Adventures in Otherlands: Neverland (2/3), Alice in Wonderland
The boat was magnificent, even for Marmoreals’s standards. The giant vessel looked like it can been cut out of the whitest ivory, adorned with intricate carvings of chess pieces on the bough of the ship. It could easily carry a company of several hundred card soldiers and chess pieces, far more than the few dozen travelers it would transport on this occasion. The boat’s name--Hope--was etched on its side in perfect Marmoreal scrawl.
“It’s beautiful,” Alice breathed, unable to take her eyes off the ship as Mirana approached her and the others in her traveling party.
“Yes, the Hammerhead sharks finished placing the last nail just as the sun was rising.” Mirana looked at Alice who was now frowning. “Is there something wrong?”
Alice pulled her gaze from the vessel to face the White Queen. “Where on the ship’s sails?”
Mirana shook her head slightly in confusion and she exchanged a questioning glance with Tarrant. One look at his befuddled face told the White Queen he was unfamiliar with the word as well. “Sails?”
Alice nodded. “Yes, sails.” She gestured widely with her hands. If the Champion was attempting to do a magic trick, it must have failed because nothing appeared.
Mirana studied her Champion’s empty hands before asking, “You use these ‘sails’ in Overland in travel by boat?”
“Yes, don’t you?”
Mirana shook her head. “It would seem as if there is one more thing that is different about out worlds. Tell me, what do these sails look like?”
“They are very large pieces of material--”
“A coat for a boat!” laughed Mirana.
Tarrant clapped his hands. “Excellent rhyme, your Majesty!”
She curtsied as Alice shook her head. “No, it’s not a coat. You raise them on the mast. The sails then catches the wind and moves the boat forward.”
Tarrant’s brow furrowed. “Trusting the wind? It’s almost as fickle as Time.”
Alice nodded. “Yes, well, you can’t very well row a boat of that size without an enormous crew.”
Tarrant giggled. The idea of the Queen’s chess piece soldiers rowing such a huge ship was Mad, even to him! “Of course not! That’s why we have horses to pull us.”
Alice’s eyebrows rose. Her curiosity was impossible to miss. “What kind of horses can run on water?” she wondered aloud.
“Sea horses, of course! Ya have those in Overland, don’t ya?” asked Mally from Tarrant’s shoulder.
“We most certainly do!” argued Alice. She turned towards the ocean as the sound of roaring water rushed towards them. Mouth agape, she watched as eight figures that resembled horses emerged from the water. Once they were fully formed, they trotted towards the ship. “But, nothing like that!”
Mirana approached the sea creatures. She gently touched the misty mane of the horse closest to her. “Thank you for taking my Champion and her companions on such short notice.”
The sea horse nuzzled her hand. “It is our pleasure, your Majesty.” Then he and the other horse bowed down together. Several of the White Knights came forward and started attaching the bridles to the horses.
Mirana smiled gratefully then turned to the waiting party. “Your journey awaits.”
Alice adjusted her white tunic and straightened her back. She nodded towards Tarrant, Mally and Chess, who just appeared out of thin air. “We’re ready.”
Sever dozen members of the White Army marched up the steep ramp. Tarrant and Mally, closely followed by a floating Chess, went next. Finally, Alice stood in front of Mirana alone.
The White Queen sensed Alice’s nervousness. She reached out and caressed her cheek like a mother would to comfort her daughter. “You will do fine. Never forget about your Muchness, Champion.”
A genuine smile passed over Alice’s lips. “I won’t.”
Mirana took a step back. “Fairfarren, Alice.”
“Fairfarren, your Majesty.”
With a determined step, Alice climbed up the ramp. She didn’t turn around and face the pier; instead she turned to the north towards Neverland. For several seconds, a blissful serenity swirled around her.
It was, however, disrupted when a certain Hatter cleared his throat from behind her.
Alice turned to face him questioningly.
“The horses are waiting for your instruction,” he explained quietly.
It was quite different than how Absolem had told them thing were aboard the Wonder! There Alice had virtual no say whatsoever. Once the trading vessel left out, it didn’t matter that she was Lord Ascot’s apprentice or Charles Kingsleigh’s daughter, she was only seen as a woman. An annoyance or a distraction depending on which man one asked.
She faced the watery steeds and remained silent for several seconds. Why it almost seemed as if she didn’t know what to say to them! Finally, she spoke, her voice loud and firm. “Please take us to Neverland.”
The horses whinnied and started running away from the dock. To Alice’s delight, they started moving the giant vessel forward.
A smile grew of Tarrant’s face as he watched Alice marvel. He moved to step beside her. “When we return, you must tell me about these sails. Were they colorful?”
“The sails? No.” Alice shook her head. “But some of the flags I saw during my travels were quite beautiful.”
They stood there quietly for several minutes, watching the shores of Underland fade away, before Chess floated their way. “Has the Champion though of how she intends on securing the treaty with the Neverlandians?”
“Not yet,” she admitted.
“Are you gettin’ curious as to what she might do?” Tarrant asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.
If Chess was offended by the Hatter’s remark, he made no outwards signs of it. It anything, the feline looked almost disappointed by his dig. “Tsk, tsk, Tarrant. You should know that I am quite aware if what such a thing can do to a cat.” He stretched out his paws. “I was merely trying to assist in her quest.”
“Usually, help comes in the form of answers, not questions,” countered Tarrant.
“And yet, my method seems to have worked.” He nodded towards Alice who had become lost in thought.
*******
Four days later, Alice looked out and saw something she had never seen during all of her journeys in Overland: the end of the ocean.
There was no shore. There was no canal. The water just seemed to drop off in midair.
Alice looked ahead and gasped. “Tarrant, we’re at the end of the world!”
“Our world, yes,” he agreed, moving to stand next to her. “How else would we got to another?”
“Is the fall far?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But we shall find out together.”
“Not me,” Chess said from behind them. “Sea water does dreadful things to my fur. I will meet you Over There.”
“Of all the slurvish things--”
Alice gently placed her hand on his coat sleeve, calming him. “I can’t say I blame him,” she said, eying the water’s ledge. “It does look rather dangerous.”
“I wouldn’t worry about our safety, Alice. You are the Queen’s Champion. Underland is indebted to you for ridding our world of the Jabberwocky. We will be fine.” He swallowed at the edge came closer. “I hope.”
Mally scurried up Tarrant and lifted up his hat. She ducked underneath it. “I can always use this to float ashore if it flies off your head!”
Tarrant frowned at the thought--losing his hat!
Alice reached out and held the ship’s railing securely in one hand. Tarrant slipped his hand in her other hand.
“Hang on!” the lead Sea Horse called out.
It seemed as though for several seconds the boat seemed to float in midair. Maybe the drop wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Then, they started plummeting to the unseen ocean of Neverland.
Alice let out a gasp of alarm; Tarrant’s eyes grew black in fear. Alice squeezed his hand. “It will be alright, remember?”
It was difficult for him to believe Alice’s words. Her hair was whipping around her face violently, her voice held little Muchness.
And the boat still hadn’t landed.
Mally gave Tarrant’s hair a tug. “How much longer?” she cried, her voice muffled under Tarrant’s hat which had miraculously managed to stay on his head during the drop.
Tarrant risked a look off the side of the boat and suddenly wished he hadn’t. The ocean--Neverland’s ocean-- was close. Too close! “Not much,” he answered weakly.
Alice followed his gaze. Her body tensed, prepared for the impact of their landing.
But it never came.
Instead, the freefall from Underland slowed down the closer they got to the surface of the ocean. They drifted down the last dozen meters, landing on the ocean with a weak splash.
Tarrant beamed. Alice grinned. Mally, who emerged from the safety of Tarrant’s hat, let out a sigh. “That went a might better than what I was expectin’!”
Alice leaned over the side of the boat and checked on the sea horses. “Are you alright?”
The horses let out a chorus of neighs. “We are all fine, Champion,” the head horse said. He nodded to the island that lay before them at the end of the rainbow. “To Neverland?”
Alice nodded. “To Neverland.”
It took nearly the rest of the afternoon, but they finally reached the shore of Neverland. Alice instructed the White Knights to remain on the vessel and she, Tarrant, Mally and Chess looked for the leader of the island.
As they stepped off the ship, a welcoming committee of a dozen or so young boys, including one that was over six feet tall, stood for them.
And they did not look happy.
The tallest one stepped forward and appraised them with a frown. From the way the other boys stayed in their position, it was clear that this redheaded boy with a feathered hat, was their clans leader. Odd for a mere child to be the authority of the island, but, one coming from a land with cards and chess pieces as soldiers does not judge another.
He looked them up and down before shaking his head. “So, what do you think, Tink?”
A small glowing fairy fluttered back and forth between the party from Underland before replying back to the man-child in a language that sounded more like a bell than any dialect spoken in Underland or Overland. She shook her head emphatically before flying to float next to him.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. Grown ups!” he huffed.
The boys by his side piped up.
“We don’t like grown ups!”
“They’re boring!”
“They smell funny!”
“They don’t know how to have any fun!”
Tarrant’s jaw dropped at the accusation. “Of course we do! In fact, I was thinking about a riddle on the way over here.”
“Riddles aren’t too bad,” the tall boy conceded. He crossed his arms. “Ok, what is it?”
“Why is a raven like a writing desk?”
Alice smiled at his oft-asked question.
The boys considered the question for a few seconds. Even the fairy seemed intrigued. One by one each of the boys shrugged.
“All right, we give up. Why is a raven like a writing desk?”
Tarrant exploded with giggles. “I haven’t the slightest idea!”
The tallest boy grinned. “That was pretty good. For a grown up.” He looked over at his young companions. “You can come with us before Hook sees you.” Before Alice could respond, he turned around and started walking away.
“We haven’t even exchanged names yet. I don’t know what to call you!” Alice yelled after him.
The boy stopped and turned around. “Peter Pan, of course.”
********
Negotiating a treaty with the Neverland natives was going to be nearly as impossible as convincing Mirana to wear a color other than white. Talks had been going on for nearly a half hour (though if one was to look at Peter Pan, they would have expected the negotiations to have been going on for days) and most everyone was unhappy.
Mally and Tinkerbell were the exception to the rule. Their similarly-sized small bodies (with big personalities) drew themselves to each other. The two spirited women had been sitting in Tinkerbell’s lantern practically the entire time they had been in the tree house.
Alice smoothed out her tunic and eyes the man-child. “Do we have a deal?”
Peter crossed his arms. “Why should we agree to a treaty with a bunch of grown ups? You would probably have us do boring grown up stuff.” He made a face.
“We wouldn’t,” Alice assured him. “It would be fun...like playing cops and robbers.”
The idea seemed to intrigue the boys. “I wanna be the bad guy! BANG!” shouted Tootles.
“And I can be the cop! You’re under arrest!” yelled another boy. He launched himself at Tootles and they started wrestling, nearly knocking Alice out of the rocking chair she was sitting in.
Peter laughed at their antics. “Let’s see how well the grownups do playing a game,” he said. His talking caused the boys to stop. They looked at the group from Underland intently.
Alice crossed her arms and looked at Peter suspiciously. “What sort of game?”
Peter floated around the room. “A game of hide and seek.”
Tarrant and Mally looked at each other in confusion. Hide, then seek? What a backwards place this was! Everyone in Underland knew one should always seek then hide.
It seemed as if the Champion understood what Peter was talking about. “It’s hardly fair if you get to hide. You know this island too well.”
Peter looked at his fairy companion. “What do you think, Tink? Should we be IT first?”
The pixie considered his question momentarily before nodding.
Mally moved to stand next to her friend. “Ya can go play game if ya want, but I’m staying here.”
Tinkerbell put her arm around the mouse and nodded.
“All right,” Peter agreed. “You two hide. If I find you before you reach base, you have to leave Neverland forever and never come back. Ever!”
“And if we win?” asked Tarrant.
Peter shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never lost before.”
Alice leaned towards Tarrant and lowered her voice so no one else could hear. “I wish Chess was here. He could just disappear.”
“But that would be cheating, would it not?”
Alice sighed. “I suppose it would be.”
Tarrant looked around the treehouse and frowned. “Where is that slurvish cat? I thought I saw him here earlier.”
“He said he wanted to have a look around the island.” Alice shrugged. “Maybe he can find something that can help us with this treaty.”
“Yes, well, he should be careful. We all know what curiosity did to the cat.”
“I think--”
“So are we playing or what?”
They stepped apart. Alice raised her chin up. “We’ll play as long as you agree that if we win, you will agree to a treaty between our two people.”
Peter sighed, but consented. “Deal, but you’re not going to win.”
“Fine. Count to fifty.”
The boys around the room gasped. “No one knows how to count to fifty! Can you count that high?”
“That’s probably how old she is,” snickered Peter.
Alice pressed her lips together in annoyance. “No, I am not fifty.” She turned to Peter. “How high can you count?”
“What comes after four?”
Four seconds would hardly be enough time for a person to hide his light under a barrel!
Alice turned to Mirana and asked hopefully, “Could you count for Peter?”
The mouse huffed. “And I suppose ya want me to make sure he keeps his eyes closed too!”
Tarrant stepped forward and flashed Mally a hopeful look (with a dash of despair thrown in for good measure). “We need your help, Mally. Underland needs it.”
She crossed her arms then sighed. “All right, I’ll count, but only to thirty.”
“Thank you, Mally.” He gently patted her on the head.
Mally turned to Peter. “Keep yer eyes closed or I’ll start over!”
Peter and the rest of the boys did as the mouse ordered. Once all of their eyes were shut, Alice grabbed Tarrant’s wrist and pulled him out of the treehouse. “You go down this path and I’ll go this way,” she said, nodding in the opposite direction.
It was clear from his pressed lips and yellowing eyes that the Hatter did not agree with the Champion’s idea. “We should stay together. It will be safer,” he countered as she released him.
“Safer?” Alice laughed. “We are on an island full of boys, Tarrant. I would hardly considered this place unsafe.”
“But what about that Captain Hook man Pan was talkin’ abit? Ye said he was dangerous.” He scarcely seemed aware that he had slipped into his Overland accent.
Alice, however, had. She placed her hand on his arm, settling him. “I’m sure he made him up.” She smiled. “It was probably just a strange coincidence. After all, Captain Hook isn’t a very imaginative name for a pirate, is it?”
Having never met any pirates before, Tarrant was unable to give her an answer. Before he could find one (or his train of thought for that matter), Alice gently pushed him down the path. “Now go! We don’t have much time!”
Two more precious seconds passed before he finally nodded. Alice wasted no time and turned around, running quickly. Tarrant did the same in the opposite direction.
The path before him was twisty and steep. There were some rather tall trees that he could climb (not that it would help hiding from a boy who could fly). Since there was no other place to go, Tarrant stood in front of a leafy tree.
“Do you mind terribly if I stay on your branches for a while?” he asked the looming tree.
It made no reply.
“Must be asleep,” he whispered to himself.
Though he didn’t want to startle it awake, he was left with little choice (and Time) to do anything but climb it. Once he was settled in the boughs, Tarrant looked on the horizon for any signs of the boy who could fly.
Fortunately, he saw no signs of him. Unfortunately, in the distance he saw the unmistakable sight of smoke rising from the part of the island where Alice had run to. And everyone knew where there is smoke there is fire. His eyes widened! Alice was in danger!
He scrambled down the tree (this time much more carelessly then before) and started moving towards the smoke. Tarrant stumbled only three times along the narrow path (which was quite impressive seeing as he was walking so erratically one would think he had two left feet). As he approached the site of the smoke, he stopped running and listened.
There were drums beating.
His eyebrows furrowed. No fire in Underland ever made such a sound before! Tarrant cocked his head to the side and listened for a while longer. “Why this is music one should Futterwacken to!” he whispered.
With a curiosity that was more like an Alice than a Hatter, Tarrant continued making his way down the path. When he turned the corner, he saw who was making the dance-worthy beat.
A group of people sat around a large campfire which was lit in the center of a circle of tents. Some of them had makeup on their faces, others did not but all of them were adorned with a headband with at least one feather. One stocky man stood out above the rest with his elaborate headpiece.
Tarrant headed straight for him. “You have the most--”
Three men stepped in front of him. “You no see Chief.”
His mouth opened in shock. Did everyone on this island have deplorable manners? “Why not?”
The Chief frowned deeply. “You spend time with Flying Boy.”
Tarrant crossed his arms. “Not my choice, let me assure you,” he answered, returning the Chief’s frown. “His manners towards Alice are worse than the Cheshire Cat’s at a tea party.”
The Chief took two steps towards Tarrant. He looked. He stared. He gazed. “You no like Flying Boy?”
“At this point in Time, no.”
A grin spread over the Chief’s lips. “Then Crazy Hair is welcome here!”
Many parts of Tarrant had been called crazy --his mind most of all -- but no one had ever told him that his hair was mad. Perhaps it was behind his Mad thoughts!
Tarrant nodded his thanks before changing the subject. “Who made your stunning headpiece?”
The Chief reached up and touched the feathers with pride. “My daughter, Tiger Lily. She makes good things. Me proud papa.”
Tarrant looked admiringly at the headpiece. “Yes, she does.” His eyes morphed into a bright green. “She does have a natural ability in hat making it would seem. I should like someone with her skills to become my apprentice one day.”
The Chief crossed his arms and shook his head. “Tiger Lily no leave camp.”
His eyes widened. “Of course not! I was only saying she has impressive skills. I hope to find another with her talent in Underland.”
A hearty laugh rumbled from the Chief’s chest. “You wise, Crazy Hair!” He turned towards the other men who were watching the exchange closely. “Build up fire. We have might pow wow for Crazy Hair!”
Tarrant clapped his hands together. Celebrations were always fun! But they were always better with people one knew. “My friends should be here,” the Hatter replied with a small frown.
“Your friends come later. We friends now.” The Chief handed him a large smoking pipe.
Tarrant sniffed the smoke. Why it smelled nothing like Absolem’s special blend! He probably couldn’t even blow out intricate shapes with it either! He shook his head reluctantly. “Not for me.”
The Chief handed the pipe to another feather-hatted man. He thought for a second, rubbing his chin. “We trade hats.”
Of all the Terrible ideas! It was well-known in Underland that though there was a price tag on it, Tarrant’s hat was most certainly not for sale! The Hatter reached up and caressed his hat protectively. “I--I--”
The Chief chuckled. “Not forever. Only tonight.”
The Hatter nearly collapsed in relief. Now that idea has Merit! No Hatter from Underland had ever worn something so feathery before. He nodded as he reached up and removed his hat. He held it out for the Chief to take. The headdress, in turn, was handed to him. Without wasting a second, Tarrant slipped the headpiece on top of his head.
It was stunning! Though, if he were in Underland, he would have been mistaken for a Jub-Jub bird!
The Chief looked dapper as the hat settled on his head. “Friends.”
Tarrant smiled merrily. “Friends.”
“Traitor!”
The silhouette of the flying man-child covered the full moon.
The Chief grumbled. “Flying Boy ruins night. Again.”
“Hi Peter.”
Tarrant turned around where the small (yet full of Muchness) voice came from. A young woman who was also wearing a feathered headpiece stepped from the tent.
Peter swooped down to where she was standing and hovered several feet up in the air. “I was just playing hide and seek with this grown-up when I found him here!” The man-child faced Tarrant. “You’re with the Indians! They don’t like me and I don’t like them!”
“Ye donnae seem to mind the lass,” Tarrant wisely observed.
Peter made a face. “She’s just a girl.”
The young woman huffed in indignation and went back into her tent.
Peter crossed his arms, not moving his gaze from Tarrant. “Tink!” he shouted.
Within seconds, the glowing ball of light come whizzing towards Peter. When she stopped, Peter waved his hand in Tarrant’s direction. “Take this codfish back to the treehouse. I still need to find Alex before she--”
“I think you mean Alice,” corrected Tarrant firmly.
Peter rolled his eyes and promptly ignored the Hatter’s words. “--wins.” He flew high in the air and let out a loud crow. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” With that, he flew away from Tarrant.
Next Part
“It’s beautiful,” Alice breathed, unable to take her eyes off the ship as Mirana approached her and the others in her traveling party.
“Yes, the Hammerhead sharks finished placing the last nail just as the sun was rising.” Mirana looked at Alice who was now frowning. “Is there something wrong?”
Alice pulled her gaze from the vessel to face the White Queen. “Where on the ship’s sails?”
Mirana shook her head slightly in confusion and she exchanged a questioning glance with Tarrant. One look at his befuddled face told the White Queen he was unfamiliar with the word as well. “Sails?”
Alice nodded. “Yes, sails.” She gestured widely with her hands. If the Champion was attempting to do a magic trick, it must have failed because nothing appeared.
Mirana studied her Champion’s empty hands before asking, “You use these ‘sails’ in Overland in travel by boat?”
“Yes, don’t you?”
Mirana shook her head. “It would seem as if there is one more thing that is different about out worlds. Tell me, what do these sails look like?”
“They are very large pieces of material--”
“A coat for a boat!” laughed Mirana.
Tarrant clapped his hands. “Excellent rhyme, your Majesty!”
She curtsied as Alice shook her head. “No, it’s not a coat. You raise them on the mast. The sails then catches the wind and moves the boat forward.”
Tarrant’s brow furrowed. “Trusting the wind? It’s almost as fickle as Time.”
Alice nodded. “Yes, well, you can’t very well row a boat of that size without an enormous crew.”
Tarrant giggled. The idea of the Queen’s chess piece soldiers rowing such a huge ship was Mad, even to him! “Of course not! That’s why we have horses to pull us.”
Alice’s eyebrows rose. Her curiosity was impossible to miss. “What kind of horses can run on water?” she wondered aloud.
“Sea horses, of course! Ya have those in Overland, don’t ya?” asked Mally from Tarrant’s shoulder.
“We most certainly do!” argued Alice. She turned towards the ocean as the sound of roaring water rushed towards them. Mouth agape, she watched as eight figures that resembled horses emerged from the water. Once they were fully formed, they trotted towards the ship. “But, nothing like that!”
Mirana approached the sea creatures. She gently touched the misty mane of the horse closest to her. “Thank you for taking my Champion and her companions on such short notice.”
The sea horse nuzzled her hand. “It is our pleasure, your Majesty.” Then he and the other horse bowed down together. Several of the White Knights came forward and started attaching the bridles to the horses.
Mirana smiled gratefully then turned to the waiting party. “Your journey awaits.”
Alice adjusted her white tunic and straightened her back. She nodded towards Tarrant, Mally and Chess, who just appeared out of thin air. “We’re ready.”
Sever dozen members of the White Army marched up the steep ramp. Tarrant and Mally, closely followed by a floating Chess, went next. Finally, Alice stood in front of Mirana alone.
The White Queen sensed Alice’s nervousness. She reached out and caressed her cheek like a mother would to comfort her daughter. “You will do fine. Never forget about your Muchness, Champion.”
A genuine smile passed over Alice’s lips. “I won’t.”
Mirana took a step back. “Fairfarren, Alice.”
“Fairfarren, your Majesty.”
With a determined step, Alice climbed up the ramp. She didn’t turn around and face the pier; instead she turned to the north towards Neverland. For several seconds, a blissful serenity swirled around her.
It was, however, disrupted when a certain Hatter cleared his throat from behind her.
Alice turned to face him questioningly.
“The horses are waiting for your instruction,” he explained quietly.
It was quite different than how Absolem had told them thing were aboard the Wonder! There Alice had virtual no say whatsoever. Once the trading vessel left out, it didn’t matter that she was Lord Ascot’s apprentice or Charles Kingsleigh’s daughter, she was only seen as a woman. An annoyance or a distraction depending on which man one asked.
She faced the watery steeds and remained silent for several seconds. Why it almost seemed as if she didn’t know what to say to them! Finally, she spoke, her voice loud and firm. “Please take us to Neverland.”
The horses whinnied and started running away from the dock. To Alice’s delight, they started moving the giant vessel forward.
A smile grew of Tarrant’s face as he watched Alice marvel. He moved to step beside her. “When we return, you must tell me about these sails. Were they colorful?”
“The sails? No.” Alice shook her head. “But some of the flags I saw during my travels were quite beautiful.”
They stood there quietly for several minutes, watching the shores of Underland fade away, before Chess floated their way. “Has the Champion though of how she intends on securing the treaty with the Neverlandians?”
“Not yet,” she admitted.
“Are you gettin’ curious as to what she might do?” Tarrant asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.
If Chess was offended by the Hatter’s remark, he made no outwards signs of it. It anything, the feline looked almost disappointed by his dig. “Tsk, tsk, Tarrant. You should know that I am quite aware if what such a thing can do to a cat.” He stretched out his paws. “I was merely trying to assist in her quest.”
“Usually, help comes in the form of answers, not questions,” countered Tarrant.
“And yet, my method seems to have worked.” He nodded towards Alice who had become lost in thought.
*******
Four days later, Alice looked out and saw something she had never seen during all of her journeys in Overland: the end of the ocean.
There was no shore. There was no canal. The water just seemed to drop off in midair.
Alice looked ahead and gasped. “Tarrant, we’re at the end of the world!”
“Our world, yes,” he agreed, moving to stand next to her. “How else would we got to another?”
“Is the fall far?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But we shall find out together.”
“Not me,” Chess said from behind them. “Sea water does dreadful things to my fur. I will meet you Over There.”
“Of all the slurvish things--”
Alice gently placed her hand on his coat sleeve, calming him. “I can’t say I blame him,” she said, eying the water’s ledge. “It does look rather dangerous.”
“I wouldn’t worry about our safety, Alice. You are the Queen’s Champion. Underland is indebted to you for ridding our world of the Jabberwocky. We will be fine.” He swallowed at the edge came closer. “I hope.”
Mally scurried up Tarrant and lifted up his hat. She ducked underneath it. “I can always use this to float ashore if it flies off your head!”
Tarrant frowned at the thought--losing his hat!
Alice reached out and held the ship’s railing securely in one hand. Tarrant slipped his hand in her other hand.
“Hang on!” the lead Sea Horse called out.
It seemed as though for several seconds the boat seemed to float in midair. Maybe the drop wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Then, they started plummeting to the unseen ocean of Neverland.
Alice let out a gasp of alarm; Tarrant’s eyes grew black in fear. Alice squeezed his hand. “It will be alright, remember?”
It was difficult for him to believe Alice’s words. Her hair was whipping around her face violently, her voice held little Muchness.
And the boat still hadn’t landed.
Mally gave Tarrant’s hair a tug. “How much longer?” she cried, her voice muffled under Tarrant’s hat which had miraculously managed to stay on his head during the drop.
Tarrant risked a look off the side of the boat and suddenly wished he hadn’t. The ocean--Neverland’s ocean-- was close. Too close! “Not much,” he answered weakly.
Alice followed his gaze. Her body tensed, prepared for the impact of their landing.
But it never came.
Instead, the freefall from Underland slowed down the closer they got to the surface of the ocean. They drifted down the last dozen meters, landing on the ocean with a weak splash.
Tarrant beamed. Alice grinned. Mally, who emerged from the safety of Tarrant’s hat, let out a sigh. “That went a might better than what I was expectin’!”
Alice leaned over the side of the boat and checked on the sea horses. “Are you alright?”
The horses let out a chorus of neighs. “We are all fine, Champion,” the head horse said. He nodded to the island that lay before them at the end of the rainbow. “To Neverland?”
Alice nodded. “To Neverland.”
It took nearly the rest of the afternoon, but they finally reached the shore of Neverland. Alice instructed the White Knights to remain on the vessel and she, Tarrant, Mally and Chess looked for the leader of the island.
As they stepped off the ship, a welcoming committee of a dozen or so young boys, including one that was over six feet tall, stood for them.
And they did not look happy.
The tallest one stepped forward and appraised them with a frown. From the way the other boys stayed in their position, it was clear that this redheaded boy with a feathered hat, was their clans leader. Odd for a mere child to be the authority of the island, but, one coming from a land with cards and chess pieces as soldiers does not judge another.
He looked them up and down before shaking his head. “So, what do you think, Tink?”
A small glowing fairy fluttered back and forth between the party from Underland before replying back to the man-child in a language that sounded more like a bell than any dialect spoken in Underland or Overland. She shook her head emphatically before flying to float next to him.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. Grown ups!” he huffed.
The boys by his side piped up.
“We don’t like grown ups!”
“They’re boring!”
“They smell funny!”
“They don’t know how to have any fun!”
Tarrant’s jaw dropped at the accusation. “Of course we do! In fact, I was thinking about a riddle on the way over here.”
“Riddles aren’t too bad,” the tall boy conceded. He crossed his arms. “Ok, what is it?”
“Why is a raven like a writing desk?”
Alice smiled at his oft-asked question.
The boys considered the question for a few seconds. Even the fairy seemed intrigued. One by one each of the boys shrugged.
“All right, we give up. Why is a raven like a writing desk?”
Tarrant exploded with giggles. “I haven’t the slightest idea!”
The tallest boy grinned. “That was pretty good. For a grown up.” He looked over at his young companions. “You can come with us before Hook sees you.” Before Alice could respond, he turned around and started walking away.
“We haven’t even exchanged names yet. I don’t know what to call you!” Alice yelled after him.
The boy stopped and turned around. “Peter Pan, of course.”
********
Negotiating a treaty with the Neverland natives was going to be nearly as impossible as convincing Mirana to wear a color other than white. Talks had been going on for nearly a half hour (though if one was to look at Peter Pan, they would have expected the negotiations to have been going on for days) and most everyone was unhappy.
Mally and Tinkerbell were the exception to the rule. Their similarly-sized small bodies (with big personalities) drew themselves to each other. The two spirited women had been sitting in Tinkerbell’s lantern practically the entire time they had been in the tree house.
Alice smoothed out her tunic and eyes the man-child. “Do we have a deal?”
Peter crossed his arms. “Why should we agree to a treaty with a bunch of grown ups? You would probably have us do boring grown up stuff.” He made a face.
“We wouldn’t,” Alice assured him. “It would be fun...like playing cops and robbers.”
The idea seemed to intrigue the boys. “I wanna be the bad guy! BANG!” shouted Tootles.
“And I can be the cop! You’re under arrest!” yelled another boy. He launched himself at Tootles and they started wrestling, nearly knocking Alice out of the rocking chair she was sitting in.
Peter laughed at their antics. “Let’s see how well the grownups do playing a game,” he said. His talking caused the boys to stop. They looked at the group from Underland intently.
Alice crossed her arms and looked at Peter suspiciously. “What sort of game?”
Peter floated around the room. “A game of hide and seek.”
Tarrant and Mally looked at each other in confusion. Hide, then seek? What a backwards place this was! Everyone in Underland knew one should always seek then hide.
It seemed as if the Champion understood what Peter was talking about. “It’s hardly fair if you get to hide. You know this island too well.”
Peter looked at his fairy companion. “What do you think, Tink? Should we be IT first?”
The pixie considered his question momentarily before nodding.
Mally moved to stand next to her friend. “Ya can go play game if ya want, but I’m staying here.”
Tinkerbell put her arm around the mouse and nodded.
“All right,” Peter agreed. “You two hide. If I find you before you reach base, you have to leave Neverland forever and never come back. Ever!”
“And if we win?” asked Tarrant.
Peter shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never lost before.”
Alice leaned towards Tarrant and lowered her voice so no one else could hear. “I wish Chess was here. He could just disappear.”
“But that would be cheating, would it not?”
Alice sighed. “I suppose it would be.”
Tarrant looked around the treehouse and frowned. “Where is that slurvish cat? I thought I saw him here earlier.”
“He said he wanted to have a look around the island.” Alice shrugged. “Maybe he can find something that can help us with this treaty.”
“Yes, well, he should be careful. We all know what curiosity did to the cat.”
“I think--”
“So are we playing or what?”
They stepped apart. Alice raised her chin up. “We’ll play as long as you agree that if we win, you will agree to a treaty between our two people.”
Peter sighed, but consented. “Deal, but you’re not going to win.”
“Fine. Count to fifty.”
The boys around the room gasped. “No one knows how to count to fifty! Can you count that high?”
“That’s probably how old she is,” snickered Peter.
Alice pressed her lips together in annoyance. “No, I am not fifty.” She turned to Peter. “How high can you count?”
“What comes after four?”
Four seconds would hardly be enough time for a person to hide his light under a barrel!
Alice turned to Mirana and asked hopefully, “Could you count for Peter?”
The mouse huffed. “And I suppose ya want me to make sure he keeps his eyes closed too!”
Tarrant stepped forward and flashed Mally a hopeful look (with a dash of despair thrown in for good measure). “We need your help, Mally. Underland needs it.”
She crossed her arms then sighed. “All right, I’ll count, but only to thirty.”
“Thank you, Mally.” He gently patted her on the head.
Mally turned to Peter. “Keep yer eyes closed or I’ll start over!”
Peter and the rest of the boys did as the mouse ordered. Once all of their eyes were shut, Alice grabbed Tarrant’s wrist and pulled him out of the treehouse. “You go down this path and I’ll go this way,” she said, nodding in the opposite direction.
It was clear from his pressed lips and yellowing eyes that the Hatter did not agree with the Champion’s idea. “We should stay together. It will be safer,” he countered as she released him.
“Safer?” Alice laughed. “We are on an island full of boys, Tarrant. I would hardly considered this place unsafe.”
“But what about that Captain Hook man Pan was talkin’ abit? Ye said he was dangerous.” He scarcely seemed aware that he had slipped into his Overland accent.
Alice, however, had. She placed her hand on his arm, settling him. “I’m sure he made him up.” She smiled. “It was probably just a strange coincidence. After all, Captain Hook isn’t a very imaginative name for a pirate, is it?”
Having never met any pirates before, Tarrant was unable to give her an answer. Before he could find one (or his train of thought for that matter), Alice gently pushed him down the path. “Now go! We don’t have much time!”
Two more precious seconds passed before he finally nodded. Alice wasted no time and turned around, running quickly. Tarrant did the same in the opposite direction.
The path before him was twisty and steep. There were some rather tall trees that he could climb (not that it would help hiding from a boy who could fly). Since there was no other place to go, Tarrant stood in front of a leafy tree.
“Do you mind terribly if I stay on your branches for a while?” he asked the looming tree.
It made no reply.
“Must be asleep,” he whispered to himself.
Though he didn’t want to startle it awake, he was left with little choice (and Time) to do anything but climb it. Once he was settled in the boughs, Tarrant looked on the horizon for any signs of the boy who could fly.
Fortunately, he saw no signs of him. Unfortunately, in the distance he saw the unmistakable sight of smoke rising from the part of the island where Alice had run to. And everyone knew where there is smoke there is fire. His eyes widened! Alice was in danger!
He scrambled down the tree (this time much more carelessly then before) and started moving towards the smoke. Tarrant stumbled only three times along the narrow path (which was quite impressive seeing as he was walking so erratically one would think he had two left feet). As he approached the site of the smoke, he stopped running and listened.
There were drums beating.
His eyebrows furrowed. No fire in Underland ever made such a sound before! Tarrant cocked his head to the side and listened for a while longer. “Why this is music one should Futterwacken to!” he whispered.
With a curiosity that was more like an Alice than a Hatter, Tarrant continued making his way down the path. When he turned the corner, he saw who was making the dance-worthy beat.
A group of people sat around a large campfire which was lit in the center of a circle of tents. Some of them had makeup on their faces, others did not but all of them were adorned with a headband with at least one feather. One stocky man stood out above the rest with his elaborate headpiece.
Tarrant headed straight for him. “You have the most--”
Three men stepped in front of him. “You no see Chief.”
His mouth opened in shock. Did everyone on this island have deplorable manners? “Why not?”
The Chief frowned deeply. “You spend time with Flying Boy.”
Tarrant crossed his arms. “Not my choice, let me assure you,” he answered, returning the Chief’s frown. “His manners towards Alice are worse than the Cheshire Cat’s at a tea party.”
The Chief took two steps towards Tarrant. He looked. He stared. He gazed. “You no like Flying Boy?”
“At this point in Time, no.”
A grin spread over the Chief’s lips. “Then Crazy Hair is welcome here!”
Many parts of Tarrant had been called crazy --his mind most of all -- but no one had ever told him that his hair was mad. Perhaps it was behind his Mad thoughts!
Tarrant nodded his thanks before changing the subject. “Who made your stunning headpiece?”
The Chief reached up and touched the feathers with pride. “My daughter, Tiger Lily. She makes good things. Me proud papa.”
Tarrant looked admiringly at the headpiece. “Yes, she does.” His eyes morphed into a bright green. “She does have a natural ability in hat making it would seem. I should like someone with her skills to become my apprentice one day.”
The Chief crossed his arms and shook his head. “Tiger Lily no leave camp.”
His eyes widened. “Of course not! I was only saying she has impressive skills. I hope to find another with her talent in Underland.”
A hearty laugh rumbled from the Chief’s chest. “You wise, Crazy Hair!” He turned towards the other men who were watching the exchange closely. “Build up fire. We have might pow wow for Crazy Hair!”
Tarrant clapped his hands together. Celebrations were always fun! But they were always better with people one knew. “My friends should be here,” the Hatter replied with a small frown.
“Your friends come later. We friends now.” The Chief handed him a large smoking pipe.
Tarrant sniffed the smoke. Why it smelled nothing like Absolem’s special blend! He probably couldn’t even blow out intricate shapes with it either! He shook his head reluctantly. “Not for me.”
The Chief handed the pipe to another feather-hatted man. He thought for a second, rubbing his chin. “We trade hats.”
Of all the Terrible ideas! It was well-known in Underland that though there was a price tag on it, Tarrant’s hat was most certainly not for sale! The Hatter reached up and caressed his hat protectively. “I--I--”
The Chief chuckled. “Not forever. Only tonight.”
The Hatter nearly collapsed in relief. Now that idea has Merit! No Hatter from Underland had ever worn something so feathery before. He nodded as he reached up and removed his hat. He held it out for the Chief to take. The headdress, in turn, was handed to him. Without wasting a second, Tarrant slipped the headpiece on top of his head.
It was stunning! Though, if he were in Underland, he would have been mistaken for a Jub-Jub bird!
The Chief looked dapper as the hat settled on his head. “Friends.”
Tarrant smiled merrily. “Friends.”
“Traitor!”
The silhouette of the flying man-child covered the full moon.
The Chief grumbled. “Flying Boy ruins night. Again.”
“Hi Peter.”
Tarrant turned around where the small (yet full of Muchness) voice came from. A young woman who was also wearing a feathered headpiece stepped from the tent.
Peter swooped down to where she was standing and hovered several feet up in the air. “I was just playing hide and seek with this grown-up when I found him here!” The man-child faced Tarrant. “You’re with the Indians! They don’t like me and I don’t like them!”
“Ye donnae seem to mind the lass,” Tarrant wisely observed.
Peter made a face. “She’s just a girl.”
The young woman huffed in indignation and went back into her tent.
Peter crossed his arms, not moving his gaze from Tarrant. “Tink!” he shouted.
Within seconds, the glowing ball of light come whizzing towards Peter. When she stopped, Peter waved his hand in Tarrant’s direction. “Take this codfish back to the treehouse. I still need to find Alex before she--”
“I think you mean Alice,” corrected Tarrant firmly.
Peter rolled his eyes and promptly ignored the Hatter’s words. “--wins.” He flew high in the air and let out a loud crow. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” With that, he flew away from Tarrant.
Next Part