The Hatter's Tea Party (Part Five)

If you missed the beginning and want to go back and catch up, the following links are provided:


Part One: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-one.html
Part Two: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-two.html
Part Three: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-three.html
Part Four: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-hatters-tea-party-part-four.html


DAY FOURTEEN (December 12th), 8:04 am
 

Korbin thanks the Hatter for the food, stretches his wings, and prepares to rejoin the group now that he has eaten his fill but settles back down and takes up another cup of tea and starts drinking once more.  Grotto, feeling more than a little inebriated, mistakes the enchantment laying over the area as the aftereffects of one of the alchemical connections he habitually smokes but continues to eat and drink without interruption.  Cedron takes his tea cup in hand and takes a sip unperturbed by Ra’ziir’s spell or the Hatter’s command to change seats. 

As Desmond moves from one chair to the next, Hansuke grabs him and hoists him over one shoulder.  The tattooed monk takes a step back from the table and turns to carry the former sergeant over to the rest of the group and, if need be, all of the way to the Rabbit Hole once it is found.  Niklas follows the monk’s lead, rushing in to grab Cedron and pulls him from the chair he is sitting in.  He drags the cleric who seems more confused than upset by his companion taking him away from the very pleasant party. 

Arthur calls up the hallway after Kysek and Shadow, announcing that Drax has found the Rabbit Hole and starts to head back toward the main body of the group to inform them as well. 

Shadow opens the back door to the White Rabbit’s house and looks out into the yard.  There is a thin trail that circles to back from alongside the home and what is either a low, narrow burrow or tunnel can be seen dug into the hillside just behind the rear gate to the white picket fence.  Suspecting that he has found what the group is looking for, Shadow chuckles softly to himself and to Spewer, “At least it wasn’t the hole beneath the rabbit’s tail”. 

Kysek shoots a look at Shadow as Arthur disappears from view, “He found his wha…?  What was he babbling about?  Please, tell me this has nothing to do with a second Jabberwock.” 

Raven scowls and draws Nightwatcher and starts walking toward the table, intent on slicing the wood in half if need be to disrupt the party. Morn watches the scene unfold, confused by what is going on with the musical chairs, the food, and Raven’s pending attack upon…the table?  Morn raises a hand to object, “I know we have a journey to continue and maybe a missed something but would a quick stop really be a harm?  To make the next leg on full stomachs and good cheer?”  The bard’s words pass over Ra’ziir’s head as he draws his obsidian blade as well and stalks over to the Hatter and levels the blade just over the host’s shoulder and tells him, “Break the enchantment and release those seated or you will have no further need of your precious hat.” 

There is nothing – no displacement of the air as someone teleports in nor the sound of footsteps approaching but a feminine voice speaks to Ra’ziir from over his shoulder, “Do not do that again.”
 

The bladesinger turns his head to discover a woman standing just behind and to the left of him.  She is dressed in a rose-colored gown and wears a ruby-studded crown of red gold atop her auburn hair.  While stunningly beautiful, there is something predatory in her stance, as if she were a cat waiting to pounce upon an unsuspecting mouse. 

Another woman appears to other side of Ra’ziir.  Similar enough in appearance to be the red-woman’s sister, this one is clothed in a pearl-colored dress and her platinum hair is held aloft by a tiara of either white gold or silver and is festooned with diamonds.  She smiles, her too-perfect teeth appearing to be just a trifle too large to properly fit her mouth although they somehow manage.  “I do not agree with my sister on most things but in this, she is correct.  Never interfere with morning tea.” 

The red woman looks toward Raven, raises one hand and traces a symbol in the air.  The elf falls to the ground, dropping his nigh-unbreakable sword, his body twisting and heaving as he transforms into a small, green frog.
The white queen looks Ra’ziir in the eye, “The Hatter would do no such thing, even if he were able.  The enchantment affects him as well, a gift for his failures.”