Chapter 1
Alice gazed into the eyes of the one man who had believed in her without reserve and despite all odds- the Mad Hatter. He gave her a toothy grin in response, his ice blue eyes reflecting the sadness he felt. He knew that Alice would not choose to stay with him, no matter how desperately he wished for the impossible.
Watching this scene, Mirana’s heart ached for her Champion and her dear friend. She too wished for Alice to remain in Underland; however she understood that there were people living Above that cared about Alice and were likely anxiously awaiting her return.
“Your majesty...” a disembodied voice greeted, slowly morphing into the form of the Cheshire Cat, better known as Chess or Chessur.
Mirana smiled as another of her friends came into view before replying, “Hello Chess. I would appreciate it if you left the Hatter alone if and when Alice decides to leave Underland. He will miss her dearly and mourn her absence deeply.”
Chess nodded before once more disappearing. Mirana sighed before once more turning her attention to her milliner and Champion.
Tarrant’s eyes flashed a faint gold, encasing the ice blue in a golden frame. He could not believe that Alice would leave him once more, rendering him more alone than he was after the horrendous death of his clan at the hands of the Red Queen.
“Alice, please, you can’t leave me, not yet,” he pleaded, his heartbreaking as Alice gave him a pitying look.
“Hatter, Tarrant I need to return. It is likely that my family will be missing me. There are things I need to do and questions to answer. I wish I could stay, but...”Alice said as she failed miserably to blink back her tears.
Tarrant knew that he had lost the battle to keep Alice in Underland and so he hugged her before whispering in her ear, “Fairfarren.”
He walked away, turning to watch as Alice disappeared in the same manner that Chess did, before he sank to the ground sobbing inconsolably.
Mirana watched as the usually care-free milliner slowly broke before her eyes. She could only hope that Alice would return, for if she did not, the Hatter would be lost to her as his madness overtook him.
Unable to console her friend, Mirana watched as pain flowed through every fibre of Tarrant’s being as he reverently whispered “Alice” through his heart wrenching sobs. Finally, Mirana decided to remind Tarrant of her presence by slowly crossing the deserted battlefield to where he knelt to place a delicate hand upon his shoulder.
At her touch, Tarrant met the sympathetic gaze of his monarch and friend. Mirana’s heart nearly broke at the sadness reflected in Tarrant’s ice blue eyes; however she knew well that she was unable to bring Alice back despite her desperate wish to do so, if only to alleviate the suffering of one of her closest friends save certain members of her court.
“Tarrant, please return to the White Castle with me.” Mirana said sympathetically.
“Nay, she’ll come back soon, she promised. I will remain here for her return because she could come back here.” Tarrant replied, however his voice was thick with emotion, betraying his doubt that Alice would soon return.
“Hatter, do you not think that if she returns she will first go to the White Castle at Marmoreal?” Mirana asked, hoping to help the Hatter see reason despite his despondency.
“Aye, I will come.” Tarrant responded, nodding his head in response to Mirana’s kind invitation.
