Chapter Three

Alice stared out at the sea, she hadn't expected to miss Underland as much as she did. She loved being a captain with her mother, loved the call of the sea and the wind upon her face. Still she couldn't help but think of the man she had left behind, in favor of his kin. "Alice?" Her mother's voice caught her up and took her from her daydreams.

"Yes Mother." Alice replied and her mother smiled at her.

"You have the same look about you, that your father did. Are you dreaming of Underland Alice? Perhaps you are wishing to go back there."

"Mother?" Alice asked incredulous and her mother smiled at her.

"Margaret is my daughter, while we always said that you are your fathers. Your father was a traveler, as you already knew, but what you didn't know that he traveled here from another world. He was curious about the land above and wished to explore it more fully. Yet he hadn't intended to do the one thing that would keep him here, he hadn't intended to marry me. I thought if I could make a good match, if I could stop your wanderlust, I could perhaps keep you in this world. Now I know that you belong to theirs however. Just as much as your sister and I belong to this one. You will never be truly happy here, even if you meet with and fall in love with someone in this world. You belong with the fey, the people and places you visited in Wonderland call to you more, than I ever could."

"Fey?" Alice asked. "They aren't like little fairies though."

"No they aren't, but they are people that for one reason or another, decided that it was better to settle in the world below, than above. People with talents and skills that you could only imagine, skills that you could yet be trained in. I'm afraid that if you tried to stay, you would fade as your father did. That I wouldn't be enough for you, as I wasn't enough for your father."

"Father got sick, it wasn't your fault."

"Alice your father faded away, the life spans of the people above, aren't the same as those from below. He loved you all dearly, but he fell into a melancholy that even we could not pull it from. Before I realized what had happened to him, it was already too late to be of any help. Still he left me a way back to Wonderland, for our daughters, in case they ever had a need of it. He loved us more than his life, for he was stuck between worlds, as you are starting to be. Even if he were to return to Underland, he might have recovered for a time, before the melancholy would return, for his missing of us."

"Couldn't we have all gone to Underland?"

"No child, I could not make the trip, your sister shows no signs of being able to either. You should go back to Underland, where you belong and seek out the Kinstrade Clan, he changed his name to Kingsleigh so it would sound less out of the ordinary." She said and smiled at her sadly. "Take your father's old Kilt with you and go."

"Father was an Outlander?" Alice said in confusion.

"He was of the clans, but he lost the accent over time. Outlandish sounds a fair bit like Scottish, if you don't listen closely to it." Alice's Mother replied. "I packed it just in case you wished to return to Underland. You deserve to know your family and your heart's desire." She said and smiled sadly. "Your cousins, aunts and Uncles would welcome you with open arms, once they know of you." She added and Alice frowned.

"This all seems like a very strange dream." She said and her Mother laughed.

"Your father once said to me that all of life is a dream, we all agree to dream. Dream your own dreams Alice, follow your heart and find where you truly belong." Her mother kissed her on the cheeks then and pulled something from a seaman's bag she carried.

"But what about you, what about the house?"

"I will be fine, you might be a trader to your very core, but I'm a merchants daughter and I am almost as good at trade as you are and your father was." Alice's mother said. "I will be fine Alice, you need not worry over me, I will love you and miss you."

"I won't forget you Mother." Alice promised as she took the kilt from her mother. "I promise."

"Of course I won't forget you either Alice, but you belong amidst others of your kind and that the man who's name you mumble in your sleep." Alice's Mother said and Alice blushed. Alice stared at the blue purple and gold kilt her mother gave her, time had faded the colors but it was still very beautiful. She fastened it around her waist, belting it in place when it nearly fell off of her. She then unpacked a small cake that said Eat Me on it and a mirror, which she put a finger through and grinned. "I love you Mother."

"And I you, be good and listen to your family."

"I will." Alice promised. "Did Father have another name, before he came here?"

"Your father was always Ferdinand, though he shortened it to Fred upon occasion." Alice's Mother replied and Alice nodded, before taking a small piece off the cake and eating it slowly. She shrunk to a size that was small enough to fit through the mirror and she climbed into it and into Underland once more.

She stepped out into a traveler's sack, which was jouncing rather badly. "I told you to be careful with my things Jerold! The Clan Meet won't start until everyone has arrived."

"Sorry Greater Grander Maiter, its just to be my first Clan Meet."

"I know that boy, everyone from here to the Jarin lands knows that, but that mirror belonged to your Greater Uncle, before he traveled beyond our reach."

"Where did he go?"

"To the Aboveland." Alice replied and the bag was promptly dropped, jostling her and a vast variety of objects about. Alice cursed. "Belumphing ballywho, terrimongril!" Alice cursed the words coming easily to her lips, as her father had shouted, whenever he'd banged an arm or a leg on an offending piece of furniture.

"Who's there?" The child demanded. "Whoever you are, ye need a good tongue washin' that's what my Maither says, when I swear like that."

"I'm sorry, but perhaps you could let me out of this bag, gently if you please." Alice said and two hands opened the satchel, she smiled at a woman that seemed to be in her middle years, she looked a lot like Alice who stared at her, as she returned the grin with one of her own.

"And who might you be, wearing the clan colors and coming into my travel bag."

"Alice Kingsley, daughter of the late Ferdinand Kinstrade." Alice said.

"What's my son late to?" The older woman asked and Alice frowned.

"He's been dead for nearly ten years, so quite a bit. I am sorry." Alice said and her Grandmother nodded.

"I had hoped that he was able to be happy above, but I suppose that he was not."

"Mother said that he was trapped between worlds and didn't wish me to be." Alice stated and the woman smiled.

"Well I suppose that you shouldn't call me Grandmother, not until we know each other properly, for now how about you call me Francine?"

"Alright Francine, could I trouble you for the cake that makes you grow bigger?

"If I had any of it, I would give it you, but someone is bound to have some at the Clan Meet and we're nearly there, for now you can ride on my shoulder."

"Thank you." Alice said and was placed gently on her shoulder. Alice sat down quite comfortably and smiled at the boy who appeared to be about seven years old walking beside them. "Who are you?" Alice asked and the boy grinned up giving a gap toothed smile.

"Well met cousin, I am Jerold of clan Kinstrade." He said and Alice grinned.

"So are there more of our clan going to the meet, I should like to meet them. Mother only told me about how I was related to an Outland clan today, or else I think we would have met sooner."

"I am happy that we are meeting at all, five of your cousins could make it to this clan meet in time, we are traders by nature and so go far and wide upon our travels."

"I was a trader too, though I traded on a ship that would take me to different lands in the above. I met many interesting people and saw more of the world than many people in the above could ever hope to see." She said and smiled. "When I was very little, Father would set me on his lap and we would look at maps together, maps that I thought he made up, but now I'm not so sure."

"I could show you some maps and see if they look familiar to you. I'll also help you start out and learn the trade, as you aren't entirely an Hoddergjob, you might have less susceptibility to madness and you won't have the colored eyes until you've lived here a while."

"Where are we?" Alice asked.

"We are on our way to Witzend to attend a Clan Meet, some will be vying for the hand of the five sons and daughters of the Hightopp family. None of our kinsman are currently looking for a wife or husband, but everyone sends at least a few people to a meet, it's an great place to sell wares and meet with the other clans."

"It sounds great, I've always liked market gatherings."

"As only is right for a Kinstrade." Anise said and smiled at Alice. "You will fit right in with the rest of the clan."

"I'm looking forward to meeting them."

"Well if you would like to run ahead, we're the caravan right up there." She said and pointed.

"It would take a while for me to reach them, at my current size." Alice said and Anise laughed.

"So this isn't your first experience in Underland?"

"Nor my second, I believe it is my third and last." Alice replied with a grin. "You see this place keeps dragging me back, no matter how I might forget it, or try to fit with the society above, my mother pointed out that my heart lies here and I believe her to be correct."

"Well I believe that this world will be the better, for having you in it."

"Thank you Anise, goodness knows I always manage to get into some trouble or other. The worst was the Jabberwocky."

"You ran a fowl of that beast."

"More like killed it." Alice said. "I'm the White Queen's champion, I actually helped to free the Hightopps and it's a very good thing that time decided not to hold a grudge."

"A very good thing indeed, a bit temperamental is time." Anise said and Alice laughed.

"I found him to be rather kind, myself." Alice said and grinned as she heard a wild cacophonous noise that could be called music, only there were many songs playing at once and the ones that were being played together were as out of sync as the rest. "What's that?"

"The gathering, wait until the Swansongs arrive, they will make it a bit more in rhythm and not as wild as this." Anise said.

"I like it." Alice said.

"I do too, can I take Cousin Alice and run ahead?"

"Of course dear, Alice remember to hold onto his shirtsleeves." Anise said and Alice nodded, Anise set her hand upon the boy's shoulder and Alice walked down it, to lie on her stomach with her hands clutching onto the fabric. Then Jerold took off running with the speed and exuberance of young boys. Alice laughed and held on tight to his shirt, it was not unlike riding upon a bandersnatch, though different at the same time. She let out a whoop which Jerold echoed as they ran, passing by a slightly confused set of wagons, which were draped in the Kinstrade colors.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry my boy?"

"Cousin Alice needs a growth potion, so I'm helping her."

"Cousin Alice?" A young man asked and Alice grinned.

"Alice Kinstrade, daughter of Ferdinand Kinstrade."

"Is my brother coming to the clan meet?" A man asked eagerly.

"No Uncle, he has been dead these past nine years, but he left behind my sister and me, as well as our mother." Alice replied and the man nodded.

"Ferdinand could never settle to one route, but to be torn between the family of your choice and the family of your blood is a hard thing."

"I know, I left behind my mother and sister to come here. Still the friends I have here are very dear to me as well."

"You have been here before?"

"I haven't seen more than the lands of the Red and White Queen." Alice replied.

"Ah so you have stayed around Mamorial then, well we don't have upelkuchen on us, but I'm certain that someone would be willing to make a trade for a vial, or just give you a few drops, so you aren't quite so tiny."

"I'm sure that the White Queen could help me, if there was no other choice, but the last time I was here Tarrant Hightopp had some, I'd like to check with him first, could you maybe help me find them. I would hate to be underfoot and wind up being stepped upon." Alice said and several people laughed.

"I'm your Uncle Fredric, to my left is your fourth cousin Kenneth and in the back is your cousin Jennifer."

"Jen's a baby." Jerold stated.

"She's three and a bit of a terror if she doesn't get a good kip in." Finnick said and smiled. "My wife is with the other wagon, along with our oldest son Jordan who is thirteen and making his first trade route this festival. Then finally there's your cousin Henry."

"Forgive me if I don't remember all your names."

"Of course." He said and smiled at her. "Now tell me of how you came here before, you must like it, if you decided to move from your homeland."

"I do indeed, I came here first when I was a bit older than Jerold, though I have fairly vague memories of that trip. Then I came again about four years back, my last trip back was six months ago."

"Then you wouldn't be The Alice, as the Hightopps were rescued less then a month ago."

"Time is a tricky fellow but it seems he's helped me for once. I suppose that time above and below flows differently." Alice said and her Uncle's eyes widened.

"So you are the champion of Mamorial?" He demanded and Alice nodded, blushing slightly. She didn't much like it when people made a big deal of her being the champion overmuch. "Well to think we're relations of the one who slew the Jabberwocky." He laughed and his eyes turned a bright purple and sparkled with his mirth. "I heard that you enchanted Tarrant Hightopp and he won't court another, despite his siblings and parents attempting to convince him otherwise. Half the girls at the Clan's meet will be jealous of you and the other half will think you mad, for wishing to marry one that goes round the bend as often as Tarrant Hightopp." He said and it was Alice's turn to have her mouth hang open. "Are you trying to catch bread and butterflies?"

"Tarrant never said he would be interested in a match." Alice protested.

"Well did you ask him?" Her Uncle demanded.

"Its the girls that ask here?" Alice demanded.

"Why of course its the girls, girls should make the first move where courting is concerned, as to not be overwhelmed by the boys, when their ardor is met."

"Its the other way round where I'm from." Alice said and frowned. "I thought Tarrant was only seeking to be my dear friend, when he did not ask the last time I was here."

"Oh well there are bound to be misunderstanding, you were raised differently after all. Those anglefish must of put all sorts of queer notions in your head."

"Anglefish?"

"Aye did I hear it wrong, my brother came back to tell us that he was staying above, that he'd met an anglefish girl that made his heart futterwacken most vigorously." He shrugged. "Love is a funny fellow, you never know where or when he will strike." He said and Alice frowned.

"So is there actually someone named love, as there is someone named time?"

"No it was a poetic turn of phrase, Fredric is fond of spewing out drivel he likes to call poetry, but it hardly makes a lick of sense to the rest of us. His wife enjoys it well enough however, elsewise she wouldn't have become his wife." Her cousin Kenneth said and she laughed.

"I would have worn her down eventually." Fredric said and winked at Alice, who smiled in return. "Well what are you waiting for Jerold, hop aboard." Fredric said and Jerold climbed onto the wagon, sitting on his father's lap, as Alice was transferred to Fredric's top hat. Soon it became too loud to hear anyone over the clamor, as Fredric directed the wagon into a open space, before getting off of the wagon. Alice stood on the brim of his hat looking out at the people. They had different skin colors and were in some cases even different species, but they all had the eyes that shown all the colors of a rainbow. Some had glitter to add to their eyelids, others wore makeup. The clothing was a vivid sea of colors and every few feet someone was playing a song or singing one. It looked all and all like quite the lively and disorganized gathering and Alice loved it at once.

She grinned as she saw Tarrant, talking with his sister, who seemed to be standing behind him, as he fended of would be suitors or some such. The other two brothers that she remembered stood beside their other sister, though there were many women mixed in with the men, apparently everyone wanted a chance to meet with the reunited Hightopp family and Alice couldn't help the wide smile, as they walked towards them.

Her Uncle held out his hand and she walked down it to stand upon his palm as they grew closer to the Hightopps. She grinned and waved at Tarrant who stared at her open mouthed. "Alice?" He muttered and his eyes changed colors rapidly.

"Tarrant its alright, I'm here." Alice said. "You aren't seeing things, this is my Uncle Fredric was it?"

"It was indeed, may I present Alice Kinstrade of Angleland." He said.

"England cousin, and its English, not Anglefish." Alice said and smiled. "Do you have some of that growing cake Hatter?" She asked and stared as Tarrant's eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted. "Tarrant!" Alice cried and hurried over to him, as her kinsman set her down. "Are you alright Tarrant?" She asked.

"Of course he isn't alright you foolish girl, you had better not leave again!" Tarrant's sister said and Alice glared at her.

"I beg your pardon, but I believe that we have not met and who are you to call me a fool?" Alice demanded angrily.

"Well that's entirely your fault isn't it, you drive my brother half mad from loving you and then you go back to England or wherever you are from and just when he's starting to get over you, you return! Well not to stay because you never stay!"

"Well I had matters to attend to, my mother needed me to sign papers so that she wouldn't loose the house. Then she decided to enter into a trading company with me and I left her in the middle of the sea. I left my own mother behind, because I couldn't get this place, or the people in it out of my head. I didn't even know Tarrant was interested in me like that, until my Uncle told me, if I had known, I might have stayed."

"Would you have preferred him to hold up a sign, because short of that I don't know how you couldn't have noticed that he's gone for you."

"Its different where I'm from, the men ask the women, not the other way round and what hint? He never took my hand in his, he never asked to take me out somewhere with it being just the two of us. He never told me anything that would make me guess."

"His eyes would have showed you, if you had but looked." Tatianna said angrily.

"Oh like I would know what the color of his eyes mean, except when they turned black and he screamed at me the once for not believing in him, I think his point was quite made then." Alice said and Tatianna frowned.

"You mean you do not know the meaning of the colors, even a babe knows the colors."

"A babe here maybe, before I came here, I knew no one, whose eyes changed color."

"What of your father lass?" Her Uncle Fredric asked.

"His eyes were always black and shadowed, Mother said he couldn't break away from his melancholy and it was what killed him in the end."

"That sometimes happens, so he missed us then, poor Ferdinand." Her Uncle frowned. "Are you sure that you will be happy here lass, without your sister or Mother?"

"I do not know for certain, but I think I should be happier here, then I am in my homeland." She replied.

"You said you wanted upelkuchen?" Tatianna asked and Alice nodded. "Well we can't hold a conversation with you as big as a Dormouse." She then gave Alice a small amount of cake, which she fished from Tarrant's pockets. She ate the cake and grew to a normal size, before she turned to Tatianna.

"Could you get a cool washcloth?" Alice asked Tatianna.

"Why on earth would you want that?"

"Women faint often where I'm from, smelling salts, or cool water can be used to rouse them." Alice said.

"You are a phisicer?" Uncle Fredric asked.

"Not really, I know some things about how to treat illness, but not much overall."

"Would you like to learn?" Someone questioned and Alice smiled when she saw the White Queen.

"Hello your Majesty."

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Mirana?" The Queen asked and Alice smiled in return.

"I'd love to learn, if you would be willing to teach me."

"Of course, I would be delighted to pass on what skills I have." The White Queen said and smiled. "As a Champion you should have many skills at your disposal."

"Thank you Mirana." Alice said and smiled at the Queen.

"As for Tarrant, I have just the thing." The White Queen said and pulled out a decanter. "This should change his unconscious state to that of a light sleep and you can wake him from there."

"Thank you Mirana." Alice said and the White Queen smiled.

"Just a drop under his nose should do the trick." The White Queen said and smiled softly. Alice did as the Queen told her to do and Tarrant mumbled something in his sleep.

"Tarrant?" Alice asked gently.

"Alice?" He muttered. "I dreamed that you came back, but you aren't coming back."

"Oh Tarrant I am back, back to stay, I couldn't get any of you out of my head and my Mother saw the longing in me to return. The same longing that killed my Father." Alice said and Tarrant opened his eyes and stared at her.

"If this is a dream, I do ne care." Tarrant said and before Alice knew it his lips were upon hers and she was having her first kiss stolen by Tarrant Hightopp. She felt herself melt oddly as the rest of the world melted away and all there was Tarrant. She returned the kiss with equal ardor.

"If in you must do that, do it where I cannae see." Tatianna stated and Alice blushed moving back from Tarrant and breaking the kiss, slightly out of breath, her cheeks flushed brightly.

"You are really here." Tarrant said and frowned. "I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, or I dreamed you up. I kissed you!" He said horrified and his eyes flashed many colors in quick succession. "I'm a blidgering buggering balanta, taking advantage of a woman, who is not mine to court."

"If you had but asked, perhaps she would be, but of course our customs in this are different as in anything else. I would be willing to explore the possibility of a relationship, if you would be." Alice said and Tarrant's eyes widened in shock, continuing to stare at Alice. "Oh Hatter, we're both fools aren't we? To think we almost ignored our feelings, do to a misunderstanding." Alice smiled at him. "Would you consent to courting me? To see if anything might develop between us."

"Yes Alice." Tarrant said and pinched himself. "Ow." He said. "Not a dream then."

"Not a dream Tarrant, courting must be different here than in above." She said and turned to her Uncle and Tarrant's sister. "How do we proceed?"

"However you like, it's your relationship after all, perhaps you could tell me what courting is." Tatianna said and Alice frowned.

"Do you mean that we will be alone together?" Alice asked. "Without chaperone? You don't court here?" She added and the others shook their heads.

"What is this courting

"What's a chaperone?" Tatianna asked.

"Someone that both families trust that ensures that nothing untoward happens before the marriage. The couple goes to places together, sometimes exchange gifts or other signs of their affection."

"So they have people spy on couples making sure that they don't do any balmorgal before the hand fasting? I donae mind the rest oh it, but ta be watched with ye, ta be spied upon. Still if it is what ye be wanting."

"Usually yes, but if it isn't a tradition here..."

"I would be glad to escort you." Her Uncle Fredric said and smiled. "In fact I'm looking forward to it niece, should give us a chance to better know you."

"We donae need an escort, I ken I can keep my ardor in check, without having you be watching us through the bushes."

"Usually the escort stays with the couple actually." Alice said and Tarrant looked shocked.

"This is private business, between two people. So you want to know for certain what you feel, before we marry?" Tarrant asked and Alice nodded. "Then we'll do a hand fasting, we'll act like husband and wife for a year, which should tell us if we want a long term relationship or not."

"I've never been with anyone before Tarrant, I'm not sure I'm ready."

"Then we will wait until we are, I don't think I could handle this courting business." Tarrant said and Alice nodded. "I will nae do nothing that ye donae ask for Alice." He promised and Alice nodded again.

"Alright so do you want to be hand fasted with me Tarrant?" Alice asked and Tarrant grinned.

"Aye lass I do." Tarrant said and they smiled at each other. "Why are ye wearing the Kinstrade colors?"

"Because I'm a Kinstrade, or rather my father was, seems like a love of adventure and other worlds runs in the family." Alice said and Tarrant stared at her shocked.

"But your eyes donae change color as ours do, ye donae have the look of a hoddergjob." He said and Alice shrugged.

"I'm half hoddergjob, and half of above." Alice said and he nodded.

"That may do it, if you did not know." He said and his eyes stopped changing colors.

"I just found out today, this is my Uncle Fredric, I never expected to find actually family living in Underland." Alice said and smiled brightly.

"Why don't you go explore the market Alice? The rest of the clan should be along and we need to discuss some things with the Hightopps."

"Shouldn't we be there too?"

"Nonsense, this is just a formality and its not right that your here for this." Uncle Fredric stated and Alice nodded. She smiled and hooked her arm in Tarrant's.

"The styles here are quite different from above." Alice said stopping by a stall that showed women's clothing in a variety of bright colors and shades. "Everything is much more vibrant here." She added and Tarrant appeared curious.

"How so, that blue dress you wore was lovely."

"Yes, but mostly people prefer more subdued shades where I am from and there seems to be no corsets at all, which is only to the good."

"What's a corset?"

"A horrible contraption that restricts airflow, but some believe it to make a woman's figure more appealing."

"I would never want ye to make it harder for you to breathe, what other horrible contraptions do they force you to wear?"

"Some like to wear hoop skirts, which are essentially metal cages, which make skirts go out in a bell shape. I always thought them to be terribly uncomfortable personally." Alice said and Tarrant nodded. "I actually prefer Asian dress, they are a lot more comfortable and very beautiful with all the bright colors. People where I'm from that its best to not draw too much attention to yourself."

"They sound thoroughly uninteresting." Tarrant said and Alice laughed.

"Indeed they are." Alice said and her eyes caught sight of a dress in the Kinstrade colors. It was very beautiful, but she had nothing to pay for anything with. She continued to walk through the market, pausing to examine something when it caught her eye. "Do you think I should take lessons in how to use a proper sword Tarrant?" Alice asked.

"If it something that you enjoy, I do not see why not and anyone would be glad to teach you. I never learned how to wield a blade, but you could have lessons with anyone of the Queen's guard." Tarrant said and Alice nodded, she continued to look through the sprawling markets, then she grinned when she heard a familiar song and raced off to where someone was playing the Walrus and the Carpenter. She joined in the song and Tarrant stared at her speechless as she sang. She had always prided herself on her singing and was enjoying the song, not noticing that the other singer had stopped in favor of letting her sing.

"Sing a song of above." Tarrant called out and Alice smiled.

"Well this always reminded me of you.

My love she was fair and my love she was kind too
And many were the happy hours, between my love and me
I never could refuse her, whatever she'd a mind to
And now she's far away, far o'er the stormy sea.

All 'round my hat I will wear a green willow
All 'round my hat for a twelve month and a day
If anybody asks me the reason why I wear it
It's all because my true love is far, far away.

Will my love be true and will my love be faithful?
Or will she find another swain to court her where she's gone?
The men will all run after her, so pretty and so graceful
And leave me here lamenting, lamenting all alone.

All 'round my hat I will wear a green willow
All 'round my hat for a twelve month and a day
If anybody asks me the reason why I wear it
It's all because my true love is far, far away.

My love she was fair, and my love she was kind
And cruel the judge and jury that sentenced her away
For thieving was a thing that she never was inclined to
They sent my love across the sea ten thousand miles away." Alice finished and opened her eyes to see a crowd of people cheering.

"Sing another!" A little boy called and she smiled.

"Alright, could I borrow your fiddle sir?"

"Of course." He said and Alice smiled at him, before starting to sing a song.

"I heard my neighbor's rooster crow early in the day
I heard his ax beyond the hill, now I'm bound away

She stopped to play the fiddle, drawing it into a jig and nodding as the others continued to play.

With a fiddle and a bow and a firelight's glow
You can hear that lonesome sound
Leave behind my troubled mind
Go the whole world round

The grey squirrel leaves when the red squirrel comes
Eagle nests alone
A hundred miles from a wagon track I'll make my home

With a fiddle and a bow and a firelight's glow
You can hear that lonesome sound
Leave behind my troubled mind
Go the whole world round

I see'd the old men whittlin wood, seen the lights of town
I'm goin deep in the Arkansas woods and settle down

With a fiddle and a bow and a firelight's glow
You can hear that lonesome sound
Leave behind my troubled mind
Go the whole world round

Some folks love the city life some like a town
I'm goin to the lonesome woods, listen to the lonesome sound

With a fiddle and a bow and a firelight's glow
You can hear that lonesome sound
Leave behind my troubled mind
Go the whole world round

With a fiddle and a bow and a firelight's glow
You can hear that lonesome sound
Leave behind my troubled mind
Go the whole world round."

Alice grinned as she finished the song and handed the fiddle back. "Won't you sing another?" The young man she had borrowed the fiddle from asked. "Or play some more? The songs of above sound different than the ones we are used to." He said and Alice smiled.

"How bout a fiddle reel then boys?" She asked and they cheered, she grinned as she started up a complicated jig that her father had been fond of, she had learned it in time, she wanted to be able to play the reel that brought a smile to his face. She smiled at Tarrant as she played along with the other musicians, unable to stop the grin on her face. Her father's kilt was too loose for any sort of dancing, so she draped the fabric around her neck and started the stomping dance her father had taught her one day, soon everyone was joining in, clapping hands and stomping feet, as Alice danced through the crowd laughing. She finished the reel and started another and another, until it was starting to get dark and she was tired. She handed the fiddle back and was surprised when people gave her a collection of random trinkets and scarves, as well as other jewelry, watches and many other things besides. She was puzzled but thanked them politely, then turned to the other musicians. "This is yours by right, I just wanted a bit of fun and got carried away."

"Nonsense girl, keep it, it looks like you could use it. Words got round that you came here with scarcely more than the clothes on your back." One of the musicians stated and Alice blushed.

"I should have thought to bring some things, thank you, for the music and the afternoon." She said and they smiled.

"You can play with us anytime, your Grandfather was from our clan and we would be honored if you wore our colors."

"Really what's the clan name?" Alice asked curiously.

"Swansong, Fredric always had more talent than your father, but sometimes talent skips a generation or so." The man said and smiled at her. "I'm your Great Uncle Benson and these are my son Gregory, George and Gideon, that's my wife Gilda." he said pointing to each in turn. "If your looking for a place to bed down for the night, your welcome to come to our tent."

"Thank you." Alice said and smiled at him, before gathering the trinkets people had given her into the sack. She then walked around the market some more, before finding a shop that sold violins and examining the instruments.

"I'll give you any instrument in the shop, for the contents of your bag."

"Half the contents." Alice returned, examining each of the violins and playing two she liked the look of the best.

"Half? Be kind to an old woman." The woman said and Alice smiled.

"Half and you get to choose." Alice offered.

"Two thirds." The woman countered. "And you get to choose."

"Deal." Alice said and set the contents of the bag on the table, she dug through the various trinkets and counted them quickly in her head, before figuring what two thirds of the bag would be and piling the items she had little to no interest in, in the bigger pile. She kept some things of value, but some of the things she kept was for no other reason than she liked the look of them. The woman packed the violin she had chosen in a carrying case and Alice took the case in one hand and Tarrant's in the other, as they walked down the streets together. It was unfortunate that the purple red and green of the Swanson colors clashed horribly with her Kinstrade tartan. She found a small broach someone had given her in the colors and pinned it to her shirt.

"I made you some things, while you were gone, some of those might match your kilt better and I could hem it for you."

"It was my fathers, I don't want to hem it, but maybe you could come up with a better way of belting it then the one I'm using right now." Alice said and smiled at Tarrant. "Right now it keeps slipping."

"Soon you will be wearing my colors, so it won't matter over much. Of course you can still wear the colors of your clans, but as a broach or some such." He said and Alice nodded.

"Where do you want to go now?"

"I'm a mite famished." Tarrant admitted and smiled at her, as Alice realized that she was hungry as well. "You are definitely the child of a Kinstrade, don't know why I didn't see it before." Tarrant said and Alice grinned. They went to where Tarrant's and Alice's family had gathered and Alice was introduced to each of them.

"So how was your day?" Terra asked eagerly. "You have a violin now."

"I bought it, some people gave me some things to trade, after I played for an afternoon." Alice said and smiled. "I've always loved to play the violin."

"Well then if you're not too tired, I'd love to hear a song." Her Uncle Fredric said.

"I'd rather if you taught me one." Alice said.

"I know a really good one!" Jerold exclaimed excitedly and launched into a song about the clans, Alice followed half a step behind him, as someone pounded out the rhythm and she guessed at the notes. Soon she had it right and continued to sing and play with him.

"Do you know how to cook?" Someone asked and Alice nodded, putting her violin away and was given a cutting board and a knife.

"Any particular cut you want on these, or does it not matter."

"There are different cuts?" Tarrant's Mother asked. "By the way Alice I want you to call me Thora."

"Alright Thora, yes as a young woman, it was expected that I know the finer arts of womanhood, cooking, cleaning, housekeeping, comportment and music. Most of which I didn't have much of an interest in, though I was always fond of my music lessons." She said and chopped the vegetables she was given, adding them to the pot as she went. "Most of it was quite boring in all actuality and I drove my Governess to distraction while she tried to teach me." Alice laughed at the memory.

"It does sound rather tedious." Terra said and Alice nodded.

"Indeed, when I came of age, I promptly did the opposite of everything I was taught and started trading and acting pretty much like a lady should never act. Still I've never been particularly interested in what I am supposed to do and do instead what I prefer to do and wind up better off for it." Alice said.

"Well we teach our children the same, regardless of what might be between their legs. They have the right to choose their own way in life and all we can ever do is help them figure out who they wish to be." Her Grandmother said and smiled. "It sounds to some extent that you have decided."

"Well I have a lot to learn still, but I know some things at least." Alice said and smiled at everyone.

"We thought it best to have the ceremony tomorrow, if that is alright with both of you. We will both be putting up some goods to help you both get started."

"You don't need to do that." Both Tarrant and Alice protested.

"Faither, I will be fine I have enough to buy a small shop and we can live above it."

"You gave me back the deed to the shop and to the house, we will buy a store and you can live there for now, I won't put you out of a place to live and start a family." Tarrant's Father said and Tarrant nodded.

"As for you, you have that satchel and the clothes on your back, there is no way that you can build a proper trade outpost from that." Her Grandmother said.

"A trade outpost?" Alice asked confused.

"What else would you do, trading is in your blood after all." Her Grandmother said. "The last trading post closed down, shortly after the fire."

"I never thought of opening a trading post, I wouldn't even know how it would work."

"Its a place for people in town and those stopping through to exchange goods and services." Her Grandmother stated. "There aren't that many here, but they are very common in the Outlands."

"It sounds interesting." Alice said and smiled.

"Oh it should be and it should keep you on your toes, particularly after the bairns start arriving." Anise said and both Tarrant and Alice blushed.

"I actually hadn't considered children."

"Well they don't happen, until you both want them absolutely and both love one another, so that won't be a problem for a while, as you are just starting in your relationship." Anise said and Alice nodded.

"I'll make the bannocks." Terra interjected and grinned at both of them. "I'm glad that you are to be my Goodsister Alice, I look forward to getting to know you better."

"As do I." Alice frowned then. "I'll be right back." She said and went to a clothing stall, she bought a night shirt and underskirts and a shirt, using the rest of her trinkets and storing them in a sack. When she returned the Swansongs had joined them around the fire and she settled next to Tarrant, a little boy promptly crawled into her lap and she smiled down at the child. "Hello little one and who are you?" She asked.

"I Gryphon." He replied and Alice smiled.

"So are George and Gideon your older brothers?" She asked and he nodded.

"I's two, I's the baby."

"I don't see a baby here, I see a strapping young lad." She said and tickled his sides, he laughed and swatted at her hands, she continued until he told her to stop and she did. She had always loved children, but that didn't mean she was ready for her own. She jounced him up and down on her knee, smiling as he started to giggle.

"Finn come here." Gilda said and he ran into her arms and settled there, as they started to pass the stew and bannock around. Alice took her slice and ate it with her soup.

"Come on now, we're going to be making your dress." Terra said and Alice stood following the female Hightopps into the house. "How about blue and white?"

"That sounds nice." Alice said and smiled looking though the fabric, before settling on two bolts. "It should have some clan color in it, though."

"Maybe broaches and you could use your father's tartan as a sash if you wanted to?" Terra asked and Alice nodded.

"That sounds fine to me." Alice said and started to draw a pattern.

"You know how to design and make dresses?"

"I was never very good at it and I never enjoyed it all that much, but yes I know how to sew and make my own dresses." Alice said and they nodded, together they stitched the together the dress over multiple pots of tea, until it was finished. Alice folded her Father's tartan, until it was the length of a sash and pinned it in place with the pin in the Swanson colors. By the time they had finished the veil the sky was already lightening.

"I'm knackered." Terra said and yawned. "They won't get everything ready until midmorning, why don't we rest a bit until then."

"Good idea." Alice said and gently removed the dress, standing in her small clothes for a moment, before putting on her nightgown.

"You can sleep in our room, Terra and I can share a bed." Tatianna offered and Alice nodded.

"Wouldn't do for the bride to fall asleep at the ceremony after all." Alice joked and the three other women laughed. She walked with the girls to their room and practically threw herself upon the bed.