Debra L. Rollins - Revenge For the Huntsman

Rich melodious music filled the nightclub, followed by a voice, husky and alluring; a voice so beckoning that most patrons’ eyes were drawn to the stage to see who sang so beautifully. Men and women alike quieted their conversations to enjoy the woman’s rendition of the late singer Selena’s, “I Could Fall In Love,” including Wolf and Virginia.

“Wow, she’s good,” Virginia claimed, looking at the woman on stage.

“Yeah…good,” repeated Wolf, gazing upon the singer as the silver-haired woman in question walked slowly down the steps of the stage, winding her way closer to the audience while starting on the second verse.

“She must be a professional,” suggested Virginia, frowning as Wolf followed the singer’s path which was coming closer and closer to their table. “She really knows how to work a crowd…the whole room is captivated.”

“Yeah…captivated…”

He sniffed the air. The closer the singer wound in on their table, the more excited he became. There was something special about this woman. What was it? She was now five feet away, weaving her way towards them, swaying to the beat of the music. Here and there she would lightly caress a customer on the shoulder or head in a teasing fashion then move, sauntering away to the audible sighs of the man she had just abandoned. On the third verse, she stopped at their table, extremely close, not moving but staring directly into Wolf’s eyes, the sensuous lyrics flowing through him. Wolf became lost in those blue eyes, wondering if they were icy as the northern winds or as hot as a blue flame. What was happening to him? What was…?

“Wolf?”

Virginia tugged at his shoulder.

No response.

“Wolf!”

Virginia’s worried face appeared in front of him and he grew aware of being shaken firmly.

“Cripes, Virginia!” he shook his head, pawing his temple, trying to clear his mind. “What happened? Did I fall asleep?”

Virginia worriedly ran her fingers through his hair. He looked funny…a bit flushed. His eyes were barely focusing on her. “I don’t know. You were fine until that woman began singing. But that’s silly, you must have had too much wine with your meal. Here, try some ice water.”

He drank thirstily, the coldness refreshing him so that he began to feel more like himself once more. He stole a glance at the stage, but the silver-haired woman had disappeared into the dim lights of the club…the song over. Perhaps it was for the best. There was an unnatural alluring quality about her that was most intoxicating. Not that she was anymore beautiful than his corky Virginia, no…not at all. He studied his fiancé. Virginia was fantastic, especially in that dress. He flushed and pulled at his collar. He needed to keep his mind occupied. Another dance set started, this time ballroom. The music was sultry, perfect for Latin dancing. A rumba perhaps? He stood up, preparing to lead Virginia to the dance floor when the lovely singer appeared by his side.

“Come…dance with me,” Cierce beckoned Wolf, her scent so overwhelming that he was unable to say no. She led him onto the floor, away from Virginia. The woman was strange, yet familiar at the same time. He closed his eyes against her light blue gaze trying to shake away the feeling of sinking into a pool of cool water. When he opened his eyes once more he barely had time to register that her eyes flared hypnotically in a wolfen way…then he was lost.

“Suck an Elf!”

“What’s the matter now, Bluebell?”

“I wish we had the magic shoes,” complained the newly crowned Troll King. “Then we wouldn’t be sneaking into Snow White Castle by the moat. We could walk in without anyone seeing us and surprise them all.”

“Yeah!” Blabberwort agreed. “And find Burly and the witch, go home and become great heroes to all of Trolldom.”

“Of course, he may already be dead. Tortured by that wimpy, whiner Wendell,” suggested Bluebell. “He would never be able to give a decent torture, too weak and spineless. Not enough taste for blood. I wager he has someone else do the torturing for him.”

“You may be right about our brother, but we must see for ourselves what has become of him. I would never forgive the both of us if I were in his boots,” said Blabberwort somberly, tilting her head back to keep the swamp water that filled the moat out of her mouth. She gingerly touched her cap where she had placed their supply of Trolldust in a waterproof pouch. High and dry, she thought, smiling to herself.

They entered a small niche in the castle walls, which led into the dungeons. Blabberwort pulled her tall frame up and out of the murky water, then turned to help her smaller brother out. They looked around the gloomy room. There were two doors to choose from, although one had sustained recent damage from some type of explosion recently, for it was nailed up with fresh, green wood planks. The other door appeared undamaged.

“This way,” Bluebell directed.

They crept as quietly as they could, but their leather clothing and boots, wet with swamp water, creaked loudly as they walked.

“Halt!” a voice called out from the dimly lit corridor. “Who goes there?”

“Dragon’s dung!” Blabberwort cursed. “We’ve been discovered. Run or fight, Bluebell?”

“Trolls never run!” Bluebell pulled his sword, preparing for action. “They stand and fight!”

“Right!” his sister agreed. “Besides there appears to be but one guard…very good odds for a win.”

“Very good odds indeed.” Bluebell grinned.

They crouched low around a turn in the darkened corridor waiting for the man to approach. Footsteps came closer, more hesitant and stopped as if the man were uncertain in his hearing. Blabberwort and Bluebell peered through the gloom at each other…the footsteps moved once more, faster this time. Closer and closer. They leapt from the corner at the last moment to surprise their enemy.

No one was there!

“Suck an Elf…!”

“What the…?”

“Looking for me, Troll scum?” A voice called out from thin air, then multicolored sparks flew in a whirlwind pattern and dispersed, allowing the owner of the voice to magically appear to the two shocked Trolls. Wendell stepped out of the magic shoes that their dad had so coveted, a bit tipsy but none worse for wear. At the same time the king appeared, so did a hoard of guards from behind Wendell and the Trolls, boxing them in tightly. There was no escaping for the duo.

“Where did you get those shoes?” Bluebell demanded. “That little witch stole them from the Troll King and since I am now he, they rightfully belong to me!”

Wendell shook his head.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about. I was given these shoes from a Goblin in exchange for a pardon. He seemed sincere in his determination to change his life for the good, so I accepted. He said he fished them out of the water near Rivertown. They are very effective as a tool to surprise your enemies with, are they not? Now, who is this witch you seem to believe stole them from Relish?”

“The one whom killed our Dad and the one whom our brother is seeking to find and return to the Third Kingdom. The one you call Virginia.”

“Virginia…?” Wendell frowned, not understanding what the Troll meant. Virginia had nothing to do with Relish’s death. “Virginia is not your father’s murderer. The evil queen poisoned him and his men at the Merry Pips Apple Orchard then chopped off his head as a trophy. Virginia herself killed the queen, stopping a plot to take over all of the Kingdoms including your own Third Kingdom.”

“You lie!” Blabberwort yelled out. “The queen herself told us that the girl…did…it.” She stopped and thought hard, looking at her brother. Was it true? Were they on a wild goose chase…and Burly too? If it were true, then revenge would never be extracted, for the evil queen was dead. If it were true then that would mean Virginia was the hero and they owed her for the revenge against Relish’s death. Bluebell and Blabberwort huddled to discuss the turn of events.

“She did consider the girl a threat against her,” Blabberwort admitted.

“Yeah, and look at all the rotten things she promised to do to us! Perhaps we were wrong to take the queen at her word. Perhaps the girl is innocent,” Bluebell suggested.

“She is innocent,” Wendell sighed, growing weary of their exchange. “What did you mean when you said your brother was seeking Virginia?”

“He was sent on a quest to bring her back to the Third Kingdom and revenge our Dad’s death. Only then can he take his rightful place on the throne. Bluebell is acting king for the time being. We did not know the queen lied about the witch. Where is our brother? Have you killed him? Or is he held captive in your dungeons somewhere?”

“Yeah!” Bluebell spoke up. “As King of the Trolls, I demand to see my brother.”

“As much as I would like to grant your request, King Bluebell, I am not at liberty to do so. I have not seen your brother, nor have any of my men, or they would have told me. If he were here, my men would have caught him by now. Of that, I can assure you.”

“Then where can he be?” Blabberwort pondered, scratching her head. “We must find out what happened to him.”

“Since you and your brothers are of royalty,” said Wendell. “And there obviously has been a misunderstanding regarding the death of your father, and because I am a magnanimous king, I will help you find your brother. However…” he held up his hand to silence them both as they started to speak, “However, once you find the location of your brother, whether he be dead or alive, I expect the lot of you to leave my kingdom and never return again unless expressively invited by myself personally. Do you accept my terms?”

Bluebell and Blabberwort looked at each other then back at the young king.

“Agreed,” she said.

“That goes double for me,” Bluebell answered.

“Very well…guards!” Wendell said. “Go fetch me one of the queen’s magic mirrors and we shall see if Prince Burly is still with the living.”

A few guards disappeared to do his bidding only to return a few minutes later empty handed.

“The mirrors have disappeared, my Lord.”

“Disappeared?” Wendell exclaimed. “How can this be? Get me all the guards on duty since the mirrors were placed here. I will interrogate them all. We will find the location of the mirrors and not stop until we do so.” He rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. There was a plot afoot. He felt sure of it!

Virginia searched the dance floor, keeping an eye on Wolf and the singer. The first dance ended and a tango took its place. Still Wolf did not return to the table. Something wasn’t right. She was sure of it. Even from this distance, she could see Wolf wasn’t focusing on his surroundings, only on his dance partner. They dance well together, too, she fumed inwardly, disliking the feeling it caused.

“I’m not jealous…I’m not jealous,” she said to herself as if voicing a mantra. She stole another peek. The silver-haired woman held her body even closer to Wolf’s as they dipped seductively to the tango music.

“I can’t take it anymore,” she fumed. How dare he dance with another woman on their night out? She got up to call for the limousine. Let Wolf call for a cab or walk home for all she cared. She was going home. She turned towards the exit, immediately running into a very, tall man sporting a ponytail.

“Sorry…I didn’t mean to run into you. Excuse me,” she said, trying to get by him.

He didn’t move an inch.

“I said excuse…” she started asking again.

The club switched stations at that moment, bringing the erotic tango melody to an end. Virginia didn’t bother to look back for Wolf. She was too upset and bent on leaving the nightclub…if she could get this man to move. Disco music filtered back to her ears, the Bee Gees singing “Staying Alive” interrupting her plea to the man blocking her path.

The music brought an immediate reaction to the man. His face lit up in recognition as he grabbed her hand and led her across the dance floor.

“No! Stop!” She pulled at her hand, unable to retrieve it from his grasp. “I don’t want to dance, really I don’t.”

“The Brothers Gibb. They make nicey-nice magic!” Exclaimed Burly, bobbing his tall frame to the rhythm. He forgot how much he missed the beat.

“Nicey-nice?” Virginia frowned. Where had she heard that before? She searched the man holding her hand firmly. He was extremely tall, with dark hair, his lean body encased in black leather. He was handsome in a rough sort of way, but there was something in her gut that told her she knew him…and not in a good way. She struggled to free her hand once more, more vigorously this time.

“Stop struggling, little witch,” he warned her quietly so the other patrons wouldn’t hear his threat. “Or the wolf dies before we return to the Fourth Kingdom and to Madam Tatler.”

Virginia blinked hard, staring into the man’s gray eyes, acknowledging the coldness staring back at her. Her body went numb with shock. What was going on? Who was this man and how did he know her and Wolf? More alarming yet was the fact that he had knowledge of the Kingdoms. That phrase the man used was tantalizingly familiar.

“What do you mean?” she asked, fearful of the answer. “What do you know of the Fourth Kingdom and who is Madam Tatler?”

“She is a powerful witch,” he answered. “Much more powerful than you I wager. She wishes the death of the one called “Wolf” to revenge her son. Cierce and I are to bring back her son’s murderer. In return, Cierce regains her freedom and I, little witch…I shall return victorious to the Troll Kingdom with the murderer of Relish the Troll King. Then and only then shall my brother, sister and I be able to revenge our Dad’s death once and for all.”

Virginia’s blood ran cold. Of course…the Trolls! It made sense now. Relish’s children had been to New York City before. They knew how to make the traveling mirror work, though she wasn’t sure how this Troll in disguise got access to it as the mirror was under lock and key, with Wendell having the only key on the Fourth Kingdom side of the dimension. Still, he had managed to gain entry somehow, and with an accomplice to boot.

She looked to Wolf being led in a trance-like state to the side exit of the club. The young, silver-haired woman must be the accomplice. She had to do something to save him from her!

“Wolf! Wolf! Wake up!” she screamed over the booming beat of the disco music. A few couples close to them looked Virginia’s way in curiosity, but Wolf and the woman slipped through the door and were lost to her sight.

She searched the floor frantically…hoping for a bouncer or security guard but saw none. The Troll still had her by the hand so she did the next best thing. She bit him.

Burly let go, howling in pain as Virginia raced out the exit Wolf had just disappeared through.

“Suck an Elf!” he cursed, wringing his hand. He chased after her, clearing a deep path on the dance floor, catching sight of her just as she escaped into the night. His long, lanky legs closed the distance to the exit in a moment, just in time to see a flash of red turn the corner of the building. She was fast for a human, he fumed. He would have to hurry or lose her.

Virginia stopped momentarily as she turned the corner. A crowd entering the club gave her some sense of security so she scanned the area for some sign of Wolf. Tears filled her eyes and a large sob tore from deep in her chest. Wolf was gone…nowhere to be found! How could they have disappeared so fast? Think hard, Virginia! she admonished herself. You need to get help to find Wolf. Prince Wendell would help surely! But she had to rid herself of the Troll following her first. She had to get back to her dad and have him bring help from Wendell.

She glanced frantically around but the limousine was nowhere to be found either. They weren’t expected to leave the club so early. It would take too long to call for a cab. Already the Troll should have found her and she thanked God for some small favors that he hadn’t. What to do?

A lone police car cruised slowly in front of the club and Virginia’s heart soared. The police would protect her, maybe even run her home. She ran over to the car and tapped on the window.

“Hello officers, can you help me? I’m being followed by…” Virginia stopped dead.

“A Troll?” A feminine voice finished for her.

The officer driving looked at her dead on and smiled. Pale blue eyes flashed in a face that reminded Virginia so much of Wolf’s. She had but a moment to realize that Wolf sat extremely close to the woman, with an adoring look on his face before a scattering of pink dust rushed up her nose and she knew no more.