Alice In Wonderland Fan Fiction ❯ Color and Shadow ❯ Madness and Vows ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Laughter. The laughter was back. His mind couldn't handle that anymore, so he descended into madness. The trees would help. They had before. They had stopped all the laughter. He screamed, a very animalistic sound, ducking his head and covering his ears. The ground beneath them rumbled viciously. The earth suddenly exploded upward as tree roots flailed around. Hatter moaned and took off, running for the stables. He had to get home. Nobody ever laughed at him there. Not like this, anyway.

Alice stared in rage at John. He had done that to her Hatter. Made him sound like he was dying. She screamed, losing herself in the madness as she lunged at him. He was already beaten and bruised from what her beloved had done to him, but she clawed and gouged his skin open. Mirana came outside to the hectic scene, Thackery, Mallyumpkin, and the rest of her ladies with her. She froze, fear prompting her to stop breathing as she realized that Hatter was upset. More upset than he'd been in over twenty-five years.

"Enough!" she shrieked, inky clouds dashing out from under her dress and raising her into the air.

The trees stopped and their roots sank down into the ground, but their branches still slammed together. Everybody else in the clearing had stopped, save Alice. Mirana recognized the symptoms and touched down lightly. She grabbed Alice's shoulders and spun her around, slapping her hard.

"Alice! I said that's enough!" Alice's eyes, which had sparkled like they were full of crushed diamonds, dimmed back to her normal blue. She was panting heavily.

"Thank you," she said shakily.

"Where's Tarrant?"

"He ran off that way."

Come, let's get you cleaned up. Hurry!"

Mirana pulled her into her personal rooms and stripped her down. She was put in a multi-shaded blue dress. Then Mirana stripped down. Alice couldn't help but stare. She was so very pale. White, in fact. The only things that stood out were her black nipples. She ducked her head when Mirana looked her way.

"I don't mind dear. Everybody else here paints themselves to look white. My sister and I really are white. But where I am black in places, she is red. She despised her whiteness, and was grateful to have red hair. Me…well, I prefer to be white. It reminds me daily to contain the darkness within me."

"Darkness?"

"Not now dear. We have to go after Tarrant. We're the only two the trees will let through to him."

Mirana put on a loose black dress and swept her hair back. They dashed out through a back entrance and ran to the stables. Alice whistled for the Bandersnatch as Mirana grabbed a black horse. She didn't even bother to put a saddle on it and swung her leg over it as Alice swung hers over the Bandersnatch's back.

"Giddup!" Mirana commanded.

They raced through the streets and just as they got to the gate, there was a flash of brown and one of white. The Dormouse crawled up on Alice's shoulder and Thackery had landed in front of Mirana.

"Keep going, Duff! To the Wandering Woods!" Mirana said then released the reigns. "Get off!"

Thackery caught the reigns. "Neva! It's time our boy gave up his bloody secrets!"

"It isn't my place to let you know, I've told both of you that!" Mirana spat, black eyes gleaming angrily.

"We practically raised 'im!" Mally growled. "You and 'im's been 'iding somethin'! We have a right ta know what it is!"

Mirana growled and reached to shove Thackery off, but the March Hare yelled in triumph.

"Ya daft fool! Ya can't kick me offa the horse until ya stop! Ye'll break yer vows! And I have the reigns! So tha' means Duff'll only listen ta me!"

Mirana yowled in anger. "Give me those!"

They fought hard, Mirana trying not to hurt him, but also trying to get the reigns. Alice glanced at the Dormouse. "What's all this about?"

Mally looked up at her. "You 'eard what I said. 'Atter's been keepin' somethin' a secret. Mirana knows what it is. They won' tell us! We 'ave a right ta know!"

"I want to know, too," Alice said.

"Then we're on the same ground."

Mirana continued to fight until the horse stopped. She then shoved the Hare off and he landed lightly on the ground. The angry queen dismounted, followed by Alice, who held the Dormouse.

"Put her down, Alice. Tarrant is in no mood to deal with them."

"I say let them come. If they really raised him, they might as well know."

Mirana frowned. "Fine, but it is your head, not mine, if Hatter asks."

The trees here had the earth roiling like boiling water. Mirana approached and the trees seemed to get more violent. Roots lunged up and snatched them all. They all froze then immediately set them down. Mirana's mouth dropped open.

"Them? I mean, Alice, certainly, but Thackery and Mally, too?"

There was a hissing noise before the roots pulled away and the trees backed up to reveal a smooth path. They all hurried down it. Everything grew darker the deeper they went. Hours later they stopped.

"This…this is the place I came to in Underland this time. Hatter wouldn't talk about it."

"This desolate place was drearier when the people lived," Mirana said solemnly. "This is Glenochar."

A spark of recognition shot through Alice. "This place is from the Upper World!"

Mally and Thackery turned to stare at her. "What?" Mally asked.

"Glenochar. It disappeared years over thirty years ago in Scotland. It landed here?"

"Hatter knows more about it than I. But yes, it did. Come, we must find Tarrant."

They moved slowly. Mirana's face was very still as they passed a group of children's skeletons. She bit her bottom lip and a tear slipped down her pale face. They all noticed.

"Mirana? Are you all right?" Alice asked gently.

"This place is terrible," she hissed. "So much violence and hatred. They made fun of us for our whiteness. And Tarrant for his colors. We couldn't…It wasn't our…They wouldn't stop! They wouldn't stop!"

Blackness slammed out and the trees shook harder than they already were. Alice was dragged back by the March Hare.

"Careful dearie. The White Queen is very dangerous like this."

"Glaikit hoore!" a Scottish voice suddenly rang out. "Whaddya doin' bringin' others here? Decide ta show meh off and make fun o' meh?!"

"Yer arse and parsley, ya daft bas!" Mirana shrieked.

Thackery and Mally's mouths fell open. "Oh my!" the Hare gasped.

"What? What does that even mean?"

"I can't tell a lady what that means!" Thackery exclaimed.

"She called 'im a liar an' a bastard, in the rudest way possible, mind ya," Mally said, having no such compunctions with that.

"And what did he call her?"

"A stupid whore."

"What language is that?"

"We call it Outlandish," the Hare muttered, flinching as the two people continued to bellow things at each other. "We need to back up. Especially if our wee laddy starts to fight the queen."

As if hearing them, there was a crash behind them and they spun to see a very angry looking Hatter. His eyes were yellow-orange in madness and he stared at them, daring them to laugh. They were too shocked to laugh, not that they would have anyway. They now knew what he'd been hiding. He was shirtless and the colors swirled madly across his skin. When he got no reaction, he shoved past them, heading straight for Mirana.

"No! Tarrant you can't!" the Hare shouted, grabbing his arm. Tarrant spun on him.

"Bloody big ears!" he spat, grabbing his friend up by the ears and throwing him into a tree, knocking the breath out of him.

Mally and Alice didn't dare do more than run for their fallen comrade. All three of them watched in horror as the two began to fight. Viciously. But the strange thing was that dainty little Mirana was dealing just as much damage as she was receiving. There was a sharp whistling noise and a bright flash of black light, which swirled through the rainbow once then everything was deathly still.

Mirana and Hatter were both unconscious. Alice rushed up to her Hatter, but sparks snapped as her hand touched his back. She was shocked violently and screamed. The Hare pulled her back, suffering a nasty shock as well.

"Can ya touch the queen, Mally?" Thackery asked softly.

She skimmed just above her skin. Blackness leaped up to bite at her, red eyes staring out of the smoky substance.

"No, Thack, I can't."

There was the rumble of thunder and rain began pelting down. Alice was torn. She didn't want either of her friends to get wet, but eventually let Thackery pull her into a ruined building. They sat there, shivering and staring at their friends as they were soaked. They were all fascinated by the Hatter's skin, watching the colors ooze around.

"They don't mix," Alice whispered softly.

"Aye," Thackery said.

"Ah think they make 'im look nice," Mally said.

As the rain turned to a light drizzle, Hatter shifted and groaned. He sat up, shaking his head to clear it. He saw Mirana and gasped. He tried to stand, and he collapsed. Alice wanted to run out there to help, but again, the Hare put his hand on her arm and shook his head. Hatter crawled over to Mirana and leaned down, kissing her lips lightly. As he pulled back, they saw a brightly colored flash that passed between them. Mirana gasped and sat up, slamming her head on the multi-colored man's. They both winced.

"Damn," Mirana groaned. "We haven't done that in a while."

"Cursing, Mimi?" Hatter teased.

The White Queen smiled tenderly. "Shut up, Tarrant." She paused. "You're bleeding."

"You are, too."

They stared at each other for a few moments then laughed. They helped each other to stand, wobbling slightly. Mirana frowned, glancing around.

"Where are the others?"

Hatter's eyes widened and he backed away from her. "W-what? Mirana, you didn't."

"I'm sorry, Tarrant."

"Who?" He looked horrified and shaken.

"Alice, Mally, and Thackery."

Hatter shivered. "Alice I can understand. But I thought we agreed about Mally and Thackery."

Alice pulled away from Thackery and hurried out.

"Tarrant, it's my fault! I asked her to let them come."

Hatter jumped and spun to look at her. He suddenly seemed to be trying to shrink away and cover himself with his arms, which didn't matter as they were just as rainbow as his chest and back. Alice reached forward to touch him, and he flinched back.

"Tarrant Hightopp!" Alice snapped. "Get back here."

"How can you even look at me Alice?" Hatter asked brokenly.

"Laddy, what're ya sayin'?" Thackery demanded. "Ya look fine."

"I'm a walking rainbow. How is that fine?" the distraught man demanded.

"We're in Underland, ya big bampot!" Mallyumpkin spat. "Why does it matter?"

"It shouldn't," Mirana said softly. "But he was teased for it. Mercilessly. He was ostracized and beaten and mocked. And they moved in on me as well because I'm 'white as snow.' The names they called us…" She bowed her head and Hatter took her in his arms.

"It's all right, Mimi," he whispered softly. "They can't hurt us anymore."

Alice looked around. "Hatter, Mimi…I mean, Mirana…What happened to this village?"

Both of them got guarded expressions on their faces.

"Come now, Tarrant," Mally said softly, surprising Alice and Mirana. "It's time ya told us what yer 'iding. We love ya. And Mirana, too, though she's tried ta keep us out. Please?"

"You must promise not to hate us," Hatter said after a lengthy pause. "We were only children. We didn't know it could happen."

"We could never hate you," Alice said firmly.

Lightning flashed and the skies opened up again. Hatter looked up and shivered.

"Come on. Let's go to my house."

Mariana strode forward with Hatter and the other three stared in fascination as the trees curled away to form yet another path.

"Why do they do that?" Thackery asked as they hurried to follow them.

"They like me," Hatter said shortly.

"Why?" Alice asked.

"I don't know. They just do. They have since I was born. I learned to speak tree before I learned English or Scottish."

"Scottish?" Mally asked from Alice's shoulder.

"You call it Outlandish."

"They're the same?" Alice asked.

"Yes."

"How did Scottish get down here?"

"There's a rift underneath Scotland," Hatter said, turning to look at her. "It opens randomly. The tunnels underneath lead into the Outlands. The rift opens up and swallows a few people now and then. There was an anomaly the night I was conceived and the rift swallowed Glenochar. According to what the villagers told Arabella and Elowen, they just woke up the next morning and they were here."

"Who're Arabella and Elowen?" Alice asked.

"My dear, deceased mother and father," Mirana said solemnly. "You know something, Tarrant? I never did tell them about what we did."

"They wouldn't have believed it, Mimi," Hatter said softly. "Iracebeth was right. Your parents thought you were perfect."

"My darkness came in later. They thought I was their precious light child. Dark and light, that's what they thought Racy and I were."

"As I have told you many times, there is darkness and light in each of us, Mirana," the Hatter said firmly. "You choose to be light. You've taken a vow because of what we did."

Alice suddenly grabbed the White Queen's pale arm. "Mirana, your vow!"

Mirana turned and looked at Alice. "What about it?"

"You hurt Tarrant! He's bleeding from what you did."

"Oh, that. Tarrant has agreed that he is an exception to my vow. We performed the counter to my vow so I may hurt him whenever I please. We have an agreement."

"Ah don't understand," Thackery said. "Why would ya agree ta tha' laddy? No offense ta the queen, but there are rumors about her power. Her vows are supposed ta keep people safe. Is it wise ta be out o' tha' protection?"

"I'm the only one left alive who's truly seen her power, Thackery. I know what I'm doing. She needs release every once in a while. So we sneak off to Glenochar and fight it out. My madness keeps me safe."

"We both end up with injuries," Mirana said lightly. "But we go to Hatter's house and treat them."

"Speaking of home," Hatter said as they came into the clearing with his house. "Oh! It's a bolt of lightning now! And my house is purple! How delightful."

"So this is where ya live!" Mally said excitedly.

"You've never been here?" Alice asked in shock.

"No, lassie. Hatter and his secrets kept us away," Thackery said.

"Come on, Mimi. We need to sew up your wounds."

"Yours are still bleeding, too," Mirana said.

Hatter tickled the doorknob and the door opened. He ushered them in and shut the door behind him. Within a minute he had retrieved a sewing kit and settled on the couch. Mirana looked at the Hare and the Dormouse hesitantly then stripped out of her dress. The wounds were horrific in some places. Hatter had her turn then chose the worst wound and began to stitch. There was silence until he was done with her.

"There you are, Mimi," Hatter said cheerfully. "All better."

He moved to put the sewing kit away, but Mirana stopped him. "Your turn, Tarrant."

He shifted uncomfortably. "I'll survive."

Mirana growled. "Now."

Hatter frowned and handed her the needle. She stitched up everything she could see then arched an eyebrow, gesturing at his pants.

"No, Mirana."

"I'm not asking, Tarrant."

"I don't care. Besides I'm not hurt anywhere below the waist."

"What's wrong?" Alice asked. "Aren't we your friends?"

"He's just embarrassed because you'll see that the colors are everywhere," Mirana said.

"Shut up!" Hatter spat.

"No."

In a fit of madness, Hatter slapped her hard then ran for his room, slamming the door. He curled up on the bed, staring at his skin. Oh how he hated it! It was a hatred unrivaled by anything but his love for his Alice and his family. His real family, not the humans that had raised him the first seven years of his life. Thackery and Mally. They had taken him in, a stranger that they didn't even know, whose emotions were bottled up until they exploded out in a burst of madness that left bones and glass broken. He sobbed softly. He had kept his secret for so long. So very long. He knew that they deserved to know. But the laughter burst into his head, taunting voices that screamed at him that his colors were shameful. What was he to do?

Hours later, the March Hare knocked gently on the door. He and Mally slowly slipped in and stared at the lump under the blankets. The Hare shut the door and quietly walked over to him.

"Laddy, supper's almost ready," he said as he gently shook him.

"Go away. I'm not hungry," came the response.

"Come now. Ya haven't eaten since this mornin'. Food will do ya some good."

"Go away."

Mally bristled and leapt onto his shoulder. "Get up, ya great lug, or I'll stick ya!"

"Go away."

"I'm warnin' ya, 'Atter!" Mally growled.

"Go. Away."

True to her word, Mallyumpkin slammed her hatpin down into Hatter's arm. He yelped and sat up, tugging the pin out and glaring at her.

"Yer a right pain in the arse, Mally."

"Well, ya can't bloody well 'ide in 'ere all day. Just like when ye was a boy!" the Dormouse raged. "We couldn't getcha outta tha' room if ya were upset! Now yer a grown man and yer behavin' like that seven-year-old terror that we was introduced ta!"

Hatter blinked at her and both of his friends were alarmed to see tears glitter in his now dark blue eyes.

"I-I'm sorry," he said, looking away. "I just…how can you love me? I mean, I'm a freak. I shouldn't be alive. The villagers made that very clear."

"Laddy," Thackery said softly, hopping up to sit beside him. "We don't give a damn about ya bein' colorful. In fact, Ah think it fits ya quite nicely. Don't believe a word tha' them daft Upper Worlders said about ya. Yer our Tarrant, our Hatter, and we love ya just the same. Understand?"

"I…I think so. But you will have to understand, too. It took me a few years to really be comfortable baring my skin to Mirana. It might be the same for the both of you. And Alice, for that matter."

"We can deal with it," Mally said as Hatter handed her the pin. "Now, come an' eat. Ya look famished."

"I could use a bite," the man admitted. He stood and looked toward his closet. After a long pause he shrugged and walked out the door, very uncomfortable about being shirtless. Alice made a dash toward him.

"Hatter! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Alice. Or I will be. But really, let's eat."

They sat and began to eat their meal. They had fresh bread and butter and many other good things. There was suddenly a purring noise and the Cheshire cat appeared holding a very familiar looking hat.

"Drop something, Tarrant?"

"Oh, yes. Set it in my room, would you?"

"Certainly." He was back in under thirty seconds. "I see your secret's out."

"Yes, Chess."

"You haven't forgotten our deal, now, have you?"

"No, Chess. I remember it quite well."

"Deal?" Mally asked suspiciously.

"I'm not allowed to discuss it. I made a vow. Not even Mirana knows," Hatter said.

"Well if ya've made a vow, laddy, then there's nuthin' ta be done," the Hare said sensibly.

"Why are you here, Chessur?" Mirana asked.

"To bring you news. Now that the trees have calmed down, your people are looking for you."

"Tell them I should return tomorrow afternoon," Mirana said.

"Very well. Goodbye and goodnight, Tarrant. And to the rest of you."

With that, he disappeared. Hatter cleaned the dishes from the table and straightened the chairs, very aware of the eyes that were on him. He finally couldn't take it and spun around.

"Why are you staring?" he asked.

"Do they always move?" Thackery asked.

"What?"

"The colors."

"Oh. Yes. Unless I purposefully tell them to stop. But it takes too much energy to do that all day. Now please stop staring. It makes me uncomfortable."

Alice walked over and lightly touched him. Her fingers had landed on a spot of dark blue, which promptly stopped moving. She looked into the Hatter's eyes.

"Tarrant, I think you're beautiful."

Tarrant froze and stared at her. "I…I don't know what to say. Even Mirana has never said that to me."

"Well it's the truth."

Hatter's eyes searched hers, and he was confused. Alice snorted and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Since you clearly don't understand, I shall have to kiss the sense into you."

With that, she brought their lips together. Hatter froze, his mind reeling. He'd gone mad. Absolutely off the deep end. There was no way Alice would kiss him and call his oddity beautiful. But he'd be damned if he didn't live out the hallucination properly. He pressed himself against her and kissed her back until they needed air. Alice looked shy as she pulled back, her cheeks red. Hatter just stared dumbly at her.

"You know, Mirana. I've gone mad. Well and truly this time," he said, his voice sounding strange.

"We're all mad, Tarrant," she said with a smile.

"Well, Tarrant," Mally said importantly. "Yer quite the picky sort when it comes ta women."

"What?" he asked, shaking his head to clear it and looking up at her.

"Yeah, laddy," Thackery snickered. "Ya waited fer the Champion of Underland!"

The Hatter blinked. "Well, I could have had Mirana instead."

"What?" Alice asked, looking hurt. "But you said you were just good friends."

"We are. Nothing happened, dear," Mirana said. "But it could have."

"But he kissed you earlier."

"Oh, well he had to wake me up."

"With a kiss?"

"It's a rather tricky subject, Alice," Hatter said with a shrug. "It has to do with what happened in Glenochar."

"Ah, now tha's somethin' we're all interested in," Thackery said. "So why don't you tell us what happened?"

"I'm afraid we won't do that," Hatter said, and Mirana nodded.

"But you promised!" Mally gasped.

"No, we did not."

"You promised me, Tarrant," Alice said fiercely.

"Then I shall just have to break that promise," Hatter said, going over to a cabinet and pulling out a vial.

"How dare you!" Alice spat, but Hatter uncorked the bottle and turned it upside down. She gasped as the water floated there. "What?"

"They ain't gonna tell us," Thackery gasped.

"But—" Alice and Mally started at the same time.

"They're gonna show us."

"What?"

"Tha's not just any water. Tha's memory pool water. We're gonna be sucked inta their memories," Thackery said with a nod. "My question is where'd ya get tha water?"

"I know where a few memory pools are," Tarrant said. "Now remember your promise to not be angry at us. Ready, Mimi?"

She swallowed and nodded. They both held hands and swirled their free hands through the water.