Macster - The Last Dragon

Stroking the back of her hand with his fingers, Colin helped her sit up the rest of the way. "I am Prince Colin, your Highness. And I have broken the spell that was cast on you. You have been asleep for eighty years, thanks to a fairy's curse. But now all of that is ended." He smiled reassuringly.

For a moment Briar Rose narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but then her expression cleared and she smiled radiantly. "Then I, and my family, and my kingdom, owe you a debt that can never be repaid." Her dulcet voice and exquisite beauty made Virginia very self-conscious, and she was painfully aware of how her rather frumpy sweater, T-shirt, blue jeans, and loafers compared to Beauty's regal robes and crown.

But she didn't have time to dwell on her appearance, for Briar Rose had apparently decided to attempt some form of recompense. Snaking her arms around the Piper's shoulders, she lifted her face to his and kissed him in return, head tilted at just the right angle, her lips almost seeming to meld with his.

Virginia was just beginning to think she and Wolf should give the two of them some privacy--and was about to wryly suggest they get a room--when something unexpected happened. Another shimmer of magic filled the air, and another ripple splashed outward, but this one did not dissipate quickly as the first had. In fact it seemed to last endlessly, one wave of power following fast on the heels of the previous. Around them, the tower walls began to shake in response, as if the magic were playing the exact note to make them resonate.

A loud noise of babbling voices and cries of protest broke the profound silence of the kingdom outside the castle, and Virginia, startled, rushed to the window to peer out. What she saw astonished her. Far below, inside the walls of the town, all of the people who had previously been frozen in time were being buffeted by the wind of the rippling magic, and as each was touched they came alive, looking around in fear and confusion, all of them talking at once in voices strained by worry and anger.

But the magic did not stop there. Washing out over the town, it scoured every building of dust, dirt, mold, and moss until they looked as if they had just been built and painted yesterday. Then it wheeled about and whipped back over the town again, flowing up the gray, vined walls of the castle like ocean swells shimmering with moonlight. In its wake it left pristine marble of the purest white, bare of vegetation and rising high into the welkin to cut the sky with proud defiance.

Again the magic changed direction, facing back out over the thorny landscape that surrounded the now-verdant hilltop. It seemed to gather itself, like a feline about to pounce, and then there came a sharp, thundering tone as of a great bell, growing louder and louder, and all at once the rippling waves exploded outward from the castle and bathed the entire kingdom in white light. One after another the waves crashed and roiled across the land, and everywhere they touched a miracle was worked. Ruined stones of buildings were caught up, swept about, and restored to the castles and manor houses they had once been. The soil humped up and overturned, changing from barren and dry to rich, black, and fertile, and then grass and trees began to grow. Seeds burst from the ground, sprouting with new life. Whole villages thrust upward from where they had disintegrated long ago.

A collective groaning sigh echoed about the kingdom as the unnatural breathing of the bramble forest heaved, shuddered, and went silent, and then all of the thorns and brambles withered and died, dissolving into dust as the spindle had. The shock wave of the destruction raced outward from the castle like the blast from a nuclear holocaust, but what came behind it was life, not death. Everywhere Virginia looked, something new and enthralling formed. Rivers wound in their courses where none had been before, bringing water and life to the land again. Farm fields were uncovered and restored, overflowing with abundant crops--one in particular, a leafy green plant with white, pink, and blue flowers shaped like bells she thought she should recognize, seemed predominant. Trees arched their branches skyward and plunged their roots into the earth, while birdsong filled the air from the countless avians flitting about.

By the time it was over and the magic had advanced to the border and beyond before sinking into the ground, Virginia's heart was pounding and tears of joy streamed down her cheeks. She felt Wolf's warm body slide up next to her as she stood there gripping the windowsill, heard his sharp intake of breath, but she did not look at him. She only had eyes for the incredible vista outside. In the space of a few short minutes, the neglect and dissolution and ruin of eighty years had been undone as if it meant nothing, and what had been a cold, friendless, frightening place had turned into a land so achingly beautiful, so real and alive, that it seemed impossible they could be the same kingdom. But she knew it was no illusion--the fragrance of honeysuckle and poppies on the wind was too strong, the vibrant colors of the flowers and trees were too bright, and the carol of the birds and gurgling of streams was far too delightful to the ear.

The Sixth Kingdom had been freed.

Breathing shudderingly, Virginia slowly turned back to face the room, her arm rising instinctively to grasp Wolf around his waist. The attic seemed to be the only thing that had not changed, as if the epicenter of the spell were preserved from its touch, although she did notice it seemed much cleaner than it had been, that the windows provided more light, and the junk no longer looked so worthless and useless, as if it had only been waiting for the time when it could be used to refurnish the castle. Only one thing was missing, the spinning wheel, although a pile of ash covered the floor where it had stood, whipping away in the warm breeze.

Briar Rose now stood beside the Piper, still embracing him, still kissing him luxuriantly. Finally she broke free, flushed and even more radiant than before. Turning to face them, she kept Colin's hand clasped in hers as she looked at the others in puzzlement and curiosity. "Colin is our savior...but who are you, and why are you here, may I ask?"

Virginia could not find her voice, and apparently neither could Wolf, but the Piper stepped smoothly into the gap. "They are the Lady Virginia and her consort, Lord Wolf, and they are here to fulfill a quest to save the Nine Kingdoms."

The princess blinked, then shifted her inquisitive eyes from one person to the next. "A quest? How extraordinary! But since when did the Kingdoms need saving?"

Apparently the princess was not too bright, for even if being asleep eighty years had left her out of the loop, as far as Virginia could tell the Kingdoms almost always needed saving. But Colin only chuckled. "That...is a fairly long story, your Highness. And I think we should tell it to your entire court, not just yourself. Shall we descend? I am certain the king and queen will be relieved to see you alive and well." He stepped toward the stairs leading down from the garret, glancing questioningly at the others.

Nodding mutely, Virginia turned and looked up into Wolf's wide and darting eyes, seeing in them the same pleasure and celebratory excitement she felt deep in her soul. Impulsively she kissed him as well, long and passionately, before leading the way after the Piper and Briar Rose, but with each step she took, she felt the power of her love for Wolf fill her with unending warmth. It was not magic on the order of that wrought by Colin's kiss, but it was magic nonetheless.

Virginia was still in a daze half an hour later as she stood with Wolf, the Piper, and the princess in the throne room of the restored castle, which had enormous windows on the western wall that let in the crimson and orange rays of the setting sun. All around her color and sound filled the chamber with dazzling vibrancy, so shockingly different from the disquieting silence and stasis that had been there before that she could not focus on anything that was being said.

Quite a lot was being said, as it turned out. Because she was so distracted, she could do little but make a few offhand remarks, so the bulk of their story was left to Wolf and Colin to relate. Between the two of them, they managed to explain to the king and queen how the court had come to be cursed and freed, and how all of them had come to be there at the right time. Wolf in turn made sure to tell of the wicked Ice Queen and the danger she posed to the Nine Kingdoms unless they could find the dragon who dwelt somewhere within the monarchs' realm.

At first the rulers had been understandably skeptical, of the spell as well as their quest, for to them it had seemed as if no time had passed--they had not aged a day, and the only lingering aftereffect of their sleep had been a few cramped muscles. But Briar Rose attested to the spinning wheel she had discovered in the attic tower and the spindle that had inexplicably drawn her to it, and this coupled with the common knowledge of the fairy's curse convinced everyone. As for the Ice Queen, since Arundel and Rapunzel came from another time, one where more vigilant eyes had been turned northward in fear of an invasion, it had not taken much persuasion there either. They were, after all, much more trusting than Red Riding Hood III had been.

Once all was made clear, the king and queen were overjoyed and called for a glorious celebration in their honor. Wolf tried to stress the urgency of their quest, but the royals insisted. Prince Colin, they declared, needed time to get to know and draw close to his future wife, and the rest of them needed a chance to rest and recover in civilized surroundings. Moreover, they were all heroes of the land for their efforts on behalf of the Sixth Kingdom, and they would be remiss if they did not show proper gratitude to their benefactors. The celebration would only last for a day, Arundel assured them, and after that they would be given all possible assistance in reaching the dragon, who was easily located as he had been there long before the curse had been cast.

Wolf was rather distraught over yet another delay, but Virginia finally was able to focus enough to softly tell him it was all right and to accept the offer. So with as much grace as he could manage, Wolf bowed and acquiesced, at which point they were all escorted to their chambers.

It was not until she was alone in her opulent room and realized that she had been quartered separately from Wolf that Virginia came back to herself. Although she didn't like being without her mate to help warm her bed, she concluded it was not worth raising a fuss about, since it would only be for a night or two, and in any case she was too tired to have been very good company. All the days of heavy traveling on horseback and on foot, as well as the stress of her emotions and the loss of sleep the previous night, all caught up with her at once, and she tumbled into bed, falling asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The next morning she was awakened by the sound of birds chirping at her window and water splashing somewhere in the room. Groaning, she rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly, and as her vision cleared she became aware of how truly lavish and exquisite her chamber was. The bed she lay in was large enough for three people, the mattress soft and down-filled, the sheets a rich ivory silk, and the frame was fashioned of heavy cedar that gave off a fragrant spicey scent, the wood carved into the shape of twirling leaves and flowers, with angelic cherubs perched on each bedpost that reminded her oddly of the little girl Snow White had disguised herself as in Kissing Town. Looking further, she sat in awe of the fine trappings--carpeting of gold and crimson that looked so thick you could sink into it, a chest of drawers with an ornate mirror that would have fit in perfectly in a Renaissance museum, tapestries and paintings adorning pale blue walls, lace and velvet curtains at all of the windows, a silver tea service set upon a low table, a massive fireplace of marble where a fire of pine logs already blazed, an incredible chandelier overhead dripping with crystals that prismatically scattered the sunlight. To the side she could even see a pair of open doors leading out onto a terrace or a balcony. It was even more beautiful and gorgeous than the room she had been given at Wendell's palace after the coronation.

As she sat there in stunned silence as if she had fallen under the curse that had so long permeated the kingdom, the bedcurtains were suddenly thrust aside and a maid stood there, middle-aged but still pretty, her brunette hair interspersed with gray swept back into a bun under her crisply starched cap. "Good morning, milady," she said in a reverent yet still no-nonsense voice, as if all the riches around her were quite ordinary. "How may I serve you? There is much to be done to prepare for the banquet and ball. Shall I bring you your breakfast first, or would you prefer to bathe? Your journey must have been most dreadfully unsanitary. And the seamstress wishes to know when she can take your measurements for your gown." The maid eyed her swollen belly suggestively but said nothing.

Virginia was rather taken aback at all of this, and for a moment she clutched the sheet protectively to her chest. But then she forced herself to relax and smile. "Um...what's your name?"

"Maureen, milady."

"All right...Maureen." She paused and looked past the maid to where a gold bathtub that would fetch a king's ransom languished beside another fireplace. A kettle hung over the fire, boiling water, while the basin itself already steamed with a bath drawn ready. Towel, soap, and washcloth were also readily available. "I think I'll take my bath first, but do go and bring me my breakfast, I'm starving."

"Yes, milady." The maid executed a quick curtsy and departed, giving her much-needed privacy.

For a moment Virginia allowed herself to fall back onto the bed with a cry of giddy excitement, and then she rose and hurriedly undressed, tossing her clothes aside with impunity. She hadn't been traveling in them as long as she had been in the clothes from her first adventure in the Kingdoms (and how awfully dirty and sweaty they had been!), but they were none too fresh either, especially after her time spent incarcerated in Crookedtown, the prison wagon, and Red's dungeon, so she was eager to get out of them just the same. Once she was free, she slipped gratefully and delightfully into the wonderfully warm bathwater.

After soaking for a while, she sat up to reach for the bar of soap and a washcloth, but noticed a series of crystal bottles and decanters set in a line on a nearby shelf. Perfumes and bath lotions, she assumed. She sniffed several, identifying them by scent--jasmine, honey, rose, passion fruit (she'd save that one for later with Wolf)--then chose a rich vanilla, adding it to the water. As the fragrance rose up around her, she settled back again and sighed happily. "I could get used to this," she murmured.

But then a stray thought came to her, making her frown--indeed, she would have to get used to this. It was, after all, the royal treatment, and when she married Wolf she would be marrying a prince. An unacknowledged one, but a prince all the same. She'd almost forgotten that, but now the true shock of it hit her all over again. She would be royalty. She would be a princess, what every little girl, including herself, dreamed of. And between his status and her own as the stepsister of King Wendell...

Visions of how truly enormous and impressive her wedding was going to be danced through her head, and with a groan she sank down into the bathwater.

Unfortunately the one luxury she didn't have was time to herself and time to hide from her future, for soon enough her maid returned with her breakfast and the whirlwind of preparations began. Virginia remembered eating the delicious meal, but she was so nervous she didn't even know what it was she ate. And then the seamstress was there, a severe and spry old woman who deftly took her measurements without batting an eye at Virginia's pregnant status, her chalk and tape determining every number with sometimes embarrassing closeness. Then came the fabric, an emerald silk that shimmered like a tropical sea, adorned with countless pearls and diamonds. After seeing the cloth, Virginia remembered little else, her mind frozen only on the thought of how expensive this dress would be, and yet the king and queen were giving it to her out of nobility and gratitude.

Eventually the dress was ready (although it took all day to complete it), and as she turned in front of her mirror, Virginia was awed anew. The cloth was loose and flowing, draping over her body in such a fetching manner that it concealed and softened her swollen belly, and the bodice was tight and pushed up so that attention was called to her bosom instead of lower down. A silver tiara decorated with emeralds and a matching set of earrings completed the ensemble. She truly felt like a princess, and both the maid and the seamstress said she looked like one.

By the time she went to meet Wolf, it was nearly the time they had descended to the throne room the previous day, and instead of dazed and indifferent, she was now absolutely enthralled by the opportunity to be seen in this dress, and she was even more excited about the prospect of Wolf's reaction to it. She was not disappointed. When he emerged from his chamber dressed in a midnight blue suit that accentuated his slim hips and broad shoulders and clung to every muscle, his jaw dropped and he began to drool, making her burst out laughing.

"Oh, Virginia!" he whimpered, as if the sight of her beauty hurt his eyes. "You've outdone yourself! Cripes, you look...you look..." Words escaped him. "You look absolutely ravishing!"

"Well, I had a little help." She ducked her chin, extremely embarrassed. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Oh, this?" He plucked at his suitjacket. "This is rags compared to what you're wearing, Virginia."

The sincerity in his voice touched her heart, as it always did whenever he complimented her. With tears in her eyes she looked up at him, becoming lost in his own gaze. This was the way she always wanted Wolf to look at her, not the way he had back in the fox burrow, and she swore to herself she would do all in her power to make sure he would never have cause to look at her differently.

"So..." She searched for something to say. "How's your ankle?"

Wolf smiled and shifted from one foot to the other proudly, not a twinge of pain on his face. "Good as new, my little sausage! The doctor here is quite good, between his herbal remedies and medicinal spells, it's like I was never hurt." He chuckled. "A good thing, too, or I wouldn't be able to dance with you tonight."

He nodded his head toward the grand marble staircase that swept in a huge curve down toward the first floor. Faintly, elsewhere in the palace, she could hear the strains of a waltz begin, stop, then begin again. The orchestra was only warming up, but the music reminded her uncomfortably of that which had filtered down through Wendell's palace when she and her father had been searching for the ballroom to save all the guests and stop her mother.