(A/N:) Sorry it took so long. :/ I've been very busy! On the bright side, I have no more sickness! Woo! On with our story!...

The sun rose high in the midday sky over Underland. Beams of light pounded down hard against Alice's eyelids and they slowly opened to see the magnificent world. Upon attempting to move her arm, Alice realized she was... Stuck? Trapped? There were several words for it. She tilted her head back, a pale face and mop of electric orange curls coming into her view. She realized that her hatter had his arms wrapped around her with her face barely an inch away from his chest. She settled into the position, not awake enough to see a problem. When her mind turned back to the previous night, she bolted upright, remembering every detail.

She jerked her body away from his grip and accidently pushed poor Tarrant off the comfortable bed. He had kissed her the night before and now she had lain in his bed with him (Or was he in her bed?) as if it were no sun at all! She heard a slight groan coming from the floor. He hadn't even asked to court her! She was blushing like mad at the feelings she had bubbling in her tummy.

Alice peered over the edge of the bed and saw Tarrant. He was so cute with his dark lips poked out like a child. His mop of orange curls was impossibly entangled. His large green eyes held a hint of sadness, as if he had been awakened from a very lovely dream. "What was that for?"

Alice looked around and remembered the white queen had prepared her a room. That explained where she was, but not why the hatter was sharing her bed as they slept. She examined him, his gaze sliding from his adorable child-like face, to his unbuttoned shirt. Her blush deepened as she studied his lean torso, watching his chest heave in and out. "You... kissed me." She whispered.

"Och aye, but that's nae reason tae push a sleepin' cheil it ay scratcher in th' morn!" (Yes, but that's no reason to push a sleeping man out of bed in the morning!)

Alice looked at herself. She still dressed. Even her shoes were still on. Obviously Tarrant hadn't wanted to offend her by undressing her. She noticed his heavy coat was in her lap. "You gave me your coat?" She asked.

"Of course. Couldn't have you gettin' cold and catching a chill, now could I?" He asked.

Alice smiled. Maybe, in his own way, he was trying to court her. Her smiled widened a little, "Hatter, would you mind some breakfast?"

Tarrant stood and bowed, "If you don't mind, my lady, I'd prefer to have breakfast brought here... The women in the Queen's counsel... they annoy me."

Alice's smile fell. Something annoyed the hatter, other than Cheshire? She was surprised. "Oh, if you would like. Should I go to the kitchen and ask for something to be brought up to you?" She asked.

Tarrant frowned, "You don't want to dine with me?"

Alice smiled, "Of course I do! I just don't know how this entire castle thing works. Will you please accompany me to the Queen's dining hall?"

Tarrant hopped up and smiled to her and the pair was on their merry way...

_**With the villains of our tale**_

The oracle looked into his mirror and rubbed his chin, "Hmm... This could be problematic. That girl. She causes him to act different. I have to remove her from the equation to get him alone again. If I tear down his walls, the madness will devour him and he will take the blood of that wretched Mirana." He walked over to his pet and slid his hands down its sleek snout. 'And that's the outcome we need to rise up.'

She entered the cave, sitting on a large twisted tree that was growing sideways, but formed a perfect heart that could seat two people perfectly. "What's the news, oracle?" She asked.

He turned, "Almost as easy as the original plans with the Knave of Hearts. This girl of the lasts Hightopp's interest. She has to go if you want to win. I can get rid of her with amazing ease. What method do you suppose we use to... off her?"

The woman's ruby red lips turned up in a smile. "Did you even have to ask?" The woman reached down to her hips and untied something. She lifted it for the oracle to see. He lifted it with a tender touch.

"How did you get this?" He asked, shocked.

Her lips twitched with a smirk once more, "The vorpal sword calls out to those who can control its powers. I'm simply a messenger with a gift." She said, standing. "I shall call upon you tomorrow." She said, and then she was gone.

The oracle looked at the Vorpal blade, pulling it from its sheath. He looked at his reflection in it, his horns looking ever magnificent in its gleam. 'Maybe this alliance will pay off in more ways than one.'

_**Back with Alice and Tarrant =)**_

Tarrant pulled the chair out for Alice in Mirana's dining hall. Mirana had asked them to join her breakfast feast, which they gladly obliged. Tarrant took a seat next to the lovely champion. Alice reached for things and took small bites. Was it possible that she could sense Tarrant's gaze on her.

Mirana was unsuccessful with making conversation with the hatter, but Alice was an open book. She talked about her trip to China -whatever that was- and the people she met.

The three were enjoying their meal when Mctwisp rushed in with a cloud of white knights. "My queen! You must come with me to safety." He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her up. "Come; let the guards take you beneath the castle. That fiend would never think to look there."

Mirana stood," Alice, Tarrant, come along." The guards guided them out of the dining hall by way of secret passage. "Quickly," Mirana whispered to them as she rushed through. Tarrant clutched Alice's arm and drug her with them.

"What's going on?" Alice asked rather loudly. A white knight clasped his hand tight over her mouth, "These walls are paper thin. Should that villain wish to sword through it, he'd know exactly where to-"

Tarrant's hand removed the guard's with a bruising grip. "Touch her like that again and I will wish to." His voice contained a bit of his Outlandish accent.

The knight gulped and hurried along. Alice looked up at Tarrant's crimson colored eyes. She touched his arm lightly, whispering this time, "What's going on?"

"A man riding aback a fire-breathing creature is attacking the castle."

The narrow hall in which the small group had been traveling opened up into a large space. A knight bent down and pulled open a hatch and went down it, and then another who was carrying a torch. Mirana was next, then another knight with a torch, then Mctwisp. Alice and Tarrant were last followed by another guard. The stone chamber was not at all like the castle of Marmoreal. Alice watched as the guards hung their touches in place. The walls were stone and the chamber was chilling to the bone, even for a rabbit with a warm coat of fur. Mctwisp was in the queen's arms, trying to keep her warm.

Tarrant stuck close to Alice, making sure to be at her side should the attacker find them. He would protect his champion with his very life if it was needed.

Alice growled. "Enough! What creature could be so terrifying to make all of you run and cower in fear like spineless mice!"

A knight, a young man with armor just a little too big for him, replied, "The Jabberwocky."

Mirana laughed gently, "I should say not! Jabberwocky are extinct. Iracibeth's pet was the last in existence."

Tarrant turned to her with an 'is-that-right?' face. "Then what would you call the creature we fought the other e'en was? "He asked.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it couldn't be a Jabberwocky. It didn't have the bravery. It flew off like a coward!" She replied.

Alice stepped out, "Enough. Your majesty, where's my sword?"

Tarrant grabbed her hand, "No, Alice! You can't fight that thing… It's impossible!"

Alice smiled, "Sometimes I do up to six impossible things before breakfast."

Mirana's face was split by a grin, "Once again, we have our champion. Someone take Alice to the armor and the sword."

The guards all nodded and Alice told Tarrant to keep their queen safe. She was off to relive her past.

She was off to slay the Jabberwocky….

(So how'd you like it? Did you hate it? Did you find it cheesy? Did you think it was good? Great? Whatever you thought, you should leave a review! Reviews feed my desire/ need to write more chapter;) Haha)