Falling Down The Rabbit Hole

Chapter 2

Madeleine's POV
"More tea, Madeleine?" My best friend Delevan asks,
"Please and thank you." I say holding out my cup. I watch carefully as my small friend runs across the table and takes the teapot from Hamilton who takes another spoonful of sugar and places it in his cup. Delevan holds the tea above his head and slowly pours it in my cup. I place it on the table and fix my hair, I place my hat back on the top of my head. I slowly sip my tea and watch my two friends closely, Delevan stands on the edge of a plate and sips his tea through a small tube, the grey fur around his ears is slightly wet from previously dropping some tea. Hamilton scoops sugar into his tea continuously, his cup currently over flowing, his long ears twitch under the bowl he had placed there earlier, his eyes, one brown and one white, eye the sugar dish cautiously, mumbling every now and then about murder and drowning them all, but he is absolutely bonkers, the best of us are. I hear footsteps approaching the gate, I hiss at my friends and they both run to hide, Delevan in my pocket and Hamilton in the chest under my chair, the Queen of Hearts enjoys taking the animals, especially rodents. I stir my tea acting natural. Someone clears their throat and I look up to see a girl in a blue dress with yellow hair like the singing daisies that used to grow in the fields where Hamilton used to live.
"How'd you do, my lady?" I ask kicking the chest signalling to Hamilton that it is safe for him to climb out,
"Pardon?" She asks,
"How'd you do?" I repeat,
"Good?" She replies more as a question than an answer,
"Tea! Get her tea!" Delevan yells,
"Oh, yes, how rude of me. Join us for tea would you, we would love the company." I say, she nods and hesitantly walks the full length of the long table to sit closer to us, sitting next to the mouse, she grabs a cup, frowning at it.
"I think I'll just sit, if that's okay?" She says,
"It's quite impolite. To decline my tea, I may have to kill thee." Hamilton says sitting on the table flicking a grain of sugar her way,
"Now, now. Hamilton, is that the proper way to speak to a guest?" I ask throwing a plate in his general direction which he proceeds to pick up and examine,
"There is no proper way, I'm mad, that's what they say." He begins to nibble on the edge of the plate.
"I'm Madeleine. Your turn!" I point to Delevan who stands up straight.
"I'm Delevan, the Door Mouse." He bows then points to the grey hare.
"Hamilton, hare, mouse, cat, rats, mice, cheese please?" He says, I pass down the cheese to him which replaces the plate.
"Well, your name?" I ask, the girl looks at me with a slight smile.
"I'm Alice. It is really nice to meet you all, but I'm looking for the castle? For the Queen of Hearts?" Upon hearing The Red Queen's name, we all gasp in union, Hamilton runs across the table and dives into my lap, attempting to hide under my coat and Delevan climbs inside the teapot, closing it behind himself.
"What kind of business would you have with her?" I ask stroking Hamilton's matted white fur through my coat.
"I was told to get there no matter what." She replies cautiously,
"By whom?"
"Dinah. At least I think that's her name." My lips stretch into a smile when I hear the name,
"Ahh, yes. Dinah. Nice kid, quite cheeky, she learned from the best after all." I say, Alice looks at me confused, opening her mouth to reply, but she's interrupted before any sound comes out.
"Nice to hear you think so highly of me, Hatter." I grin towards the voice that could only belong to the cheekiest cat in all of Wonderland,
"Hello Chester, nice to see you. Or rather it will be once you show yourself." I pry Hamilton off of my clothes and place him on the table, he proceeds towards his seat, but makes a sharp turn and begins running, he latches on to the invisible cat who runs across the table knocking over all sorts. I bang on the table with my fists and the cat freezes, Hamilton drops down and lies where he lands, his feet twitching with excitement.
"Brilliant hug, Hamilton." The grey tabby exclaims with his thick accent after he finally reveals himself, this causes the hare to grin largely. Chester prods Hamilton's chest with his paw, causing him to make a sound similar to that of a giggle.
"How'd you do?" I ask,
"Excellent, and who is this beautiful creature?" He asks with a bigger grin that usual, I frown in response,
"That's Alice." Delevan says from inside the pot, I glare at the pot while I pour myself tea purposely making the insides to slosh around with Delevan still in there.
"Hi." She says before her attention is turned back towards me, "So, do you know how to get to the castle or not?"
"You want to go to The Red Queen's Castle? I can take you if you like, a full tour of Wonderland along the way." I huff at Chester in annoyance,
"That would be lovely, Chester, but unfortunately I have already offered my services to her, so run along now." I say shooing him away with my hand.
"How rude. You didn't even invite me for tea." Chester says still grinning, Hamilton grabs the cat again, climbing all over to sit on his back. The cat glances up to the hare proudly, Hamilton's ears and eyes twitch in happiness. Chester is a, not quite a person, but someone none the less, for Hamilton to look up to, almost like a father, if he even understands the concept of parents any more, and the cat always treats him like a son or a younger brother. Like he is normal and it is good for him, for the both of them, I think.
"Fine." I huff, "Enjoy your tea, take care of the boys while I am out." Chester bows his head as if I were the Queen herself and moves his attention to the giggling hare on his shoulders. I look towards the beautiful girl three seats down and say,
"Alice, Wonderland awaits."