Macster - The Last Dragon

Once the invitations had been sent and the location chosen, Virginia had left most of the planning to Lord Rupert, as she had intended, but on one point she remained adamant: the dress. Rather than allow the protocol master or a couturier to design it, she had requested that the Sixth Kingdom retinue--namely Prince Colin and Briar Rose--bring with them the emerald dress she had worn at the banquet at Rapunzel's castle so that it could be altered and refitted to be her wedding gown. At first Lord Rupert had thrown a fit, but then when she described the dress to him his eyes had alit with the fire of fashion and a trousseau to die for. It would require him to rethink the color scheme for all the decorations, but that would not be difficult for his artistic mind. The greatest worry was whether the dress would arrive in time, considering the great distance between the Sixth and Fourth Kingdoms, but Rupert judged it would just make it.

Choosing the other members of the wedding party had proven effortless for the most part, although there had been a few surprises. Virginia had expected Wendell to lead the ceremony, but apparently a priest of some sort would do the honors because the young king elected to be Wolf's best man. Besides Cinderella and Carmine, the bridesmaids consisted of an eclectic combination of Nine Kingdoms and New York acquaintances: Candy and some of her other waitress friends, the Jackrabbit Jackpot croupier from Kissing Town, the Central Park vendor who had sold Wolf his self-help books (who agreed to attend only after Virginia had paid her husband-to-be's outstanding bill), and several ladies of the court who had been close companions of Tony's for the past eight months.

The lone exception to the selection process was someone whose attendance would be problematic, but whom there was no way Virginia could exclude: her grandmother.

As the frantic and meticulously detailed preparations for the wedding continued around her, she had thought long and hard. Despite her grandmother's usual besotted state, she was not a stupid woman. Candy and the other waitresses had been easily convinced to wear blindfolds when crossing through the portal as some sort of elaborate good-luck ritual, but such a subterfuge would never work on Lucinda Van der Walle, not by a long shot. Luckily they didn't have to explain Wolf and his strange behavior any more. How Wolf had managed it, she had no idea--she'd been watching his eyes closely and knew he hadn't used his power of Persuasion--but somehow when the two of them had returned to New York he had convinced her grandmother that he was simply a very passionate, very intense actor who threw himself into his roles until some days he barely slipped back into his usual personality. He'd laid on all the charm as he explained that the day nine months ago when he had burst into the Gramercy Park apartment, he had been doing an improv reenactment of a modernized "Little Red Riding Hood" play. And it had worked, her grandmother had bought the whole thing, hook line and sinker.

The reason for their month-long absence had also been explained away as a sudden trip to a small European country not even on the map, a country from which Wolf hailed and where Christine had married the ruler and become a queen. Delicately Virginia had related the news that after spending time in this beautiful, pristine country she had met Christine again, and that not long afterward she had died. Her grandmother had taken the news even harder than she had expected, but had eventually recovered.

Now they faced a new challenge, figuring out how to get Lucinda through the magic mirror when she would not believe in such a far-fetched, nonsensical tale as what had really happened. As Virginia and Wolf had packed for the trip, they had discussed and discarded various wild yarns, and by the time the day came to leave they still had not decided on a course of action. But at least they would not have to worry about having Tony along, whom her grandmother still loathed, because her father had other urgent business to attend to. As soon as he had learned that the Lewises were descended from the House of Charming, he had rushed off to Wendell at once to interrogate the king on the long-lost family--or more specifically, its wealth and holdings. As it turned out, the Charming family fortune was still extensive after all these years, and even more shocking was that Tony and Virginia were heirs to it all. After the vanishing of Lady Celeste and the death of her father, the sole representatives of the line had been brothers, sisters, cousins, no one who was a direct descendant of the Count Charming...until now. The most recent head of the House had recently died...leaving Tony the new Lord of the Western Mountains.

This announcement had made Tony as giddy as a schoolboy, and he had rushed off at once by carriage, by way of Hamelin, to inspect the family estate before the wedding. Virginia had been rather excited and relieved to learn this, as she had felt embarrassed and almost ashamed at being given titles by Wendell as rewards for their efforts on his behalf when they were not of royal blood. Now their titles were earned. At the same time, it flustered her to be confronted with another tangible sign of her nobility, and it had been with great gratitude that she had fled through the mirror with Wolf, putting off facing such a complicated issue.

New York was once again alien, strange, almost magical, such a contrast to the Kingdoms that Virginia realized anew she could never live here permanently again; Wolf's idea of a forest retreat was looking more and more attractive. Together they left the park, hailed a taxi, and sped on their way. The usual rush hour traffic slowed them down, but Virginia actually appreciated the delay (if not the frequent curses hurled into the smoggy air by both the taxi driver and the other motorists). It gave her and Wolf a chance to discuss strategy.

By the time they reached the lobby of her grandmother's building and were ascending in the elevator, they had concluded that they should stick as close to the truth as possible, and if worst came to worst, Wolf could resort to Persuasion until they got back through the portal.

When they were standing before the door and Virginia knocked, she heard the familiar voice ring out, asking who was there. And as she unlocked the door and swung it wide to allow her and Wolf inside, she answered the same as she always did. "It's only me, Grandma."

Her grandmother soon appeared, looking the same as ever, unchanged and unchangeable, with her tacky velour bathrobe and peach-colored hair pushed back in a style sixty years out of date, her thick layers of makeup and her ever-present champagne glass held in one unsteady hand. She tried to focus on them as they entered, a dazed and uncertain smile on her gaudily painted lips. "Oh! For a moment there I thought it was your mother..." She trailed off and the lonely, unhappy expression that crossed her face made Virginia want to cry. "But then that's not possible now, is it?"

Virginia bit her lip as she watched her grandmother totter about, seeming at a loss what to say or do as her usual routine was interrupted. She watched the old woman shrink before her eyes, shoulders slumping and skin sagging around her eyes and mouth as tears began to flow, smearing the mascara until it ran in unattractive black streaks like a rock star. She even noticed when her grandmother distractedly searched the room for Roland, her pampered poodle. They had told her the dog ran away, since there was no way they could explain Roland's true fate in Wolf's belly.

Before she could even attempt to find an answer, her grandmother seemed to recover her wits and smiled again. "Well anyway, come in, come in, both of you!" she clucked disapprovingly at their standing in the doorway, but as she shut the door behind them, she grinned slyly at Wolf, taking his arm. "Especially you, you handsome devil! Have you had any luck yet with getting that part you were looking for? My offer still stands, I do have connections, you know. Just one word from me and I can have all those Hollywood directors hopping and eating out of your hand."

Coughing to disguise a laugh, Virginia followed silently as Wolf regaled her grandmother with some completely fabricated and larger-than-life tale of his acting woes. By the time the old woman had commiserated over Wolf's imaginary plight, they were all settled on the living room sofas under the watchful gaze of the enlarged magazine covers bearing her grandmother's likeness in her heyday: Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Fortune. Virginia was still trying to think of some way to ease the conversation onto the right topic when her grandmother did it for her. "Virginer!" she gasped, staring at her belly. "You've had the baby! Where is she, where is she?"

"It's a boy, Grandma," Virginia said diplomatically. "And he's not here, he's with Dad." That was a lie, Warren was actually being taken care of by Wendell, of all people. She'd expressed her concerns about thrusting him into the role of babysitter when he knew next to nothing about infants, but he had insisted, saying it would only be for a few hours, and if he could handle being transformed into a dog and fighting his wicked stepmother, he could certainly deal with a baby. Despite visions of badly wrapped diapers falling off and her son innocently urinating all over the white royal uniform, she'd finally agreed. But she didn't want her grandmother to know about Wendell until they could be introduced face-to-face.

Her grandmother, meanwhile, was hovering between a dark frown and an agonized wail. "What? You mean you'd rather leave your baby with that lowlife than bring him to see me? Am I that awful, do you hate me that much, am I such a disgrace and an embarrassment to you, Virginer?"

That hit a little too close to the mark in some respects, but most of it didn't apply right now. "No, Grandma, that's not it at all. In fact we were coming here to tell you about the baby, and to bring you to meet him."

"You were?" Her face lit up with joy and she waved her champagne glass, spilling the liquor on the floor. "Well, why didn't you say so? Let's get going!"

"Wait, Grandma, there's more." Virginia looked at Wolf, waited for his nod of encouragement, and then said, "We also came...to invite you to our wedding."

This announcement was met with a stunned silence, and then her grandmother looked to Wolf for confirmation before putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head. "Well! It's about time, Virginer...I was beginning to think you'd stay living in sin all your life." Even as Virginia was protesting in indignation, her grandmother chuckled and smiled. "What are we waiting for? Now we have even more reason to hurry...where is it, darling? When is it?"

Virginia felt distinctly uncomfortable; now was when things got dicey. "Um...it's being held in the presence of that king I told you about--the one who was Mom's stepson before she..." She stopped. "And it's in four days."

Grandma froze, every line of her face etched out by her face powder and rouge, a look of reproach and resignation in her eyes. "Oh Virginer...I don't believe you! No sense of planning at all...well, I see I'll have to take over as soon as I get there. Wolf, be a good lad and fetch my trunks from the closet. We'll have to pack quickly if we expect to get there in time." She turned toward the bedroom hallway, setting down her glass on the edge of a coffee table and tottering off.

"No, Grandma," Virginia called. "You...you don't need to pack anything. The wedding is going to be here in New York." That was sort of the truth, since the portal was located here.

A snort of ridicule was her answer. "Virginer, you simply do not understand the importance of such a high society function. I must be dressed for the occasion, I have to take all the wardrobe I can manage to bring on such short notice--especially if royalty is to be present." She imperceptibly straightened, looking down her nose as if practicing the manner in which she would greet Wendell.

Virginia kept her groan barely audible. She didn't want her grandmother to stay in the Kingdoms any longer than necessary--with luck, she'd think the whole thing, or at least the more fantastic aspects of it, was a booze-induced hallucination. And anyway, they hadn't brought any servants to carry the countless pieces of luggage her grandmother would insist upon. "Don't worry, Grandma, King Wendell has plenty of servants and designers and couturiers there who'll make sure you're suitably attired." She crossed her fingers.

The look her grandmother gave her was even more incredulous. "Really! And what would a minor European monarch know about the current fashions in New York City? Come, come, time is wasting!"

Feeling helpless, Virginia searched for another argument, but Wolf came to the rescue. "I'm dreadfully sorry, Mrs. Van der Walle, but you have just hit on the source of the problem." He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and leaned in confidingly. "We simply haven't the time for you to pack, we are expected this very day, and King Wendell doesn't wish to be kept waiting. You know how royalty is." He flashed his golden wolf eyes at her.

For a moment her grandmother looked as if she were about to give him a good tongue-lashing for his impertinence, but then she slowly relaxed, smiling vaguely, before sighing and lifting one hand to pat his cheek. "Such a nice boy...it's hard to believe you were so convincing as the Big Bad Wolf! Very well, if that's how it must be. It's so good to see that you, at least, know all the proprieties of high society. Punctuality is critical." She glared at Virginia. "You should be taking notes, Virginer." Air-touching her curlers, she looked around the apartment with a brisk manner. "I trust, though, that you will at least let me change out of my nightwear?"

As soon as her grandmother was out of the room, Virginia heaved a sigh of relief and looked gratefully at Wolf. She might not have wanted to have him use his magic on her, but as long as they got the results they needed, she couldn't complain.

In half an hour's time her grandmother was on her way out the door with them in an elegant teal gown suitable for tea parties, with a matching set of pale green handbag, muff, stole, and broad-brimmed spring hat with a trailing sash of silk. Virginia had to admit her grandmother looked better than she remembered seeing her since she was a little girl, but the way the old woman kept fussing over her curls was rather annoying, and they didn't have time for it. So, overruling her grandmother's constant appeals for another minute or two to find the perfect accessorizing jewelry or the right fragrance of perfume, she hurried her and Wolf to the elevator and outside to catch another taxi.

They hit another snag at Central Park when her grandmother protested vehemently about leaving the vehicle, until Virgnia explained that the park was a shortcut to their destination and that the wedding was going to be held outside in any case. That had appalled her grandmother at first, but as they went along the familiar path, she seemed to become accustomed to the idea, even pleased. Then, finally, they arrived at the grove to find the mirror open for them, at which point her grandmother balked again.

"Virginer, what is going on here? This is not the way to any hotel I know, certainly none at which a king would stay! Have you been lying to me?" She gripped her handbag tightly, as if it were her only lifeline to reality, and peered fearfully around the isolated grove.

Taking her grandmother's hand, Virginia smiled reassuringly and pulled her along gently but inexorably. "I didn't lie, Grandma...I just fibbed a little. There are...some things you won't understand or believe until you see them for yourself."

Crossing her arms huffily, her grandmother turned away, chin lifted arrogantly. "How dare you say such a thing! I'll have you know I'm very open-minded, as long as it is something worth believing in, something you can prove."

Virginia closed her eyes and growled inwardly, even as a part of her noted she was becoming more and more wolf-like. She didn't have time for this. "C'mon, Grandma, just come with us and you'll see what I'm talking about. It'll all make sense."

Before her grandmother could protest again, she grabbed her elbow, took Wolf's hand, and stepped through the mirror, pulling them both through. The old woman screamed, trying to pull away, as the darkness and silence of the portal enveloped them, then blurred into the rushing blue-gray expanse of the passage between the worlds, her cries soon drowned out by the smashing glass. Virginia kept a firm grip, not letting go until they stumbled out of the Traveling mirror in Wendell's palace.

"Virginer...Virginer..." Her grandmother whimpered and pouted tremulously, clutching her handbag close as one hand went instinctively up to check her hat's position on her head. Virginia actually felt sorry for her as she looked around in fear and despair. "Wh-where are we...?"

"We're in the castle of King Wendell, Grandma," Virginia explained patiently. "We came through a magic mirror to the Nine Kingdoms...this is where Mom went, and where Wolf is from, and where the wedding is. We couldn't tell you, we had to show you."

"Magic?" the old woman scoffed, but her skepticism and doubt sounded faint and rehearsed, not truly convincing. "You expect me to believe..."

Sighing, Virginia shook her head and led the way out of the mirror alcove, guiding her grandmother through the maze of corridors to Wendell's study and the one person who could persuade the old woman that she was not dreaming. Along the way she and Wolf worked together to explain the background of the Nine Kingdoms, the fairy tales that were not imaginary after all, and the adventures they had all experienced here. By the time they arrived at the study, Lucinda was thoroughly confused and frightened.

Luckily the king was at work at his desk and answered Virginia's knock at once. When they stepped inside, Virginia saw Wendell was conferring with Lord Rupert about some dithering wedding detail or other. Both men looked up inquiringly but pleasantly at her grandmother. After introductions had been made, things settled into more of a sense of normalcy. The king's calm facade, his aristocratic and commanding demeanor, were extremely reassuring to Grandma, Virginia could visibly watch the strain and wildness leave her eyes, her muscles relaxing slowly as she became more and more comfortable, at ease with someone she deemed of the same class.

After a long and rather dull discourse on the burdensome duties and obligations of the rich, the elite standards that were so hard to maintain, Wendell got down to business and regaled her grandmother with the condensed version of Nine Kingdoms history. The pedantic and no-nonsense tone he adopted persuaded Lucinda, more than anything else, that what she was hearing and experiencing was real. And as soon as she realized the castle in which she stood was where her beloved Christine had ruled as a queen, she was at once charmed and delighted, pestering Wendell with all sorts of questions about his former nursemaid. The king looked quite distressed, haunted by his memories and his need to carefully edit the truth, but managed to satisfy her grandmother's curiosity. In the process he revealed things Virginia had never known, things that alternately saddened and upset her, until she had to look away before her grandmother could see her tears.

It was not until Lord Rupert casually mentioned that the wedding would be a royal one that her grandmother became incredulous again. "I can believe Wolf is a prince, I always knew you were hiding something, my boy!" Lucinda smiled with her painted lips and gently pinched Wolf's cheek. "But Virginer, don't give yourself airs! You are very lucky to marry into a royal house, but you know better...your worthless father could never be a lord."

"On the contrary, madam," Wendell replied diffidently, "the lineage is quite clear if you look at this family tree." He held out a large, leather-bound tome he had laid out on the desk for this express purpose, since Virginia had anticipated a certain obstinacy on her grandmother's part. "Anthony's grandmother was named Celeste, was she not? Well, here is her name in the Charming branch of my house. She is of the finest pedigree...as are Anthony and Virginia."

Her grandmother pursed her lips, but said nothing for a long time as she gazed down at the spidery script in the book. Finally she sighed, threw her hands in the air, and shrugged unevenly. "Oh very well, have it your way! They're royalty..." She sniffed disdainfully, clearly seeing the upper class as having been lowered several notches in order to accept its newest members. But then she chuckled and smiled with a gleam in her drunken eye. "In that case, this will indeed be the finest wedding you will ever see for ages to come, Your Majesty! Please, please, let me see what plans have been drawn up for the ceremony."

Wendell tried to dissuade her, saying the details were being handled competently by his servants, but she would not be denied. With ill grace Rupert at last took her to the table where he had laid out the seating plans, menu, flower samples, streamer swatches, and preliminary dress sketches. As soon as she saw them, Lucinda let out a horrified shriek and shoved them aside. "No, no, no! Those won't do at all, at all! How dreadfully ghastly and horrid! I see I shall have to take over from here...I only hope there will be enough time to salvage something worth saving..."

Lord Rupert glared at her in indignation, his face flushing crimson, then purple. It was the first time Virginia could ever recall seeing him angry. "How dare you!" he exploded at last, clenching his fists and pounding them on the table. "Madam, I will have you know that I studied under the Lady of Banbury Cross herself, and she always gave me the highest marks at her school of etiquette. She said I was her finest student, and her standards would not permit her to lie. Why, my finest graduation present came from her, this ring here and one of the bells from her toes!" He tapped an enormous emerald ring he wore on his left hand, then sniffled as emotional tears welled up in his eyes. "All the lords and ladies say I throw the best parties in the land!"

Her grandmother looked disdainfully down her nose at the courtier and snorted. "And this is supposed to impress me? I went to Vasser, and I was the Valedictorian. My soirees have been praised by JFK Jr., the Vanderbilts, the Rockefellers, the Carnegies...I know far more than you ever could. Know your place, servant, and let the true wedding planner take her rightful position." She posed theatrically.

Rupert looked ready to come to blows. Virginia groaned and covered her face.

The next several days lived up to her low expectations, as her grandmother and Lord Rupert argued and nitpicked and insulted each other to no end, preventing any real work on the wedding from being accomplished. They even dissolved into the pettiness of children, where one would sneak in at night to steal the other's designs, or pull down crepe paper and ribbons that had been put up the day before, or re-dye a wedding gown until the fabric would hold no more color and became a ruined melange of sickly hues.

The final straw came when, after a screaming match, both Lucinda and Rupert stood with chests heaving and livid faces in the lord's chambers, dripping and covered with paint and dye they had dumped on each others' heads. At this point Wendell stepped in and commanded them to cease this pointless bickering or he would banish them both from the Fourth Kingdom. That finally got through to them, and slowly, tentatively, they began working together on the project. A compliment here, a droll observation there, and soon the two were laughing and smiling, developing a mutual respect for each other. Virginia breathed a sigh of relief.

Other worries still beset the ceremony, however. The time of Wolf's cycle was rapidly approaching--in fact, if the calculations were correct, it would start the day after the wedding--and Wolf was horrified he was going to ruin the ceremony with his irritability and short temper, or that the honeymoon would turn into an orgy of blood and mating. But Virginia reassured him, over and over, that she loved him and that it didn't frighten or upset her. She promised him the wedding would go off as planned, and that if it became necessary, they would chain him up until his cycle was past and go on the honeymoon afterwards. As for the orgy, she grinned, that sounded enticing and incredibly arousing. To her amusement and surprise, she actually got Wolf to blush with that comment.

Elsewhere, Candy and the other waitresses from the Grill on the Green, as well as the Central Park vendor, were becoming rather suspicious and curious about their new surroundings despite being told that the castle and livery were some sort of fantasy wedding theme, and were asking questions that Virginia found hard to answer. In the end, when a fairy seamstess darted in a window to take their measurements, she smiled lamely and was forced to confess all, identifying Wendell's castle and enumerating the details of where it was located. Candy, not possessing great intellect, accepted it without even batting an eye. The other waitresses, and especially the vendor (whose name was Geraldine), were more skeptical and dubious, but when Virginia showed them the Traveling mirror and how it worked, they finally caved in. To their credit, they took it in stride and even began indulging in the fairy tale lifestyle, fulfilling fantasies most women secretly held in their hearts, particularly those who lived in limited, stultifying surroundings. Virginia, remembering her own jaded attitude and lack of patience with tourists back in New York, understood completely. The only thing she didn't understand was Geraldine's preoccupation with the illustrated histories in Wendell's library, which intensified to the point that the young king had to post a guard to ensure the vendor did not attempt to smuggle a few volumes back through the mirror with her. Enough trouble had been caused, he said, by the authorized (and rather inaccurate) flow of information about the Nine Kingdoms to the Tenth.

Another problem, however, was not so easily solved. Ever since Carmine had elected to be her bridesmaid, the newspapers had all carried blaring, shocked headlines, and the queen of the Second Kingdom had been subjected to whispered rumors, puzzled looks, resentful stares over the shoulder--all courtesy of the palace staff. After stopping a few of the more blatant offenders in the halls, Wendell ascertained that his servants did not trust Red Riding Hood III. They had seen firsthand how Wolf had risked his life for the Kingdoms and saved them all, and so they had become almost fanatically loyal to him. They also knew how Carmine had made no secret of her denunciations of wolves, she flaunted it and took pride in it just as she did the executions and hateful proclamations. Wendell's servants could not believe that Carmine could make such a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree change so quickly, they suspected a dark motive, a false facade to placate the wolf-lovers until she could obtain the information she needed to destroy her enemies. It was not until Wolf spoke up in his aunt's defense and Virginia testified to the queen's decisions regarding her fiance and wolves in general that the naysayers were silenced.

However, these revelations created a new problem--among the other rulers of the Kingdoms. Already confused by Carmine's obvious endorsement of the wedding, they became incensed at the changes Red planned to implement. Some, like Leaf Fall and Gerome, did not trust her either and believed she would go back on her word, betraying the wolves at the first opportunity. Others, like Old King Cole and Alberich, refused to accept that wolves deserved consideration and acceptance; they insisted that Wolf was an exception, a lone bastion of honor and nobility in an otherwise vicious and bloodthirsty race. They demanded the laws stay the same, for the safety of the common people, they claimed. But Virginia, sitting in on the council meetings, could see the irrational hatred in their eyes and knew better.

This time she did not have to do anything, it was Carmine herself who undermined the objections and withstood the weathering scorn and scathing contempt of the other monarchs. She called them on their prejudice, saying she recognized it well from her own heart. She took them to task for not supporting the wedding by implication, and lent her support to Wolf and Virginia...and then she dropped the bombshell that he was her nephew and she acknowledged him as such.

Denial was rampant among the kings and queens, but Carmine would not be shunted aside. She laid out the facts of Wolf's birth and the heritage Cerise gave him, and that she had granted him his princehood. Then with a core of steel in her voice she stressed that he was now the Baron of Red Riding Hood Forest, in charge of all the wolves and the justice granted to them. She noted that she was not a fool, that she knew wolves were no more saints than they were sinners, and that the safety of the people and the execution of the laws would not be compromised. Wolf would be overseer of his people--who better, after all, to police and supervise the wolves? They would be much more likely to obey him, and to accept his punishments than they would hers, and he would know better than humans what wolves were capable of and what they were not, what would warrant chastisement and how it should be carried out. He would ensure that all had fair trials, and under his guidance wolves and humans would come together for mutual advantage.

Slowly, with much grumbling, the council agreed to her proposals and withdrew their objections. Virginia felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her chest, but she knew this was only the beginning of the threats, dangers, and outright rebellion that would greet Carmine's decisions. This was not a small matter, it would not be dealt with readily or to the satisfaction of all in the next few days, let alone the years to come. But for now it was defused, and she could return to the wedding preparations, which seemed almost pleasant by comparison.

The final problem, which seemed so petty and inconsequential now after what had transpired, was the dress. The bridesmaids' gowns, the men's suits, and the decorations were ready by two days before the wedding, and all of the cooks had gathered in the enormous palace kitchens to begin the extensive marinating and obsessive attention that Wolf demanded for the reception, but the most important article of clothing had not yet arrived. Finally, that afternoon, the royal coach of the Sixth Kingdom pulled into the driveway of the castle, and everyone began to relax.

The greetings and embraces were warm and effusive as Virginia and Wolf welcomed Prince Colin and Princess Briar Rose. Arundel and Rapunzel directed their seamstress to take the sea-green dress to Rupert at once, and then departed to seek out King Wendell, whom they had of course never met, so as to learn all the history--and gossip--they had missed during their eighty year sleep. The Pied Piper and his fiancee, for their part, came eagerly to Virginia's chamber to see little Warren and to hear the tale of all that had occurred since they had parted ways.

Long into the night they talked, frequently interrupting each other as they related the tale of the Ice Queen's downfall. Finally, close to midnight, Colin sighed and sat back, content and pleased. "You see, milady?" he said a trifle smugly. "I told you you would succeed, that you were a great heroine who had all the power she needed to triumph. You should learn to listen to those who believe in you. You should believe in yourself. Bards will long sing of your victory."

Virginia blushed an attractive shade of red, but before she could demurely reply, Briar Rose was giving her betrothed a suggestive look, nudging him in the side. The Piper coughed, and then the princess smiled sweetly. "Lady Virginia, what Colin is not telling you is that a lay has already been composed and written of your adventure...by Colin himself. With your permission, he would like to play it as I sing." Her tone brooked no argument.

Wolf smiled broadly, then began to laugh as the Piper's sullen, embarrassed expression matched almost precisely his own whenever Virginia volunteered him for a duty. But she guessed Colin was not as averse to the task as he pretended, for a small smile of delight touched his lips as he removed the familiar pipe from its satchel and began to play. The song was set in a minor key, very Elizabethan--in fact it had echoes of "Greensleeves" but with extra trills and arpeggios that only made the tune more beautiful. The second time through Briar Rose began to sing, and her voice was as clear, sweet, and lilting as any Virginia had ever heard:

"The Traveling mirror brought her hither,
The Spying mirror gave her sight,
The Seeking mirror guided her way,
From darkness she came to light.

All hail the Lady Virginia!
Bow in deep genuflection!
Destiny chose her path
But her strength lay in her reflection.

With noble Wolf she traveled west,
To save the Kingdoms was their intent.
To find the fire, the Ice Queen's bane,
'Twould break her cruel ensorcellment.

All hail the Lady Virginia,
She who came to set us free!
Magic was her heritage,
Yet her heart is her true gift to thee.

A haughty Piper seeking love,
A bitter queen who denied her sin,
A lonely dragon, in shadows lost--
What each sought could be found within.

All hail the Lady Virginia,
Who quested in diverse company!
Who was so bold to face the cold
And thus fulfilled her destiny.

The May Queen's maze, the ogre's hunger,
Red Riding Hood's fierce passion--
The greatest task was the dragon's heart,
Which couldst not withstand her compassion.

All hail the Lady Virginia!
Her will of iron, her heart so pure!
The House of Charming's rightful heir,
But the Kingdoms are her future.

The risen Beauty, the pardoned wolves,
Change so sweeping in her wake.
The Ice Queen, banished, forgotten, lost,
A new world is now ours to make.

All hail the Lady Virginia!
No evil power can bar her way!
Savior, mother, protector, friend...
O may she be here to stay."

By the time the song was over, Virginia had tears in her eyes and Wolf was holding her hand, whimpering in joy. The ballad was even more moving and touching than those that had been composed after their last adventure, for it was written by someone who had spent days on end in her company, someone who loved her and cared for her, someone who understood all she had lost and all she had gained. It also made even more vivid and real how much had truly happened, what she had set in motion, how Happy Ever After spread outward from her hand. The only explanation, she realized, was the silver lining...in making Daviander happy, one who had for so long been without happiness and whose heritage was exile and loss, the blessing had been required to change the entire Nine Kingdoms forever. Nothing would be the same. And with all the good that rippled across the land, Daviander could not possibly be exempt. Not this time.

The next morning, after a long, quiet, earnest talk with Colin and Briar Rose, fittings and alterations began on the wedding dress, to Virginia's delight. As her grandmother and Lord Rupert worked on extending and stitching the material, her father and Wolf brought her food and drink to keep her strength up and Carmine and Cinderella gave their opinions on the gown. It was an all-day affair, and by the time it was over, Virginia was exhausted and only wanted to nurse Warren and get to bed early, for the following day was the wedding itself. Since they would be adhering to the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the ceremony--no need for bad omens in a land like the Nine Kingdoms--she and Wolf spent a blissful night together in her room. Afterwards, as her husband-to-be slept, Virginia stood by Warren's cradle and smiled down at him, stroking his cheek. She looked up, out the window and over the breezy balcony to the moon-washed forests and snow-capped mountains in the distance, and sighed. She was happy now, she was finally happy, and for once she believed she deserved it, and that it would last.

There was no guarantee it would, of course, life was a series of hills and valleys, even in the Kingdoms. And all had seemed peaceful and safe after their first adventure, too. But if some future calamity awaited them, she would face it as determinedly as she had the Ice Queen. Because with Wolf by her side, and so many who loved her supporting her, she knew she could not fail. Happy Ever After wasn't a magical spell to ward away evil and make life perfect. Conflict would always exist--at the very least she and Wolf would likely spend a great deal of time traveling between the Fourth and Second Kingdoms, helping to keep the peace for the next several weeks and months, and beyond. No, Happy Ever After was a reward, a long life and a certainty that no matter what threats assailed, she and Wolf would be there for each other, would fulfill each other's lives, and that the good and just and kind would ultimately prevail. That was enough for her.

The day of the wedding dawned gorgeous and still, halcyon and fresh with the renewal of life. Virginia was so incredibly nervous as her dressmaker and maid helped her change into the dress that it felt as if her stomach were filled, not with butterflies, but dragons, all flapping their leathery wings at once. But she would not back out on Wolf, she was just afraid she would do or say something wrong.

When she was finally ready, she descended to the first floor of the palace, walking slowly and with dignity--not just because of the solemnity and regality of the occasion, but because she was still getting used to the weight of the enormous silver crown on her brow. It was a Charming family heirloom, brought back from the Western Mountains by Tony, and by coincidence or fate, it fit her exactly. The dress, too, was formal and even more stunning than she remembered. Besides the diamonds and pearls adorning the swirling cloth, there were now rubies and emeralds, gold lame stitching, and a golden belt that gathered and tucked the material tightly to her slimmer waistline. Hanging from the belt was a golden pendant, engraved and etched in a Victorian design, matching the locket she wore--another Charming heirloom, containing a tiny hand-painted portrait of her ancestress, Lady Celeste. It made her proud to wear her great-grandmother's picture, it made her feel she truly belonged.

Four feet of emerald train swished and dragged along the carpeting behind her and a gauzy green veil, like spring mist, hung from her crown over her face as she reached the doors of the chapel vestibule. She felt a twinge of sadness that she could not wear a wedding dress of virginal white, but she rather felt green was more her color, and it was a way for her to break from tradition and make her own mark on the Kingdoms. Smirking to herself, she opened the door and stepped inside.

The room, dark-paneled and brooding with elaborate wood-carvings and ornate, ponderous candelabra, was empty except for Tony, who turned to her with a huge smile and tear-filled eyes. "Honey, you look...you look wonderful." He held out his hands to her.

Once the train was inside, Virginia crossed to her father and took his hands, looking up at him with more love than she had ever felt. He looked wonderful himself, in a burgundy suit of finest velvet. The jacket was of Fourth Kingdom design, with golden epaulets and a royal coat-of-arms stitched over the breast. Displayed prominently was his Medal of Valor, shined and polished for the occasion, but the biggest surprise of all was the golden crown he wore. Bejeweled and gleaming, it outshone any royal accouterment she had ever seen except Wendell's own crown. It also reminded her, humorously and startlingly, of the crown he had worn in her magic-mushroom dream in the Deadly Swamp. She wondered about that; at the time she had thought the dream to be some weird Electra-complex, or a twisting of the truth concerning Christine, but suppose it had been a hint at the future? Could this be something else she had never known about her father? He was a lord by lineage, and she had never believed such a thing possible.

She was reminded, suddenly, of Rapunzel's words concerning Tony--the queen had said that she was blind to her heritage. At the time she had thought Rapunzel only meant not knowing about the Charming bloodline he had unwittingly passed to her. But what if the queen to whom truth was so critical had meant more? Virginia had always shortchanged her father, never giving him enough credit. To be sure, no one could have predicted he would turn out to be royalty, and he was still very bumbling and idiotic at times. But he had always had a strength to him that had held her up when nothing else could...a determination to succeed even when it was impossible...a belief in right over wrong, a genuine love for her that had sustained her when her mother left them.

Tony had always been her staunchest supporter, he had always been there for her, even when she didn't realize it or couldn't admit it--in the journey through the Fourth Kingdom he had done so many things that had gone unnoticed. It had been his wish that had enabled them to talk to Wendell; he had defeated the Trolls (even if he had trapped Wendell in gold as well). Even if a magic bird had helped him, he had been the one to obtain the magic axe. It had been his ideas that helped them win the Beautiful Shepherdess Competition, and his determination to make up for his wrong that had restored Wendell. He had discovered the well, confronted Wilfred Peep, and exonerated Wolf when her defense at the rigged trial had bombed. He'd been the only one to win any money at the casino and use it at the auction, and while he had broken the magic mirror, she couldn't deny that her romantic evening with Wolf had been irresponsible and kept her from being there to help after the Huntsman made his ultimatum. His faults and his mistakes had always overshadowed his victories and loyalty to her. In the end it had been his selfless decision to face the Trolls alone that had left her undisturbed so she could deal with the Evil Queen.

And of course that was only in the Kingdoms. She knew now that all her life he had been there for her, he had never deserted her or hated her or said he resented her or didn't want her. She had taken out her anger at Christine on him, but he had not deserved it, he had done nothing wrong. He was not the best father in the world, but he was still a very good one.

She knew now, after almost losing him, that she had taken him for granted. And she would never do that again.

Standing on tiptoes, she kissed his cheek and then hugged him tightly. "I really love you, Daddy...you know that, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Pumpkin." Tony looked embarrassed but inordinately pleased.

At that moment the sound of the processional music sounded from the chapel, the familiar strains of "Here Comes the Bride"; while in New York she had picked up some sheet music, which the castle organist had excitedly perused at once. She suspected she had started a new trend in weddings.

The doors opened and Lord Rupert appeared. "It's magic time!" He beamed at them both, then patted Virginia's cheek. "You are a vision of loveliness, milady."

Smiling fetchingly, she stepped to Rupert's side and peered through the doors. As far as Virginia had been able to conclude, religion in the Nine Kingdoms was reminiscent of medieval Catholicism, and what she saw only strengthened her suspicions. She saw that the term "chapel" belied the chamber beyond, for it had more the size and design of a cathedral nave. Statues of kings and saints adorned the walls and ceiling, stained-glass windows lined the transept, and a mural of Prince Charming kissing Snow White in the glass coffin covered the dome of the apse. Before the altar, a bishop stood in golden robes and miter to officiate, with Wendell and Wolf waiting beside him--one decidedly patient, the other decidedly impatient. She giggled in spite of herself. At the far end of the chamber, a bank of mullioned windows opened onto the rear lawns of the castle, letting in the light of day. In the sky above, Daviander flew and blew balls of churning fire, executing daring moves and creating amusing flame-shapes to entertain the hundreds of guests seated in the pews. Everywhere there was green and red bunting, ferns and intertwining ivy, a profusion of red roses, violets, and pink gladiolus, and the standards of the three houses to be joined--Red, White, and Charming. It was all so impressive and shocking she felt faint, and would have collapsed if her father hadn't caught her elbow in time. So many people, all here for her...for what this wedding meant...

Finally, when she had recovered her composure, she swallowed hard, managed a tight, quick smile, and then offered her arm to Tony. "Shall we?"

He looped his arm in hers as the last, questioning organ note sounded and nodded, leading the way through the doors.

Wolf shifted from one foot to the other and wrung his hands, scratching his temple every now and then as he waited anxiously for his creamy dreamy bride to come down the aisle to him. The burgundy velvet suit he wore--it was, in fact, the exact same one he had rented for the romantic evening at the restaurant in Kissing Town, brought by special delivery for the ceremony--was extremely hot, or it seemed so to him. Of course, the suitjacket had been redesigned with thicker shoulders, and a heavy, crimson, royal cloak draped his lean, muscled frame. Now that he was a prince, he knew he had to look the part. But it wreaked havoc on his already nervous body, and was becoming decidedly musky. Wendell, he noticed, didn't seem bothered by the heat, although he also wore a royal uniform of the same burgundy hue.

Glancing down into the chapel pews, he found his eyes drawn unerringly to Red Riding Hood III, sitting in the front row beside Virginia's grandmother to conserve her strength. Periodically she would wince and press a hand to her stomach, at which point he would feel an answering twinge in shoulder or forearm, almost as if they were bonded together. And so they were, in many ways. At the moment she was holding Warren, and he knew by the protective gleam in her eyes that it would take a raging tigress to divest her of her grand-nephew. Oddly enough she seemed more at ease with the wolf-cub's tail than Warren's own great-grandmother, who still had difficulties concealing her uneasiness and discomfort. So many things had changed.

And it was all because of Carmine. He still could not believe what she had done for him, he found himself waiting for the other paw to strike, for the dream to shatter. He felt like Rip Van Winkle, waking up to a world completely altered from the one he had always known, except that only two weeks had passed rather than a hundred years, and he had been awake and a direct witness to the change and how it occurred. His aunt had found it in her heart to forgive the wolves, to end the hatred and prejudice, and now because of her he was finally free...and a prince!

For a long time, in fact for all of his life, he had despised his heritage, had been infuriated that he was connected to the House of Red. He had certainly never imagined that he would be granted recognition, nor had he sought it. One part of him had felt he did not truly deserve it because wolves were filthy animals; the other part felt he would be betraying his kind, turning his back on them by acknowledging his human half and his rank in human society. But now that he was here, now that he had been made a prince, he found he not only accepted it, he liked it...he embraced it. For it brought him the sense of family and pride he had lost long ago. And it would, he knew, enable him to do great good. Finally someone in power would be a wolf, finally a wolf could act on behalf of his brethren to bring peace, justice, and prosperity, and with the full sanction and support of the House of Red.

He realized now that his father had spoken the truth. In the May Queen's hedge maze he had declared that one day Wolf would thank him for taking away his vendetta and revenge, and Wolf now knew this to be a fact. For if he had not put an end to his hatred and bitterness, he would never have convinced Red that wolves were not savage beasts, he would never have been able to persuade her she was wrong, and she would never have aided in the battle with the Ice Queen or agreed to pardon him and Duncan and end the persecution against wolves. And one thing more...he would never have found hope and understanding with Carmine.

Wolf found himself smiling down at the queen of the Second Kingdom. Not long ago he could never have believed this possible, he had hated her so much. But he saw now that she was not a heartless creature, not like the Ice Queen. She had feelings, and could love, and sympathize, and hurt, and feel guilt. Most of all he had seen how wrong he was when she saved his life in the throne room...when she came at Virginia's call...when she risked her own life by the yawning void of the Lethe mirror, and nearly died from her wound. She could change, and she had. She was family, all he had left except for Celia and her kin, and now there was so much he had to say, to feel. They had talked long into the night the evening she came to Virginia's room to make her confessions and to make amends. They had shared so many memories of Cerise...but he knew there was still so much more to say.

He fingered his mother's ring in his pocket and closed his eyes for a moment. Now he had that chance. He had all the time in the Kingdoms to share in that closeness with she who had been the center of his life until Virginia.

Sighing, he looked around the chamber again. Most of the people here he didn't know, as they were the usual collection of dignitaries, ambassadors, minor lords and vassals, obscure titles and far-away travelers found at such gatherings, the guests Wendell was compelled to invite lest he give offense. But he did recognize certain notable exceptions: Colin and Briar Rose, Arundel and Rapunzel; Cinderella, Alberich, Olaf and Leaf Fall, the Naked Emperor's Great-Grandson, Old King Cole and his son, the newly-crowned King Gerome of the Eighth Kingdom and his son Gunnar; Benjamin Tell and his family, and even Corporal Andrew, promoted to a lieutenant (he reminded himself to thank the young wolf for what he had done at the first opportunity). Everyone they had met in this journey and the previous one who had any reason to celebrate this day was here, and it filled him with such joy. He knew most of them were probably here for Virginia, and deservedly so, but he also guessed many were here for him too. Finally wolves were being accepted.

His thoughts were interrupted at that moment by the swelling of the organ music, and he turned eagerly toward the vestibule doors. First came the flower girls, Leaf Fall's youngest daughters and two tiny Ice Princesses, all of them with lazily flapping wings of green and blue. Then came the bridesmaids, demure and unassuming except for Candy, who still gave him embarrassed and sensual looks that reminded him uncomfortably of the storeroom of the Grill on the Green, and Geraldine, who looked as bemused and surprised as he was that she had accepted his wedding invitation. And then finally Virginia appeared with Tony at her side, carrying a bouquet of irises and lilies, and his heart nearly stopped at how utterly gorgeous and beautiful she was. She had captured his heart with her most everyday appearance, but now...now she looked like a figure from the Golden Age given life and breath. He noticed she was trembling and being held up by her father, and he was not far from that condition himself. In fact he could sense Wendell at his side, supporting him.

Somehow the aisle of the chapel seemed a hundred feet long, but eventually Tony escorted his daughter to her place, gave her one last pat of encouragement and a kiss, and took his seat beside Cinderella. The music faded out, and the bishop began the invocation, but Wolf heard none of it. He heard nothing at all, for all his attention was riveted on Virginia. She seemed so radiant, so perfect, he couldn't hold back his whines and whimpers of pleasure. She shushed him, but he only chuckled and lifted a hand to brush across her cheek.

He was so caught up in ogling her, in fact, that he almost missed his cue for the vows. Virginia nudged him, and he flinched before he laughed sheepishly and took her gloved hands. "What can I say, Virginia? You're the better part of me, you're the one who inspires me to be who I am today. I wasn't truly alive until I met you...huff-puff, you turned everything around for me. Before I met you, I was so afraid of losing what I had, I clung to it until I did lose it, until I had nothing left. It was then, at my lowest low, that I met you. I took the opportunity for revenge and carnage that the Evil Queen offered and turned it into a dream come true. I found love and hope, and I saved the Kingdoms, and earned respect and acceptance. And it was all because of you. You are truly one in a million, my love. I promise to never let you down, to always be by your side and never leave you. I promise to love you, cherish you, honor you, and keep you, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse. Of course I will forsake all others, for you are my life's mate, until death do us part." He paused, squeezing her hands, her countenance blurred by his tears. "And while I cannot promise we will always be safe, I will always be there to protect you. But at the same time, I will let you grow up and be independent. I will stand over you, growling and fearsome, when the time calls for it...and I will also let you grow your own fangs and claws and leave the den to protect yourself. I will learn the difference between these times."

It was basically the pledges he had made to her in Red Riding Hood Forest when they were flying on their way back to the castle, couched in more formal and public terms and lacking the anguish and distress they had been spoken with before, when he had feared she would reject him.

Virginia looked up at him, her throat tensing and contracting with her intense emotions, her cheeks flushed with color. When she spoke, it was so softly he could barely hear her even with his sharp ears, but the chapel was so soundless he was sure everyone else could hear too. "Oh, Wolf...you don't know how much it means to hear you say that. Or actually, I guess you do know. You know everything about me, you know the secrets of my heart, because I let you in. You're the only one I've ever allowed in...because you're not like any other man I've ever met." She laughed. "You can be so childish and silly sometimes, so temperamental and insecure, so unbalanced and needy. But I love that about you. You live on the edge, Wolf, and you take me there with you. Sometimes it's frightening, sometimes it's exhilarating. I know I've hurt you many times...but I promise I'll try as hard as I can not to anymore. I know there were times when you doubted me...when I doubted you. When others came between us. But I want you to know now that I think I figured out why that happened. It was...a dalliance, flirting with the idea of being with someone else, my last chance at escape. It's my defense mechanism, to run away and be afraid of something new...especially love. And to be honest, the attraction for someone a little more predictable, a little more stable and safe, is great. But your unpredictability is part of your charm, and one of many reasons why I love you. I don't need anyone else, I don't need predictability. And you are safe for me, you keep me safe. Thank you for never turning away....for being there for me and helping me, even when I was stubbornly determined I didn't need your help and would do it all by myself. I promise to love you, cherish you, honor you, and keep you, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, forsaking all others, for you are my life's mate, until death do us part."

She went silent, and for a moment he thought she was done, but then a look crossed her face that told him she had decided something. "And you know why that is, why I keep coming back to you even though we've been through so much and had so many conflicting feelings? It's because, not only do I love you, but I never stop falling in love with you. Every day I fall in love with you all over again."

Then, quaveringly and untrained but in perfect pitch and key, she started to sing to him, and he recognized the song at once. It was one he heard on the strange device called a "radio", in the Tenth Kingdom, by what was called a "Celtic" group, The Corrs. And it was one of his favorite songs from her world.

"Say it's true,
There's nothing like me and you.
I'm not alone,
Tell me you feel it too.

And I would run away,
I would run away, yeah,
I would run away,
I would run away with you.

Because I
Have fallen in love
With you,
No, never,
I'm never gonna
Stop falling in love
With you."

When she had finished, exuberant and enthusiastic applause filled the chapel, and she blushed prettily as she squeezed his hands back. At that moment he was so proud of her he could burst, and he beamed from ear to ear. His Virginia had so many talents...and that song expressed such a true and heartfelt sentiment, something so akin to Happy Ever After he was surprised it came from her world and not his. It was wonderful, just like her.

After the applause died down, the bishop went on with the ceremony, asking that the rings be exchanged. Wolf did as he was told, placing Cerise's ring on his creamy girl's left hand. (The singing ring had been moved to her right hand but had been assured it would be no less important or valued.) Virginia in turn placed on his hand a large gold ring surmounted by an opal surrounded by diamonds, a complementary match to the singing ring. It had been a gift from Wendell...a ring worn by Count Charming, Lady Celeste's father, and then by Snow White and her son Whitney. It was absolutely priceless, he couldn't believe he was wearing it.

The bishop solemnly performed the final ritual, tying their wrists together with a pink silken ribbon in the Charming family tradition. Then he moved into the benediction. "Then, by the power vested in me by God and the sovereignty of the Fourth Kingdom, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He smiled kindly at them. "You may kiss the bride."

Wolf lifted the veil back with his free hand and gazed searchingly at his wife's creamy, delicious face. Then he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her passionately.

The roar of approval was thunderous, shaking the entire chapel, but it could never be as loud as the pounding of his heart. It had finally happened. He had married her, Virginia was his wife, they were mates forever now. Nothing could ever distress or worry him again, all was right with the world. It fit together so snugly that nothing could ever tear it apart.

Needing air, he finally pulled away and turned with a foolish smile to face the guests. As he lifted their knotted hands high, he gazed out across the chapel--and then Virginia stiffened, gasped, and pulled on his hand, attracting his attention.

Following her gaze, Wolf saw two hazy figures standing at the back of the chamber, watching silently. He too flinched as he realized who they were. One was the great Snow White herself, he knew her instantly. The other was the Evil Queen, and she was smiling--not bitterly or coldly or slyly as he had known her, but tenderly, lovingly. Turning to look at Virginia, he saw tears streaming down her cheeks, and he hugged her close.

When he looked back, he received another shock. Two others stood with the queens...Duncan and Cerise.

His father was dressed as he had been in the hedge maze, while his mother wore a sea-green dress with a full skirt and a bustle, her blonde hair bound up in an intricate knot. It rather looked as if they had dressed to match the wedding party. Both of them were smiling and happy, something he could barely remember, since the pain and horror that had twisted their faces on the pyre was seared into his skull.

No one else in the chamber noticed anything amiss, except for two. Tony turned to look first, and nearly fell out of his pew. He half-extended one hand, a look of utter longing on his amiable face, and Christine echoed the gesture with just as much need and love. Then Carmine happened to glance that way, and as soon as she saw her sister, the queen froze, her mouth working inaudibly. Cerise waved sadly to her, then placed one hand on her heart as she blew a kiss with the other. At this Carmine began to weep and closed her eyes.

For several long, eternal minutes the applause continued as the four spirits hovered wordlessly, communing, granting them all a glorious gift. Then the Fairest of Them All sighed, turned, and guided her charges toward the doors. Before they had passed through, they had all vanished in a rush of mist and light.

Afterwards, nothing seemed to matter anymore, and all Wolf could feel was dazed and enraptured as Virginia led him down the dais into the aisle. He watched with an odd detachment as his wife threw the bouquet and Carmine caught it with a gasp of surprise. Then they were proceeding down the aisle toward the outer hall that would take them to the reception.

They had already filed out and were being followed by all the guests when Wolf came down off his unparalleled high of love and healing. Content and satisfied, he held Virginia's arm as they walked, and it was several minutes before he realized that someone was speaking behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he caught the last of what Tony was saying to Wendell.

"Well, Your Majesty, it's finally over. Now we can all go back to our normal lives. No more witches, no more evil magic, and no more worries. Now that the wedding's over, we've passed the last hurdle. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for years of relaxation and rest. I might just take a very long nap tomorrow." He smirked and stretched exaggeratedly.

Wendell eyed him speculatively, then slowly smirked back. "Why, Anthony, where is your sense of adventure? I'm certain if we poke around, we'll find something useful and exciting to occupy our time. In fact...I was told the other day that Old King Cole is missing his golden pipe and bowl. Perhaps when things have settled down, you and I can travel to the Fifth Kingdom to seek them out?" He winked suggestively.

Tony groaned and put his face in his hands. Wolf just grinned.

Smiling dreamily, Virginia sat in a small, tufted chair at the side of the ornate ballroom, fingering the knotted ribbon she now held in her hand as she watched the dancers whirl effortlessly by. Since there had been no other place to hold the banquet and dance, she could not avoid this room anymore, but seeing her mother's spirit one last time at the wedding had erased the pain, soothed her conscience, and laid to rest any buried ghosts there might be here. The ballroom was just a room now, beautiful and wondrous like so many places in the Kingdoms.

The reception had gone exactly as planned, with only one near disaster when Wolf, his eyes, mouth, and stomach fixated on the arriving platters of warm, juicy spring lamb, had almost crashed into and fallen upon the wedding cake trolley. Luckily Wendell had pulled him out of the way in time, but Virginia could still not keep from giggling whenever she thought of the look on Wolf's face.

Otherwise it had been a gorgeous, sumptuous meal, even outdoing the banquet at Rapunzel's castle. The main course had been a huge tureen of thick, hearty stone soup, and it was indeed as delicious, filling, and incredible as the old fable had said. She just hoped the stones had been removed from the pot early on. There had also been several types of chicken, worrying Virginia--it wouldn't do to roast the Little Red Hen or serve Chicken Little en flambe, even for an occasion such as this.

Then the dance had begun, with music provided by noneother than the Bremen Town Musicians, and Virginia had performed the obligatory first dance with Wolf. Somehow it had been even more romantic and wonderful than anything she had yet experienced with him, because now she knew she was married to him, united by holy matrimony forever and ever. That prospect didn't scare her, it only made her heart flutter and sent a tingling warmth through her body.

After the other dancers had taken over the floor, Virginia had settled into this chair to be out of the way, eating a piece of unbelievably rich wedding cake. She noticed all sorts of interesting little gatherings and cliques forming among the guests. Tony was regaling the Dwarf King and the Naked Emperor with the tale of Lady Celeste and his heritage, undoubtedly mending fences with the Ninth Kingdom for breaking so many of their mirrors. Wendell was holding Warren and conversing with King Gerome, from time to time resting an understanding hand on the blue-haired monarch's shoulder. Prince Colin was playing his pipe for Leaf Fall, while Rapunzel and Lucinda were chatting with Old King Cole, her grandmother flirting outrageously. And Wolf was speaking low and earnestly with Carmine. She watched, puzzled, as he reached into the inner pocket of his suitjacket, and then he removed three books and pressed them into his aunt's hands. Virginia peered closer, and then she caught the titles and began to laugh merrily. They were three of his self-help books: Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, Breaking the Cycle, and Stop Blaming Yourself--Please! He had chosen aptly, and these books were likely to help Carmine, but the thought of the queen of the Second Kingdom with self-help books seemed incredibly funny to her.

As Red Riding Hood III ran her hands over the covers, then opened a book, read a passage, frowned, and furrowed her brows intently, Wolf turned and walked in Virginia's direction. Watching him, she sighed and shook her head in amazement. She could not believe, even now, how lucky she was to have him. And she couldn't believe how Carmine had changed and done so much to earn forgiveness. Her dream of betrayal had been so wrong. It would take time, both for the ill feelings to subside and for the wolves to be saved and become accepted, but she knew if anyone could make it happen, it would be Carmine. Anyone else would have broken under the strain, would have killed herself or blindly remained adamant in her decision to keep the laws the same. But she was strong, she was at heart a good woman, and once she had seen the truth, there had been no going back for her. And she would be happier for it, Virginia knew. From her own experiences, guilt and pain for the death of a loved one were not easy to conquer, but doing so would relieve the queen's agony, just as forgiving her mother for leaving her and trying to kill her--which she had done as Christine stood in the chapel doorway--had relieved her own heart and brought her peace.

She rose as Wolf reached her and took his hand. "Everything all right?"

"You bet it is, Virginia. It's more right than it's ever been in a long time. Shall we dance to celebrate?" He chuckled and winked at her.

Virginia was about to consent when a shadow passed across the room, and she looked up. High above, against the azure sky that arched over the glass ceiling the Huntsman's arrow had once shattered, the silhouette of Daviander sailed by. A twinge of guilt filled her as she realized that she had neglected him again--for good reason, but it would still have hurt the dragon. He might even be leaving this very moment!

"Not yet, Wolf," she whispered. "I think there's someone we need to talk to first."

He followed her pointing finger, nodded slowly, and put his arm around her as he led her to the doors.

Leaving behind the buzzing of conversation, the swishing of skirts, the treading of feet, and the strains of music, the two of them passed down the deserted halls of Castle White until they reached the front entrance. Stepping out into the brilliant sunshine, Virginia shaded her eyes until they adjusted, then looked about. There on the leagues of grass that composed the front lawn, as if he waited for them, Daviander lay calm and sedate, his ebony scales gleaming and shimmering in the sun. He had to be absorbing great amounts of heat, but he did not seem uncomfortable at all, his smoke curling up lazily to the sky. He also, she noted wryly, showed no signs of being the worse for wear after his foray into drunkenness with Tony.

She led the way down the entrance drive to where the dragon waited, and as soon as she was close enough she called out. "Daviander! It's so good to see you again...I've missed you."

He lifted his chin from his forepaws and smiled at her warmly. "Lady Virginia...'tis a fortunate happenstance indeed to converse with thee again. Congratulations...thou hast defeated the Ice Queen and received thy just reward for thine endeavors."

Virginia nodded slowly, but she could not ignore the chill in her heart as she remembered anew what she had done. "Thank you, my friend...I do feel very lucky and happy, it's more than I've ever thought I could have." She took Wolf's hand and caressed it. "But...I can't help feeling I'm being rewarded for a violent, hateful act. I killed the Ice Queen. That's the second time I've killed now. No matter the motive or underlying cause, that can't be an honorable thing."

Daviander gazed at her expressionlessly for a long time, but then he frowned and shook his head. "Nay, milady...thy reasoning is flawed. It mayeth be that thy conscience and noble heart shall plague thee alway with doubt and uncertainty. But what thou didst for the Kingdoms canst not be scriven in the annals of history as a heinous sin. 'Twas Griselda or thou...self-defense is ne'er a murder, not when the one thou hast slain possessed no soul in her breast. Thou wert not niggard with thy courage, and as such, thou savedst the day for us all. I cannot ask thee to forget, to expunge it from thy heart, for an thou couldst, thou wouldst not be the woman I know thee to be. But...in time 'twill fade, so I ask thee to be patient. I have killed far more than thee, and in ruthless, unprovoked attacks, not for the benefit of all. Thy sins are verily minimal." The horror and self-loathing in his voice were palpable.

"And remember, sweetheart," Wolf interjected, "using the comb was the only way you could save your mother. It broke the spell and freed her...she is thankful to you, I'm certain."

The words were so similar to those he had spoken in her chamber two days after the coronation, and to Christine's own assurances in the hedge maze, that Virginia felt the tears flow yet again. Nodding to her husband in gratitude, she turned back to Daviander. Here was one she still had to help. "Oh, Daviander...don't blame yourself. You were misguided...you were hurt and suffering, you'd lost so much in your life you only wanted to take more away from those who wronged you. I understand so well...we've all done things we're not proud of, bad things. Wolf has, and I have, and Carmine has. The difference is now we're doing things to make up for them. You can too."

The dragon flinched as if burned, but then he closed his eyes and nodded in acquiescence. "Thou art truly wise, milady. I...am sorry I wronged thee, by thinking ill of thee. After thou describedst the manner of thy capture and kidnapping of Red Riding Hood, I thought in the silence of mine heart that thou wert not the heroine thou claimedst to be...that thou wert not good, that perchance I had aligned myself with one who might betray me. Now I know that thou art only imperfect...human. I hope that I can one day live up to the regard in which thou holdest me...and earn forgiveness for my crimes."

Virginia was the one now to feel remorse and sadness. She had not realized how deeply her dark actions had damaged her image, had hurt the Last Dragon and made him despair. No wonder he had distanced himself from her during the journey! There was no way he could have known if he would ultimately receive the same treatment as Carmine; the track record of humans had not done much to instill faith and trust in Daviander. She knew she had changed her vengeful motive to one of peace, hope, and goodwill, and that in the end she had succeeded in a great good. But it still hurt that she had pained Daviander in any way.

She was about to apologize and reassure him yet again when Wolf stepped in. "I...I'm sure you will, Daviander. In fact I hope you will more than you can ever know. I've dealt with hatred and prejudice all my life, I know how you feel. I've always thought the dragons were treated unfairly...and now, now that you're a hero, you've got a chance to set things right, to make a clean slate for dragons the way I have for wolves. I'm sorry if it seemed like I was ignoring you before this...I was just so busy, and I was afraid you'd think I was presuming to compare our lives..." He scratched his temple uncertainly.

Daviander blinked, and then Virginia was pleased to see respect, understanding, and acceptance in the dragon's azure eyes. "I thank thee, Lord Wolf...Prince Wolf. I shall never forget thine overtures to me, and I find it an honor and a privilege to count one of thy kind as my friend."

Virginia beamed as the dragon extended a foot so that Wolf could shake his claw. Then, after a long, pregnant moment of silence, Wolf chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "So...what are you going to do now, Daviander? Where will you go?"

The dragon took a long time in answering, and when he did he had his eyes cast to the horizon, seeing something beyond their vision. "I know not. First I must needs find a new home, to commence my sojourn. I must prove to the Kingdoms that dragons are good and noble once more, that we belong amongst civilized men and can bring unique talents and skills to profit all. Then...then I shall seek out others, learn whether I am the last. An others survive, I shall tell them of what hast occurred, and, God willing, restore them to the Kingdoms as well." He sighed. "I only wish that I could have something definitive to show them...an unassailable guarantee that they shall not be harmed, that they will be allowed to live in peace."

"Your wish is my command!"

Jumping almost a foot, Virginia whirled to see King Wendell standing calmly and imperturbably in the grass not far behind her, his hands clasped behind his back. She wondered when he had followed them, how long he had been standing there. Wolf and Daviander were similarly caught off guard, for they had been engrossed in the conversation and not attuned to their surroundings.

The young monarch strode to join them, walking unhurriedly and without pause until he stood directly below the ugly snout of the dragon, towering a hundred feet above him. He tilted his head, took a deep breath, and then continued.

"I could not help but overhear your desires, dragon," Wendell said honestly. "Believe me, I have considered your plight long and hard, burning many oil lamps late into the night since you freed me from my icy prison. You deserve so much for what you have done, but the true things you desire, that which would give you back your life, are beyond my power. I cannot undo your heartache and sorrow. I cannot take back the years of neglect, of hatred, of death and war. I cannot wipe away the memories of those you have lost, those the Kingdoms have lost, and pretend none of it ever happened, that by a magic spell all has been restored.

"No...but what is in my power, what I can do, is one thing. It is a simple thing with horrendous complications, a single act that will have many repercussions, but I make it in full knowledge of what may result from it, because I know it is required of me by protocol, by diplomacy, by gratitude, and by my stance as a moral man. So...without further adieu, I hereby pardon you and your kind."

Daviander's jaw dropped.

Wendell spread his hands in a proclamatory gesture, encompassing the land. "You are now free to settle wherever you wish in my Kingdom, providing you never harm one of my citizens without just provocation--which should never manifest itself, as I shall instruct my people to leave you well alone and refrain from persecuting or attacking you. Your actions have more than atoned for those of the dragon who slew the Seven Dwarves. I know this is what my grandmother would want. Last Dragon, you are forgiven."

At that moment Virginia wanted to hug Wendell tighter than she ever had and plaster his face with kisses, but she forced herself to remain still as an ecstatic happiness flared in her heart. Wolf was looking at the king with new eyes, as if he had finally been forced to revise his opinion of the arrogant ruler for good. And Daviander looked ready to collapse. Instead the dragon slowly lowered his head, bowing deeply before Wendell. "I...I am at a loss for words, Thy Majesty. I...bear with my paltry excuse for praise and thanksgiving. Thou art my king and sovereign as of this day. Iwis, forasmuch as thou hast restored to me my life and mine honor, I shall serve thee with loyalty and instant compliance. I cannot thank thee enough..."

A sly smile crossed the king's face, and he lifted one hand to shake a finger reprimandingly. "Ah ah, I wasn't finished. That was only your general reward, the one that would benefit your species. I have another just for you, a personal one."

"Another reward?" Daviander stuttered.

"Yes. I took the liberty of consulting with the Spying mirror that belonged to the Evil Queen." Wendell spoke with exaggerated casualness. "It seems that there is another dragon alive whom you could seek out to bring back to the Nine Kingdoms. She lives on a lonely isle in the sea to the south of the First Kingdom--"

"She?!?" The roar of jubilation nearly ripped the leaves off the trees of the surrounding forest, several miles away from the estate.

"Oh yes, did I neglect to mention it was a dragoness? How thoughtless of me." Wendell winked.

A long look passed between dragon and king as Daviander took in this news, as it sank in what the monarch of the Kingdom he had hated for so long had done for him. So many emotions raced across his countenance, blurring by in rapid succession. Then tears began to stream down his cheeks, and he began to shake with his sobs.

"Milady...Lady Virginia..." he choked out. "Thou wert right...thy words were alway true...there are humans who careth...who loveth...who remaineth free of prejudice and malice. I took a chance on thee...that an I opened my heart and cared, I would not be hurt. And everything thou predictedst came true..." His voice came out as an awed whisper.

For several long minutes Daviander simply wept, cleansing and joyful tears. Then at last he raised his head and looked off into the wild blue, the southern sky, and there was something in his face Virginia had never seen before: hope, eagerness, even a certain excitement. "I...I shall ever be thy servant, call on me shouldst thou have need...but I must away at once, ere I lose my chance--I mean, ere the dragoness departeth and not receiveth my joyous news."

Virginia was at once stunned and amused. "But Last Dragon, I thought you couldn't, or wouldn't, take another mate!"

Daviander finally focused all his attention on her, and to her surprise his cheeks turned a vivid crimson, as if belling out with his fire. "I...that is true. But who saith anything concerning a mate? I have been lonely for so long...without a companion, a friend, one who understandeth me and canst sympathize with my plight from personal experience. An I find and speak with this dragoness, she mayeth well be that friend, that companion. I need ne'er be alone again." He paused, his longing voice fading out, and then a sly grin crossed his dusky features. "Besides...one ne'er knoweth what will progress from friendship. Mayhaps by the time this dragoness feeleth some devotion and love for me, I shall have made my peace with my beloved Liraliss, and shall feel ready to pursue...other interests." He winked.

Realizing at last that Daviander was truly leaving, that she would not see him for a long time, if ever again, Virginia rushed to his side and threw her arms around his foreleg. "I'll miss you, Daviander...I'll never forget you..." she whispered. "You've taught me so much...I'll never think of dragons the same way again."

"And I, milady, shall ne'er forget thee," he rumbled softly, caressing her shoulder with one toe. "I may return thy words in kind...because of thee, I shall ne'er think of humans in the same manner. 'Tis a just and noble thing. But thou canst ne'er let thy sorrow encompass thee. We shall meet anon. Take care of thy son, and continue to do thy good deeds and fulfill thy destiny. I am grateful I couldst play a part in it. Rule thy people as thou rulest thine own heart, and all shall be well...for the Nine Kingdoms and for thee." He turned then to Wendell and nodded once more. "Again...thank thee, great King. Because of thee, I have hope that I shall join mine astral brethren when I die. No gift can be greater than this. Farewell...to all of thee."

Gently disengaging from Virginia, the Last Dragon unfurled and spread his vast leathery wings, and for the last time Virginia watched through a sheen of tears as the ebony behemoth tensed all the colossal muscles of his haunches and limbs and hunkered down, launching into the air. Flapping and beating his wings, Daviander rose higher and higher, wheeling against the summer sky in ever-broadening circles, claws extended, head thrown back, jaws parted. He let out a wild, unfettered, piercing shriek of defiance and joy, heart-stopping in the way it throbbed with emotions far too strong and pure to be bound by a name, let alone a heart, even one as massive as his. This was followed by a titanic blast of fire that exploded across the heavens, crackling and hissing and curling like a solar prominence in the sun's corona.

And then, wheeling about one final time, he turned toward the south, pumped his wings, and streaked away into the distance--as if shot from a crossbow, plunging into and tearing to shreds the fleecy, tranquil clouds that were slowly drifting toward the castle. Virginia was certain every one held a silver lining, ready to add their own blessings to the lands below. And as she stood on the sun-drenched lawn of Castle White, holding hands with her beloved husband Wolf and her stepbrother Wendell while the fragrant scents of the flower gardens wafted past on the breeze, she knew something with a prescience and truth she could not explain, something that filled her eyes with even more tears.

She knew that Daviander was not the last of the dragons after all. He was the first of a new generation.