Untitled

By: Devilish Apples

Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland, nor the characters there in. I however very much enjoy the story and this is my take on it.

Chapter One

Dreams and Reality

"Alice, who's to decide which is reality and which is the dream?" Hatta said with a half grin.

I looked up at him, and passed him to his family glad that I was able to help reunite them. However my heart was heavy and a lump clogged my throat blocking the words I wanted to tell them, the words I needed to tell him. I gave a shaky nod and turned toward the looking glass in the middle of times castle and moved toward it. Hatta's hand shot out and grabbed my arm half turning me back to him, I looked at his face searchingly but he just smiled again and let go his fingertips trailing down my arm to my wrist.

"I'll never forget you Tarrant Hightopp," I said as steadily as I could before taking a breath and stepping through the looking glass.

"Alice! Alice Kingsliegh!" A voice called.

I blinked into the harsh sun reflecting off the ocean before me and shoved the memories to the back of my mind. "Yes?" I asked a bit confused as I stared blankly at mother and Mr. Harcourt.

"Alice my dear, we're pulling into port. I believe I can see Margret and the children on the docks, and Mr. Harcourt is waiting for your final orders about securing our cargo and finalizing the plans while the crew is on leave. "Helen said eying her daughter worriedly.

"Ah… yes my apologizes. I fear I was gathering wool; I'm just so excited about returning home. "I said without actually feeling anything at all except for a dull heavy feeling in my chest. It had been five years since mother and I had started Kingsliegh and Kingsliegh and adventuring the world had begun to lose its appeal. And lord help me I had started wondering if I should find someone to settle down with, though the thought still made me slightly nauseous. I turned to Mr. Harcourt "James please make sure to meet with the dock master and pay our mooring fees. Then meet with Nivers at the Whistling Dobin for disbursement and sale of our cargo. Then head to the offices and make sure the crew receives their wages. We shall sale for Australia within a months' time. Make sure the Wonder is stocked with new cargo for sale and trade."

"Aye Captain," James said he gave me one last worried look before turning away to give orders to the crew as we pulled closer to the docks.

I noticed mother giving me the same worried look and forced a smile to my lips. "I'm fine really mother, it's been a long voyage and I'm exhausted and just want to get off the rocking ship for a while."

Helen smoothed down her daughter's short blonde ringlets, "I agree dear. I believe time with Margret and the children will be good for us. And yes maybe even time with Lowell." She said wrinkling her nose slightly.

"Heaven forbid that Lowell becomes pleasant," I said laughing and then kissed mother's cheek before turning and heading for the captain's cabin to retrieve some items for our stay ashore.

Helen watched Alice go then turned and scanned the people on the docks again, waving at her grandchildren and older daughter. In the five years since they had founded their company they had been insanely successful, Ascot shipping had taken a downward turn due to losing half their fleet to weather and pirates. And of course the superior business quality of Kingsleigh and Kingsleigh, however Helen knew that Alice was plagued by dreams and that she wasn't as content as she pretended to be.

The haul of the Wonder scraped along the docks, and Helen watched as the gangplank was lowered perhaps she would offer to make the next voyage on her own. In the five years she had been in business she had become almost as good a sailor as Alice. Yes, maybe she would give her daughter an extended vacation and rest period. Nodding to herself Helen patted her own long blonde ringlets back into the coif and turned smiling at Alice as she emerged from the cabin their bags in hand.

"It's good to be home," she said linking her arm through Alice's'

"Indeed." I agreed and together walked down the gangplank towards Margret and her children.

Underland

"Tarrant, the White Queen wishes to see us at the palace." Zanik said entering their family's hat shop.

Hatta turned from the window and blinked at his father, before giving him a wide grin. "Of course father, let me gather our things and we'll be off." He said and turned his shoulders slumping slightly as he began to gather materials and various items of their trade. As always he forced his mind from thoughts of Alice and what she might be doing now. The skin around his eyes darkened slightly at the thought and his hair begun to lose its orange hue.

"Tarrant?" His father asked noticing the changes with a worried look.

"I'm fine father, honest." Hatta said as he closed his satchel and picked his hat up off a counter placing it on his head.

Zanik opened his mouth to say something then shook his head and nodded, "of course Tarrant. I have the horses out front."

Hatta followed his father from the shop stopping to kiss his mother and sister on the cheek before mounting the fine white horse and taking the reins. His father followed suit and together they turned their mounts toward Marmoreal. As their horses covered the ground to Marmoreal, Hatta let his mind begin to wonder into the past again his eyes taking on a slight yellowish hue and his surroundings fading around him.

Zanik rode alongside his son chewing on his bottom lip; he knew what had Tarrant so distracted. It was the same thing or same person that had caused the distraction for the past five years, Alice Kingsleigh. The top worlder that had left shortly after the Hightopp family had been reunited. Zanik had not actually spoken with the girl, but he had witness Tarrant and her separation. It seemed to him like there were a lot of unsaid things between the two young people. However Alice was gone, more than likely never to return and Zanik felt it was his job to ensure his son's happiness no matter what it took. He continued to study Tarrant all the way to the Marmoreal castle court yard where they were met by Merrick the White King.

"Your Highness," Zanik said doffing his hat and bowing low at the waist.

Tarrant did the same though his actions were stiff as was the smile that was plastered to his face, though his eyes had returned to their lime green color at least.

The White King waved off the formality and offered Zanik his hand, which the older hatter clasped gratefully, "we were summoned by the Queen." Zanik started only to be interrupted by the screams of children and sound of pounding footsteps on the marbled walk way. He turned to see two children one boy and one girl launch themselves at Tarrant.

"Hatta! Hatta!" They screamed scrambling over the fallen Tarrant as one bounced on his chest and the other pulled on his frazzled red hair. Zanik while concerned for his son's scalp and hearing not to mention his breathing was relieved to say the least that his son was at last showing a genuine smile as the children pummeled him.

The White King watched his offspring for a moment then clapped his hands, "enough Zoey, Byron. Let poor Hatta get off the ground."

The two children which were twins sighed and gave their father a wounded look but dutifully climbed from the fallen hat maker and waited until he stood and brushed his clothing off before each grabbed one of his hands. "Hatta come play with us!"

Tarrant smiled down at the twins, one as pale as their parents the other disturbingly close in color to their Aunt. "Your mother has summoned me whelps, however we can play later."

Zanik paused only a moment before saying, "Tarrant why don't you watch after the prince and princess. I can more than handle the business for which we were summoned."

Tarrant searched his father's face then nodded slowly; the children screamed and pulled him off in the opposite direction from the king and his father.

"So now perhaps you will tell us your true reason for coming here Zanik," The king said as they turned and headed for the receiving chamber off the throne room. "I must say that Mirana and I are both curious."

Zanik took a deep breath and replaced his hat on his head following the king into the room; he bowed low to the Queen. "Your majesty, I apologize for the forwardness of asking for an audience on short notice."

"Nonsense Zanik," Queen Mirana said waving him to a chair across from hers, as the king took up one next to her and placed his hand on her knee. "How is it that we can be of help to you dear hatter."

Zanik took a deep breath looked at his hands which were clasped between his knees then back at the king and queen, "its Tarrant. He's most unhappy and has been since Alice Kingsleigh left, though he tries well enough to hide it from everyone."

Mirana and Merrick looked at each other and nodded ever so slightly, "we have noticed the Hatta's mood swings in the past few years. What do you propose Zanik Hightopp?"

Zanik swallowed then cleared his throat, "well…."

London – Two weeks later

"You have got to be daft, completely bonkers…" I said staring at mother, Margret and James.

"Now Alice," Margret said holding out a cup of tea to her sister. "All we're suggesting is maybe you take a sabbatical and allow mother and James to run the next voyage. You have been working yourself to the bone for the past five years, and all of us can tell that you're unhappy."

I opened my mouth to argue with them, but they were right. But still taking a sabbatical wouldn't solve anything, nothing would. I had made my choice and now, well now I would live with it. The only thing that kept me mostly sane is work, why was it so hard for them to understand that?

"Alice my love, we're only telling you to take a year off," Helen said placing her hand on my shoulder.

"You don't understand," I said starting to feel the choking tightness of panic and hysteria in my throat. "I have to work." I squeezed out around the growing lump.

Helen looked at me and shook her head slightly, "I was asking you Alice. Now seeing your reaction… I'm telling you. Take a year off."

My mouth dropped open as I stared at my mother, "You have got to be joking. You can't do that."

Helen gave a half grin though a look of steel was in her grey blue eyes, "Not even the slightest bit of a joke. And yes my dear I can, as your business partner and more importantly your mother I can very rightfully tell you to stay home."

I snapped my mouth shut looked at the three people most dear to me ground my teeth and fled the room, I burst from the front entrance of my sister's home and rushed down the steps my feet tangling in the fabric of my skirts. "Damn and blast, ridiculous women's garments. How I miss the freedom of my trousers on the ship." I muttered to myself. Finally freeing my legs of the skirts I hurdled on onto my horse and with a snap of the reins tore off like the devil was chasing me down the street.

After a while I veered my mount into the gate of Hyde park then spurred it again flying over the paths and around the slower morning traffic, the wind ripped at the intricate hair style and flimsy riding hat that Margret had placed on my head earlier that morning, I rode until my horse was blowing and foaming sweat covered it's deep brown coat then I slowed him to a stop and looked around my eyes blurred with tears. I had ridden deep into the wooded area of the park. I slid from the horse and let my legs collapse out from underneath me burying my face in my folded arms and inhaling the turgid scent of earth and grasses.

"Ah Hatta, they don't understand that if I stop the pace I work at, that I'll dream of you…" I half sobbed into the moist earth.

And then as if from a long forgotten memory a voice came to my tired ears, "And if you did would that be so bad, you stupid girl?"

And my mind filled with a fog so thick I could no longer think of anything.

Chapter one done!

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