Debbie Banna - Shattered Dreams, New Beginnings

The trio of friends returned to the cottage of the beast where conversation and a hearty meal awaited. At first, Wolf joined his friends in celebrating and rejoicing. Because Loyalina’s curiosity was great, Prince Allistar shared with her immediately the story of his past and the cause of his enchantment. Wolf listened for a second time to the story, his gaze drifting from time to time to the stew, simmering temptingly over the fire. Finally, he could hold himself back no longer, and he arose and prepared a bowl of the enticing concoction for each, setting it before them as Allistar finished his tale. By the third bowl of stew, Wolf felt full and satisfied and began to become more aware of the atmosphere around him. Since the kiss in the garden, Loyalina and Allistar had been gazing at each other steadily. Wolf himself was just becoming aware of the emotion passing between the two and it was stirring some very uncomfortable feelings within. It was not long ago that he and his beloved shared the very same pastime, each spending many hours delighting in the sight of the other. As the evening drew on, the ache in his chest began to grow until he began to pace the floor restlessly.

“Is there something troubling you, my friend?” Allistar asked, noticing Wolf’s agitation.

“Ah…no. Not really. It’s just that I think its time for me to be moving on,” he replied in a preoccupied manner.

“Yes. Of course, my dear friend. We were just discussing that matter. Loyalina and I have decided to waste no time in returning to the Sixth Kingdom where I will present myself before my people and claim my throne. Once we have returned things to their rightful order and have evicted Venican from the castle, we will provide a safe and pleasant set of quarters to Uncle Naked, and then, Loyalina and I shall be married. And, you, my dear friend and helper in the affairs of the heart, will be given a position within my cabinet as an advisor to the king, if you choose to come with us,” he finished. Loyalina, sitting notably close to Allistar, gave Wolf a smile of encouragement and agreement.

The plans, kind as they were, had no appeal to Wolf. He was thankful that things had turned out well for his friends but he knew that he could not return with them and be subjected to their newly blossoming love, day after day. The adoring looks and sweet meaningful glances were much too familiar, reminding him of his own beloved and how short their time together had been. He turned to look upon his friends, and sadly, he informed them of a decision that had already been made within his heart.

“Thank you for being willing to honor me in such a way and for the kindness that would include me in your plans. But I fear I must decline. I, myself have a kingdom over which I could rule if I chose to return to civilization. I am a prince, you see, of the Second Kingdom, though only newly so. There is also a home for me in the Fourth Kingdom with friends and family who care. But I cannot return to either of these. I feel deep within the need to return to the woods and continue to make it my home for now. But I wish you both well as you go forward to find your destiny. Mine, my friends, lies elsewhere,” he said sadly.

As he finished they both rose and went to him, wrapping their arms around their comrade. Each of them was saddened at the thought of parting but they realized that Wolf’s mind had been made up and would not be altered by further discussion. In the morning, When Allistar and Loyalina arose and began to prepare for their own journey, Wolf was already gone, having left at first light, almost eager to be on his way to whatever might lie ahead in the forest beyond.

Adora awoke to a familiar pounding in her head. It was going to be some time before she felt well enough to be on her feet again. But she could feel the strength returning a bit more each day. Thankful that Tony had left her with plenty of fresh water and the rest of his supplies, she reached across to the nightstand to revive herself with a drink from the water bowl. Suddenly startling, the realization hit her. It was morning. The sun shone brightly through the picture window. She stared in amazement at the hand she held up before her eyes. “He did it!” she shrieked, astonished. She pulled herself up into a sitting position and examined the rest of her frame. To her delight, she discovered that she was human once more. The curse had been broken. But how?

When Tony had left the cabin, determined to find her brother and set her free from the curse that had bound her, Adora had humored him. She had little faith that he would succeed. Even if he managed to find Allistar, the curse could not be broken so easily. What in the world could Tony have accomplished during in the short time that he had been gone that would bring about such amazing results? she wondered. Considering his age and physical condition, it would have been surprising for him to have even reached the Eighth Kingdom yet. “Oh, Tony,” she sighed. “It’s a miracle! You truly are a hero. And when I am able to return to my home I will see to it that my brothers find you and reward you for the things you have done.”

Then resolved to do all in her power to get well so that she might soon begin her journey home, she satisfied her newly revived hunger before sinking back between the covers and returning to a healing, replenishing sleep.

From the instructions Allistar had given him the night before, Wolf had been able to determine the direction he must take to return to the Fourth Kingdom. There were no signs to inform him that he had crossed the border but as he continued on he began to feel as if he were back in familiar territory. The landscape became more so as he continued on and by noon, he stepped into a clearing surrounded by brightly painted wagons. “The gypsy camp,” Wolf gasped. He looked around cautiously but found himself to be alone. Little had changed since he had last seen this place. The only change was the absolute silence. Not even a bird twittered in the trees. He looked to the far side of the camp where a tripod supported empty cages once occupied by magic talking birds.

He crossed the camp to the area where the gypsies had kept their livestock, intending to see if they had left behind a horse or two. He pulled up short, shocked by the sight before him. In the place where once the horses were tethered, there now was a graveyard. There must have been twenty or thirty white crosses pounded into the ground side by side. No names marked their surface, leaving Wolf to wonder if there had been anyone left who knew their names. It seemed someone had taken the task upon himself to lay the gypsies to rest but who it might have been, Wolf had no idea.

He thought of the boy with whom he had spent the night talking while at the camp, a half wolf like himself, and a familiar sadness ached within. Thinking back on the previous journey and their encounter with the Hunter, Wolf guessed at what might have caused the sudden deaths of all within the camp. He wished that they had not endangered their hosts by staying the night even though they had been the cause of the Hunter almost destroying Virginia. The old gypsy’s curse, which caused Virginia’s hair to grow until she could not run away, had allowed her to be captured. But then, it had also enabled Wolf to become the hero, climbing her hair to her prison within the tree and helping her to escape the wicked man’s clutches.

Shaking his head to clear it of the memory, Wolf wandered back into the camp. He paused to examine the birdcages and recalled how Virginia had compassionately set the creatures free. Not wanting to go there, he pulled himself purposefully back from the memory and moved toward the wagon of the elderly gypsy woman.

The night they had arrived, she had peered out of her wagon at them and then invited them to have their fortunes told. Wolf had been hoping for a prediction of love and marriage but had been told he would be burned to death on a fire for the murder of a young girl. That had almost taken place, but in the end, the gypsy had been wrong. He must have been a fool to put his trust in such a thing.

The table at which she had sat still stood, untouched since that night. Upon it lay a rain soaked deck of cards and a bowl. Wolf peered into the bowl, almost expecting to find a piece of the hair that the gypsy had taken from Virginia. But all that it contained now was green, algae-filled water. Curiosity prompting him, Wolf turned to the old gypsy’s wagon and he climbed the stairs, pushing the door to the shelter open. The inside was decorated garishly in oranges and reds and gold. Dust had gathered in the many months it had been unoccupied but nothing had been disturbed. In the corner of the wagon, two large trunks stood open, revealing skirts and cloaks of a variety of textures and colors. A bed against one wall was decorated with a bearskin covering, which was designed to provide protection from the cool forest nights. On a table in the middle of the room, along with another deck of cards, sat the gypsy’s crystal ball.

Wolf started to leave, seeing nothing of interest within, when the ball caught his eye. He drew near the table and stooped down to peer into it. He rubbed the surface, hoping that somehow it might reveal its secrets to him. He picked it up, examining it and even looked under the pedestal to see if he might have missed something. He found no clue as to how to make the magic ball work so he returned it to his place and turned to leave. He had almost reached the door when he heard a voice behind him. “Look again,” it croaked in a husky, rasping manner.

He spun around, trying to determine who had spoken to him and noticed that the ball was no longer empty. Within it a picture was forming. He moved closer and knelt down before it so as to see the image more clearly. As the vision came into focus, Wolf gasped. Within the crystal, Wolf could see the forms of Virginia and Tony lying in a swamp while creeping vines entangled themselves around their necks and bodies. “Virginia!” Wolf shouted as he tenderly touched the surface of the ball.

“Go to her,” urged the husky voice as it spoke again. “She needs you. Go to her.”

“Yes. That’s what I must do,” he decided, getting to his feet but not removing his eyes from the ball. “I saved her life once before in the swamp. Something must have changed. My Virginia is still alive. She must be in danger. Hold on, love of my life. I’m coming.” As the picture before him faded, Wolf ripped his gaze from the vision in the ball and rushed out of the wagon, loping off at full speed into the woods, not hearing the sound of the old gypsy’s laughter echo throughout the camp behind him.