Take My Hand (Rewritten)

Chapter 17

Alice sat watching the latest Alice, with the Hatter. He had just told this Alice of his belief that his family was alive. And had tried to tell him that his family were dead, because logic said so. Every Alice made that mistake, even the one was watching this scene from afar.
Tarrant was pushing her out the door. "Your not my Alice. My Alice believed me." Its was as if for a single joyous moment Tarrant had remembered. But his Alice could see the sudden rememberence fading from his eyes quickly. It was Jealousy teasing her. She had done this constantly over the past year, so Alice was used to it. That didn't make it any easier, in fact tears stil spilled down Alice's face.
Other tantalizing moments that Jealousy had produced were also moments where Tarrant could remember her.
One such moment was when he was imprisoned in Red Queens castle. Calling out for Alice, which ever one there was at the time. But then he would call out for Alice Kingsley, Alice Hightopp. Those names he would call out would go unnoticed by his companions.
Another was when he was dying, and the current Alice had given up hope. He was alone and that life, that false life, was fading fast. He called out for Alice as loud as he could, which was barely more than a whisper. But he called out, his voice was rasping. "Mo chroí? Alice? Are you there? Alice, my love, my wife? Please come back to me?" Then he passed on.
That one was heart wrenching for Alice. Alice's life was eternal, but every time Alice watched Tarrant remember and forget, she would die on the inside, because she couldn't die any other way.
You might be wondering how Alice was all these scenes. You see she was being tortured by Jealousy, so anything that had a reflection, the rings that she so desperately wanted destoried, for God knows what reason, hurt her enough, she would dispose of them and they would be gone forever.
As for Alice herself, she very much alone, she lived in the Outlands, didn't make many connections as no one would remember once the story played out. However she didn't isolate herself though. She met different people-at different points in their lives, lived her own life, spend her free time trying to figure out how to reverse Jealousy's curse, helped out at different events in the Outlands but never once became attached to anyone because it hurt too much when she lost them, and never let anyone into her heart, because she no longer possessed, and hadn't for along time, Tarrant did.
She chose the Outlands because Tarrant said that the inscriptions were Outlandish. So, on one of her many private excursions around the Outlands, she met up with an old black smith. That meeting goes like this.
"Excuse me, sir. But may I have a moment of your time?" Alice Hightopp asked. "Of young lady! What is it you need?" The elderly black smith questioned. "Well you see my husband and I got married recently but he was........" Alice didn't know how to continue, tears filled her eyes as she thought of the day it happened. "Taken from you?" The old man suggested. The woman merely nodded her head. "Yes, it is cruel how the world works. My condolences, dear.... However I do not think you came her looking for sympathy, did you?" He asked kindly. Alice shook her head and dried her tears. "No sir, there were inscriptions on the rings. And I was wondering if you could tell me what they mean? I not from around here, and so was unable translate them myself." She said, voice shaking the whole time. "I see, may I have a look?" Alice nodded and removed the ribbon from around her neck. The old man pulled out a pair round, brown rimmed glasses concealed in a small red leather pouch, from the top pocket of his brown leather waistcoat that sat on top of his faded white shirt. Put on the glasses and reading the rings he said, "ah yes! This one says 'mo croí', which means my heart. And this one says 'mo grá', which means my love. Very traditional inscriptions on rings for the weddings of clans, a very well known one being Hightopp. Did you hear Zinc's eldest son Tarrant recently left home?" "Yes, I did." Which was half true, she watched it. The old man then handed her back the rings. "Thank you sir, for telling me what the words ment. Really I should have known, he was quite romantic, my husband.... But anyway how much do I owe you?" "Nothing my dear," Alice was about to protest so he continued with; "because when you came in here you looked as if nothing could ever make you happy again, apart from the man you love. I'm just glad you smiled. For me that is payment enough- no arguing!" Then she laughed and he laughed with her. "You better go have fun now, Alice." That's was when she froze. She had never said her name. She was going to ask how he knew her name, but the old man was already walking away and she saw that there was no point. As he left the room though she noticed a lock of curly orange hair falling out from underneath his straight white hair. This time she was going to say something about it but was already gone. Two years later she still pondered who the old man really was. And she also wondered why he felt so familiar. But as well as all that, she wanted to know why she cared about it.

Sorry that took so long to update, my life is hectic because I was away and stuff like that. I don't think I mentioned that I was at comic con earlier this month, but I'm gonna say it was awesome. As well as that, I saw suicide squad last weekend and I loved it. It gave me some ideas for a fanfic, but we shall see.
The next update will be slow as well because school is back in the morning and homework is gonna pile up about a mile high. Sorry sweeties.
Fair Farren all!