“Oh little pig, little pig...” the boy muttered, and then he used some words Snow had been taught never to utter, his hands shaking as he hurriedly worked on his bomb.
“Ha, ha, ha-ha!! And she smells so good too! Num, num, num, num! Yah?” One of the ogrenots cackled from inside the fort; followed by the sound of rapid lip smacking and they all erupted in to hysterics. “We tells her you says hi! Yah!”
“Yah! Yah!”
“Oh, this is not good.” Snow murmured. “We’re all going to get killed.”
“He’s your friend. Do something.” Manuel gave her a little push.
“What are you talking about? I don’t know him! I don’t even know his name!”
Manuel stared at her blankly.
“And he’s apparently a nutbar!” She added, nervously looking over her shoulder.
“You mean to tell me that the werewolf is not one of your beloved friends?” He questioned.
“Absolutely not, what would possibly make you think that?” Snow was getting really frustrated very quickly, either that bomb was going to go off, or the young werewolf was going to lose it; she didn’t want to be anywhere near, when either of those things happened.
Manuel sighed. “That damn wolf.” He whispered to himself.
“Are you going to huff and puff and blow our house down?” Another ogrenot taunted and his companions cackled again. From the sounds of it there were at least three of them in there.
“You still talking?” The wolf answered as he searched through his pockets for a match.
“Manuel, we need to leave...now!” Snow whispered urgently. Manuel studied her intently.
“You have no desire to intervene?” He casually asked.
“Oh, maybe we should let him in, yah? Maybe we make some tea and he tells us all about his sweetie?” Laughed another one. “Kissy, kissy!”
“What, do I look crazy?”
The vampire regarded her for a split second before shrugging.
“Yah, yah! Not by the hair of my chiny chin chin!” And they all erupted again. “And you have a lot of hair!”
“Yah! Oh wolfie!” the creature taunted.
“No, big bad wolfie!” Another one corrected.
“Yeah! Big bad wolfie? Does she likey-likey all your hair? Your sweetie, yah?”
He found his matches, and that was when Snow realised that if she didn’t do something fast, they were all doomed. Manuel was right, she had to intervene. Her father, in his prime had been considered a master negotiator; she only hoped it was genetic.
Springing from the bushes she yelled. “Hold it!”
That surprised everyone, especially Snow. The boy spun around, a look of complete shock on his face.
“What are you doing here?” he gasped in a combination of recognition and irritation.
“Um, I don’t really know and believe me this isn’t high on my list of places I really want to be right now; but it looks like you’re having some trouble. You think maybe we can talk about this for a second? You know, before you do something crazy?” Snow asked thinking fast. “Like building a bomb...and setting it off in a dry forest.” She laughed somewhat nervously.
Clearly she had no idea what to do, but Manuel had brought her here to help, so try to help she would; but this was an irritated young werewolf, in a fair fight she wasn’t completely sure even Manuel would win. That being said, the boy wasn’t a complete stranger to her; she had to try.
“Sweetheart I-” he started before she cut him off.
“My name is Snowy, and I would appreciate you using it, and I’m no sweetheart, trust me. What is your name?” She swiftly asked.
“Mercury. They call me Mercury.” He offered almost reluctantly, clearly he was not used to being cut off like that.
“Mercury. I’ve seen you around town a few times. You didn’t strike me as a merciless killer, or a crazed mad man though. Then again, what do I know about people, I typically think most people are better than they really are; then I end up almost getting killed and...yadda yadda story of my life. Okay, so maybe I pegged you all wrong. You are a horrible merciless killer about to roast these childish ogrenots in their ridiculous fort, greedily snack on their bones just like all of the folktales say you would and burn down most of the forest while you are at it. I thought you guys just got bad press; apparently it’s deserved. Okay, carry on.” She stepped back feigning acceptance. “Just give us a minute to get clear of the firestorm.”
The expression on the wolf’s faced changed from agitation to amusement with a dash of curiosity.
“Oh little girlie!” One of the ogrenots sang out. “Are you trying to get us all killed and roasted?”
“Yah, yah!” Another one agreed. “The big bad wolfie is-”
Snow cut him off. “About to blow you up, and a large portion of the forest as well. I suggest you settle down and let me deal with this my way, or I just might let him, cause believe me...you aren’t helping.”
“Yah! Listen to that. The little girlie is getting mad!” And with that he erupted in to fits of laughter. He stuck a pudgy green finger through a tiny hole in the rocks. “Oh little girlie! Pull my finger! Yah?”
To which the other ogrenots began yelling. “No, No Hazzo!” before the laughter took up again.
Mercury made a gesture with his matches, still more than eager to rid himself of the smelly green irritants, but Snow shook her head sternly.
“You know, not only do you have a severely irritated wolf, but I’ve got a vampire here with me too, and he would just love to try roast ogrenot, so don’t test me buddy. Settle down and shut it!”
Stepping out from the bushes, Manuel rolled his eyes upwards and shuddered at the thought; clearly the idea of snacking on an ogrenot offended his palate.
“Seriously? You brought a human here?” The young werewolf blasted the vampire. “What were you thinking?”
“I thought you were friends. Why else would you have tasked me with her protection?” Manuel casually stated, brushing invisible dust off of his beautiful coat.
“That was you?” Snow whirled around. “You’re the reason we got stuck with Mr. Personality over there? I don’t know whether to thank you or slap you.”
The boy recalled sharply; darting his eyes from Snow to Manuel, he looked rather shocked at the slender human child’s outburst.
“He is the biggest pain in the you know what!” She declared. And at that both werewolf and vampire threw a stunned look her way. “Well he is.” She finished.
Manuel took an indignant breath. “The ‘pain in the you know what’ that procured a rather costly spell of protection for you, rescued you from Drina and took you to a Unicorn Blessing.”
“You send pigeons to wake me from a beautiful sleep and insult me every chance you get!” Snowy snapped back. “Face it! You’re a pain! And you’re rude too!”
“I didn’t know what else to do, this forest is so dangerous and you and the other two keep traipsing around at night; what were you thinking? You really keep me busy.” Mercury defended.
“You were protecting us?” She asked in a small voice.
“Every night.” He responded with a touch of exasperation.
Wow, she thought. That stopped her in her tracks; they never even thought to question their apparent safety. How many times had he saved them? She would never know; she wasn’t planning on asking.
“Thank you.” She whispered. “But he really is a pain.” She couldn’t help but add.
“I know.” The wolf, Mercury whispered with a grin that for a moment made him almost as beautiful as Manuel. Actually, he was just as good looking as the beautiful vampire; only Mercury wasn’t so much beautiful with his olive complexion and shadowed jaw, he was...rugged. Manuel was beautiful, Mercury was handsome. Really handsome.
“If the two of you are quite through...” Manuel drawled attempting to hide his indignation at being called a pain. “I do have other business tonight.”
“Yeah!” One of th
e ogrenots called out. “It’s getting hot in here and we want to get out now.”
“It’s not getting hot in here you idiot, Hazzo has the gas!” Another one yelled. “Help us! Help us!” They all started to yell.
“So come on out, we aren’t stopping you.” Snow shook her head; ogrenots were incredibly irritating creatures.
“We can’t! The boulder is too heavy! We can’t lift it!” They all yelled in unison; not really a pleasant sound.
Mercury looked perplexed. “So how did you get it there in the first place?”
“Oh, we asked a troll to close us in yah!”
“Why on earth...” Snow trailed off.
“Well, we didn’t want the wolfie to get in did we?” And then the Ogrenot began to make choking noises; obviously “Hazzo” was not quite through.
Manuel nodded at the boulder and sent a questioning look Snow’s way.
“Hmmm. Are you three ready to apologise to Mercury? If Mercury apologises to you that is?” She asked.
“Hey lady-“ Mercury threw her an indignant look.
“Not lady. Snow; my name is Snow, but you can call me Snowy.”
“Snowy. I’m not going to-” He stopped short as he caught the very dark look Snow sent his way.
“I was woken up from my much needed beauty sleep by a fat and irritating pigeon, sent by an exceedingly irritating vampire to assist an equally irritating werewolf! Now apologise!” Snow growled, her dark eyes blazing.
“I’m sorry I blew your houses down.”
Snow shot him another look.
“And that I tried to blow you up.” He finished with a shrug mouthing the word ‘humans’ Manuel’s way. Manuel could hardly suppress his smirk.
“Guys?” She prompted with impatience.
“Yeah! Yeah! We are sorry already!” They cried in unison. “Just move the boulder! Get us out of here!”
Snow nodded to Manuel, who casually sauntered over and pushed the boulder, making what must have been a several hundred pound piece of rock seem light as a feather. She made a mental reminder to be kinder to him; he was really, really strong.
Out from the fort, bearing a surprising resemblance to pigs, waddled three fat, little green ogrenots, each holding their necks and pretending to gasp for air. They threw themselves on the ground inhaling deeply. Jumping back up, they began giggling and ran back in to the forest, leaving Snow to watch in silent wonder, shaking her head.
Manuel took an emotionless look at them before grabbing Snow’s arm once again.
“Come. Now there is someone else who needs you.” He said.
~~*~~
No one was more surprised than Rapunzel, when emerging out of the forest strode not only Manuel, but Manuel, Snow and some unknown guy. Snow made a gesture for her to drop the rope ladder, and within minutes the girls had secured Rapunzel’s hair and were quickly climbing back down to the boys.
“You cannot imagine how I have missed you. But tell me, where is Cindy?” The lovely blonde questioned.
“Ask Manuel, he’s the one who sent for me.” Snow gave her friend a squeeze.
Rapunzel turned her large dark eyes on the vampire.
Manuel bowed low. “My Lady, time was of the essence and since Miss Vanholston was rather... unresponsive, I made the decision to move forward and avert eminent disaster without her.” He kissed her hand. Meaning Cindy had completely ignored the big bird. Cindy could sleep through anything, how Snow envied her.
“Whatever could have happened?” Rapunzel asked.
“Oh I made a bomb and tried to blow up some ogrenots.” Mercury said, nodding as if it was nothing at all. And perhaps it wasn’t...to him. “Really annoying little creatures; and they don’t taste good either.”
“You created a bomb?” Rapunzel repeated, eyes large and frightened.
“Sure, sure; but I’m not sure it would have actually worked, I was just winging it.”
Snow and Manuel swung their heads towards him in unison.
“This is Mercury. Mercury, Rapunzel.” Snow made the introductions, deciding to ignore his last comment.
Mercury reached for Rapunzel’s hand, but the menacing look Manuel shot at him caused him to drop it immediately.
“Pleased to meet you Rapunzel.” Mercury made a little bow instead.
“Mercury has been our unseen protector during our adventures. He’s been trailing us and keeping the all the scaries away; except for the full moon of course, that’s how we ended up with him. Lucky us.” Snow pointed at Manuel, waggling her eyebrows. She suppressed a giggle at the outraged look Manuel shot at her.
“Sorry, it was the best I could do.” Mercury added, which only fuelled Manuel’s indignation.
Rapunzel smiled. “Then it is you I have to thank, Manuel was, and is a most thoughtful and caring protector; he is much appreciated.”
Manuel shared a private and meaningful smile with Rapunzel, which Snow and Mercury both caught.
“Okay, so, I thought maybe we could all sit at the lagoon and chat for a bit tonight; that’s the safest place?” She threw a look Mercury’s way. He nodded in agreement.
“ I’m pretty tired, but I should tell you all about Crystallise and Prince Leonardo Charming before Cindy gets to exaggerate the entire trip, making it completely unrecognisable. Yes, in case you didn’t catch that I said ‘Prince Leonardo Charming’.” Snow laughed. “But I have to warn you, I am really tired, I might not make much sense.”
“Shocking.” Manuel mocked.
“You met the Prince?” Rapunzel asked, terribly excited.
“Yeah, I call him Leo.” Snow replied, pretending to be nonchalant as Rapunzel gasped. “That’s what he asked us to call him. You know, he’s really not at all like I expected him. He’s just kind of...normal, you know?”
“No, I don’t.” Rapunzel breathed. “You must tell me all about it.” And she took Manuel’s arm as they began the walk to the lagoon. Mercury looked amused and he jauntily offered Snow his arm. She took it. All that was missing was Cindy.
~~*~~
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall,”
“Where is Snow White?” The Queen of Rylak asked in her most reasonable voice; her beautiful face a mask of calm, the delicate diamond tiara glinting invitingly in the candlelight, accentuating her strong and beautiful face.
Her favourite, and most powerful magic mirror was also her most difficult to control. Given to her as a wedding gift from her former master, it was bound to no one and nothing, accept truth; it never told a lie. It was magically incapable. However, it was known to mislead the asker by carefully crafting its responses; and it never responded to threats. Rosalyn of Rylak knew, that if she was to get anywhere with this most capricious of mirrors, she must reign her legendary temper in...at least until she had her answer.
With the use of this mirror she had risen from a scared and powerless young queen, watching insurgents destroy her husband’s legacy, to the powerful warrior Queen of Rylak; successfully defending her husband’s empire, and subsequently ruling with an iron fist. Alas, for all of its considerable power, the mirror could not cure her beloved husband King Roland, nor grant her the child she so desperately yearned for.
“The answer you seek, shall come to you soon,”
“For she has been hidden, by night, smoke and moon” the mirror responded.
Drat. Another riddle. Some days she wanted to smash that mirror; which of course she would never do. Rising gracefully from her red velvet chair, she strode toward the door.
Once outside the door she pounded her fist in to her thigh to release some of her controlled rage and thought hard. An Inner Palace Guard, dressed in the black and red uniform of Rylak instantly appeared at her side.
“Majesty?” He inquired.
“Assemble the Black Guards. Have them ready and awaiting my orders in the Outer Garden. Dally and die.” She strode down the hall, red robes flaring out behind her.
She was sending her most elite squadron to Lonstas. Not to the
capital city of Crystallise, at least not undisguised that was. This was not to be a diplomatic mission involving the ruling Charming family. No, the Queen of Rylak would send her most elite soldiers to the forests, to the groves and the swamps, moving under cover of darkness and carrying with them a unique symbol known only to the magical community; the darkly magical community in particular. She would find Snow White, even if that meant enlisting some of the most repulsive of allies. Again.
Turin and its Lonesome Forest would be the first village they would pass.
~~*~~
Mercury formally joined the girls on their nightly adventures; it was easier, he said, then trailing behind in the bushes. More fun too, he admitted. Cindy quite happily accepted their new companion as well, although she did appear just a tad jealous when she realised that she had missed out on quite the adventurous evening. And thankfully, Snow had stopped blushing every time Mercury turned his incredible gaze on her or did his super cute eyebrow thing, which had been very, very embarrassing. The surprising change in their current evening line up was the addition of Manuel.
The girls had assumed that with Mercury back and capable of protecting them, the vampire would simply disappear back in to the night and spend his time doing whatever it was he did. No one knew what exactly that was; they weren’t altogether sure they would appreciate what they found out.But every night he appeared out of nowhere, tossing a well placed insult in someone’s direction and continued on along with them. Sometimes Manuel’s pigeon joined them as well. For some reason that always struck Snow as funny. Manuel and his pigeon. A big and fearsome vampire should have a hawk, an eagle or perhaps even an owl; but a pigeon? He was an enormous pigeon but still....
Slipping in to the forest just after dark, the girls waited at the appointed tree, a beautiful willow that Snow instinctively knew housed a dryad, but didn’t dare try to wake her. It had been magical to witness the song and dance at the Unicorn Blessing, but Manuel had indicated that it would be unwise to press for more, dryads typically did not take well to pesky humans awakening them for any sort of nonsense. So she simply wrapped her arms around the tree each time they stopped and whispered sweetly to it. This particular willow was special, there had been times that Snow was convinced she had felt the willow hug her back. Most likely it was her imagination, but she never could shake the feeling so she made sure to greet her willow with affection and great respect every time she passed her. The willow would hold Snow’s deepest darkest secrets in silence...forever.