The Princess and The Hatter

Chapter Nine

Once Upon a Time in the Enchanted Forrest . . . . . .

The thundering of your heart almost drowned out the whooshing and thrashing of the leaves and bushes you were running past, the padding of your ill equip feet hitting the forrest floor added to the orchestra of your escape as you make your way through the woods outside the castle walls.

"Get her back here right now!" Uther Pendragon roared through the castle, his nights scurrying into action. The only one amused, was Arthur, who took his time getting to his sward and shield and doing so with a slight smile on his face. "You think this funny son?" Arthur saw his Dads furious face and sighed.

"Father . . ."

"This would not have happened had you been a better host, instead of frolicking about with Princes Guinevere "

"I don't know what . ."

"Spare me your lies Arthur, I may be old but I am not stupid. . . you must stay away from her and secure this Kingdom with this marriage or failing that, prepare for war. . ." Uther stared out the window onto his kingdom.

"Must there only be one way to secure this alliance?" Arthur pondered that perhaps an alternate agreement could be made, where you and he could live your freedoms and keep the kingdoms at peace.

"There is only war son. . . in everything . . ." Uther eventually turned to him "now find her, before it is too late" and with that he storms off.

"I sense you there Merlin. . ." Arthur turns to his trusted adviser in his long blue cloak "perhaps you would know how the princess escaped the tower?" He raises and eyebrow at the old wizard.

"The princess sire?" Merlin shrugged.

"Hmm" Arthur shook his head half amused before heading to his horse and leading the troops out to the woods. It doesn't take long for them to reach the edge of the tree line. Breathlessly you continue to run, as fast as you can, jumping over fallen trees and darting in different directions to find the hardest path for them to follow. Your floaty, etherial dress, allowing you to do this, rather than the stiff fabric back at the castle. You beam as you look behind you at the castle as it slowly diapers from view, you hair bouncing behind you. You continue to run until you trip, falling instantly, but not onto the ground, no, you fall straight into the arms of an eccentrically dressed stranger in a top hat. Looking up at him, straight into his deep blue eyes which are swimming with shock, mischief and something else, most would call adoration but you couldn't quite tell.

"I'm so sorry. . ." your words tumble out, you sure you recognise this man but can't work it out.

"In a rush?" He muses, before clearing his throat and helping you stand after realising he's still holding you. He noticing your glance behind you at the on coming entourage. You look back at the stranger, and at his hat and then it clicks.

"You're the portal jumper?" You look alarmed but immensely pleased this time round. Jefferson takes off his hat, introducing himself and bows before turning standing straight and looking at you again. He'd been in a little skirmish with the king and just about gotten away with it. Thats when you'd met him, he was trying to seal from your chambers but with a flash he was gone, until this morning when you'd heard him bargaining his way out of trouble.

"And you are Princess Pricilla" he smirks.

"I prefer "Y/N"" you grumble making him chuckle. You'd always preferred your middle name, because it was yours, your first name was just a regal name, not very personal, something your father had insisted on because it ran in the family.

"Apologies for trying to steal your magic book" Jefferson started "I was. . ."

"Take me with you . . . " You interrupt in a panicked manner as the tooting of horns got closer, you plead again, looking behind you and then into the ocean blue eyes of the thief.

"What?" he was taken back by your outburst, but he heard the rumbling of the horses and wasn't exactly desperate to stay any longer either he just hadn't bargained on such a beautiful hitchhiker.

"Please take me with you, you can have the book as payment" you patted the small satchel you had to hint it was with you "but please. . . " you hold onto his jacket, fear taking over slightly. You couldn't go back, it was suffocating. Jefferson, unable to help himself takes an arm firmly around you, whilst using the other he to spin his hat, creating a swirl of purple mist.

"Where to my Princess?" He asks you, arm out with a tender but proud look upon his face.

"Anywhere . . ." You look at him, you match his excitement, eyes swimming with wonder, not caring you didn't know him because deep down, you felt like you'd always had, and you always would. With a wink, he launches the two of you into the hat and by the time the guards got there, the two of you had vanished and love had sparked.

. . . . . . .

"We're inside your hat. . ." You marvel as you look around at all the doors.

"Well. . .yes. . ." Jefferson says as if it was particularly ridiculous of you to say otherwise.

"You make this hat?" You ask intrigued.

"Well by profession I am a hatter originally. . . and then yes, I made a magic hat. . . much more glory, adventure and rewards in portal jumping and . . ."

"Thievery" you add the last word."

"I prefer an acquirer of goods actually. . . there's usually a swapping process involved." 

"Unless its my magic book. . ." you say folding your arms. 

"I was going to leave you something. . ." he lies. 

"Oh yeah . . . like?" 

"A. .  . .rose. . . " 

"A rose?" You squint your eyes "how'd you know I like roses. . . " 

"Well, red roses are hard to come by and I'm starting to think you're a difficult woman so I put two and two together. . ." 

"I'm not difficult . . " you frown. 

"And I'm not mad. . " he shrugs playfully. 

"I'm not I'm just . . . I want freedom . . ." you sigh "I want to run away and never be found . . . " Jefferson looks at you curiously as you marvel at the doors once more. 

"You know, I have a job in Wonderland, you could absolutely get lost in there. . ." you look round. 

"Of course, there's the door rule, two in two out. . . so you can't get too lost but . . . you might like it . . . it's a farce. . ." 

"Wonderland?" 

"Wonderland . . ." he nods, offering his hand he stand by a mirror shaped doorway. You smile, taking the strangers hand and diapering though the looking glass.