Staying In Wonderland

Chapter Three: The Truth

Alice and Tarrant had gone to the market to get groceries for their upcoming tea party. They were holding hands as they walked through the forest to get back to their home. "Hatter, I love you." Alice whispered to him as they walked through the woods back to their home. "I love you too, Alice." Tarrant said as he looked at her as they walked out of the forest. They went home and began baking and cooking the treats for the day's Tea Party. Tarrant helped her out by cleaning up and setting up the table for their guests. Alice finished the last of the snacks when she looked at the time. She smiled as she went upstairs and got dressed in a blue and white dress with black flats. She and the Hatter set out the last of the food before they walked down out of the forest back to the long table with that had many mismatched chairs and a few books on top of the table. The long table was much more organized and cleaner but it was still full of treats that included cookies, cake, candy, pastries, and little small sandwiches. The table was also filled with mismatched tea sets that were full of tea. All of her friends were already sitting there, Mallymkun was sitting on a stack of books, Tweedledee and Tweedledum were arguing with each other about something like they always did. Thackery and Nivens were being their crazy selves as Chessur and Mirana were having tea and chatting with each other catching up on what goes on when everyone is apart. Tarrant and Alice were giggling at them as they went over to the table and sat down. Hatter sat at the head of the table and Alice sat down next to him. They made their plates of the food before Alice and Tarrant finally ate the delicious meal and treats that Alice had prepared for them all. "Let's play Hide and Seek!" McTwisp exclaimed and everyone suddenly agreed with the fun idea. "And everyone that gets found by the seeker must come back to the table." Tarrant said as he looked at them all. "Again!" Alice said giggling. "Of course!" Nevins exclaimed as he jumped while pulling on his ears. "Yes, what a brilliant idea, Hatter!" Mirana exclaimed as she clapped her hands together smiling. "Alice is the seeker for our beginning round!" Nevins exclaimed happily. "Alright then." Alice said as she giggled happily. All of her friends ran off into the woods before she finally closed her eyes and began counting to twenty. She finished counting and opened her eyes. She checked underneath the table and in the teacups before she finally found Mallymkun hiding in one of the empty pots. "I found you Mally now I must find everyone else." Alice said giggling. "Good luck, Alice." Mally said as Alice ran off into the Hatter's house where she found Thackery hiding in the dryer and McTwisp hiding in her bedroom closet. "I found you guys." She said giggling as she went and searched the rest of the house as they made their way to the table sitting down. She went outside and began searching the forest. She walked into a narrow path and found Tweedledee. He was hiding behind a tree, she went over and tapped his shoulder. "I found you." She said as he jumped. "Oh you found me, Alice!" He exclaimed. She giggled nodding. "Yes I did." She said as he run off to join the others. She went further into the clearing and saw Mirana and Chessur talking to one another. "I found you both." She exclaimed as she ran over to them. She smiled softly as she looked at them happily. "I only have two left now." She said as she looked at Mirana and Chessur. "Oh who?" Mirana asked her. "Tweedledum, and Tarrant." She said looking at them giggling. "Well I'd try the well to find Tweedledum." Chessur suggested. "Thanks Chess for the help." She said as she ran off towards the well to find Tweedledum. When she got there, she saw that Tweedledum was sitting next to the well on a large smooth rock. "I found you, Tweedledum." She exclaimed as she ran up to him. "I guess that you have. The hatter is being his half-mad self." Tweedledum said as he looked at her. This sparked a memory from her brain: 'Hatter and Alice were sitting on the tower of the White Queen's castle. "You still think that this is a dream?" The Hatter asked her. "Well, it can't possibly be real. This has all come from my own mind." Alice replied saddened by that small fact. "Which would mean that I'm not real." Tarrant said sadly as he moved closer to her. "No, I'm sorry to say. You're just a figment of my imagination. I would dream up someone who's half-mad." Alice explained as she looked at him. "But you'd have to be half-mad to dream me up." Tarrant said as he ran his fingers through her hair gently. "I must be then." She said as they leaned against one another, happy in the comfort and warmth that the other provides.'