A/N: Here's Chapter 13! Alice makes it to Underland!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Lewis Carroll's or Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass. The plot and the characters I create, I do.
Rating: T
*In Hatter's Workshop in Underland*
Tarrant had grown tired of sharpening up his sword fighting skills, so for the next few days he finished hat orders for the ball instead.
He had been working on Alice's ball gown for awhile now, and was just putting the finishing touches on it. He took a step back and looked with a critical eye.
"Hmm...I like it!" He said to himself.
It was a long Princess style sky blue ball gown. It wasn't too straight nor was it poufy. It was a strapless dress with small salmon pink roses lining the top part above the breast. It had one hand sized salmon colored rose a little below the edge of the hip to the left. Lace covering the bell shape of the gown was pulled gently into the rose and the rest hung loosely. The back of the dress had corset style lacing to it but it was only for decoration. What really held the dress together was small metal clasps that were hidden on the inside. He'd also fashioned a Salmon pink rose to go into her hair.
He pulled out a big white box and neatly and carefully folded the dress into it. He pulled out some sky blue wrapping paper and a pink bow and wrapped it up. He took out an extra small piece of parchment and scribbled Alice's name on it with his peacock feather pin.
The White Queen had already prepared Alice's room for her upcoming stay. Tarrant took the gift into Alice's room and laid it on her bed and then returned to his Workshop in the castle.
He only had a few for orders to finish until he was completely done so he began working on yet another hat.
'I wonder when Alice will get here? The Queen said it wouldn't be long now. I do miss her but this new threat could put her in danger...No! I won't let that happen! If I have too, I'll send her right back up into her world if things get out of hand.' Tarrant thought to himself as he worked on the second to last hat for the evening.
As Tarrant worked, he'd look up occasionally into a tall upright mirror that he used to look into while he made dresses, hats, and other things to make sure everything was even. That's when he noticed a speck in the middle of the mirror.
"Oh! That will not do!" He said grabbing a piece of cloth and trying to wipe the speck from the mirror but it would not budge. In fact, it was getting much bigger and fast and Tarrant noticed.
"Wat da bloody hell?" He said slipping into his brogue.
"Oh my! That looks like a... ! Oomph...!" He said as something shot out of the mirror and crashed into him. Both he and the person fell to the floor. He landed back first onto the floor as the other person landed on top of him and a very compromising position. The force of the impact knocked him out.
Alice had finished her journey through the mirror only to have crashed into a room. She realized the floor sure felt bumpy where she had landed but if she was in Underland, then anything was possible.
The floor beneath her groaned.
"Oh my!" She gasped once she realized it wasn't the floor she had landed on. She took a quick look around and realized she had landed into a hat room.
'That could only mean...oh no!' She thought grabbing her long bed skirt up to reveal one badly injured Hatter underneath her. He groaned again but still didn't open his eyes.
"OH MY! Hatter! Hatter! Are you okay? Hatter, can you hear me?" Alice said trying to shake his shoulders. She was still straddling him.
He groaned once more and opened one eye.
'Oh Alice has arrived...' He thought to himself closing his one eye. Once he allowed what he thought to sink in, he jumped up into a sitting position nearly sending Alice to the ground.
"Alice! You came back and you remember! You're here and in my workshop! I knew you would be back before I knew it but I didn't think that you would really be here that soon and you're the right proper..."
"Hatter!" Alice said giggling.
" Size! I'm fine!" Hatter said.
"Hatter, I landed on you, of course you're not fine!" Alice joked as she got off him and held out her hand to him to help him up. Once he was up, she noticed he wore no hat. She saw it laying on its side and picked it up and placed it on his head.
"There now! Wouldn't want Chess to get a hold of that." Alice said smiling.
"No, I wouldn't.." Tarrant said giving Alice a goofy smile.
That's when Alice realized she was in her bed clothes and with the strange look Hatter was giving her from head to toe, he must've come to the same conclusion. She was mortified and the feeling in her stomach was making her nauseated.
Hatter looked away and grabbed a thick blanket from a couch that he kept in his workshop in case it was too late to go home.
"Here Alice, wrap this around you and I'll find you a dress. I'm sure the Queen will want to see you as well before you go to your old room." Hatter said handing her the blanket.
"Thank you, Hatter!" Alice said doing exactly as he said.
"You may use my couch if you would like to sit. I'll be right back!" Hatter said as he left the room.
Alice did exactly that. She couldn't believe she was back in Underland. Just to be sure, she pinched herself on her arm.
'No, not a dream!' She thought to herself.
She thought about what had happened over the last few minutes before her return to Underland. Of course her horrible nightmare about the Hatter slipped into her mind making her shudder.
'At least it was only a nightmare!' She thought.
She realized she had a few new questions to get answered soon...like whose voice that was before she entered the mirror and what Hatter's real name is, and to know why she returned to Underland so soon and before completing her father's dream.
Just then, Hatter returned with a white evening dress.
"Mirana said you could borrow one of her gowns until we can get you more clothes." Hatter said blushing as he handed her the dress.
"Thank you!"
"There's a fitting room in the back of my workshop that you can use to change. Mirana is preparing a table of tea and cakes in the castle's dining area so when you're through that's where I'll be. Mirana is looking forward to seeing you." He said.
"Hatter? What time of day is it? I was sure that I entered the mirror in the middle of the night." Alice asked thinking it must be late.
"Silly Alice, time runs differently in Underland than in your world, it is only 15 minutes past 7pm. I guess I'm to blame for it. After all, I've been accused of killing Time once before." Hatter said with a smile though it faltered a little bit.
Something about what he said made her remember herself at age 6 at his Tea Party the first time she fell into Underland. Though it was a foggy memory, the Hatter looked the same age as he was today then he was when she was six.
"So Time is a person here and you killed him?" Alice asked shockingly.
"Of course Time is a person here but killed him, I did not! I said I was accused of it." Hatter said sadly.
"So is that why you look the same age as you did when I first fell into Wonderland..I mean Underland?" Alice said intrigued. She hoped she wasn't asking too much of him but she wanted to get to know him more but she didn't want to bring up too much of the past in case it set him off.
Tarrant sighed and walked over to the couch where Alice was still sitting and sat down beside her.
"Alice, before you came to Underland the first time, I was sent to the Red Queen's throne room but she was known as the Queen of Hearts then. She wanted me to sing for her but I wasn't exactly known for my singing and I tried to explain this to her but as you know if I didn't sing it was 'Off with my Head.' Anyway I sang a song of the Resistance and she hated it. She accused me of killing time. I didn't kill Time and he is still very much alive but he took grievance to what happened and so my punishment was to remain at mine and Thackery's Tea Party for a very long time. Since Mally and Thackery were part of the Resistance, they were punished too for being acquainted with me. So we were stuck at 6pm...ugh Tea Time for 15 years and that is why I didn't age. Over the years, Time softened a bit and I was able to leave the table every now and then to visit the White Queen and even my family but it wasn't until you came back the second time that I was released from the Tea Table and my punishment."
"So how old are you, Hatter?" Alice asked curiously.
"Well that's a tricky question, naughty! I suppose I would be 39 had I aged like a normal person but since I'm far from normal, I'm only 24 and not a year older." Hatter replied quiet glad he hadn't aged, otherwise he might've been too old for Alice. He just hoped he could gain the courage to tell her how he felt.
"Well, I guess I should get dressed, wouldn't want to keep Mirana waiting..." Alice said.
"Of course, I'll be on my way. You remember how to get to the dining area?" Hatter asked.
Alice nodded.
"I'll see you in a few minutes then." Hatter said closing the door behind him.
Once Hatter was gone, Alice went into the fitting room in the back and changed into the white dress. She hoped she could get her hands on some more dresses..colorful ones at that. The white dress didn't compliment her fair skin at all. In fact, Alice thought it made her resemble a week old corpse.
With one last glance at herself in a nearby mirror, she left for the Castle's dining area to meet up with the Queen and the Hatter.
*In the Castle's dining area*
Queen Mirana was already seated when Hatter came in.
"Where's Alice, Hatter? I thought she'd be with you?" Mirana asked a little confused as to why the Hatter had returned and alone.
"Alice needed to change into the dress you let her borrow. She'll be here shortly." He replied.
"I see! You know she's going to find out about the Oraculum especially if Chess or the Tweedles get to her first." Mirana said matter-of-factly.
"I know...what should we tell her Mirana? I'm conflicted...if there's another war brewing I don't want her to fight in it. I don't want her to feel like the only reason she keeps coming back here is to fight for us but...at the same time I don't want her to run away back to her world. Have I gone mad? Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Hatter said glumly.
Mirana smiled warmly.
"Hatter, what you are feeling is natural but we must tell her the truth and let her make her own decisions. When Alice escaped my sister's castle and came here, as you know, she didn't want any part in slaying the Jabberwocky. I asked her why. She said before she fell into this world she had just escaped a marriage proposal that was arranged by her family. She was upset that her family was trying to force her into a lifestyle she didn't want and to marry a man she did not love. At that time, she felt we all were trying to do the same to her." Mirana said.
"Why are you telling me this?" Hatter asked.
"I'm telling you this because if there is in fact a war brewing and she does choose to fight it will be on you to stop her. As I've said before the choice is hers. I think of Alice like a little sister and I will support her in whatever decisions she makes." Mirana said solemnly.
Hatter only nodded.
"As to your other question...We are all mad here." Mirana said smiling almost as wide as the Cheshire Cat.
"I knew that...but why do you think that is Mirana?" Hatter asked.
"I'm not sure but when I and Racy were little, our parents used to tell us of a folk tale that the reason all the citizens of Underland were mad was because we were only half of ourselves and that the sane part of ourselves was up in Aboveland where Alice is from." Mirana said.
"Well that doesn't make any sense, Alice is from Aboveland and she's already mad. I'd know if she had another half of herself running around Underland, I'm sure of it." Hatter said.
"Then maybe it's just an old folk tale after all." Mirana said squeezing Tarrant's hand reassuringly.
Alice walked into the dining room at that moment. She didn't know why but she felt her heart sink when she saw Queen Mirana's hand on top of Hatter's. She realized she never once asked Mirana or Hatter for that matter if they were romantically involved with anyone.
"Alice! It's so great to see you again, my dear!" Mirana said snapping her hand back and gliding over to Alice to give her a sisterly hug.
"Alice." Hatter said tipping his hat to her and pulling out a chair next to him for her to sit, which she took.
Once they were seated, Mirana got down to business.
"Alice, I must admit that we knew you would be coming back soon." Mirana said.
"I believe I said as much your majesty." Alice stated.
"Please call me Mirana, after all I think of you like a sister to me. I know you said you'd be back and it was predicted in the Oraculum as well but somehow I believe even you yourself were unaware of how soon." Mirana said smiling.
"Yes, I was unaware. I had just left my country of England to go to another country known as China...it was part of one of the things I mentioned that I had to do. My first night on my ship, my mirror started glowing and that's how I arrived in Hatter's workshop." Alice said leaving out a few other details.
"Ah, travel by Looking Glass! I thought all the Looking Glasses had been destroyed under my sister's rule. You are very fortunate to have found one so soon!" Mirana said.
Tarrant who had been sipping his tea while listening to the conversation spoke up.
"Mirana, Alice mentioned to me that she came through the mirror very late at night in her world. I'm sure she must be feeling tired." Tarrant said hoping Mirana would get to the point so his Alice could sleep.
"I'm not that tired..." Alice said but she yawned before she could finish talking.
"Very well then..." Mirana pulled out the Oraculum and rolled it out so that the only images Alice could see would be of the Knave and the Red Queen spying on the Toves and the picture of a larger and more fierce Jabberwocky.
Alice looked at the pictures as a sick feeling started to rise in her stomach.
"The Red Queen and that Knave of hers just don't know when to stop!" Alice said angrily.
"Now Alice, we don't exactly know what's going on or if my sister and her knave have anything to do with it." Mirana said.
"Here's a picture of a Jabberwocky, they must have everything to do with it. Let's face it Mirana, Iracebeth is power hungry for the throne like always and is just planning her next attack!" Alice said.
"Aye, da lass be speakin da truth..." Tarrant said slipping into his brogue. He knew Mirana was too soft when it came to her sister but Tarrant's family had been eliminated by the likes of her and her knave. To banish them to the Outlands wasn't punishment enough to him.
"I know what it looks like but even Absolem said they could just be curious and that the Jabberwocky might not even be on their side." Mirana said.
"Aye he did Mirana, but he also said nothin gewd wuewd come from dis." Tarrant reminded her.
Alice had an older sister herself and could relate to how Mirana felt.
"Mirana I know how much you want your sister to change for the better, I too have a sister from Aboveland that sometimes doesn't understand me and sometimes she tries to control me. Going by the Oraculum it doesn't look like anything's changed but I hope I'm wrong. So I guess my next question will be when do I fight?" Alice said.
Mirana sighed.
"Alice, if this is even something we should be concerned about it will be at least a month before the young tove turns into the Jabberwocky and we have plenty of soldiers to fight it. You do not have to fight anything." Mirana said earning her a look of approval from Tarrant.
"What do you mean by when the tove turns into a Jabberwocky? I thought Jabberwockies were born the way they are?"Alice asked confused.
"The toves are part lizard so they carry a recessive gene that allows there to be one Jabberwocky at a time. Not all Jabberwockies are bad, Alice. Only the ones that have been corrupted. Once they've been corrupted, they can't change back, that's why we needed a Champion to kill the Jabberwocky with the Vorpal Sword. Only the Vorpal sword can slay a Jabberwocky. The Vorpal sword is unique as it chooses it's welder. Currently the Oraculum hasn't chosen or shown us who will slay this dragon." Mirana said.
Alice nodded in understanding. She hoped it wasn't her but if it was she knew she wouldn't hesitate to protect those that truly understood her.
"One more thing Alice and then I'll let you retire as I know you must be exhausted. I'm throwing a Royal Ball in honor of your return next week. I don't want to send my kingdom into a panic and having a ball will keep the up-coming problem from worrying my subjects any further. I've also invited neighboring kingdoms to the ball as well. I have royal friends that are looking forward to meeting you and I need to have a private meeting with them about the Oraculum to see who will stand with us when the time comes."
"I understand." Alice said but then she realized she didn't have anything to wear.
"I don't mean to be rude Mirana, but I have nothing to wear the rest of the month much less the ball." Alice said.
Hatter smiled his gap-toothed smile at her.
"I've already taken care of that, you have a surprise waiting on your bed in your old room, for the ball that is." Hatter said confidently.
Alice remembered the dress he made for her at the Tea Party and blushed.
"Thanks Hatter." Alice said blushing a little more.
Mirana looked between the two and smiled. She couldn't wait until they admitted their love for one another. She looked at Alice and just knew she felt the same way. Mirana wasn't blind, she saw the look of jealousy when Alice caught her and Hatter's hands together.
"As for your other clothes, I'll send you to a clothing shop just outside the castle. Hatter, you can take her there tomorrow and make sure she gets everything that she'll want or need and tell the Seamstress to place it on my tab." Mirana said.
"Of course!" Tarrant said tipping his hat to her.
"Thank you Mirana...Hatter...I don't know how I can ever repay you.." Alice said gratefully.
"Alice, you saved my kingdom, it is I that am in your debt. I know you must be tired so I won't keep you any longer. Hatter, you may escort Alice to her old room and I will see both of you tomorrow morning." Mirana said.
With that, Hatter led Alice to her room.
Alice and Hatter entered her room. She saw the beautifully decorated gift sitting on her bedspread. Alice was uncertain whether to open the gift now or to wait. For some reason she was feeling nervous now that she was alone with Hatter and in her bedroom.
"I know you're tired Alice, you can open it tomorrow once we get back from town. I'll come by your room tomorrow morning at 10 O'clock if that's fine by you?" Hatter said.
"Yes, yes of course!"
"Then I guess I better be getting to bed, the sooner I wake up the sooner I can see you again." Hatter said boldly as he closed the distance between them and hugged Alice to him. Alice could feel herself swoon but it was over too soon. He was already out the door when he turned to speak to her once more.
"Goodnight Alice and may you have wonderful dreams."
"You too, Hatter!" She said as she closed the door.
She sighed against the door and walked over to her bed. She placed his gift to her on a nearby table. She took the white dress off and put on the night clothes she wore the last time she stayed the night at the White Castle and climbed into bed. Her thoughts took her back a few minutes ago when she was pressed up against Hatter. She was almost sure he was going to kiss her. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him and for some reason she found herself craving it. It was hard to tell by just looking at him but when she was pressed up against him she could feel the strength of his muscles underneath his clothing. Then she began to wonder what he looked like without so many clothes on...
'Oh Alice, how slurvish of you!' She thought to herself.
She tried to clear her mind as she had a shopping trip to go on with said Hatter and she was already feeling the butterflies in her stomach again.
'Maybe Tarrance was right, maybe I am in love with the Hatter...' She thought.
Something she promised to do tomorrow was to find out Hatter's real name and to tell him she was sorry that she thought he was a figment of her imagination. With her determination set, she fell asleep.
A/N: Well what did you think? Sorry it took me so long, I had to go out of town so finally was able to finish this. Anyway read and review!