My first Alice in Wonderland fic! I had a dream about the Mad Hatter and Alice together and it made him seem less mad so, I thought I'd put in a character that was permanently mad.

She ran through the woods around Marmoreal as he followed, giggling in fun-filled pursuit. Her blonde curls flew behind her as she ran, his hat clutched in her hand. She rounded a cherry blossom tree, gasping as she tripped on the thick roots. She tumbled to the ground, hat flying out of her grasp.

'Stop! Tarrant, wait!' She yelled too late as he went tumbling on top of her, landing in a very compromising situation.

'Oof! Oh, sorry there.' Tarrant said, rolling off of Alice quickly, cheeks reddening. She laughed at him as she picked up his hat, brushing the dirt off of it before placing it on his head.

Thank goodness, it didn't take long for Tarrant to confess his feelings to her, courtesy of his rants. It just came blurting out and he wasn't sure she would accept him but she did! And very delightfully agree to let him court her. He struggled to reign in those disgusting, slurvish Thoughts. Alice expected him to be a gentleman!

But of course, that was not at all what she wanted, quite the contrary. But she would never say so, it would be most unladylike. Tarrant never suspected she would be so…wantful of him.

'There you go! How's about a new game now. I have one! It's very simple, hardly any rules.' Alice said, stepping into his arms snuggly.

The hatter smiled down at his Champion. He had never been in love before and was far less experienced than Alice, though he did a far better job than a beginner in Alice's opinion.

'And what game is that, lassie?' He smiled, Scottish accent taking over his last words as his clear green eyes went purple.

'This one.' Alice said, pressing her lips to his. Tarrant's eyes closed instantly, savoring the taste of his lady. She tasted like muchness and the strawberry tea he made especially for her this morning.

'That's my favorite game.' He muttered as she pulled away.

He ripped opened his eyes as a terrified scream pierced the air. It was not the first time he'd heard it but it certainly was Alice's. Her first instinct was to hold on tight to her hatter but as soon as she gathered herself, she grabbed his hand and began to run towards the White Queen's castle.

'Alice darling, where are you going?' He asked, running along to keep up.

'That scream. Sounded scared. Someone must be. In trouble.' Alice said in short breaths as she focused on finding out what was wrong.

The hatter shook his head. Whatever that scream was, it gave him a strange feeling he didn't like. Then Alice along with Tarrant was jerked sideways into the bushes. They tumbled to the ground for the second time that day and looked up at none other than the worried face of the White Queen, Mirana.

'Mirana, what's wrong? Where are the screams coming from?' Alice shot at her immediately.

'I was afraid you would ask that. When she screamed I heard you two running in the woods so I came to stop you before you burst into the castle. Now, I must ask that you both come with me.' She said, pulling Tarrant and Alice to the back of the castle.

Leaves lay scattered on the ground everywhere, Mirana knelt down and brushing away some dirt, there was what looked like a very old trapdoor. Mirana flipped it open and climbed down into the dark hole.

'Follow me, please.' Her voice echoed.

Tarrant lowered Alice into the hole and then followed in himself, closing the door behind him. It was completely dark and the hatter had a sinking feeling there was a very big secret the queen had hidden from them. Mirana lighted the torches with a click of her fingers, revealing a long stairway.

'I'm very sorry you're only finding out now. Most of Underland think the screams come from ghosts. Mally, McTwisp, Absolem, the Tweedles and the rest of our friends know who I'm hiding. I feared it would shock you too much, Tarrant.' Mirana said, slightly more calm now as the three of them walked up the stairway.

'Who is she?' Alice asked, holding Tarrant's hand tightly.

'After we banished my sister, Bayard reported that there was still a little girl captive there. I went with Mally and the Tweedles to rescue her and I found the poor thing half dead. She asked me on the way back to the castle if she would be placed in the dungeons.' Mirana said, a fond expression in her eyes.

'Why ever would she ask such a thing?' Tarrant asked, anger clouding his features. Only the Red Queen would be so cruel to a mere child.

'She was so ashamed to say it out loud, because the Red Queen was her mother.' Mirana said before she had to stop. Alice stumbled back shock but Tarrant caught her in time. The Royal Hatter looked up at his queen darkly.

'You mean to tell us. There is a little tyrant at the top of these stairs?' Tarrant said.

'No! She is nothing like her mother. In fact, Iracebeth was the one who placed her in the dungeons as soon as she was old enough to walk. She beheaded the young girl's father when she found Stayne.'

Stayne isn't the father? Then who?' Alice squealed.

'Actually it was her hatter. The only Hightopp she didn't kill. Your cousin, Tarrant.' Mirana said, hanging her head in shame. She knew she should have told him, there was still one member of his family left alive now.

'She's a Hightopp, my family but she's also…' Tarrant stuttered.

'Her name is Pamina and she takes me as her mother. She is nothing at all like Racie! You'd be pleased at how similar she is to you, Tarrant. And only you and Alice would truly understand her.' Mirana ranted.

'I don't understand.' Tarrant said, confused but relieved there would be no new dictator.

'She's quite the young hat maker, her father had the chance to teach her before…well…yes and sometimes even I can't understand her. She's quite mad.' Mirana smiled.

'I must meet her then.' Tarrant said, eyes sparkling at the word 'mad'.

'She would be your…niece. Not at all a distant family member.' Alice said smilingly as she elbowed him lightly.

'Family!' Tarrant chirped happily in response.

'Here we are. Wait here for a moment please.' Mirana said, grinning before she slipped in between the large mahogany door. Not 2 seconds later, there was a squeal.

'Mother!' The squeal said, there was a pitter patter of tiny feet and the sound of light chains.

'Hello, sweet one!' Mirana said, laughing.

'Sorry about the screams , mother. I had the most awful dream, and she was there again, even though I know she's gone now but I saw her on the balcony holding an axe and daddy was there and he was waving goodbye and then she-'

'Pamina.' Mirana said, gently.

'- Yes. Sorry. I'm fine.' Pamina choked.

Alice giggled silently, poking Tarrant in the ribs knowingly.

'You know you are a lot like…'

'Uncle Tarrant?' Pamina interrupted.

Tarrant beamed behind the door, his smile stretching incredibly wide.

'Yes! How did you know?' Mirana asked surprised.

'Daddy said so a lot! He missed his family and he said Uncle Tarrant was the only one still alive after the big ugly dragon!' Pamina said.

Alice let slip a laugh at her reference to the Jabberwocky and that was all it took. Inside the room, both of them went silent for completely different reasons.

'Hello? Did you bring someone Mother?' Pamina whispered.

Before Mirana could utter another word, the hatter walked into the room, pulling Alice with him. He smiled at the sight before him. Mirana sat on a small fluffy bed beside a little red-haired girl with matching shades of red make-up on her white skin. She wore a tiny white and red hat, sewed with ribbons and a tattered 10/6 card tucked in. She had dark brown eyes, much like his cousin which promptly changed to emerald green when she caught sight of Tarrant and Alice.

'Visitors!' She squealed, clapping her tiny hands as she jumped off the bed and ran towards them.

5 feet later, she tripped and fell to the ground with a tiny 'oh'. She rolled over, face up and giggled hysterically as Alice came over to help her up. She took Alice's hand, sitting up, giggling still.

'Silly me! I forgot!' She said, shaking the chain on her feet. The cuff was loose on her ankle and the chain was smaller than average but it was solid and very much there.

'You're chained!' Alice said disbelievingly as the hatter gasped.

'I asked for them! Mother didn't like it but I did break the table once and what if Mally or Chessur had been here. I don't want to hurt them.' Pamina said, eyes shading back to brown.

'What makes you think you'll hurt them?' Mirana said, exasperated.

'I told you, mother. I'm mad. How unfortunate, I can't help it.' Pamina said, smiling but her eyes changed into a heartbreaking blue.

'Yes. I'm afraid you are, completely mad, perfectly bonkers.' Alice said, turning to Tarrant. He smiled as he knelt down to Pamina's height, the words already on his lips.

'But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.' Tarrant said, grinning at her madly.