Alice's Life in Wonderland

Chapter Fourteen - Hatter's Proposal

A week after Hatter's confession, the two went the Cardplays Lagoon after supper. The view was magical. The lagoon rippled gently as the moon reflected on its surface. A kiosk was built near the lagoon, and a bridge over it.

"I used to play with my siblings there," pointed Hatter towards the kiosk. "We loved to climb up to the top, and look at the stars and constellations up high."

"I'd like to try too..." murmured Alice.

"I could teach you."

"Really?"

"Of course, darling."

The two scrambled up, and as Alice positioned herself, she looked up.

"Wow!"

"Wonderful, isn't it?"

"Very, very."

The stars shone like diamonds in the darkest caves and they formed beautiful patterns across the sky.

"Look! A shooting star!" cried Alice. "Let's make a wish!"

She closed her eyes and clasped her hand together.

"Oh, Matthew. It's wonderful! What did you wish for... oh!"

A boxed like object fell out from Hatter's pocket at rolled on the grass.

"I'll go and pick that up."

"No, Alice! Don't!"

But his warning was too late and Alice had already landed on the ground and picked up the box. But the box opened itself and the contents rolled onto the ground.

"What is it?" she wondered as she picked up the shimmering object in the grass.

She gasped as she saw what it was.

Hatter stood next to her, red in face.

"You like it?"

"It's beautiful."

"I'm sure you do, I've spent the whole week finding it."

"That's why you were absent in the evenings."

"Yes."

"Do you mean to propose to me?"

"I... err... yes."

"Oh Matthew! You wicked boy!" she cried and embraced him tightly.

"May I have my answer now?"

"Yes, and yes!"

Matthew Hatter slipped the little ring on Alice's dainty finger. The ring had little golden vines wrapped around it and instead of a diamond, it bore a flower made of gold and her birthstone upon it.

"When then?" asked Alice as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Six months, I promise."

"Really?"

"Yes, six months."

"Oh, I'm so glad."

"And so am I."

Alice gave him a small kiss and giggled like a schoolgirl.

"Why now? We've only confessed for a week, Matthew."

"Because we have been in love more than that duration of time, Alice. I just couldn't wait presenting it to you properly, and at the right time."

"Speaking of time, what's the time?"

"Half past nine."

"Dear me!"

"What?"

"The kettle, I was boiling water."

Hatter gave a hearty laugh and led his bride to be back to the woods.

"We'll go back, and we'll take it off the stove."

"Why must it be 'we'?"

"It's going to 'we' anyway, sooner or later."

As they left, a dark figure rose from behind the bushes.

"Now those two are madly in love, how romantic," the dark figure whispered to herself. She emerged to the moonlight, and reflected her green skin. Her eyes flared with purple flames.

"Matthew Hatter, see how much you can live, sooner or later. Your life will end as bad as your brother's, no doubt. For I'm about to get rid of every last Hatter in this world. Wait until I tell Queen Flo, and she'll be the start of my plan. My plan of killing you."

She gave a last evil cackle and disappeared into the darkness.