Mary Anne Gruen - The House of Red

The King of the Dwarves didn’t dress in a showy manner like most of the other royalty in the Nine Kingdoms. Dwarves as a rule didn’t like to be flamboyant. It came from living underground so much. Also, since theirs was the last kingdom to be formed, they didn’t feel it necessary to follow any old foolish royal traditions.

King Eranthis was well past middle age. His white hair and whiskers were full but well trimmed, showing off just the touch of pink in his cheeks. He was dressed in deep navy knee breeches with a matching jacket. Among his people, navy was considered to be a formal color. Most of time they wore shades of brown because that was the color that was sensible for their mining work. If nothing else, dwarves were a sensible people.

When the group from Wendell’s office came in, King Eranthis regarded them through his wire spectacles with a certain amount of disdain. The only one he was acquainted with was the Queen of the Fairies. Matilde,” he said, offering her just a slight nod of the head.

“Eranthis,” she said. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“No. But I expected to see you.”

Matilde raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Would you introduce me to these others?” Eranthis asked, gazing about at the motley crew behind her.

The Queen of the Fairies stood back and indicated each person in turn with her cane. “This is King Wendell’s Chancellor,” she said first.

The Chancellor offered Eranthis a deep bow.

“And this is Lord Rupert.”

Rupert bowed even deeper than the Chancellor.

Eranthis regarded them both with disgust. “Please, no fawning,” he cried in exasperation.

“This is Lord Lewis,” Matilde continued, “Inventor to King Wendell.”

“Ah,” Eranthis said with loathing. “Anthony Lewis. The one who murdered half the mirrors in our library when he blundered into Dragon Mountain. I’ve heard about you. I can’t believe I’m here to help you.”

Matilde moved quickly to the final member of their group. “And last but not least,” she said, “this is Wolf.”

“Yes.” The dwarf’s face relaxed a bit. “The half man/half wolf. Queen Snow White is very fond of both you and your wife.”

“Thank you, your Majesty,” Wolf said respectfully. He couldn't believe all the people who were to help Virginia. With all this royalty, certainly something could be done.

“Then you’ve been speaking with Snow, I take it,” Matilde said.

“Yes. She contacted me through one of our mirrors the day before yesterday and instructed me to come at once. She said you had been summoned as well, though not by her. She said we would need the Mirror of Truth to reveal some things from the past.”

“Indeed.” Matilde was intrigued. “And where is she now?”

“I assume she intends to appear in the mirror.” King Eranthis indicated the Mirror of Truth with his fat little hand.

“Very well,” Matilde said. She was never one to stand back and wait while there was work to be done. Without any formality, she stepped in front of the mirror while the others gathered about her. All she saw, however, were the normal expected reflections. “I’ll try calling her,” she said, leaning on her cane. “Lord Rupert, please stop swaying, you’ll ruin my concentration.”

“Sorry, your Highness,” Rupert said, putting his hand to his mouth.

“Snow,” Matilde said to the mirror. “We’re all here now. What kind of plan do you have going?”

As soon as she spoke, the reflections in the mirror started to waiver. They got less and less distinct, till there were only swirls of gray in the glass.

“Snow? Are you going to appear to us? Darling, we don’t have all day.”

The voice of a woman came out of the mirror before a form developed. “Matilde, I see you’re as irascible as ever.”

“When you get to my age, Dear, I figure you can say pretty much whatever you like. Now what’s this all about?”

The figure in the mirror got clearer. It was Snow White, appearing as the older woman that Virginia had met almost two months before in Dragon Mountain. “I know about Virginia’s disappearance. In fact, I know where she is.”

“Where?” Wolf asked desperately.

“She’s all right. I’m in contact with her ring.”

“Then it’s you who made all those predictions?” Wolf asked. “Through the ring, I mean?”

“In a way. As you know, the ring possesses some abilities to tell the future. It also has certain properties as a magic talisman. It was a lucky piece of jewelry you bought for Virginia that day in Kissing town, Wolf.”

“You used it to steer her by, didn’t you?” Matilde said. “That’s how you know where she is.”

“Yes. I’ve been acting as Virginia’s fairy godmother for some time now.”

“Yeah?” Tony said angrily. “Then why did let that troll zap her?”

“Because she has a destiny to complete in the past, a truth to reveal. One that will affect a great many people. And it’s important that you and Wolf go help her.”

“No!” Wolf said, facing off with the mirror. “I’ll go. But NOT with him." He pointed at Tony accusingly, like a child in the schoolyard ratting on a naughty playmate. "This whole thing wouldn’t have happened if he’d taken care of Virginia like he promised.”

“Yes, it would have,” Snow White said. “The trolls were determined to have their revenge. If not in this way, then in some other. I’ve altered things so their actions will serve a good purpose instead of an evil one. You’ll need Tony in the world I’m sending you to, as a go-between and as a cooler head.”

“See,” Tony said, crossing his arms in front of him. “She thinks I’ve got a cooler head.”

Wolf growled.

“You will make two stops in time,” Snow White said. “The ring will tell you when to leave the first and travel to the second. It will also know when it is time to return to the present. But in the midst of things, its words may be lost. Therefore, Tony, I will depend on you to be the cooler head and pull them out. Remember this rhyme.

“You will know its time to leave,
When a flame does touch your sleeve.”

Another rhyme, Tony thought. "Yeah, sure," he said. It wouldn't be hard to remember. If he caught fire, it was time to go.

“How do you intend for them to travel?” Matilde asked.

“The same way as Virginia, fairy dust. I depend on you, Matilde, to supply them with the two kinds that will be necessary for the journey.”

Matilde nodded her agreement. “And I assume you’ll be steering them.”

“Yes. By Virginia’s ring and the talismans they’ll be wearing around their necks.” Snow White looked at Tony and Wolf. “Tony, you have seen the Mirror of Truth once before. And Wolf, you have probably heard of it. There hasn’t been one like this for five hundred years, for the simple reason that most people don’t like truth. I am sending you back into the past to uncover secrets that no living person knows. The Second Kingdom is where you’ll be going. There have been a total of three crimes either enacted or attempted there. A fourth was planned, but it was averted when Wolf helped stop the Evil Queen. You don’t realize it, Wolf, but you put an end to an old plan of revenge. Now it’s time for the full truth to be known. There are very few heroes in this story, and far too many victims. Eranthis will cut three small pieces from the Mirror of Truth and fashion them into talismans that you will wear around your neck. You will give Virginia hers when you meet. Or rather Tony will.”

“Where will I be?” Wolf asked with concern.

“You will be near. But the first time I am sending you to is a dangerous one for half-wolves. Tony will have more freedom to walk about and he will act as the go-between for you and Virginia for awhile. The second time you are journeying to will be a little easier and much more difficult all at the same time.”

“Oh, great!” Tony said. He'd hoped he was all through with this questing stuff. He’d been looking forward to a nice quiet existence as the rich and important Inventor to the King.

“The truth of everything you see and hear will be taken in by the mirror and reflected back here,” Snow White said, “In the second time you visit, you may have to leave Virginia’s piece of the mirror behind. But as long as she wears the ring, I will be able to bring her back. Matilde, we’ll need a quorum of witnesses from the ruling body of the Council of the Nine Kingdoms. They will have the authority to make a formal judgement.”

“Well, you certainly have me and Eranthis. And when King Wendell returns, I’m sure he’d be willing. There’s Cindy too, of course.”

“Wendell will need to continue with his army,” Snow White said. Cinderella’s kingdom is also about to be thrust into war. However, since she began a parliamentary system before she started her days of seclusion, the First Kingdom should be able to handle the coming battles without her.”

“Are you saying the war will continue?” the Chancellor asked.

“It will. And it will worsen. The Second Kingdom will permanently fall unless it re-embraces those it cast out. And if that should happen, the momentum could topple many other kingdoms as well. The truth of the past is the key. The Fifth Kingdom is safe at the moment. Ask Old King Cole to join your quorum. As the son of the Lady Rapunzel, I have no doubt he will come if you ask him. For the Fifth member, I would suggest Leaf Fall.”

Matilde grimaced. “My step-daughter?”

“She’s the Queen of the Elves and Queen of the Seventh Kingdom. She also has great pull with the council. If she agrees with your ruling, no one else will dare oppose it.”

“All right,” Matilde said with a sniff. “I’ll ask her, but I don’t intend to enjoy it.”

“Fine. I know I'm asking a lot of you, considering the confusion in the time ahead. But you don’t all need to be here at once. The mirror will answer any questions you put to it. But you should contact the others as soon as possible. Use my name to bring them here.”

“I’ll send my footman to bring the messages in my magic coach,” Matilde said, “When they see that float in, they’ll be more likely to pay attention. I’ll even send a note to the Naked Emperor’s great-grandson up in the Snoring Castle in the Sixth Kingdom. It’s getting too cold for him to travel now, so I’ll tell him to stay where he is for the moment. Not that I’d want him here anyway. To think, that vulgar and improper man is related to Sleeping Beauty. I just can’t bear the thought.” She stopped when she’d realized her pun. She hated puns. “I mean, well, you know what I mean.”

“We’ll have to fix up the guest rooms,” Lord Rupert said.

“And We’ll have to advise King Wendell,” the Chancellor said.

“I’ll let you send him word by regular messenger, since he’s at the border,” Matilde said.

“The trolls might notice my coach landing.”

“When do we leave?” Wolf asked eagerly.

“Tomorrow night,” Snow White said. “Removing pieces of the mirror is a delicate task. And Matilde will need to explain how to use the magic fairy dust. There’s but one thing more. You are journeying to the past to reveal the truth only. You must realize that you cannot change anything. What has been done, cannot be undone. But if you are not careful, you can be caught up in the dangers of the past and lost there forever. So, tell no one who you are and realize that they won't be able to recognize you.”

Wolf and Tony exchanged looks. Just who would they be meeting that they would know?