Mad Hatter in Wonderland

Chapter Six

Royally Dirty

"'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'

He chortled in his joy."

Madeline sat with her legs crossed, her breathing hard. She gripped the largest tree – and likely the only – in Wonderland, trying to calm her rapid breathing. Jace was lying at her feet with a face of pure innocence. She wished she hadn't talked herself into going to the tea party, or else this all could've been avoided.

    "Ah, so I'm guessing it didn't go well?"

    She whipped her head around only to get an eye full of Cheshire. His permanent wicked smile caused her to frown. There were times when it was inappropriate to smile, though she knew he couldn't help it sometimes, it just angered her. With a growl, she gritted out, "How do you think it went? Oh, it was jolly fun. That's why Jace is unconscious and my heart is beating a hundred miles per hour."

    Cheshire frowned. "What happened? It couldn't possibly be as bad as the rumors I heard. I heard that you apparently stole – now, that's just a silly idea – the queen's crown and almost made it to the doors if the guards hadn't come in. And when you were to have your head cut off, you'd magically disappeared and escaped." When he earned a sheepish shrug from her, he gasped. "Tell me everything."

    "Well, the first part was absolutely, positively false. I never touched the Queen's crown except for one time when she threw it at me. Jace told me some facts about the Majesties. They're apparently wanted murderers in America, and escaped here to avoid prison. Did you know about it? Oh, and the King started to talk about my father, about him saving me from something with Mad Magic."

    Cheshire's smile wavered. "I guess it is time to tell you the whole truth about your father's death, isn't it? I know I should've told you long ago, but I couldn't put you in moral danger if you knew, because I knew you were. You would want to revenge, and now that you're already in danger, I guess there's no harm in telling."

    Madeline's breathing started picking up speed. "What do you mean by that, Cheshire?"

    "Your father's death was no accident, that is correct. You and I both know that. And yes, indeed it was murder. Murder committed by the Queen and King of Hearts, of Wonderland." That earned a cry from Madeline. "Your father learned about their identities just before your birthday. He had gone to the castle and threatened them. Goodness, that Mad Hatter was certainly mad as could be, but he was the bravest of us all. He stood up for the citizens of Wonderland because he knew we needed better rulers."

    Madeline's hands turned into fists. She fell to her knees and gripped the short patch of grass, pulling as much of it out of the ground as she could. With a screech, she let go of the grass and gripped her hair, pulling at it tightly. Tears streamed down her face, and she relived her father's death all over again.

    Cheshire crawled in front of her, a grin nowhere on his face. In his eyes, for the first time, shone with sadness and grief. He waited until she stopped screaming, her throat hoarse, before snuggling close to her. "He saved you and everyone at the party by using Mad Magic to keep the flames from spreading."

    Her eyes felt swollen, and so she closed them. She felt Cheshire's purr vibrate her side, soothing her. Madeline's breathing and heart started to slow, leaving her feeling on bliss. All her pains started to fade as she fell asleep, with the wind hitting her face softly and the birds chirping their happy tune.