Painting Flowers

Danielle stumbled through the woods not really knowing where to go. She tried to find Hatter but she saw no sign of him. Just when she was about to give up she heard a voice from above her.

"Are you looking for me?"

Danielle glanced up to see Hatter up in a tree. It was rather tall so she had no idea how he managed to get up there.

"I am." she said.

Hatter jumped from the tree landing gracefully in front of her. His eyes were now back to their beautiful emerald green.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted." he said.

Danielle nodded. "I acted far worse when she died."

She remembered when she realized that her mother was dead and not coming back. She went crazy. She destroyed her room and broke a lot of the china.

"When did it happen?"

"Two days ago. She had been sick for over a year. I quit school to take care of her. She had cancer they said."

Hatter sadly nodded. "You look like her you know."

Danielle smiled. "I know. She told me a lot of things about you. How you were a great man with a good heart."

Hatter shook his head. "I was a good man before slurking urpal slackush scrums daughter turned Underland into something fierce."

Danielle raised her eyebrows. "What does that mean?"

Hatter glanced over at her feel a little bit embarrassed.

"It means...well, be grateful you don't speak Outlandish right now." he said in a thick accent.

"Bad words?" she asked.

"Very bad. I'm sorry for speaking them in front of you."

"That's alright. So, the Red Queen's daughter has taken over Underland?"

"Yes."

Hatter began to walk off. Danielle quickly followed after him not wanting to be alone in the woods at night.

"Everyone said they need my mother's help but maybe I could help."

Hatter looked over at her. "You want to help?"

"Very much so. What do you need help with?"

"Killing Andromeda. She's bloody big heads daughter."

Danielle stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't kill a person no matter how evil they were. She sighed loudly.

"I can't kill her. No way."

Hatter stopped and turn to face her. "Do you have any idea what Andromeda and her mother has done?"

"I know what the Red Queen has done."

"Andromeda's far worse. She'll kill anyone without remorse. Instead of a quick execution she has Blaze play cat and mouse with the victims until they beg to be killed. It's horrid. Since she took the throne six months ago Underland hasn't been the same."

Danielle looked away sadly. She wanted to help she really did but how could she kill someone with so much power?

"How do I kill her?"

Hatter smiled widely. "She has a dragon named Blaze. Blaze is her loyalist who can also change into human form. She's evil just like Andromeda. Andromeda's soul is entrapped in Blaze's body. You can't kill Andromeda unless you kill Blaze."

Danielle swallowed hard. "A dragon?"

"Yes. It's the only way."

I can't even handle a sword."

Hatter laughed. "Tomorrow at dawn I'll take you to the White Queen. From there Sky can help you handle a sword."

"Who's Sky?"

"She's Blaze's sister. She's also a dragon who can take on human form."

"Is she nice?"

"Yes."

Danielle noticed that the moon was now high in the sky. She thought it was so beautiful. Hatter squinted his eyes. He smiled when he saw the path that led into the small meadow. The flowers of course were dead but the fireflies still inhabited the area.

"Come on. I want to show you something." he said.

Hatter grabbed onto her hand. The two of them headed down the pat and into the meadow. Danielle saw the twinkling of fireflies in the trees.

"It's beautiful." she said.

"I was hoping they'd still be here." Hatter turned to face Danielle. "Are you sure you will help us?"

Danielle nodded. "I'm sure."

"Good. Now we better get back or we'll miss poetry time."

Hatter once again grabbed her hand and led her out of the meadow.