More Complete Summary: What is it with sorceresses and witches trying to dominate and take over the 10 kingdoms? Well, there is a new sorceress and it is up to Virginia, Wolf, and Jason, their 15-year-old son, to stop her. Follow the story through all sorts of different view points!

Disclaimer: I don't own the 10th Kingdom or any of the fairy tales. Sorry!

Lair of The Sorceress

In a secret land not owned by any of the Kings or Queens or belonging to any particular kingdom, a small cottage stood in the middle of a wood. Inside of the cottage was warm and dry, a nice contrast to the bone-chilling rain outside. However, the rain was caused by the inhabitant of the cottage. The inhabitant was growing angry and lonely inside of her stolen cottage, and the weather was mirroring that. Well, anyone would have grown angry in her situation: stuck alone with a filthy, half-wit woodsman who knew nothing of the land he lived in.

Footsteps thudded from outside of the cottage. Someone was unfortunate enough to have to be outside in this foul weather.

Inside of the cottage, the inhabitant lifted her head and listened. She had long ago stopped listening to the rambles of the woodsman, but he seemed not to notice her boredom, frustration, or the footsteps outside. Terrific woodsman, he is, she thought wryly. She stood up and moved away from the crude table, yet the woodsman still kept talking. Resisting the urge to kill him then, she reminded herself of why she hadn't already killed him. I need the mirror and he knows where it is, she told herself.

"Really, Mistress, nothing could be out there," the woodsman said lazily. Apparently, he had finally noticed that she had moved.

She did not reply, such a statement did not need a reply. She was straining her ears for sounds of the possible intruder. THUNK. THUNK. THUNK. There it was again. So someone really had come here, in this foul weather conjured by her, both out of mood and magic. Why? Why would someone come here?

She peered through the dusty window and saw a large, hulking shadow. It was moving closer to the cottage without showing signs of faltering. Her mind was racing, searching different possibilities and choosing options. Turning to the woodsman, she said in a beautiful, melodic voice, "Do you get visitors often?"

The woodsman faltered for a moment. She had never spoken to him before, at least not to ask him a personal question. He scowled in thought and replied, "Never. No one comes out here; it's not safe. Troll groups scout the land, they're trying to claim it for theirs, but the few of us won't let them," he said proudly.

She rolled her eyes in disgust but was somewhat impressed. He had actually given her a bit of useful information. Troll groups scout the land. Looking back out the window, she could see the hulking mass coming closer. It could definitely be a troll. She narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look at it, and only half-listened to her half-wit companion.

"Of course, some of the Trolls aren't half bad. When you ordered me to get you a useful helper, I went to the other woodsman, naturally. But they weren't interested in an evil sorceress, especially one who was trying to take over the 10 kingdoms, seeing as it didn't work very well last time. So, I had to go to the Trolls..."

She winced at both the mention of her mentor, the sorceress and stepmother of King Wendall, and the stupidity of her companion. What had he done! He could have ruined everything! It was no wonder she preferred to work alone!

"At first, they wanted to kill me. But then I managed to get a few who were interested in your campaign, Mistress. Pyro, don't know why he's named that, was one of 'em. He said he'd come by to talk to you in person, Mistress. Why are looking at me that way? I thought you'd be pleased."

She had rounded on the woodsman, her eyes gleaming. "You've recruited a troll after you announced to all of your woodsman companions my plans to take over the 10 kingdoms!" she demanded. She wasn't even trying to be calm.

He nodded and she quickly whipped out a knife from one of the many hiding places in her dress. He looked at her in fear, but Pyro saved him. As she was about to stab him and get rid of one of her many problems, Pyro pounded fiercely on the door.

"Get it," she ordered, putting the knife away and smoothing out her dress and hair. She glanced down at the table and saw two cups. She smirked to herself and emptied a nasty looking green vial into them as the woodsman was getting the door.

Pyro, a fierce looking troll, entered the cottage sopping wet. "Alright, I came. If I don't like this, I'm still gonna kill you," he told the woodsman before noticing the woman. He stopped and examined her.

She smiled sweetly at him and gestured to a chair. "Please, sit, drink. We will talk more," she said kindly. The woodsman, being a half-wit, noticed nothing peculiar about her behavior and immediately sat and began to drink. Pyro, however, raised a hairy eyebrow before sitting and grasping his cup.

She sat at the end of the table and watched them both as they drank. Once she was satisfied, she began the questions. "Tell me, Pyro, how did you find out about me?"

His eyelids began drooping and he said sleepily, "He told me. Told me you gonna take o'er the kingdoms. I wanna see Wendall die."

She smiled sweetly and said, "How many others know?"

"Not many trolls. Two more. Wouldn't come..." THUNK. Pyro's head hit the table loudly and he began to snore.

She smiled even wider and turned her dark, shimmering eyes to the woodsman. He was also looking sleepy, but not quite as sleepy as Pyro. "How many did you tell?"

"Seven."

"Only seven?"

"Seven woodsman and trolls. Not many live out here. Not many wanted to here about it." THUNK. His head hit the table as well.

She rose from her seat and withdrew the knife she had threatened the woodsman with. She advanced on the woodsman and sliced his throat. Blood poured over the table and her hands. "You will no longer complicate my life," she told the dying figure. Then she moved over to Pyro and did the same to him. Once both man and troll had been killed, the sorceress threw her cloak over her shoulders and walked out of the cottage to find and kill all others who knew of her plan, compliments of the woodsman.

Author's Note: I'm sorry it wasn't very good, but the next one will be. Please review and be positive. Constructive criticism is okay.