I never thought I'd be here.

Sitting at a table, sipping over sugared tea and singing off key, smiling at my one true love, tears dripping down my cheeks.

My voice cracks on a high note and I stop singing, watching him dance on the table, tipping his hat at me.

The others sing along, tears streaming down their faces.

The girl with the woven flower crown and the boy with a glove of waves.

I almost lost it yesterday.

I could feel myself slipping as I looked into his mad violet eyes, as I watched him grin wildly and bellow out a tribute to unbirthdays.

The day before that I could barely breathe as he woke up. As the sun went down, and he was staring at me and asking me why he had been screaming.

I lost him long ago.

I only get moments with him before I fall into a deep, exhausted, nightmare full sleep.

I can remember who he once was, that boy jumping from roof to roof, the boy throwing knives and the boy with nimble fingers for making hats.

My hand shakes, spilling cold tea all over my red dress suit. My hat feels far too heavy on my head, the bunny ears he sewed for me drooping low over the brim.

My long brown hair falls tangled over my shoulders, uncared for in the horrible times.

I start screaming, throwing the teacups near me on the ground, relishing in the shattering sound of them hitting the floor and breaking apart.

They all watch me, watch me lose what little sanity I had left.

My eyes are hollow.

I know because I saw them in my reflection this morning, waking up on the grassy floor of this hill

Tears stream down my cheeks, dripping down my neck and off my chin.

He keeps singing, ignoring my pain, and as I look into his pale lilac eyes I have to accept it.

He has become what people always thought he was.

The Mad Hatter.

CHAPTER ONE: OLLIE

take my honest opinion and just believe me when I say you should be glad you aren't me.

it's something everybody takes for granted, but believe me, you should be grateful.

because my life is so BORING.

Sure, my older sister would protest and say I'm the most exciting person in the family because of the prophecy- sure, whatever you say- and that I'm the boy every girl pays attention to because of my talent- yeah, laugh all you want.

"Ollie," Cari steps out of our home, her pale blue dress rippling in the salty wind. The thin shift's sleeves flare out at the elbows, and it's loose because of her rounded, pregnant torso. "Ollie, mother wants you inside."

I drop my full fishing net, the water pooling around my ankles as I turn back to the ocean. "Father said he wanted me fishing until dusk before he left to sell, and the only reason i've come back from out there is because my net is full- and I'm hungry."

I can hear her shuffle slowly down the stairs and exhale as she reaches the sand. "She knows what father wanted, but Nori is sick again and Firth is busy thatching the roof after last night's storm. Besides, Maury needs help with your other nets. Elah hasn't arrived from the forest, so Galia is worried and she will not stop whining."

I groan and turn, digging my feet in the sand as I pull the heavy net to the back porch. "I'm nowhere near the oldest, why am I expected to do so much?"

Cari sighs as she walks beside me. "I know, Ollie. I know. But it comes with having such a large family-"

"Where are Naida, Ridley, and Alon?" I interrupt. "Can't they help?"

Cari winces and pauses, one foot above the ground. "They're... in town."

The wet rope of the net slips through my fingers and lands on the damp sand with a dull thud. "What?"

The thought of them in town playing, laughing, and flirting with the town's boys and girls makes my fists clench. "They're in town?"

Cari starts walking again. "I know it's unfair, but-"

"It's not just unfair, Cari! While Nori is probably retching while mother comforts her, your husband fixes the hole in our roof, Maury and I work on the fish, and Galia is doing what comes naturally, they're out in town playing?"

Cari tugs a bit on the netting, trying her best to help pull the net up the stairs with me. "mother-"

"- I mean, Ridley is only 14 so I can almost understand, but he's still old enough to help around the home- but Naida and Alon are both 17! They're both stupidly spoiled," I grunt as Cari opens the back door for me.

"It is foolish of them-" Cari starts, but I curse and interrupt as I stub my bare toe on the step up into the house.

"They're not just fools, they're idiots! And bullies!"

"Ollie! Stop butting into my sentences! I am trying to make you understand this," she stops me, her bright blue eyes burning into my own salty gray/blue ones. I swallow, embarrassed. "Mother first sent them to town to buy food, and some medicine for Nori, but they haven't come back yet. so I assume that they went, bought mother's things and stayed there to escape the work. So it's not entirely as horrible as you were thinking."

I frown and dump the fish into a barrel that is in the cramped kitchen area as Maury enters, his large hands wet and slick with water and fish guts.

"Thanks for these. Ollie, will you help me bone the fish? Once you're done of course, " he says in his soft voice that is in contrast to his huge body.

Cari huffs out a breath and leans on the wooden counter, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "Is Firth done thatching the roof?"

Maury nods, his long sand colored hair falling in front of his eyes. "He finished just a moment ago and started helping me load the fish barrels onto the wagon."

Then he turns to me. "Ollie, I know father said for you to fish until dusk but I don't think he expected this many fish. Father doesn't realize how your talent affects the waters and attracts fish, so would you gut and bone the fish as Firth and I load them into barrels and then into the wagon?"

I shrug and sigh. I've never been very stubborn, so I shrug and top the barrel of fresh fish. "Alright. Are we sorting the fish into gutted and normal? Because I know Judlen and Paxy like to debone their own fish."

Maury nods. "Yeah, so you can leave that one alone for now. There are some barrels of fish in the front, however, that need to be cleaned."

I walk through the small house, trying to ignore the sounds of poor little Nori retching upstairs, and go out the front where the smell of fish, salt, and sand greets me.

Firth stands in the back of the wagon, his shirt tied around his waist by the sleeves, showing off his slim muscles and dark skin.

He hoists a barrel up and lays it on its side, next to five other barrels.

Six more damp barrels sit on the sand, awaiting my arrival.

Firth straightens and waves to me, his short black curls unaffected by the sharp sea wind.

Then I hear soft whimpers and turn to where I see Galia, standing with her arms wrapped around herself, her short golden curls bouncing in the breeze.

I stride over, sighing loudly, and place a hand on her shoulder. "Galia, what's wrong?"

She sniffles. "Elah promised he would be her by sunrise, and it is already midday!!"

I stifle a groan and instead roll my eyes. "Galia, Elah is strong and brave- he'll be fine."

She turns to me, showing the tears streaming down her cheeks. "But what if he was killed? You know there are strange things in the forest that could murder him…"

"Galia. Elah lives in the forest. He and his family know the dangers that are hardly there, I think he'll be okay, " I say, exasperated with her dramatics.

She chokes back a sob. "Then why isn't he here?"

I peek over her short head. Galia may be a year older than me, but I'm much taller. I grin as I spot the light skinned figure coming towards us, making footprints in the wet sand.

"I'd double check your words if I were you, Galia," I say, smiling. "Look."

Galia turns to where I am pointing and gives a watery laugh. "Elah!"

I hear him call out to her as he jogs over, his black braids tickling his forehead and ears. "Sorry I'm so late- Wren had a panic attack this morning and the gardens exploded."

I burst out laughing, nod at Elah, and turn back to my barrels of fish.

CHAPTER TWO: HEATHER

This corset is so tight I can hardly breathe.

"Tighter?" My maid asks in a strained voice.

I gasp. "I don't think that's possible."

She ties it off and slumps against the dresser, dramatically wiping the sweat off her forehead.

I frown, trying not to laugh. "I'm not that wide."

She smiles. "No, but you're certainly fit and strong and that doesn't match feminine thinness."

I shake my head and put a hand on my restricted stomach. "I'm hungry. Can I go down and eat?"

Her eyes practically bulge out of her head. "In THAT??? That's just a corset and underskirts!"

I snort. "And undershirt."

She eyes me. "That's hardly what I'd call an undershirt, Miss."

I look down at the no sleeved slip over my chest. "I suppose you're right. But one day, when I'm married, this is all I'm wearing."

The maid raises her eyebrows. "Alright then."

I tilt my head and step into the dress she had pulled out of the wardrobe. "Maybe before then, actually. I'd love to see Grandfather's face."

she cringes. "That's so… scandalous!"

I huff out a breath. "Not really. All my important parts are covered."

She dresses me silently- her eyes lecturing me- and then does up my hair.

She weaves flowers in my hair and I swallow my bile when I see that they are all Roses.

The babes will be cursed

In the year of the Sunflower

But do not dream the worst

For a blessing is given

The babe born from a crime

Will be able to turn a day back

To be a thief of time

But only once; so be wise

The child of the night

Is a child of the sunrise

Under moon if he fights

He is whole from all wounds

The heir of the throne

May turn back the clock

The limit of times unknown

But the time is a day

The girl of the forest

Can control her birthplace

The earth beats in her chest

And with it be strong

The last of the five

Stays brave in the sea

So let him dive

He is fine and at peace

But say what you may

In the year of the roses

They will all go insane

And see things from nightmares

the babe born from a crime

Will be able to skip a day

"Roses?" I whisper hoarsely. "Really?"

Her eyes drop to her feet. "Your grandfather requested it."

Nervous butterflies explode in my stomach. "What is it today?"

She pins the roses in my bun. "You are to go to the city first, then you have a meeting with him."

A meeting. Ever formal.