Another update! I'm really sorry for the delay; I had to take a while to think of this chapter! I'm honestly starting to get writer blocks since I have no idea of what to put for the future. At this point, I will be eternally grateful for some tips of what to put on. Anywho, enjoy!
Alice in Wonderland II: Underland's Champion
Chapter 8: Alice's Fate
Everybody in Underland was hectic as soon as they received an invitation to Mirana's ball at the Crystal Castle. Messengers have rode or flown as far as they could to send all the invitations out before dawn so they could get themselves ready for the magnificent dance.
The Crystal Castle, just as Mirana has said, was a famous landscape that very few people rarely ever visit after the king and queen's passing. But now that Mirana has decided to reopen the palace for an exciting occasion, every Underlandian hastily make various orders of elegant clothing and lists of guests that would attend. They even sent out all of their servants to help Mirana with finishing the final décor for the ball.
Such an opportunity would not go to waste.
Everyone grew curious when the invitation mentioned that the ball will be honoring Alice as Underland's champion. Some of the locals have dubbed Alice as a folklore story that the flowers have spread rumors about. But to hear that Alice would be attending the ball… They wish to see the Champion for themselves. Is she as strong and bold as the stories have said? Has she truly defeated the Red Queen?
As for Alice…
The blonde was almost a nervous wreck by the time she woke up that morning. As soon as Mirana has confirmed that every kingdom in Underland would attend, Alice felt the urge to go lock herself in her room to be away from all eyes. It was only by the Hatter's urges that she didn't flee. He reminded Alice that she should not worry about what everyone thinks of her; she will have friends that will be in the ball. The point of the ball was to let Alice have fun and be honored so the blonde has nothing to fear. Somewhat comforted by this statement, Alice managed to eat most of her breakfast.
Alice was surprised that almost everyone was gone from the castle. Only a few soldiers were around the place. Even with their protection, it was unnerving to be alone in such a huge palace. She was somewhat relieved to know that at least Tarrant has stayed behind mainly to finish making dress orders. They share more stories together as Alice watches Tarrant finishing designing his last order.
The duo were silent as Tarrant stitches some pearls onto the neckline of the dress. He hums cheerily as Alice watches him while sitting on a chair and holding a book in her hand. She has a simple light purple dress on with white slippers while her hair was tied back into a ponytail. She is silent as she observes the Hatter's movements. He seems excited about the ball.
After he finishes the dress, he shows it to Alice. "What do you think?" He smiles widely as he waits for a response. Alice inspects the dress carefully. It was snow white with cream designs flowing around the top layer while pearls adorned the neckline, waistline, and arm sleeves. It was a beautiful dress, no doubt, but for some reason it wasn't something that appealed to Alice.
Not wanting to sound rude, Alice smiles widely. "I think that whoever will wear that dress is a lucky woman."
Tarrant grins and laughs heartily as he hangs the dress on the stand amongst the other finished dresses and suits. "I'm glad that you think so! Another masterpiece finished!" He holds up a paper with a list of names as he goes through the finished orders carefully. "And just in time too; the ball starts in about eight hours."
"How long will it take for us to get there?" Alice tilts her head curiously.
"To the Crystal Castle? I'd say about an hour as the bird flies, but two if we take a carriage." Tarrant shrugs. "It's quite a ways away…"
Alice nods as she watches Tarrant's back as he continues to count his orders. Then she remembers yesterday's events and smiles when she remembers a certain gift that she knows Tarrant left on her bed. She has yet to thank him for making such a wonderful gift for her; she has forgotten about the ordeal since she has been stressing about greeting almost all of Underland.
Still smiling, Alice stands up and places her book on her chair. Then she quietly walks up to behind Tarrant. "Hatter?"
"Hmm?" He mumbles indistinctly as he continues with his work. His breath hitches when he feels a pair of arms wrapping around him from behind. His body turns still when he feels a head resting on his back. He warily turns his eyes to see Alice smiling from behind his shoulder.
"I saw the most beautiful dress on my bed yesterday. I knew that whoever made it must have put in so much effort into making it so perfect."
"I-Is it…?" The Hatter's voice is hoarse as he could feel his heart thumping in his chest. How Alice could not sense it was a mystery to him.
"Yes. I know that you made it because you have made similar designs with the other dresses. But that blue dress is the most beautiful gown I have ever seen. No one has ever given me something so nice."
"I… I don't see why not." Tarrant tries to keep his voice straight although he could feel himself heating up at their sudden closeness. "The Champion of Underland deserves the best. Surely you have had magnificent gifts from your family back in the Upperland?"
"While that may be true… This is different." Alice smiles as she gently turns Tarrant around to face her. The Hatter is amazed by seeing her wide smile and bright eyes. "It's the idea that you put in so much work onto that dress that touches me. Nothing could ever come close to that quality." Then she leans up on her toes and astonishes the Hatter speechless when she kisses his cheek. "Thank you, Tarrant."
All the brain function seemed to have stopped in the milliner. He is as still as a statue as he stares dumbfounded in space. Alice merely smiles at him before she turns to grab her book and walks out of his room. Tarrant makes no movement as he tries to process over what just happened.
Absentmindedly, his fingers move up to touch the area where she had kissed him. It was barely an inch away from his mouth, but the Hatter could feel the spot burning. His whole body suddenly flares up with embarrassment and confusion as his face turns slightly pink. It contrasts with his pale skin quite effectively.
The Hatter could feel his heart pounding in his chest; faster than usual. A new spark seems to have ignited inside of him. Tarrant couldn't help but wish to kiss Alice back. He wanted to feel the smooth texture of her lips against his own. He wanted to know how she felt pressed against his form. He-
Suddenly irritation hits him when he realizes what he is thinking about. He blinks into reality and narrows his eyes as he scolds himself for thinking such scandalous thoughts. How could he have such a dark desire for Alice? She was ten years younger than him and he was lusting after her as if he was a teenager.
He has promised himself to not get any ideas of him and the Champion together. He wants them to stay as friends and never be anything more. It is beneficial for both him and Alice; neither would get hurt nor would they have to worry about losing their dignities. It would be too painful if something happened that would separate them while they were together. Besides, they come from two different worlds; their ideas are completely diverse. It would never work.
Tarrant sighs raggedly as he leans down on his chair. In order to keep his feelings for Alice at the minimum, he needs to work on not falling for her flirtatious manners. As random or even rare as they may be, he must keep on a straight face. He groans as he leans his head against his palm.
That is easier said than done.
:)(:
Four hours have passed after that incident. Alice took the time to finish reading another book while Tarrant quickly sent the dresses out to their designated owners throughout Underland. Thankfully the deliveries were taken by air so the owners received their orders by the next hour.
Everyone took the last free time to get ready for the ball.
Fortunately, Mirana had thought ahead and left a few maids behind to help Alice get ready. After taking a long and relaxing bath, Alice left the bathroom to find maids quarreling next to her bed. The four maids were all arguing over who wanted to do what with Alice until the blonde decides to separate them according to whatever they do best; hairstyling, makeup, tightening the corset, and possibly adding some last-minute touches. The decision seems to satisfy the assistants. Before Alice realizes it, the maids roughly push her down onto her chair and start getting her ready.
Tarrant was walking past Alice's room towards his own when he heard loud shouts from behind the door. He pauses to lean his ear against the door and listens out of curiosity. His eyes sparkle with amusement when he realizes that the women are trying to hold Alice down while they put on the corset. He smiles as he resumes walking back to his own room to get ready for the night.
After they successfully put the corset on an appropriate yet comfortable size, the women put the dress on the blonde. They comment on how beautiful the silky texture was and their eyes seem to flare with jealousy. Alice couldn't help but be a bit amused by their reactions when she told them that the Mad Hatter had made it for her. They all begin talking about how the Hatter has outdone himself with his best work yet; they even commented that Mirana was jealous of the gown herself. Apparently they originally thought that the White Queen exaggerated on how 'magnificent' Alice's dress was. She obviously wasn't bluffing.
After putting the dress on, Alice was incredibly surprised by how soft and comfortable the dress was. She vaguely wondered how Tarrant knew her size but chose not to comment about it. The dress was even softer inside than it was on the outside. The dress makes her curves stand out more and the V-shaped helm shows off an appropriate display of her arms and shoulders.
After smoothing out the dress, two maids begin to work on her hair while the other two work on the makeup. The hairstylist carefully yet skillfully layers each of Alice's locks into beautiful gold curls. Her assistant gives her hairclips to keep the rest of Alice's hair up while the stylist continues with her work. The makeup stylist carefully applies blush to Alice's cheeks before she puts on eye cream that makes Alice's eyes stand out more. Then she puts on mascara over Alice's top eyelashes before putting on pink lip-gloss over the blonde's lips. The second assistant carefully brushes in the makeup to make it all blend in with Alice's look.
It took a good hour to complete due to perfectly styling Alice's hair. The maids put the sparkling headband over her shining gold locks to keep the hair down and to frame the blonde's face beautifully. Then they put the long gloves over Alice's arms. As a final touch, they add a silver choker-necklace onto Alice's neck and silver comfortable dancing shoes. They went well with the silvery-blue combo.
The women all smile and clasp their hands as they marvel their work. "You are ready, My Lady."
"Take a look…" One of the maids helps the blonde up and leads her to a tall mirror just at the corner of the room. As soon as Alice sees her reflection, she steps back and almost stumbles from shock. She blinks before she looks at her reflection and stares for a very long time.
The woman that is staring back at her must be an angel. She must be; the way her skin and hair glow alongside the dress must confirm it. Her hair looked almost like gold silk while her skin was as white as snow. The dress almost blended in with her skin as it sparkled from the sunset outside of the window. She held an aura of innocence, bravery, wisdom, and kindness although her expression displayed shock, bewilderment, and slight doubt.
Alice tentatively places a hand on the mirror to make sure that it wasn't an illusion. "Is that… Truly me?" She whispers.
"Indeed it is, Lady Alice." The eldest maid smiles widely. It seems that she is pleased by Alice's stupefied look. "The image before you is our Savior, our Guardian, our Champion. You are Underland's Champion."
Speechless, Alice says nothing as she continues to stare at her reflection.
One of the younger maids claps her hands together and giggles. "Tonight is certainly going to be one that you'll remember, My Lady. I am certain that all of the men will be begging to dance with you at that ball."
"The Crystal Ball will certainly be the biggest event of the century. Enjoy it while you can, especially since it is done in your honor." Another maid smiles.
Again, Alice remains silent as she stares at the reflection.
"Goodness me!" One of the maids cries. Alice jumps in surprise and looks at her. The maid is staring up at a grandfather clock nearby the door. "It's already six! You must hurry if you don't want to be late!"
The other maids' eyes widen with alarm before they nod in agreement. One by one, they carefully help Alice out of the room and lead her towards the courtyard. They pass by various rooms and Alice notices that the guards and several lingering maids are staring at her with wide eyes and gaping mouths.
As soon as they are out in the twilight, Alice blinks when she sees a white carriage with a footman, a driver, and two white stallions.
"Shouldn't I be riding on the Bandersnatch?" Was Alice's first thought. The women stop to gape at her incredulously. They look appalled.
"And ruin the hard work that we had put on you? Absolutely not!" A maid huffs as she takes Alice's arm and slowly walks her down the courtyard towards the carriage. Alice looks back to see the other maids smiling and waving at her. She looks at the elder maid as they reach for the door. The footman smiles and courteously opens the door for Alice.
Alice blinks when she looks inside. "Where's Tarrant? Isn't he coming?"
"He has left some time ago." The maid smiles assuringly as she and the footman help Alice inside the carriage. After the footman closes the door, Alice leans over the window to continue speaking with the maid while the footman climbs onto the carriage.
"Now, you will let go of all your worries and make this night the best thing that has ever happened to you." The maid places her hand over Alice's arm and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Her Highness has worked hard to make this perfect so don't let it go to waste. Enjoy this opportunity while it lasts."
"I will." Alice smiles as she feels tears forming in her eyes. Although this woman was much older than she was, she reminded Alice so much of her own mother. She was so kind and thoughtful of other people that it made her almost the mother figure of the entire staff.
"Elizabeth?"
"Hmm?"
"… Thank you for everything." Alice smiles genuinely. "Mirana is lucky to have you as her Lady in Waiting."
The old woman smiles. "Thank you, my dear. That means a lot from our Champion."
Suddenly the women hear a whip and the whinnying of horses. Alice feels the carriage moving and lets go of Elizabeth's arm when the horses picks up speed. She waves back to the maids as the carriage gallops out of the castle gates towards their destination.
:)(:
For the thirteenth time that night, Tarrant nervously fiddles with the red and green striped tie on his suit as he stands before the great staircase of the Crystal Castle. Just as it is described, the castle is literally made out of pure sterilized crystals; the walls and floors were shiny and smooth while various decorations adorned the massive ballroom. Crystal fountains decorated the bottom of the stairs while random flashes of colors sparkle everywhere. A large diamond chandelier hangs on the ceiling over the large room. The only things that weren't made of crystals were the guests.
Tarrant watches various people walk down the stairs as they look around in awe or murmur amongst themselves. He could see the starlit sky over the large entrance doors. He looks at the various dresses and suits and is glad to know that most of them are made by him. It seems that his customers are satisfied.
Then he looks at himself from the reflection on the floor. His own attire consists of a black suit with various purple trimmings around the arms and legs. His brown shoes and striped tie clash terribly with the outfit, but he personally liked it. His hair is surprisingly tamed enough to be put in a ponytail (Upon Mirana's request, the Hatter decided to leave his beloved hat at home). He couldn't manage to completely wipe away his eye shadow or moisten his dark lips so his face stayed the same. He kept his bandaged hands out of sight as some guests stare at him with curiosity or uncertainty.
He occasionally nods to some people that pass by him and give polite greetings. He twiddles with his fingers nervously behind him. Ever since that encounter with Alice earlier, the Hatter found it hard to stop thinking about her. He decided to leave early for the ball with the excuse to distract himself by helping finishing the decoration. He needed to keep some distance away from the blonde in hopes that no more awkward situations will be thrown at them. But even when Mirana lets him help finish decorate the castle, the Hatter couldn't stop thinking about the Champion.
His anxiety grew as the guests started walking down the stairs in pairs or in groups. What if Alice has backed down? Or what if her carriage got stuck on the way? What if she is still getting ready? Would she be late?
"Thank you so much for your help, Tarrant. The decorations in the dining hall look absolutely splendid."
Mirana's voice spoke so suddenly that the Hatter jolted for a start. His wide green eyes look up to see the White Queen smiling at him with mischievous eyes. Her attire consisted of a beautiful snow-white gown that sparkled at every movement. Her sleeves fell from her shoulders and her black jewelry glistened under the light. Adorning her head is the silver crown that displays her royalty. Her black lips widen when the Hatter lets out a low sigh.
"Oh, Your Highness. It was no trouble at all. It was my pleasure." Tarrant bows before the queen as various passing guests also do the same. Mirana acknowledges them with a smile and nod before she turns to Tarrant.
"Are you feeling all right, Tarrant? You look a bit faint…" She murmurs.
"Oh, just splendid my Queen!" The Hatter grins toothily at her as he forces himself to giggle. "I mean, what is not to be happy about? Alice has returned and Wonderland is wonderful again! Of course, it was still wonderful even without Alice, but it seems much brighter now that she's here. I missed her terribly, you know-"
"Tarrant." Mirana interrupts him with a gentle smile. Tarrant blinks and slightly shakes his head. "Pardon me; I was blabbering, wasn't I?"
"Not at all, Tarrant." Mirana smiles as she beckons the Hatter to follow her. Despite the suspicious looks from the other guests, the milliner follows Mirana out of the ballroom and into the massive hallway.
The hallway is silent as soon as Mirana closes the doors behind her. With all of the guests chattering, it was quite a sudden change. The duo walk silently together as they look at the crystal floor and walls. The hallway seems to occupy only windows and portraits of the king and queen. The moonlight makes the crystal texture shine a beautiful shade of blue in contrast with the night blue sky.
"Tarrant, lately you have been acting a little distant from everyone." Mirana suddenly stops before she turns to the milliner. "Mallymkun and Thackery have told me that you barely say anything and just stare at your tea during meals. I've noticed this behavior myself during breakfast. I wish to know if something is bothering you."
Tarrant blinks several times down at the patient woman. Has he been distant? Granted, he has been thinking a lot these days, but was he unintentionally ignoring his friends?
"… No, nothing is wrong." It is partially truthful, but the Hatter couldn't tell the queen about what he doesn't understand himself. "I've just been busy with my orders and with spending time with Alice." His green eyes soften at the mention of the blonde. This action doesn't go unnoticed by the White Queen.
"Now that you mention it, this started happening as soon as Alice returned from the Upperland." She raises a brow inquiringly. "Could she have something to do with why you seem distracted?"
Only a lot, the milliner thought haughtily to himself.
Truth being told, all Tarrant has been thinking about is the blonde. Whether it be about her adventures, her physical change, her interests, the Hatter couldn't keep the blonde off his mind. And the event from that afternoon did not help him in any matters. But how was he going to dissuade the Queen without seeming suspicious? Tarrant couldn't lie to her even if his life depended on it. Besides, she might be implying on a different manner.
"I… Whatever do you mean…?" The Hatter mumbles as he fiddles with his tie again. Mirana notices that his hands were shaking and places a hand on his shoulder.
"Tarrant… Has something happened between you two? Are you in a fight? I can help fix it. All you need to do is-"
"Oh…" The Hatter blinks in surprise. "Oh, no! We aren't fighting, My Lady. It's just…"
The Hatter realizes that he has just been cornered. He couldn't get out of this now that Mirana knows that something is up. When her eyes show concern and slight suspicion, the Hatter slumps his shoulders. "Would it surprise you to say that I might… Be thinking differently of Alice now?"
"Differently? How do you mean?" Mirana tilts her head in confusion.
"As in…" The Hatter pauses to think. "As in I care for her happiness even more now. You know that for the last four years I have missed her terribly and that my hopes of her returning have faded after a while. But when Alice showed up… It felt like something lit up in me. I have never felt so happy to see her again. I saw so many of her changes but I know that she is still the same; only much more mature now. For the last few days I have thought about nothing but of what to do to keep her happy here. It would tear me apart if she left so suddenly. I-"
The Hatter stops and blinks when he notices that Mirana is giggling. At him.
"Y-Your Highness…?" He ask hesitantly.
"Oh, Tarrant. I would have thought that of all the people in Underland, you would recognize love in a click of a second." Mirana holds a hand over her mouth as she tries to control her laughter.
… Oh, crud. He has been caught. How did she know…?
Seeing Tarrant's horrified stare, Mirana calms down and smiles widely. "Tarrant, it is all right. There is nothing wrong in being in love. I understand completely."
"B-But…" The Hatter couldn't think straight as confusion overwhelms him. "What makes you think that-"
"Tarrant, your actions that concern Alice have already proven it. I will admit that I had suspicions when I saw you around her, but don't think that I don't approve of it. You are always there for Alice for whenever she needs help. You always look so happy when you speak with her. To top it all off, you have designed such a wonderful dress for her to wear tonight. Must I add more?"
She had valid points, he supposed. "But… You really think that it is all right? I mean, I'm ten years older than she is!"
"And my father was twenty years older than my mother." Mirana smiles. "I believe that as far as love is concerned, age difference should not be an obstacle."
"But…" The Hatter seems relieved to know that Her Highness approves of the couple and could care less of what other people think of him. But his main priority was Alice. "What if Alice doesn't accept my feelings for her…? What if she gets hurt by rumors spread…?"
"I think that it is Alice's choice to do what she wishes." Mirana firmly squeezes his shoulder and gives him a meaningful look. "But whatever you do, do not push her into making her final decision. It is better to keep her as a good friend rather than keep a distance between you. Help her feel comfortable about the situation. In the end, it is up to Alice."
The Hatter says nothing but stares at the White Queen with glowing eyes. He couldn't help but smile weakly. If it weren't for her social status, he would give her a hug to show his gratitude. She really is a good friend. But before he could mouth his thanks, a deep voice says, "Many things are up to Alice at this point."
Startled, the duo notice smoke emerging from the window. They see a large blue butterfly smoking a pipe casually as he looks out in the meadow nearby the castle. He was holding something in one of his free small hands.
"Absolem, I didn't think that you'd come." Mirana looks surprised but pleased as she smiles at the butterfly. She frowns a bit. "But what were you saying earlier?"
"Forgive me, Mirana. But my visit is only temporary; I came here to tell you something important that concerns the Oraculum." Absolem lazily holds up a large parchment.
"The Oraculum?" Mirana sounds concerned as she and Tarrant walk closer to the window. Absolem hands the queen the parchment. Mirana opens it quickly and is surprised by how short it was now. It seemed a part of it was ripped off from the left side. "What has gone wrong?"
"Nothing… Yet." Absolem inhales deeply before he points at the middle of the Oraculum. "Just look at it from beginning to the end."
In a few minutes, Tarrant and Mirana read the moving pictures together. They could see a woman riding the Bandersnatch to a large castle and assume that it must be Alice. The next scene shows the blonde walking down a pathway and stops when it splits into two different paths. There seems to be a large amount of empty space left after that scenario. Then the last picture displays a sword that is firmly implanted onto a ground. But what discourages the duo is that there is a grave before the sword but they couldn't read the text to figure out just who the grave belongs to.
"Absolem… What is this?" Mirana asks uneasily as she glances at the butterfly. Absolem shrugs casually. "I have no idea. I have a few theories, but I was hoping that you could help me figure it out. I fear that it has something to do with Alice's future, though."
Fear hits the Hatter as he takes the parchment and carefully scans the scenes to look for some clues. "How long ago were these scenes written?" He asks.
"Last night, actually." Seeing their incredulous stares, Absolem adds. "I thought that it would continue through explaining Alice's fate as it usually does. But as soon as I saw the big space, I grew a tad bit suspicious. I tried to figure it out on my own, but I couldn't find the correct answer. Thus, I decided to come to you for help."
"On the night of the Crystal Ball?"
"Better earlier than never."
Mirana sighs as she takes the parchment back and looks it over. "All right then… Tell us what you think this could mean…"
"Do you see the two split paths?" When the duo nod, Absolem continues. "I think it means that Alice's fate is split."
"Split?" The Hatter furrows his brows.
"Meaning that there are two different paths." Absolem says wryly. "But as you know, people's choices affect whatever happens to their future. So this must mean that Alice has two choices that will affect her future, but she can only choose one path."
"And the blank space…?" Mirana presses.
"I cannot say for sure, but it must depend on which path Alice chooses. They must be different outcomes-"
"But what's with the sword and the grave? Doesn't that mean that either path will end in the same way?"
"Usually fate has a way to attach different paths together." Absolem says coolly. "So in a way, you are correct about that."
"But what does it mean?"
"I think it should be obvious. Take a closer look at the sword and tell me what you see."
Tarrant squints. "I might be daft, but it looks a bit like the Vopal Sword."
"Very good." Absolem nods. "And you know that it is customary to place the sword on its master's grave. Think carefully about what this means…"
The duo think carefully as they stare at the sword and at the grave. On close inspection, they see an A carved on the grave before it fades with the moving patterns.
"Wait a moment…" Mirana sounds strained as she slowly looks up at Absolem with wide eyes. "Only Alice can hold the Vopal Sword… Are you saying that she is going to die?"
There is heavy silence as the duo wait for a response. Tarrant feels something seizing his heart when Absolem slightly nods. Suddenly rage overwhelms him and he storms up to grip the butterfly's throat. Absolem seems indifferent while Mirana loudly protests.
"Ye better be lyin' about this', ye scumbag insect. Don't give me a reason tae squish ye down." The Hatter's voice sounded so deep and ragged that Mirana was almost afraid of interfering. Absolem says nothing as he stares at Tarrant's red eyes.
"Tarrant, I know that this is difficult for you to accept considering your feelings for the Champion." The butterfly states. "However, it is what the Oraculum has stated. I have nothing to do with it. It must be done."
"To hell wi' the Oraculum!" The Hatter snarls as he pulls Absolem's face down closer to his. "Alice is not going to die. She won't. I won't allow it. She is going to live her life happily here; she is not leaving me again."
Mirana and even Absolem have to admit that they were surprised by Tarrant's blunt statement. However, the matter was forgotten when Absolem suddenly grows uncomfortable by the tightening of his throat. His anxiety seems to alert Mirana and the Queen hastily pulls Tarrant back. "Tarrant, stop this at once! This isn't going to fix anything!"
The order seems to get through to the Hatter. With a gruff growl, he lets go of the butterfly and turns away. As he paces around the hallway in aggravation, Absolem clears his throat. Mirana looks up at him with sad eyes. "There isn't another way out of this, is there?"
"None that I can foresee…" The butterfly picks up his fallen pipe and refills it before he smokes again. "But all I can tell you is that you should take precaution in whatever Alice does; her actions might affect everyone else as well. Since the Oraculum isn't complete, we have no way of telling what will happen. But if there are any changes, I will alert you both immediately."
Mirana and Tarrant say nothing. The queen sighs as she rolls the parchment into a scroll and hands it back to the butterfly. "Thank you, Absolem. We will do our best."
The butterfly nods before he turns and flies out into the moonlight. Mirana watches his blue silhouetted form disappear over the horizon before she turns to the Hatter. The milliner is hunched over the opposite window and is as still as a statue. But when Mirana walks closer to him, she could see his fists and shoulders shaking.
"Tarrant…" She murmurs as she places a hand on his shoulder. The milliner flinches at the touch. "We must try to accept this happening. I don't like it either, but I promise we'll try our best to find a way out of this. But I suggest that you do whatever you must to make sure that Alice has a happy life. Even if it means telling her things that she should know…"
The Hatter slowly glances at her but says nothing. She smiles weakly as she urges him towards the door back in the ballroom. The Hatter breathes deeply as he forces himself to put on a smile as soon as the duo enter the room. The magnificent room was blaring with noise and life as soon as they return. The whole room was almost packed with guests and music flows around the castle smoothly.
As they slowly walk back to the massive stairway, Mirana looks at Tarrant. "Tarrant, I want you to promise me something."
"Hmm?" The Hatter doesn't look at her as he keeps walking.
"I want you to keep quiet about what we just found out. Do not tell anyone, especially Alice."
The Hatter freezes in his steps before he turns to the queen. His expression is a mixture of outrage and disbelief. "WHAT?" He hisses.
"Shh! We're getting looks!" Mirana hisses as she forcefully pushes the Hatter alongside her. The Hatter could care less of what the guests were thinking; he couldn't believe what he had just heard. As soon as they were on the stairway, they turn to each other.
"Yer Majesty, we can't keep quiet about this!" Tarrant whispers to the queen. Mirana could see his eyes flaring in fury. "This is Alice that we are talking about! She has the right to know!"
"Tarrant, try being reasonable!" Mirana shot back. "Do you really want to tell Alice that she will die on the night that she is supposed to treasure forever?"
Furious, the Hatter says nothing back and glares intensely at her. "But in the hallway, ye just said that I should tell her about things that she deserves to know-"
"I was talking about your feelings for her!" Mirana looks exasperated. "Tarrant, we don't know how long this will take. Weeks, months, maybe even years! We can't just tell her out of the blue; think of how she will react. Or how she will behave while thinking that she is going to die at any second!"
The Hatter pauses. He hadn't thought of that before.
"I promised to find a way to get her out of this situation. I won't give up and neither should you. If you truly love her, then you shouldn't fret on protecting her! Even if there is no way out of this, you must let her go for when the time comes. I know that it will hurt, but Alice would not want you to suffer for the rest of your life because of her."
Tarrant says nothing again before he sighs deeply and pinches the bridge of his nose. "You are right, Mirana. But… It's so hard… I don't know if I can take this…"
"That is why we must take what we can get." Mirana smiles weakly as she pats his shoulder. "Treasure each time you have with her while you can."
Before the Hatter could say something, the sound of trumpets erupts. Surprised, everyone turns silent as they look up the stairs and see a frog waiter straighten up before he speaks. "Her Ladyship that we are here to honor tonight, the Champion Alice, has arrived."
He hops aside when a woman slowly walks inside. Various people gasp in alarm before they murmur amongst themselves and point at the woman walking down the stairs.
Mirana exhales deeply as she gazes up at Alice in awe. "She looks beautiful…" She murmurs.
Besides her, Tarrant does nothing but stare at the woman that is his Champion. His Alice. His angel.
No, angel doesn't even come close to how she looks. She looked like a goddess.
The way her gold locks and stunning dress flow in the gentle evening breeze makes her look absolutely surreal. If it weren't for her shy smile and bright sapphire eyes, Tarrant wouldn't be able to recognize the definition of beauty that was now gazing at him.
If he wasn't sure of his feelings for her before, he was certain that he is deeply in love with her now.
"Yes, she is…" The Hatter murmurs lovingly under his breath.
There is the twist in the story. And now you all know of Tarrant and Alice's feelings for each other.
Again, sorry for the delay. I'm starting to run out of ideas of what to put on for future chapters. I'm open for suggestions.
Leave a comment, please!