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Epilogue
How is this possible?
Mirana, the White Queen of Mamoreal, lingers on the threshold of the solarium terrace and gazes out at the scene on the wide lawn before her:
Her eldest daughter, Alicibeth, perches elegantly in the chair at her youngest sister’s tea table and offers to refill Thacie’s teacup.
Chestor, her eldest son is putting his best friend and steed, Winsommer, through a very intricate routine that could be a dance if not for the military precision of each step the stallion takes across the croquet pitch.
Mirana knows where her middle child, Amallya, is – where she always is at this time of day. And, of course, from the racket they’re making, it’s easy enough to locate her two youngest sons.
However, it is Mirana’s second eldest daughter – the ever-perfect crown princess’s identical twin – who captures her mother’s attention. Mirana watches as Tarranya, who truly could be her sister’s mirror reflection in every sense with the exception of character and hair style, lies on her back in the middle of the pitch, a blunt-edged practice sword at her side and her arms folded beneath her head. From here – in the shadows – Mirana can see that her daughter’s eyes are closed and her short hair is tangled with drying sweat and dust. In this moment, Tarranya of Mamoreal looks utterly peaceful – a sharp contrast to her usual fiercely opinionated and confrontational disposition. The sight of her manages to unsettle Mirana even more than she had been before pausing on the threshold.
“Are you daydream walking, Mirana?”
She blinks and looks up at her Champion. She takes a breath, twirls her fingers through the air and manages to return her friend’s smile. “Good afternoon, Alice. How was Tarra’s training today?”
“Excellent. As always,” Alice says, leaning against the railing and angling herself so that she can enjoy the view beyond. “She’s determined, you know.”
“As determined as you were?” the queen hears herself ask.
“More so.”
Mirana sighs.
“What is it?” Alice asks, straightening. Her smile fades and her brows draw together in concern.
“I... Well, I...” Mirana draws in another deep breath and huffs it out. “Alice, how is it possible that I’ve become the mother of two nearly grown women?”
Alice’s lips twist into a wry smile. “I’m assuming you’re referring to Bethie and Tarra?” She snorts before Mirana can reply. “You were at their birthday celebration last week, weren’t you? You do recall it was their seventeenth?”
“Yes, yes, I do,” Mirana sighs out. “Somehow... it hadn’t seemed quite so... real then.”
And with uncanny insight – perhaps Tarrant’s Sight has decided to accompany Alice today! – Alice remarks, “What happened to make it seem so real today?”
Mirana drifts over to the railing to stand next to her Champion. She needs a shoulder to lean on.
Alice turns to stand beside her and accepts Mirana’s weight easily. But of course Alice would provide a perfectly steady shoulder for Mirana to lean on – she’s had nearly twenty years of practice at it!
For a long moment, Mirana says nothing. She marvels at how neither she nor her good friend nor their spouses have aged but their children had certainly – and, at the moment, it seems quite suddenly! – grown up. The queen’s dark gaze sweeps over the genteel teatime of two young ladies, her son looking quite dashing on Winsommer, her twin boys attempting to out-Futterwhacken their best friend... (It’s a lost battle, she knows. No one out-Futterwhackens Tamial Hightopp. Not even his teacher and father! Mirana watches the sunlight play with the boy’s red-gold, curly hair as he twists and turns and dips and bows and steps and slides. The dance leaves her breathless and the boy hasn’t even reached his Dancer’s Prime yet! Not at a mere ten years of age!) Mirana almost makes a comment about how excited Tam must be about the coming Maigh but, in the center of the pitch, seeming oblivious to her brother and Winsommer’s exercises, Tarra draws her gaze again.
“Mirana? What’s happened?” Alice presses, all humor gone.
The queen sighs. “The Oraculum.”
It’s only two words, but Alice understands. Mirana can hear the caution in her Champion’s quiet contemplation. And then: “Can you tell me?”
Mirana’s spontaneous giggle slams into the back of her lips, which she’d pressed together very deliberately, then takes a detour and escapes through her nose, much to her embarrassment. “I’m afraid, my Champion, I’ll be in need of your services again... soon.”
Alice tenses. “I’m listening.”
“It’s Tarra, you see,” Mirana continues, still studying her daughter.
“Yes? Is this about her insisting on becoming the next Champion?”
“No, actually. It’s about her and a Mamoreal lion-man with a flunderwhapped expression on his face standing together under the arbor... with his First Claw around her neck.”
“The arbor you and King Dale spoke your vows beneath?” Alice confirms.
“The very same.”
“Oh, botheration.”
Mirana lifts a brow and nods once in complete agreement.
“And how does this little drama come about?”
The queen sighs. “I’m afraid I don’t know.”
“You...? Excuse me?”
“Absolem, in his infinite wisdom –”
Alice snorts and Mirana makes a mental note to channel her frustration more circumspectly.
“ – saw fit to only show me the one day.”
“Hm. And just how much time will I have to prepare my interview questions?” Alice muses aloud.
“That... was also unclear.”
Alice glances out across the field and Mirana watches her Champion regard her protégé with a thoughtful expression and crossed arms. “Once she’s nineteen, she won’t need a Champion to test her suitor for her. The image you saw could be... some time off yet.”
“Do you honestly believe that?”
“No.”
Mirana sighs. Yes, for some time now she’s suspected her daughter is smitten with Champion Leif. And Tarra is not one to indulge in inactivity once she knows what she wants.
“But there’s Leif to consider, you know,” Alice tries to comfort her. And it would have been a comfort if Mirana hadn’t overheard the lion-man – just yesterday! – call her daughter the most sacred of Shuchish endearments: Tarrash-rya.
Mirana sighs.
Alice smiles. And when Mirana notices, she rolls her eyes. “You would enjoy this, Champion.”
“Yes, I would,” Alice agrees. “I’m quite looking forward to another round of Wooing Rights, Your Majesty. It’s been a bit dull around here recently.”
Before Mirana can decide how she feels about seeing her Champion fight her husband’s Champion for the hand of her still-too-young daughter, Alice continues:
“If you ask Tarrant, he’ll tell you the same thing the Oraculum did: it’s meant to be.” Alice offers up a sheepish grin. “He’s Suspected for Some Time now. Actually, once he finds out what the Oraculum has shown, I fully expect him to be unbearably enpuffed about it.”
“And were it any other situation, I’d been thoroughly entertained at the thought of Tarrant in an unbearable state of... puffiness.”
Alice sniggers. “It’s hard to imagine that he can puff up any more, I know, what with Tam being the dancer he is and so smart and funny. But it’s possible. With Tarrant, anything’s possible,” Alice warns her happily.
“Very true,” Mirana allows. And then dares, “Even that he’ll manage to convince his son to take up his trade?”
Alice shakes her head. “Tam got his stubborn streak from me. No, that one’s not destined to be a hatter,” she says with a contented smile. “Besides, Tarrant’s very pleased with his current apprentice.”
Mirana grimaces. “Yes, I was afraid you’d say that.”
Alice laughs. She glances from Tarra to Tamial then commences with a brief survey of the wellbeing of her other charges. “Everyone is fine, Mirana,” Alice assures her. “And happy and I’ll prove it to you; it’s nearly teatime and I think there’s room for one more chair around the tea table in the workshop.” Straightening, Alice gestures for Mirana to follow her. “Come on. Amallya can show you what she’s working on. You’ll even get to see Tarrant looking thoroughly enpuffed over his apprentice’s most recent accomplishments!”
“And with a treat like that on offer, how can I refuse?” Mirana replies and moves to follow.
Yet, on the threshold, she pauses, turns, and looks back at her children and at the one daughter in particular who seems to be teetering on the very edge of adulthood.
Tarra smiles up at the sun, still lying on the pitch, her eyes closed to the world around her. With all her heart and not only her soul but her husband’s, Mirana wishes she could say something to encourage her daughter to linger there just a little longer, in childhood. But Mirana knows her child, her daughter, her brave warrior-woman.
And just as certainly, she knows that Change is coming for her.
Soon.
But not today.
“Mirana?”
The queen takes a cleansing breath, coaches a smile onto her lips and turns around. “Sorry, Alice. Yes, let’s go to the workshop for tea. I’m ready for Amallya to impress me.”
Alice grins and reaches out to rub Mirana’s shoulder. “And you’ll be ready for the other thing, too. When it’s Time.”
“Yes, everything has its own Time.”
Alice’s eyes flash with a secretive gleam at that comment and Mirana finds herself wondering what it is Alice Knows about Time. “How very true, Your Majesty. How very true. And at the moment, it’s teatime.”
“It is.”
And that is how life must be lived, Mirana knows: one moment at a time. This one will be for tea and hats and the princess who is determined to make them for the rest of her life. And, for now, Mirana will focus on that.
The rest will come when it comes. As it inevitably will.
And, when it does, she’ll be ready for it. After all, that’s her job.
As a queen. And as a mother.
Notes:
Yes, approximately twelve ten years have passed since the end of Chapter Twenty-one.
Yes, I realize I didn’t mention what happened with Margaret and Hamish (and Lowell).
Yes, I know I didn’t really discuss what Courting Fate would mean.
Yes, I am aware that there’s this very Interesting hint about Stopping Time floating around in OPK now.
I haven’t forgotten. I promise. (^__~)
I don't think I've ever left a comment
However, even if you didn't, this one ended beautifully. I love how it ends with Mirana worrying over Tarranya. Isn't that every mother's fear? Their babies growing up?
'Twas WONDERFUL!!
CHEERS!
~Jeni
Re: I don't think I've ever left a comment
I was a bit nervous about this epilogue because, unlike the other ones, it didn't focus exclusively on Alice and Tarrant. But I'm glad that didn't diminish it!
Until next time!! (^__^)/
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I love the open endedness of this. Not only because it hints at OPK4, which brings me mucho happiness, but also because I just like that everything has not been tidily wrapped up. Life doesn't really work that way. And we already got some comforting resolution. (Even though, yes, I want more Hamish and Margaret, which means I had to up the amount of Hamish in my big bang fic).
This has been epic. Epically awesome. You needed every last page to tell this story. We have come such a long way from OPK1 that it makes me a little nostalgic and also in awe. Thank you so much for sharing this and fighting with it when it needed it.
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Thank you for reading (and enduring the wait for updates!) and commenting (being so generous with your praise!). While writing itself was something I was driven to do, your support makes putting it up on the Internet utterly and completely Worth It All!
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I think you've inspired a lot of people. And isn't *that* a nice feeling?
Well done, Manny.
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*snortle*
I love this. The entire epilogue, actually, with the details on who is doing what and hints of what their futures hold. AND it seems to perfectly lead into *coughBook4cough* any future stories in this verse you might want to tell! ;)
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BAD FANGIRL
THIS WHOLE FREAKING SERIES HAS BEEN AMAZING!
YOU are amazing.
And this is the first really any kind of Alice fic I've read, and I'm afraid my perspective on this world has been altered to be yours. At least for now. I have to remind myself that this is your world and not canon, haha. Oops?
I lovvvveee so many things, too many things, about this, least of which that this is open ended and OPK4 is hinted at! *falls over* Can I make a suggestion for my own selfish pleasure??
GIVE THEM MORE ADORABLE AND INTERESTING CHILDREN! bc omfg. More Hightopp/Kingsleigh validations of their Love is just so...romantic and intriguing.
Anyway.
I need a towel because I'm afraid I've gushed all over the place here.
Re: BAD FANGIRL
I'm so glad you've enjoyed the series - the WHOLE series! There were times when I wondered if I was going too far "off track" so it means A LOT to me to know you loved it so much!
Yup, I'm Considering a Book 4 right now. We'll see...
Thanks again for Daring to Feedback me while at work. Oh, and here's towel!!! *hands it over* (^__~)
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I enjoyed this book as much as I ever did Book 1 and Book 2. This has been a splendid journey, one that you have made all the more enjoyable with your dedication to research and thoroughness.
Deeply and sincerely, as an avid reader, I thank you.
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Writing OPK has been an amazing journey for me, too. I never thought I'd be capable of a series like this. And it makes me so HAPPY to know it's appreciated! Thank you, penniless1!!
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Thank you so much for commenting! I Treasure comments, as you know! (^__~)
Until next time!
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Your third book was beautiful...I just love the way you've explored different things in the three books (I know, this is the way it's suppose to be)...I don't know how to say this correctly (in my language is very clear to me...ahahaha!)
When I started to think about the books it was like if the first one was about "Decisions" (be the Champion, be in love with Tarrant), the second about "Fear" and "Loss" (or fear to loss) ...and this one, even if has those things too, is much more about "love", the evolution and "knowing" in his relationship...more personal, in the details, the way how they handled the heart-line or even in the moments when they make love...it's all about the connection between them...and I LOVE IT!!
I can't wait to know what other things you'll show us in the fourth book ;) ...maybe more about Hamish :D , more about the "littlin" Tam and his fathers, the greatest lovers in Underland's history, I hope...
Thank you so much for sharing us this beautiful/great/amazing/wonderful story!
Sorry for my english, again ^_^
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I understand exactly what you mean about each book being about a different thing. A lot of writers write different plots for each book in a series, but the *theme* doesn't change. In OPK, I tried to choose a different theme for each book.
Book 1: Keeping promises (and Decisions as you said)
Book 2: Feeling powerless and healing (Fear and Loss)
Book 3: Becoming equals and trusting (Love and Knowing)
I am SO HAPPY you noticed those different themes! Book 4 - if the idea I have works out - will be about something different, too.
Yes, there will be some scenes with Hamish. Yes, there will be some scenes with Alice and Tarrant's littlin'. (I guess I can call him "Tam" now, LOL!)
Thank you so much for reading and commenting. You've made this writer very, Very Happy! (^__^)
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This is a fantastic thing, you know...because it mean that your talent, the essence of your great work even is able to go through the language barriers ^__^
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Second, can I please just tell you over and over how I loved this story? The characters were brilliant, the storyline was flippin amazing and the connection between Alice and Tarrant was beautiful. At some point, I would like to go back and leave more detailed comments around the story, but we shall see.
Third, a book 4?? Yes please! Any chance of any other lil Hightopps running around? Poor Tamial seems terribly outnumbered with Mirana's army.
Again, FANTASTIC story!
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Second: thank you SO MUCH for reading and leaving a comment for me. Of course more comments would be heavenly (because I'm greedy like that) but I'm eating this one up with a spoon! Thank You!
Yup, working on Book 4 at the moment. And, I have to say, I laughed at your observation: Mirana does have an army of kids, doesn't she? But then, she's the queen, so I suppose that's another queen's prerogative! (^__~)
Don't be a stranger, Starlight!
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I love the woosh!fast forward view we get of everyone.
Dude, all I have to say is poor Mirana is going to have to watch out if Tarra is more determined than Alice. Just give up now! Do whatever she says! LOL
You know, I have to say I have missed the Alice and Mirana moments so it’s really great seeing them together again. I know how I mentioned last time how it was good for Alice to talk with someone who understands her, but it’s good for Mirana as well. :D
The twins and Tam are best friends! Love! And the idea that they are trying to out Futterwhacken each other=WIN! LOL
and a Mamoreal lion-man with a flunderwhapped expression on his face standing together under the arbor…
Dude, Tarrant called it! Leif stands no chance against a determined Tarra! LOL
“Absolem, in his infinite wisdom –”
Again, Mirana snark is made from all kinds of awesome.
So...if you do write book 4 will we get to see Alice’s interview with Leif? BAHAHAHA! I’m entertaining myself with the possibilities already. LOL
I think it’s so sweet how the Hightopps are so incorporated with the royal family. Amallya being Tarrant’s apprentice? I love it! I could just imagine Tarrant sitting there, pleased as all get out, teaching her the finer points of being a Hatter.
Alice inviting Mirana to tea is just great because we, once again, get to see how important their friendship is to each other.
The way you ended it is…ahem…hold on a minute…um…er…yes I found the word…
AWESOME
You know why? Because your stories are open ended. It’s not like “Ok, here’s the story, all endings tied up in a bow. Period. End of story.” You make it seem so real, like life. Just because one adventure is over, doesn’t mean that the story is finished. It never really is. And that’s what you are able to show so effortlessly.
You, as always, rock my socks! :D
Thank you so, SO, SO much for taking the time to write these epic stories. Truly, you make the fandom a better place for it. :D
*showers you with huggles and tea cups of awesomeness*
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Ah! Refreshing after a long, hard day of being... ME! LOL!
I'm really glad you don't feel let down by the ending, but I had to set it up for Book 4!! I tried not to be too brief with showing off where the kids are now but, dang it. That scene is about Alice and Mirana and the woman Tarra is becoming and how it scares Mirana spitless. So.
And, um, hrm, Leif's interview. Yes, I shall keep that in Mind. (^__~)
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(Anonymous) 2010-09-08 02:34 am (UTC)(link)no subject
And there will be more fic, both OPK and others. The others will be released at the beginning of December with the aiw_big_bang community's fanfic and fanart event. (^__~)
I hope to see again!
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....and now there's gonna be more, haha. XD Which is a good thing! Because I love your story and your world. Maybe now I can actually...keep up with the updates in the next one. XP
I thought this was a good way to end it, as much as it was just a bit -whoa- to see Tam 12 years old suddenly! Glad he's so good at Futterwacken though, haha!
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As for Book 4, it's nearly finished and I've started posting it. I fear I may have a Book 5 in me, too. So I hope you'll like those as much as the first three stories!
Thanks again for reading!
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Anyway, on with the content. I had a feeling that Tam wouldn't want to be a Hatter, but that's okay! I'm actually surprised that Alice and Tarrant haven't had a passel of kiddies like Mirana and Dale have. It's a relief, tho...but...um...I shouldn't assume anything! Besides, I know that Alice and Tarrant can accomplish ANYTHING together. :)
This POV from Mirana is so sentimental, yet hopeful. What is the word...bittersweet? I imagine it would be. One child is nearly grown and has a First Claw. But she still has little ones left!
I am stunned that you wrote two more Books and that I have so much more to read! That is embarrassing on the one hand, yet a joy on the other! When I have time to read, I have so much! I won't have to wait for each update with bated breath. LOL
Wow...I'm ready for Book IV! And more Alice and Tarrant the answers to the questions you promised you haven't forgotten! *squee!*
HUGGIES!
Oh, and of course I WOULD have to find another typo or missing word! -
Her eldest daughter, Alicibeth, perches elegantly in the chair at her youngest sister’s tea table and offers to refill Thacie’s a cup.
"a cup?" Should that be "tea cup?" or "cup?"
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I enjoy Mirana's POV here, too. She didn't have many in Book 3 and I kinda missed having her there. I mean, this all started with Mirana, Tarrant, and Alice. Of course, time passes and things change and now Mirana has her own family to belong to, but still...
Enjoy the next two books when you feel so inclined to read them!
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I didn't think it was humanly possible to get EVEN BETTER with this third installment, but you ABSOLUTELY PROVED ME WRONG. I didn't realize I was waiting for your plot to address what Alice left behind in Upland, and then you DID and GAAAHHH it was SO DAMN EPIC.
I especially LOVE that Hamish was redeemed and became 100000x more MUCHIER with the return of Alice/Tarrant. The Hamish/Tarrant snarky bromance is my new favorite thing...Actually, wait, strike that. BB!TAMIAL FUTTERWHACK-ING IS MY NEW FAVORITE THING OF ALL TIME. :D :D :D
::happy sigh:: I'll just stop here before this review is reduced to "SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE". :P
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(^__^)
Never underestimate the power of the SQUEEE. Heh.
I'd say "enjoy reading Book 4"... but you've already finished it! Yowza!