I do believe it is time for us to pay our respects.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of AiW. With that being said, Lewis Carroll, Disney, and Tim Burton do.
Inspirational Song: "Coming Home" - Skylar Grey
. . . . .
It was a cool evening in Underland. All those around Alice sat together in their respective silence for the dead. She looked on with the others at the horizon, the sun no longer suspended in the sky above the Crimson Sea, where Hatter had once taken her so long ago. A chilling breeze sent small waves up to caress against the shoreline. Mirana stood there, close to the water's edge, facing the crowd gathered for the mass funeral. Alice admired her strength. Even here, facing hundreds of cheerless faces searching for some shred of light in their Queen, Mirana remained poised.
"Before we begin," Alice heard her say, "I believe we owe our fallen soldiers a moment of silence."
The crowd simultaneously bowed their heads. Alice had been curious as to the similarities between Underland's customs and the Otherworld's, where death was involved. (Though this was undoubtedly not the way she'd wanted to find out.) There was one grand difference in customs. Alice peeked out from underneath her lashes. Sitting in hundreds of white chairs were people decked out in rambunctious clothing. Yellows, reds, purples, greens. . . all as bright as the Cheshire Cat's grin. Alice felt this fit for a world full of color. Mirana said it was to honor the soldiers for their service to Wonderland. She had been horrified to hear that in London, people only wore neutrals, and mainly black. "How disrespectful!" she'd hollered. She'd then rushed to stuff Alice in an obnoxiously green dress before getting fitted into her own yellow one - that was an odd sight to see.
"Thank you," she said now. Alice lifted her head to the view of the Sea. Floating in the pink-ish waters were dozens of pearly white coffins with gold accents along their sides. On top of each was a bundle of purple flowers, laced together with a single, golden ribbon. There was one exception: the grandest coffin in front, with a bundle of pink flowers resting on top it.
The final resting place of Sir Lawrence.
It is merely the body of Sir Lawrence, Alice, she chided herself. Sir Lawrence had long been gone, his brave spirit off to wherever it is they eventually find peace. Nevertheless, the sight of his coffin filled her with dread. She had so many regrets, so many things she wished she'd said, rather than some she did. . .
She felt a bandaged hand rest on top hers. She looked up at Hatter and smiled softly, his eyes reflecting nothing but care for her. He sat to the right of her, and to his right sat the rest of their most trusted friends: Mallymkun, Chess, Thackery, the Tweedles. . . Absolem rested on Alice's free hand.
"You alrigh'?" Hatter whispered.
Alice nodded, looking back at the coffin with pink flowers.
He smiled. "I know yae are, Champion."
Alice sat up straighter as Mirana began to speak in a clear, slow, and considerate tone that reached every single person - or creature - in the crowd.
"We all know why we are here. As unfortunate as it was, the battle so recently fought for the sake of peace in our lands could not have been avoided. It was ugly, brutal, and violent - that much is clear to all here today. One like it has not been seen in so many years."
Here, she closed her eyes, hands trembling in the air. "Each of us has been touched by an unforgettable event in the past few days that has changed the course of Time here forever, where Death moves so slowly." Her eyes opened, brighter than before. "When a time such as this passes by, we must acknowledge those who surrendered the most out of all of us. That is why we have gathered here today. We come for our fallen, who fought for our future. We come here to recognize those who deserve far more than recognition. We come here for Underland, and the wondrous life it provides for us that is worth giving life up for."
Mirana opened her arms up to the crowd, many with tears clouding their vision. "I thank you for teaching the fallen how to be true, through to the end. They were the soldiers they were thanks to you, their family. It is now time we say a final Fairfarren to our fallen."
The crowd began to stand, Alice quickly jumping up after the most of them, making sure to not jostle Absolem in her palm. They all turned to the shore, hands on their hearts. Alice watched as Mirana made a great gesture, as if she were casting away some of the snow-white sand into the sea. The crowd copied her. There was a moment's pause. And then the coffins began to drift away, further to the other side of the Crimson Sea. Alice held the suspicion that if she were to attempt to sail to the other side of the sea, she would never find it.
Alice's stare remained glued to the pearly coffin of Sir Lawrence, watching it drift away and into the evening mist over the sea. Even as others around her began to stand, Alice stared at the glorious speck across the waters until she could only see a spot of pink. And in a flash, that, too, was gone forever.
Suddenly, she was surprised to feel the cold feeling of tears racing down her cheeks. She went to lift a hand to her cheek, but Hatter beat her there. She looked at him, lower lip trembling and feeling like a child again. It was simply was not fair. Rash, yes. Violent, of course. But brave, just, and determined? That was a man she would miss.
Hatter's blue eyes begged for her to feel happy once more. "How about a walk?" he asked.
Alice nodded, raising her free hand to her face. She smiled sadly at Absolem. "I'm afraid I have to release you now," she said.
"Oh, yes," he drawled. "For it was I clinging onto you during the ceremony." After another look at her face, Absolem's smirk diminished. "It was his true ending, Alice. He could not have written it better himself."
She nodded slightly, setting him down on the arm of her chair. She thought she saw Mirana wander over to them with curious eyes, but Hatter led her away to the shore of the Sea. He held her hand as they walked down the shoreline, Hatter not minding the small waves that kept dampening the ends of his pants. It made Alice smile.
Then she met Hatter's eyes and remembered why she felt so hollow.
"I'm sorry, Alice," Hatter lisped. "I wish I knew what to say, but as it is - I don't know how Otherworlders matter with Death."
"Don't apologize, Hatter." She shook her head at him. "If anything, I should be paying more attention to how you're handling things." His brow furrowed. She continued. "Or any of you, really. I must seem so sensitive."
"Not at all," he said pleasantly. His grip on her hand tightened. "You are the Champion, not a child. We know that. And. . ." He frowned slightly. "You were closer to him than many."
"Not close enough," she said quietly, without thinking. At Hatter's alarmed expression, she panicked. "No, no - definitely not what I meant. What I meant to say was, well, if I'd understood him more, or if I had been strong enough, it wouldn't have been impossible to-"
"Alice," he chided her. "Nothing is impossible."
She looked up at him. "Are you saying I could have saved him?" she asked quietly.
They stopped walking. He studied her, looking back and forth between both her eyes. Alice looked beyond him and noticed that it had recently gotten darker, and most of the party had gone. The mist from the Crimson Sea had begun to seep onto the snow-white sand of the beach. Alice shivered.
Hatter shook his head sadly. "No, Alice." He began to walk again. "What I'm saying is that even with all the possibilities of what could have occurred in the past few days, that was what happened. That true death. He was a Knight, Alice. He died one. It was meant to be." He lowered his head.
Alice admired him for a moment. She'd thought Hatter had despised Sir Lawrence. She could feel the tension grow when he spotted her with him, or vice versa. A frightening rage often flashed across Hatter's face around him. Sir Lawrence had insulted him both to his face and his rear. They had clearly disliked one another, at least. And yet, here was Hatter, complimenting him on his virtues for her sake.
She very much did not deserve the man.
"Do Underlanders always act so - welcome to Death's hand?" she asked.
"Oh, no, Alice," he immediately said. "You see, we all live a very long time here. When one of us finally dies - and not in such a noble fashion as a soldier's - we fall apart. Over Time, we all become very. . . close to one another," he finished, eyes on her hand in his.
She rubbed the back of his marred hand with her thumb. Her reward was his soft smile. She smiled back, but it soon fell. "Does this mean. . . Will I. . . Outlive you?" The image filled her with horror: a healthy, young Hatter. Still dancing the Futterwacken, designing hats, and dueling with friends. And her: old, ill, and gray. To be his wife. Until the day she died, all alone, leaving Hatter at the Mad Tea Party Table forever without her. It would be torture for the both of them.
His chuckle woke her up from her nightmare. "No, Alice. Our long lives are due to Time, not us. If He ever forgives me, I'll be gone before you, so I never have to live one day more without you."
"Don't say that," Alice scolded him. She wacked him on the arm, making him laugh again. "Especially today."
His laugher died down. "You are right. I'm sorry." He glanced up at the darkening sky and yawned. "And the reason you feel so - sensitive, as you put it - is because to us, the death of Sir Lawrence - or any of the soldiers, really - was meant to be. It was probably in the Orraculum," he pondered aloud.
"Wait," Alice said. Hatter jumped at her low tone. "Do you suppose that means Absolem knew? About all this?" She raised her voice.
"Now, Alice," Hatter said quickly. "You mustn't blame him. The Orraculum cannot be changed - you saw that, when we tried to stop Stayne from entering the Otherworld, remember?" His eyes widened. Perhaps it was not wise to question the blue caterpillar.
Alice sighed. "You are correct. . . "
Hatter sighed, as well. Then he grinned manically at her. Alice raised a brow at him. "What?"
"It seems the rumors of women are not true! Which, as it turns out, is a great relief to me, you know. With you being the Champion of Underland itself and all, I had thought I was going to be in a wreak of havoc for the rest of my life - Not necessarily, though. What I meant was - I am very much looking forward to our marriage, and I hope you are, too, despite what I -"
Alice elbowed him in the stomach and rolled her eyes. "Oh, you best prepare for my wreaking of havoc, Mr. Hightopp."
Hatter chuckled and put his arm around her. "I suppose I must be, Mrs. Hightopp."
Alice immediately stared at him, mouth open as wide as her eyes. "Mrs. Hightopp," she repeated.
He nodded at her, with a hideous attempt at hiding his smirk. "Mrs. Hightopp."
. . . . .
Rachel: The next chapter, will, indeed, be the final chapter of this story, starting with Alice's Choice.
Insanity: Grab the Kleenex.