Paint Me Mad (Mad Hatter love story, Book 1)

Prologue

When I was younger, I use to have these crazy nightmares. Everything was blurry and hot. Streaks of red and orange. There were screams and clashing of metal and sounds of fighting. I remember waking up shaking from fear. But the funny thing was I never knew what I was afraid of.
When I woke up I wasn't in whatever battle that my head took me too, but my small room of the small London apartment my mother and I shared. The moon shinning its glow onto my bed. I typically enjoyed the night life. I felt safe under the moons gaze.
However after dreams like this the only place I felt safe was in my mother's arms.

I'd hop down from my creaky old bed, my silver hair a mess, my tearful violet eyes squinting through the dark as my long dirty night gown dragged at my feet. I'd pad my way into my mother's room, get under the covers and my mother would awaken and comfort me.

I can still hear her voice. Soothing my fears.

Then she's tell me stories of a wonderful land, as I played with her bow and arrow pendent necklace around her neck. A land full of color and wonder. Where animals talked and queens and princesses existed. Where you can magically become big with just a bite of a cake or small by a magical potion.

She was always an amazing story teller.

My mother was the soul provider for the two of us. I never knew my father nor did I know anyone else related to me. She was all I had. Well besides my best friend Alice.

You see my mother was a maid for the Kingsleigh household, who lived much more comfortable then the two of us. The man of the house was a former sea captain and a kind man.

I loved going to that house with my mother. Because that's where I'd see Alice.

However this day was different.
__________

It was a gloomy day in London but I wore a giddy smile on my face as my six year old self skipping down the streets gripping my mother's hand. My silver braided hair, braided with colored ribbon to match my dress, bounding with me.

"There's a big one up there." My mother leaned down whispering mischievously in my ear pointing to a puddle up ahead.

I giggled madly before running and jumping into it causing water to go flying, getting the front of my bright purple dress my mother made for me soaked. Also earning disapproving stares and mutters from the people around me.

I could hear my mother's loud laughter making me smile as I continued to splash and jump.

An aristocratic women with her arms linked with her snoody looking husband stopped to scowl at me and looked at my mother disapproving
"You really ought to teach your child about being a proper lady."

My mother bowed slightly respectfully
"Thank you miss I will take your advice into account."

The women with a prompt "hm!" left still muttering to her husband.

My mother smiled warmly at me who seemed confused by the encounter.

"Am I not a lady mother?" I asked concerned

She bent down, tilted my chin upwards and looked me in the eyes, hers the same color as mine.

"Oh my dear you are the very best kind. Do not let people like that ever stop you from having an open mind. Understand Andromeda?"

I smiled wide and nodded
"I understand mother."

"Good. Now come along let's not be late."

We knocked on the large door of the kingsleigh esstate and to our surprise it was Mrs. Kingsleigh who opened not a servant.
Mrs. Kingsleigh was a proper blonde lady who definitely believed a women's place was different then my mother's views. However she was always very nice to me and besides that littler factor I had no issue with her.

"Ms. Bowstring I'm sorry I thought you'd get my telegram in time."

"Miss is there something wrong?"

She sighed and ran her hand down her face
"It's Alice she's not... well."

I looked up worriedly. Was Alice sick? Was she ok?

"Oh dear is she ill?"

The women bit her lip nervously
"Well not exactly-"

However Alice came running down the hall behind her and pushed her way through excitement on her face. She grabbed my hand excitedly
"Annie! Annie! I have so much to tell you my friend!"

Her excitement made me excited and before anyone could protest Alice dragged me into the house and we ran through the large house towards her room.

___________

"And there was this blue caterpillar that smoked and made pretty shapes with it when he blowed out!"

I sat there on her bed in complete astonishment listening to every detail about Alice's adventure. My mother listened intently a strange look on her face as she folded the laundry across the room.

"Did you meet anyone else?" I asked pressing her to continue

"Oh yes! A strange man with red hair and crazy eyes and a silly hat! He was mad no doubt but he invited me to tea with his mad friend the hare and a tiny dormouse!"

"They were friendly yes?"

"Absolutely!" But then her face became solemn

"But not everyone is friendly there. This world is ruled by two queens. The red queen has taken over most of it. She's not nice."

I furrowed my brows glancing at my mother
"Mother these sound like your stories."

Alice looked excitedly at my mother
"Have you been to Underland Miss Bowstring? Maybe you can convince my mother that I am not mad!"

Before she could open her mouth a male voice interrupted us

"What did I tell you about people who are mad?" Mister Kingsleigh stood in the doorway with an amused grin on his face and kind eyes. "The best people are mad."

He entered my my mother curtsied respectfully.
"Captain you look well."

"As to you Miss Bowstring. I apologized if you are overwhelmed by my daughters enthusiasm. She has stopped going on about her very peculiar dream."

Alice laughed
"It wasn't a dream father. Underland is real. Miss Bowstring has been there."

We all looked her expecting but my mother let a warm smile grace her face and she sat down at the beds end.

"I've heard stories about a world very similar to the one you describe young Alice. However I can't say it's a world I've been to."

Alice and I frown losing hope. However I turned to my beat friend 
"Don't worry Alice, I believe you."

Alice jumped on her bed excitedly
"Next time you'll come with me!"

I started jumping too
"And we'll become explorers of Underland!"

The room was filled with laughter that day as Alice told me more about this magical world. And how one day we'd go there.

Together.