3. A Day with the Mad Hatter
The afternoon would have been lovely, if Alice's stomach growling hadn't cut the moment. While her face heated at the loud rumbling her stomach admitted, the Mad Hatter laughed.
"I should feed you, I suppose?" He asked her, grinning. "Come, let's head back home."
He held out his hand to her, which she took.
He squeezed her hand softly and began leading her back toward the tree house.
"After we eat, can I convince you to try on a few things? I need to make sure they fit right before I finish sewing them." He told her as they slowly made their way back.
"You really make all my clothes?" She asked curiously.
He nodded and looked toward the approaching house, frowning. "I make you whatever you wish, or whatever I might have a fancy to see you in."
As they got closer, he slowed down, pulling her closer. His jaw clenched.
Alice looked ahead to see a guard standing by the front door.
"Why is he here?" The Mad Hatter snarled.
"Calm down. He could be here for a perfectly good reason." Alice told him, hesitantly reaching up and touching his face.
The touch worked, and the Mad Hatter covered her hand with his own and nuzzled into it. He took some deep breathes and began to walk forward again, letting her drop her hand back to her side.
"Greeting Guard of the Red Queen." The Mad Hatter greeted as they got within hearing range of the guard. "Why have you come?"
"Greetings Lord Hatter." the Guard said, the words bland. "I have come at the request of the Queen. She has heard that Alice has lost her memory and understands that the girl is probably scared to be here. She would like to extend an invitation for Alice to come and stay with her until she is comfortable in this world, or regains her memory."
The Mad Hatter's grip on her tightened slightly.
"She's fine." The Mad Hatter said.
"It's not your decision. The Queen was most serious about the Alice coming to stay with her for a time." The Guard told them, hand on the sword at his side.
Alice clutched to the Mad Hatter. She didn't exactly feel like going with the Guard. Sure, she may be the heir to the Red Queen, but it still didn't mean that she knew the Queen, or trusted her. She surely didn't trust the guard standing in front of her.
"I'm quiet fine here, thank you." Alice told the Guard.
The Guard never looked at her as he said, "May I repeat: The Queen is most serious about Alice coming and staying for a time."
Alice looked up at the Mad Hatter, who was battling himself it seemed.
"May I go inside?" She asked him, knowing in the end, how this was going to end up.
'I'm so selfish.' She thought, knowing she was doing what she told the Cheshire Cat she would never do. She had just sentenced a man to death but disagreeing to go with him.
"Of course you can." The Mad Hatter said, walking her to the door. However, the Mad Hatter's gaze never left the Guard, who was slowly drawing his sword for a fight.
"He's in armor." Alice whispered, clutching the Mad Hatter's arm.
"Don't worry about that." the Mad Hatter told her, softly, opening the door and pushing her through. "Why don't you go upstairs and take a bath? By the time you feel relaxed and refreshed, I will have sent our friend on his way, and have something to eat prepared."
He kissed her temple and shut the door.
Alice stayed by the door for a moment, but when the clash of steel echoed so close to the door, she ran up stairs to the bathroom as she was told. However, she didn't take a bath. She just sat within the tub, covering her ears, trying to block out the sounds of steel meeting steel, and then the screams of the Guard.
She didn't know how long she sat in there, tears streaming down her face, terrified to leave the little room. She didn't want to see the man she had condemned to death, didn't want to see the Mad Hatter covered in his blood, because she had asked him to do this, in a way.
'One life or many?' Her conscious whispered, trying to help her out.
It didn't.
Hands scooped her up and she stared up at the Mad Hatter, who had changed, but wasn't covered in blood at all. His hair was pulled back and braided. He was wearing a pair of black pants made of an unknown material, and a black poetic shirt, un-tucked.
"Alice." He murmured, holding her to his chest, gently swaying. "He's gone now. Don't fret over him. The Queen will send no more Guards, you're safe."
Alice squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in his chest.
"I'd kill anyone for you, to make you happy." He told her, swaying still. "Don't feel guilty over them, my love. They always, always deserve their deaths. If not me, then the Queen. Surely you know that? I can tell you the crimes of everyone in Wonderland, for I see them as clearly as I see you. I'm Mad for a reason, you know."
"What was that Guard's crime?" Alice whispered.
"He hadn't committed them yet. Had you gone with him, surely he would have." The Mad Hatter murmured. "This place isn't all that innocent anymore Alice."
Alice looked up at him bleakly. He returned her gaze, but then smiled, causing little wrinkles to appear around his eyes. "I made you lunch. Will you eat with me?"
"I'll try." She said in return.
She expected him to set her on her feet, but instead, he carried her from the bathroom, to the stair way. She began to panic a little. She fell down stairs if she couldn't see her feet, for some reason or another, and she couldn't help but feel maybe he might do the same.
Unexpectedly though, he sat on the banister, and they slid down. He laughed the whole way, holding her against his chest tightly.
By the time she reached the bottom, a smile was on her face, she knew.
"It's for more becoming for you to smile, Alice." He told her, carrying her into what she assumed was a small dinning room. A table made for four sat in the center, with places set for two people. He sat her in the chair and said, "I'll be right back, I'm going to go get the kids so they can eat too."
"Kids?" Alice choked.
The Mad Hatter gave her a strange look again and said, "Yes, the March Hare's children. He's long since gone, mind you. But I, we, have been looking after his kids since he passed away only four years ago."
"That's so sad." Alice whispered, her heart hurting.
The Mad Hatter knelt down beside her chair and lifted his hat from seemingly out of nowhere. He set his forehead against hers and looked her in the eye.
"He was happy for us to be together, you know? He was so happy, and often talked of the day that we would marry. He wanted to walk you down the aisle. Stand in as your father."
He pulled back and set his top hat on her head, smiling as he watched her push it back up.
"Why did he die?" She asked.
"Who did you say goodbye to in your world only a year ago or so?" the Mad Hatter asked. "It wasn't your fault he died. It's just something that happened. When you said goodbye to your own father, knowing you probably wouldn't ever see him again, so too did the March Hare leave our world. He didn't blame you. He knew things just happened."
The Mad Hatter stood and said, "I'll get the kids. Watch my hat for me, will you?"
He left the room while Alice pulled the top hat from her head and looked at it. The black satin felt slick, and yet soft under her fingers. The small silver designs into the brim was beautiful, and she found herself lost, studying them.
"Alice!" Little voices called from her feet.
Alice looked down, surprised to see little rabbits at her feet, each small enough to fit into her hands.
"Oh!" She cried out, happily, but slowly, dropping to her knees among them. The little rabbits scrambled around and climbed into her lap, up her back, and into her hands to be close to her.
"We've missed you Alice!" the little voices cried.
"I'm afraid Alice doesn't remember you." The Hatter said, kneeling beside her. "But she will be all to happy to relearn all of your names and play with you."
"Oh yes!" Alice said, running her hands over all of their backs. "I wish I could remember all of your names, but. . .blast it!"
"Language." The Mad Hatter scolded, laughter dancing in his eyes as he lifted the little rabbit that climbed up her back, off of her shoulder.
Alice watched as the Mad Hatter stood and walked to a cabinet and pulled out a tray full of pre-cut vegetables that was meant to be the little rabbits dinner. He sat it on the floor near the wall and turned back to fill a bowl with water. Once he sat that on the floor, he joined her at the table, after grabbing to large bowls full of a vegetable soup.
"Smells great!" Alice said, her stomach rumbling in agreement.
He slid a plate of bread toward her, and she picked up a piece and bit into it happily. "It's so good!" She moaned. "Did you make it yourself?"
"I did." He replied, smiling at her. He took a bite of his soup and frowned. "Needs more salt."
Alice took a bite and said, "Tastes fine to me! It's delicious!"
He looked very unsure as he said, "It's really okay?"
Alice nodded and happily ate her lunch, all the while watching the little rabbits to her right, munching on their vegetables happily.
"Would you like more?" He asked, noticing her bowl was nearly empty.
"Yes please!" She sang, holding up her bowl, laughing.
He grinned at her and took her bowl out of the room through a small doorway, and return with it, full with more of the soup.
"I've neglected you." He murmured, watching her dig in again. "I didn't have breakfast ready for you when you awoke, nor did I have dinner for you the night before. I apologize. It will never happen again Alice."
Alice stopped her spoon on its way from her mouth and frowned at him. "I'm sure if I had been hungry enough, I would have found my way to the kitchen, and fended for myself. You don't have to worry about me all the time, you know? I'm a big girl." She smiled, breaking the small tension she felt from him, and resumed eating. "Though I admit, you are a much better cook than I'll ever be."
"I'll teach you!" He told her, seriously. "If you want to learn to cook, I'll teach you. We can cook together."
"I'd like that." Alice told him, grinning. "You might have to do twice the work though. I'm the one person in the world who will successfully find a way to burn water!"
The Mad Hatter laughed, and resumed eating.
* * *
"Play with us Alice!" the little rabbits cried after she helped the Mad Hatter wash the dishes.
"Okay." Alice said, following the little rabbits down a set of stairs she hadn't seen before. As she followed them, she began to detect a strange smell in the air. It was horrible and the little rabbits said so themselves as the continued down further and further.
"What is it?" Alice asked.
"It's where the Mad Hatter keeps his tools." The little rabbits chimed. "Stuff he uses and used at the Mad Tea Party."
Alice felt a cold chill go up her spine and she stopped by the doorway where the smell was the strongest. Not being able to resist the urge, she walked in, following the little light she could see from a candle that was lit ahead of her.
Once she got into the room though, she felt like she stepped into some horror movie like Hostel.
The walls were filled with different things, each more terrifying looking than the next. Some were covered in dried blood. The floors were speckled with little dried drops of blood. One the table sat the helmet of the Guard that had been in the yard earlier.
It wasn't empty.
Alice slowly began to back out of the room until she was back at the stairs where the little rabbits were waiting for her.
"Don't want to play anymore, do ya?" One little rabbit said. "Nobody wants to play after seeing that room. Even Uncle Cheshire didn't want to play when he went in there."
The other little rabbits nodded, agreeing with their sibling.
"I'm so sorry guys." She whispered to them, knowing her eyes were too wide. If the Mad Hatter knew she had gone in there, he might be angry. Then again, if he saw her face, he might know.
"We should probably go back to mama anyways!" One of them chirped up. "We can play again another day!"
"Yeah!" the others agreed quickly.
Alice nodded and promised to play another day before she turned and looked back at the room. The smell, she realized, was a permanent thing. It didn't come from anything any there at the current moment, though the Guard's head did give off a meaty smell. The rot was forever ingrained in the wood of the tree.
Speaking of the tree, Alice glared around at it.
There was no way that everything she had seen fit inside the tree.
"Damn magic." She muttered, turning to go back up the stairs.
As she neared the top, she could hear the Mad Hatter humming from somewhere up the stairs.
He had told her to run along as he finished some touches on a few clothing articles he wanted to fit later. So, if she left, he couldn't get mad.
She walked to the front door and silently slipped out.
She stepped outside and frowned up at the sky, which was quickly turning gray.
A storm.
She walked down the beaten path toward the garden he had built up for her, but slowed at the site of the table. Within the Tea Party garden, sat a regal figure.
She was beautiful, tall, with pale blond hair. Her outfit consisted of a tight black and red corset, her breasts spilling out of it, and a long, see-through black skirt that touched the ground. Alice could see the thong she wore underneath from where she stood.
"Hello Alice." The Red Queen said, turning to greet her.
"Your Majesty." Alice greeted, curtsying.
"I have heard that you lost your memories. But I see now that you aren't suffering from memory loss, but find yourself in an alien world. How long have you been in Wonderland like this, Real Alice?" The Red Queen asked.
"Not even a full day." Alice murmured, the reality of that setting in.
"I see. I don't suppose you know what happened here, do you?" The Queen asked, running her hand over a chair that sat beside another. The two were larger than the rest, set up like thrones.
"I do." Alice said, meeting the Queen's gaze. "I've been told of the Mad Tea Party."
The Red Queen nodded. "Then I'm sure you would like to return to the castle with me, right? There's no way that you would really want to stay in this place with that murderer."
Alice took a few steps back and said, "No, I'll stay with the Hatter. Who will keep him sane, or protect everyone from him, if I'm at the castle?"
"Posh." the Queen said with a wave of her hand. "No one is stupid enough to wander through this part of Wonderland anymore. Everyone is safe from him."
"Still, I think it better I stay." Alice murmured, taking a few more steps back, when the Queen took a few more toward her.
"How am I suppose to groom you to be my heir if you do not visit me in my castle, nor will you come in stay with me in a time you clearly need to be rescued. I will take you by force if I have too, Alice." The Queen threatened.
"Greetings, Red Queen." The Mad Hatter's silky voice said from behind Alice.
The Red Queen froze as the Mad Hatter stepped up beside Alice and put an arm around her. She wrapped both her arms around his waist, trying to make a point to the Queen.
"Your Guard met an accident when he tried to tell me Alice couldn't stay with me. And here you stand yourself, threatening my beloved." He murmured, his thumb smoothing over her bare shoulder. "I expected better from the ruler of Wonderland."
The Red Queen did nothing to hide her contempt for the Mad Hatter.
"She doesn't belong with you!" The Queen snarled. "Do you really think that you deserve her!? She should be within the castle, kept safe from Monsters like you! She should be treated like a Princess, not kept within your little home like a doll!"
"I'm not forcing her to stay, not really." The Mad Hatter said, "She chooses to stay with me, to protect the people of Wonderland from the Monster that you created."
"I did not create you! You just can't take rejection." The Queen snarled.
The Mad Hatter's lips twisted into a smile, "I've been rejected plenty of times. It took me many months before Alice would even think of courting me, and when she did, you told her of the Mad Tea Party and what happened. It didn't scare her away from me though."
Alice glanced up at him, feeling like she maybe shouldn't be here as this argument unfolded. He glanced down at her and smiled. She could barely lift her lips to smile back at him.
"Alice, you know this Monster isn't worth the time you give him! Come back with me! We can find you a proper suitor! The Cheshire Cat is worthy of your time." The Red Queen told her then.
Alice felt the Mad Hatter's hand clinch around her shoulder, though he hadn't hurt her. He was carefully avoiding her gaze.
He was jealous of the Cheshire Cat?
"I stick by my word, Your Majesty. I will stay here with the Hatter. You are wrong about something though, its not that he is unworthy of my attention, it is I who is unworthy of his attention. I'm just a girl who worked at a café, lived alone, and had no real friends or even a personal life. To him though, I am everything that he wants or needs. Though I can't find it in my heart to love him just yet, I know he loves me." Alice told the Queen, meeting her angry gaze. "Here, I am treated better than a Princess, I'm treated like a Goddess. Kind of freaks me out a little, but I'm getting used to it already."
The Mad Hatter's hand began to gently stroke along her shoulder, his happiness evident in his very being.
"You heard her Red Queen. Get off of my property." the Mad Hatter said, his smile more a baring of teeth.
"Your property!? I'm the Queen of Wonderland! I own everything here!" The Red Queen shrieked.
"My riches are far greater than yours, Red Queen. And many people will agree that my land belongs to me and me alone. If not for my status, than for my infamous name." He replied.
"One day, Alice will come to me, seeing you for the Monster you are." The Red Queen snarled before she disappeared in a whirl of red rose petals.
"Damn magic." Alice muttered for the second time that day.
