A/N: Sorry it took so long! ;(
But here's the chapter number five! I'm already this far, so I will finish this story; trust me! I even wouldn't be this far without my read reviewers. :)
Oh yeah, I promised some virtual-cookies for those who review! *hands them*
Here you go, and enjoy the chapter, and do not forget to review.
And I promise this will be the longest chapter, and it has some action. ^^
Alice gasped for breath as they ran through the dark forest. She felt she would pass out soon if she would not stop, but she knew they couldn't stop just to rest. Suddenly she felt something around her left ankle, and tripped over. Before she fell onto ground she saw Tarrant to turn around and try to catch her, but missed just in time.
''Oof!''
Tarrant bent to the ground next to her and helped her to stood up again.
''I'm sorry, Alice. Are you hurt'', he asked worried.
''No, I am alright'', she said and dusted her dress.
He seemed to notice her unusual pale face, and her sleepy eyes.
''We should stop for a night, we wouldn't made it to the Marmoreal even if we ran all night.''
''But…''
''We would only be there today, if would have the Bandersnacth, and we don't, Alice. You need to rest'', Tarrant firmly.
''Follow me, there should be a lake near; there's a big tree we can rest under.''
When they arrived, Alice noticed the place was same, where he had sarcificed himself for her, when she visited Underland for the second time. The place held dear memories for her, and she gazed off a bit.
Tarrant handed her his big brown coat, sat on the ground, took his top-hat in his hands and said:
''You can sleep with this, Alice.''
''Thank you. But, what about you'', she asked noticing he didn't have another coat for himself.
''Oh, do not worry, dear'', he said and put his bandaged hand in his pocket, searching something.
''Not that, no, no, especially not that one, no'', he mumbled quietly.
''Found it'', he exclaimed happily and pulled a big scarf out of his pocket. It seemed to be very thin, but she thought it would be the best not to argue about it.
Alice looked slightly astonished and wondered how did a scarf that big fit in his normal-size pocket.
''Now, I would you care to hear the last riddle before we try to sleep'', hatter asked politely.
''Of course, tell me already'', Alice said smiling and sat next to him.
''Very well; it's a yellow fork and its usual friend is wet, what is it?''
''Let me think about it a moment.''
''Of course'', Tarrant said smiling his tooth-gaped grin.
They sat for a moment in comfortable silence, when finally Alice came with the answer:
''I'm mostly sure the answer in lighting.''
Hatter grinned even wider than before.
''You are such a clever g-, I mean woman, Alice'', he smiled correcting himself.
She smiled back sweetly and yawned.
''Goodnight, dearest Alice'', he said taking the last look in her eyes and then closing them.
''Goodnight, Tarrant.''
Alice turned her to her other side, again. She couldn't sleep, thought she was very tired, she had too many thoughts in her mind, and she couldn't find answers to them herself. She had this same thing usually, and walking around a bit usually helped to it.
She thought about leaving, but she was sure that Tarrant would get worried, if he would woke up without her in sight. But still, she would just take a short walk; he wouldn't notice if she would be gone for a moment. After thinking this she stood quietly up, and looked had she awoken him. No. She walked past him carefully, trying not to make any noises.
When she finally got some distance, she decided to walk to the lake, hatter had told her it was near. The wind blew through the forest, waving the trees, making some leafs to fall down. Alice pulled the coat tighter around her.
She finally reached the lake. It was beautiful with all the stars clearly reflecting from the water. There was also some fog in the air. The view was one of the most beautiful she had seen in a while. She stepped closer to the water to touch it, but then it crossed her mind; what if the water would be alive or something like that, like in the stories she had heard in her own world. But the curiosity won, and she bent touching the slightly sparkling water with her slender hand. The water wasn't cold actually, it was quite warm.
''Maybe I should ask Tarrant if we could come to swim here som-''
Suddenly, there was a strong, large hand that clapped over her mouth, making sure she would not scream for help. Another hand gripped around her waist. Alice kicked, tried to remove the hands, but it was no help; the stranger was too strong. She knew it was a man; there was no way a woman could keep her still this good. Her eyes widened as she felt breath and something cold on her neck.
''Don't scream, or I'll cut your neck'', the stranger said with almost too familiar voice, pressing cold metal tighter on her neck. She felt something warm gripping from her neck, and her eyes widened even more as she recognized the voice.
She nodded in agreement, and the hand pulled away from her mouth, but the knife stayed still.
''You'', she whispered scared.
''Yes, me, Um'', Ilosovic Stayne, the former Knave of the Red Queen, whispered back.
''What do you want from me?''
''Well, let me open my plan a bit for you; you will be the thing that lures your beloved hatter into my trap'', he said laughing a bit.
''Oh no, I must think… Something that he will let me go.''
''What? Hatter would never sacrifice himself for me'', she lied, knowing it was everything but true. But she had to try.
Stayne narrowed his eyes.
''You know yourself that is a lie. I knew you would try to lie, but I never thought your lies would be that bad'', he mocked her.
''At least you believed me once'', she spat, reminding him.
''Shut up'', he hissed back pressing the knife better on her.
''You are stupid, did you know that? You should do everything but not to anger me at this time'', he continued, ''but I must thank you; you reminded me what I was stopped to do last time with you.''
He leaned to her neck, pressing the knife reminding now her. Alice was scared. She knew what was coming, and she could not scream for help, otherwise she would not longer be. Her eyes were tearing, and she shivered when the knave's lips connected with her neck.
''Oh, don't worry, Um. I'll make sure that you will remind this, with pleasure'', he murmured to her neck, sending shivers up to her spine. Tears were already flowing from her eyes without any noise.
Then it happened, probably less than second; there was a powerful fist that connected with Stayne's cheek, sending him flying a bit. The knife left Alice's neck, but made a light cut when it did. Soon there were another arms that gripped her, moving her. She saw a flash of orange, and then it clicked to her.
''Tarrant!''
The hatter was on the ground with Stayne, and his arms were on his neck, strangling him. She saw his eyes. Crimson red. Alice had seen his eyes red before, but now the shade was even more frightening.
''Tarrant, please, stop!''
His eyes clicked back to their normal color, but his hand still stayed on the knave's neck, but they seemed to loosen their grip. Rage was bubbling inside him, he just wanted to rip his head off for touching Alice, his Alice like that. Nobody had no right to do it, especially to a innocent and sweet gir-, woman, like Alice.
Stayne gasped for breath.
Hatter leaned down closer to his face, his eyes green with redder spots.
''I will stay this only once; if you ever again touch her like that, you will die, by my own hands'', Tarrant hissed with serious tone.
Then he slowly let go of him, his hands leaving the knave's neck.
''Now leave, and do not come back, you slurvish knave!''
The knave seemed to understand; he knew he would be no match to the hatter without his sword. Before he left their sight, he whispered darkly:
''You will pay, I'll make that sure, hatter. You will feel the pain, like will your beloved Alice.''
Alice was shaking on the ground, and tears were still flowing from her eyes. She wanted to be strong, not to cry in front of him. But it had happened. It had been only about minutes, if not seconds. If he wouldn't had been there, the knave would have... Suddenly there were strong arms that placed on her shoulders.
She looked up, but her sight was blurry, because of the tears, that did not stop.
Tarrant did not say anything. He just hugged her tightly, and took her in his arms, and began walking towards the tree they had been sleeping under.
She felt so useless, just crying in his sleeve. Alice felt more comfortable, as he kept whispering comforting words to her left ear, sending some shivers to her spine.
He laid her down, tucking the jacket better around her, and used his bandaged hand to wipe tears of her face. His warm hand stayed there for a moment, but then he moved it. When he was just about to get some distance; not to make her feel uncomfortable, Tarrant felt something to tug his shirt.
Alice was looking at him with teary eyes, and she whispered hoarsely:
''C-can, can you lay next to me? Please, Tarrant...''
And he knew better than to let her down right now.
A/N: I'm so, so, so sorry it took so long! ;( *prays for forgiveness*
But I hope you enjoyed it. Tell me in your reviews did you or not, hm? Oh, and I apogolize if Tarrant and Alice seemed a bit OC. I've never written anything like that, so it was a bit hard for them to stay fully IC, I think. I just noticed; this chapter has over 2,000 words, wow! ;D
Now, if you please:
1. See a button down there? Good, now click it, if you please.
2. You will see a box. Write something, and add this to your favorites, etc., if you want.
3. You just have made my day by doing that, thank you very much! 3
Had to write that. XD
