Forever Wonderland CHAPTER 4
Characters: Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland characters, and OFCs
Rating: G to PG-13 for some fighting sequences
Disclaimer: As much as I would love to claim Wonderland and all it's gloriousness, I cannot. Therefore, I give all credit to Louis Carroll, Disney and Tim Burton.
Summary: Imagine being the granddaughter of the great Alice of Wonderland. Imagine for a minute that you wished you could go to the place where you heard the stories? Could it be possible? This world makes you think that it couldn't be, but really, could it?
Melody cleaned up and adjusted the dress that Tarrant made for her. She looked in the mirror trying to decide how to wear her hair. She obviously didn’t have the commodities of the comforts of her home, like her blow dryer or flat iron, or make-up for that matter. She decided to leave her long, blond hair curly and let it fall over her shoulders. Since she didn’t have any other shoes to wear besides her flip flops, they would have to do.
Melody walked down the stairs to see Tarrant sitting at the table. He got up when he heard the flipping of her sandals. A smile spread wide on his face.
“You look…lovely,” he softly spoke.
Melody could feel her cheeks flush.
“I’m ready whenever you are, Tarrant,” she said fidgeting with the folds in the dress.
Tarrant walked up to her. “Nervous?”
She kept her head down, but lifted her eyes to meet his. “Yes. A little. I want to make the right impression. She did, after all, know my Grandmothers Alice, Margaret and Victoria. I don’t want to let her down.”
“My dear, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Shall we?” he asked offering her his arm.
Melody took it and wrapped hers around his. They walked out of the house. She only saw a White Horse in the front yard.
“Tarrant?”
“Hmm?”
“Um…” she hesitated, pointing to the horse.
“Oh! This is Renervere. One of the White Queen’s favorite horses. She had him sent over specially for us.”
“Oh. Well, I, uh, have never ridden on a horse before. I was always afraid of them, therefore avoided them. I heard they sense fear and would throw you off if they did.”
“I’m harmless,” came a deep whinny from the horse.
Melody jumped. “I forgot that all animals can talk here. Please go easy on me.”
Tarrant leaped onto the horse in a smooth motion. He leaned over and offered his hand to Melody. She wrapped her fingers tightly around his as he lifted her onto the horse.
“Hold on tightly,” he whispered.
She wrapped her arms tightly around his waste, clasping her fingers together and nodded against his back. She felt her heart fluttering, but it wasn’t from fear.
She squeezed onto the Hatter even more once the horse entered a gallop. She closed her eyes for a second until she felt the steady guh-lump, guh-lump of the hoofs. She opened her eyes again and watched the forestry fly past her.
Before she knew it, they were at the White Queen’s castle. It was just as her grandmother described it. Come to think of it, it was just like another painting she stumbled upon while rummaging through Alice’s attic when she was a child.
“Beautiful,” she whispered against Tarrant’s back.
“Oh, yes. But you haven’t seen anything yet.”
Tarrant brought Renervere to a trot. They closed in to the front of the castle and Tarrant climbed off the horse. He offered his hand once again to Melody and helped her off the horse.
“Welcome to Mamoreal. Home of Mirana, the White Queen.”
Melody lifted her head to see up and over the towers. They rose many feet in the air and were as white as ivory. The front doors opened and the White Queen and her court were waiting inside the threshold. In a fluid movement, she waltzed down the stairs to meet Tarrant and Melody.
Melody wasn’t sure what to expect from the White Queen, so she hid slightly behind Tarrant. But her breath was caught in her throat when she saw the Queen. Skin as pale as alabaster stone, hair as white as snow. Lips, nails, and eyebrows as black as night. She was a sight to behold.
“I do hope that Renervere gave you a smooth, safe trip?”
Tarrant bowed low. “Yes, your Majesty. The best ever.”
He rose again and greeted her smile with one of his own.
The White Queen peered past Tarrant and Melody turned her head behind her to see what the Queen was looking at.
“And who is this fair creature standing before me?” she asked with wonder.
“This is Melody, your Majesty. Alice’s granddaughter.”
The Queen motioned for Melody to stand before her. Melody slowly moved from behind Tarrant and gave a courteous bow.
“Your Majesty,” she whispered.
The White Queen turned her smile into a concentrated gaze, surveying the female before her. She did have to admit that this girl did resemble Alice almost to a T. She held her finger out before her, signaling Melody to spin. She did so hesitantly.
Slowly the smile returned to the Queen’s face. “You have come.”
Melody felt the tension ease.
“Come, we must dine. Dinner is ready to be served.”
Melody followed Mirana and Tarrant into the large spacious room where the dinner was being held. A long table covered in a smooth, white cloth was set with a large amount of places. Each setting had a large dinner plate with two smaller ones on top. Two forks, two spoons and a knife graced the left side while a glittery white napkin laid on the right. There were two crystal goblets at each place.
Melody couldn’t get over the spacious beauty walked into the large room. Their footsteps echoed off the walls as they made their way to the table. Mirana took her place at the head of the table and she motioned for Melody to sit on her right. Tarrant quickly moved around Melody, pushing the manservant out of the way, holding the chair for Melody. She gave a shy smile and mouthed “thank you” to him.
Mirana watched Tarrant’s reaction to melody’s response. She noticed the slight pinking of his cheeks under his pale skin. She let a light smile play on her lips as she watched him walk around the table and take his spot. He took his napkin off the table and placed it across his lap, smoothing the creases. She watched him as he slowly lifted his eyes, meeting them with Melody’s. She turned her gaze to the beautiful girl claiming to be Alice’s granddaughter and watched her smile sweetly back at the Hatter. Mirana wondered what feelings were being shared between the two. They obviously had only known each other a day since Melody dropped into Wonderland.
“Now, my dear,” Mirana said as the first course was being served. “I have come to the understanding that you claim to be the granddaughter of Alice. Is that true?”
“Yes, your Majesty,” she said between bites. “And you are as beautiful as my grandmother has stated that you would be. And her portraits she painted are in marvelous likeness.”
“Oh,” the White Queen gushed, swishing her hand through the air. “Do go on.”
The conversation continued as they ate dinner. The Queen asked many questions of Melody’s world and of Alice. She was saddened that she hadn’t returned. She also told Melody more stories of all three of her grandmother’s journey’s to Wonderland. Melody had only heard bits and pieces and not everything that had happened. Her heart swelled with wonder and imagination as she visioned her grandmother’s magnificent journeys.
“That was a wonderful meal with wonderful friends,” Mirana said. “But, now, I would like a word with Tarrant.”
She looked at him with a serious tone and stood. Tarrant saw Melody shake her head slightly.
“We will return in a short time. Have no fear, my dear Melody, you are in safe hands here at the castle.”
“I will have Bayard escort you around the castle on a tour. That should keep you occupied for a bit.”
Tarrant glanced back at Melody as he followed the White Queen out of the dining hall. He slowly turned his head back around for fear of what she was about to tell him. Melody got up and followed Bayard around the castle, constantly thinking of Tarrant and the Queen.
Mirana motioned for Tarrant to enter the room and she closed the door behind them. “Now,” she said as she floated across the floor to the table in the middle of the room. She unrolled the Oraculum and pointed her finger to the final drawing. She motioned for Tarrant to come look and she placed her finger on the drawing. He leaned in closer and stared at the picture.
“That’s” he said as he pointed to the drawing, looking back at the Queen. “That’s…me.”
She nodded.
“But why?”
“I do not know, Tarrant. But this is what the Orcaulum shows. And this is what is to be done.”
He put his nose closer to the parchment. He ran his fingers over the figures engaging in battle. “That’s the Black King.”
“Yes.”
Tarrant stepped away from the parchment, shaking his head and hands. “No. I cannot.”
“You must!”
“I will tell Melody. This is why she has come. She is the one that must fight against The Black King.” He picked up the Oraculum and looked at it closer. “See? It’s her hair that wildly swings. Not mine.”
Mirana took the Orcaulum from the Hatter’s hands. “It is you, Tarrant Hightopp. Not Melody. She may be a descendant of Alice, but she is not full-blood. She is only part, therefore weak. Even if we did put her against the Black King, she would not survive.”
“Then why has she come to Wonderland? There has to be a reason!”
Tarrant paced the room trying to find a way to solve this without going to battle. The White Queen came to his side.
“You must take Melody back to your home. You must not tell her anything of this. Not yet. She is not ready for it.”
“Neither was Alice and look what she did. She slayed the Jabberwocky. It took some convincing but she still did it.”
“But she remembered who she was. Melody knows who she is. But that wouldn’t matter in the battle.” She watched Tarrant continue to pace the room. “Look!” she said to him placing the Orcaulum in his tracks. “You must fulfill the prophecy. There will be an answer at the end. Even I do not know what it is. But Tarrant, you are my champion against the Black King. If you do not fight, there may not be a chance for peace in Underland again.”
Tarrant stared at the figures on the parchment battling against each other. He knew that he couldn’t go against what the Oraculum said. There was silence as he watched the lines on the parchment entwine.
“I will go,” he replied barely in a whisper.
Mirana placed her hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, my friend. For your loyalty.”
Tarrant had his head held low, but the circles under his eyes changed to a dark purple as his lifted his eyes to meet Mirana’s. “You are welcome, your Majesty. I will serve faithfully for you and for Wonderland.”
Melody tried hard to pay attention to what Bayard was saying as he guided her around the castle. But all she could think of what the Queen and Tarrant could be discussing. From the look on his face, she thought it couldn’t have been good.
Melody heard faint footsteps coming down the hall. She saw the Hatter and the Queen walking slowly back into the main corridor of the castle where Melody and Bayard waited. The pair stopped in front of Melody and the bloodhound.
Tarrant forced himself to smile, covering his true feelings underneath.
“Shall we go, then, Melody? I am, uh, feeling a little under the weather.”
“I will fetch Renervere and another horse. You shall not go by horseback back to your home. It is late and a carriage will return you.” The Queen walked up to Melody. “It was a pleasure meeting you, my dear.”
“Likewise,” Melody said watching the Queen turn to Tarrant. He nodded and let his eyes lower when she walked passed.
Melody couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was wrong. Tarrant wasn’t in the same mood he was when he left the table. The Queen and him had shared a moment and a look that she couldn’t figure out.
When the carriage came, Tarrant took her hand and helped her in. Once he was settled, he tapped the ceiling indicating to the driver to move on. Melody watched Tarrant. He kept his eyes fixed on the floor in front of him and he didn’t move once on the way back to the house. He took her hand and helped her out of the carriage and quietly followed her into the house.
She saw him take off his hat and sit in the chair in the sitting room. He crossed his legs slowly and played with the ribbon on his hat.
“Hatter?”
“Hmm?” he answered slowly raising his gaze to hers.
She leaned against the door frame. “Something happened when you went off with the Queen. You don’t look the same.”
He half-heartedly smiled. “Oh, it’s nothing. Actually, I am just quite tired. You should really go to bed. It’s late.”
“Oh,” she said confused. “All right, then.” She watched him fidget again with something on his pants. “Good night, Tarrant.”
“Good night, Melody.”
Melody stood in the doorway for another minute and watched the Hatter. She still wished she knew what was going on with her new friend. And even though she had only known him for a day, it felt like she had known him for years. Something inside her was churning. Her stomach felt like there were butterflies fluttering about and her heart always ached when she saw him.
Slowly, she made her way up the stairs to bed. She removed the dress that Hatter made for her to wear to the dinner and climbed into the long shirt that he had laid out for her to wear at night. She climbed under the sheets and tried to close her eyes and fall asleep. But the thought of Tarrant kept her awake. Something wasn’t right with him and she just wished that he would have told her.
Maybe, she thought, he didn’t trust her yet. Even though she was the granddaughter of Alice, she still needed to earn his trust and her rightful place in Wonderland. If she were him, it would take a lot to build the trust. None of her grandmothers had ever stayed. What made her any different to make the choice and run back?
PREVIOUS CHAPTERS:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Rating: G to PG-13 for some fighting sequences
Disclaimer: As much as I would love to claim Wonderland and all it's gloriousness, I cannot. Therefore, I give all credit to Louis Carroll, Disney and Tim Burton.
Summary: Imagine being the granddaughter of the great Alice of Wonderland. Imagine for a minute that you wished you could go to the place where you heard the stories? Could it be possible? This world makes you think that it couldn't be, but really, could it?
Melody cleaned up and adjusted the dress that Tarrant made for her. She looked in the mirror trying to decide how to wear her hair. She obviously didn’t have the commodities of the comforts of her home, like her blow dryer or flat iron, or make-up for that matter. She decided to leave her long, blond hair curly and let it fall over her shoulders. Since she didn’t have any other shoes to wear besides her flip flops, they would have to do.
Melody walked down the stairs to see Tarrant sitting at the table. He got up when he heard the flipping of her sandals. A smile spread wide on his face.
“You look…lovely,” he softly spoke.
Melody could feel her cheeks flush.
“I’m ready whenever you are, Tarrant,” she said fidgeting with the folds in the dress.
Tarrant walked up to her. “Nervous?”
She kept her head down, but lifted her eyes to meet his. “Yes. A little. I want to make the right impression. She did, after all, know my Grandmothers Alice, Margaret and Victoria. I don’t want to let her down.”
“My dear, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Shall we?” he asked offering her his arm.
Melody took it and wrapped hers around his. They walked out of the house. She only saw a White Horse in the front yard.
“Tarrant?”
“Hmm?”
“Um…” she hesitated, pointing to the horse.
“Oh! This is Renervere. One of the White Queen’s favorite horses. She had him sent over specially for us.”
“Oh. Well, I, uh, have never ridden on a horse before. I was always afraid of them, therefore avoided them. I heard they sense fear and would throw you off if they did.”
“I’m harmless,” came a deep whinny from the horse.
Melody jumped. “I forgot that all animals can talk here. Please go easy on me.”
Tarrant leaped onto the horse in a smooth motion. He leaned over and offered his hand to Melody. She wrapped her fingers tightly around his as he lifted her onto the horse.
“Hold on tightly,” he whispered.
She wrapped her arms tightly around his waste, clasping her fingers together and nodded against his back. She felt her heart fluttering, but it wasn’t from fear.
She squeezed onto the Hatter even more once the horse entered a gallop. She closed her eyes for a second until she felt the steady guh-lump, guh-lump of the hoofs. She opened her eyes again and watched the forestry fly past her.
Before she knew it, they were at the White Queen’s castle. It was just as her grandmother described it. Come to think of it, it was just like another painting she stumbled upon while rummaging through Alice’s attic when she was a child.
“Beautiful,” she whispered against Tarrant’s back.
“Oh, yes. But you haven’t seen anything yet.”
Tarrant brought Renervere to a trot. They closed in to the front of the castle and Tarrant climbed off the horse. He offered his hand once again to Melody and helped her off the horse.
“Welcome to Mamoreal. Home of Mirana, the White Queen.”
Melody lifted her head to see up and over the towers. They rose many feet in the air and were as white as ivory. The front doors opened and the White Queen and her court were waiting inside the threshold. In a fluid movement, she waltzed down the stairs to meet Tarrant and Melody.
Melody wasn’t sure what to expect from the White Queen, so she hid slightly behind Tarrant. But her breath was caught in her throat when she saw the Queen. Skin as pale as alabaster stone, hair as white as snow. Lips, nails, and eyebrows as black as night. She was a sight to behold.
“I do hope that Renervere gave you a smooth, safe trip?”
Tarrant bowed low. “Yes, your Majesty. The best ever.”
He rose again and greeted her smile with one of his own.
The White Queen peered past Tarrant and Melody turned her head behind her to see what the Queen was looking at.
“And who is this fair creature standing before me?” she asked with wonder.
“This is Melody, your Majesty. Alice’s granddaughter.”
The Queen motioned for Melody to stand before her. Melody slowly moved from behind Tarrant and gave a courteous bow.
“Your Majesty,” she whispered.
The White Queen turned her smile into a concentrated gaze, surveying the female before her. She did have to admit that this girl did resemble Alice almost to a T. She held her finger out before her, signaling Melody to spin. She did so hesitantly.
Slowly the smile returned to the Queen’s face. “You have come.”
Melody felt the tension ease.
“Come, we must dine. Dinner is ready to be served.”
Melody followed Mirana and Tarrant into the large spacious room where the dinner was being held. A long table covered in a smooth, white cloth was set with a large amount of places. Each setting had a large dinner plate with two smaller ones on top. Two forks, two spoons and a knife graced the left side while a glittery white napkin laid on the right. There were two crystal goblets at each place.
Melody couldn’t get over the spacious beauty walked into the large room. Their footsteps echoed off the walls as they made their way to the table. Mirana took her place at the head of the table and she motioned for Melody to sit on her right. Tarrant quickly moved around Melody, pushing the manservant out of the way, holding the chair for Melody. She gave a shy smile and mouthed “thank you” to him.
Mirana watched Tarrant’s reaction to melody’s response. She noticed the slight pinking of his cheeks under his pale skin. She let a light smile play on her lips as she watched him walk around the table and take his spot. He took his napkin off the table and placed it across his lap, smoothing the creases. She watched him as he slowly lifted his eyes, meeting them with Melody’s. She turned her gaze to the beautiful girl claiming to be Alice’s granddaughter and watched her smile sweetly back at the Hatter. Mirana wondered what feelings were being shared between the two. They obviously had only known each other a day since Melody dropped into Wonderland.
“Now, my dear,” Mirana said as the first course was being served. “I have come to the understanding that you claim to be the granddaughter of Alice. Is that true?”
“Yes, your Majesty,” she said between bites. “And you are as beautiful as my grandmother has stated that you would be. And her portraits she painted are in marvelous likeness.”
“Oh,” the White Queen gushed, swishing her hand through the air. “Do go on.”
The conversation continued as they ate dinner. The Queen asked many questions of Melody’s world and of Alice. She was saddened that she hadn’t returned. She also told Melody more stories of all three of her grandmother’s journey’s to Wonderland. Melody had only heard bits and pieces and not everything that had happened. Her heart swelled with wonder and imagination as she visioned her grandmother’s magnificent journeys.
“That was a wonderful meal with wonderful friends,” Mirana said. “But, now, I would like a word with Tarrant.”
She looked at him with a serious tone and stood. Tarrant saw Melody shake her head slightly.
“We will return in a short time. Have no fear, my dear Melody, you are in safe hands here at the castle.”
“I will have Bayard escort you around the castle on a tour. That should keep you occupied for a bit.”
Tarrant glanced back at Melody as he followed the White Queen out of the dining hall. He slowly turned his head back around for fear of what she was about to tell him. Melody got up and followed Bayard around the castle, constantly thinking of Tarrant and the Queen.
Mirana motioned for Tarrant to enter the room and she closed the door behind them. “Now,” she said as she floated across the floor to the table in the middle of the room. She unrolled the Oraculum and pointed her finger to the final drawing. She motioned for Tarrant to come look and she placed her finger on the drawing. He leaned in closer and stared at the picture.
“That’s” he said as he pointed to the drawing, looking back at the Queen. “That’s…me.”
She nodded.
“But why?”
“I do not know, Tarrant. But this is what the Orcaulum shows. And this is what is to be done.”
He put his nose closer to the parchment. He ran his fingers over the figures engaging in battle. “That’s the Black King.”
“Yes.”
Tarrant stepped away from the parchment, shaking his head and hands. “No. I cannot.”
“You must!”
“I will tell Melody. This is why she has come. She is the one that must fight against The Black King.” He picked up the Oraculum and looked at it closer. “See? It’s her hair that wildly swings. Not mine.”
Mirana took the Orcaulum from the Hatter’s hands. “It is you, Tarrant Hightopp. Not Melody. She may be a descendant of Alice, but she is not full-blood. She is only part, therefore weak. Even if we did put her against the Black King, she would not survive.”
“Then why has she come to Wonderland? There has to be a reason!”
Tarrant paced the room trying to find a way to solve this without going to battle. The White Queen came to his side.
“You must take Melody back to your home. You must not tell her anything of this. Not yet. She is not ready for it.”
“Neither was Alice and look what she did. She slayed the Jabberwocky. It took some convincing but she still did it.”
“But she remembered who she was. Melody knows who she is. But that wouldn’t matter in the battle.” She watched Tarrant continue to pace the room. “Look!” she said to him placing the Orcaulum in his tracks. “You must fulfill the prophecy. There will be an answer at the end. Even I do not know what it is. But Tarrant, you are my champion against the Black King. If you do not fight, there may not be a chance for peace in Underland again.”
Tarrant stared at the figures on the parchment battling against each other. He knew that he couldn’t go against what the Oraculum said. There was silence as he watched the lines on the parchment entwine.
“I will go,” he replied barely in a whisper.
Mirana placed her hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, my friend. For your loyalty.”
Tarrant had his head held low, but the circles under his eyes changed to a dark purple as his lifted his eyes to meet Mirana’s. “You are welcome, your Majesty. I will serve faithfully for you and for Wonderland.”
Melody tried hard to pay attention to what Bayard was saying as he guided her around the castle. But all she could think of what the Queen and Tarrant could be discussing. From the look on his face, she thought it couldn’t have been good.
Melody heard faint footsteps coming down the hall. She saw the Hatter and the Queen walking slowly back into the main corridor of the castle where Melody and Bayard waited. The pair stopped in front of Melody and the bloodhound.
Tarrant forced himself to smile, covering his true feelings underneath.
“Shall we go, then, Melody? I am, uh, feeling a little under the weather.”
“I will fetch Renervere and another horse. You shall not go by horseback back to your home. It is late and a carriage will return you.” The Queen walked up to Melody. “It was a pleasure meeting you, my dear.”
“Likewise,” Melody said watching the Queen turn to Tarrant. He nodded and let his eyes lower when she walked passed.
Melody couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was wrong. Tarrant wasn’t in the same mood he was when he left the table. The Queen and him had shared a moment and a look that she couldn’t figure out.
When the carriage came, Tarrant took her hand and helped her in. Once he was settled, he tapped the ceiling indicating to the driver to move on. Melody watched Tarrant. He kept his eyes fixed on the floor in front of him and he didn’t move once on the way back to the house. He took her hand and helped her out of the carriage and quietly followed her into the house.
She saw him take off his hat and sit in the chair in the sitting room. He crossed his legs slowly and played with the ribbon on his hat.
“Hatter?”
“Hmm?” he answered slowly raising his gaze to hers.
She leaned against the door frame. “Something happened when you went off with the Queen. You don’t look the same.”
He half-heartedly smiled. “Oh, it’s nothing. Actually, I am just quite tired. You should really go to bed. It’s late.”
“Oh,” she said confused. “All right, then.” She watched him fidget again with something on his pants. “Good night, Tarrant.”
“Good night, Melody.”
Melody stood in the doorway for another minute and watched the Hatter. She still wished she knew what was going on with her new friend. And even though she had only known him for a day, it felt like she had known him for years. Something inside her was churning. Her stomach felt like there were butterflies fluttering about and her heart always ached when she saw him.
Slowly, she made her way up the stairs to bed. She removed the dress that Hatter made for her to wear to the dinner and climbed into the long shirt that he had laid out for her to wear at night. She climbed under the sheets and tried to close her eyes and fall asleep. But the thought of Tarrant kept her awake. Something wasn’t right with him and she just wished that he would have told her.
Maybe, she thought, he didn’t trust her yet. Even though she was the granddaughter of Alice, she still needed to earn his trust and her rightful place in Wonderland. If she were him, it would take a lot to build the trust. None of her grandmothers had ever stayed. What made her any different to make the choice and run back?
PREVIOUS CHAPTERS:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3