Off With Their Heads

Chapter 19

Evangeline became conscious of her surroundings before she opened her eyes. She could feel a small figure cuddled into her right side and a slight pressure in her left hand. She tried to reach out her right hand to encompass the small figure, who she knew to be Malakai, but couldn't. Her right side felt incomplete and weightless. As if nothing was there. 

Then the memories came back. Her siege of the White Queen's castle, her fight with the White Queen, her loss of both the fight and her arm, and her being saved by Matthew A.D. Hatter. Slowly, she opened her eyes, only to shut them again as a bright light filled her vision. She blinked a couple times, slowly adjusting to the brightness before she looked around. Malakai was sleeping soundly, cuddled up to her side, as she suspected. She looked down at her right shoulder to find it bandaged. The whole thing didn't hurt. It just felt empty.

When she looked to her left arm and hand, where she had felt the slight pressure, she saw another hand clasped in hers. She followed it up the arm and to the body that it was attached to. Hatter. 

The Hatter was sound asleep lightly snoring. His head was hanging over the back of the chair, his mouth slightly open with a small line of drool coming out the corner. His hat had fallen off leaving his slightly unruly brown hair for everyone to see. He hadn't shaved in what seemed like days so he had stubble all over the lower part of his face. 

She squeezed his hand slowly, in hope of making him wake up slowly bet that was not the case. He jolted up, dagger in hand, ready to defend his two charges.He was facing away from the bed and towards the door. When he realized that there wasn't any danger to them, he put away his dagger and turned around to face the source of the squeeze, expecting her to still be asleep. Instead he found her wide awake, and staring at him with an amused expression. 

It took him a second to process what was happening before he jumped up and down, clapping like a little kid.

"Ha ha, you're awake! Oh this is wonderful, oh I must tell the others!" He ran back and forth for a second as if not knowing what to do before he turned back to Evangeline. He embrace her, careful not to aggravate her stomach and shoulder. When he pulled away, she grabbed him by his collar and shoved her mouth into his. 

This lasted a couple seconds before she let go of him, her cheeks red. With his cheeks ablaze as well, he coughed slightly before stating, "Oh, o-ok then. Well that was great. Oh, who am I kidding that was wonderful! You're awake and apparently able to move! Oh, yes, must tell the others! Must tell the others!" He yelled before he ran out of the room, giddy with excitement. 

Evangeline sat there a little in shock at what she had done. She heard giggling to her right and looked down again. Her Malakai was holding his stomach, giggling. He had saw the whole thing. Again, Evangeline's face flushed. 

Malakai laughed more, "Oh, I called it.... The Tweedles owe me twenty bucks..." He managed to get out in between his laughs. He embraced his mother, his small arms hanging around her neck. "It's great to have you back, mama!"

She didn't respond, only wrapped her good arm around him and nuzzled her face into his short curly red hair.