiving kisses from all the young rabbits, she turned to leave with a bored Iracebeth, who had stood stiffly in a corner the whole time, grumbling something about animals having "better use as furniture."

Their next stop was at the Hightopp's house. The house was in the shape of a large colorful top hat, with a hat-ish fence lining the yard. Mirana knew of the Hightopps well: the father was a beloved hat-maker for the kingdom. The royal family wore his designs often, marveling at such skill to make such hats.. Mirana brought not only food and medicine in her basket; she brought new material that the King had received from a neighboring land. Iracebeth reluctantly pulled a bell next to the door, but she was relieved that this time there were no animals in the house.

Mrs. Hightopp answered the door. Seeing the young Princesses, she cried, "Your Majesties! Oh my darlings, how wonderful to see you both again! You must have some tea!" Mrs. Hightopp was a tea-maker for the royal family, thereby making the Hightopp clan well respected in the community. Not everybody had both heads working for the royal family.

Mirana politely accepted some tea, but Iracebeth shook her head no. Mirana suddenly remembered why she had come to the house, and gave Mrs. Hightopp the basket. She let out a shriek when she saw the new and unusual material. "Oh my goodness! It's amazing! Unique! Beautiful! Marvelous! Oh, children, you must have a look at this! Come on now, come look!"

Almost immediately, four or five children bounded into the sitting room. They all shared either brown or red curly hair, received from their mother or father respectively. They also began to look over the incredible material. One of them, who looked about Mirana's age, was so excited he stood and began to dance furiously around the room. "That's his dance," explained Mrs. Hightopp. "He calls it the 'futterwacken.'"

The boy stopped and stared at Mirana. His eyes flashed a brilliant blue as she smiled at him. "What is your name?" she asked.

"Tarrant Hightopp."

"That dance was incredible. You must perform it at the castle someday. Oh, do you wish to be a hat-maker like your father."

"Yes, I should like nothing more," Tarrant answered. "I could make you all sorts of hats, depending on your favorite color, shape, design, size, day, week, month, year, holiday, meal-"

"Tarrant!" his mother said sharply. He blushed and looked down. "Sorry. I'm fine," he mumbled.

Mirana simply grinned. "I would love for you to be my hat-maker, Tarrant."

Tarrant grinned. Dashing over to a vase filled with flowers, he pulled out a single white rose and handed it to her. "Your Highness," he whispered before bowing deeply. Mirana marveled how his hat could stay on his head.

"They are compwetely mad," Iracebeth commented as they left the house.

"Perhaps, but maybe it is what makes them incredibly…" Mirana drifted off. Likable? Interesting? Charming? Mirana couldn't find the answer as they traveled to different houses for the rest of the day.

Mirana went to bed that night feeling happy that she had made new and unusual friends. She especially liked Tarrant Hightopp. Glancing one last time at the white rose he had given her, she smiled and fell asleep, dreaming of the day when she could be Queen, and he would be her hat-maker: her very own hatter.

To be continued…

Whew! That took a while to write. So how did I do with the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter? Please review and tell me what you think. And where is the Knave? Shall he make an appearance? Guess you'll just have to wait, my lovelies. However, school starts again soon, so chapters may take longer to get on here… But they'll come, I promise!

*Becca*