Everyone knows the Mad Hatter. If you don't, here's a quick recap: the Mad Hatter is famous for his chaotic tea parties in Alice in Wonderland. He earned his name because, well, he was quite mad, living in the whimsical world of Wonderland. The first time he met Alice, he asked if he could cut her hair (bizarre, I know), and they eventually struck up an unusual friendship.
The Mad Hatter was renowned for crafting extraordinary hats and gowns, especially for the Queen of Hearts. He also became a messenger between the Queen of Hearts and the White Queen during their infamous war. But this story isn't about the Queens or even Alice. It's about the Mad Hatter—my father.
After Alice returned to the real world, my father stayed behind with his friend, the March Hare. He continued making hats and hosting endless tea parties. But as time passed, he began to feel lonely. The tea parties felt emptier, and he longed for someone to talk to, someone to share his life with. He had been close to Alice during her time in Wonderland, but even then, he sensed there was something missing in his life.
One day, while he was crafting hats in our wreck of a house, he heard something outside at the tea party table. Curious, he set everything aside to investigate. To his surprise, it wasn't one of his friends—it was a woman. My mother.
We never figured out how my mother got into Wonderland. She must have fallen down the rabbit hole, just like Alice did. My father fell in love with her the moment he saw her at the tea table. She was examining the delicate cups and the intricate table settings with a curious expression when she noticed him standing there.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," my mother, Madeline, said nervously.
My father smiled for the first time in what felt like forever. Her voice warmed his heart, and he instantly knew she was the one he had been searching for all his life.
"Would you like some tea?" he asked as he approached the table.
In his eyes, she was radiant. She had blue, twinkling eyes, a glowing smile, a delicate nose, and hair streaked with vibrant purple stripes.
"I would love to," she replied.
He pulled out a chair for her, and they shared tea that day, connecting in a way neither had experienced before.
My mother decided never to return to the real world. She wanted to stay with my father, and he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Their love blossomed, and soon, my mother discovered she was pregnant with me.
But trouble was brewing. The Queen of Hearts declared my mother's presence in Wonderland illegal, claiming no human should have a child there.
My father, desperate to protect her, hid her away with the help of his friends, the March Hare and the Cheshire Cat. The White Queen, kind and just, also aided in their protection.
When I was born, it was the happiest yet saddest day for my father. My mother, weak from childbirth, passed away shortly after holding me in her arms. My father was heartbroken, something inside him shattered that day.
But he named me after her—Madeline Xylophone Hatter. My middle name was his whimsical touch.
He always said I reminded him of her.
From that day forward, he vowed to protect me and honor the promise he made to my mother. The Queen of Hearts was no longer interested in us when she surprised her own daughter and named her Lizzy Hearts.
My father raised me with the help of the March Hare and the Cheshire Cat.
I grew up surrounded by tea parties and magic.
Every dress I wore was handcrafted by my father. When I was five, he dyed my hair purple and blue, saying it suited my personality perfectly.
My best friend was a mouse, Earl Grey (a fitting name, don't you think?), and I spent countless afternoons playing and having tea parties together.
As I got older, the White Queen suggested I attend a school called Ever After High.
It was a place for the children of Royals and Rebels.
At first, I was stunned—I wasn't alone! The school was filled with familiar faces: Snow White's daughter Apple White, Sleeping Beauty's daughter Briar Beauty, and even Cinderella's Daughter Ella. There were King Charming's sons Daring and Dexter Charming.
The school has been divided into Royals who are all your fairy tiles Characters who got to live happily ever after with their life and then there was like me who they call Rebels well let's say we are not so royal and don't live in castles and have all the money in the world.
Our Rebels was Ravan Queen we all know her mother was wicked of all fairy tales and then there was Cedar Wood named after the story Pinocchio, And Cheris Hood my best friend was the daughter of Red Hood. Well, the list goes on and on there was C. A cupid daughter and there was Hunter Hood who was secretly in love with Ashlym Ella and then there was Melody Piper the piper daughter.
But even surrounded by magic and legacy, I felt like an outsider. The princesses had their perfect love stories and charming boyfriends.
Even my best friend Ceris Hood, had her own romance with someone. And then there was me—the Mad Hatter's daughter, known only for tea and hats.
I often wondered if there was more to my life. My father found love with my mother, a human, and their photos showed a love so strong it seemed unbreakable. I wanted that.
For now, though, I was just a seventeen-year-old girl trying to figure out where I fit in a world of magic, destiny, and endless cups of tea.