Disclaimer - I don't own any of the characters that appeared in the movie, only the ones I made up for the story.
1.
Will had no idea where he was. All he knew was that he shouldn't be there. He took a few seconds to glance around and discovered that he was high above the ground standing on a tree branch.
'Oh God,' he thought, 'what now?' Suddenly the tree came to life and he was whisked through the air. He heard a cry from above and turned to see Angelika caught in the branches above him.
"Hold on, I'm coming," he began to climb up towards her. That seemed to anger the tree and it swung the branches more violently, trying to shake him from off and send him crashing to the ground below. Eventually he managed the reach Angelika.
"Don't worry, I'm here now to rescue you." Angelika gave him a "and who is going to rescue you?" look, but allowed him to take hold of her anyway.
He glanced at the ground and realised that the tree had taken them even higher. Now he had the work out how they were going to get down. Where was Jake when he needed him? He finally spotted his brother at the base of the tree; he seemed to be attacking it with Will's sword.
"If I get out to this alive I'm going to have a word with him about how he's using my sword – it was expensive." Will commented, as he watched his brother's antics below.
Then the tree finally responded to Jake's actions and they were falling towards the centre of the tree that had opened up, like huge mouth waiting to swallow them.
"Jake!" he screamed.
Will woke with a start and stared at the ceiling above him. As his breathing calmed he began to take stock of his surroundings. He was laid in his bed in Marbarden and the tree has just been a dream! That realisation was quickly followed by others; namely that he had a pounding head and a mouth that felt like a dessert – he was never going to let Gregor give him any of his "special" home brewed ale again! He slowly turned over and faced the window, the sun was up and the light was shining in through the cracks in the shutters. The shutters were closed, he didn't remember doing that, but then, he didn't remember much about last night and it was probably Jake that had done it anyway. Will glanced towards his brother's bed and noticed that it was empty, he slowly gather his wits and rose from the bed.
"Jake…Jake, where are you?"
The sound of his own voice echoed through is head, and he fell back onto the bed again. Okay, he thought, less noise and more action, and he slowly rose again from the bed and went in search of his brother, food and a drink (but not necessarily in that order). He entered the kitchen and found the table laid out for breakfast
"Who needs a wife when I have Jake?" he said with a smile.
"Good morning, Herr Grimm. How are you feeling?"
Will turned to face the voice, to discover a woman that he didn't know standing in the kitchen. At least he thought he didn't know her, but as he stared at her pieces of the previous night began to return to him.
"Mercurio thought that you might be in need of some refreshment this morning," said the women and now Will remembered her as the matronly women who had offered the kill a pig for Cavaldi.
"And how is Cavaldi this morning?" ask Will, with a grin.
"Oh…much the same as you, I would guess."
"Well, thank him for his kind thoughts, and you for the food. Have you seen my brother this morning?"
"No sir, there was only you in house when I came. The last time I saw you brother was at the party last night."
Marbaden had thrown the biggest party of its life the previous night to celebrate the safe return of Angelika and the girls and the defeat of the Queen. Will had entered into the spirit of it wholeheartedly and danced with every woman in the village and with Angelika as often as he could. Even Jake (who REALLY couldn't hold his ale) had got drunk and started telling stories to anyone who would listen and, as the villagers listened to Jake's tales, Will was reminded just how good they were and how Jake could hold an audience in the palm of his hand as he told them. Jake had really come alive last night, all his inhibitions seemed to have vanished. He was more outgoing and sociable than Will had seen him in years – he had even danced with Angelika. In fact, the last time Will had seen Jake he was speaking to Angelika. Could he, thought Will with a wide grin forming on his face, could his little brother had ended up last night where he thought he had. That would be the ultimate reversal for Jake who usually ran when a woman even glanced his way.
"Well if that's will be all sir, I'll be on my way."
"Yes…and thank you again for the food. By the way my name is Will, not Herr Grimm."
"Then I will see you later, Will."
The woman smiled and left the house. Will sat down to breakfast, in the hope that this would improve his head.
When he had finished Will cleared the table and set out the find his brother. Will whistled softly to himself as he crossed the village to Angelika's house. The food, sun and fresh air were beginning to clear his head. As he passed one the houses the door creaked open.
"Good morning 'err Grimmy." said and familiar voice.
"Good morning Signor Cavaldi and how did you sleep last night?" enquired Will.
"I slept very well…and 'ow is Jacob this morning?"
"I don't actually know, but I'm on my way to find out. I can't seem to find him and from what I remember that last person he was seen with was Angelika. I thought I might go and ask her if she knows of his whereabouts."
"Do you require any assistance in this matter?"
"I suppose that it might be useful to have some help, if you are not too busy."
"Oh I am never to busy for true love."
"That's an unusual sentiment for a torturer?"
"I am an unusual torturer."
By now both men were smiling as the approached Angelika's house.
"So you think that's it true love between Jake and Angelika then?"
"Only true love could 'ave broken that spell, anything less would 'ave ended in death."
"Jake kissed Angelika knowing that if he was wrong then she and all the girls would die?"
"And probably Jake was well. But if 'e 'adn't then they would all 'ave slept forever and there would 'ave been no way to bring you back either."
Will stopped and looked at Calvaldi. He hadn't had a chance to speak to Jake about what had happened yet and this had come as a surprise to him. He had always thought that Jake didn't possess that kind of courage. Jake's had always been the realm of theory and fantasy, Will's had been one of fact and action. He had assumed that Jake had just come up with the right spell, not that he had risked his life to see it through.
Will didn't remember much that happened in the tower after he had released Jake's wrist and felt the knife slide into his chest. He remembered the look of total despair on his brother's face and then his mind was filled with the Queen's voice and he knew that everything would be all right, all his problems would be solved if he just did as she told him, if he served her. The next thing he remembered was waking the hear children's voices and feeling his brother coming close to him as if he was about the kiss him, which wasn't what he wanted – especially as there were more feminine kisses to be had close by - and he had said so.
"You and Jake 'aven't talked about what 'appened?"
"No, we never really had the chance. He didn't want to talk in front of the children on the way back from the forest and after we got back it was just one big party until we fell asleep. Do you know what happened?"
"Only the bit I saw. Jake is the only one that knows all that went on and I think we should wait until 'e is ready before we speak of it."
"Then I guess we had better go and wake him and see if he is ready to talk."
They arrived at Angelika's house in silence and Will banged at door.
"Fraulein Krauss, you don't have my brother in there with you, do you?! And, if so, what are your intensions towards him?"
They waited a few minutes and Angelika appeared at the door, she did not look please to see either of the two men.
"Will! What do you want, my sisters are sleeping, and I don't want them disturbed. What were you saying about Jake?"
"Jake wasn't in his bed when I woke up this morning and seeing as you were the last person to be seen with him last night I was wondering if you knew where he might be?"
"You mean…did he spend the night here with me last night?"
"No…I wouldn't begin to presume. I thought he might have said something to you about his plans for today, you did spend a lot of last night talking to him."
"No his isn't here. We parted at the door to the house you are using – but I will admit to a kiss before I left," she said with a smile. "He's probably in the village somewhere, did you check to see if he left you a note?"
"No, I didn't. Through a note would be very Jake like, wouldn't it?"
"Look, lets go and check your house and around the village. I don't think that Jake will have gone far. He had a lot to drink last night and, to be perfectly honest, wasn't that steady on his feet."
They went and checked the house and found no note, they also found that Jake's bed was not only empty, but looked like it hadn't been slept in at all. Will began to be concerned about where his brother may be. As it was now edging towards mid morning and the rest of the village was now awake, Will went to see Gregor and explained the situation to him. A search of the village was organised, but to no avail.
"Will has the Queen done something to Jake?" asked Sasha.
"No sweetheart, No…nothing like that. Jake just lives in his own world and sometimes does things without realising that they might cause concern to others."
"Don't be mad at him, please."
"I won't be. I just want to know where his is."
Will's concern for Jake had now grown to full blow fear. Despite what he had said to Sasha he was thinking along similar lines himself. The thought of his otherworldly, magic believing brother being alone in that forest, for that was the only place left that he could be, was turning his heart to ice. Will had seen Jake use the magic axe to control the trees, but now that the Queen was gone had the magic gone with her or just been left with no control? Jake had said that magic could be in places as well as people.
Will had stood staring at the forest as these thoughts ran through his head surrounded by Angelika, Cavaldi and rest of the villagers. Suddenly Will pivoted on his heels and headed towards that stables.
"Where are you going?" asked Angelika
"Into the forest to find Jake."
"I'm coming with you."
"You don't have to, he's my brother!"
"He saved my life, as well. And the thought of anything happening to him..."
"Nothing has happened to him! He has just gone into the forest following some crazy scheme that seems perfectly logical to him and when I find him..."
"You'll do what?"
"I don't know, scream at him, hug him... I just need to find him and know he's all right."
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival Cavaldi and Gregor.
"I thought you might want some company on your trip into the forest," Cavaldi said.
"You actually want to go back into that forest?" asked Will.
"No, but if the caro storyboy is in trouble then I would like to 'elp."
"Jake is NOT in any trouble. He has just gone for a walk in the forest and I am going to explain to him exactly why that was not a good idea!"
"Gregor?" Angelika asked, "can you look after Lily and Rose and try to keep what has happened from the rest of the children, I don't want them upset unnecessarily."
"Of course," replied Gregor.
Will, Angelika and Cavaldi then rode off into the forest again, watched by the villagers of Marbarden.
