Debra L. Rollins - Revenge For the Huntsman

“What happened to her, Wendell?” wondered Virginia, brushing away the tears that swept down her cheeks. “What became of Tonan?”

“The story continues on with the princess escaping the castle with the help of Piggle and her friends, but for Tonan…” He looked down at her, watching her expression intently. “I’m afraid he was not so lucky. Do you wish me to go on?”

She nodded her head. “I feel I need to know. The fact that she and I bear such a strong resemblance and nearly carry the same name is too coincidental. Even the fact that I am wearing the very dress in her portrait is remarkable. I mean, how can a dress last that long? It’s like new!”

“I can answer that one,” replied Wendell. “The material is made of fairy floss, not silk. Very magical in its durability and beauty. You very rarely come by it any more, but five centuries ago the fairies would bestow the material on royalty for protection or special occasions.”

“Such as a royal wedding?” Wolf asked.

“Quite possible,” said Wendell. “She did have her portrait painted while wearing the gown. We may never know for certain.”

“So what happened to the poor girl?” Marjorie inquired, impatient for the ending of the story. Behind her, Derk stood close by. She could feel his breath on her neck, causing her to shiver. The man was totally unversed in the manners due a lady. She gave him a cold stare and shifted closer to her granddaughter. The old Troll just leered wickedly at her and guffawed loudly.

“The book went on to say that the Princess Gynnia watched from afar as her father had Tonan tied to a stake in the castle courtyard, lay down brush and set it afire. They had hoped to draw her back with Tonan’s burning in the hopes that she would try to save him by begging for his life. Of course the Dwarves knew the girl would not be treated well, nor would it save Tonan. They did however save Tonan from the horrifying death of being burned alive. One Dwarf with an accurate aim drew his bow and shot a bolt through Tonan’s heart, killing him instantly...”

Gynnia was inconsolable and in a state of shock. They had to get her out of danger, the quicker the better, far away where the king and the prince would never find her. Piggle knew if Tonan’s gift to Gynnia were found out while the girl was in her father’s care, then she too would probably be killed or thrown into the dungeons until she died. The young princess was with a wolf-child…Tonan’s legacy. But where to hide her that she would not be found? Away from the surrounding lands of the king, for certain.

Piggle mulled the problem over in her head. Perhaps the Ancient Ones could help. They were the Dwarves of Dragon Mountain, the ones who created mirrors with great powers and magical qualities. They had lived there for centuries and were wise beyond all others in the Nine Kingdoms.

Piggle and her small band of Dwarves led the young, despondent princess toward the mountain. All the while an uneasiness settled over the group the closer they got to their destination.

Gynnia watched with forlorn eyes as a middle-aged Dwarf whispered into Piggle’s ear. The old woman nodded in agreement.

“My father is following us, isn’t he?”

Piggle looked up and nodded in the affirmative. The princess had not asked a question…she knew.

“Yes, his men have been sent to search for us. Their dogs have our scent. We must move in haste with no more rest stops or they will find us before we can reach the hidden entry of the Dragon Mountain refuge. Can you make it that far without stopping?”

“Are you worried about my child?” Gynnia asked.

Piggle sat up at that, eyes narrowing.

“How did you know? Humans usually cannot tell until they have missed their cycle.”

“One of the last things Tonan said to me was that he gave me part of him to cherish. What else could he have meant?”

“It will not be easy raising a child alone. You are unmarried and on the run. You must remain hidden away, as must the child. If either of you would be found…”

“I know. I will do what I must for the sake of the child,” she said bravely.

“Tonan would be proud of you,” Piggle smiled sadly. “He chose his mate well. You have a fire and spirit that matched his own. Now…we have to travel swiftly. Are you ready?”

Gynnia nodded silently and pushed to her feet. Beyond the horizon Dragon Mountain rose up and what future lay before her and her child.

They entered the hidden caves after a half a day’s journey. Gynnia was exhausted but proud she had made it thus far. Everything was dark inside until one of the Dwarves lit a torch and led them behind a rock wall into the labyrinth of tunnels that ran throughout the mountain. Very few knew all the tunnels except for the oldest and wisest of the Ancient Ones. They walked through the maze until the tunnels opened up into a large cavern. There they met with the oldest and wisest of Dwarves.

Emuan was extremely old. At nearly two hundred and eighty years, all other Dwarves and denizens of all of the Nine Kingdoms paid him respect. Even kings and queens, emperors and empresses, were beholden to him, daring not to draw his wrath for fear of losing his gifts of the magical mirrors. This was the tiny, wizened man that Princess Gynnia was brought before…to beg for his help and protection.

“Stand up, Princess Gynnia,” he asked kindly. The girl was torn with grief, that he could see. But a glint of strength shone from her eyes and he knew what he must do to protect her and the cub growing inside her womb. It would be possibly the only way she could be protected from her father, the king, and the young snipe to which she had been betrothed, both of who were stubborn and extremely selfish men. Emuan knew neither would give up their quest in looking for Gynnia as long as they knew she were alive so he devised a plan. Piggle brought forth a young goat as requested by the old Dwarf and had Gynnia change into the clothes of a commoner, then led both to a small chamber after this was accomplished. There Emuan waited with the other Ancients, surrounded by mirrors of many shapes, sizes and ages.

One Ancient slew the goat, smeared its blood on Gynnia’s gown, and handed it back to Piggle who nodded as if she understood. Gynnia was horrified. Did another have to die because of her? She covered her eyes and cried mournfully.

“Do not despair, princess,” Emuan spoke kindly. “The goat was to have been our supper tonight anyway. Now it dies for two good causes…to feed us and to save you and your baby. Now, before you see three mirrors. They are all three magical traveling mirrors. All three have different destinations into another dimension. Pick one and step through to your destiny. After you arrive you must never mention this world again for they know nothing of us and may think you mad. It is unfortunate that you are with child. You may have a greater chance at finding a husband if you were untouched, but that cannot be changed.”

Gynnia felt her cheeks burn.

“I have no regrets in my love for Tonan,” she replied angrily. “He is the one who forfeited the most. As for a husband…I plan never to marry another. Tonan was my husband in spirit and no one can ever replace him!”

Emuan and the other Ancients nodded approvingly then bade Gynnia to choose. Bravely she stepped up and peered into their depths. She could still see her reflection but also other images appeared. The first mirror showed a deeply wooded land with soft mountains in the background and swiftly running rivers cutting through the landscape. In it, strange looking houses made of what seemed to be animal skins dotted a small meadow. The children appeared to be happy and loved…their skins a nutty brown running half-naked in the sunshine. A very idyllic scene indeed.

The middle mirror showed an extraordinary land with a brilliant sapphire ocean in the background and brightly colored flowers and jeweled birds of all kinds in the foreground. The people there also, seemed happy in their homes of wood and reeds…wearing clothing that barely covered their bodies.

The last mirror was very different from the other two. Here there was a bustling city with stores and hoards of people racing about their chores and busy lives, nary paying much attention to one another. In truth, it reminded her most of the world in which she lived with her father and sister. Castles could be seen in the background of this world, but also the treetops of a great forest.

“Time to choose, Princess. Your father and his men draw near,” Emuan prodded. “What world to you wish to belong to? Where do you wish to raise Tonan’s cub?”

Gynnia took a moment to give each mirror a final glance then chose.

“Very well, young woman,” the old Dwarf accepted her choice. “From here on out, you are not Princess Gynnia. You are plain Gynnia…a commoner. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

Piggle shook her head in dismay and asked her young ward, “Why did you choose the crowded city? The other mirrors showed beautiful lands with happy children. Please change your mind!”

Gynnia smiled softly for the first time since Tonan’s death and answered her.

“Tonan’s cub will know hardships, this I understand. The child must grow up strong to survive as did its father, whether it be a male or female. Tonan would never have wanted a weak cub. He did not take the easy way out and neither shall I. Do you understand?”

Piggle shook her head and frowned.

“I think I do, but I still think it’s crazy.”

Gynnia clasped the old woman in her arms and kissed her cheeks.

“Thank you for risking your life for me and my child. I wish I could repay you somehow.”

“Just promise to keep yourself safe and take this with you.” She shoved a bag of acorns into Gynnia’s arms. “Crack them open only if you are in need of help. They are blessed by our priests and contain magical elements in which to guide you.”

“Thank you, Piggle. I will.” Gynnia turned to face the Ancient Ones. “I am ready.” Emuan nodded and bade her to enter the chosen mirror.

“Goodbye my friends,” she called out. It was the last thing she said and the last time they ever saw her again.

“Dad, she came to our world through the traveling mirror like we did! There were three mirrors, remember? The one my mother had, the one you broke and…”

“The one at the bottom of the sea,” Tony finished for her. “But that’s unbelievable. It’s highly unlikely Gynnia is our ancestor. What do we have to go by? A story in an old book and the fact that you look like someone that lived five hundred years ago? It’s…it’s, well it’s crazy!”

Wolf’s eyes lit up. He grabbed Tony’s arm and motioned for him to listen.

“Wendy! What happened to the kingdom after Princess Gynnia disappeared? What did the king do with the ones that helped his daughter escape and to the prince and Gynnia’s sister Rose?”

Wendell read through a few paragraphs, found what he wanted and read aloud.

“Here it is. The king was furious his daughter had escaped his wrath and had died mysteriously. Only her blood-covered gown had been found. Thus he banished all Dwarfs and wolfs from his kingdom forever upon threat of death, then gave his second daughter in marriage to the prince instead. It proved an unhappy marriage for both. Rose never forgave her husband for his part in her sister’s death; thus the man grew sour and bitter as time went by. Upon his untimely death in a hunting accident and after her father the king died of an illness, Rose remarried happily by her own decision to a gentle king of a neighboring, but smaller kingdom. Rose became the bride of King Rione Red of the Second Kingdom nearly ten years after the disappearance of her sister.”

“Rose Red?” Tony wondered aloud. He turned to Virginia. “Isn’t that the name of another fairy tale heroine?”

“Sssh, Dad! Go on, Wendell.”

“Well, that must be when wolves were outlawed here in the Fourth Kingdom. I didn’t realize that Dwarves were too. I just assumed they all enjoyed living in the Ninth Kingdom underground, except for the few that left the mountain from time to time, of course. I accepted the old laws as did my father before me and his father before him. We never questioned how they came into being. Quite remarkable, really. All this time the wolves were outlawed because of the love of a wolf for a princess. How sad for my great-great-grandmother that she lost her sister in such a way.”

“Your great-great-grandmother?” Virginia, Tony and Marjorie exclaimed at one time.

“Yes, that’s part of the surprise I was wanting to tell you about,” grinned Wendell as he took in their astonished faces. “Queen Rose Red was related on my mother’s side of the family. White, of course, is my father’s family name.

“Cripes, Virginia! You are royalty! You’re Wendy’s cousin. Congratulations, Tone…so are you!”

“That’s not all.” Wendell directed his gaze at the half-wolf. “Don’t forget, she and Anthony are direct descendants of Tonan also.”

Wolf’s eyes lit up as the realization hit him.

“Huff-puff!” He rushed them both, giving them a double-wolf hug. “I knew there was something I liked about you from the beginning, Tony. Little did I know it was the wolf in you! And you my succulent morsel…” He picked Virginia up and twirled her around. “I just knew you were the girl of my dreams. Perfect in every way. At least you don’t have to contend with a tail!”

“Get real, Wolf,” Virginia laughed. “How does the fact that me having a teensy-tiny bit of wolf blood in me from what is centuries ago and generations in my world have to do with you and I now?”

“You know…don’t you, Wolf?” Wendell asked of the half-wolf. “Show her.”

Virginia watched as her husband of an hour rolled up his sleeve, baring his arm to her and all in the room. Virginia gasped as what she saw there and what it implied. She had seen it many times before, never really paying much attention to its shape until now. A circle with a straight line protruding…a tethered full moon.

“It’s my pack mark, Virginia,” Wolf grinned. “Tonan had to have been my ancestor also. A Wolf pack never changes its mark. Never! So you see, you were right when we were in Kissingtown. Do you remember while we were on the balcony…what you said? That maybe you were meant to be with me? That maybe it was your destiny? The gypsy…she was right all along. I don’t know if I am truly Tonan reincarnated and you Gynnia, but we carry a part of their blood within us. Their love has guided us to each other so that we may live the life they so desperately wished for themselves. I have a feeling that at this very moment they are somewhere in the great beyond smiling down upon us together.” Wolf stared intently into Virginia’s blue eyes. “I think you do also,” he murmured, his eyes intent on her face, his breath hot on her lips. Virginia could feel her face flush…her breath quickening as she read his mood.

“Ahem!” Wendell coughed discreetly. “Perhaps it is time we let these two newlyweds have a moment to themselves. Anyone for champagne?”