Continuing Tales

Bonkers To Be Late

A Alice in Wonderland Story
by RosieLilyIce93

Part 34 of 48

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It had been another five days since Alice had sat outside Tarrant's door cursing. Since then, he had been nearly impossible to spot and she was contemplating asking Mirana if there were any secret passageways in the castle.

In the meantime, she had been performing her duties by rote. She was watchful as ever over the Queen's person and her men's performance during training, but there was no true spark in her eyes.

Mally saw it but said nothing, just pushed her harder during training. Mirana saw it as well and had made it a habit of (nearly!) ordering Alice to sip tea with her before bed. Chess though was her only true source of comfort.

He was almost always around. He was also the only one who had been able to make her smile. A slight tickle from his tail, a witty comment under his breath during dinner, or a new book for her interest, he was able to conjure a fleeting, but genuine smile.

It was on the morning of the sixth day that he found her curled up under her favorite tree in the water garden. The book he had directed her to the other day lay open in her lap and her head was tilted back against the tree, her eyes closed as if sleeping.

Chess couldn't blame her for being here. The water garden was a place of peace. It had been originally built centuries ago as a place for the ladies of the court to come and speak in private away from their male counterparts. Since the fall of the last reigning King and Queen of the White Kingdom, it had been forgotten but it was still beautiful. Alice's willow had boughs that softly dangled in the clear pool situated in the center of the garden. Cattails lined the western bank while delicate white water lilies floated by the eastern shore. A couple of yards off was a gravel walking path that wandered around a fountain.

Chess recalled the day that the fountain had been installed. It had fascinated both the Red and White princesses. They had spent countless hours splashing water at each other and just being happy. Unfortunately, childhood joy had a nasty way of slipping away.

The outside was plain white marble with pink veins. The basin though was magnificent. It was a mosaic of color depicting the path through Tulgey Wood and up to the White Castle. Everything was depicted in detail, from the talking flowers to the swaying cherry trees. It was truly a beautiful scene.

The most lovely space in the garden though, was the water wall. The white and gold granite sparkled with the splashing water and if one listened closely enough, music could be heard, an ancient lullaby that nearly every child in Underland had heard at one point in their lives.

Flowers in the breeze

Birds within the trees

The Fates smile upon you

Child of mine …

"You look awfully deep in thought." Alice's voice broke him out of his thoughts. He looked down at her and grinned.

"At least I don't sleep like a log." Alice's mouth twitched, resisting a smile.

"I wasn't sleeping. I was merely enjoying the breeze."

"Indeed." Chessur smiled skeptically. Alice closed her eyes again, but patted the patch of sun beside her. Chess's expression softened and he reappeared at her side. They lounged there for a time. The music of the water wall and the birds above seemed to soothe something in Alice's soul. Chess watched her as she lazily opened her eyes and thumbed through the book.

Before he could ask how she was enjoying it, the crunch of gravel alerted them to an approaching figure. Alice was on her feet in a flash and her knife was drawn. Chess disappeared up into the tree to keep a careful eye on the situation. Eventually the crunching stopped and all was silent until Alice's voice broke the stillness.

"Tarrant!" Alice's voice was breathless with happiness.

Although the emotion in her voice was rather sickening for a cat experience, he grinned manically and floated lower to listen to the couple's conversation.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tarrant eyed Alice nervously. She still had her dagger in hand but she was smiling broadly. He gave a pointed glance to the weapon.

"Oh!" She exclaimed and scrambled to fasten it back in its sheath. Once it was secure she was sprinting to him. Without warning, she had thrown her arms around his middle and was babbling into his chest. Out of instinct his arms came around her. He didn't pay complete attention to her words. The feel of her in his arms was so achingly familiar that he wasn't willing to focus on anything but her warm body against his. Eventually though, her words seeped into his foggy brain.

"… and whatever I did to upset you, I'm so sorry and it will never happen again and I will do –"

"What are you talking about Alice?" Tarrant asked in bewilderment.

Alice ducked her head into his chest again and he couldn't resist stroking her hair. The silken texture of it was divine! Then again Alice could easily be his own private goddess. Tarrant felt himself flush at the thought and tried to focus on Alice's words.

"You've been avoiding me, so I thought I must have done something to offend you. I'll be honest, I've been having a hard time trying to figure out just what I did but now that you're here maybe I –"

"Alice." Tarrant cupped her cheeks and tilted her face up.

Alice swallowed and gave him wobbly smile.

"I'm fine." She whispered. Tarrant chuckled and kissed her brow, discreetly inhaling her scent. Flowers and the fruity scent she had described as citrus. Everything that was Alice.

Tarrant grew serious after a moment and retreated several paces away from her. Alice frowned and tried to follow his movements, but he held up a hand to stop her. She froze and cocked her head at his nervous-serious-hopeful expression.

"You've done nothing wrong Alice. I have been absent lately for a specific purpose."

Alice raised a golden eyebrow and motioned for him to continue. Tarrant swallowed passed the anxious lump in his throat and slowly walked toward her.

"Every time now that ye have returned here, someone or something has taken ye away from me. I decided that I CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN!" Alice jumped at his suddenly raised voice. Tarrant drew a deep calming breath and came within a foot of her.

"Alice I love you and I never want to be without you. Love binds us, fate binds us, and now I want the law to bind us."

Tarrant dropped to his knees and pulled the box from his coat pocket. He heard Alice's swift intake of breath and opened it. Within was a ring, a silver band etched with flowers and a bright stone in the center. When the light bounced off it, it would reflect light blue and then light green. He had poured his heart and soul into this ring and was ready to lay both at her feet.

"I can't be without you my Alice. Will ye be my wife?"

Tarrant looked up into the dark blue eyes that had haunted for far longer than he could remember. They were bright with tears and dare he name it? Joyful love.

Alice fell to her knees too and threw her arms around him. The action threw them both of balance and Tarrant tumbled backwards with Alice landing on top of him.

"Yes Tarrant. Yes!" Alice exclaimed breathlessly, a tear slipping down her cheek. Tarrant grinned and untangled her left hand from around his neck. He slipped the ring onto her finger quickly. They both beamed down at it and then at each other.

Then, without realizing what was happening, their lips were connected and they were pouring all of their joy, all of their hope, and all of their love into that single kiss.

When they finally broke apart, Tarrant's eyes were a deep forest green edged with purple. Alice smiled at the colors and stroked his cheek admiringly.

"Alice?" He tried to get her attention.

"Hmmm?" She continued to smile at him.

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" He stilled her hand on his cheek and reached up at brush his thumb across her lips. Alice sighed in contentment and kissed the digit.

"Because they love each other." Tarrant laughed and seized her in another kiss.

Everything was going to be alright.

Alice would be his and he would be hers and nothing and anyone whether it was Time, Fate, or Above, would ever part them again.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Up in the willow tree, Chess was rolling his eyes at the happy couple below and trying not to ruin the moment.

He owed them that much, he supposed.

Then a rather horrid thought occurred to him.

They're going to need a new riddle …

Bonkers To Be Late

A Alice in Wonderland Story
by RosieLilyIce93

Part 34 of 48

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