Alice Undercover
By Rurple101
Chapter Nine: Practise Makes Perfect
Alice had the throne room to herself, as Iracebeth had allowed her to practise her performances when she wasn't in need of it. At this time, around midnight the Red Queen was tucked away in her chambers and Alice hadn't been able to sleep.
What if her plan failed?
What if Hatter didn't recognise her, or worse, hated her and tried her hurt her like the way she had unintentionally hurt him?
Alice couldn't imagine a situation in which Hatter intentionally wanted to hurt her. In that case, she knew he would fall over with apologies once he'd realised what he'd done.
Aice believed firmly that whatever abuse she received was his way of dealing with his madness.
She also believed (unless it was wishful thinking on her part) that Hatter would be ultimately pleased to see her, but she had to make him remember her in a way which would not cause him any pain or heartbreak.
She knew she had wounded him deeply by departing but at least she could reassure him that she would never leave again…unless he wanted her to.
Gazing out of her tall windows overlooking Salaza Grum she sighed heavily, rubbing her hands along her arms, trying to ignore the chill in the air and her thoughts.
She missed her loyal friend and she hated herself because she had been too self-absorbed to remember her promise to return, and sooner. She had been away twelve years, and time Above passed slower than Underland's and she was terrified that Time had damaged her Hatter beyond repair.
I've got to at least try she told herself stubbornly. I need to at least try to save Hatter. I need to tell him what he means to me and that I am sorry for taking so long to sort my life Above.
Closing her eyes, she recalled the evening before the Frabjous Day when Hatter had visited her on her balcony at Marmoreal and asked her "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"
A tear slipped from her eyelid and she took a short breath, trying to swallow the lump of regret and anger. She had been so naïve to believe that her own family needed her. Her mother had died less than three years after she had returned and then her sister had moved away and she needed to sort out their family home. After throwing in a few voyages that lasted years at a time and learning how to sword fight, defend herself and learn a few tricks. After all that, she realized she was in her thirties and society had treated her badly for it. But she had leant long ago to ignore what whispers were being said about her.
Wiping her eyes and sniffing, she composed herself and looked away from the window. She was here to practise anyway.
The door to the hall open and she jumped but she needn't have worried. The man of her thoughts and heart came through and was equally alarmed to see her there.
"Miss Wayton, why are yer here so late?"
His voice was tired, and she recognised his lisp, making him sound the Hatter she knew him to be.
"Mr Hightopp" she said, smiling a little and moving towards the centre of the room. "I was just practising."
"I didn't hear any music" he said slowly, moving towards her cautiously.
Focusing back to the task at hand she responded "I don't always need music to dance Mr Hightopp. And also I was taking a small break."
He paused and then smiled shyly but it was still a Lord Hightopp grimace rather than a toothy grin she preferred from Hatter.
"I thought I asked you to call me Tarrant."
"Apologies, I forgot for a moment. I thought I asked you to call me Jesse."
He smiled, a little more naturally now. Jesse saw what Absolem had meant, Hatter was there, just buried very deeply beneath the surface. It gave her confidence.
"Did you come here to practise as well?" she asked innocently.
"For what?" he asked sharply, his manner reproachful again.
"Our Queen approves of our little competition for her entertainment. I assumed that meant you had consented to the idea…given that you seemed reluctant the other day when I last saw yourself."
Tarrant paused, processing what he was hearing.
"Oh" he said after a few seconds, once he realised what she was talking about. "No, she hadn't mentioned anything to me."
"Are you rusty?"
His eyebrows raised sharply. "Excuse me?"
Jesse smirked and walked towards him, stopping when she was about two metres away. "How long has it been since you danced, or futterwacken?"
Tarrant froze as a memory swept over him.
"Oh callou, callay!"
He remembered that they were standing on a giant chessboard and around him looked to be the remains of a battle of sorts. There was a white skinned woman in a shining white dress with a crown on her white curls, a floating cat that evaporated every few feet, two Tweedles and…and a lady with long flowing golden honey curls wearing a shinning armour, clutching the Vorpal sword…
He remembered the dance, the energy flowing through his system as his delight was evident.
When he had finished, everyone had clapped and looked happily at him. The blonde haired lady smiled knowingly at him and he remember walking forward, wanting to say something important to her, about how special she was to him…how he was in lov-
"Tarrant, are you alright?"
He shook his head to clear it and looked up suddenly.
Jesse was looking at him curiously; her hand was outstretched on on his forearm. He could feel the warmth from her palm even through the material of his jacket.
Blinking he nodded. "I am quite fine Miss Wayton" he said briskly. She removed her hand in a reluctant manner.
"Jesse." She corrected him.
"Jesse." Was the dazed reply.
She smirked at him and winked. "Come and dance with me. You need to practise."
He stared at her.
"And-" she said teasingly, looking back over her shoulder as she turned her music on. "-you might learn something."
The cheeky…
"You got yourself a deal!" he said enthusiastically, forgetting himself for a moment.
Jesse smiled and then raised the volume of the music and began moving her arms and legs in sequence with each other, the sound was catchy and fast paced but that wasn't something he found difficulty.
He didn't know where it came from but he found movement in his limbs and as he began to move it felt like he was stretching long-not used muscles. He felt limber and coiled like a spring.
In turn whenever the bridge or chorus of the song demanded, he and Jesse challenged each other, each doing a few movements before pausing to watch if the other could best them.
After four songs he was half bent over with a stitch in his side.
"I am not as fit as I used to be" he wheezed as he dizzily hobbled over to the nearest seat, collapsing on it. Jesse lowered the volume a little and sat next to him.
"You seemed like you were in a trace earlier" she said slowly and hesitantly. "Do you have bad memories Tarrant?"
He sighed heavily and his inner self leapt up and spoke before he could stop himself.
"Yes, wee lass, I have many bad thoughts in my head."
He saw that she looked concerned and she frowned.
"Aren't you happy?"
He shook his head but halfway through the action he stopped but Jesse hadn't seen. He coughed to cover it.
"I used to be happier" he admitted quietly.
She seized on this. "What used to make you happy?"
He was silent for a whole minute before he replied.
"One wee lass made me very happy. She was perfect in every way and always made me smile when I looked at her."
Jesse's expression was serious but he saw her eyes seemed too bright.
"What happened to her?"
Tarrant gulped audible. He took off his hat and thumbed with it, gazing at the stiff red fabric and its bad quality of make.
"She left."
Jesse frowned in confusion. "Left?"
"I never saw her again" he growled quietly. "I never got to tell her why I liked her so much. She was a light in the darkness for me. But the light's gone out…so the darkness has no light."
He cleared his throat and stood, placing his hat back on his hat.
"I better be going…" he said stiffly.
Jesse jumped up and she put her hand on his wrist again. He looked at it curiously.
"How about one more song? Then I'll let you go."
"You'll let me?" he said, even more stiffly. His eyes were dark and empty.
"Yes" she said stubbornly. "Unless you want to lose our contest...?"
"It is not wise to bait me lass" he rumbled angrily.
Jesse only turned on the music and stepped closer to him.
"I want to make you feel better Tarrant. It's my fault for upsetting you as I asked you too many questions. Dance with me and I can try to make it up to you."
Her eyes were pleading…and familiar but he couldn't place them.
Tarrant sighed dramatically and took her offer.
Jesse drew herself into his arms, one hand in his and the other on his shoulder.
"Did you ever do ballroom dancing?"
"Aye" he said. "I learnt it as a wee lad."
"You can help teach me then. I am rubbish at it, as I prefer faster and more energetic music."
"This song is too upbeat for ballroom" he commented.
"You can help me mix the both then" she said and winked cheekily at him again.
What an odd woman…
But he did as she asked, twirling her, dipping her and showing her the best way to hold her legs and she whirled and the correct pattern to move her feet in correlation to his movements.
Before long, Tarrant found himself relaxing and smiling at the woman in his arms. She was laughing whenever she did something wrong but he found her dent in her forehead when she was concentrating endearing.
When the song ended Tarrant lowered his arms and kissed her cheek politely.
"Thank you Lord Hightopp" she said, lowering her head respectively.
He nodded his head and raised his hat to her before saying "Good evening Miss Wayton."
He turned on his heel and left the room, leaving a bewildered Alice behind, her cheeks flushed and thinking over what Tarrant had said about his 'wee lass' who had been his light in the darkness for him.
If he had paused before closing the door behind him he would have heard a quiet sob of anguish.
The songs I had in mind when I wrote this are the following:
'International Smile' by Katy Perry
'Right Now' by Rihanna
'Shame On Me' by Avicii
'Say Yay!' By Barei – she was the Spanish contestant for Eurovision 2016 and I thought this song is really catchy!
The final song that they ballroom danced to is 'Cake By The Ocean' by DNCE.
I realise they aren't in tune with Victoria London but this is 2016…so I don't care. Plus I already did this with 'Californian Gurls' (Katy Perry) in a previous chapter so I can hardly go back on myself can I?
I am rusty with writing, but I'm trying to quickly finnish this fic. It won't be longer than a few more chapters hopefully!
- The 101Rurple x