Maddest Love | Tarrant Hightopp (Mad Hatter) X OC

7. Down With The Bloody Red Queen!

CHAPTER SEVEN
Down With The Bloody Red Queen!

Tarrant had taken Alice with him on his hat. He walked between rows of thick trees as the leaves flew off at a rapid pace. "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe. All mimsy were the borogoves. And the mome raths outgrabe." Tarrant spoke with a deep voice, whilst Alice hang from the brim of his hat. "Sorry, what was that?" She asked, swaying left to right and letting go to land on his shoulder. Tarrant looked over, "What was what?" he asked, looking quite annoyed. Alice didn't answer and gave him a look. Tarrant turned his head back to face the path in front of him.

"He took his Vorpal sword in hand The Vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head. He went galumphing back." Tarrant continued, finishing the rhyme with a grin. He looked at Alice again, the grin still plastered on his face.

"It's all about you, you know."

"I'm not slaying anything. I don't slay, so put it out of your mind." Alice stated, looking up at his green eyes. Tarrant stopped in his tracks. He zoned out, "Mind," he spoke. He looked at Alice, as if he had made up his mind about everything. He ever so gently lifted her up and set her down on a tree trunk and walked away.

"Wait! You can't leave me here!" Alice protested agrily. "You don't slay." Tarrant said. "Do you have any idea what the Red Queen has done? You don't slay." Tarrant said with a hint of disgust in his voice. "I couldn't if I wanted to," Alice told him. Tarrant walked back to her and bent down to talk to her. "You're not the same as you were before," Tarrant stated. "You were much more muchier. You've lost your muchness." Alice frowned at his words. "My 'muchness'?" Alice asked looking very confused. "In there," Tarrant leaned forward and poked her tiny body with his large finger. "Something's missing."

"Tell me what Red Queen has done." Alice demanded. Tarrant glanced down. "It's not a pretty story," he said, lost in thought. "Tell me anyway." Alice grew curiouser by the second. Tarrant looked around. He took in the wrecked place they found themselves in. "It was here," he realised. "I was hatter to the White Queen at the time. Hightopp clan have always been employed at court." He fell quiet. He made an image in his head. Replayed the moment.

Everyone was just being happy, partying and celebrating. Until a dark shadow appeared, and an enormous dragon started destroying the place. The animals became upset, including the horse where the White Queen. Tarrant tried to help them by calming the horse down. Of course that was impossible. There was panic and fear everywhere. People were burnt, erased from Wonderland. The White Queen escaped, unlike many residents of her kingdom. Tarrant was the only one left standing, he thought. Until Delilah appeared from behind a wrecked house. She saw her friend and floundered his way. "Delilah," Tarrant spoke, taking her into his arms. She was injured. Delilah pulled away and felt Tarrants cold hands cupping her face. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice breaking. Delilah offered him the tiniest of smiles. "I don't know," she told him honestly, because she didn't know. She felt lightheaded and nauseous.

"Hatter? Hatter!" Alice snapped him out of his thoughts. "I'm fine," he assured her. "Are you?" Tarrants ears pricked up. "Did you hear that? I'm certain I heard something," He said, ignoring her question. "What?" They her Bayard barking. "Oh! Red Knights!" Tarrant quickly grabbed Alice and took a run for it. He ran and ran until they reached a small lake. He took off his hat and put Alice on the brim of his hat. "Go south to Trotter's Bottom. The White Queen's castle is just beyond." He instructed her. "What about you?" Alice asked. "I'll be with Delilah again," he told her. "Hold on tightly." He threw the hat across the lake. "Down with the bloody Red Queen!" He smiled cheekily. Alice landed with quite a bang, and watched as the Red Knights took Tarrant. He hid under the head and slept there.

Alice woke up to the loud sound of a dog sniffing. She sat up, and saw Bayard's nose peek under the the hat. "You were supposed to lead them away! The Hatter trusted you!" Alice confronted him. Bayard winced and explained, "They have my wife and pups." Alice looked at him sympathetically.

"What's your name?"
"Bayard."
"Sit!" Alice demanded.

"Would your name be Alice, by any chance?" Bayard asked whilst sitting down. "Yes, but I'm not the one that everyone's talking about." She answered, annoyed by everyone asking her about stuff she didn't know anything of. "The Hatter would not have given himself up just for any Alice." Bayard informed. "Where did they take him?"

"To the Red Queen's castle at Salazen Grum." He told her. "We're going to rescue him." She said determined. "That is not foretold." Bayard said equally determined. "I don't care! He wouldn't be there if it weren't for me!" Alice protested. "The Frabjous Day is almost upon us," Bayard reported. "You must prepare to meet the Jabberwocky." Alice ignored him. "From the moment I fell down that rabbit hole, I've been told what I must do and who I must be. I've been shrunk, stretched, scratched and stuffed into a teapot. I've been accused of being Alice and of not being Alice, but this is my dream. I'll decide where it goes from here." Alice lectured. "If you diverge from the path..." Bayard began, only to be interrupted by Alice once again. "I make the path," she stated and Bayard gave in. He laid down and Alice climbed on top of him. "Take me to Salazen Grum, Bayard," Alice ordered nicely. "And don't forget the hat."

AUTHOR'S NOTE —
Yes, I'm back with (finally) an update! Let me know if this is to your liking, and if you have some ideas for the coming chapters. I'm publishing this on December 31st 2022, so - happy new year! Thank you for all the support. I wish you all a happy and healthy 2023.