The Fugitive
Disclaimer: The Alice books and the 2010 film are not mine. This is only for fun and no money is being made.
Chapter 4 Welcome News
Tarrant Hightop lifted the newly finished hat and inspected it closely, holding it up in the sunlight to examine every detail. It was a feminine version of a man's top hat, lined with fine white damask embroidered with yellow flowers, a pale blue ribbon encircling it close to the rim.
He set the hat back on his workbench with a grunt of satisfaction. It had been commissioned by one of the Ladies of the White Court who wanted a hat for riding. Most of his orders these days came from members of Mirana's court, although not all. Since the fall of the Red Queen Marmoreal had become quite a cosmopolitan place, with many of Underland's most prominent citizens living there. At least that meant not all his commissions were mainly white.
Tarrant looked around at his workroom with its racks of materials and dyes. Overall, he was glad he had accepted Mirana's offer to live and practise his trade at the castle. He could not really have brought himself to return to his old home. There were too many memories there that haunted him.
He turned back to regard his latest creation. Tarrant had just decided to send a message to his customer that her order was now ready when his thoughts were interrupted.
"It's a lovely hat Tarrant, but I still prefer the one you're wearing."
Tarrant whirled round to confront the disembodied head of the Cheshire Cat, grinning widely at him as it floated in midair. Lifting his hands to his head, Tarrant clutched his hat protectively.
"Keep you filthy claws off my hat, you slurvish cat!"
"Now now!" Chess's grin became even wider. "Is that any way to speak to the bearer of good news?"
Tarrant regarded him with suspicion. "What good news?"
"Oh the return of our dear Champion of course!" The cat informed him airily.
"Alice?" Tarrant glared at the cat. "If you're lying…"
"Oh it's quite true, I assure you," Chess replied. "She arrived barely ten minutes ago and is now in a private audience with the White Queen."
"Alice is back?" Tarant muttered to himself. "She's here in Marmoreal?"
A broad smile appeared on the Hatter's garish lips. Although he had thought himself happy enough in Marmoreal Tarrant could not really remember the last time he had properly smiled.
"I must see her!" he declared, hurrying towards the door of his workshop. He already had his hand on the doorknob when Chess spoke again.
"Tarrant wait!"
The Hatter looked back at the Cheshire Cat with barely concealed irritation.
"What is it?" he demanded.
"Tarrant, Alice is in a private audience with Queen Mirana. You can't just force your way in there and interrupt, no matter how much you want to see her!"
The Hatter looked rebellious. Obviously he did not consider Court protocol to be of any importance compared to seeing Alice again.
"In any case you will soon see Alice in a couple of hour's time at the Ball," Chess told him
Tarrant looked at him blankly. "What Ball?"
The Cheshire Cat sighed. "The Ball Mirana has arranged to be held in honour of our Champion's return. She announced it a few minutes before Alice arrived at the castle. Obviously the Queen already knew she had returned to Underland."
Tarrant still looked disgruntled. "Why can't I see her before that?"
"Well Alice has had a difficult journey Tarrant. I'm sure she will welcome the chance to bathe and change." He regarded the Hatter sardonically. "Something you might consider yourself!"
With those words the disembodied head evaporated into a cloud of swirling mist that rapidly faded away.
Tarrant glared at the spot where the cat had been. Although in the past he had had ample reason to be grateful for Chess's evaporating powers the pesky cat's tricks still annoyed him.
Then he looked down at his clothes and acknowledged the cat might have a point. The front of his suit was stained with blotches of different colours, the result of working with the various dyes he used in his hat making.
As Tarrant made his way to the chambers Mirana had given him to change into fresh clothes, all he could think of was Alice's return. He was almost twitching with excitement.
He could barely wait to see her.