Alice In Wonderland Fan Fiction ❯ Color and Shadow ❯ Memories ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The Hatter's room melted around them and they were suddenly back in Glenochar. They saw a five-year-old Hatter sitting alone, leaning back against a tree away from the people milling about. There was a commotion and they saw two regal-looking people walk up, guards around them. Hatter stood and shrunk back into the shadows. Elowen, the king, introduced himself to the villagers and began to ask questions. Hatter watched, his eyes a deep blue. He jumped violently as he was poked in the back. He spun around and they saw a young Mirana staring at him.

"Why are you hiding?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Hatter looked away and didn't say anything. "Come now. Introduce yourself." Nothing. "Very well, I shall go first. I am Mirana, second born princess of Underland. Your turn."

Hatter shook his head. "I…don't have a name. They call me 'boy' or 'freak' or 'monster' instead. Mother and Father are awful disappointed in me. They didn't want a freak child. I'm not…good enough."

"You seem plenty fine to me."

Hatter looked up and gasped, grabbing her face between his hands. "You are white! Really white! Like my face and fingers!"

"Yes. I was born that way."

"Me, too! Do people call you names for it?"

"Not to my face. Except for Racy, that's my sister. She calls me horrid things to my face, and she doesn't care if everyone hears it."

"Everybody calls me names," Hatter said softly, looking down. "Not just for the white, but all the other colors, too."

"Other colors?"

"I…Never mind."

"No, you mentioned them now you have to tell me!" Mirana said fiercely, stomping her foot. Hatter refused until she wore him down. He slumped his shoulders and looked around.

"Only if you promise not to make fun of me. Now come on. Follow me. The trees won't let anybody follow us."

He grabbed her hand and ran into the forest. They got to a clearing. The exact clearing where Hatter's house stood. The boy suddenly looked embarrassed and looked away, releasing her hand.

"Well, come on!" Mirana demanded.

Hatter frowned and shyly stripped off his shirt. Mirana's eyes widened at the colors. She reached over to touch him, but he flinched back. Mirana gave him a dirty look then reached forward again. This time he let her touch him. She drew her hands across his body and the colors moved faster. Mirana laughed.

"This is amazing! Why would they even want to call you names?"

Hatter relaxed slightly. "I'm not…normal. They only want normal, well-behaved children. I'm neither, though I try to be. Everybody thinks I'm a curse, that I'm the reason we were dragged down here."

"They should thank you. Mother and Father say that Upper Worlders are strange."

"They all try to act like Upper Worlders still. I don't know how to, not properly at least. I wish I did. Maybe then somebody would love me."

"I shall love you!" Mirana laughed, pressing a big kiss to his cheek.

Hatter smiled. They then played with the trees, the boy showing Mirana different games he'd invented. They hurried back before dark. Just before they broke through the tree line, somebody grabbed Hatter.

"There you are! Stealing off with a stranger! How dare you!" the man said angrily.

"There you are, dear," Arabella said lightly. "Find a new friend?"

"Yes."

"Well, say goodbye to him. We'll visit again in a few months."

"Goodbye boy," she said, winking at him. Hatter smiled, emerald filling his eyes.

The scene faded. More came up showing Hatter and Mirana getting closer to each other. Then they saw them at seven. They were surrounded by boys and girls of all ages. The king and queen were not there, leaving Mirana there to spend time with her friend. The group of children was hurling mean and insulting comments at them. Then one boy hit Hatter. Hard. The others started in on them, biting and clawing and slapping. A group of adults gathered, watching silently with mean eyes. Hatter grabbed Mirana, trying to fight past the children. Suddenly there was a scream and Mirana went down, blood staining her white skin. Hatter gasped and dove down to help her up.

Still, they wouldn't stop. Hatter and Mirana looked at each other, tears streaming down their faces. Suddenly, something passed between them and Hatter suddenly lunged forward screaming. The trees suddenly went into a frenzy. The people in the village didn't have time to do more than look horrified before a blast of darkness burst from Mirana. The trees absorbed the dark power and Mirana and Hatter only had a few brief seconds before unconsciousness took them, during which there were screams and very fleshy sounds. Everything went dark.

Hatter stirred and forced himself up, having trouble with sore muscles. He shook Mirana. She didn't move. He shook her harder. Nothing. He stared at her and did the only other thing that he could think of. He kissed her. There was that same brightly colored flash and she sat up gasping.

"What happened?" she asked. Then they looked around.

Blood was everywhere, and so were bodies. Besides the two children, nothing stirred in the village. Hatter breathed out heavily, eyes wide. His bottom lip trembled. Then his eyes slowly turned yellow-orange.

"Mirana," he breathed. "D-do you know what it feels like to go mad?"

"I'm a monster!" she cried and started sobbing.

Even through his madness, he saw her pain and embraced her. He began to sing a soft song, a nonsensical tune that he made up on the spot.

"Twinkle, Twinkle, little bat,

How I wonder what you're at.

Up above the world so high,

Like a tea tray in the sky."

When she finally stopped crying, she looked around again.

"Please, I want to leave."

Hatter nodded and they dashed to their clearing. When they got there, they just stood there staring hard at each other. Hatter stirred, glancing at the river.

"How about a warm bath? Yes?"

She sniffled and nodded. They stripped down without a word and stepped into the steaming water. They washed thoroughly with soap Hatter had there for his own baths. The soap stung their cuts. Afterwards, they got out and dressed then just sat there. They were at a loss. Finally, Mirana stood up.

"Come, Tarrant," she said firmly. "We have to find somebody. Let's go."

Hatter stood. "Why did you call me Tarrant?"

"Because that is your new name."

"Oh. Okay."

They got out of the forest in time to run into the king and queen. They embraced their daughter and kissed her face.

"Oh, Mirana we were so worried. The trees just started going crazy!" Arabella gasped.

"What happened?" Elowen asked.

Mirana's face went through a flurry of emotions, so the newly christened Tarrant spoke to them for the first time.

"I don't know, and I don't think Mimi knows either. Everything just happened so fast."

"What's the damage?"

Tarrant and Mirana looked away. She spoke quietly. "Too much. We're…all that's left."

The king and queen sent several men into the forest then gave the two children bread. They walked over to sit under the tree. Hatter stared at the bread, picking at it. His eyes would randomly change from green to yellow-orange. Mirana noticed.

"Were you serious?"

Hatter looked up. "About what?"

"Going mad?"

The little boy shrugged. "I don't know what madness feels like. But my mind hurt. A lot. Everything is still kind of floating around me. It's not bad. I don't really know if I like it, though. Some part of me wants to rip you to pieces. It claims that'll make me feel better."

"You sound like the Hare and the Dormouse."

"Who?"

"They're a couple of mad residents of Underland." She paused, taking another bite and chewing thoughtfully. "Hm, would you like to meet them? I mean, you might be able to live there, if you're really mad that is. Not that I wouldn't like you to live at the palace with me, but if you're mad, you need somebody who'll understand."

Tarrant frowned. "Are they anything like my parents?"

"I don't think so, but I've only met them twice. Come on, at least try it!"

"If you suggest it, Mimi, I'll try it."

The boy ate some of his bread then handed the rest to the girl. When they were finished eating, Mirana shared her idea with her parents. They looked at Hatter with interest.

"So you've been spending time with a mad person?" Arabella asked, and the boy cringed back, expecting anger. But the next words surprised him. "That's our girl. Always be with the interesting people."

"Tarrant is quite interesting," Mirana said with a smile.

The men returned to report that what the children said was true, and they lightly touched on how gruesome it had been. The king and queen ordered a moment of silence, but Tarrant and Mirana kept their heads up. When that was over, they went to sleep. Mirana did at least. Tarrant lay on the ground, staring up at the star strewn sky. He was nervous. He didn't do well meeting new people. He really didn't. He drifted up into an uneasy sleep and woke up tired.

They walked across the land until another forest appeared. After going through that, they came out to a tea table. The Hare and the Dormouse were laughing and throwing scones at each other. They paused when the king and queen approached.

"'Ello yer majesties," Mally said. "Spot of tea?"

"No, thank you, Mallyumpkin," Elowen said. "We have somebody we would like you to meet. Mirana says he's mad."

"Mad, eh?" Thackery asked, slamming a hand down on a spoon. It set a sugar cube flying, which landed neatly in Mally's teacup. Hatter watched, fascinated. How interesting!

Mirana grabbed Hatter's hand and dragged him forward.

"This is Tarrant."

"Well, 'e certainly looks mad," Mally said, appraising him. "Nice pale face, orange frizzy 'air."

"Lassie, lassie," the Hare said, shaking his finger. "Ya know as well as I do tha just 'cuz he looks mad, that don't mean he is." He paused and looked directly at Hatter. "Whatcha say, laddy. Spot o' tea?"

Tarrant nodded hesitantly. The Hare reached for a teapot. Suddenly it was hurtling toward his head. Hatter reacted on instinct alone. He caught the pot by the handle, spun around once, and sent it spiraling back at the Hare. The shocked creature barely had the presence of mind to duck. After the sound of shattering glass, there was silence.

"Damn, kid," Mally gasped. "Yer supposed ta duck."

The two animals' faces turned interested as pink rushed into his eyes. "Sorry," he muttered, trying to look small.

"Ah, don't be sorry laddy. But that still don't prove yer mad."

"How do I know that you're mad?" Tarrant countered. "You seem sane enough to me."

There was a pause. "Ah think we'll look after him fer a few days. See if he's really off his rocker," Thackery said with a smile. "If he is, we'll keep him."

The king and queen talked with the two mad Underlandians for a few minutes and Mirana pulled Tarrant aside.

"Just be yourself, Tarrant. You don't have to hide anymore. They aren't your parents."

Hatter shrugged. "I shall try, but I can't promise anything. You'll come visit, yes?"

"Of course," she said softly. She kissed his cheek. "Now go have some tea. It'll make you feel better."

Hatter smiled then walked back over to the table as the royal party left.

The memories suddenly started fading and they current Dormouse and Hare frowned. They glanced at each other and Thackery lifted the mouse up so that they could swirl their hands through the liquid that was still floating in the middle of their group.

"Come, laddy, our turn," Thackery said, looking at Hatter. Hatter looked tired, but touched the water again.

The table solidified on the same scene again, but Mirana and the others were gone. Hatter just stood there awkwardly, keeping his pink eyes on the ground.

"Well, pick a chair!" Mally said.

Tarrant did so, sitting down hesitantly. He was hungry, but wasn't sure if he was allowed to eat. The Dormouse and the Hare started to, so he grabbed a little cake and nibbled on it. He was very uncomfortable. They were having a playful argument, so Hatter's mind went back over the events of the day before. He saw his village half ruined, and blood. So much blood. And it was his fault. All. His. Fault…

Thackery and Mally jumped as he screamed, slamming his hands hard into his plate. The glass shattered, but it wasn't enough. Something had to hurt just like his mind was. He grabbed the broken glass and turned, flinging it at the two living creatures before him. They both dove out of the way.

"Watch it, ya bloody fool!" Mallyumpkin shrieked.

"Deoghail am fallus bhàrr duine mharbh siadha tiadhan!" Hatter spat, his voice dipping down into his Scottish accent for the first time.

Both of their jaws' dropped. They stared at the boy, shocked at what had just been said. Thackery noticed red blood dripping down from the pale white fingers. He approached slowly.

"Come now laddy. Let me tend ta yer hands."

"Bloody big ears!" he spat, backing up.

"Come here, laddy."

"Away an' raffle yersel!"

"Don'tcha tell 'im ta piss off!" Mally spat.

"Hush, Mally. He can't control it. He's too young," Thackery scolded lightly then he turned to Tarrant again. "Easy, lad. Please, let me see yer hands. Yer bleeding."

Hatter backed up, growling. Thackery frowned, noticing the odd yellow-orange color in the child's eyes. He stayed still for a moment then lunged forward and caught him. The boy roared and began to wrestle violently with him, using strength that was more than what he looked to possess.

"Tha's enough, Tarrant!" Thackery shouted then screamed as his arm snapped beneath the boy's hands.

But he stopped at his name. He stared blankly, and Mally and Thackery watched as his eyes flushed with emerald again. He shook his head and blinked.

"W-what?"

"Yep, 'e's mad," Mally said, leaping onto Thackery's shoulder. "Now, ya all right, Thack?"

"Mah arm's broken," he said through clenched teeth.

Hatter looked horrified, his eyes flashing purple. "I…I didn't…"

"Ya did," Mally said.

Hatter panicked. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I-I-I…" he broke off and sprinted into the woods, tears streaming down his face. He couldn't believe it. He felt ashamed and caramel spurted into the purple, but blue dashed in there, too. He collapsed and sobbed. He wanted Mirana. She wouldn't hate him for that. He pressed against a tree and listened as the forest comforted him.

Thackery and Mally set the arm and wrapped it up. They made healing tea and set it on to boil before they went to find the boy. What they thought would take half an hour turned into the rest of the day. They eventually gave up and headed back. Tarrant watched them from the branches of the trees.

He didn't go back for two weeks, too embarrassed, too ashamed, too afraid. But he didn't know how to get to Mirana, so he stayed in the forest. The forest fed him, but it wasn't like the food in the Wandering Woods. He didn't know how to prepare anything. He eventually slunk back to the tea table. Nobody was there. He forced his sore fingers to grab food and he quickly ate all he could reach.

"Ah knew ya'd come back."

Tarrant jumped, dropped the food, and swallowed hard. He turned to run, but tripped over his own feet. Thackery snorted and reached out a paw to help him up.

"Ya ain't in trouble, laddy. Now come on. Let's getcha some proper food."

Hatter stared at the paw for a while, debating with himself, but his stomach rumbled, so he cringed and took the proffered appendage.

He walked hesitantly into the house behind Thackery. The boy jolted to a stop when he saw Mallyumpkin. She was standing at the hearth, stirring a big pot of stew. She was about Thackery's size.

"How…?"

"Upelkuchen, ya daft fool," Mally said. "Don'tcha know nuthin'?"

Tarrant snorted, looking down with a hurt face. "According to everybody I've ever met, that's all I know. Except Mirana."

"Ah expected ya back within three days. Yer skinnier, but it's not as bad as we'd thought it would be. Ya certainly know enough ta survive lad."

Tarrant shrugged. "They didn't care. It wasn't what I was supposed to know. 'A normal boy doesn't pretend to talk to trees,' Mother would say."

"Pretend? Trees do talk!" Mally snapped, ladling stew into threw bowls. "I just can't understand 'em."

"I can," the boy said. "Very interesting conversations."

They sat at a table and went silent as they ate. Tarrant was half starved and downed three bowls of the stuff. He felt full when he was done and settled back contentedly. Thackery chuckled.

"See? All ya needed was a good meal ta feel better."

Hatter shrugged then frowned. "How's your arm?" he asked quietly.

"Healin' fine. How's yer hands?"

"Fine," he replied quickly. Too quickly.

"Let me see 'em."

"N-no. They're fine, I promise."

Thackery grabbed the soup ladle and slammed it upside the boy's head. He laughed at it then twirled it.

"Now, laddy, yer going ta show me yer hands."

"Only if you don't touch my gloves."

Thackery glanced at Mally. "Fine, laddy. Just let us treat the cuts."

Thackery moved his chair over to Tarrant's side of the table and held out his paws. The boy hesitated then lightly placed his hands in the Hare's. Both of the animals noticed the strange gloves that the boy had mentioned. They didn't cover his fingers, but covered the rest of his hands perfectly. His white fingers were pink with irritation around the reddened cuts.

"Infected, o' course," Mally said. "I'll be right back wi' the tea."

"Tea?" Hatter asked.

"Yes, laddy. We're gonna bathe yer hands in healing tea. Then yer gonna drink some."

Tarrant nodded. He hissed as the purple tea stung at his hands, but the soreness and aches lessened considerably after ten seconds. He was handed a cup and he sniffed it. Finding that it had a pleasant scent, he took a sip. It tasted good. He had it gone in five minutes.

"Good boy," Mally praised. "Now, we've gotta room prepared for ya. Ya need ta sleep, and ya need ta sleep in a proper bed."

They led him up to a room and he smiled. It was pleasant. They bid him goodnight then walked out, shutting the door behind them. He moved over to the bed, kicking off his shoes, but he kept his socks on. He snuggled down into the blankets happily. He was fed and in a warm bed, something he usually didn't have in his life, missing one or the other, or both. He could get to like it here.

This time the memory went away completely. The water still hovered there. Hatter yawned.

"It is well past midnight," he said softly, checking his pocket watch then guiding the liquid back into the vial. "Time for bed. I have extra room for all of you, though Alice and Mirana will have to share. Mally and Thackery will have to share, too. Not that they'd mind."

He kept a straight face as he pulled out a cake. He handed it to Thackery.

"If you ask me what it's for, you must think I'm deaf. Just try not to make her shriek too loud."

Thackery gaped at him then laughed madly. Mally yelled and blushed beneath her fur. Mirana laughed heartily and Alice blushed and tittered.

"Ya never mentioned it, lad," Thackery chuckled.

"If you had wanted me to know, you would have told me."

He led them to their rooms and bid them goodnight. He pulled off his shoes and socks then fell into bed. Exhaustion tugged at him. He heard Mally suddenly cry out and snickered. He had fallen asleep many a night as a boy to the sounds of their lovemaking, so it wasn't that hard to drift into a warm, peaceful slumber.