Patty Liu - Silent Reflections

Everything had rushed by in a blur. Little Peter was given his proper Nine Kingdoms christening. Strange how religion wasn’t even present. But Virginia didn’t care. They were all safe and sound now. Wolf was happy. Her father was happy. The king was happy. The princess was happy. Everyone was happy. Well, except for Melody and Patrick. They seemed to be playing a game of Avoid Each Other as Much as Possible. Virginia had seen the attraction that the two had for each other. And as an older sister, Virginia felt it was her duty to make Melody happy. She spoke with Wolf about it and Wolf just gave a silly grin and told her to leave it alone. No use playing matchmaker and getting caught in the middle. But Virginia didn’t let up.

A few days had passed and Patrick was preparing to return to his Mother Goose home to care for his pumpkins. Virginia and Wolf were also preparing to leave for the Tenth Kingdom with Tony tagging along. Virginia did have her psych test that she didn’t want to miss. They all promised to return for the wedding of King Wendell and Princess Wendy as soon as word was sent.

Melody moped around. All her friends were leaving once again. And she was going to be alone once more. She was going to go back to her little old cottage by the river and live in it all by herself. Pip had volunteered to go back with her but she didn’t want to force him. And Virginia also offered to take her back with them to the Tenth Kingdom for a visit but Melody didn’t really want to.

“Would you like to come and visit my pumpkin patch and help with re-harvesting?” Patrick piped in after seeing the melancholy on Melody’s face. He had gathered up his courage and finally asked, for he knew Melody was going to be very lonely now everyone was leaving. Heck, he was going to be lonely too except for his huge pumpkins to keep him company.

Melody’s eyes lit up at the offer but she didn’t want to sound so eager. She also felt that people were taking pity on her. She shook her head slowly at the offer.

“Come, Melody. I would really need your help. And I think I would also like it if you came with me. I’d like your company,” Patrick said as sincerely as possible. Melody smiled and finally nodded her head. Virginia relaxed and decided that Melody and Patrick could handle themselves and their destiny would run its course without her.

Patrick held onto Melody’s hand as they watched a servant switch on the magic traveling mirror. Instantly the image of Central Park flashed onto the mirror’s surface and Melody gasped at the magic at work. Virginia held Little Peter in her arms and she kissed the king and Princess Wendy goodbye. Tony gave the king a quick hug and bowed down to Princess Wendy. But at the last minute they both laughed and embraced each other in a big hug. Wolf bowed to the king and princess but also gave them huge wolf hugs.

“Huff puff, Prince. It was sure nice to have come here for vacation. Cripes, and what a vacation it was!” Wolf laughed at his own joke. “Make sure to send us a message for the wedding. I don’t think I want to be missing that!” He scratched at his temple absentmindedly.

King Wendell promised that he would but the wedding wouldn’t even be taking place until a few weeks later. He said that he would send a servant as soon as the official invitations were going to be sent out.

Wolf looked into the magic mirror in front of him and he caught the faintest reflection of himself. He grinned and smoothed a lock of his dark hair behind his ears. I’m still a pretty handsome devil ain’t I? he smirked. Virginia nudged him in his side and he quickly gave the king one last pat on the back and he stepped into the magic mirror.

There was a moment of complete nothingness. All his five senses shut down for just the barest of seconds. But then a rush of cool air hit his face and he felt himself moving at high speed. And a split second later he was standing in the middle of a grassy clearing in Central Park, New York. Virginia, with baby Peter in her arms quickly followed and Tony appeared right after her.

“Can’t believe I’m gonna say this… but I think I actually miss the smog!” Tony gave a silly smile and the trio set out to make their way home.